The Tortured Soul Of Bucs Fans
December 9th, 2020
Four 100-yard games in last six.
The agony of Bucs fans will certainly be flushed out Sunday for a lot of reasons.
The Bucs have been the fire hydrant to the NFL’s raised hind leg for much of the post-Chucky era. Sometimes you have to laugh yourself to sleep to not cry.
Take the running back position. Early in the Lost Decade the Bucs seemed to have found an explosive, entertaining runner in LeGarrette Blount. He ran for 1,007 yards in 2010, not-so coincidently the last time the Bucs won 10 games in a season.
Two years later he was thrown overboard by the Bucs and labeled as a bad actor by Bucs insiders. Three rings later with two different teams, Blount is considered one of the better running backs of his era, leading the NFL in touchdowns (18) in 2016.
#ItsABucsLife
Outside of two seasons from Doug Martin, the Bucs have yet to replace Blount.
Ronald Jones looks like he could be that guy (finally) but Jones has done little since having a career-game three weeks ago with 192 yards against Carolina.
Now comes Dalvin Cook to Tampa, arguably the NFL’s best runner.
Flashback to 2017, Cook, who was dynamic at Florida State, was a highly-desired draft choice of Bucs fans since the Bucs were dismal at running the ball. The Bucs went with tight end O.J. Howard, whose impact has been limited because of frequent injuries.
After Howard, the Bucs drafted safety Justin Evans in the second round nine spots after Cook was selected by the Vikings. Outside of Evans’ interception of Tom Brady, can you name a play he made for the Bucs? It’s unlikely he plays for the Bucs again after only 21 starts.
Joe guesses the Bucs could have traded up to get Cook, though Joe has no idea of the required ransom.
The reason Joe brings this up is Bucs fans still howl how the team could have had Cook. Just last week Joe got a call from a hardcore Bucs fan who screamed at Joe how Cook could be a true impact player for the Bucs right now. Screamed!
Yesterday, RoJo spoke about Cook.
“Obviously, he’s a top-two rusher right now,” RoJo said. “I think, with him, it’s the vision and his footwork is really good.
“I definitely watch his film and things like that. I’m always looking to add things to my game. He’s definitely one of the top dogs at the position right now.”
The way Bucs fans have PTSD from over a decade of the team getting its nads kicked, loss after loss, Sunday’s game is sets up to be the mother of all potential Bucs gutpunches. A guy fans screamed to draft runs over the Bucs leading his team to a key win that all but pushes the Bucs to the brink of missing the playoffs; and that seals yet another year without a winning record at home, otherwise known as the Den of Depression.
Joe can picture Bucs fans digging their fingers into their eyeballs in a facepalm.
#ItsABucsLife
The next day on sports radio, the theme from hollering callers would be, in blood-curdling voices, “WE COULD HAVE HAD DALVIN COOK!!!”
Let’s just hope it is RoJo who leads the Bucs to a win. Bucs fans don’t need to be looking for a shrink during the holidays.
December 9th, 2020 at 8:04 am
Its all on our D and O lines come Sunday. They play well and we win. If not? Its gonna be a BucLife all over again.
December 9th, 2020 at 8:19 am
We could have had a lot of players over the years……we could have had Tom Brady in the 6th round……for example.
December 9th, 2020 at 8:22 am
I gotta say, I have a bad, bad feeling about this game.
MN is doing just enough to scratch out wins and the Bucs are doing just enough to scratch out losses.
A loss here doesn’t end the hopes of a playoff season, but it might end the chances of BA returning in 2021
December 9th, 2020 at 8:29 am
Even if we had him these clowns would only give him 10-12 carries
December 9th, 2020 at 8:39 am
Coulda woulda shoulda.
Didn’t.
Move on. He is a Viking. If you love him that much that you’re obsessed with the fact that the Bucs didn’t draft him… go be a Vikings fan. Plenty of room on that bandwagon.
December 9th, 2020 at 8:42 am
If the Bucs are going to win Rojo will have a big day.
Long Side bar – Joe or anyone should check out the current story at BSPN about Shaq and his story, the pass rushing summit he went to with Von, Bruce smith, Warren Sapp, and Chuck Smith that taught him his signature move the cross chop… and even explains how we have the Bengals to thank because he was planning on signing there. They pulled their offer last minute because they were worried about his shoulder…. pretty good read.
December 9th, 2020 at 8:46 am
the vikings haven’t been great either because Dalvin has had his fair share of injuries too
December 9th, 2020 at 8:53 am
Great back when healthy, however he’s been hurt every year. He also wants a huge contract this off-season.
December 9th, 2020 at 8:56 am
He has played about 19 of 59 games in his career. His durability is not the best. 2 good season out of 4 is not great. Gotta be available on game day to be worth a 1st rd pick.
December 9th, 2020 at 8:58 am
Thanks Mitch!
December 9th, 2020 at 8:59 am
>>> Gotta be available on game day to be worth a 1st rd pick. <<<
Regards,
O.J. Howard.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:03 am
“The best ability is avail-ability” and Cook fails at that.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:04 am
Just play the game and stop worrying about what could have been. If the coaches would just give ROJO more carries and call more RPOs, the Bucs’ RB might just move into contention as one of the best in the league. (I know statistically he’s up in the top 5 in yardage, but don’t think he has the respect of Cook or Henry.)
December 9th, 2020 at 9:06 am
I don’t worry about who the Bucs didn’t pick. What good would it do? I guess it’s fun to think who the Bucs could’ve had instead of Vernon Hargreaves III, but the DC at the time liked his CB’s to be short and slow, that fit his system. I’m not sure why Mike Smith liked VH3 and MJ Stewart, they really would’ve been something special if the NFL was full of shorter, slower wide receivers than them.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:07 am
This is the perfect game to lean on the run since the Vikes aren’t really known as a passing juggernaut. Work off more play action.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:18 am
The guy missed a whole season and has been hurt often. No doubt he’s a great RB. Given what our O-line has looked like in the last few years, what’s the odds Cook could have stayed healthy? Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Every single team in the NFL could do that. Kamara was a 2nd round pick. Every team missed him in rnd one. How many teams missed on Tom Brady? This kind thing is silly. Cook doesn’t frighten me. The Vikes will use something called “A Game Plan” against us. They’ll see how long it takes for Bowles to give Davis/SMB help over the top vs Thielen/Jefferson. Evidence suggests it will 2 Quarters aka Too Long.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:19 am
What a BS article. Who cares about the paste? We have a running back who, except for his non pass catching skills is every bit as good as DC, given the carries. Holy crap, the game is this Sunday. Let’s cheer them on and see what happens. Joe = Debbie Downer.
December 9th, 2020 at 9:43 am
Hit cousins all day!! Pressure pressure
Start fast an O is a must
December 9th, 2020 at 10:00 am
Jameis and Cook are still good friends, to this day.
You can BET that Cook will really want to hurt us, as payback for what we did to Jameis.
You saw how Jameis celebrated when the Saints humbled us, so be ready to see Cook celebrate too, if we lose to the Vikings.
December 9th, 2020 at 10:00 am
Bradinator: Mistakes are actually not all bad, if you LEARN FROM THEM. We’ll see if the Bucs coaches have learned anything on Sunday.
December 9th, 2020 at 10:03 am
I’m not upset about not getting Dalvin even though in hindsight he appears to have been the better pick than OJ.
We can play that shoulda coulda woulda game all day long. What if instead of drafting JW we had traded for multiple picks including two #1’s to go with our own #1…might have been spread over two drafts but that’s still three #1’s and whatever ancillary lower rounds we could have secured.
Imagine taking all that draft capital and investing it in the trenches?
We can play this game all day long. As for better versus bad choices you have to also take the good and mix it in there.
This team has CG14…a genuine STEAL in the draft…Ali Marpet another hidden gem…As an NFL GM you win some you bust some.
December 9th, 2020 at 10:40 am
JL better be in BA’s ear saying, don’t make me look like a fool, get ROJO a hundred yards and win this game, shut down Dalvin and there is a bonus for you
December 9th, 2020 at 10:41 am
This game of shoulda, could, woulda is so played out.
Every team in the league “coulda” had any player on NFL history that was picked beyond their first pick in any given draft.
How many player’s careers could have been different if they had gone to a different team? Every team’s history could have been different if they had stumbled onto hall of fame caliber player’s throughout time.
Why oh why couldn’t we have just picked only great players with every available pick. Why football god’s, why?
Tyrek Hill just had 236 yards recieving against this team, would it really surprise anyone if Dalvin Cook had 300 yards rushing? It shouldn’t. It also won’t surprise me if he has 30 yards rushing.
December 9th, 2020 at 10:49 am
We have more talent than the Super Bowl team. This is a coaching issue. Gruden>Arians (The so called QB whisperer)
December 9th, 2020 at 11:45 am
Stop Cook. Win game. Unfortunately the season is on the line. Our opportunity to go to the playoffs in forever is slipping away in a year when many thought we would be tops in the NFC South. I refuse to believe Falcons will start throwing games for high draft picks. Morris will have them ready for the team that cut him loose and his job in 2021. We don’t have any easy games ahead.But then it wouldn’t be a Buc team if we did.
December 9th, 2020 at 12:24 pm
Let’s face it. For the most part the Bucs suck at drafting.
December 10th, 2020 at 8:29 am
Let’s add some more to this reminisce fire! When we drafted Doug Martin with out 2nd 1st pick we passed up on Luke Kuechley who is I don’t know, A FUTURE HALL OF FAMER!!!!! Might be wrong with which pick but all I know he was available somewhere when we picked. That’s one of our biggest misses ever!
December 10th, 2020 at 11:29 am
Can someone explain to me how a running back is supposed to do much when he’s only give the ball 9 times all game? And half those carries are on our favorite super predictable run up the gut on 1st down that every. single. person. watching. knows. we. are. going. to. do.
I’ll hang up and listen, thanks.