A couple of weeks ago I asked serious Buccaneer patrons, the kind who had skyboxes at Raymond James Stadium, about the latest season just ahead.  I asked if this latest Buc class would be better, worse, or about the same as their predecessors. I dutifully reported that they generally declared things to be no worse, if not slightly better, while declaring support for new head coach, Raheem Morris, at 32, is the youngest supreme leader in the NFL.

Well, these Buckos have played their four pre-season warmups with a 1-3 record.

Coach Morris started rookie Josh Freeman at RJS against the Houston Texans, who indeed gave it every shot this last Friday, and played good and badly, streaky and spotty. Nobody who quarterbacked for the Bucs counted. From the get-go, this team was going to be quarterbacked by the 6-5 rookie Freeman or by the rostered Byron Leftwich, a veteran and tutor for Freeman.

The Morris decision to give a go sign to in the last warmup game was a bold one, yet, the Bucs had to know how he would fare under game conditions. Freeman did all right, but just ahead the Bucs open their regular season play against the Dallas Cowboys, in Tampa, gratefully.

Today, tomorrow, or soon, Coach Morris’ decision of the year will be made when he must decide whether to start Leftwich—he knows he can play in the bigs—or gamble on Freeman, who he drafted first for just this reason.  It helped that Freeman is 6-5 and he can, and will run the football.  He ran it five times for 43 yards. He throws the ball with great speed. He hits small openings. He did throw for a score. It was a bullet.

But, too often Freeman was off with his throws, or he threw long.  He missed open receivers and he often threw behind his targets. He clearly loves to slip out of the pocket and find a secondary receiver. He will need to get better and he will.

Now this young talent out of Kansas has a grand future laid out in front of him. He has a new team just reorganized, a new young head coach and the finest facilities in which to work at One Buc Place.

He also has a fan base that needs attention. We haven’t had a Buc winner here in awhile even though the owner, Malcolm Glazer, has built that wonderfully compatible facility at One Buc.

The Buccaneer offense overall was reasonably balanced and showed overall good speed with a push for extra yards not lately seen. Clifton seemed to be pushing harder. He had a good game. Some veterans, like Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams did not play. The Buccaneer Nation is still awaiting a breakout game for Cadillac, the touted Auburn who is still to emerge heroic.

And, so now with this Buc season about to start, a 1-3 pre-season in the books, and perhaps a quarterback found, are there any new conclusions in the look ahead?

I asked my insiders once more if they thought the Bucs of 09 would be better, worse, or about the same, and the replies were a unanimous, “yes.’’

  I agree.