A source (call him Deep Drop) hacked this private instant-message conversation between a couple of Tampa Bay insiders. Or so he claimed. Either way, thought you'd be interested.

99: that all you have to say? "he's the best man for the job?"

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: he is the best man. we need some offense around here, and this guy knows offense

99: why didn't you say anything about how they f---ed marvin lewis? ... when tony was about to get fired you were the one screaming, "they're trying to bring down a black coach"

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: what happened to lewis didn't have anything to do with being black. that was all about him being a defensive-minded coach. that's why he wasn't hired

99: please. you sound like the glazers. first they wanted your boy, tuna. no one is more of a defensive coach than he is. then they want gruden? like, with gruden on the sideline, people will start confusing us with the rams?

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: not saying that. i'm saying it's about time we got a head coach who knows offense and gets the ball down field

99: how? with the west coast offense crap? okay, first, don't you need a good tight end to be effective? we don't have that. and it's not like we have any draft picks to get one this year. (thanks a lot, glazers.) and second, that system is based on timing and precision routes. you can catch and block, I'll give you that. but it ain't like you're the most polished route runner

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: quit worrying about me. put that weight back on and just rush the damn passer

99: i dropped all that weight to be quicker. see, I'm dedicated to my job and to my team. can you say that?

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: dropping 36 pounds didn't make you any better. the eagles kicked our asses in the playoffs again, and not only did you have 0 tackles and 0 sacks, but what's his name, runyan? he just got all up in your ass. in fact, he said you were trying to run around blocks instead of running through 'em. said you weren't as valuable as you were last year

99: how many times you get in the end zone this year?

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: :-(

99: yeah, that's what I thought. (i hate those stupid icons, man.)

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: that's why we need an offensive coach

99: no. what we need is a good offensive coordinator. you know what dungy did in indy? he kept the offensive coordinator, and the running backs coach. 'course, they were already scoring points, so if it ain't broke ...

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: why didn't dungy ever get a good coord here?

99: dunno. all i know is he'll make that sorry-assed defense fight people like we did and the colts will be in the playoffs next year. all they're missing is defense

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: and all we're missing is offense. that's all we need to win here

99: new england wasn't all that good on offense this year. they won because their offensive players were unselfish and their defense won games for 'em

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: so you're calling me selfish? you talk as much as i do.

99: yeah, but when i talk, it's to entertain or to get myself motivated. like when i said i was gonna break the sack record this year -- and if we didn't win it all, we should all get cut

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: well, that record is strahan's and your ass is still here ...

99: not the point

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: what is the point?

99: whenever you talk, it's to clown it up for teammates, coaches, opponents, and everyone who isn't keyshawn. i don't do that. all these sportswriters think we're the same, but we're not

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: whatever. just tell me something ...

99: ???

ThrowMeTheDamnBall: is gruden the right guy?

99: yeah, he's the right guy

Alan Grant, a former NFL defensive back, writes football for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at alan.grant@espnmag.com.