What about Bob?

Former safety John Lynch officially said goodbye to his NFL career today during a news briefing in Tampa, where he emerged into a Pro Bowl player and a class act.

Here's what they're saying about him:

"John Lynch is one of the core players who turned this team around and made it great, and I mean that in regards to both his play on the field and the way he conducted himself off the field. He was always one of those players you couldn’t help rooting for, because he worked so hard at the game, obviously cared very deeply about the team’s success and was a true professional in every sense of the word. We’ll miss his big hits and his timely picks, but we’ll always consider John a part of the family.” - Buccaneers Executive Vice President Joel Glazer

“It was an honor and privilege to have played with John for so many years. I was just glad to have been on his team because of the punishing blows he inflicted on the opposing running backs. As a young player coming into the League I was lucky to have a vet like John around as a mentor to show me how to be a professional, how to prepare and how to succeed in this game. John was the true definition of a leader, hard worker and punishing hitter but more so, a great human being. The NFL and the game of football won’t be the same without number 47 lurking in the defensive backfield. As he approaches the next chapter in his life, it’s a pleasure to know that John and I, as well as our families, will remain close friends.” - Former Buccaneers Fullback Mike Alstott

“When you say a player is great, the obvious criteria is his play and talent, but there’s another ingredient that I think is equally important and that’s the intangible… the ‘it factor’ as some describe it. It’s what he meant to his teammates, his coaches and his fans and when you factor that into the equation, then the only place that can recognize John for what he did and who he was, is Canton, for he truly was a Hall of Famer.” - Chicago Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo (Buccaneers Director of Player Personnel, 1987-2000)

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The Bucs' former first-round running back suffered what many considered a career-ending injury early last season. But he has been promoted to the active roster and could see some action this weekend.

Great news.

After Garcia led the Bucs to an impressive home win against the Panthers in a huge NFC South game, Jon Gruden says he'll stick with Garcia against the Seahawks.

Brian Griese is still nicked up with elbow problems, but the same decision might have been made anyway.

“He’s going to start this week,” Gruden said. ”If he continues to play like Jeff Garcia, he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber guy. OK? I’ll put it that way. Brian [Griese] has an injury, we need him back. We’re one of the few teams in football who has one games with two different quarterbacks at this stage of the game, and we’re proud of those guys. We like all our quarterbacks."

Our deepest condolences to the family of Buccaneers kicker Matt Byrant, who lost 3-month-old
Matthew Tyson Bryant yesterday.

"Tryson enriched our lives for the short time that he was with us and we will never forget his smile," the family said in a statement issued yesterday. "We know Tryson's death has deeply touched the community and we appreciate the love and prayers from our Buccaneers fans."

The Bucs quarterback opened up about his situation, and said he's not hurt badly enough to miss a start.

He also says his relationship with Jon Gruden is "not fractured."

He did not discuss whether he believes in the tooth fairy.

Sandy saw this one coming, and now it's true.

Jeff Garcia, who has had an assortment of injuries in recent weeks, has been replaced by Brian Griese.

I'm sure a bunch of Bucs fans are delighted by this turn of events, but I would advise them not to get their hopes up. If Griese were that good, he wouldn't have changed teams about 15 times.

Ok, I've got to go to the Patriots locker room to listen to Matt Cassel talk about how excited he is about playing the Jets.

With Jeff Garcia bothered first by a calf injury, then a pinky injury and now an ankle injury, you get the idea that Chucky would rewrite history if he could and give the Packers whatever they wanted to BF.

Gruden's only alternative at this point is going with Brian Griese. Which is no bargain; Griese isn't the answer either.

Which means there really is no answer in Tampa Bay. zSorry, Sandy. Long year.

And that's saying something, considering how good they were in '07.

As much as the attention in Tampa is focused on the offense, especially after Tampa expressed so much interest in trading for Brett Favre (in spite of what GM Bruce Allen said), it's the defense that will hold a huge key to whether the Bucs can improve on last year's wild card playoff run.

I wrote about it in my Sunday notes column.

After the Jets pulled off the blockbuster trade for Brett Favre, Bucs general manager Bruce Allen is now saying the Bucs never really got serious about dealing for the iconic quarterback.

Right.

And that's why Jon Gruden was all but salivating over Favre in the days leading up to the deal. And why Favre himself said earlier tonight Gruden did a fine job of selling him on the idea of playing in Tampa.

Looks like Allen might have gotten a little too complacent during the Favre sweepstakes, which allowed the more aggressive Jets to make the move.

Sounds like Jon Gruden will spare no attempt to get Brett Favre into a Buccaneers uniform.

"We are a good football team," Gruden told reporters today in Orlando, where the Buccaneers train. "We're trying to become a great one. We'll do anything we can to get better. And if that involves looking at other players, by George that's our job. That's our responsibility."

By George, that means getting Favre!

Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia is obviously aware of the swirl of speculation centering on Brett Favre's potential trade to Tampa. But like the gutsy quarterback he has been throughout his career, he answers the controversy with a combination of in-your-face confidence and bemusement.

Asked about Jon Gruden's flirtation with Favre, Garcia quipped: "He loves quarterbacks. But he likes to just date. He doesn't like to marry."

Brilliant.

As for Garcia's overall take on the situation: "If (Favre) comes in, as much as the accolades are huge on that side, I'm the starting quarterback, and it's going to be a battle. That's just my attitude. I'm the starter here. I'm going to choke it to death until somebody pulls my grip off of it."

Beautiful.