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Bruce Arians sat in the center of the table in the clubhouse at Old Memorial Golf Course, surrounded by his golf buddies as laughter echoed off the mahogany lockers lining the stately room.
He had cut his round short by three holes on this Tuesday afternoon because a few chilling drops of rain had begun to fall and the muscle extending from his hip was barking. When he hits a good drive, about 260 yards, Arians likes to walk to his golf ball. But he’s been told there might be something in his lower back that’s causing the pain and he’s in no hurry to get that checked out. Surgery is not on his semi-retirement schedule.
It’s why after tearing all but nine percent of his Achilles tendon last season he chose to slip orthotics in his shoes rather than undergo the knife and nine months of rehab.
Wearing a black vest jacket and his trademark flat cap, the 70-year-old former Bucs head coach would normally be game-planning and meeting with his staff about a must-win game at Arizona on Christmas Day.
But being the senior advisor to general manager Jason Licht has its perks and Arians has always felt the most comfortable telling stories from his 46 years as the coolest coach in football.