Great books have been based on the themes running through Sunday night's
football game between the Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Desire for revenge. . . . The prodigal son's return. . . . Warriors battling
their brothers. . . . Grown men wearing makeup and drinking since 8 a.m.
OK, maybe not that last theme. But there was plenty of drama at Network
Associates Coliseum for just the third game of the season.
It was Jon Gruden's first trip to Oakland since leaving early one February
morning in 2002. It was the first meeting between the teams since Super Bowl
XXXVII -- when Tampa Bay dismantled the Raiders. Tim Brown was in a
Buccaneers uniform. Warren Sapp was in a Raiders uniform. Everywhere you
looked there was a fascinating subplot, or an obscene reference to Gruden.
``I wasn't greeted very nicely, but I understand,'' Gruden said. ``I have a
full understanding of the Black Hole and Oakland Raider fans. God bless
them.''
He even made a subtle fashion tribute to his past, dressed all in black, a
rare look for a Tampa Bay coach. But it was the same style Gruden used to
sport in Oakland when he was the fair-haired savior of the Silver and Black.
That was back before he became Benedict Arnold in a visor. Back before he
ripped the Raider fans' hearts out in the biggest game in all of sports.
A lopsided win in September can't make up for the pain of a lopsided loss in
the Super Bowl.
But beating Gruden and the Bucs -- which the Raiders did, winning 30-20, in
a game that wasn't as close as the score -- is about as good as it gets for
Raider fans in September.
Sunday was like the Super Bowl in reverse, with hapless Brad Johnson playing
the role of Rich Gannon. And with Gruden as the beleaguered, helpless coach,
a character previously played by Bill Callahan. This time, the Raiders were
the savvy, well-prepared team.
``Early and often,'' said Warren Sapp, the only guy who has been on the
winning side in both meetings, ``we knew what to expect from them.''
The Raider fans wore vulgar T-shirts suggesting something to do to Chucky
and brought their old Chucky dolls out of storage to hang from nooses. They
loved every incomplete pass and every three-and-out by the Bucs.
But, to their credit, they also loved it when Brown caught a touchdown pass
to snap the Bucs' streak of offensive futility at 11 quarters -- and they
gave him a loud ovation. It was a sharp contrast from the taunts and boos
that rained on Gruden the second his head appeared in the Raiders' tunnel.
``I spent 16 years in silver and black,'' said Brown, who was so distracted
in warm-ups by seeing his old teammates on the other side of the field that
he had to go back in the locker room after just a few minutes. ``He was only
here four years and beat the Raiders in the Super Bowl. They'll never forget
that.''
But in those four years, Gruden was the best thing that had happened to the
Raiders. He revitalized a team that had become an embarrassment. He demanded
excellence, stopped making excuses and took the Raiders back to the
playoffs. He received the loudest ovations on the field and after games he
would run down to the Black Hole to receive high-fives.
Sunday, he got a few high-fives from the cartoon character fans who fill the
stands above the entrance tunnel. Overall, Gruden received a kinder welcome
than some other former Raiders. Art Shell, when he came to Oakland with
Kansas City, saw batteries thrown at him. Guard Frank Middleton had said he
hoped people threw things at Gruden.
Instead, they threw plenty of words. But Raider fans -- who started chanting
``0 and 3'' at the winless Bucs in the waning seconds of the game --
couldn't tell Gruden anything he hasn't already been hearing.
``These are rough times for me,'' he said. ``I try to block out a lot of the
noise.''
The players might have kept Sunday's game in better perspective than the
fans. They knew a regular-season win doesn't balance the scales.
``No, I don't get a $50,000 ring for this one,'' Middleton said.
Jerry Porter said, ``Jon Gruden doesn't wear a helmet. He didn't lace up
cleats, didn't hit anyone. He doesn't do any of those things. He just calls
plays.''
And he hasn't been calling very effective ones. Gruden is in the middle of a
personal nightmare. His last best moment in the NFL came against the Raiders
in San Diego.
Last year was a struggle. Tampa Bay's newfound sky-high expectations were
deflated by a 7-9 record and no playoffs. This year has been horrendous. The
roster has been decimated by injuries -- and was hit hard again Sunday when
Charlie Garner went down with a season-ending knee injury in the first half.
The offense has been impotent.
And Gruden has been facing criticism.
``It's a humbling, horrible feeling,'' he said.
That's another theme for a novel: the humbled star. But there's still hope
for the Bucs. After all, if Gruden could turn around the Raiders, he can
probably get out of this mess.
