Why did Sam Wyche fare so poorly in Tampa?

[Throwin_Samoan]

With Vrabel out in Nashville, he would be perfect for the Bucs if they fire Bowles, after losing to Philly again in the wild card game.

I'm sorry, you were saying?

[Brian wolf]

Ha Ha ... was juss eating crow on another post ... Bucs did a great job and the Eagles, who destroyed SF last January, now go home this time in January.

[Hail Casares]

But they got enamored with Vinny, thought he couldn't miss,

I agree this was the sentiment at the time, that Vinny was a 'can't miss' prospect, but in retrospect that is kind of crazy. Testaverde's performance in the Fiesta Bowl was frightening. He basically cost his team the national title. Yet everyone simply brushed that off because Testaverde 'looked like' a #1 pick.

The Eric Curry thing was funny to me, because Bama had won the national title and had two good DEs in Curry and John Copeland, and the thought was that one guy was the stud and the other guy just benefitted from that. But in the end, both Curry and Copeland were total washouts.

In terms of Wyche faring poorly, he had terrible offensive skill position players. He really needed a James Brooks-type RB to make his offense work, and he was stuck with plodders like Reggie Cobb and Errict Rhett. The WRs were always terrible. I remember they gave a ton of money to Alvin Harper, and everyone thought that was a mistake, and everyone was right.

I always liked Rhett. Thought he was a pretty explosive runner. Just not very shifty...and was stuck behind some awful TB OL's. Ironically, the RB Wyche most would have liked in TB he missed by a year or two in Warrick Dunn

[JohnTurney]

But in the end, both Curry and Copeland were total washouts.

Curry didn't produce in NFL. Gotta disagree a little bit on Copeland. As a 3-4 end he was highly graded. He wasn't the kind of interior pass rusher (moved inside a lot) he was not a "blue".

I don't think Copeland became what they'd hope... being a good run player and a good rusher. But would disagree as to "washout" for him. I'd use a less harsh term. Maybe a medium disappointment, especially as a rusher. I know LeBeau liked him. He did miss games most years .. nicked up.

Curry? Yeah, major disappointment.