Position in the Spotlight: Tampa

If Tampa of the 80s amd most of the 90s was known for anything, it was as an area for good sports to go to die. The Buccaneers never won and wore Creamsicle Orange. The Devil Rays wore teal and and were awful. The Lightning were a laughing stock as well, and in many ways, they weren’t even the best hockey team in Florida. Up until about 10 years ago, Tampa sports were awful.
The last city that had such a brief history of success was Nashville. Even so, there’s was a problem with brevity. They didn’t have enough historical context. It’s very clear that their glory position was going to be more apparent in the next 10 years or so. In Tampa, however, pro sports have been around long enough that you have to think a position would have emerged by now.
The franchises, however, even after they came into their own on the field, saw their greatest success as complete team units. That being said, I can’t pick any single visible position that contains any extra pressure. I can say, without equivocation, however, that the change from doormat to perennial contender for all three of these franchises began with a change in their attitude and their image. Yes, the Position in the Spotlight for Tampa is the Tampa area Front Offices, namely, the marketing departments.
The Buccaneers were stuck with the Creamsicle orange uniforms and players like Trent Dilfer all the way through 1996. They didn’t win very much either, earning a winless season in 1976. Before the jersey change, they had two seasons with more than 7 wins. Immediately following the change in image, the Buccaneers went 10-6 and made the playoffs. By the 2002 season, the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl. Since, it’s been a surprise if they weren’t a success, rather than if they were.

The team now known as the Rays came into being as the Devil Rays, a technicolor monstrosity that featured high priced and ineffective veterins, as weill as losing season after losing season. Last year, they dropped the “Devil” cleaned up the uniform and made it to the World Series.
The Lightning didn’t have a drastic overhaul in their image. If anything, this underscores the fact that it really wasn’t the change in image that changed the fate of sports in Tampa, but rather the change in strategy. Collectively, the teams started drafting better, hiring better coaches, and making better free agency decisions. A more effective organization, Tampa proved, was the key to overall success for winning teams.

Honorable Mention:
Buccaneers Head Coach: The tide turned with Tony Dungy. John Gruden was essentially traded for, and he led the team to their Super Bowl victory. Now, Raheem Morris has a the eyes looking at him.
Rays Manager: The first big name hire at manager was Lou Piniella, one of the most famous in baseball. It was Joe Maddon, however, who guided this team to the World Series.
People named Vinny: Vinny Testaverde was the only good player the Bucs had for in their first 20 years. His talent was lost in a sea of orange mediocrity. Vinny Lecavalier was the first stud the Lightning had. He preceded Marty St. Louis and the awaited Steven Stamkos as prolific scorers for the Lightning.