The New “Titletown”
October 16th, 2020
Back in the 1960s, the Green Bay Packers won so many NFL titles (including the first two Super Bowls) that the city of Green Bay got the nickname “Titletown.”
The moniker, though over a half-century old, is still embraced by the cheeseheads.
But no less an authority than the Wall Street Journal believes that crown is moving some 1,400 hundred miles south to another city on a bay. That would be Tampa.
Jason Gay writes that with the Lightning winning the Stanley Cup and the Rays five wins away from winning a World Series, all that is left is for the Bucs to make it to the Super Bowl and the region will pry the name of “Titletown” out of Wisconsin.
Gay writes that not since Detroit in 1935 has a town won three titles in three different sports. And Tampa Bay’s most famous cheerleader this side of Rachel Watson believes it can be done.
Even an optimist like [Dick] Vitale wasn’t quite ready to go there. The Rays have plenty of work left. Brady and the Bucs aren’t even halfway through their season. But in a turbulent year, Vitale remained bullish on his home. He was always bullish on Tampa Bay. Why would anyone want to be anywhere else?
“It’s got beaches, the weather. It’s just a great place to be,” Dickie V said.
But first the Bucs have to pick off the team that represents the current Titletown on Sunday. And that’s the Packers.
Joe has a bad, bad feeling that if the Bucs don’t pull off a win Sunday, it could start a brutal spiral that could see the Bucs nosedive out of playoff contention.
Yeah, that loss to the Bears really has Joe shook.
(FYI, you really want to click on the link to the Wall Street Journal story for the ultimate picture of Vitale. He has season tickets to Rays games where he sits just on the home plate side of the Rays’ third base dugout. In the photo it shows Vitale, who is on the wrong side of 80, screaming at an Astros player. Great photo!)
October 16th, 2020 at 8:25 am
It’d be amazing if that happens
But sadly, the owner and sorry saga that the cheap owner of the Rays will never pony up the dough for a new stadium and the Rays will be leaving town in a couple of years.
Baseball attendance has never been great here in the Bay Area…….and unfortunately the Rays are on the chopping block for the Tampa Bay Area.
October 16th, 2020 at 8:29 am
There is a huge difference between the way the Lightning and Rays have had a plan for years, and built a great foundation thru the draft, while the Bucs have done no such thing!!!!!!!! The GM has changed the plan from year to year, and because of bad drafts and mismanaged cap, has made desperate moves to save his and ole stale biscuit’s job!!!!!!!!!!! It will never work to skip the years of building and claim that it is “All In”!!!!!!!!!!!! And when the Bucs play and get manhandled by “real” teams it just exposes the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Packers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, errrrr I mean, go bucs!!!!!
October 16th, 2020 at 8:32 am
While I like the optimism, let’s be realistic. The Bucs have a long way to go to even reach the playoffs. I think they will, but let’s hold the very premature Titletown talk until the Rays close out the cheating Astros in the ALCS, actually win the World Series and the Bucs are in the playoffs. Even then, it’s too scary to talk about.
October 16th, 2020 at 8:41 am
“Joe has a bad, bad feeling that if the Bucs don’t pull off a win Sunday, it could start a brutal spiral”.
Hmmm, a tad negative maybe? Every game stands on its own IMO; on any given Sunday, any NFL team can beat any other NFL team. That’s why them call them ‘odds’ instead of ‘sure-things’. Perk up Joe.
October 16th, 2020 at 8:43 am
A bit premature there Joe. The Rays have dropped the last two games. We may be looking at another 2004 when the Red Sox came back against the Yankees and won the Pennant.
October 16th, 2020 at 8:45 am
I am not so upset that we lost to the Bears but it is how we lost to the Bears.
October 16th, 2020 at 8:49 am
Its about time! Tampa has been a hub for sports, high level athletes, entertainers, and more for too long without the recognition it deserves! Go Bucs!
October 16th, 2020 at 9:15 am
this is a bounce back must win game to keep the team’s psyche feeling elite…
a loss could do really bad things sunday
October 16th, 2020 at 9:17 am
don’t we have the vegas chuckaneers next?…
i gotta check the schedule
October 16th, 2020 at 10:23 am
i have the same feeling after the bears loss. in my opinion it was a must win. call it PTSD i think. i had the same feeling last year after the giants game (bears game was on that same level but still not as bad). and then we came in against the 3-0 NFC champion rams and spanked them on the road. hoping for a similar result here. winning cures everything. come on tampa get it done in tom’s house!
October 16th, 2020 at 10:39 am
i dont see the link.
October 16th, 2020 at 10:42 am
Being in the roof cleaning business, I have a zillion Tampa area realtors in my friends list on Facebook.
These Realtors post every day about what a wonderful place the entire Tampa Bay area is to live, especially now that our Sports teams are winning.
I have been here since 1970, so I guess you can say I am an “old timer” to this area.
Yes, this is a good place to live, however, it is already much too crowded! Traffic is terrible, especially out here in eastern Hillsborough County!
October 16th, 2020 at 10:45 am
rays cant beat the braves the assthrows can
October 16th, 2020 at 10:51 am
Difference between the Bucs and Lightning/ Rays is that the Lightning and Rays have owners that know and love the sport and the Bucs do not. When Malcolm died so did the ownership.
October 16th, 2020 at 1:19 pm
Oh my goodness Joe has gone from from sky-high optimism to the ship is going down we’re all going to die in 4 games. Join the club 😂
October 16th, 2020 at 4:37 pm
I’ve been in the east central FL area off and on since the late 1950s. Finally settled down in the late 1970s. I qualify as a long time resident. Anywho, why all the gloom and doom about this game Sunday? The Pack and Bucs are playing and they aren’t crawling with the CV crud. No reason ‘cept coaches and possibly Methuselah why they can’t win!
October 17th, 2020 at 1:48 am
Hang in there Joes, that loss to the Bears shook me too and I’m still po’d. 😜