Notebook

Gruden worth high price paid by Bucs

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Tampa Bay owner Malcolm Glazer paid a huge price to the Oakland Raiders to acquire Jon Gruden as head coach of the Buccaneers last winter.

It paid off Sunday.

"Everybody was saying we paid too much for him," placekicker Martin Gramatica said after the Bucs beat the Raiders 48-21 in the Super Bowl. "We'd give a lot more."

Gruden was under contract to Oakland for one more season, but it was clear he wanted out and Raiders owner Al Davis felt the same after the two couldn't agree on a contract extension.

So the Bucs gave the Raiders two first-round draft choices, two second-round picks and $8 million.

"I think the Glazers will take the trade right now, us being champions," said Tampa Bay wide receiver Keenan McCardell, who caught two touchdown passes from Brad Johnson.

"Jon's a very good coach, but I don't think it made a difference that he was over there today," Raiders tackle Barry Sims said. "He didn't line up against us. It was Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, guys like that."

But Sims also said: "They knew what was coming. Our offenses are similar."

HARDLY WORTH THE WAIT: Tim Brown waited 15 years to play in the Super Bowl.

The results were disappointing.

"It's tough, yeah," said the 36-year-old Raiders receiver after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Raiders 48-21. "It's not like we played our best football game and lost the game. We would have been beaten by a lesser team than Tampa."

Brown caught his 1,000th career pass this season to become the third player in NFL history to accomplish the feat.

He had one catch for 9 yards in the Super Bowl.

"Things happen sometimes for unexplained reasons," he said.

Brown's wife is expecting twins any day.

"Everything is fine," he said, adding he expected to return home Monday with the rest of his teammates unless something came up.

KEENAN COUNTS: Whether he was lining up beside Jimmy Smith in Jacksonville or Keyshawn Johnson in Tampa Bay, Keenan McCardell never liked being called a second option.

The Bucs receiver didn't have to settle for that Sunday, thanks to two touchdown catches that helped win him a ring and become a permanent part of Super Bowl lore.

"It feels great," the 11-year veteran said. "I hope there's some more out there."

This was a sweet result for McCardell, who for six seasons was the "Thunder" in Jacksonville's "Thunder and Lightning" combination of himself and Smith. They formed the most productive receiving duo in the NFL during that span.

McCardell thought he would win a Super Bowl and retire with the Jaguars, but when they stumbled through their second straight losing season in 2001, they jettisoned McCardell -- a move that riled the fans and made McCardell bitter.

There was no more bitterness after the biggest win of his life. A 12th-round draft pick in 1991, this was actually McCardell's second Super Bowl ring. But the first one came during his rookie year in Washington, which he spent on injured reserve.

"Now, I know what Art Monk, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders felt like," McCardell said. "Right now, I'm trying to keep my cool because we won the thing. When I get back to my room, I'm probably going to break down in tears."

DAVIS IN GOOD HEALTH: Al Davis says he's just fine, thank you.

As for recent reports he might retire: Forget it.

Speaking briefly nearly three hours before Sunday's Super Bowl, the 73-year-old managing partner of the Oakland Raiders said speculation he is in ill health is untrue.

"I've been telling people, 'I'll bring you up to Oakland and I'll work out for you,'" he said with a smile.

Davis seemed relaxed, in good spirits, and walked with ease as he strode down a hallway at Qualcomm Stadium near the Raiders' locker room to an elevator transporting him upstairs.

Later, he spent time on the field before kickoff time, rallying his players.

It was reported earlier in the week Davis was having a difficult time moving around. And veteran wide receiver Tim Brown said he wouldn't be surprised if the Oakland boss retired should the Raiders beat Tampa Bay.

"I just want to win this game and go from there," he said. "That's what I'm here for."

The Raiders entered with a 3-1 record in previous Super Bowls. They last played in the NFL championship game 19 years ago at Tampa Stadium, of all places, beating the Washington Redskins 38-9.

The Bucs, in their first Super Bowl, played at Tampa Stadium until 1998 when they moved into newly constructed Raymond James Stadium.

HOPE & HUMOR: A 3 1/2-minute tribute to Bob Hope was held before player introductions at Qualcomm Stadium. The tribute was set to Thanks for the Memories, the song made famous by the comedian who turns 100 on May 29.

This year has been designated "Hope & Humor" by the family and acknowledged by President Bush, who wished Hope a happy birthday on video as part of the tribute.

Hope and his wife, Dolores, didn't attend, but his daughter, Linda, son Kelly and grandson Andrew Lande did.

The tribute showed Hope entertaining troops on several occasions over the years, something he has done in four wars. San Diego is the largest Navy port on the West Coast and a home base for thousands of marines.

The tribute was narrated by San Diego Chargers owner Alex Spanos, whose family has had a long relationship with Hope.

HACK ATTACK: Oakland Raiders fans apparently won Round 1 in the off-field battle with Tampa Bay Buccaneers rooters.

Tampa Bay officials confirmed that an unknown person, certainly believed to have been a Raiders supporter, "hacked" into the Bucs' official team Web site Saturday and changed a headline.

The original headline and story on the site dealt with the Bucs' final walkthrough session for Sunday's Super Bowl. The headline on the story was changed to denigrate the Bucs and finished with, "Go, Raiders!"

Bucs officials said the bogus headline was on the site for about an hour before the team was alerted by users. The original story and headline were then restored.

GAME BALLS: As soon as the Super Bowl matchup was known last Sunday night, the Wilson Football Factory in Ada, Ohio, made 72 game balls with the Super Bowl logo and each team's name, then sent them via courier to San Diego.

"It's amazing how much impact this small town of 5,400 has on America," said Dan Riegle, Wilson's plant manager. "Every game ball you see passed, kicked or piled upon at the Super Bowl is made right here in Ada. It's a testament to American manufacturing and quality, and a tremendous source of pride."

The Wilson Football Factory employs 150 workers, who produce more than 700,000 game balls annually.

STILL UNBEATEN: Head coach Don Shula and six members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who had a perfect record en route to their first of two straight Super Bowl championships, were chosen to participate in the pregame coin toss.

All are members of the Pro Football Hall Fame.

Joining Shula were quarterback Bob Griese, running back Larry Csonka, guard Larry Little, center Jim Langer, linebacker Nick Buoniconti and wide receiver Paul Warfield.

Shula coached the Baltimore Colts from 1963-69 and the Dolphins from 1970-95. He is the winningest coach in NFL history with a 347-173-6 record. His 1972 team went 17-0, recording the only undefeated season in NFL history.

SUPER BOWL INACTIVES: Starting Oakland center Barret Robbins, banished from the Super Bowl for unspecified team violations, was listed among the inactive Raiders players for the game.

Others were wide receiver James Jett, running back Madre Hill, safety Keyon Nash, tackle Chad Slaughter and defensive end Kenyon Coleman. Rick Mirer was listed as the third quarterback.

Jett is one of two players on the roster who played for the Raiders before they moved from Los Angeles back to Oakland in 1995. The other is Tim Brown.

Listed as inactive for Tampa Bay were tight ends Daniel Wilcox and Casey Crawford, cornerback Tim Wansley, linebacker Justin Smith, tackle Dan Goodspeed, wide receiver Reggie Barlow and defensive end Buck Gurley. Shaun King was listed as the third quarterback.

 

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