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BUCS TAKE IT UP A NOTCH IN CAMP

HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN – TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

JULY 24, 2003

(On if anybody stood out today)
“I have to look at the film, it’s hard to see everybody. We’re pleased with the offense today in short yardage. I thought they did an outstanding job up front. I was pleased with that particular phase of our offense, defensively on third and long they stepped up, did an outstanding job. We have to go look at the film and by the end of the week, next week, I’ll have some ideas about who’s stepping up.”

(On Howell leaving practice early, then returning)
“He left early and had an IV. He’ll be back this afternoon. He just got dehydrated for whatever reason and we expect to have him back this afternoon.”

(On if he thinks the team is on schedule)
“It’s hard to say until we start playing the games. That’s when you truly find out where you are. I will say that we have a lot of football time in the books and the guys are working really good. The execution has been very good at spots, but we still have plenty of areas that we can improve upon. I’m happy.”

(On offensive line)
“They’re making great progress. They’re not going up against Jones Junior High everyday either. These guys they’re blocking are outstanding football players, as good as there is in the world and they bring it every single play. There is no let up from (Warren) Sapp and (Anthony) McFarland and (Greg) Spires and Simeon (Rice) and then the guys that come in behind them, (Ellis) Wyms and (Chartric) Darby, these are outstanding football players and we have a second-round pick who’s trying to make a mark, as well. They’re challenged on every snap and I’m really impressed, as (offensive line coach) Bill (Muir) is, with the way they’ve stepped up and competed. Hopefully, it makes us much better as the season begins.”

(On if players are showing any fatigue)
“They’re handling it well. We had a special teams practice, a 45-minute stint, a couple of days ago where a lot of the players didn’t practice, we were rained out a couple of days prior to that in the afternoon. This first week of training camp is critical. When we go to Tokyo the schedule is disrupted, there’s not a lot of practice time, there’s a lot of down time, so if you’re easy now and you’re not getting much accomplished and you’re not getting much done on your way to Tokyo, you’re really not getting anything done. Our guys are working hard together, there are some tempers flaring, there is some irritability and that comes from me also. That’s just part of training camp.”

(On week in Tokyo)
“We have our schedule that we spent a lot of time putting together. We researched different teams that have gone to Tokyo and played in the game. Travel is an issue, 15, 16-hour flight. What you do when you get off the flight? We’re going to have a bunch of treadmills, get our guys on the treadmills, get a little sweat going, shower, meet, sleep, get up the next morning have a workout. There is some down time and the people there are going to allow us to tour the city. It’s a miraculous place, I’m told. In some ways it will be festive, while we’re over there, seeing the brilliance of Tokyo, Japan. We’re going to play the game, get on a plane, come home, let our players regroup and get back to work.”

(On conditioning of players coming into camp)
“I can’t be more pleased, really. We have every guy practicing every day. We haven’t had one player miss a snap for any medical reason or any conditioning issue. I’m very thrilled with the conditioning of this football team. That’s probably the one thing I’m most proud about at the end of the day.”

(On his personal conditioning)
“I’ve been in better shape, but we still have three or four weeks of training camp left.”

(On Shaun King)
“He’s a guy that we said when we got here we really liked and were excited to work with. I think being in the same system two years in a row has really benefited him. He’s showing great command right now. He’s making some excellent changes at the line of scrimmage, throwing the ball extremely well, he’s on time, he’s having fun and he’s a confident man again. He’s going to take advantage of these preseason games to get reacclimated to game speed and I’m very pleased and very encouraged about what I’ve seen.”

(On if the constant changes hurt his development)
“He’s not the Lone Ranger, now. Brad Johnson has played for I don’t know how many different guys. Rich Gannon, a guy I coached previously, played for 15 different guys and Vinny Testaverde might have the all-time record. When you play quarterback in the NFL you can’t use that as an excuse, now. That’s just the way it is, coaches change and players change and that’s the world we live in. I do believe it hasn’t helped him develop as quickly as he could of.”

(On offensive lineman working on technique and not memorization of plays)
“We don’t have nearly the amount of wasted plays. Our defense is denying us at times and making some outstanding plays, but for the most part we’re assigned. We have a man for a man, the communication is better, the execution is, obviously, much more professional at this time than it was last year.”

(On shifts and motion in offense)
“You have to practice movement. We’re not necessarily going to shift at all on every play, maybe we won’t even shift in a game, but if you want to have that ability you have to practice shifting. We incorporate a lot of movement in just about every period. We rehearse not only the play we’re going to run, but the movement that could potentially be called with it. Against our defense, they’ve seen a lot of these shifts, a lot of these plays, and they’re a very unforgiving group, but we’re trying to practice the whole package and shifting is a big part of it.”

(On sending team back to huddle)
“We’re after perfection here and, I think, they appreciate that, really. When it’s all said and done, these players want organization and discipline. They want accountability to the man. To be a great player and put together a great season and be a champion, you have to rely on your teammate, the guy next to you. We’re trying to make sure that everybody’s eyes are wide open and the details are being accounted for.”

(On cool down trailer)
“It cools the body temperature. That thing may not look it, but that’s the exact same square footage as our locker room at Raymond James. What it’s like is a halftime. Some times as a coach I’ve seen teams go in the locker room at halftime, come back out, it’s hot and they just never really spread their wings again, they just kind of don’t come out of there as well. We’re practicing coming out to start the second half and at the same time we’re trying to cool the body temperatures. We haven’t had any injuries, knock on wood, and I do believe our new facility, our new estate right there, is paying big dividends for us.”

(On nickname for trailer)
“It’s a little too nice for the woodshed. I was going to call it the woodshed, but then I went in there and it’s like some place Sapp would live. It’s very nice in there. It’s more like an estate.”

(On devoting time to special teams)
“We realize that it’s a big issue, not only helping you win and lose games, but putting the roster together. A lot of these players are going to make the team by making a mark on special teams and we have to try to evaluate them in that type of situation. To do that you have to practice that.”

FB MIKE ALSTOTT - TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

MONDAY, JULY 21, 2003

(On practicing in pads for the first day)
“It was different. Obviously you have to get acclimated to putting the pads on and carrying the load, but as far as going out there and hitting and seeing the tempo and seeing everything develop in front of you, it’s kind of hard to see the whole scheme develop and come together when you are in shorts. But it was a good first day. A lot of things happened. Offensively, we are 1,000 times better than we were last year at this time. That’s a great sign.”

(On the Buccaneers’ depth at running back)
“You have to look at it in a positive way. You have to look at it as competition. We are pushing each other. Obviously, with the number of backs, there are little reps for each other to get as far as carrying the ball or doing other things. You just have to take your opportunity and make the best of it. It’s going to be competitive, there is no doubt about it. They are a great group of backs, too. Everyone is in here working together and helping each other out.”

(On his role with the Buccaneers)
“I don’t think it is going to change much. You are going to see me at fullback and split out. You’ll see me in different situations where I am going to be halfback primarily and in short-yardage goal line situations. Probably, I will get more reps in the passing game. We’ve been working on some different situations to get me involved in the passing game. For the most part, the overall scheme is pretty much the same.”

(On his off season)
“It was eventful. There is no question about it. Getting the opportunity to do some other things that have probably never have happened. When the opportunity is there, you have to take advantage of it. I got to meet a lot of people and got to do a lot of different things. I still had to keep my eye the bulls eye. I couldn’t get distracted. I thought as a team overall for all of us going there [to train] every morning and get done what we needed to get done to get better. Obviously, this is going to be a tough year. We’re better as a football team than we were last year, but overall people are going to be gunning for us and we will be the team to beat. There is no question about it.”

(On his motivation after winning the Super Bowl)
“[I’m] hungry, even more hungrier. Greedy. You have to defend what you earned last year. I think we have a great opportunity to do that, and we just have to take it one day at a time. We are not looking at the Super Bowl. We are looking at a day-by-day process. Our goal now is to get through camp and to get better each and every day and take the preseason games one game at a time. You are going to hear that. The old cliché ‘one day at a time, one game at a time,’ but it’s the truth. You have to be consistent. You have to lay each block every day to get where we did last year. It’s not going to be easy. Everybody is going to be gunning for us to knock us off because a lot of people didn’t think we could get there last year and we did. They are going to say the same thing this year. It’s about what we believe in our locker room. It’s about what we get done on the field now in training camp, which we can lay the blocks for the season in.”

(On the Buccaneers’ leadership)
“We have a lot of leadership on this ball club. A lot of veterans, a lot of guys know the routine and the tempo of the game. They know what to do out there to get the job done. Obviously, our leader in coach [Jon] Gruden will not allow any mishaps, anything that is going to distract us. Like I said, we have our eye on that bulls eye. There is no question about it. All 32 teams are looking for the same thing. They are looking for the Super Bowl. Just because we went last year doesn’t mean we can’t back there this year. We take it day by day. Last year I think we started out of the blocks walking a little bit. I think we are running now. We’ve got some things going.”

(On if the team is more comfortable in its second year with Gruden)
“We know what he expects. We know how he works and what he wants out of us and the tempo of his practices. Everything that he expects out of his players we know. We expect a lot of things out of him and he does, also. It’s just an overall thing. We know him. He knows us. We are comfortable with each other. That calms a lot of the nerves down, so you can concentrate and really focus on what you have to get done for the day.”

(On looking forward to playing in Philadelphia Sept. 8)
“I am just looking to get through this afternoon’s practice without getting an IV, getting through the heat and getting our reps in. It’s a big week this week. We’ve been practicing a lot in shorts, doing a lot of things like that. We have a great tempo in shorts, but once you put the pads on, you have to get used to that tempo. There is a lot of banging. Tomorrow morning you are going to wake up and you’re not going to be able to turn your neck to the left or the right. Your body has to get accustomed to what is going on. It’s a long way to Philly. Don’t get me wrong. When it gets closer, we’ll be ready.”

(On being comfortable with his role)
“I accept my role. I know I am going to get my carries. I know I am going to be involved and contribute to this team. There is no question about it. There’s been conversations [with Gruden]. I know what Gruden thinks of me, and I know what he expects of me. Don’t get me wrong. If you give the ball to me 35 times a game, I’ll take it every time. I’m not going to turn it down, but I also know what he expects out of his team as my team role with the committee of backs that we have and how he operates. He likes to keep everybody fresh. If you’re hot, he’s going to give it to you. We have a lot of personnel groups on this team and a lot of veterans that would love to play every snap of every game. We like to mix it up and throw some changeups in there and really keep defenses on their toes in what we put on the field and what we present to them. There is going to be games where I get the ball, and there will be games where I’ll carry it four or five times but maybe catch it five or six times and be involved in short yardage or goal line situations where my number is called. I’ll be ready.”

BUCCANEERS ANNOUNCE SEVERAL MOVES

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced they have released LB Clayton White and signed LS Chip Mattingly to a one-year deal. Terms were not disclosed.

White signed with the Buccaneers on April 8, 2003, after being waived by the New York Giants in February. He originally entered the NFL as a college free agent with the Giants out of North Carolina State in 2001. He played in all 16 games as a rookie, appearing on both special teams and defense before spending the 2002 season on the Giants' injured reserve list.

Mattingly originally entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2002 with the Buffalo Bills on April 23. He was later released on June 26.

DE SIMEON RICE TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2003

(On the first three practices.)

“I think we are ahead of the game, that’s for sure. I think just by how conditioned we are as a team and what we did in the off season, it’s kind of where we left off last season. I think we are ahead of the game in terms of the game plan. We are a veteran team, really strong in a lot of different areas and we have so much camaraderie. The chemistry is already there. We have an understanding of what our objectives are for this year and we understand what we did last year. We know what we have to build on. All we have to do now is stay healthy and continue to play hard. I think the thing the veterans have to work on, I know myself especially, is keeping our minds in it. It’s five weeks of pre-season and it’s kind of mundane, kind of boring. The motivational factor is that we just have to continue to keep things fresh, new, and interesting so we, and myself, don’t get bored. I’m already in the mind frame of, let the games begin, and I’m just trying get through this time.”

(On the defense motivation to repeat, something the 2000 Ravens and 1985 Bears could not do.)

“That (motivational factor) is five weeks from now. That’s yet to be seen, but we are building it day-by-day and we take an approach of building blocks. When you really talk about this year, you have to talk about it in its entirety, but the only way to get to that point is one day at a time. I think that one day at a factor is like watching sand fall through the hour glass. We are playing each other for weeks. We have some breaks with some preseason games, but the real games don’t start until September. We are just trying to continue and evolve, play with a lot of energy, and having the mental energy to get through this.”

(On if he likes the idea on traveling to Tokyo for the preseason game.)

“No, not really. I really don’t want to go, but it doesn’t matter. I just want to try and get better. But in hind-sight it might be the best thing because it’s a break and it might give us the energy that we need to get us going in the right direction. Everything has been going well for us though. We just need to continue to play with a lot of energy and every time we go out, play well. The thing about it is that we already understand that, each individual wants to be the best on this team.”

(On how he builds on his success from last year.)

“Last year was last year. It’s kind of like last year was commemorative of my whole career, with the Super Bowl and how I played individually, you just want to go back and do it again. I’m in the best shape of my life right now and I have a lot to still prove in this game. But the motivational factor, I’m not one of those guys who gets excited about training camp. I’m not one of those guys who’s bouncing around. Practice is something that interests me and brings me a lot of pleasure because I get to spend some energy. But when you are practicing and don’t have any real games you have to try to keep yourself involved and keep reminding yourself that the games are coming. For myself, I think I’m ready right now. I’m just wading through right now. Every year I keep myself in shape to play the best I possibly can. Coming in this year I want to be head and shoulders above everyone. That’s my motivation.”

(On what he has to prove.)

“It’s not so much I need to prove, it’s more or less writing history for myself. Pages still need to be filled in the book. The novel is still being written. It doesn’t matter how many championships I have, or how I did in the division, it’s how I look at myself throughout. I think , every year, there’s something different you need to do, another page you have to turn. I’m interested to see how it unfolds just like yourselves.’

(On the addition of Dwight Smith and Dwayne Rudd.)

“We definitely have a lot more talent on the defense and big play ability can come from everybody. The chemistry is continuing to grow. We have stellar performers in Dwight Smith and Dwayne Rudd. It’s going to be interesting to see how it all unfolds, but we definitely have more talent. We are also definitely more educated in terms of what we are doing. We know the game. We know the science of the game.

(On the Buccaneers’ defense.)

“In the minds of those that are watching, you might say that we were one of the best defenses ever, or we are the best defense ever, or this team is one of the best teams ever or a dynasty. Whatever anyone wants to title it as. But as for myself, it’s just going to be another stepping stone in my career and my young life, my youthful life that will come to a close in time. I’ll look back at it as ‘those were the years that I did it, did it better than anybody else.’”

(On the importance of Monte Kiffin returning to the Buccaneers.)

“It speaks volumes because he’s an instrumental part of our team. He’s our defensive coordinator. He prepares us week-in and week-out. We have an understanding for him. He has an understanding for us, so we don’t have to go through the wasted motion of understanding somebody new, or he doesn’t have to go through learning new people. That right there is cut out, so we go right to the nitty-gritty. That’s what we need to do. That’s our mission statement for this year. That’s our priority and what we need to do. It’s kind of like falling in the mode and continuing what we have, as opposed to presenting ourselves and introducing ourselves to each other and getting an understanding for each other. We have a great understanding of each other, so we can just get into the game of football.”

(On the defense bonding with Kiffin.)

“Guys are close to him, but that really doesn’t matter. To me, that family stuff and that brother stuff is overplayed. It’s how you play on the field together and how you bond together on that field and you win. Only that matters when you are losing.”

(On if he has noticed the changes in the Buccaneers’ offensive line.)

“Not yet. Not in three practices. We are going to need more to really evaluate it. When we are out there, we basically are evaluating ourselves. When they do something well that comes to light, it’s not anything that you really look for. It’s something that you notice. I haven’t noticed anything, yet.”

(On the importance of people to know that he is one of the best defensive players in the NFL.)

“I would like everybody to know, but it’s for myself. Those are the things that at the end of the day that you know when you look at the man in the mirror in your mind’s eyes, in your heart, when you hit the heart of yourself and you say, ‘OK, I truly gave my very best,’ you know if you did or you didn’t. You know if you lacked effort in its realest sense. You can shower me with all the praises in the world, but if I know in my heart that I really didn’t give my all, that’s where it is. With my motivation, I want to be the best ever. There’s always something to obtain, so I have to push myself forward toward that, and if I know that, that’s enough. But it makes it better when everybody else does.”

(On if he knows other great players.)

“A lot of players come to mind. Dick Butkus, L.T. , anybody that they enshrine or anybody that they crown. Reggie White as one of the best defensive ends. Joe Greene. There are a lot of players. To be head and shoulders above everybody… I want to be in the clouds. That’s my objective.”

(On players saying that they want to be the best at their position.)

“It’s healthy. It makes your team better. It allows you to have big-time performers, play makers, people that don’t mind being in crunch-time situations or difficult moments to come out and blossom and shine in those moments. I think those moments become crowning achievements for our players and for individuals and for those that put themselves forward because it’s mental. If you have that type of strong mind frame and mindset to be the best, you’ll do everything it possibly takes to be that.”

(On a nickname for the Buccaneers’ defense.)

“I think we’ll acquire one. That’s a lot of P.R., and that’s a lot of sales. We can package it, we can sell it, we can make it glisten and we can make it sound real good, but we have to be that. If we are that, then the best is enough. Those things are all promotional stunts that make sound that much better than it is. If it is, throw out the names.”

(On if there any specific defensive players he can recall as being the best.)

“I don’t really know because growing up I didn’t follow defense. I thought I was going to be an offensive player. When I look at the best football-wise, I look at Walter Payton. I wanted to be Walter Payton growing up. Now in my age, I look at a lot of defensive players and I don’t see anybody that does what I’ve done, so I am going to continue to do it the best of my ability.”

(On his upcoming season.)

“I feel like it’s building. I feel like I got a hot one for you all this year. I feel like it’s something real hot. There’s always a hit to be made. There’s something a little more platinum. Some will even put a little more diamonds on the stone and all the shine. I am trying to reach that. If you look at my years and the average and the consistency, there’s not many people… There’s only one that has done what I’ve done, and I’m hot on his

(On his off season.)

“I have a lot going in terms of the things that I’m doing. I think the thing that I want to get most right is that I’m playing football and I want to be the best. I’m going to do everything that it takes. I’m going to help this team get to another Super Bowl. That’s all that needs to be said for me right now.”

BUCCANEERS SIGN K KLEINMANN AND QB STAFFORD

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have signed K Ralf Kleinmann and QB Shane Stafford to one-year contracts. Terms were not disclosed.

Kleinmann has spent seven seasons kicking for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe (1995-2000 and 2003), helping guide the Galaxy to a World Bowl title this past season. He was the second leading kicker in NFLEL in 2003, posting 52 points while hitting 10-of-14 field goals and converting 22-of-23 PATs.

Stafford comes to the Buccaneers after spending the 2003 NFLEL season with the Scottish Claymores as an allocated player of the New England Patriots. A four-year starter at the University of Connecticut, Stafford played for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League in 2001 and 2002, throwing for 2,934 yards, 53 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

QOUTES FROM HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN ON THE FIRST DAY OF TRAINING CAMP

SATURDAY, JULY 19, 2003

(on practice)

“We had a good opening day of practice. Everybody’s here and signed, and that’s a credit to our organization and our players. I’m pleased with the opening day of practice.”

(on whether there were any surprises)

“It’s too early to tell. We’re just beginning. We’ve got to put the pads on Monday morning. We’re using these first two days to get our guys re-acclimated to football and playing speed. But guys came back in shape, to the man they made their reporting weights, and again that’s one of the characteristics that we’re looking for.”

(on whether ‘Turn the Page’ is his new motto)

“I don’t know. I’m kind of perceived to be the motto man here, I guess. I don’t have a lot of slogans or cliches, but we’ve turned the page. We’re only going to talk about doing that one more time, and that’s today. We’ve got no wins and no losses, just like everybody else. We realize that we’ve got to pay the rent and we’ve got a lot of work to do to get ourselves ready for the regular season.”

(on the competition between the offense and defense)

“It’s a very unique competition that way. It’s not one of the normal training camps I’ve taken part of. We’re trying to do everything we can offensively to attack this defense and have success, and they’re doing the same thing in their rooms. It’s very competitive on the practice field and in the coaches’ meeting rooms, and I think that’s something our players feed off of. We’ve got great competitors in our locker room, as well.”

(on being more comfortable this year)

“We feel like we’re going to improve as a team offensively just being in the second year of our system, but that guarantees us nothing. We have made some changes. We’ve got a new center, we’ve got a couple new players like Thomas Jones and Dwayne Rudd who have to come in here and compete and earn jobs and make plays for us. In some areas, we’re starting from ground zero. We’re very confident, but we’re going to keep it inside our house and remain humble and no-nonsense, and work hard.”

(on the team’s motivational level)

“We’ve got a highly-motivated crowd, self-motivated people, blue-chip leaders on this team and on this coaching staff, starting with (Monte) Kiffin and (Rod) Marinelli and Bill Muir. These guys know how to lead and the players know how to lead themselves. We’re confident we can be a darn good team again but we also fully respect everybody else in this league and what it takes to get it done.”

(on how practice went)

“It went pretty good. There was some good execution on both sides of the ball. There are some things, obviously, that need to be cleaned up, and that’s why we go back to the Celebration (Hotel) and find our projectors and go to meetings.”

(on if he was surprised by Monte’s enthusiasm)

“No. I don’t know where people who haven’t been around Monte Kiffin (get that idea). He’s enthusiastic when I take him for a ride on my jet ski. He’s excited as hell to go on my jet ski. He’s a guy that brings a lot of juice to the football team. When you look at (Warren) Sapp and (Derrick) Brooks and Simeon (Rice), these guys love to play the game. And I think offensively you’re starting to see some guys really come to life. Keyshawn (Johnson)’s more comfortable in his alignments, (Keenan) McCardell knows where he’s going, Brad Johnson’s under control right now and it’s exciting.”

(on if it’s fun to go against Kiffin and the defense in practice)

“Yeah, it is. I really think it makes us better. It makes us better strategically, it makes us work harder in the rooms to try to find ways to have success. Operating a world-class defense that’s number one in just about every situation is a great challenge for us offensively, and hopefully we’re applying pressure to them.”

(on getting more comfortable with Keyshawn Johnson)

“It’s big. You can only get so much information from other people. You have to have firsthand experiences to try to improve your relationships. When I fell in love with my wife, I didn’t know all about her the first three weeks. We’ve grown over the last 12 years in our marriage. That’s kind of an analogy I’m using with Keyshawn. I’m hoping that I can better understand him and also get a better feel for him as a football player so we can put him in better situations in ’03.”

(on the Bucs’ stable of running backs)

“We’re going to try to do everything we can to put these players in positions to showcase what they can do. Somebody needs to step up. We know about (Mike) Alstott – he’s a Pro Bowl player and a guy we see as a clutch ballplayer. We know about (Michael) Pittman. I’m looking forward to watching (Aaron) Stecker this summer, and I’m really intrigued by some of the things I’ve seen from Thomas Jones and Travis Stephens, so we’ll see.”

(on battles for jobs)

“Well, there are some guys who have made the team. You know Sapp’s going to make it and Simeon’s going to make it. But there are some very intense battles going on and special teams are going to be a key contributor to those decisions. But Darian Barnes and Jameel Cook are having a battle out here. We’ve already talked about the halfback position. When Jason Whittle returns to the offensive guard position, that battle will heat up. We’ll see what happens at linebacker. Are we going to keep five, are we going to keep six? How many defensive backs? Can we afford to keep Dwight Smith inside and is Jermaine Phillips going to compete with him for that position? So we’ll see. There are a lot of unique battles going on right now.”

(on how you avoid the ‘Super Bowl hangover’)

“We’ve already done that. We’ve taken the pill or whatever it is, swallowed it and that’s over. We got a ring, we had a party, we had a parade and we had a great time. We’ve got nice memories. But like I said, we’ve got no wins and we’ve got a long way to go. We’ve done that. We want to talk about this year because that’s what year it is.”

BUCCANEERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH ALL SIX DRAFT CHOICES

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today announced that they have agreed to terms with all six of their 2003 draft choices. Terms were not disclosed.

DE Dewayne White, Tampa Bay’s first selection (second round, 64th overall) agreed to a four-year deal, while QB Chris Simms (third round, 97th overall) agreed to a three-year contract.

Fourth-round choices T Lance Nimmo (130th overall) and C Austin King (133rd overall) agreed to four-year deals, while fifth-round G Sean Mahan (168th overall) and sixth-round CB Torrie Cox (205th overall) agreed to three-year contracts.

The Buccaneers open training camp with their first practices on Saturday, July 19 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex.

JAPANESE PLAYERS YAMADA & IMOTO TO COMPETE IN AMERICAN BOWL; BUCCANEERS & JETS KICK OFF SEASON AT NFL TOKYO 2003

When the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and AFC East titlist New York Jets depart for the 2003 American Bowl in Tokyo, Japan, they will bring with them two of Japan’s brightest young football stars – linebacker SHINZO YAMADA and wide receiver YOSHINOBU IMOTO.

Both players spent the past season competing in the NFL Europe League as teammates with the Amsterdam Admirals. Yamada has signed a contract with the Buccaneers while Imoto has agreed to terms with the Jets. The duo will help usher in the NFL’s 84th season on Saturday, August 2 in the American Bowl matchup in Tokyo.

“Japanese players have made great strides in the NFL Europe League,” said NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE. “It is exciting to see those players have a chance to further their development by competing in NFL training camps.”

Yamada saw action on defense and special teams for the Admirals, and should fit in well in Tampa, since he knows what it takes to play for a champion. Yamada’s college team, Kwansei-Gakuin University, earned the Japanese national title during his sophomore season. He also earned the College All-Star game Most Valuable Player Award while at Kwansei.

“Having an international player from Japan will be a first for us,” said Buccaneers general manager RICH MC KAY. “Shinzo competed at an NFL level in NFL Europe and it will be great to see how he handles the competition in an NFL training camp.”

Imoto was a Japanese college standout at Ritsumeikan University, an institution with a long tradition of football excellence that has produced several players who have gone on to compete in the NFL Europe League, including Amsterdam Admirals linebacker MASAFUMI KAWAGUCHI, recently signed by the San Francisco 49ers.

“Having Yoshinobu in camp with the New York Jets is a credit to his ability and to NFL Europe,” said Jets general manager TERRY BRADWAY. “This is an example of how NFL Europe continues to develop some of the best players from around the world to gain experience at the highest level of football competition.”

Buccaneers sign Brad Johnson to contract extension and re-sign two others.

June 18, 2003

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced signing QB Brad Johnson to a contract extension worth 25 million over the next four years, the deal includes a 6 million signing bonus. Johnson who lead the Buccanners to a Super Bowl victory over the Oakland Raiders was the top rated passer in the NFC in 2002 with a 92.9 QB rating and threw for 3,049 yards with 22 TDs in 13 starts.

The Bucs also announced re-signing punter Tom Tupa to a 1 year contract. Tupa set a team record last season with 30 punts inside the 20 yard line and averaged 42.8 yards per punt.

Wide Receiver Reggie Barlow was also re-signed to a 1 year contract. Barlow played in 2 games last season catching 3 passes for 23
yards.

BUCCANEERS SEASON TICKET WAITING LIST REACHES 80,000

May 9, 2003

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that their season ticket waiting list has reached 80,000.

In only its third season of existence, the Buccaneers waiting list already ranks as the third-highest in the NFL, behind only the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Redskins.

“We have the best fans in the National Football League and this list certainly illustrates that fact,” said Buccaneers Senior Director of Business Administration Mike Newquist. “It is truly remarkable considering that our waiting list has only been in existence for a few years compared with other teams who have built their lists over a long period of time.”

The Buccaneers, who opened Raymond James Stadium during the 1998 season, have sold out all 50 games (preseason, regular season and postseason) since its opening. Tampa Bay boasts a 32-10 record in the regular season and postseason at Raymond James Stadium.

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