gruntbygod

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9545884

The voice is right behind Chris Simms all the time on the practice field, a loud, foul-mouthed diatribe after every play, some of it so nasty in tone and filled with expletives it would make a longshoreman blush.

When you're a young quarterback in the NFL, it's not easy to have Jon Gruden as your coach. He's a terror on his passers, unleashing verbal barrages no matter what they do, making them do it his way and no other.


Chris Simms threw for 2,035 yards and 10 TDs in '05. (Getty Images)
It can be grating and degrading. But it's also something much more important: useful.

Gruden knows how to get the most out of quarterbacks. Heck, he won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson, which is all the proof anyone needs. That's why as a rookie and second-year player under Gruden with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Simms took it all, from the razor-sharp insults to the R-rated rips. It was part of the growing process.

"I think that's one of the things he does, and kind of his method behind his madness," Simms said recently during the team's minicamp. "In my first year or two he was always behind me during practice, constantly screaming. He was always on my case to where when it got time to get to the game, I was so glad he wasn't standing right behind. He's at least 30 yards away. I might have to hear him, but at least he's not right there. That helped relax me."

The word coming from the Bucs is that Simms was Gruden's unofficial whipping boy for a couple of years. The coach saw the talent but wondered if he would ever see it massaged into a quality quarterback.

Would Gruden ever trust Simms?

He was forced to last season. After Brian Griese went down with torn knee ligaments, Gruden turned to Simms. He started 10 games, won six of them, led the Bucs to the playoffs and, for the first time in his career, now goes into a season as the unchallenged starter.

This former third-round pick is on his way to being a Pro Bowl passer.

You read that right: Pro Bowl passer. He has the makeup. He's smart. He understands the game. He reads defenses well, and he has a strong arm. Plus, you know he can handle the heat.

While Gruden might not be right behind him during games -- he would be if rules allowed it -- the voice is there on the headset between plays.

"If somebody was listening off on the side not involved, you'd probably laugh a lot," Simms said. "Of course he has a pretty dirty mouth. The luxury we now have as quarterbacks is to listen to the coach after every play. He's extremely intense and passionate. If a play goes good, he gets pumped up and he's yelling in your ear. If it goes bad, you know it because you hear four-letter words going through your helmet."

Simms proved to Gruden last year that he could be the team's franchise passer, which has helped the relationship. It takes work for a quarterback to win over Gruden, even one who has grown up around the game, courtesy of having a father in Phil Simms who starred playing the position.

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gruntbygod

Gruden is a tough sell. But he's on record as saying, "I believe in this man."


It's that time for Simms. He came to the Bucs out of Texas with a reputation for not winning the big game. Critics said that any success he had with the Longhorns was a result of playing with a star-studded lineup. He was ripped during his Texas days, times that hardened him.

When he came to Tampa Bay, he was viewed as a project. As a rookie in 2003, the year after the Bucs won the Super Bowl, he was inactive for all 16 games. In 2004, he started two games and played in five, winning his first start against the Saints. He threw one touchdown pass and three interceptions for the season, about what you would expect from a young quarterback.

He started the season finale that year, a 12-7 loss to the Cardinals. He was picked off twice, once in the final minute. The year belonged to Griese, who led the NFL in completion percentage and threw for 20 touchdowns.

That earned Griese the edge heading into the 2005 season. Gruden said it was an open competition in camp last summer, but it was apparent it was Griese's job. Had it not been for the injury, who knows if Simms would have been given a chance?

A year later, he's entrenched as the starter. As he ran the offense during the team's minicamp, it was clear he was a much more confident player. He made the right reads, zipped the ball into tight spots and had the appearance of a quarterback ready to take the next step.

"I definitely feel more comfortable," Simms said. "Anytime you go out and get to play during the season, get a lot of reps, play in a playoff game, it helps build your confidence. But it's the same mentality: Work hard, try and get better every day."

Gruden has noticed.

"The big thing is he has game experience he didn't have last year," Gruden said. "He uses that to his advantage. He's a lot more comfortable in the offense and with his role as the quarterback. Being comfortable, confident, poised and experienced are huge traits to have at this position in this league."

The Bucs have all 11 starters back on offense. But when you consider they finished ranked 23rd in the league in total offense, that might not be as good as you think. They need key people to step up, guys like receiver Michael Clayton and second-year tight end Alex Smith. The offensive line also has to play better. At times last season, Simms took a beating.

With the offense intact and second-year back Cadillac Williams on the verge of true stardom, the team's success might hinge on Simms taking it up a notch. He completed 61 percent of his passes last season for 2,035 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. It was good, not great.

Tampa Bay needs more to get to a Super Bowl. Simms needs more to get a lucrative contact. He signed a one-year tender as a restricted free agent for this season, which means he's rolling the dice on a new deal. If he breaks out, he'll be cashing in big. If he doesn't, the Bucs are in trouble, and Simms won't see that huge deal. If he's fazed by that, you'd never know it.

"I know it's not all on me," Simms said. "We have the No. 1 defense, and we have a group of core veterans who have been around a long time and played in a lot of tough games. It's not all on me. This is a good team."

It can be Super Bowl good. If that happens, Simms might no longer be known as Phil Simms' son; Phil could be known as his dad.

"You know what, I don't know if I want it to be the other way," Chris Simms said. "Even if I win a couple of Super Bowls, I'm perfectly happy being Phil Simms' kid. My dad's career is one thing I take pride in. You can say all you want about me, but if you talk about my dad, I have a whole lot of comebacks for you. I am definitely a little defensive about his career. I have no problem being Phil Simms' son the rest of my career."

Maybe some day he won't be Jon Gruden's whipping boy, either.

"He's extremely tough on all of his quarterbacks, but with me it seemed to get blown out of proportion," Simms said. "He was tough on me, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. It was nothing that didn't drive me day to day. I think he realizes how to push my buttons and keeps pushing them. It helped me and made me want to be better and prove to him that I could be better -- like, here you go, shut up."

Good luck with that one. Gruden won't ever get out of his quarterback's ear. But he has calmed down some with Simms. That's the ultimate sign of respect. Sure, the voice still comes at him after every snap in practice, but it's toned down, even if a visitor to the field can still hear the foul-mouthed diatribes.

"That'll never stop," Simms said.

That's OK. As long as he has Gruden's trust -- which he does -- he can handle that part of it. This son of a quarterback has a thick skin, and that's a big reason he's on his way to a special career.

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Professor

not really supposed to post the whole article brotha man. good read though

ABuccsFan

Great read. I believe in Simms. I did before the Dolphind game last season. I wanted Griese head, and Simms to start after the JETS loss. Most Buccs fans even called me crazy among other nasty things. Through his two subpar performances against the 9ers and panthers, I stuck by him fighting off barrages of insults from even die hard Buccs fans. Some...a lot have jumped over the fence onto my side, but sstill don't have the confidence, or the vision I have of Simms future. We shall see, I forsee great things for Simms. It's not homerism, because I hate Griese and thought he sucked. I didn't hate Brad Johnson, but was sick and tired of his weak noodle arm. Simms will lead and prosper.

Scurvy

ABF, did I tell you about going on a dolphin watch cruise out of the Aquarium while on vacation in the fall of '01? I had intended on going down for the Eagles game, but we know what happened to that. Anyway, the tour guide pointed out where an old stockyard was.....where Longhorn cattle were first introduced to America. The kid belongs in Tampa. Destiny. Now, if the line can keep him upright......

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ABuccsFan

Maybe Matt can do his time in college, learn Gru's offense for 3 years behind his brother after that and we'll have the Simms dynasty for the next decade and a half?