Some thinkers on the Bucs believe this may be the start of something big - the mini-camp that begins the push for respectability again in the National Football League.  Yep, the newest Bucs got it going for real at their new digs in West Tampa in the shadow of Raymond James Stadium - their game home and a beauty.

They got it going in unusual anonymity, even for the Bucs.

Historically, the Buc opening hasn’t made the national news, except when they won the Super Bowl, and it won’t again. Dallas, New England, Cleveland will now. They drafted players with sizzle, have headline-making coaches and players. The world doesn’t want to read about Gaines Adams or Aaron Sears, the one-two picks of the Bucs.

So, here’s what we have: the Bucs, with their quarterbacking miseries stored, did a rare thing, a locally popular but national head-scratcher. Six of their first seven draft picks were defensive players, and a later one was a 6-7, 315-pound offensive tackle who Bruce Allen says is the fastest one out there.

Bruce Allen is the Bucs general manager and Coach Jon Gruden’s confidante.

O.K., sirs, the knock is the all-defensive draft. But you all seem pleased with it.

“Seven of our eleven starters on defense were over 31,” he said. “Got to youth up, and we did, and we will. They were tired and they were sore late last year,” Allen said. Had to draft, cut and trade. They’ll be better.

His draftees for Monte Kiffin to mold into proud fighting men, and Allen’s comments:

The one pick out of Clemson: Gaines Adams, 6-5, 258: “He should be here a long time. Fast. Pass rusher. Everybody wanted him.”

Two: Guard out of Tennessee, Aaron Sears, 6-3, 319: “A mauler.”

Three: Safety out of Oregon State, Sabby Piscitelli, 6-3, 225: “Needed badly. May go in the restaurant business with Malio.”

Four: Linebacker out of New Mexico, Quincy Black, 6-2, 240: “Fast, fast, fast.”

And four more longer shots but “I like Greg Peterson (6-5, 272) out of North Carolina Central. Our Doug Williams who works that area and is out of Grambling did too.”

Okay, Mr. GM, your draft won’t make headlines, will probably be a yawner for most of the opponents — well, until they go up against this defense which has always been a Buc priority.

Different time, different players, different coaches back in the No. l days but, it is a fact. While passing is a priority it seems today defense in the end is the last line.

“Offense, we’ll be better,” said the GM. “Got some backs (still got Cadillac who we all want to do better than be a Kia), some linemen and I think at last our quarterbacking hassle is over.”

The Bucs have Jeff Garcia and Chris Simms right now vying for one job. Good competition.  Line bets Garcia early but Simms long run. Of course, so many of us are only interested in the short run. Tired of losing. Last year was bad and boring, dull, unimaginative. No fun.

Lousy quarterbacking was a big part of it.

A wildcard QB in there who could stir thing up big is Jake Plummer. He’s smart and is one of the top scoring quarterbacks in the league, fourth all-time.

The truth is that so many people and newsfolks and other teams pay no attention to the Buccaneers. Some, from the start, have always thought of it as a warm weather site with great turf and stadium, a pirate ship in the end zone, and probably a victory. That was changed a couple of times, of course, but the thought seems to be returning.

“And yet, this may be the toughest division in football — us, New Orleans, Atlanta, Carolina. Got two Super Bowl teams and two NFC runners-up in four years. Match it.”

Hey, Bruce, I like your draft.