Tampa Bay: Second year without an NFL team?

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aTOMiC
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Tampa Bay: Second year without an NFL team?

Post by aTOMiC »

Okay. This is going to sound really sarcastic, snotty, bitter and angry but I assure you its only because I'm being sarcastic, snotty, bitter and angry.

Last year after announcing to the Tampa Bay fan base that the Buccaneers would be participating in the 2009 NFL football season without a team I was quite annoyed. I'll admit it. But then after spending the entire season proving that they did exactly what they said they were going to do I was even more annoyed. Now after a frustrating off season filled with no action whatsoever to improve the situation I'm now wondering if Tampa Bay fans can cope with not having a football team for 2 years in a row. The team's actions speak volumes. We know we're not going to be good but we want you all to buy tickets and watch the games anyway. Well that's just wonderful. I made the analogy last year that if Burger King announced that they were going to subsitute hamburgers with ratburgers for a year and then expected sales to be exactly the same just because folks like Burger King then they'd have to be insane to think we'd continue eating there.
The Bucs haven't been deceptive in my opinion. They've been brutally honest with the fans, coaches, players and the NFL. We have decided to suck right now so that perhaps in the future, maybe 3 or 4 seasons down the road we might be good again.
If they know they suck and have no shame about it why exactly am I expected to watch another dismal and depressing season? Perhaps they will actually surprise some other teams and post 5 wins this year. I actually expect them to be worse than last year truth be told.

Am I being overly critical? Probably. I feel it as I write this that I'm probably being quite unfair. I just don't know what I'm going to do with myself this coming season. I used to look forward to the NFL every year, mainly because I believed my team had a chance to be good. Knowing full well they aren't before the season starts just drains all of the excitement out of watching the home games. I guess I'll have to cling to someone else's team this year like I did last year.

:(
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Post by jelerak »

Try being a Saints fan for the past few decades. Recent success has hardly given me back the years that I spent 'waiting 'til next year.' Believe me, I feel your pain. After the Mike Ditka years I thought I would never see prosperity again.

I am sure that Gruden is relishing the moment.

But on the other hand, I am so glad that ya'll are in the NFC South!
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Post by sgt.null »

tom - how long have you been a Bucs fan? because they sucked for a long time before turning into a good (and for one season great) team.
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Post by aTOMiC »

Guys I've been a fan of the Bucs since their first season in 1976. I lived through the infamous decade of double digit losing seasons and the team being the punchline in a variety of sports jokes. It was painful and laughable however I never once thought the team ownership deliberately went out of their way to put a crappy team on the field (of course they did, Hugh Culverhouse the owner during the 70s and 80s pretty much admitted he just squeezed as much profit out of the franchise as possible). As a fan all those years it really seemed they were giving it their best. Heck in 1979 in only their 4th season the Bucs were playing in the NFC Championship game against the Rams. That doesn't sound like a team that didn't give a crap. The great Doug Williams went on to the Redskins to get his Superbowl ring a few years later. In 1996 the Glazer Family and Tony Dungy changed our perception of the team forever. From that point on (until last year) the Bucs were at team to be reckoned with culminating in their first Superbowl under Gruden. We had more than a decade to get used to our team being competitive. Now it's over and I understand it's mainly due to money problems. But eliminating nearly all of the veteran players in one fell swoop and proclaiming to all that the Bucs would not participate in free agency under any circumstances, building through the draft meant to me that until their plan came to possible fruition we'd be eating rat burgers for years and pretending it was Kobe beef.
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Re: Tampa Bay: Second year without an NFL team?

Post by dANdeLION »

aTOMiC wrote:I made the analogy last year that if Burger King announced that they were going to subsitute hamburgers with ratburgers for a year and then expected sales to be exactly the same just because folks like Burger King then they'd have to be insane to think we'd continue eating there
A better analogy is if Burger King announced that they were going to subsitute hamburgers with ratburgers for a year and then raised their prices.
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Post by Cail »

And that's how it feels being an Oriole's fan. Or a Raiders fan.

I feel your pain.
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Post by danlo »

Yeah, it doesn't look like you guys will be going anywhere this year-no change at all in WRs and RBs unless Reggie Brown is a little better than I think he is. Your O-line hasn't shown any signs of improvement, but, as they say, Freeman has a lot of potential. At least Williams, Graham and Ward aren't the Washington old folks home (Portis, LJ, Parker and maybe Westbrook) but they are injury prone. Don't laugh but I think the Bucs are, actually, one of the few teams that could use TO (unless Winslow's ego cancels him out :P) .

The D looks like it could be a bit better if McCoy stops being a $ baby and Barber has a year left in his tank. Expect good things from former UNM Lobo Quincy Black: he's a much better player than people expect. Tanard Jackson maybe your breakout stud this year, FWIW.
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Post by Relayer »

At least the Raiders picked up Jason Campbell...
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Post by dANdeLION »

Jason Campbell? Is that supposed to make Cail feel better, or worse?
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Post by sgt.null »

i have been a Red Sox fan all my life. so i understand loving horrible teams.

but the nfl is a quick turnaround league. the right draft or two can change it all in a hurry.
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Post by Relayer »

___ wrote:Jason Campbell? Is that supposed to make Cail feel better, or worse?
I'm not sure yet, ask me in November. I'm a lifelong Raiders fan too :)
He *has* to be better than Jamarcus though.
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Post by dANdeLION »

Here's my feeling on Campbell. He has potential, but hasn't shown any consistency yet. Oakland is the last place he should go, as they don't seem able to develop quarterbacks nowadays. I don't think he's ever been all that good, but I expect him to devolve in Oakland.
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Post by sgt.null »

i think Campbell could have developed in a stable system. but agree with dan that oakland is a horrible place for him.

tampa could be 2nd in the diviion though. both Carolina and Atlanta have major flaws.
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Post by aTOMiC »

sgt.null wrote:

tampa could be 2nd in the diviion though. both Carolina and Atlanta have major flaws.
I couldn't disagree with that statement more. What the Bucs have that is provably better than the other 3 teams in the division is not much if anything. Position by position they are inferior with the possible exception of Tight End, Cornerback and maybe the back field....maybe (we'll see how Williams does this year. They'll need the O line to be special to open holes and give their 2nd year QB enough time to find Winslow on every single pass play since there isn't anyone else out there to catch passes). The Bucs have no verifiably proven wide recievers, no proven defensive line push to make the cover 2 function (man to man this team will get eaten alive on defense), no proven quarterbacks anywhere on the roster and no proven leadership in the front office or coaching staff.

Now to be fair it's possible all of the rookies and 2nd year players they have might surprise me. I see a lot of potential in each of them however to expect a team this lacking in experience from top to bottom finding a way to compete against quality, cohesive, experienced opponents is a reach at best.
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Post by Cail »

___ wrote:Here's my feeling on Campbell. He has potential, but hasn't shown any consistency yet. Oakland is the last place he should go, as they don't seem able to develop quarterbacks nowadays. I don't think he's ever been all that good, but I expect him to devolve in Oakland.
He looked horrible last year.
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Post by Farsailer »

You TB fans shouldn't feel bad... try living in LA, the former home of the carpetbagging teams I will not name.
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Post by Cybrweez »

We watch b/c we're addicted. And, its a great setup, Sunday's through the cold months, you expect to sit by TV watching some football.

Oh wait, Tampa Bay....

Yea, why are you watching??
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Post by sgt.null »

after two great coaches in Tampa - Dungy and CHucky - I have no idea who the Tampa coach is right now...
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Post by Mr. Broken »

Sorry to say that Browns fans dont feel sorry for anyone but themselves, and since Tampa Bay is our first opponent of the season that wont be changing anytime soon.
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Post by aTOMiC »

Mr. Broken wrote:Sorry to say that Browns fans dont feel sorry for anyone but themselves, and since Tampa Bay is our first opponent of the season that wont be changing anytime soon.
At least you can look forward to starting the season off with a win. :biggrin:
Did I just say that? 8O
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