Buc;s

Oh, the lessons the Bucs learned against the 49ers

October 21, 2016 general

Friday, 5 a.m. There among the redwoods and the sourdough bread, there are universal truths. It is there, in the shadow of the 49ers, that the Tampa Bay Bucs have found out so much about their history. Twenty-one times, the Bucs have played the 49ers. Seventeen times, the 49ers have won. They won with greatness, […]

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Which of Florida’s teams are the mightiest of all?

October 18, 2016 general

Tuesday, 5 a.m. Three little teams. See how they plod. Three little teams, on their way to nowhere. Three little teams, someday’s children, the tadpoles of the National Football League. Things are looking up here in the state of Florida. Jacksonville has won two whole games in a row. Miami has won one. Tampa Bay […]

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Bucs’ Jacquizz Rodgers has the game of his career

October 12, 2016 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. On the fringes of the NFL, this is the dream. On the outskirts of fame and fortune, this is the hope. Dozens of them sift through the training camp, some for a day’s stopover. Sometimes, they get a contract, but no one really knows they’re there. They are the backup to the […]

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Night turns for wayward team and wobbly kicker

October 11, 2016 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Imagine the pressure. Imagine the wolverines clawing at the inside of your stomach. Imagine a dry mouth and wet palms. Imagine the noise, the booing and heckling, and wondering if any of it was coming from your own sideline. Imagine being Roberto Aguayo, and staring down a field goal that meant, well, […]

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Interceptions have always plagued the Bucs

October 6, 2016 general

Thursday,  4 a.m. The ball spins so pretty in the air, as it is filled with promise. It hangs there just long enough for you to hope. And for a minute, you think about the possibilities. For a second, you forget about who called the play, or who threw the ball, or who is trying […]

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How many does Koetter have to win to keep his job?

October 4, 2016 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. From the looks of it, it’s going to take Dirk Koetter some time to get the Tampa Bay Bucs going in the right direction. The question is: Does he have it? Koetter has dared to get off to a 1-3 start on a team that changes coaches like some people change shirts. […]

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Bucs’ offense spends a day running in place

October 3, 2016 general

Monday, 4 a.m. All things considered, it may have been the ugliest play in the ugly history of the Tampa Bay Bucs. Children should not watch it. It should be rated X, because rating it an O would just be silly. It was third-and-one at the Denver 26, a lean-forward kind of play. Nothing too […]

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Random Thoughts: Faldo had biggest stroke of day?

October 2, 2016 College Sports in Florida

Sunday, 5 a.m. When we talk about how many strokes the Americans had over Europe in the Ryder Cup competition, are they counting the one that Nick Faldo almost had while announcing? – After testing positive for cocaine, boxer Tyson Fury posed for a Scarface-type photo with a desk covered with cocaine. Just asking, but didn’t […]

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Bucs have thrown too much talent into the garbage

September 29, 2016 general

Thursday, 5 a.m. Stop me if you’ve seen this before. The athlete comes in representing hope. He says the right things. He gets the big check. And then the trouble begins. He goofs off. There isn’t sufficient leadership on the team, and so he strays. Maybe he punches a cabbie. Maybe he comes to practice […]

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Koetter sees the size of the job in front of him

September 27, 2016 general

Tuesday, 5 a.m. This is the part of the movie where the good guy finally looks upon the beast. It is huge. It is evil. It eats would-be heroes for breakfast. It has red eyes and sharp teeth and long claws. There are bones at its feet, and a bloody one in its hand. It […]

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