Donovan Smith: No More Road Games At Home
May 6th, 2020
Year after year since the glory days, the Tampa Bay offense has had to deal with going to silent counts on its home turf.
The thought makes Joe nearly vomit every time.
Too much crowd noise from fans of the wrong team is to blame, but the core culprit is a Bucs team not good or exciting enough to sell out the stadium before too many visiting fans can get their hands on tickets.
Bucs sixth-year left tackle Donovan Smith is eager for change, so he told Joe and assembled media on a video conference chat today. Smith was asked about changes he projects in the Bucs-Saints rivalry.
“They’re coming into RayJay; it’s not going to be the same, you feel me?” Smith said. “I feel like we’re going to pack out the stadium and, you know, it’s not going to be an away game or whatever for us at home.”
Smith wants what a packed house of Bucs fans will bring to the Den of Depression (Joe’s longtime nickname, not Smith’s).
Joe previously has noted that an empty home stadium, if fans are kept out because of The Sickness, might actually be good for the Bucs since they haven’t had a winning record at home since Chucky was head coach. But obviously, a full house of Bucs fans is the ultimate advantage.
Hardcore fans will remember what it was like in 2016, when the Bucs defense choked out the Seahawks 14-5 in Tampa. That was the last time Joe tasted home energy that rivaled the glory years.
Bucs fan and ex-Rays manager Joe Maddon even shared his vibe from that day with JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman.
“The Bucs are coming on strong,” Maddon said. “My own personal field test is walking into RayJay last year and feeling an entirely different energy in the stadium. I had been to games over previous years and did not feel the energy I felt last fall.
“It was a different vibe entirely, a believability about the team on the field and that the franchise was being led properly. They’re playing the game at 100 percent right now and it was really fun to watch. It was contagious.”
Joe sure hopes Smith is on the money with his take.
May 6th, 2020 at 4:14 pm
During the 2016 home game against the Saints there was a similar energy to the Seahawks game. The place was going insane, Jump Around came on during a TV timeout on the Saints last drive and everyone was jumping and getting hype. And when Tandy picked off Brees for the win the entire stadium erupted.
That year was a total mirage, but it was fun at the time.
May 6th, 2020 at 4:34 pm
Don’t kid yourself Donovan. The LA teams, Vikings, & Panthers won’t draw in Tampa sure, but the Packers & reigning Champs Chiefs will, also the Saints & Atl usually have a good bunch of fans in attendance. So its basically half the schedule that will still have a strong presence of visiting fans at Ray Jay.
May 6th, 2020 at 4:34 pm
I did really want to be at the Home Opener of a new Era last year but could not make it.
But I did make a point to be at the Arizona game last year. To me that was an important one for fans to be at. That was our first game at home after that brutal road trip…….Despite the record I genuinely believe our Bucs deserved a big showout from fans to welcome the team back from a brutal stretch…………….And it really ticks me off to see how fairweather our fans can be with all the empty seats.
Some of y’all only wanna be there for the good times and not the bad. Now I do understand losing hurt fan support in any NFL city and all of us are different. I do love y’all Fairweather fans too but it also hurts to see so few diehards…….My plea is for for diehards now to get your ass to the games if possible and never turn your back on us again…..no matter how bad it gets. We need you and the team needs you!!!!
Now brace yourself for a total surge of brand new Buc fans and Tom fans at once!!! While we all know many of them are purely fair weathers realize that their surge can beneit the fanbase as they will bring their sons, daughters, cousins, friends and nephews with them. This time of Bucs history can breed a whole new generation of die-hard Bucs fans!!!! Enjoy every little minute of it!!!!
***END RANT***
GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!
May 6th, 2020 at 4:37 pm
Oh and also let me give big credit to the diehards that did show up to that Cardinal game.
We were few but we were loud!! In the second quarter with them driving we forced consecutive false starts that nearly set them out of FG range. I think I remember that they did convert the 3 but it was not a TD and it was because we were so loud!!!
We did help our team win that game so be proud Bucs fans….Well done!!!!
May 6th, 2020 at 4:43 pm
Buddy…….Buy a ticket. Then you can subtract one opposing fan and plus one Buc……Bring your son or whoever and make it two.
Joe can’t you reach out to the Bucs and help get us single game tickets? I fear it will be very difficult to find a seat this year. You could probably swing a group deal and make a few coin…..Just a idea……I know if you posted some kinda sign up sheet or something I’d sign up today.
Remember not everybody has interest in season tickets.
May 6th, 2020 at 4:48 pm
That Seattle game was intense and a great win. Now all of our fair weathered fans can just buy the Bucs Brady jersey and cheer for the home team. I swear I’m sick of seeing season ticket holders every year who push the red and pewter except when “their” team is in town. GO F**K yourselves fair weathered D**che bags. I want Ray Jay Rocking and the Wuhan Flu can l*ck my b*lls. fans in the stands. FIRE THE CANNONS
May 6th, 2020 at 4:51 pm
since the glory days, look at the horrible choices at both HC and qb…
its like the owners cared nothing about winning!
May 6th, 2020 at 4:52 pm
Looks like Atl@TB opening Monday night
May 6th, 2020 at 4:59 pm
Buddy
Wrong. Bucs fans buy season tickets and sell em out no visiting fans. And it’s not the team being not good enough to sell out. Its not being “fan” enough to support your team thru thick and thin. Yep they’ll sell em out Donovan. Then the ticket prices increase again so the real fans pay more even when the team goes downhill again. Oh well lets enjoy it while it lasts
May 6th, 2020 at 5:04 pm
JimmyJack I was there and do you see what I mean about what I said earlier? All you have to do is look at comment #7.
May 6th, 2020 at 5:17 pm
Not everyone can afford season tickets. Most of the people with money and time are older retirees. There are few younger fans that still live around here with money and time for bucs gams. I wish I could afford to be at every bucs game, or just one bucs game. it’s amazing how tickets are so expensive when there never seems to be anyone there half the time.
And what sucks more is I know a good chunk of the people I know with money had to move away for work that are 20’s-30’s
May 6th, 2020 at 5:46 pm
It’s been more than losing that’s cost the Bucs so many fans and enabled opponents to fill our stands. It’s HOW we’ve lost.
The missed chip-shot kicks. The endless turnovers and pick-sixes. The bone-headed penalties. The “oh my god how did that just happen” defense. The ref’s agonizing calls (Leaping?!). The released talent (for no good reason). Trading up to draft a kicker in the second round! The locker room MRSA. Getting DESTROYED in the first quarter of games on National TV (but Tennessee ready). The 4th quarter meltdowns (You Like THAT?) It goes on and on, in ways seemingly no other franchise of any sport has endured.
It’s been a decade-long parade of five-finger-death-nut-punches.
But, as true fans, we are still here. Doin’ the freakin’ elephant walk with our junk hangin’ out – lining up for what could amount to the biggest, most public, and fan-killing nut-punch the NFL world has ever seen…
BUT GOD D@MMIT I’M GONNA BE HERE WHEN IT FINALLY TURNS AROUND!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 6th, 2020 at 6:24 pm
AwshBucs:
Glad you pointed that out. It’s great watching away games in your living room but home games should be at the stadium! (No trolls, it’s a given- only if you can afford it) there’s so much that goes on and is super fun that you never see on TV, not to mention what the players are doing, sideline happenings, formations, Jumbotron videos and games, etc… Everyone owes it to themselves to see at least one home game in person. Treat yourself, surprise your wife or kids, or ask for two tickets for your birthday/anniversary/Christmas present. This is the time to do it!
May 6th, 2020 at 6:28 pm
Nashville:
Best line ever! But it’s been a lifetime of five-finger-death-nut-punches. Please don’t go into the stadium with your junk hanging out 😂😂
May 6th, 2020 at 7:30 pm
Wish I had the opportunity to see more games in person but I’ll stick with my NFL Ticket and whenever my team is in Cali I’m there. Was great walking out of the Chargers stadium a few years ago in my Bucs jersey proud while my oldest son was upset in his Chargers jersey. Then walking out last year my wife and I proud in our Bucs jerseys while my room mate from years ago was head down in his Rams jersey. Hoping things get better and well be able to see them this year in Vegas. Someday we’ll make the cross country flight to see a home game.
May 6th, 2020 at 8:27 pm
The core culprit was Malcolm Glazer;s stroke and his sons panicking and firing Gruden and replacing him with a no-discipline one-of-the-boys approach.
Raheem Morris and Mark Dominik — it might take ten more years to recover from that incompetent insult.
May 7th, 2020 at 8:04 am
We do not have a vaccine or “cure” for HIV. But we have learned to prevent AIDS. A single pill a day makes the HIV dormant and in fact it becomes “undetectable” and perhaps more importantly non transmittable.
Until something like that, or a vaccine, some therapy at least for when you contract the virus talks about attendance seem to be a moot point to me.
People are obsessing on a “vaccine” or “cure”. An effective treatment will be enough to remedy the situation.