Per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Buccaneers will interview Marty Schottenheimer for their head-coaching vacancy on Tuesday.

The 68-year-old Schottenheimer has been out of the NFL since 2006, when he was unceremoniously fired as the Chargers’ head coach after a 14-2 season.

Since that point, he’s been working as a television analyst, and also became the head coach of the UFL’s Virginia Destroyers, with whom he won a championship in 2011.

He’s said to have “sustained hunger and love” for coaching and would love the opportunity to return to the big leagues.

Schottenheimer joins a who’s who of former coaches that are being currently being courted by the Bucs, including Mike Sherman, Wade Phillips, and Brad Childress.

If Tampa Bay is looking to win in the regular season, Schottenheimer is definitely their man. He has a career record of 200-126-1 in that department. However, the knock on him is that his teams never win when it counts, evidenced by a dismal 5-13 postseason mark.

Now, in what is usually the consequence of a terrible season, the Bucs’ head man has been issued his walking papers.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired head coach Raheem Morris.

In fact, GM Mark Dominik, whose job is reportedly safe, decided to clean house entirely, relieving each coach and coordinator of their duties.

Morris oversaw a Tampa squad that went from a contender in 2010 to an NFL doormat in 2011, finishing with 10 straight losses and a 4-12 record.

After the Bucs began the season 4-2, looking like they’re finally ready to make a legit playoff push, the team simply crashed and burned.

It’s not like they were competitive in defeat, either. During the epic losing streak, the Buccaneers were outscored 349-174, a damning indication that Morris couldn’t get them to play hard on a weekly basis.

Three sources tell Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports that Talib “can expect” a four-game suspension to begin the season.

Earlier in the week, Talib met with Goodell for the second time in a little under two years, a surefire way to receive the heave-ho for a quarter of the season.

For those who are unfamiliar with Talib’s transgressions, the fourth-year man was involved in a March shooting in Dallas, Texas; he allegedly pistol-whipped and fired gunshots at his sister’s boyfriend. Talib was eventually arrested and indicted on a count of felony assault with a deadly weapon. His trial is scheduled for next year, and could face 2-20 years in prison if convicted.

The other sitdown with Goodell came prior to the 2010 season, when Talib was suspended for Opening Day after striking a cab driver in 2009. It could be just two-strikes and you’re out for the 25-year-old.

Many in Tampa, including the local media, have called for the organization to cut ties with the troubled Talib. It seemed as if it was a certainty to happen at some point after the lockout was lifted, but Bucs coach Raheem Morris “begged ownership” to keep him around and they apparently listened.

There’s little doubt that Talib possesses a great amount of talent — his draft status (20th overall selection) and stats (15 career interceptions) speak for themselves. But he’ll now be one strike away from potentially missing an entire season if he slips up again, a probable outcome considering his tumultuous past.

His coach stuck his neck out on the line for him, and now Talib needs to prove his coach right and show he’s worthy of the roster spot. Unfortunately for him, he likely won’t get a chance to do so until Week 5.

Per ESPN, a Texas grand jury has officially indicted Aqib Talib on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The second-degree charge carries a possible sentence of 2-20 years in prison.

Although the indictment was expected, Talib’s lawyer, Jay Reisinger, is “very confident” that his client will be exonerated when all is said and done.

“The grand jury was not privy to a number of important facts,” Talib’s attorney, Jay Reisinger, said Friday in a statement. “We are very confident that once we have the opportunity to present all of the facts, this matter will be resolved in Mr. Talib’s favor.

“Aqib looks forward to putting this matter behind him and returning to the game of football.”

On March 21, police responded to a domestic disturbance call and, upon arriving at the scene, determined that Talib fired gunshots at his sister’s boyfriend, Shannon Billings. Even though Billings was unharmed, a warrant went out for Talib’s arrest and he was eventually taken into custody.

He has since been released on $25,000 bond.

While the next step would be for this case to go to trial, Talib is looking at discipline even if he’s found not guilty. The Bucs’ former first-round pick has had several instances of trouble since entering the league, which prompted the Tampa media to declare him “all but gone” from the organization.

Due to the NFL lockout, commissioner Roger Goodell can’t impose a suspension or any other infraction, though he’s said to be keeping a tally of the league’s arrests and other run-ins with the law. At the very least, it’s hard to imagine Talib not being summoned to the commish’s office — possibly as a free agent — once the labor dispute is resolved.

Last year, the show’s ratings were through the roof, courtesy of the New York Jets, and coach Rex Ryan in particular. Although the boisterous Ryan drew criticism at the time for his foul-mouthed language, most of Gang Green’s faithful loved the inside look at the team and what goes into the day-to-day operations.

Fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t have the same privilege this August, as once thought.

The Bucs announced via Twitter on Monday that they have turned down HBO’s offer to appear on the next installment of the Emmy Award-winning Hard Knocks.

We have respectfully declined this year’s Hard Knocks invitation. Wonderful show, but the team wants to keep the focus on the field in 2011.

Due to Tampa Bay’s young and rising stars — including quarterback Josh Freeman, coach Raheem Morris, and general manager Mark Dominik — HBO originally targeted the organization to follow in the footsteps of the Jets. Tampa is having difficulties selling out home games, so many assumed they wanted the exposure to help with fan morale.

Though, it’s understandable if the Buccaneers want to eliminate as many possible distractions in the wake of the NFL’s current work stoppage. After all, there may not be any training camp at all if the lockout is still unresolved by the time August rolls around.

It’s not currently known what team is Plan B for HBO now that the Bucs have bowed out.

Unfortunately for the team, another player has demonstrated poor judgment, and found himself on the wrong side of the police blotter.

According to Bay News 9 in Tampa, defensive end Alex Magee was arrested Monday for possession of marijuana and driving with an expired tag.

Tampa Police pulled Magee over in his 2009 Dodge Charger and found marijuana after the vehicle was emanating with that familiar smell. The search uncovered a “misdemeanor amount of field test positive marijuana.”

He was eventually released on his own recognizance.

The 24-year-old Magee was originally a third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009. After appearing in a handful of games for the Chiefs, he was dealt to the Buccaneers in 2010 for conditional draft picks.

While this incident seems relatively minor, it will certainly do him no favors when Tampa’s roster is constructed for the upcoming season.

According to Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times, Talib is considered “all but gone” from Tampa Bay due to his continued penchant for attracting off-the-field issues.

A “last-minute change of heart, or perhaps his exoneration” would be the only way the Bucs don’t release him when the lockout is lifted and transactions are once again allowed to take place.

The supposed final straw for the Bucs came last month, when Talib was involved in a March 21 shooting in Garland, Texas. After a warrant went out for his arrest, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony that carries a two to 20 year sentence in prison.

It was one in a handful of problems that Talib, the team’s first-round pick in 2008, has been gotten himself into since entering the league. Aside from two instances of fighting with teammates, Talib allegedly struck a St. Petersburg cab driver last year, which promoted commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend him for the opening game of the 2010 season.

Now the Bucs have reached a point of no return with the 25-year-old. Despite possessing elite talent, the organization believes it’s just a matter of time before Talib “runs afoul” again. He’s already facing another suspension — one that will be a lot lengthier than the first — and they figure it’d just be easier to cut ties at this point.

As such, Bucs general manager Mark Dominik has put a contingency plan in place that includes selecting a cornerback during next Thursday’s draft.

While a few Tampa-area writers have come to the support of Talib, it’s not going to be enough to save him from the well-deserved pink slip.

As it turns out, however, Tiki almost added another club to his resume shortly after calling it quits.

Per ESPNNewYork, Barber had an offer on the table to join his brother, Ronde, on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007. After much consideration, he said thanks but no thanks to the Bucs, as his pride for Big Blue wouldn’t allow him to join another team.

“Staying a Giant in retirement was very important to me,” Barber said. “Playing with my brother is something we dreamed of doing for years, but I’d been brought up and nurtured in one organization. I saw it as a sacred thing.”

Barber wanted to emulate former Giants greats, such as quarterback Phil Simms and linebacker Lawrence Taylor, as players who never donned another uniform in their respective careers.

When Tampa Bay, at the time, lost Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman to injuries, they needed a healthy back for the postseason, and decided to give Tiki and his agent, Mark Lepselter, a call.

After some “recruiting”, Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen met with Barber and Lepselter in a Tampa hotel. Following the 90-minute meeting, Barber gave his commitment to become a Buccaneer. Everyone involved, including his twin brother, was elated with the news. Everyone, except for Tiki.

Filled with doubts about disgracing his “legacy” with the Giants, Barber instructed Lepselter to call off the deal.

“I didn’t want to ruin my Giants legacy,” Barber would say. “Gruden was excited about it, Ronde was excited about it, and Lep was excited about it, but my heart wasn’t in it.”

Now, after a failed marriage and dormant life away from the field, Barber is on the comeback trail. He has already submitted the paperwork to end his retirement, and is ready to return to the game he loves.

“But with my life stagnating, and feeling like I wasn’t really doing anything,” Barber said by phone, “I realized I still love the game of football. I’d lost my way, and then I realized this is what I still want to do.”

While in Dallas for Super Bowl XLV, Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez suggested to Barber that he should return to the NFL. Taking his advice, Barber began weight training to get back in shape.

Slimming down to a svelte 204 pounds, Tiki’s near his old playing weight, and is now waiting for someone to show an interest in him. This time around, though, it might take a little longer for his phone to ring.

He can’t sign with another team until he’s granted his release from the Giants, who still technically own his rights. The Giants can’t release him until the league’s labor disputes are over. Despite the speedbumps, it hasn’t discouraged Tiki in his comeback quest.

“And that won’t stop me from trying,” he said, “because I’m never afraid of failing.”

There was some recent speculation that he’d land with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they’re not expected to pursue him.

Although he’ll eventually be granted his release from the team that’s closest to his heart, Barber has the support of Giants GM Jerry Reese, who said he “wouldn’t bet a quarter” against him.

With the amount of determination and passion he possesses, no one should be counting Barber out — even if his next uniform will be a different color.

According to ESPNChicago.com, the Chicago Bears will reportedly face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in London during the 2011 regular season.

The Buccaneers will play “host” to the Bears, who beat the Dallas Cowboys 17-6 in their last visit to London on August 3, 1986.

This will be Tampa’s second trip to Wembley Stadium in three seasons. They were considered the away team in a 2009 Week 7 matchup against the New England Patriots — a game the Pats went on to win handily, 35-7.

In an attempt to build a worthwhile international fanbase, the NFL has scheduled one game in England per season since 2007. Last year, it was the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos who did battle there, with the Niners topping the Broncos 24-16.

Though it’s already been discussed ad nauseum, no game will take place if the league’s current labor issues are still unresolved by the time the season is scheduled to begin.

The rest of the regular season schedule is expected to be released next week.

Per the Sporting News, the Bucs signed Dominik to a four-year contract extension through 2014.

“It has been a pleasure working with a person and a talent like Mark, and so gratifying to witness his well-deserved success,” Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said in a statement.”By the end of this contract, Mark will have dedicated two decades to giving Tampa the winner it deserves.”

The 39-year-old Dominik has been with Tampa Bay since 1995, when he was brought aboard as a scout for the team. After former GM Bruce Allen was let go following the 2008 season, Dominik was promoted in Allen’s place, and has since held the position.

During the three-year time span, Dominik has turned the Bucs into a young, up-and-coming squad.

In a series of crafty moves, he hired Raheem Morris to fill the vacant head coaching position, drafted quarterback Josh Freeman with his 2009 first-round draft pick, and signed running back LeGarrette Blount off waivers last year.

While those decisions were criticized at first, Dominik had the last laugh. Tampa finished with a 10-6 record in 2010, and barely missed out on the NFC’s last wildcard spot. Despite not qualifying for the postseason, the Buccaneers are on the upswing with the nucleus of the team set for years to come.