Bucs QB Coach Clyde Christensen is truly Clyde 'The Guide'

TAMPA, Fla. - Clyde Drexler was so graceful in his movements, the NBA star was dubbed Clyde the Glide. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen is so gracious in his leadership, he should be known as Clyde the Guide.

The name is familiar to most in the Bay Area because Christensen was on Tony Dungy's Bucs staff from 1996-2001.

When Dungy was fired by Tampa Bay, he brought Christensen with him to Indianapolis, where the two helped transform the Colts into Super Bowl champions.

Peyton Manning was the most successful pupil of Coach Christensen -- until this summer, when Tom Brady began working out at One Buc Place. That's when the 64-year-old coach and the 43-year-old quarterback met for the first time.

Clyde Christensen and Tom Brady

Christensen had coached against Brady for many, many years and had some "preconceived notions" about the man many consider the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.

What surprised Christensen about Brady once he got to know him?

"I think everything about him surprised me," said Christensen, "I had never met him. Probably played him 20 times and never met him. Just to see what a wonderful human being he is. He's a good man. I knew he was a good football player, we all knew that. We all watched that for 20-plus years."

Now, 20-plus years removed from his first NFL coaching gig, Clyde Christensen is helping the world's greatest quarterback become a little bit greater.

"It's a lot of fun," said The Guide. "It's fun to do it with guys you respect and trust and love. This is about all of us believing in each other. I think it's a little bit lost in our sport."

That's certainly not lost on Clyde Christensen.