Coach takes parting shot at Bucs

[RamWraith]

Assistant Art Valero heads to the Rams, but not before some critical comments.

By RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writer
Published January 12, 2008

TAMPA - Art Valero has a new start and a new job as the assistant head coach for the St. Louis Rams.

One of the most popular assistants among Bucs players for six seasons, Valero made it clear Friday he butted horns with coach Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay.

"I feel like I'm in a better place, like they say when somebody dies," Valero said. "Only feel like I've been reborn."

His position with the Rams is undetermined but offensive line and running backs or tight ends remains a possibility. He said Friday that he still could also be named offensive coordinator under coach Scott Linehan.

"It's nice to work for someone that you trust and you know when he tells you something, he means it," Valero said of Linehan. "I didn't have to roll my eyes and wonder if it would change by the time he got down the hall."

Linehan fired offensive line coach Paul Boudreau and took the title of offensive coordinator from Greg Olson, who could stay in another capacity.

Valero, 49, had always been part of Gruden's staff in Tampa Bay, coaching tight ends (2002-03) and running backs (2004-05) then becoming assistant head coach (2006-07).

But he credited the players - not Gruden - for most of the Bucs' success.

"First of all, when coach (Tony) Dungy left Tampa Bay, he left a lot of great character on that team," Valero said. "The thing I will miss the most is the players and not only the ones I got to work with. There's a lot of great people in that locker room and all they want to do is win and all they wanted was to be led."

Valero helped running back Cadillac Williams win rookie of the year honors in 2005 when the first-round pick from Auburn rushed for 1,178 yards. After Williams and Michael Pittman were injured this season, he helped seldom-used Earnest Graham become a feature back and rush for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns. The rushing attack ranked 11th, the highest ever in Tampa Bay under Gruden.

But Valero clearly disagreed with Gruden's decision to rest players the final two games of the regular season.

The Bucs lost 24-14 to the Giants on Sunday in an NFC wild-card game, their second home playoff loss in three years.

"We have the healthiest team no longer playing in the playoffs," Valero said.

Linehan and Valero twice worked together - at Louisville (1998-2001) when Valero was offensive line coach and Linehan was the offensive coordinator, and in the early '90s they were on the same staff at Idaho.

"I'll miss the players and I tried to get close to those guys in the locker room," Valero said. "Not just the superstars, but the Kalvin Pearsons, who they tried to cut, and the Earnest Grahams, who they cut several times. The team had outstanding leaders - Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber. I'll miss them as people, not just players.

"What this team was about is what you saw in the preseason. They won because of their camaraderie. When you saw Paris Warren go down in preseason and the entire team left the bench to wish him well, I've never seen anything like that. That's what this team was about."

[BigGameMN]

I don't see the point of taking personal shots at Gruden, you've moved on, just let it be. It smacks of low class.

[Ram Dragoon]

Just how much of his statements where a parting shot and how much was it an attempt to draw the Bucs management to Gruden's conduct? Of course it really doesn't really matter. Fact is some times its good to take things personally because it motivates. And right now one of the things the RAMS need is motivation as well as leadership.

It something for the BUCs to consider. Most teams understand losing a coach to another team to become a HC. But to lose a rank and file coach for no real reason? Something might not be right in Tampa. Then again only BUC fans are likely concerned.

I just hope that its a BUCs loss and a Ram win out of the deal and that just perhaps the RAMs might benefit from quality players defecting from the BUCs over to the RAMS....t'is the hope anyhow
:r

[AvengerRam]

Just shut up and coach. This stuff is pointless.

[Varg6]

Gotta be honest, I am not impressed by any means with the attacks.

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

The way you hypocrites attack each other and people in the Rams organization on this board all the time, you have no room to talk. Please get over yourselves and off your high horse.

[Varg6]

The way you hypocrites attack each other and people in the Rams organization on this board all the time, you have no room to talk. Please get over yourselves and off your high horse.

Oh please, that's the beauty of the internet. This is different and you know that. This guy is going out of his way to attack a coach he worked with for many years. Now that he is leaving, it was completely unnecessary to make those comments. It is one thing to call someone out on the internet and it is another to say it in a speech to the press.

[BigGameMN]

The way you hypocrites attack each other and people in the Rams organization on this board all the time, you have no room to talk. Please get over yourselves and off your high horse.

We are fans, we point out flaws we see in the team and it's structure. How you can compare that with somebody who supposedly got a promotion to be ripping his ex boss, well I'll never know. He should be looking to the future and how to better The Rams, instead he looks back and throws cheap shots at Gruden. It tells me he has obvious insecurities and no class, but those things shouldn't effect his coaching ability so I'm still fine with this hire. That doesn't mean the guy isn't a jerk though.

[AvengerRam]

The way you hypocrites attack each other and people in the Rams organization on this board all the time, you have no room to talk. Please get over yourselves and off your high horse.

Internet message board....

Real life....

Know the difference.

[rammiser]

The way you hypocrites attack each other and people in the Rams organization on this board all the time, you have no room to talk. Please get over yourselves and off your high horse.

You mean the way you attacked all of us by calling us hypocrites? Talk about getting of the high horse. We are not addressing the media, and none of us ever worked for Gruden. I think what is being pointed out is he should just come to St. Louis and coach for the 1 year he will have and shut up. Already looks to be a great hire.

[Nick]

Didn't Bourdeau take a parting shot at the Rams after he left? Don't remember people talking about how inappropriate that was.

Not saying Valero is justified, but it's interesting to see how Valero is responded to in comparison to Bourdeau and his comments about our situation.

EDIT: FYI, if you got a PM that your post was moved in this thread, it's because I accidentally merged this thread with another thread unintentionally and had to move things back.

[r8rh8rmike]

Valero's statements seem pretty innocuous to me. He expressed his disagreements with Gruden in an interview. Much ado about nothing.

[AvengerRam]

It is much ado about very little, no doubt. But there is a point to be made here. There is a classy way to move from one team to another, and there is... well, what Art Vandelay did.

[Rambos]

"I didn't have to roll my eyes and wonder if it would change by the time he got down the hall."

You might have too start, just ask Marc he can fill you in.

[Fat Pang]

I think its a lot less classless as ripping your coach in an obscenity littered rant on national TV.

Plenty of real life there I'd suggest.

There's a lack of consistency here, neither are ideal, but I didn't see people telling Holt to '..just shut up and play..', and as Nick points out, I didn't see people labelling Boudreau in the same way.