Bucs fans............let go. Buccaneer fans are a tough crowd. The franchise doesn't have the lineage of the Giants, Packers, or Bears, but many fans are suffering from short term memory loss. I remember the bad days, the REALLY bad days. 0-26. And then, in 1979, Doug Williams and Ricky Bell created some magic that made me a Buccaneer for life. The Bucs advanced into the NFC Championship playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams and lost 9-0. I was devastated. I was 14.
There was another failed playoff attempt by the Bucs in 1981. And then in1983, Williams moved on for various reasons, (cheapskate owner) but he was a fan favorite with his gritty play and leadership ability. Williams is now in a front office position with the Buccaneers, but I was rooting for him when he led the Redskins in his Super Bowl victory and won the MVP. Williams never should have left Tampa.
In the St Pete/Tampa, area speculation is all over the boards about the future of this team. Tony Dungy's 16 year old son has enrolled in Plant High School. Dungy has made no decision yet on whether he wishes to return to the Colts next year or not, but some Bucs fans are salivating at the idea that he might return to the team which axed him years ago.
Ever since the first ever Super Bowl appearance of the Buccaneers, and victory, there has been raging debate about whether or not Gruden won with Dungys' team. The debate about whether or not Dungy is retiring from the Colts is now fervor in the online chat rooms and message boards. Will he be back?
I understand, as someone who has been here from the start, the frustration many long-term fans have. However, it's time for many of you to let go. Warren Sapp was caught up in a salary cap situation. The Bucs play Green Bay this next season at home, you don't think I'd like to see Warren jawing with Brett Farve at least one more time? John Lynch was released for salary and injury issues and continued to play for Denver, but are we going to be pre-game stories about him in a few years about his physical problems. Mike Alstott. There isn't a name that rises the ire of Bucs fans in the past decade more than Mike Alstott. Mike brought game. In his prime, he was a monster from the fullback or tailback position. I will never forget, seated 3 rows back in section 128 versus Washington and the Bucs decision to go for two in 2005 and win the game 35-34. Last year I was in the stands in December as the Bucs lost to Seattle while speculation was surrounding his possible retirement, and was able to snap some photos as Mike left the field.
But, as these players brought us to the pinnacle of winning a world championship, it is time to let go. Sapp and Lynch aren't coming back here. Dungy isn't moving back to coach the Bucs, his son is going to Plant High School, a machine for football products as I understand. Long term fans of the Bucs are accustomed to loss, it's part of who we are. It doesn't matter who is the Coach, Richard Williamson, Sam Wyche, Tony Dungy or Jon Gruden. We are conditioned to losing. It's sad. While this franchise only has 32 years of history, and we, as fans grab ahold of everything good, it's just time to let go of a part of our past. It's tough, and knowing I won't hear the train whistle blowing in the stadium anymore is equally upsetting. I'll never see Doug Williams wearing #12 ever come out of the tunnel again But, let's try to move on and find the next set of Bucs superstars which will bring us to the promised land- a championship. We can't continue to live in the past.
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