The Name Sticks
December 30th, 2018
Still a depressing den.
No matter how accurate it is, there is still a sect of Bucs fans that grind their teeth whenever they read the following on this here site.
“Den of Depression.”
That’s what the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway is. And it will remain so in Joe’s vocabulary for at least another year.
Joe deemed the stadium the Den of Depression in part for the horrible home record the Bucs have at that place in the post-Chucky era. Entering the season, only the Browns had a worse home record since the beginning of the 2009 season.
Joe hasn’t calculated the records since the 2018 campaign began, but given how the Browns turned around their fortunes this year, it could be that the Bucs have the worst home record in the NFL since the start of the 2009 campaign.
And yet some Bucs fans still get peeved that Joe writes about this. There ought to be billboards all over town about this nasty record. People should be reminded of it daily and fans should be completely unhinged at Bucs management until this is corrected.
Don’t blame Joe. Blame the people responsible for providing horrible football in the Tampa Bay area the past decade.
The Bucs have yet to have a winning home record in a season since Chucky was jettisoned. That’s awful for fans who spend hundreds (thousands?) of dollars a year on tickets.
And Joe will not give this moniker up until the Bucs win five home games in a season. The finished this season at 4-4.
Then, and only until then, will Joe hit the pause button on referring to the Bucs’ home crib as the Den of Depression.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:18 pm
So cutting Mike Glennon and firing Schiano was supposed to take the roster and make it playoff bound. Tick tock…. and getting worse. LOL
December 30th, 2018 at 6:20 pm
Joe supports Jamies yet is miserable calling our home stadium a den of Depression
We need to change this losing culture and weak beta male mentality
Fire Licht and fire Koetter right now
December 30th, 2018 at 6:20 pm
They should throw a cover on RayJay and just call it the Arena of Apathy.
We all know change is coming, but we’ve all seen that again and again and again.
Nothing gets better.
How the hell is anyone supposed to be excited for the 2019 season?
Seriously…
December 30th, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Hope that right now at one Buc both Licht and Koetter are clearing out their desks and turning in their key cards!
December 30th, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Joe wanted a loss today…..so Joe is obviously happy that the “Den of Depression” remains…..
JBF lost today also…..anytime you cheer for your team to lose and celebrate when they do…..you are a loser and you deserve exactly what you get.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:25 pm
This team needs:
QB, LT, RG, RT, CB, President, GM, Coach
When these things happen surprises will come.
But all of these things won’t happen. They will probably stay the course.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:26 pm
The Bucs are the most losing team in all of professional sports history!
Bucs all-time winning % is just 0.387 – over 40 worse than the 2nd worst NFL team the Cardinals. The Timberwolves are the 2nd biggest loser in all of sports at 0.397.
So congrats! We’re #1! We’re #1!
BTW the Rays are the 2nd biggest loser team in the history of the MLB and even the mighty Lightning are the 5th biggest loser in the history hockey history.
Face it, people come to Tampa to for low taxes, a laid back population that doesn’t really harass you, tons of strip clubs and places to party and a weak press that rarely goes after players. It’s a great life if you’re pulling down 7-figures!
December 30th, 2018 at 6:27 pm
Well said tampabaybucfan I agree. I will never cheer for a loss. How can media who claim to be fans cheer for a loss? Sad part of it is. The Joe’s cover the team better than anyone.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:28 pm
SteelStudBuc <– Another idiot Winston hater who will hopefully spend the new year picking out a new flavor of draino to drink. LOL!
December 30th, 2018 at 6:29 pm
It’s a Buc’s Life, Stuck in Succaneer Cove!
December 30th, 2018 at 6:29 pm
^ tbbf, We get a higher draft pick…youre getting ridiculous…..loser mentality is on your side dude!
December 30th, 2018 at 6:30 pm
A much higher draft pick is worth way more then winning a game that doesn’t matter for next year
December 30th, 2018 at 6:31 pm
I celebrated we lost today, it was glorious, best thing that’s happened all season gaining a high draft pick..because we suck and I hate losing because I’m a winner..so there.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:31 pm
To each their own , you can’t control people’s opinions. Not sharing your opinion and wanting the Bucs to lose makes nobody any less of a Bucs fan.
Get off your moral high horse.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:34 pm
Yo ho ho and a bottle of turd polish. Den of Depression it is!
December 30th, 2018 at 6:34 pm
Well, time to downshift my 1976 season ticket account. Moving from club to cheap seats. Cannot give them away and not paying that much to watch this.
What part of stadium is fun; get nosebleed seats and hang in end zone all game? Third level seems like the “fight with the opposing fans” section. Maybe we can get seats behind the away bench, you know, see winning teams up close.
Thoughts?
December 30th, 2018 at 6:35 pm
I don’t disagree with the Den of Depression moniker. I don’t like it but they have certainly earned it. As usual, hopefully it can be changed next year.
However when you call (G)rab (M)y (C)heck a stud I immediately quit reading your article. That is a complete joke.
And I wish you would cease with the America’s QB moniker. He hasn’t earned that. And I’m a Jameis fan!
December 30th, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Tampa Bay fan base isn’t the greatest. Nearly half the stadium is empty. And then only 60% of the fans that do show up are Bucs fans. The area has way too many transplants that refuse to give up the allegiance to their former team.
It’s a far cry from the late 1990s when there was a waiting list of 100,000+ for season tickets.
So it’s not an intimidating or difficult place to play anymore for the visitor. And to be honest, I don’t even think a winning team would fix that. With HD TV, no more blackouts, and sky high prices for parking and concessions…..why go to the game?
December 30th, 2018 at 6:36 pm
Sticks…I remember walking into the RayJay for the SF/Bucs play off game….every seat had sticks….alternating seats with Red Buc flag and White Buc flag….it was an awesome day for azz kicking !
December 30th, 2018 at 6:42 pm
I’m sorry but there’s no well in hell I would have celebrated being 6-10. BS. If 5-11 gives us a better shot next year, I’m happy(ier). Both records suck, but when the draft comes, 5-11 will suck less. I make no apologies for that.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:47 pm
When was this picture taken – have not seen that many people in a while
December 30th, 2018 at 6:48 pm
Dave – In the late 90s it was still fairly easy to get tickets, really only in 1999 did it start to get hard to get tickets, and the supposive 100k waiting list was more like 2003, ie, post Super Bowl.
Anywho it’s not a bad fanbase at all, it’s just a loser franchise. As I posted above there is literally no franchise in any sport that is as bad as the Bucs, none. A bad sports base is a city like Miami where they’re one of the biggest winning franchises of all time yet draw less than the Bucs. Or a waste of a place like Atlanta, where they’re in the SB a couple of years ago, have a brand new stadium, and draw like 35k paid attendance – now that is a truly awful sports city.
The big issue between now and the 80s and 90s is, as you said, the insane ticket prices. Adjusted for inflation they’re still well over 2-5x more expensive than they were then. Also at the old stadium it was a really fun place to go, it was a rowdy crowd, you always had drunk chicks getting naked in the crowd, it was pre-PC so you could be really really mean when mocking opposing fans – it was fun. For today you’re correct, it’s just as good of an experience to watch a game at home – certainly that is the case if the team isn’t a legit playoff team. Nothing is as bad as going to a home game, getting club seats, having only 40k there and it’s quiet – like a Rays game – there’s no atmosphere at all. In 97-2002, in particular in the Dungy years, it was such a fun lively place to be.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:50 pm
MadMax Says:
December 30th, 2018 at 6:29 pm
^ tbbf, We get a higher draft pick…youre getting ridiculous…..loser mentality is on your side dude!?
So, your goal today was to lose to get a higher draft pick and you claim I have the loser mentality……that is laughable.
I will never ever apologize for wanting to win.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:51 pm
The problem starts with management. The Glazers are great fans and terrible managers. The worst in the League. They really suck at it and hire someone to take over the entire operation, including the checkbook. No one in the League could possibly waste more money than the Glazers. Let the new boss hire the GM and HC.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:57 pm
Glazers’ greed is Tampa’ tomb.
December 30th, 2018 at 7:05 pm
BigMacAttack – The Glazers really aren’t bad owners at all, they spend a lot of money on coaches when they can get a name, and they listen to football guys when putting people into various positions. Anywho the Glazers are the best owners in sports history compared to Culverhouse.
December 30th, 2018 at 7:15 pm
The name does not bother me. I’ve go to at least one game per year(even though I gave up this year). I literally have been depressed walking out of that stadium each and every time I’ve attended in the last eight years. Not one win in eight years(probably about 12 games).
I no longer enjoy going to our stadium. Spectating this football team is a depressing event.
Thankfully we are getting a new regime. I will support them and I will drag my ass to the den of depression next year. Unfortunately I can’t expect any less then a loss. How could I? How could anybody?
December 30th, 2018 at 7:21 pm
Alright guys the fight is over. Quit arguing about this tanking thing.
Just like I told you this team would never do that. I’m glad our owners are not that pathetic. I do think our owner buckle to media pressure too much. It’s nice to see they are not complete puppets.
They would have alienated me as a fan had they bent over today. I’m glad they prooved to me that they will run this team with pride and courage.
GOO BUCS!!!!
December 30th, 2018 at 8:10 pm
I am trying to figure out why Licht was retained. He does have a connection with Bruce Arians, who turned down the Cardinals. I am hoping that is the reason he is still running the ship. He has as much blood on his hands as Dirk does, but if he can bring in Bruce so be it.
3 played pretty well today but needs a lot of work on his footwork and his ball skills, especially ball security and not trying to hit a HR every throw. Arians may help that.
The overpaid D personnel needs to be trimmed. The tackles need to go as well. We have a lot of work to do, but I don’t think Dirk was the reason we played so poorly, in the end his allegiance to Mike Smith cost him his job.
Time to move forward.
December 30th, 2018 at 8:47 pm
At least Mike Evans and JP Paul gave us something to root for.
December 30th, 2018 at 9:25 pm
I am sure Joe is delighted that he can use Den of depression for one more yea4r and hey: today’s loss has the Bucs’ picking #5 overall so hopefully the Bucs can address their big need in the trenches.
December 30th, 2018 at 9:35 pm
Team honestly didn’t deserve to have that nickname put to bed, win or lose.
Joe has no filter about pounding home how embarrassing this franchise has been since it ran off Chucky. Maybe if the right people at One Buc Palace are shamed enough, it may lead to action.
Remember, Joe has zero ability to pull strings and makes moves at One Buc Palace.
December 31st, 2018 at 1:00 am
Its a proper name nickname. I think it should become popular as well.
December 31st, 2018 at 1:09 am
QB: No.
LT: Maybe not.
RG: Hell yes.
RT: Maybe not, but would be a smart pick.
CB: Hell no. Team has spent enough draft capital there in the last three years. Time to start buying free agents.
President: Hell no! This nonsense is one of the dumbest ideas Joe has ever heard. This is what a GM is for.
GM: Joe’s willing to bring Licht back.
Coach: Done.
December 31st, 2018 at 3:34 pm
I really like to go see pro teams play live but the 1:00 kickoffs in Sept & October are simply unbearable when you are on the east side of the stadium.
I used to have season tickets for 10 years in the southeast corner and at 3:00 the sun was low and was shielded by the replay screen. It was a relief or even if a cloud hovered the shade was a welcome.
The team really needs to do what the Dolphins did and create some artificial shade so more people will come to the earlier season games.
Add in a competitive team with some fighting spirit and more people would show up. Over the past few years the Bucs have been blown out at home on several occasions which doesn’t usually happen in the NFL.
Correct the level of intensity of the games where you have parity with our opponents and renovate the stadium with some comfort against the sun to get the fans back.