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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an exciting free-agency period and added a promising draft class, but I’m not so sure that means Raymond James Stadium will be packed in the 2012 season.

Most of you know the history. The Bucs have sold out only two home games in the past two seasons and most of you know that home games that aren't sold out aren't broadcast live locally.

You would think the addition of the free agents (Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright), the draft class (highlighted by Mark Barron, Doug Martin and Lavonte David) and coach Greg Schiano would create some excitement in the Tampa Bay area. I live here and I sense there is some excitement, but I’m not sure that’s going to translate into instant sellouts. At the NFL owners meeting in March, Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said the team had seen some growth in season-ticket sales after the free-agent signings. But Glazer wasn’t ready to predict that Tampa Bay would sell out most of its games. Glazer declined to say where Tampa Bay's season-ticket base stands.

Glazer might have been wise to hold back his optimism. There’s a less-than-encouraging report out about Tampa Bay’s economy. According to the quarterly Consumer Distress Index put out by the credit counseling agency CredAbility, no major metropolitan area is as stressed as Tampa Bay in the combined factors of job market, tight credit, household budget constraints, lower net worth and the job market.

Yes, Tampa Bay has moved ahead of Detroit. The Miami area also didn’t fare well in the report and that comes after there’s been talk about the Dolphins having problems selling season tickets. The Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled to sell tickets for several years. As a state, Florida ranks fifth in terms of financial distress for consumers.

The Jaguars, with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, aren’t exactly an exciting team right now. Miami fans have griped about the team’s offseason, with the Dolphins coming up short in attempts to land Jeff Fisher as their coach and Peyton Manning as their quarterback.

The Bucs might have the most exciting – and potentially the best – team in Florida. But the lagging economy means the Bucs might not see big results at the box office.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Atlanta’s Arthur Blank isn’t the only NFC South team owner supporting commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision to hit the New Orleans Saints with harsh penalties for their three-year bounty program.

Blank weighed in on the topic earlier Tuesday. Tampa Bay Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer echoed some of Blank’s sentiments later Tuesday evening.

“Player safety and the integrity of the game are paramount,’’ Glazer said. “That’s what our fans expect of the NFL and from Day One, the commissioner has made that a priority of his -- player safety and the integrity of the National Football League. I think everybody agrees there’s no place for that in the National Football League. I think the commissioner’s actions were necessary for many reasons and I think everyone supports the commissioner and his decision-making process. You never want to see that type of thing happen. It was an important step to get that out of the game.’’

For the record, New Orleans owner Tom Benson has not publicly addressed the media on the issue. Carolina owner Jerry Richardson politely said he didn’t wish to discuss the situation publicly.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- We’ll find out in the fall if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ signings of free agents Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright will help the team on the field. But that trio already has made an impact at the box office.

That’s significant for a team that’s struggled to sell tickets in recent years. Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting the team has seen an increase in ticket sales since the free-agency splash.

“Definitely,’’ Glazer said. “First of all, our season-ticket holders from last year, we’ve seen the enthusiasm through the renewals. In new sales, we’ve had a great response. You just sense it in the community. There’s an excitement and a connection going on and a re-engagement that maybe hasn’t been there the last couple of years. We’re going to build on that in a lot of different areas to get our fans more engaged.’’

That should be nothing but good news for a team that has sold out only two home games in the past two seasons. Glazer wouldn’t go into specifics about the team’s season-ticket base and he wasn’t ready to say local television blackouts of home games will permanently end just yet.

“That’s our goal,’’ Glazer said. “That’s extremely important to us, but we have work to do there. We’re rolling up our sleeves. For the fourth year in a row, we’ve lowered our ticket prices. We’ve created ticket pricing for all fans and it’s very important for us to be accessible to all fans.’’

But committing more than $140 million to the three free-agents wasn’t a move designed to be a publicity stunt to create traffic at the box office. It’s part of a much larger plan.

“People question why this didn’t happen two or three years ago,’’ Glazer said. “Well, when we settled on this plan a few years ago, the plan was draft, develop and, at the appropriate time, add veterans. To bring in veterans early on to us just puts you on the wrong path. This was the appropriate time. Not only was it the appropriate time, you had some unique players out there, the kind of players that we could add that could add something to our football team and in the locker room. I think the complement was fantastic, the timing was as we always expected. We’re excited. It’s energized our fans. It’s energized our organization.’’

We’ve talked about the Bucs’ plan here many times in recent years. There’s a misconception by some out there that ownership simply was cheap for a few years and made a huge shift in organizational philosophy this offseason. That’s not at all true. The Glazers and general manager Mark Dominik simply are following a plan that has a proven history of success in the modern NFL.

That’s to build through the draft, keep your key players and add appropriate free agents at the right time. In the NFC South alone, I’ve seen similar plans work in Atlanta and Carolina, to varying degrees and at different times (the Saints have had success with a plan that involves the draft, but also relies a good deal on free agency). I’ve seen similar plans work elsewhere in the league – think New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, who have won recent Super Bowl teams.

Then, I think about the teams that have spent tons in free agency in recent years. Dallas and Washington haven’t accomplished all that much in recent years. Philadelphia’s “Dream Team’’ turned into a bit of a nightmare last year.

I think the Bucs are on the right path. These things don’t happen overnight. But if the Bucs stay on the path they’re on, they’ll get back to a point where Raymond James Stadium isn’t filled with empty seats on Sundays.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Desperate for fans, victories and a No. 1 wide receiver, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have purchased all three in one very expensive package.

The Buccaneers opened free agency with one of the boldest moves in franchise history. They’ve agreed to terms with former San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson on a five-year deal worth more than $55 million.

At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Jackson is more than just a big receiver. Throughout his career, he’s shown surprising speed and an ability to get open down the field. If he can bring all that to Tampa Bay, things suddenly could look better for a franchise that ended last season on a 10-game losing streak and has seemed to lose its connection to fans in recent years.

But the move to sign Jackson should help silence critics that have accused the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, of being cheap and not wanting to win. Jackson was considered one of the top five free agents and the premier wide receiver and that’s why the Bucs are making him one of the highest-paid players in franchise history. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy's five-year contract could be worth up to $63 million, but only if he hits all incentives and escalators.

Team co-chairman Joel Glazer said in January that the Bucs would spend whatever it takes to win going forward and the team backed that up by going all out for Jackson as soon as free agency opened.

Jackson instantly gives the Bucs a drawing card. That’s something desperately needed in a town where you see more people wearing replica jerseys of Evan Longoria, of baseball’s Rays, and Steven Stamkos, of hockey’s Lightning, than you see wearing Josh Freeman jerseys.

Jackson’s presence could help the Bucs sell tickets at Raymond James Stadium, where only two home games have been sold out in the past two seasons. Fans might have reason to show up because Jackson is more than just a name.

As a football player, he seems like the perfect complement for Freeman, the quarterback who struggled mightily in his third year. The front office and Greg Schiano’s new coaching staff believe Freeman has all the skills to be a franchise quarterback, but was held back by his supporting cast last season.

Jackson, 29, should help tremendously in solving that. He’s shown the ability to get open downfield, something Tampa Bay’s receivers failed to do last season. Jackson averaged 18.4 yards per catch last season and that should make him the focus of opposing defenses.

Jackson’s arrival also should allow Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn to be what they are -- No. 2 or No. 3 receivers.

The Bucs have made it clear they’re building this team around Freeman. They’re not done yet. ESPN’s John Clayton reports the Bucs also are talking to New Orleans guard Carl Nicks. If the Bucs are able to add the All-Pro Nicks to an offensive line that already includes Davin Joseph, Jeremy Zuttah and Donald Penn, Freeman suddenly could have excellent protection. There also are rumblings the Bucs may be interested in Atlanta linebacker Curtis Lofton and a few role players on defense. After that, all the Bucs might need is a running back. But it’s a pretty safe bet the Bucs will add that in free agency and the draft.

They’ve already tipped their hand and shown they’re willing to spend and they want to win. There’s no guarantee it will all work, but fans no longer can say the Glazers won’t spend money.

We’ve known for hours that Greg Schiano has been hired as the next coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the team just sent out its official release announcing the hiring and it included the official comments the team has made on Schiano.

“We are thrilled to introduce Coach Schiano as the new head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers," team co-chairman Joel Glazer said. "During our thorough search, we met with numerous impressive candidates, but Coach Schiano surely distinguished himself. From his leadership skills to his considerable track record, he is, simply put, the right man for the job."

The Bucs also included a statement from general manager Mark Dominik.

"Coach Schiano is a bright, meticulous teacher who knows how to get the most out of his players," Dominik said. "He built and ran a pro-style program at Rutgers, and he's a defensive-minded coach whose teams have always been characterized by toughness and a physical style of play."

I’ll be back in a bit with a thorough scouting report on Schiano from a prominent player who played for him at one of his previous stops.

When I read the story Friday about the St. Louis Rams agreeing to play a home game in London each of the next three seasons, I couldn’t help but think how it could have been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They had been the team that had appeared ticketed for an annual overseas game. They played in London in October and had played there in 2009. In the past, Commissioner Roger Goodell had said the Bucs had expressed interest in playing an annual game.

But, very quietly, Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said that interest had disappeared. During the news conference to announce the firing of coach Raheem Morris in early January, Glazer let it be known that the Bucs had informed the league they didn’t want to “host’’ London games in the foreseeable future. He didn’t go into much detail on the rationale and only made passing mention of having goals to achieve in Tampa that were more important than going overseas.

So the Rams have taken the plunge. Like the Bucs, they’re a team whose owner also has an English soccer team. Rams owner Stan Kroenke owns Arsenal, while the Glazer family owns Manchester United. Like the Bucs, who have struggled with home attendance in recent years, the Rams are a team that has faced some speculation about their long-term future in their home city.

The Rams just threw some more gas on that fire. But the more I think about Glazer’s brief remarks about pulling out of consideration for London trips, the more I view it as a way for the Buccaneers to put out some flames in Tampa Bay and that’s a good thing.

Let’s be real honest. For many reasons, some which I understand and some I don’t, the Glazers aren’t very popular with the Tampa Bay fan base. People say the Glazers don’t care about the Bucs or their fans.

But I think the move to pull out of London games is evidence to the contrary. When the Bucs were going to London, they liked to talk about building their international fan base. When they pulled out, I think they were quietly admitting they’re focusing on their local fan base.

Sometime during the season, the Bucs sent out surveys to their season-ticket holders. The surveys asked a lot of questions about many different topics. But one strong message that came back to the Glazers was that their local fans didn’t like the team playing in London and fans didn’t like giving up a home game.

I think that’s the major reason why the Bucs withdrew from consideration for future trips. They know they’ve got attendance issues to fix and satisfying the fans is one way to move in that direction. They also ended speculation the team eventually would move to London on a permanent basis.

It’s a small step in the right direction. But, in this case, I think the Bucs at least showed they’re listening to their fans. There is a lot more work to be done before the Glazers and the Bucs are truly embraced by the Tampa Bay community.

Spending a little money on free agency would be a much bigger step and would excite the fans much more. So would hiring a new coach, preferably before February rolls around.

But whether people realize it or not, I think when Glazer said the Bucs had changed their tune on London, it was a message from One Buccaneer Place that the team is at least starting to work toward patching things up with its fans. Let the Rams be the ones to go international and deal with the domestic consequences.

I know there’s a lot of frustration out there among Tampa Bay fans because the Buccaneers have yet to hire a head coach.

They fired Raheem Morris two weeks ago. Since then, we know they reportedly have interviewed Mike Sherman, Marty Schottenheimer, Brad Childress and Jerry Gray. They’re interviewing Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer on Monday and Carolina offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski will interview Tuesday.

That means, that once Chudzinski finishes, the Bucs will have interviewed at least six candidates.

But that doesn’t mean a final decision is coming Tuesday. The Bucs could choose to interview more candidates. They also could narrow the list and bring two or three candidates back for second interviews.

I know it’s tough for fans to be patient, but this shouldn’t come as any big surprise. On the day Raheem Morris was fired, Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer made it very clear the search for a replacement would be “exhaustive’’ and “thorough.’’

While it might be painful to wait, this approach might not be a bad thing. Although Zimmer is a candidate for the Miami job, none of the other candidates appear to be up for any other jobs as head coaches.

That means the Bucs don’t have to rush into anything. It also might be a sign the Bucs have learned from past mistakes. Everything about this search indicates they want to go in the opposite direction of Morris, who was the league’s youngest coach when he was hired in 2009. The fact that the search is taking a lot of time is another example of the Bucs doing things differently than they had in the past.

In 2009, the Bucs didn’t even do a coaching search. They fired Jon Gruden and turned right around and asked Morris if he wanted the job. When Morris accepted, the search was over.

Given how Morris’ tenure played out, the Bucs might be wise in being “exhaustive’’ and “thorough.’’

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had been considered a lock to play in London on a regular basis in the coming years, no longer plan on going overseas.

At the end of a Monday news conference to discuss the firing of coach Raheem Morris and how the search for a new coach will proceed, team co-chairman Joel Glazer said London no longer is in the team’s plans.

Glazer said the Bucs recently informed the NFL that they “wouldn’t want to be participating (in London games) in the foreseeable future’’.

The Bucs played in London in 2009 and this past season. The Glazer family also owns the Manchester United soccer team.

Tampa Bay’s 10-game losing streak started with a loss to the Chicago Bears in London in October. But Glazer said that’s not necessarily the reason the team has decided to pull out of consideration for future London games.

He cited a desire to work toward other goals in Tampa.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer and general manager Mark Dominik just held a press conference to talk about the firing of coach Raheem Morris and how they’ll proceed with their search for a replacement.

There was no earth-shattering news and no new coach waiting in the wings. Instead, Glazer used terms like “exhaustive’’ and “thorough’’ when describing how the search will move forward. Glazer also said the Bucs have yet to reach out to any candidates and there is no timetable. But he also said that process will start soon, with Dominik taking the lead role and the Glazer family being heavily involved.

“We’re going to keep an open mind,’’ Glazer said. “We’re not going to pigeon-hole what we’re looking forward.’’

Although the Bucs frequently have been accused of being frugal, Glazer said money is not an issue as the team looks at coaching candidates.

“We will always do what it takes to win,’’ Glazer said.

Glazer said the team will stick by its philosophy of building primarily through the draft. But he also said there’s a misconception that the team will only use the draft as a way to acquire players. He said there will be times when the Bucs use free-agent signings and trades to supplement their roster.

“Ultimately, always, you’ve got to do what’s in the best interest of winning because winning sells tickets,’’ Glazer said. “We are going to spend whatever it takes to win.’’

The Bucs finished 4-12 and lost their last 10 games, but Glazer did his best to offer hope to fans.

“I feel brighter days are ahead,’’ Glazer said. “I feel confident we can get this ship headed in the right direction.’’

Forbes put out its annual list of the 10 best and 10 worst owners in the NFL, and I’m thinking the NFC South didn’t get a real fair shake.

The division got one owner on each list, and I’m not sure I agree with either selection.

New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson came in at No. 8 on the best list. There’s no question Benson’s reputation with fans has improved in recent years. That’s largely because the Saints have been successful, the Super Bowl is coming back to New Orleans in 2013, and the Saints have committed to stay for the long haul. But there are still a lot of New Orleans fans that haven’t forgiven Benson for reportedly looking to relocate the team. Forbes cites a 13-percent increase in franchise value over five years as one of the reasons for Benson’s selection, and also points to the team’s five-year winning percentage (61 percent).

If Benson is on the list, I think Atlanta’s Arthur Blank and Carolina’s Jerry Richardson also deserved strong consideration. Neither has ever made any noise about relocating their teams. Blank also learned from some early mistakes and has his franchise in the best shape it’s ever been in. The Falcons have had three straight winning seasons. Prior to that, they never had back-to-back winning seasons.

Richardson’s popularity with fans took a big hit as the Panthers have struggled in recent seasons. He was roasted for being “cheap’’ as he prepared his franchise for the labor lockout, and no employees lost their jobs. Richardson was extremely instrumental in eventually getting a new labor agreement. Once that was in place, he came out spending more than he ever has, and the future appears bright because the Panthers finally have a franchise quarterback in Cam Newton.

The only NFC South representative on the list of the league’s 10 worst owners is Tampa Bay’s Malcolm Glazer. First off, it should be noted that Glazer hasn’t been in good health for several years and sons Bryan, Joel and Ed handle the operations of the team. I know there’s a disconnect between Tampa Bay fans and the Glazers, but I don’t really understand it. The Glazers might not be the best owners in the league, but they’re far from the worst.

For those of you who weren’t around before the Glazers, and those without long-term memories, let me remind you of what things were like when Hugh Culverhouse owned the team. The Bucs were almost always horrible. They played in the old Tampa Stadium and always had one of the league’s lowest payrolls.

The Bucs have a low payroll these days, but Glazer did spend big for a while before former coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen showed that shuttling in high-priced free agents every year doesn’t bring consistent success. The Bucs are building through the draft these days, and the team appears to be on the upswing.

Plus, when Glazer still was heavily involved, he helped the Bucs get Raymond James Stadium, which still is one of the league’s finest facilities. He brought in coach Tony Dungy, who made the franchise consistently respectable for the first time. When Dungy couldn’t quite get over the hump, Glazer made a trade with Oakland to bring in Gruden.

The Bucs turned around and won the Super Bowl. The Glazer era has been much more prosperous than the Culverhouse days.

Fans and media have speculated about the Bucs pursuing cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha when free agency opens. Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris even spoke at the NFL owners meeting in March about the possibility of the Bucs being somewhat active in free agency this year.

Don’t rule that out. Coming off a 10-6 season the Bucs could make a big splash such as Asomugha or a few smaller ones. About the same time Morris was talking, a more important, but seldom-heard voice was asked if the Bucs might suddenly go on a free-agent frenzy to try to get over the top.

That person was team co-chairman Joel Glazer. I ran part of my owners meeting interview with him previously. But we spent a lot of time working on draft previews and wrap-ups and I just cleaned up my tape recorder and found the rest of the Glazer interview. I’ll share some more with you soon, but thought you’d want to hear what Glazer said when asked if last year’s success might prompt the Bucs to suddenly make a big splurge in free agency.

“We have a fundamental philosophy,’’ Glazer said. “If you look around the National Football League, the successful teams share the same philosophy -- building through the draft, developing guys well, re-signing their own guys and building that team chemistry and building a team that fans can connect with and relate to and staying disciplined throughout that. I would say that the big winners in March and April historically are not the big winners standing at the podium in January or February. We’re going to stay true to that. There are always certain situations that you have to stay flexible and react to, but, fundamentally we want to stay disciplined in building our team internally.’’

I know there are some Glazer detractors who will interpret this as another sign that Tampa Bay’s ownership is “cheap.’’ But that’s not what Glazer said. That part about remaining flexible means the Bucs could pursue a player like Asomugha to enhance what they’ve got, but they’re not going out and buying a whole new team. They’re sticking with a youth movement that sure seems to be working.

Besides, is being fiscally responsible really that bad a thing? The Bucs went 10-6 last season with the league’s lowest payroll. There were plenty of other teams out there with payrolls over $100,000,000 who didn’t even have winning records.

The man who got the biggest ovation at Tuesday’s NHL playoff game between Tampa Bay and Washington might not have been a hockey player.

It might have been Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris. His appearance was brief, as his faced flashed on the scoreboard for maybe 10 seconds as the Lightning showed video greetings of Tampa Bay dignitaries and MC Hammer, who has no formal ties to the area that I’m aware of. Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria drew big applause.

But the cheer when Morris’ face appeared was much bigger. In fact, much of the crowd probably wasn’t able to hear what Morris said. I couldn’t make it out entirely. But it was some play off the Lightning’s “All In’’ marketing campaign and Morris wished success to the local hockey team.

This was significant on several levels. It shows Morris’ popularity is growing. There was a time when he was first hired, when not many people would have recognized him. There were times during his first season, a 3-13 campaign in 2009, when people didn’t want to recognize him.

But it’s amazing what the Bucs’ 10-6 record last season has done. It’s helped make Morris into a very popular figure in Tampa Bay and it’s a good thing that he’s not just staying in his lane. He’s gone out to Rays’ games and formed a close bond with Rays’ manager Joe Maddon. That’s great because their jobs allow them to relate to each other.

Speaking of relating, the willingness of Morris and the Bucs to film the spot that was shown last night was a very smart move. The Lightning are selling out right now. But that’s largely because they’re deep in the NHL playoffs. They haven’t always sold out.

That’s been a problem for the Rays and Buccaneers as well. The Bucs were unable to sell out Raymond James Stadium a single time last season. Kind of surprising that attendance figures have lagged at home games for all three of Tampa Bay’s major sports franchises at a time when all three have had some recent success.

Yeah, they all may be competing for the same disposable-income dollars. But it’s nice to see the teams working together (running back Cadillac Williams and linebacker Adam Hayward were in the stands as fans Tuesday night) and building good relationships. Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer talked at the NFL owners meeting in March and one of the topics was how the team has had talks with the Rays and Lightning about the challenges they face in selling tickets and how they’ve shared ideas with each other.

That’s a great thing. The Bucs, Lightning and Rays don’t need to view each other as competitors. They need to view each other as teammates because they’re all in the same boat and the economic water in these parts is choppy right now.

Let’s take a look into the NFC South mailbag.

Dan in Omaha, Neb., says the Panthers need to draft a defensive tackle with the first pick in the draft and give quarterback Jimmy Clausen a chance.

Pat Yasinskas: You really want the Panthers to go into a season with Clausen as their starting quarterback without adding a viable alternative? I do think there’s upside with Clausen and he could develop into something with better coaching than he had last year. But Carolina’s got to compete with three NFC South teams that have true franchise quarterbacks. I don’t think they can afford to count on Clausen suddenly turning into one.

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Pat in Tampa says I referred to Tampa Bay landing Nnamdi Asomugha as a pie-in-the-sky dream and wonders why. He points out the weather in Florida and California is similar and the Bucs are a team on the rise.

Pat Yasinskas: True, the Bucs are very much a team on the rise and I’ll take the weather in Tampa Bay over the other Bay Area any day. Also, there’s no state income tax in Florida and that’s always appealing to free agents. But there’s going to be a bidding war for one of the game’s best cornerbacks and lots of teams are going to be involved. I’m not sure if the Bucs, who are accused by their own fans of not spending enough money, will go all out on this one. We'll have to wait and see.

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Robbie in Murphy, N.C., asks why I wrote that Cam Newton has more potential than Blaine Gabbert.

Pat Yasinskas: Um, mainly because I think Newton has way more potential than Gabbert. Yes, there also could be downside with Newton, and Gabbert has less downside. But I think Gabbert’s best-case scenario is that he ends up being someone like Mark Sanchez. Newton’s best-case scenario is a lot better than that. Yes, Newton may come with risks. But the Panthers are doing their homework and might be willing to take some risks on the guy with more upside.

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Zain in Tampa writes: “There's a reason we hate the Glazers so much around here. But let's make something clear, it is the sons we hate, not the father. The father has been a great owner in his time. He got it, period. The sons? They have no business running a sports franchise.’’

Pat Yasinskas: Malcolm Glazer obviously was a very astute businessman and that’s how he assembled a huge fortune. But the fact is, he never was heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the Bucs. Yes, he was available for consult and ultimately signed off on major decisions. But, since the day the Glazer family bought the team, sons Bryan and Joel have run the day-to-day operations and youngest son, Ed, joined them a bit later. The only thing that’s changed in recent years is that Malcolm Glazer has had some health problems and has even less to do with the day-to-day operations. Truth is, part of the reason Malcolm Glazer bought the team in the first place was because his sons were huge football fans. Malcolm Glazer didn't follow the game all that closely. In fact, there's a legendary story about one of the few news conferences he ever took part in. It was to announce a contract extension for Warren Sapp and the plan called for him to make a joke about how the contract meant Sapp better produce a lot of sacks. Before the news conference started, a Bucs staffer had to take Malcolm Glazer aside and explain what a sack was.

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Russell in Asheville, N.C., writes that Drew Brees’ involvement in the labor situation shows the New Orleans quarterback is greedy. Russell says 99 percent of fans now hate Brees and that this should be pointed out to Brees.

Pat Yasinskas: Brees took a stand by taking an active role and putting his name on the lawsuit against the league. But I don’t think Brees is acting purely on his own behalf. I think he’s trying to get what’s best for all players. He is, after all, a player. And I think your estimate on the percentage of fans who “hate’’ Brees is off by a lot, at least in New Orleans. Brees is the most beloved figure in that city. Once the labor situation is resolved, I think any resentment against Brees that might be out there will be forgotten very quickly.

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Tom in Cambridge, United Kingdom, writes that it sounds like Aqib Talib was defending his sister in the incident in which he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. He wonders if Talib doesn’t end up in prison if this whole situation might be handled with a four-game suspension and some anger-management classes.

Pat Yasinskas: I get the whole innocent-until-proven-guilty thing and understand it’s one of the basic rules of the legal system in this country. But we’re not just talking one incident with Talib. We’re talking a lengthy track record that dates back at least to when he was in college. Several incidents have been very public since he joined the Bucs and there have been plenty of other behind-the-scenes issues involving him that have been handled behind the scenes. In fact, I’d be willing to make a guess that the Bucs or the NFL already told Talib to work on the anger-management issues. Fact is, I think the Bucs already would have cut Talib if the league wasn’t in a lockout. I think they will cut him as soon as it’s over. Talib was down to his last chance -- and there are some people who already think he was past it even before the latest incident. The mere fact that a gun was involved in this latest incident gives the Bucs the right to cut Talib before the legal system plays out. Even if he’s not found guilty, the fact that he put himself in a precarious situation when he already was on a short leash with the team and the league doesn’t reflect well on him. The Bucs have taken their share of criticism on the character issue in the last year or so. Talib has made it easy for them to come out and make a strong statement by parting ways with him. The Bucs can make a statement to the community and their fans that they are serious about character issues. They also can show receiver Mike Williams and LeGarrette Blount, who have had some problems in the past, that they better stay on the straight and narrow because even the best players aren’t going to get too many second chances.

NEW ORLEANS -- The Glazer family, which owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, often gets labeled as reclusive by fans and the media.

That’s kind of strange, because the guy I just spent 20 minutes talking to might have been the most gregarious person I ran into all day. That would be Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer.

At an NFL owners meeting, where a lot of people are walking around looking worried or sad about the labor situation, Glazer was a notable exception. He spent time individually with reporters from the two main newspapers in the Tampa Bay area and with the NFC South Blog. In my portion, which was roughly 20 minutes, Glazer was almost effervescent.

He did most of the talking and was animated and happy almost the entire time. There’s a reason for that. Glazer, along with brothers Bryan and Ed, is presiding over a team that’s clearly in a good spot. Glazer didn’t want to talk much about the lockout but said he’s confident the labor situation will be resolved at some point and his team will be ready to jump out of the gate.

“I couldn’t be more excited about where this team is at,’’ Glazer said. “When we set out on this path two years ago, there was a plan in place. We said we’re going to be disciplined in that plan. We’re not going to deviate from that plan. The one thing we recognized was when you’re doing something like this, you have to have thick skin and endure the early part of the plan. There are a lot of people with opinions. Their opinions are immediate and reactionary. To see the plan to start unfolding and for last year to play out like it did was one of the most exciting, fun seasons I’ve ever experienced in football.

“What’s most exciting is the fact that we’re the youngest team in the National Football League and the exciting players we have and where we can go from here.’’

You know the story, so we’ll keep the recap very short. After a 9-7 season in 2008, the Buccaneers fired coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen and replaced them with Raheem Morris and Mark Dominik. Veteran players like Derrick Brooks were shown the door and, at times, Morris and Dominik looked like they didn’t know what they were doing.

The Bucs went 3-13 in 2009, but things turned in a big way last season, and the Bucs went 10-6.

The Glazers get labeled as detached owners because they’re not as visible as some others in the league. But I think that’s a huge misconception. Although you don’t see the Glazers on the sidelines like some others, they’re far from absentee owners. It’s not unusual to run into them at One Buccaneer Place or see them roaming Raymond James Stadium. Back when Malcolm Glazer, the father of Joel, Bryan and Ed, first bought the team, one of the reasons he cited for making the move was his sons’ love of the game.

“I love football,’’ Joel Glazer said. “I haven’t missed a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game since we’ve owned the team and gone all the way to Japan. I live for Sundays. I live for the wins and can’t stand the losses. Anybody who knows myself or knows my family knows this is a true love. To have a young team that you know is going to get better and to compete for the ultimate prize, that’s what you’re in this for and that’s why it’s so exciting.’’

Glazer even is excited about the one thing that wasn’t a positive last season -- attendance. The Bucs didn’t sell out a game at Raymond James Stadium, and none of their home games was shown on local television. Before last season, the Bucs had sold out every home game since their stadium opened in 1998.

“Our new sales in January, February and March have been stronger than I ever remember them being,’’ Glazer said. “Renewals are extremely high. The sense you get is that the community is reacting to what they saw last year. That excitement is starting to percolate throughout the community, and it is translating into ticket sales.’’

Glazer’s not ready to guarantee sellouts, but he’s optimistic things are headed in the right direction.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,’’ Glazer said. “Even before the season ended, we sat down and we started to change our pricing to reflect the economy and what’s going on and trying to find ways to make something available for everybody. The one thing that hasn’t been lost on us is Florida has been hit very hard. Unemployment is very high in Florida. You can’t just ignore that. You have to adapt to the situation.’’

By the way, you're going to hear a good bit more from Glazer in the coming days. He filled up my tape recorder, which is something reclusive people generally don't do. But, hey, maybe, as Glazer said, he and the Bucs are adapting to the situation.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who didn’t sell out a single home game in 2010, announced they are making some significant changes to their pricing structure for 2011.

“Our organization has spent a lot of time listening to our fans at this time when our team is thriving and our economy is not," co-chairman Joel Glazer said. “As a result, we are now offering several pricing changes in response to our community’s needs.’’

The Bucs sent out a list of highlights of the changes in pricing.

• Tens of thousands of season-ticket prices have been reduced by up to 20 percent, with adult tickets starting at $35 per game. In addition, youth tickets (16 and under) are now available for purchase in any upper level section at 50 percent off adult prices, starting as low as $17.50.
• Select season parking has been discounted by up to 40 percent, now starting at $13.50 per game.
• Season-pass holders will also receive 10 percent off of all stadium food, beverage and merchandise purchases.
• The Buccaneers also have introduced a 10-month payment plan for season tickets.

Prior to this season, the Bucs had sold out every game since the opening of Raymond James Stadium in 1998. At various points in the early part of the previous decade, the team said it had an extensive waiting list for season tickets. But that waiting list disappeared, season-ticket sales dropped dramatically, and the Buccaneers had home games blacked out on local television for the first time in more than a decade. Many of the 2010 home games drew crowds of around only 40,000, even though the Bucs were one of the league’s most surprising teams. With the league’s youngest roster, they went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs.