Tampa Bay Buccaneers success can shed negative media history
The rest of the NFL, their television partners, and other media types not in the Tampa Bay market have tried their best to ignore or minimize Buccaneers success as much as possible since the team’s inception in 1976.
It started with the Creamsicle Uniforms, moved on to 0-and-26, followed by the team’s inability to win in cold weather or run a kickoff back for a touchdown, and included firing the head coach that put together a lot of pieces that won their first Lombardi Trophy. Yet, even with a Super Bowl win after the 2002 season, it was like the Bucs never did anything worth trumpeting until a certain ex New England Patriot quarterback decided to play in Hillsborough County.
Once Tom Brady arrived, the Buccaneers had to be on Primetime or the Game of The Week or Monday Night Football. Sure, it was more about TB12, but since he was wearing pewter and red, those Madison Avenue decision makers in expensive suits had no choice but to bring the Bucs along with him.
History has shown by the lack of reverence from the league for Tampa Bay that they would rather have had him end up almost anywhere else.
He didn’t, though, and after two very successful seasons and a Super Bowl win, it looked like Brady was either done with the Bucs via retirement or on his way someone else. The media in various forms ate it up.
Finally, coverage wise, they could send the Bucs back to the Richard Williamson and Leeman Bennett era and treat them as punching bags for whatever team they preferred to see win.
That didn’t happen, obviously. So many in the press were quick to jump on if Brady ran off former head coach Bruce Arians that they were blind or deaf to the fact that Mr. Brady is back. Hopefully to lead the Bucs to their 3rd and his 8th Super Bowl victory in 2022.
New head coach Todd Bowles may or may not have Arians’ charisma, but he was the guy Arians believed was best to lead Tampa Bay back to the Promised Land. He’s likely the guy anti Bucs types prefer, as he doesn’t garner or goes seeking attention so they are hoping the Bucs can be ignored once again. However, if things go as Arians’ and ownership hope, the Bucs will win a lot of regular season, playoff and Super Bowl games and won’t be able to be ignored for the best reasons possible.
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