Alexander
What's it going to be then, eh?
- Messages
- 62,482
- Reaction score
- 67,294
Wake-Up Call: Aikman offers early assessment of Bucs
Associated Press file photo
Troy Aikman will be in the television booth for tonight's preseason game between the Bucs and Dolphins.
ADVERTISEMENT
By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 27, 2009
The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.
Good morning!
Twenty years ago, Troy Aikman was drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Cowboys and had a particularly rough rookie season (he was 0-11 as the starting quarterback).
Sixteen years ago, he was Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXVII (the first of his three world championships with Dallas).
Thirteen years ago, he led the Cowboys past the Minnesota Vikings 40-15 in an NFC wild-card game (incredibly, it remains the last playoff victory for Dallas).
Eight years ago, he announced his retirement and began a broadcasting career.
Three years ago, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Two months ago, he walked into Pauley Pavilion with fellow UCLA graduates and completed a promise to his mother, earning his bachelor's degree in sociology.
Tonight, you'll find him and Joe Buck in the broadcast booth at Raymond James Stadium, working the Fox Sports presentation of the Bucs' exhibition game against the Miami Dolphins.
We caught up with Aikman to get his early thoughts on the Bucs, the team's quarterback competition, Raheem Morris and Jon Gruden (the broadcaster).
Wake-Up Call: Are the Bucs in full rebuilding mode?
Aikman: You can't say that anymore and that's the fun part of the league right now. I mean, Atlanta last year, Baltimore, Arizona getting to not only the playoffs, but the Super Bowl. Once upon a time, you could project. I don't do it anymore because you just can't. Not long ago, team would say we have a challenging year ahead and it's time to rebuild, but they don't say it now, not in the last five years or so. Every team has some weaknesses. Every team has some strengths. It boils down to how you bring it all together.
Wake-Up Call: What's your first question about the Bucs?
Aikman: Obviously, who's the quarterback? The signs point to Byron Leftwich, but Luke McCown has come on. It looks like Josh Freeman will be brought along at a slower pace. After that, all the changes. You get used to Jon Gruden, the face of the franchise. It's strange not seeing Derrick Brooks around here. Offensively, they have talent. Defensively, they have a lot of young guys. They're in a tough division and they have games against the NFC East, another tough division. So it's not like they have an easy road.
Wake-Up Call: Leftwich or McCown?
Aikman: They both bring something to the table. Byron has more experience. He has won some games in this league, been part of a playoff team, knows what it's like to be the starter. If he's the guy, does he give them a better chance to win over starting Josh Freeman? Yeah, early on, that's fair to say. I started as a rookie, but I certainly didn't give our team (1989 Cowboys) the best chance. Babe Laufenberg (Aikman's backup, now a Dallas sportscaster) always reminds me of that.
Wake-Up Call: In your mind, is there a proper way to bring along a young quarterback such as Josh Freeman?
Aikman: I think it depends on who you're dealing with. Guys have had success (starting right away) and not had success. Tampa Bay's situation is interesting because it is a first-year head coach. It's not a staff that you'd look at and say, "Wow they really need to do something this year." Usually in that situation, you'd see teams go with the young guy and develop him as quickly as they can.
I think the belief of Raheem Morris is more guys have success coming along slowly rather than being thrown in the fire. That may be true. Whether it's Josh, Byron or Luke playing, they're going to have a pretty good offensive line and they should be able to run the football pretty well. Some things are in place, whoever the quarterback is, even if it's Josh Freeman, which, at some point this year, I suspect will be the case.
Wake-Up Call: What do you expect from Raheem Morris?
Aikman: He has brought some real energy to the organization - not that they lacked that with Jon (Gruden) - but I think he'll be fine, assuming that Josh Freeman is the guy who they think he is. Unfortunately, right or wrong, Raheem is now tied to Josh Freeman. He has said that himself. "I'm married to him."
If Josh turns out to be a franchise quarterback, then more than likely, Raheem is going to be here a long time. If not, then it's going to be tough. Because when you use that pick on that position (and it doesn't work out) - or if you're not able to solidify that position - it's some tough sledding. I like Raheem. He has been around a lot of good coaches. I think he'll be fine.
Wake-Up Call: Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco had great rookie seasons. The Jets just named Mark Sanchez as their starter. Are NFL teams more willing to give opportunities to rookie quarterbacks these days?
Aikman: With Flacco and Ryan last year, it certainly has changed the expectations. For a long time, I thought the game had gotten harder to play at that position over the years and yet these quarterbacks are given less time to show that they can do it. It seems like after a year or two, people want to either label the guy a bust or a great player, which is somewhat unfair.
Plenty of guys, including myself, if a judgment was made after just a couple of years, there's no telling where we would've ended up. In the modern era, it seemed like only Dan Marino had success as a rookie. All of a sudden, Ben Roethlisberger comes along, then Ryan and Flacco.
The other part is teams evaluating these young players are saying, "We're paying them a lot of money. We've got to make decisions on them rather quickly as to whether they're the right guy." There's not a lot of longevity for any of these coaches in one place if they're not winning. There's a lot of pressure within the business.
Wake-Up Call: Have you seen "Monday Night Football" with Jon Gruden in the booth?
Aikman: I have and I really like him. He was always great to work with. I think he'll be terrific in that role, but I'm not sure it's the role he wants to be in, if you know what I mean. He can do it as long as he wants to. How long will that be? I'm not real sure about that.
Wake-Up Call: OK, one question about the Cowboys. Twenty years ago, you were drafted shortly after Jerry Jones had bought the team. How do you evaluate the Jerry Jones era?
Aikman: There aren't many owners as committed to winning - or as committed to spending the money to win - as Jerry Jones. He's a complicated individual, a polarizing figure. But he has done a lot of good for the league in the 20 years he has been an owner. When the story of pro football is told, I don't think you can tell it without Jerry Jones being a pretty prominent figure in the story.
Associated Press file photo
Troy Aikman will be in the television booth for tonight's preseason game between the Bucs and Dolphins.
ADVERTISEMENT
By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 27, 2009
The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.
Good morning!
Twenty years ago, Troy Aikman was drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Cowboys and had a particularly rough rookie season (he was 0-11 as the starting quarterback).
Sixteen years ago, he was Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXVII (the first of his three world championships with Dallas).
Thirteen years ago, he led the Cowboys past the Minnesota Vikings 40-15 in an NFC wild-card game (incredibly, it remains the last playoff victory for Dallas).
Eight years ago, he announced his retirement and began a broadcasting career.
Three years ago, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Two months ago, he walked into Pauley Pavilion with fellow UCLA graduates and completed a promise to his mother, earning his bachelor's degree in sociology.
Tonight, you'll find him and Joe Buck in the broadcast booth at Raymond James Stadium, working the Fox Sports presentation of the Bucs' exhibition game against the Miami Dolphins.
We caught up with Aikman to get his early thoughts on the Bucs, the team's quarterback competition, Raheem Morris and Jon Gruden (the broadcaster).
Wake-Up Call: Are the Bucs in full rebuilding mode?
Aikman: You can't say that anymore and that's the fun part of the league right now. I mean, Atlanta last year, Baltimore, Arizona getting to not only the playoffs, but the Super Bowl. Once upon a time, you could project. I don't do it anymore because you just can't. Not long ago, team would say we have a challenging year ahead and it's time to rebuild, but they don't say it now, not in the last five years or so. Every team has some weaknesses. Every team has some strengths. It boils down to how you bring it all together.
Wake-Up Call: What's your first question about the Bucs?
Aikman: Obviously, who's the quarterback? The signs point to Byron Leftwich, but Luke McCown has come on. It looks like Josh Freeman will be brought along at a slower pace. After that, all the changes. You get used to Jon Gruden, the face of the franchise. It's strange not seeing Derrick Brooks around here. Offensively, they have talent. Defensively, they have a lot of young guys. They're in a tough division and they have games against the NFC East, another tough division. So it's not like they have an easy road.
Wake-Up Call: Leftwich or McCown?
Aikman: They both bring something to the table. Byron has more experience. He has won some games in this league, been part of a playoff team, knows what it's like to be the starter. If he's the guy, does he give them a better chance to win over starting Josh Freeman? Yeah, early on, that's fair to say. I started as a rookie, but I certainly didn't give our team (1989 Cowboys) the best chance. Babe Laufenberg (Aikman's backup, now a Dallas sportscaster) always reminds me of that.
Wake-Up Call: In your mind, is there a proper way to bring along a young quarterback such as Josh Freeman?
Aikman: I think it depends on who you're dealing with. Guys have had success (starting right away) and not had success. Tampa Bay's situation is interesting because it is a first-year head coach. It's not a staff that you'd look at and say, "Wow they really need to do something this year." Usually in that situation, you'd see teams go with the young guy and develop him as quickly as they can.
I think the belief of Raheem Morris is more guys have success coming along slowly rather than being thrown in the fire. That may be true. Whether it's Josh, Byron or Luke playing, they're going to have a pretty good offensive line and they should be able to run the football pretty well. Some things are in place, whoever the quarterback is, even if it's Josh Freeman, which, at some point this year, I suspect will be the case.
Wake-Up Call: What do you expect from Raheem Morris?
Aikman: He has brought some real energy to the organization - not that they lacked that with Jon (Gruden) - but I think he'll be fine, assuming that Josh Freeman is the guy who they think he is. Unfortunately, right or wrong, Raheem is now tied to Josh Freeman. He has said that himself. "I'm married to him."
If Josh turns out to be a franchise quarterback, then more than likely, Raheem is going to be here a long time. If not, then it's going to be tough. Because when you use that pick on that position (and it doesn't work out) - or if you're not able to solidify that position - it's some tough sledding. I like Raheem. He has been around a lot of good coaches. I think he'll be fine.
Wake-Up Call: Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco had great rookie seasons. The Jets just named Mark Sanchez as their starter. Are NFL teams more willing to give opportunities to rookie quarterbacks these days?
Aikman: With Flacco and Ryan last year, it certainly has changed the expectations. For a long time, I thought the game had gotten harder to play at that position over the years and yet these quarterbacks are given less time to show that they can do it. It seems like after a year or two, people want to either label the guy a bust or a great player, which is somewhat unfair.
Plenty of guys, including myself, if a judgment was made after just a couple of years, there's no telling where we would've ended up. In the modern era, it seemed like only Dan Marino had success as a rookie. All of a sudden, Ben Roethlisberger comes along, then Ryan and Flacco.
The other part is teams evaluating these young players are saying, "We're paying them a lot of money. We've got to make decisions on them rather quickly as to whether they're the right guy." There's not a lot of longevity for any of these coaches in one place if they're not winning. There's a lot of pressure within the business.
Wake-Up Call: Have you seen "Monday Night Football" with Jon Gruden in the booth?
Aikman: I have and I really like him. He was always great to work with. I think he'll be terrific in that role, but I'm not sure it's the role he wants to be in, if you know what I mean. He can do it as long as he wants to. How long will that be? I'm not real sure about that.
Wake-Up Call: OK, one question about the Cowboys. Twenty years ago, you were drafted shortly after Jerry Jones had bought the team. How do you evaluate the Jerry Jones era?
Aikman: There aren't many owners as committed to winning - or as committed to spending the money to win - as Jerry Jones. He's a complicated individual, a polarizing figure. But he has done a lot of good for the league in the 20 years he has been an owner. When the story of pro football is told, I don't think you can tell it without Jerry Jones being a pretty prominent figure in the story.