By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

Posted: May 25, 2011 01:50 PM

The next phase of Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib’s legal issue comes today, when evidence will be presented to a Dallas County grand jury. To that end, here’s what you need to know if this is a story you’re following.

There is no finding of guilt or innocence at this point. The district attorney’s office simply presents evidence to jurors to consider in deciding whether the case should move forward. The threshold is quite low, unlike that in a conventional jury trial where the bar is set at beyond reasonable doubt. The grand jury is not determining whether Talib committed assault with a deadly weapon, as he is accused. They are merely deciding whether he should face the charges. If jurors are satisfied, they return an indictment.

Today’s hearing stems from an incident in late March involving Talib, his mother, Okolo, and his sister’s allegedly abusive boyfriend. Talib and his mother are accused by investigators of firing a handgun at the boyfriend during a scuffle.

Talib will not be required to appear at today’s hearing, a court official said.

As for the news of a decision, it won’t come right away. That could take a day or more to become public. Stay tuned to tampabay.com for further information.

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Tuesday, May 17, 2011

TAMPA — After much internal debate, the Bucs on Monday opted to decline an invitation to appear on the popular HBO reality series Hard Knocks.

The show, which has run since 2001, gives viewers an all-access pass to NFL training camp, featuring the many story lines — from contract holdouts to players’ personal issues — in great detail. NFL Films, which helps produce the show, looks for engaging personalities and intriguing stories to portray. The Bucs, behind effervescent coach Raheem Morris and emerging young quarterback Josh Freeman, seem to have both.

In announcing the decision, the Bucs said in a statement they want to “keep the focus on the field and what we hope to accomplish in 2011.”

That is, perhaps, a suggestion the show could be a distraction. Another concern for the Bucs: growing off-the-field issues, including several recent arrests.

Those issues are highlighted by the pending investigation of cornerback Aqib Talib on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, relating to a shooting incident in Dallas and a case that could be playing out right about the time the show gets under way in August.

The Bucs told the NFL they would consider doing the show at another time if approached again.

[Last modified: May 16, 2011 08:12 PM]

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Apr 05, 2011 01:52 PM

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers biggest need is for a pass rusher and no player may fit every requirement like Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan, who is visiting with the team today according to the National Football Post.

Kerrigan led the nation with 27 tackles for a loss, produced 12.5 sacks and forced five fumbles last season. At 6-foot-4, 267-pounds, he is the perfect 4-3 edge rusher.

Kerrigan started three years at Purdue and was a team co-captain as well as the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year. Kerrigan is trying to shed the effort guy level. He was impressive with a 4.67 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and bench pressed 225 pounds 31 times.

The Bucs like to find players who were leaders of their college teams. Gerald McCoy, Roy Miller and Kyle Moore all were team captains.

Kerrigan already has visited the Buffalo Bills and worked out for the Atlanta Falcons. He has visits scheduled with San Diego, Washington, Jets and Falcons.

It’s unlikely Kerrigan would still be available when the Bucs select 20th overall, but they always could attempt to move up in the draft for the right player.

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Apr 04, 2011 04:08 PM

Here’s another example of some forward thinking by Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik when it comes to the draft.

Tampa Bay’s scouting department has been asking individual agents for feedback about where they believe the players they represent will be selected in order to build its mock draft board.

There was a time when teams shared some information to help predict how the draft might fall. But there are too many smokescreens in what some general managers describe as ‘liar’s poker,’ leading up to the draft. So Dominik and his staff has gone directly to agents to get a better picture of where a player might fall.

“It’s one of the few different ways we’re able to compare our evaluations to others to see if there’s much daylight, plus or minus,” said Bucs communications director Jonathan Grella.

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Mar 16, 2011 10:41 AM

Quarterback Josh Freeman had a banner year, but his image has been removed from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

In fact, the team had oversized pictures of eight Tampa Bay Buccaneers taken down this past weekend. Because of the NFL lockout, the league has discouraged teams from using the likenesses of players for marketing purposes.

Some of the banners featured the marketing slogan “Unite and Conquer,” which will be replaced. It’s likely the team will want to promote different stars.

But the timing of the banners being removed and the lockout is not coincidental. “All things pointed to now being the time,” Bucs spokesman Jonathan Grella said.

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Feb 09, 2011 06:10 PM

The Sporting News got around to announcing the results of its executive of the year award today, and the panel of voters selected Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, whose team posted the best record in the NFC.

Some saw Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik as a leading contender for this honor, but he finished third with seven votes. Dominik’s Bucs became the first team since the 1970 NFL merger to start at least 10 rookies but finish witih a winning record. The Bucs also were the youngest team in the NFL this season.

Second place went to the Chiefs’ Scott Pioli (eight votes), whose team won the AFC West after going 4-12 in 2009.

Here’s how the vote is conducted. The Sporting News surveyed 47 general managers, assistant general managers, owners, personnel executives and head coaches for the award.

Dimitroff got 13 votes.

Because neither the NFL nor Associated Press name an executive of the year, The Sporting News honor is recognized as official.

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Jan 10, 2011 10:21 AM

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have exercised their 1-year option on general manager Mark Dominik.

On Saturday, they exercised their 2-year option on head coach Raheem Morris for $2-million a year.

Dominik directed an overhaul of the Bucs, which began when he took over as GM two years ago, purging veterans and transforming the Bucs into the youngest team in the NFL.

The Bucs enjoyed the biggest single-season turnaround in franchise history, going from 3-13 in Dominik’s first season to 10-6 in 2010.

Among his many moves this season, Dominik took a chance on wide receiver Mike Williams in the draft and claimed running back LeGarrette Blount as the Titans tried to sneak him onto their practice squad. Williams became an NFL Rookie of the Year finalist, and Blount rushed for more than 1,000 yards.

As injuries decimated the Bucs’ starting lineup, Dominik regularly found players able to step in and fill important roles on a squad that was the first (along with the Giants) NFC team since 1991 to win 10 games and not make the playoffs.

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By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Jan 06, 2011 11:29 AM

In another sign of his growing profile, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back LeGarrette Blount has been named NFL offensive rookie of the month for December.

During the season’s final five games, Blount led the NFL in rushing with 511 yards on 87 carries, tying for the league league with 14 carries of 10 yards or longer during that span.

No Buccaneers rookie has claimed this honor since Cadillac Williams won it twice in 2005. He went on to win offensive rookie of the year. Fullback Mike Alstott, running back Warrick Dunn and quarterback Shaun King also won rookie of the month honors.

Blount became just the second undrafted rookie in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards, finishing with 1,007 — most among rookies this season. With 1,007 rushing yards, Blount led all rookie running backs and finished the season as just the second undrafted rookie running back to record over 1,000 yards rushing in NFL history, despite starting just seven games.

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