Valero Speaks Out; Can We Take Off the Petwer Glasses Now?

Ever since Jon Gruden has been the head coach of the Buccaneers there have been negative rumblings about him after players and coaches have left. The comments have come from all sorts of players and coaches. Most of the comments have been behind closed doors and fans only hear about them from certain news media who rely it. Many fans have refused to believe any of the "rumors", and continue to blindly support Gruden claiming that these are just rumors and are made up by Gruden haters. Will Art Valero's public comments he made on the way out change anyone's mind? For intelligent fans yes, but for the fans still wearing the glasses, probably not.

Valero, who was offered an extension, but turned it down, told reporters that it will be nice to work for someone that you know will not changes things as you go down the hall. Valero further went on to discuss how there are some great players and coaches here, but Gruden was not one he mentioned. You can tell that Valero did not want to be here, and hinted that there are others that feel the same way. This is nothing new when it comes to Jon Gruden and how he treats people around him. Have Bucs fans not noticed just how many players and coaches have left this team within the past couple years only to go on and have success on other teams?

What will it take for people to realize that it is not the talent on the team, but the head coach himself? Even Jeff Garcia, who everyone loves and says is "Gruden's" QB, commented on the fact that we did not need to go out and get more talent, but we needed to use the talent already on the team. Maybe if the Bucs were to lose a key figure head of the team, like Monte Kiffen? Kiffen wants an extension and wants to be here in Tampa, but he is not getting the offer he wants, nor deserves. His name is now being mentioned with teams from Atlanta to Oakland. Whatever he wants he needs to get because he is the Bucs, but that may upset someone's ego on this staff.

Gruden is just fine with losing guys like Valero, Joe Berry, Rod Marinelli, and the list goes on. When these guys go it opens up a spot for him to bring in his guys. It is no coincidence that Gruden is looking to bring in Bill Cahalan to be on his staff. The same Cahalan that did nothing as a head coach in Oakland, and single handily destroyed Nebraska football. That is the type of guy that Gruden wants on his team, and Bucs fans will have to deal with. Can we please just take a step back and listen to the guys who have left and finally take of the glasses?