Why are some Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans just so negative?

On the heels of last weeks discussions, I got a lot of emails on the same subject and gave out a bunch of different answers as they came to me, and I really dont think there is any one major reason. Nor do I think that many other teams have the same type of negativity. Detroit fans were united in their disdain for Matt Millen. People in Philly are just down right negative; they bood Santa Claus for goodness sake. But whats the driving force in Tampa Bay? The area has always had a solid core of fan support Even in the beginning, you had 40-50 thousand people that would fill up Tampa Stadium even though the team hadn’t won a single game. Nor did the team even hint at an ability to score an offensive Touchdown! 3 of 4 winning seasons changed that, and even resulted in several sellouts. During the 14 straight losing seasons, the Big Sombrero never had less than 30,000 in attendance, while other teams around the league like Houston, Baltimore would be lucky to break 10k. Those cities lost their teams, and Tampa was able to keep theirs. Thanks of course, to the effort of thousands of Bucs fans who do not waiver in their support. So why all the venom then? RADIO: Funny thing about the Big Dog Steve Duemig, I really couldn’t stand to listen to him before as he had it in for John Gruden. Turns out a lot of what he

was saying was right, but a funny thing happened after Gruden was let go. Everything Duemig said was how I felt; to perfection. So if his show is number one, why isn’t his message getting through to enough people? And why is Dan Sileo’s reaching too many? Or does it just seem that way? The problem is sometimes sheer ignorance, and I dont use that word in a hurtful or demeaning manner. Ignorance simply put means having a lack of knowledge; if you were not around to see the building of the Super Bowl Buccaneers around 1993-96 then you lack that knowledge. It’s not your fault if you were just being born, or lived in Minneapolis/St.Paul at the time! Your a special Bucs fan because you are on this site and you are positive and cheer for your Bucs whether they are 5-0 or 3-13! KNOW IT ALLS Another more dreadful reason is the sheer “I know more than they do” nonsense that cannot be explained away as easilly. Really Mr Teacher or Mr. Restaurant employee, or Mr. Investment Banker, what makes you think you know one tiny bit more about football than Mr Dominik or Mr. Morris? Your not qualified to call plays for your local schools Jr. Varsity team, nor are you set up mentally to evaluate talent and build a team more than the next guy, next to you, at a Pub with an XBox 360 and Madden 2009 disk in it. These people have been doing this for a living for their entire lives, Dominik right here for as long as the videos above. Morris has been here in Tampa Bay since 2002 learning from the likes of Mike Tomlin, Monte Kiffin, and others. You’ve been learning from whom?….Local Radio Talk Shows with agendas? Fish Wraps with declining subscription numbers looking to boost sales? The playcalling is the one that gets me. Last year on the boards…” No stupid Olsen, you dont call a run play there”!! Really? So your telling me that situation should demand a pass play? Based on all YOUR experience as a play caller? And if you think that play demanded a pass play, dont you think the defensive coordinator felt the same way? NEWSFLASH- The best play call is the one that works. Thats it. The wrong call is the one that doesnt work. No matter what down it is, if its 3rd and 18 and you call a run play, which is probably not the best call or so most people would say, and it is successful, then that is going to be looked at as a great call. GREAT CALL on that 3rd and 18! OR, if you have 3rd and 1 inch, but you call a pass play, and it works, that was a fantastic play call. If your going to try to tell me that a run play is the proper play for 3rd and 1 inch, Im going to tell you….DONT YOU THINK DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS IN THE NFL KNOW THAT? You cannot be predictable in the National Football League. SQEEKY WHEEL IS NOT EVEN A REAL WHEEL! The best answer I feel is that the loudest voices of negativity are not even coming from the real Bucs fans. The draft party at One Buc Place was Booming! All those people there, and not a one was a negative Nancy. The real die hard Bucs fans are not the ones making the noise. They realize that a rebuilding plan takes time, they see that other teams in the NFL have done it before, and that its just a matter of time before the winning starts again. Unfortunately, these are the quiet folks. These are the ones that don’t feel the need to make the most noise!

So there you have it…some of the causes of negativity. The list is by far not complete, just as negativity towards our team isnt complete either. Some will say they are not being negative just because they have an opinion. They are correct; you do not have to like Coach Morris or think he is the best man for the job; But you have absolutely no reason to feel that way at this time. Give the man his due time on the job. But if you are a fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Raheem Morris is your Head Coach. Mark Dominik is your General Manager. Not supporting them is not the same thing as saying you think Michael Clayton should not be on the team. Clayton has spent many years on the team, and has shown us his body of work.