Remembering The Yucs
July 3rd, 2013
Joe has a whole lot of Warren Sapp quotes stashed away that he has yet to use, so the rest of this month, Joe will try to have a Sapp nugget or two as Sapp nears his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction.
Sapp cherishes the fact he won a ring with the Bucs. Though growing up a Cowboys fan outside of Orlando, he knew just how terrible the Bucs had been after watching the Bucs at their pinnacle, before he and Derrick Brooks and John Lynch turned the chumps into champs.
“It means more to me that we built this from the ground up,” Sapp said about the 2003 Super Bowl champions. “I was at home when the Bucs played that rainstorm game against the Rams. I remember waiting for my brother to get off the bus to tell him, ‘They lost!’ I couldn’t wait.
“You talk about a Florida boy growing up loving this game and understanding what it was for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. My first game [at the old Sombrero], the 24-17 [1979 playoff] game versus the Eagles was my first game ever. Ricky Bell was my guy. That’s why I wanted to put him in the Ring of Honor.”
As just about every Bucs fans knows, Sapp, the second Bucs player to make Canton, watched the first Bucs player to make Canton, Lee Roy Selmon, beat the Eagles that sunny day.
Joe thinks it is cool that Sapp was all too aware of how far the Bucs had fallen not long after that Eagles playoff win, and how far back he helped bring the Bucs.
Farther, in fact, than Selmon did.
July 3rd, 2013 at 5:19 pm
Wow, I thought I knew a lot about the Bucs, but I never knew Sapp went to that Philly game. And I was at that game too – still brings chills to think about it…..williams to Giles – bell running wild – leroy eating up Jaws -never heard either stadium as loud as it was that day. Thanks for bringing it up Joe.
I sure hope were not in another post McKay pre Dungy era now, but it has been five years since we made the postseason.
Man those were leaaaan times. Yuck!
July 3rd, 2013 at 5:26 pm
As a season ticket holder in 1976 I watched in frustratration as the Bucs lost every game that year. It really didn’t take that long because I was treated to a NFC Championship game at Tampa Stadium in 1979. Again, in the rain I watched in frustration as the Bucs lost 9-0.
How sweet it was when we got our chance, we won Superbowl 37. Sapp, Lynch, Alstott, Keyshawn and Chucky…..Heroes in my book!!!
Lets do it again….soon!!!
July 3rd, 2013 at 6:04 pm
The accomplishments of that SB 37 team are all the more increadible given that there are still 14 teams that have never won a Super Bowl, and 4 that have never BEEN to one. Sometimes we forget just how fortunate we’ve been, here. It compares very favorably to, say, the Cardinals, who’ve gone 65 Years since a Championship, of any sort, Kind’a esplains why they have moved a lot, doesn’t it ?
July 3rd, 2013 at 6:13 pm
I was trying to think of who hasn’t played in a super bowl. Lions and Browns are all I can think of. Oh jags too.
Of course the list of teams who haven’t won one is a lot longer. Including the Bills and vikings.
And the fins haven’t one won since 73 I think….with Marino and Shula and all that. Wow.
July 3rd, 2013 at 6:29 pm
What was it? !0 consecutive years with double digit losses. *YUK*
July 3rd, 2013 at 7:21 pm
I went to the Philly and Rams game too. I remember the Bucs outplaying the Rams on that rainy night the Bucs had 2 turnovers (Jerry Eckwood with one can’t remember the other)in Red zone. I have a VCR tape of that Bucs vs Eagles ’79 playoff game. I need to get it made into a Dvd and post it on Youtude. The commercials are so dated now and the half time interview was great with Doug williams and Jayne Kennedy, She told Doug if the Bucs win she would cook him dinner.
July 3rd, 2013 at 7:51 pm
i remember has a little kid / punk being able to pickup tickets for game days outside the stadium for 10.00 dollars unless the packers or bears where in town which traveled well to the old sombrero.
Nice comment Fritz50 – I think we all take for granted success sometimes.
July 3rd, 2013 at 9:31 pm
Wow, in that picture is something the Bucs will never see again…. A full stadium
July 3rd, 2013 at 11:18 pm
Why did my original comment not post?
July 3rd, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Being a Yuks fan for so long made that Super Bowl win even more special. The angst.
July 3rd, 2013 at 11:52 pm
Interesting…Like Eric, I was at that game. I was selling hot dogs for the Clearwater Central Catholic Band Boosters (yes, I was a band geek).
To this DAY I still have a fondness for the Orange Dreamsicle uniforms.
July 3rd, 2013 at 11:55 pm
Eric: Marino did NOT win a Superbowl…The ’73 Dolphins QBs were Earl Morrel and Bob Griese. (I was a Dolphins fan. We moved to Tampa Bay in 75)
July 4th, 2013 at 2:12 am
@Dan…never see again?
July 4th, 2013 at 6:20 am
The “rainstorm game” was the last game of the 79 season against the Chiefs not the Rams game. One of the plays I remember in that 3-0 game that sent us to the playoffs was Jerry Eckwood (I have his practice jersey) running down the sideline heading for the endzone and the ball just came right out of his hands. A Neil O’Donoghue field goal ended the 0-0 tie, the defense held on and the players wallowed in the mud to celebrate. The play I remember in the NFC Championship game against the L.A. Rams was when the score was 6-0 Mike Rae (not Doug Williams) hit Jimmie Giles for a TD that would have put the Bucs up 7-6. Flag! OG Greg Roberts raised up a little early from his stance. The Rams were inspired by Jack Youngblood playing on a broken leg. It was so reminiscent of that 11-6 games in the 1999 playoffs against the St. Louis Rams. What a defensive effort. Doug Williams was 2 of 13 passing with 1 interception for a whopping 12 yards. A we think Josh Freeman is the only one who had a bad day.
July 4th, 2013 at 6:38 am
Smitty,
That was my point, showing how hard it is to win a super bowl. Fins couldn’t get er done with Marino.
July 4th, 2013 at 8:55 am
This story did the heart some good, Joe. So did a lot of the comments.
July 4th, 2013 at 10:00 am
Scubug
Thanks for your post and very good account.
I was at all the mentioned games and didn’t remember it raining, but freezing in the stands for the Rams game.
I don’t know what the other guys are remembering but it was the 70’s!
July 4th, 2013 at 10:43 am
Buc 1987, did I stutter?
July 7th, 2013 at 12:46 am
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