Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Can the Bucs learn from the swept Lightning?

One of the best hockey teams in the history of the sport was swept in the first round of the playoffs. Can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers learn from this?

The Tampa Bay Lightning had one of the best years in NHL history, tying the league record of 62 wins in a regular season. They had MVP hopeful Nikita Kucherov and one of the deepest teams in the league, but that did not stop the Columbus Blue Jackets from coming in and sweeping them in the first round. The Lightning had a lead in game 1, but never played with the fire or urgency that was expected of a team as good as they were and Columbus exploited that. What can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers learn from this?

Expectations have no place in sports. No matter how good or how bad a team is, the main determinant of who wins and who loses is who wants to win the most. There has never been a forgone conclusion in sports, and the game is played because that is the only determinant of a winner, not players’ individual stats or the record of the team.

“Victory has defeated you” Bane said to Batman before the Caped Crusader’s back was broken. This quote may seem trivial as it is from an action movie, but the meaning is painfully true: it is easy to become complacent when you win, and complacency leads to a lack of effort in preparation, and in the field of play. Fortunately for the Buccaneers, they have the chance to learn this horrible but important lesson from their counterparts in Tampa.

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As the 2019 preseason is beginning, the far-too-early projections for the Buccaneers season are mediocre at best: 6, maybe 7 wins, middle of the pack the whole season but never really a contender. Fortunately for Buccaneers fans, the odds from Vegas or anywhere else have absolutely no impact on who wins games, and this was learned in a painful manner by the Lightning. When the season begins, the thing that will matter the most is if the players play with heart and pride when they are on the field.

The first two games of the 2018 NFL season were some of the most fun that I have had as a Buccaneers fan. Fitzmagic was truly something to behold as that Buccaneers team was the first in quite some time that actually played with swagger and pride with journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick under center.

Players moved with a sense of urgency, routes were ran with confidence, and the team looked as though they were unstoppable as a complete unit. Obviously this did not last, but the team showed that they are capable of playing up at the highest level, despite any perceived disparity in the talent on the field.

One player who epitomizes this is running back Peyton Barber. Barber got the starting nod and never looked back last season. He played behind a porous offensive line, dealt with some abysmal play calling and often from behind, yet you never heard him complain and he ran the ball with heart. Yes he did not crack through the 1,000 yard mark, but he never complained and only seemed grateful for the opportunity, and now he got paid for one more year and will remain the starter.

This is the type of player that the Buccaneers have to retain. Playing with heart and pride is something that every player can and should do. This mindset begins now, and will absolutely influence the 2019 season.

No matter how good or bad the Bucs think they are, the import decision is to not look at anything as trivial. Early morning workouts, film sessions, team meetings, and everything else have to be done with a sense of importance, otherwise the disaster that befell the Lightning will happen again.