TAMPA, Fla. -- Mike Glennon says hes not discouraged about losing Tampa Bays starting quarterback job before ever taking a snap for new coach Lovie Smith. The Buccaneers signed Josh McCown in free agency and immediately penciled the 34-year-old career backup in at the top of the depth chart. Glennon started 13 games as a rookie last season, when a 4-12 record claimed the jobs of former coach Greg Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik. McCown had the best season of his career with Chicago a year ago. Now, the Bucs are counting of him to help Smith and new GM Jason Licht transform the struggling franchise into a championship contender. Instead of sulking, Glennon is vowing to push McCown, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract after throwing for 13 touchdowns and just one interception while filling in for an injured Jay Cutler with the Bears last season. The Bucs began off-season workouts this week. "Im going to go out there every day and compete and help the team win in whatever way possible," Glennon said. "Josh has been great so far to me. Its a great opportunity to work every day with a guy who has so much experience like that," the second-year pro added. "At the same time, just by my nature, Im going to go out there and compete. Whatever my role might be, Im going to do it to the best of my ability." Glennon was drafted in the third round last spring and moved into the lineup when Schiano benched former starter Josh Freeman three games into the season. He threw for 19 TDs vs. nine interceptions, however the Bucs went 4-9 in the games he started and finished last in the NFL in total offence. "I think there were a lot of things that were good, and theres definitely things I can work on," said Glennon, who completed 59 per cent of his passes for 2,608 yards. "I think overall I played well for the situation at hand, something to really build on at a young age. But it really doesnt matter. At this level, you have to win," the 24-year-old said. "There are things I need to work on, just continuing to develop as a NFL quarterback. Make better decisions here and there, work on my feet, throwing under pressure -- all the things every quarterback in the NFL is working on." Shortly after signing McCown, Smith telephoned Glennon to inform the young quarterback that the veteran was being brought in as the starter. McCown, who turns 35 in July, is 16-22 in 38 career starts spread over 11 seasons with the Bears, Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, 49ers and Panthers. He was 3-2 as Cutlers replacement last year, helping Chicago remain in playoff contention until the starter returned. "He just said to start out theres got to be a person to start, that goes out with the first group first, and that persons going to be Josh," Glennon said, recalling the conversation with Smith. "I understand the NFL is a business. ... I realize that Im just going to have to continue to work hard and prove myself," the second-year pro added. "But at the same time, Im going to do whatever he feels is best for the team." During the recent NFL meetings in Orlando, Smith didnt rule out the possibility of selecting another quarterback in the upcoming draft. He stressed, however, that thats not to say he doesnt believe Glennon has a promising future. "What we like is how he came in as a rookie in a tough situation and stayed focused," Smith said. "Quarterbacks have to have confidence in themselves, they have to put a lot of things out and just perform and do their job. And thats what he did." . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. . PAUL, Minn.
http://www.officialbluejacketsfanstore. ... ts-jersey/. Braves reliever David Carpenter was also fined for throwing at Rockies outfielder Corey Dickerson in the same game, which featured several ejections, including Colorado manager Walt Weiss. .Y. -- The Montreal Canadiens have had few reasons to celebrate this season as they have been mired near the basement of the Eastern Conference. . His stated reason for abruptly resigning as head coach of Canadas Olympic womens hockey team was he felt there were doubts about his ability to coach the team to Olympic gold in February.(SportsNetwork.com) - Dan Quinn has one foot out the door in Seattle but that doesnt mean the next coach of the Atlanta Falcons is planning to give up on his security deposit. The NFLs worst-kept secret is that win or lose at Super Bowl XLIX, the Seahawks defensive coordinator will be soon be calling Buckhead home. For now, though, its all about finishing the job he already has as the steward of footballs best defense. I think all of us have those experiences where you have to juggle things at the same time, Quinn said at Super Bowl Media Day when asked about his pending job change. For me, just being here, I am having an absolute blast. While quarterback Russell Wilson and stud running back Marshawn Lynch get most of the ink for the Seahawks, its Quinns stifling defense which serves as the teams true calling card, and the New Jersey native has successfully built on what now-Jacksonville head coach Gus Bradley first cobbled together in the Pacific Northwest. The Seahawks stop unit led the NFL in scoring defense for the third consecutive season in 2014, becoming the first to accomplish that feat since the famed 1969-71 Purple People Eaters of the Minnesota Vikings, and just the third all-time (Cleveland 1953-57). Quinns unit also became only the fourth team in NFL lore to lead the league in fewest points and yards allowed in back-to-back seasons, and the first since the legendary 1985-86 Chicago Bears. And the Seahawks D has done all of that in the most offensively-skewed era in pro football history. We just honestly try to find unique guys and how fast we can play, Quinn said when describing his philosophy. Then, within each team, there are unique guys and how you feature the players. Really, it is just about featuring the guys and the roles they can do best. The unique guys in Seattle are athletic middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and members of the best secondary in football, featuring three All-Pro-caliber players in cornerback Richard Sherman as well as safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Quinn particularly raved about his last line of defense on Tuesday. They are two unique guys: Kam Chancellor andd Earl Thomas are both so different, Quinn said.dddddddddddd. Kam Chancellor, wed all look up at him right now at how big he is. We try to feature him in the things he does best like playing near the line of scrimmage and with Earl Thomas ... he is a speed backer, something that really jumps out in his game. The way he can play the middle of the field and coverages, the closing speed that he has, that is just one good example that you talked about with those guys and try to feature the guys in the best ways. With those, it is real clear what they do best. Over the Seahawks final six regular-season games, the club allowed a minuscule 6.5 points and 202 yards per game while collecting 24 sacks. It did not allow a point in the fourth quarter and yielded only 13 in the second halves during the six-game run. I think early on we got to the point where we were trying to be too perfect, Wagner said. We had to go back to realizing that its not about perfection, its about having fun and enjoying that time you have with your brothers. Once we got back to that, we really got going. It was a bittersweet irony because that run solidified Quinn on a lot of head- coaching short lists, and his pupils understand hes out the door after Sundays game. Few are feeling abandoned, however, with linebacker K.J. Wright calling his soon to be ex-teacher a defensive mastermind, while also lauding the Falcons for waiting out the process and sticking with a guy who wont be free until Feb. 2. I think hell be a really good head coach, Wright said. I dont expect him to be here next year. I know a lot of guys want him (back), but he shouldve been gone last year with what he did. Lets talk Atlanta. Theyve got a good offense, but the defense is struggling. So if he comes out there and gets that defense right, theyre an automatic playoff team. Quinn, though, has one more page to turn before making the Falcons that playoff team -- one that reads beating Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in back- to-back Super Bowls. This is such a cool experience, Quinn said. Where else would you rather be? Not in Atlanta ... at least not yet. ' ' '
