|
The 1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the team’s third in the National Football League. As their two 1977 victories had been in the last two games of the season, they entered the 1978 season with the longest active winning streak in the NFC Central. The Buccaneers entered the season with new offensive talent, having selected Doug Williams with the 17th overall pick of the draft. This choice was questioned by many, as there was still an element of society who claimed that a black quarterback was not mentally capable of winning in the NFL, and prejudice is believed to have been a factor in Williams having been drafted as low as seventeenth. According to Buccaneer coach John McKay, “All things being equal, Williams would have gone higher in the draft”.〔Marshall, Joe. “It Was the Same Old Song and Dance”. Sports Illustrated. 15 May 1978〕 Second-year tight end Jimmie Giles, part of the trade that landed Williams, emerged as the Buccaneers’ first receiving threat and to this day holds several of their scoring records.〔() Its A Man’s World...: A Blast from the Past: Number 88 TE, Jimmie Giles. Accessed 27 March 2009〕 ==Offseason== Offseason coaching changes led to continued accusations of disorganization, as vice-president of operations Ron Wolf resigned, citing only “personal matters”.〔"Sports in Brief”. Spokane Daily Chronicle. 23 February 1978〕 This renewed speculation that head coach John McKay, who replaced Wolf with two of his own longtime assistants, was trying to consolidate front-office power.〔Zier, Patrick. “Wolf’s Resignation An Indication That All’s Not Well”. The Lakeland Ledger. 23 February 1978〕 The coaching staff was reshuffled, with Tom Bass being named defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs hired away from the St. Louis Cardinals.〔Times staff. “Bucs name Tom Bass defensive coordinator”. St. Petersburg Times. 25 February 1978〕〔Notes from the sports world”. The Boca Raton News. 9 February 1978〕 Offensive line coach Jerry Frei left to take the same position with the Chicago Bears.〔UPI. “Frei to Bears”. Ellensburg Daily Record. 14 March 1978〕 Tight end Bob Moore was traded, along with a 1979 first-round draft pick, for three-time All-Pro Bears defensive end Wally Chambers. The Buccaneers were widely considered to have given up too much in the trade, as Chambers was coming off of major knee surgery and was considered by many to be “damaged merchandise,” and the Buccaneers were left with minimal experience at tight end.〔Martz, Ron. “Bay Bucs sign Chambers but give up Moore”. St. Petersburg Times. 14 April 1978〕〔"No tearful goodbyes in Chicago”. St. Petersburg Times. 14 April 1978〕 The trade was also criticized on the grounds that the Buccaneers did not require Chambers to undergo a team physical, despite his injury history.〔Martz, Ron. “Are the Bucs sure of what they're doing?” St. Petersburg Times. 14 April 1978〕 Council Rudolph, the only player who had started in all 28 of the Buccaneers’ games to date, was made expendable by the trade and was dealt to the Miami Dolphins for a draft pick.〔Zier, Patrick. “Rudolph’s Trade End Of An Era”. The Lakeland Ledger. 7 July 1978〕 Preseason speculation ran high about what would happen with the Buccaneers’ first overall choice in the draft, with Houston Oilers’ coach Bum Phillips reportedly stating that the Oilers would better any other team’s offer to the Buccaneers.〔Times staff. “Oilers’ eyes upon Campbell”. St. Petersburg Times. 4 February 1978〕 Unlike the previous year, when it was made clear early on that Ricky Bell was to be their choice, the Buccaneers kept quiet about who they might draft, further fueling speculation about a trade. The New York Jets were said to have offered their fourth-overall draft pick, plus any player on their roster other than Richard Todd.〔Martz, Ron. “Chandler is ‘secret’ No. 1 with Bucs”. St. Petersburg Times. 7 April 1978〕 Tight end was considered to be the Buccaneers’ single greatest need, with Ken MacAfee of Notre Dame often mentioned as a likely draft target. According to Don Shula, “With John McKay’s type of offense, an outstanding tight end is absolutely essential. It cannot go without one”. This happened to be one of the positions hit hardest by injury in 1977. With most of their mid-round draft picks traded away, the Buccaneers were looking for a trade that would bring them several draft picks.〔Mizell, Hubert. “Rams, Oilers eager to trade for Bucs’ No. 1”. St. Petersburg Times. 20 April 1978〕 With no teams willing to give up a starting quarterback as part of a deal, the Buccaneers eventually traded the pick to the Oilers, for tight end Jimmie Giles and the Oilers’ first- and second-round picks in 1978, and their third- and fifth-round picks in 1979.〔Wire services. “Oilers make a deal”. Eugene Register-Guard. 25 April 1978〕 Needing a fullback, the Buccaneers shortly afterward traded Anthony Davis to the Oilers for Don Hardeman.〔Associated Press. “Oilers obtain Anthony Davis from Tampa”. The Eugene Register-Guard. 30 April 1978〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|