Gruden aims to pay back Tampa against the team he helped create

TAMPA Bay broke the bank to get coach Jon Gruden from Oakland last year, and next Sunday Gruden will lead the Buccaneers in their first Super Bowl — against a Raiders team he himself shaped.

"Gruden created this team," Oakland's Lincoln Kennedy said.

"In one way or another he created this team. Over the last four years he was here, and of course he had input in creating what we got as far as draft choices."

In February, Oakland owner Al Davis sold Gruden to the Bucs for the unprecedented price of two first-round draft selections, two second-round picks and $8 million.

"We are still investigating. I think there is some swampland in Florida that was included in that deal," Gruden joked.

But if the underdog Buccaneers triumph in Super Bowl 37, it will look like they got a bargain.

Much has been made of the coaching connection between the two teams.

The Raiders are now coached by Bill Callahan, formerly an assistant under Gruden.

"I'm not a real deep and philosophical person," Gruden said on Tuesday as the Bucs met the press at the annual carnival known as Super Bowl Media Day.

"I obviously have some emotions that will run deeply during the week at times."

But both Gruden and Callahan, and their players, are quick to say that it's the players who will decide the game.

"Gruden is not playing," Oakland's Rod Woodson said flatly. "Now, if he wants to put on a helmet, strap it up and play, that's a different story."

"It's not really a Gruden issue," added Oakland running back Charlie Garner.

"Gruden is coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We don't have to fight Gruden. We have to fight the Buccaneers."

Tampa Bay's six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Warren Sapp said he didn't think Gruden's attention would be distracted by his old team.

"I think the focus is going to be on us, and the players on the field," Sapp said. "And I think Callahan feels that way, too."

Even Gruden's possible insights into Oakland will, in the end, be of limited use, Sapp said.

"Scheme will never win a football game for you," Sapp said.

"You can scheme people for maybe a quarter or two, but eventually it will come down to the men in your scheme.

"They (Oakland) have a lot of skilled players, and we do, too. So it will come down to who makes the least mistakes in this ball game and who executes the best."

Sunday's game at Qualcomm Stadium will pit Oakland's top-ranked

offense against Tampa Bay's league-leading defense.

The Raiders have scored 521 points in 18 games an average of 28.9 including 71 in playoff victories over the New York Jets and Tennessee.

The Buccaneers have allowed just 212 points in 18 games an average of 13.3 including 16 in postseason wins over San Francisco and Philadelphia.