The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have spoken openly about a desire for culture change inside the organization. From co-chairman Joel Glazer on down, the feeling within the building is that new coach Greg Schiano is the right man for the job.
One player who agrees is veteran Ronde Barber. The 36-year-old cornerback is set to embark on his 16th season with the Bucs, but didn't sign his one-year contract with the team until sitting down face-to-face with Schiano.
"I got together with (general manager) Mark (Dominik) and Greg -- or coach Schiano I should say -- and we had a conversation," Barber told The Tampa Tribune. "They have a very direct purpose. The ship's a little bit tighter than it was last year, but that's a good thing. We needed direction. We have a bunch of young men that need guidance and (Schiano) is giving it to them. He's very direct about it and I think that's the way it should be. I like the approach and I think it'll work well for us."
It falls in line with recent comments from quarterback Josh Freeman, who labeled Schiano an "old school" personality.
The new vibe around the team isn't the only change. The roster now includes receiver Vincent Jackson, Pro Bowl guard Carl Nicks and cornerback Eric Wright, via free agency.
Schiano inherits a team that went 10-6 two seasons ago, but fell apart under coach Raheem Morris in 2011. Placing blame at Morris' feet -- and Glazer's comments have hinted at a lack of integrity under that regime -- isn't entirely fair. Schiano is undefeated and we haven't seen him put through the fire yet, but here in April, he's a popular man.
