(Raheem shows his team some signs of encouragement during an "upset" of the Green Bay Packers in Raheems first year.)

Raheem Morris has taken a lot of criticism over that last 2-3 years since being "promoted" to Head Coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There are many that have defended him and his decisions, and then there are far more who have scrutinised and lashed out against him and GM Mark Dominik


For one, I think we as fans have been overreacting on the "Morris needs to go" rants. I've been looking around and reading articles and he is actually on pace for a good career according to his win totals in his first 3 years. Bill Belichick (20), Bill Walsh (21), Bill Parcels (22), Dick Vermeil (18), and Sean Payton (25) all have had/have great success in the NFL and by my count Raheem has 17 with 7 games left in his 3rd year. Granted this is just speculation over what other Head Coaches have done after their first 3 years, but if you look at the way things have played out...no matter what happens the rest of this year, I see good things for the future.


Raheem started off his tenure in controversy and pretty much dumped all of the veterans on the Bucs roster to "scout" his young players. The first year was an evaluation for what this team needed when rebuilding from the ground..up. Quickly we learned the answer....this team needed A LOT of help. In the 2nd year it was about putting his drafts to the test and getting them to "gel together" and get some wins. Given the bad (em...awful) 1st season, we were graced with a fairly easy schedule. However, even having an "easy" schedule we have to keep in mind we had the YOUNGEST team in the NFL with the YOUNGEST Head Coach. Getting 10 wins in the NFL with the youngest team is a pretty good feat (no matter who you play). After all, this is still the NFL. In gaining those 10 wins, I believe the fan base has become unrealistically optomistic as to how good this team was suppose to perform this year. The Bucs have played each of the leagues top 3 teams, the 5th best team twice, and the leagues 9th best team in just the first half of the year. Coming away with 4 wins and 5 losses. Even if we finish out the year at lets say 7-9....we then have another draft, with young players getting older, with more experience, a full off-season AND a somewhat easier schedule to play. Then if we talk about pairing the draft talent with previous years draft talent and experience, I think we find ourselves back near the top of the NFL heading into another off season with ANOTHER draft class to pair with the previous (that was a mouthfull right?).....suddenly I find a "difficult" schedule (seemingly) much LESS difficult. Give Raheem some help with a better Offensive Cordinator and I'm predicting a pretty solid team for years to come. Possibly throw in a D Corrdinator to top it off, and Raheem might be sitting with the rest of the coaches mentioned above. We've seen the good, and we've seen the bad (errr...down right ugly) ....the real question is....is this all just a dream? Or is Raheem on pace to make something real out of this team? Possibly create a future in which we have only had a small glimspe of? It's easy to want MORE.....faster. Especially with coaches like Jim Harbaugh bursting on to the scene...but he brought help with him. A coaching staff who had been together and already knew how to win...as well as the experience of his own NFL career AND his brother already being a successful Head Coach for the Ravens. Maybe Raheem and our Buccaneers aren't as far away from greatness as it seems...with a little help and his contract exstention....only time can really tell. Just food for thought. GO BUCS!!! :)

[Carnell "Cadillac" Williams being takled by CB Chris Johnson of the Oakland Raiders in Week 17 of the 2008 season. He suffered his second patellor-tendon tear on the play.]

         Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has been criticized in late years for injuries and fumbles. Most fans counted him out saying he will never play again, after he tore his first patellor tendon in his right knee. Then out of nowhere, he came back to give the Bucs a much needed spark in 2008. He came in Week 12 against Detroit only having 27 yrds on 16 carries [avg. 1.7]. Some might speculate that was a lot of work for just coming off a career threatening injury. Then in Week 13 against New Orleans, Caddy got it rolling on just 4 touches for 20 yrds and 1 TD with a 5.0 rush avg.  [His first rushing TD since the 2007 season]. He then over the next 3 weeks, had sub-par performances rushing for 22, 59 and 27 yards with only 1 TD. Many critics were saying that he just wasn't the same, and that he just couldn't get over the injury.  Then in a Week 17 a home game, where the playoffs were on the line...we saw flashes, we saw cuts, we saw Caddy. While having his best game since his injury and his longest run of the season of 28 yards, a run which was designed to go left. He busted through the hole, broke a takle, juked, cut right and was off toward the endzone with the entire crowd on their feet cheering. Chris Johnson [CB] of the Oakland Raiders was the last man to beat. Chris being one of the fastest DBs in the NFL ran Caddy down and in my opinion [horse-collard] him to the ground. While the crowd standing on their feet cheering because the Bucs were up 24-17 with Caddy showing life, teammates and coaches rushed to Cadillac as he lay in agony. Once again, he had torn his patellor tendon. Only THIS time....in his left knee. The Bucs seemed to lose momentum and went down hill from there, eventually losing to the Raiders and losing all hopes of playoffs, finishing 9-7 missing out by ONE game. 

       This injury proved to be less serious seeing as how the tendon had actually removed itself from the bone. Thus making it easier to recover and easier to fix. And here it came, once again all the criticism, once again fans who once cheered his name and once believed in him...had lost hope. Calling him names, saying things like "Busted Ride", "Used Cadillac for Sale" and "Caddy has no wheels". 

      This brings us to 2009. The Buccaneers are now 0-6 and yet again Caddy is on the field. In fact, he has been on the field all year. The same fans who once were thrilled to see the signing of Derrick Ward, the same fans that once said the gas was gone from our broken Caddy...are now cheering his name. Cadillac Williams is averaging a respectable 4.3 yards per carry [before the Eagles game it was actually 5.2], has 276 yards on just 64 carries with 2 rushing touchdowns, is second on the team with 15 receptions for 89 yards AND has his first ever NFL receiving TD. On top of that, Cadillac hasn't fumbled [knock on wood]. He has even been seen running THROUGH defenders, just ask Dallas Cowboys Safety [Sensabaugh #43] who was demolished by him TWICE, while also having to save a rushing TD by bringing him down from behind.  [See Week 1 highlights at NFL.com] Which might I add, he was takin down by a HORSE COLLAR AGAIN. [seems to be the only way to get him to the ground] Also, he got his TD on the drive anyway. ;]

      So I guess this brings me to my all important questions.....is Carnell "Cadillac" Williams back? Again? Can he be what we need in this demoralized Offense?? Should we re-sign him if he can prove to stay healthy throughout the year? If you're the Head Coach or Owner, don't you WANT a guy like this on your team to set an example? You tell me Bucs fans, is this Cadillac re-Built to last? Are these new set of wheels improved? Cadillac thinks so, stating in the off-season "I feel great. My knees [both of them] feel better than they ever have before". Hey maybe he borrowed this set of wheels from Goodyear which made drastic improvements in Nascar from last year to this year. Coincidence? Maybe not.