Yes, Bucs coach Greg Schiano would like to move past the incident that arose during and after the final play of the second regular-season game of his NFL career.
But it’s impossible to move on now that audio of the post-game exchange between Schiano and Giants coach Tom Coughlin finally has emerged.
Here it is, from WFLA via JoeBucsFans.com by way of TampaBaySportsCentral.com.
Unfortunately, there’s too much bleeping to know precisely what was said. Here’s our best effort at a transcript.
Coughlin: “What the f--k’s that all about? Trying to hurt the quarterback?”
Schiano: [Inaudible]
Coughlin: “That’s bullsh-t!”
Schiano: “Tom! Hey Tom!”
[Extensive bleeping ensues. Schiano apparently explains amid the bleeps that his team was going for the ball.]
Coughlin: “Going for the ball? You’re trying to hurt the quarterback.”
Schiano: “Baloney!”
Of course, Schiano wasn’t trying to hurt the quarterback. He was trying to win the game. And Coughlin’s offense should have realized what was coming, given that the Bucs defense was dug in and ready to pounce.
As Peter King explained during halftime of Saturday’s Michigan-Notre Dame game, the Cowboys will be ready for it this week. The reality is that every team that faces the Buccaneers will now be ready for it.
Which means that, for it ever to work, Schiano will have to put the play on the shelf for a while, breaking it out again only after someone lets their guard down.