*Deja view: I’d like to see a promising future and a productive present when I look at the Bucs’ pricey, number one draft choice: defensive end Gaines Adams . Instead, I see Booker Reese.
*Reality check: Finally, Jon Gruden has his kind of savvy, mobile quarterback in Jeff Garcia . He certainly underscored the obvious recently. “No disrespect to anyone else who we’ve had here,” stated Gruden. “But he’s a much better quarterback than what we’ve played with. He’s just a much better player.”
But no disrespect. Sometimes brutal candor is much worse.
* Dan Wheeler , the bullpen set-up man traded to the Rays for popular and productive Ty Wiggington, has not been overly effective. His 0-4 record and high ERA speak for themselves. But his performance also ironically impacts the broadcast booth where neither color analyst Joe Magrane nor play-by-play partner Dewayne Staats are known as team apologists.
They are known as professionals, and it’s especially notable with Staats. He’s Wheeler’s father-in-law. But you’d never know it.
*Speaking of Magrane , he’s as fast with a quip off camera as on. To wit:
“Steroids in baseball; that’s like putting a mustache on the Mona Lisa .”
“No, I don’t begrudge today’s players making what they do. Hey, you can’t take it with you. That’s why there are no luggage racks on hearses.”
“I was having dinner the other night with Bono, and he said, ‘Joe, nobody likes a name-dropper.'”
*Enough of female sideline reporters eaves-dropping on ad hoc pep talks. Learn the game or get some pride and a real job.