Wednesday, 4 a.m.
Who needs friends? In Tampa Bay, we've got enemies.
Lots of them.
We have enemies like Richard Nixon had enemies. Enemies like the Patriots have enemies. Enemies like the Cowboys have enemies.
For a fan of the Bucs, there is plenty of room for bad feelings. You don't lose as often as the Bucs have lost without someone rubbing you the wrong way during it.
Think about as a Bucs' fan. What city do you like? Really? What rival do you have deep admiration for?
None of them. Right?
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So here goes, through the eyes of the Bucs.
Thirty-one reasons to hold a grudge.
1. Arizona: A win by the Cardinals eliminated the Bucs from the 1998 playoff race, the only time in Tony Dungy's last 12 years of coaching he hasn't made the post-season. Also, the Cardinals have scored 78 points against the Bucs in the last two games. Also, Keith McCants played here. Also, The Cardinals were responsible (by waiving him) for the Bucs' signing of Dexter Manley. Also, Curt Schilling is from Phoenix. Also, Bill Bidwill was a local version of Hugh Culverhouse.
2. Atlanta: The Falcons stole general manager Rich McKay, the best guy the Bucs have had sitting in that chair. McKay wasn't perfect (look at his drafts), but he at least stuck to a plan. Also, because the Falcons hung 56 (it could have been many more) on the Bucs in 2014. Because the Falcons stole Warrick Dunn. Because the Falcons somehow got something out of Chris Chandler. Also, Kanye West is from Atlanta. Also, Rankin Smith was a local version of Hugh Culverhouse.
3. Baltimore: The Ravens won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer, the old escapee from the Bucs. Also, the last time the teams played (2014), the Ravens had a 38-0 lead at halftime. Also, the Bucs missed a chance to draft Ray Lewis and instead settled for Marcus Jones. Also, Mel Kiper Jr. was born in Baltimore. Also, I'd still like to know what happened outside of Cobalt with Ray Lewis. Also, Art Modell was a local version of Hugh Culverhouse.
4. Buffalo: The Bills stole kicker Steve Christie -- one of the few Bucs' kickers who didn't make you hide under the coffee table. Christie had taken a Bucs' bonus with a guarantee he would stay with the team during Plan B and reneged. However, the Bucs protected several below-average players in 1992 to expose Christie. Also, Buffalo running back O.J. Simpson once gained 39 yards (20 carries) against Tampa Bay. With O.J., even a bad day rushing is distasteful. Also, the Bucs signed disappointing quarterback Rob Johnson from the Bills. Also, John Wayne Bobbit is from Buffalo.
5. Carolina: The Panthers found uses for former Bucs head coach Richard Williamson and former offensive coordinator Mike Shula. Also: At one point, the Panthers won six straight games against Tampa Bay. Also: In 2014, noodle-armed backup Derek Anderson beat the Bucs twice. Also: In 2007, Cadillac Williams suffered the first of his two knee injuries. Also, Andy Griffith reruns are on in most places. In Charlotte, they're on PBS. Also, Rae Carruth was a lunkhead.
6. Chicago: No wonder they called him Sweetness. Walter Peyton rushed for 1,629 yards against the Bucs. Also: Annoying quarterback Jim McMahon was 9-1 against the Bucs. Also, the Bears beat the Bucs 12 straight times in the mid-80s. Also: If you've heard of a criminal, he might be from Chicago. Al Capone, John Dillinger, Sam Giancana, John Wayne Gacy, Baby Face Nelson, Jack Ruby and Richard Speck are all from Chicago. Also, in the Super Bowl, William Perry scored, but Walter Peyton didn't;
7. Cincinnati: The Bengals gave the Bucs Sam Wyche. If that isn't a reason to hold a grudge, what is? Also: The Bucs signed Anthony Munoz in 1993, but he didn't make it through training camp. Also: The Bengals sent free agent Michael Johnson to Tampa Bay. Also: The Bengals sent free agent Anthony Collins to Tampa Bay. Open debate: Which player was worse? Also, Charles Manson was born in Cincinnati.
8. Cleveland: The Browns resurrected the career of former Bucs' quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who won 16 of his 31 starts with Cleveland. Also: In 1991, an article in the New York Times said the Bucs asked for permission to talk to Bill Belichick for their head coaching job. Instead, he joined the Browns in 1992. Also, Jeffrey Dahmer was from Cleveland.
9. Dallas: The Cowboys met the Bucs in two playoffs, back in 1982 and 1983.Dallas won both times. Also: The Cowboys got rich off players from Florida, taking Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin from under their noses. Also, Jerry Jones' plastic surgeon has bad hands. Also, Vanilla Ice is from Dallas.
10. Denver: The Broncos almost sent Jay Cutler to Tampa Bay in a trade. The shivers still continue. Also: The Broncos did trade Jake Plummer to the Bucs. Also: The Broncos grabbed John Lynch when the Bucs gave him away. Also, Roseanne Barr is from Denver.
11. Detroit: Barry Sanders gained a staggering 2,195 yards against the Bucs. Also: The Lions hired Wayne Fontes, the longtime Bucs' defensive coordinator, as head coach. Also, former Houston and Atlanta head coach Jerry Glanville is from Cleveland.
12. Green Bay: Brett Favre beat the Bucs 16 times in 24 starts. Also: Former coach Mike Sherman thought he should be able to tell Warren Sapp how to play (his block against Chad Clifton was reviewed and found to be legal). Also: No, Martin Gramatica, the goalposts are over there. Also, Justin Timberlake is a Packers' fan.
13. Houston: In four games, the Texans have beaten the Bucs three times, behind such quarterback juggernauts as Sage Rosenfels, Matt Schaub and Ryan Mallet. Also, Vince Young is from Houston.
14. Indianapolis: Perhaps the most painful regular-season loss in Bucs' history happened in 2003, The Bucs led 28-7 going into the final period, but Peyton Manning led a comeback for a 38-35 win. Also: The Bus gave a No. 1 draft choice for Chris Chandler, one of the worst trades in team history. Also, the Colts snapped up Tony Dungy when the Bucs fired him. Also, Brendan Fraser is from Indianapolis.
15. Jacksonville: In 2011, the Bucs jumped on the Jags for a 14-0 lead. And then the bottom fell out. The Jags, behind the immortal Blaine Glabbert, won 41-14. Also, Lynyrd Skynyrd is from Jacksonville.
16. Kansas City: The Bucs and Chiefs each won one Super Bowl (although the Chiefs didn't win their division) behind great defenses. Somehow, though, those 1969 Chiefs have nine players, coaches and front office people in the Hall of Fame (10 if you count scout Bobby Beathard). The Bucs have three. Still waiting for someone to explain that to me. Also, the day the Bucs clinched their first playoff berth, it rained like the teams were playing beneath Niagara FALLS. Also, Walt Disney is from Kansas City.M
17. Las Angeles Chargers: Sometimes, a team outsmarts itself. Before the NFL draft, USC linebacker Junior Seau said he was working hard every day "because Keith McCants isn't." Well, the Bucs took McCants fourth overall, and the Chargers took Seau fifth. Seau became a Hall of Famer. McCants was busted before he ever found a position. Also, the Kardashians are from Los Angeles.
18. Las Angeles Rams: In 1999, the Rams were in St. Louis. Late in the NFC title game, with the Rams holding a slight lead, a controversial ruling on "the Bert Emanuel catch' left the Bucs short. Some Bucs fans have never gotten over it. Also, in 2012, the most coveted coach on the market was Jeff Fisher. He outlined what he was looking for in a franchise and eliminated the Bucs, picking the Rams instead. Now, Fisher finished his career at 173-165-1, a mediocre record, but that's not the point. He picked the Rams. Also, LaVar Ball is from Los Angeles, and that's where O.J. Simpson's Bronco ride started.
19. Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins used to own Tampa Bay. They were the state's only team for 10 years. There was nothing going on as the Dolphins went to three straight Super Bowls in the 70s. It's one reason there remains such interest in the team. Also, the Dolphins beat the Bucs to Robert Quinn this off-season. Also, the Miami fans don't appreciate the humor Mike Grimes. Also, K.C. and the Sunshine Band got started in Miami.
20. Minnesota Vikings. In 1990, the Bucs thought they had a chance to sign John Randle because his brother Ervin played here. They didn't sign him, and John went on to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also, Tiny Tim was from Minneapolis.
21. New England. The Bucs once requested permission to talk to Bill Belichick. It didn't take. That's enough reason to hate them right there. Also, the Pats stole Aqib Talib. They stole LeGarrette Blount. Also, Aaron Hernandez lived there.
22. New Orleans: The Saints and Drew Brees have been one of the toughest teams for the Bucs to contend with over the years. They were the first team the Bucs ever beat, so there is that, Also, Randy Newman is from New Orleans.
23. N.Y. Giants: Remember 2007? The Bucs were in the playoffs, and were favored over the New York Giants. But the Giants won and went on to upset New England in the Super Bowl. Also, the Giants sent the Bucs disappointing back Derrick Ward. Also, Rudy Guiliani is from New York.
24. N.Y. Jets: The Jets were the place where Bill Parcells, who kept jilting the Bucs, ended up coaching. He also found some use for Vinny Testaverde, who played his best football for him. Also, the Bucs traded for an injured Darrelle Revis. Also, Joe Namath is overrated. Also, Woody Allen is from New York.
25. Oakland Raiders: Start with the trade for Jon Gruden, which cost the Bucs much of their chance to draft players to replace their aging stars from the 1990s. Add in that Gruden is back with the franchise, whether the Bucs were interested or not. Also, the Raiders sent the Bucs Charlie Garner and Darrell Russell. Also, M.C. Hammer is from Oakland. Also, it's been more than 40 years since the first Star Wars movie; can't you dress as someone besides Darth Vader?
26. Philadelphia Eagles: In 2000, the Bucs had a chance to beat the New York Giants, which would have given them a bye week and a home game. Instead, they had to go to Philly and play a week later. The Bucs were flat that night (and lost again the next year). Also, Chuck Barris is from Philadelphia.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers: In 2006, the Bucs lost a 20-3 game to Pittsburgh to fall to 3-9 on the season. Coach Jon Gruden found some encouragement in a late field goal when the game was decided. "I wanted that field goal for Bruce Gradkowski," Gruden said. Also, Jeff Goldblum is from Pittsburgh.
28. San Francisco: The 49ers stole Steve Young, the Hall of Famer. That's all theire is to it. Also, the Bucs flirted with Bill Walsh but didn't hire him. Also, cult leader Jim Jones lived in San Francisco.
29. Seattle: The Seahawks came in as an expansion mate with the Bucs. (They beat Tampa Bay that first season). Also, D.B. Cooper was on his way to Seattle.
30. Tennessee: One pick after the Bucs took Jameis Winston, the Bucs took Marcus Mariota. In their first games against each other, Mariota threw for four touchdowns. Also, Albert Haynesworth was a star for the Titans, but a tub of goo for the Bucs. Also, Bill Belichick was born in Nashville.
31. Washington: The Redskins beat the Bucs in a playoff game in 2005 when Edell Sheppard dropped a pass in the end zone. Washington was where Dexter Manley retired to after a drug bust ended his Bucs career. Also, the Redskins stole former Bucs' assistant Joe Gibbs. Also, the Bucs blew a 24-point lead against Washington in 2015. Also, Doug Williams won his Super Bowl there, not here.
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