“Shut Down The Vet,” Cajun Style
January 17th, 2021
Oh-vah?
Regular readers of Joe likely noticed Joe had the following line in two separate stories last week.
The game against the Saints sort of had a “‘Shut Down the Vet’ vibe to it,” Joe wrote.
Older fans (Joe knows of fans in college that do not recall the Super Bowl season) remember the Eagles had the Bucs’ number. Seemingly every year the Bucs would travel to Philadelphia for the playoffs and get their arses handed to them. Just physically beat up.
It got so bad it cost Father Dungy his job.
So in the 2002 season, the Bucs had to play the Eagles in the NFC title game and Bucs fans were all gloom and doom. Oh no, not again. Freezing cold. The Eagles? Another embarrassment is coming.
It just so happened that the Eagles were closing out their long-time home, Veterans Stadiums. A true dump.
So when the Bucs upset the Eagles, Keyshawn Johnson sat on top of the Bucs bench, doing the finger-across-the-throat sign and holleringg over and over, “Shut down the Vet! Shut down the Vet!”
The saying rings in Bucs fans ears to this day like a Christmas song.
So with everybody all but expecting Saints quarterback Drew Brees to retire after the season, Joe sensed tonight’s game had a “Shut Down the Vet” vibe. Few expected the Bucs to win and many Bucs fans dreaded this game. Had it not been for a fluke play to end the 2017 season — and a fluke quarterback the following season — the Saints would have won nine games in a row against the Bucs entering today.
But the Bucs hung in with the Saints, traded blow-by-blow until Devin White pulled a Rondé Barber-like play and picked off Brees to set up a touchdown to go up 30-20.
And Brees left the field of the Superdome, quite likely for the last time.
The Bucs may not have shut down the Superdome, but they closed to the book on Brees’ playing career.
Feels damn good!
As Tom Brady and Drew Brees hug and say goodbye after a long talk on the field, Brady throws a touchdown pass to Brees’ son. One walks off to play in the NFC championship, the other stays to play with his kids. pic.twitter.com/wdWDro9YD4
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 18, 2021
January 17th, 2021 at 10:37 pm
I was thinking the same joe… We just blew up the saints. Its over for them and the odds were stacked against us but we did it.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:37 pm
TAMPA…
January 17th, 2021 at 10:38 pm
Bay!!!!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:38 pm
Welcome these guys at the airport Bucs fans!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:39 pm
Feels damn good is right joe. Happy for you joe.. you the man,you brought us through the dark ages! Give JOE a game ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:39 pm
Brees was great but I’ll be happy to never see him again.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:40 pm
Amd the clise Americas QB mouth!!!!
EAT AN L SUPERLOOSER!!!
Maybe next year you are a 3 QB somwhere else….
You and Cameron Jordan Big mouths!!!
Charlatans!!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:40 pm
Robert James:
Bucs fans and their passion and devotion got us through the dark years. Joe wouldn’t be here if not for all Bucs fans.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:43 pm
Who dat says they gonna beat dem Saints! Daaaaaa Bucs!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:44 pm
SWEET!!!!!!!! GO BUCS!!!!!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:44 pm
Bucs win! Congratulations! Victory Monday feels great! So proud of these guys! All is right in the world…until the Bucs lose. See you guys in Green Bay!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:44 pm
Someone should warn the OB unit at Tampa General to get ready. There will probably be a few extra deliveries about 9 months from now.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:44 pm
Bucs fans have truly never been this stressed. Ronde closed it out early in the NFC championship, then we knew all the plays in ‘02. Now it’s real and the stress is too! Feels more real 18 years later somehow….
January 17th, 2021 at 10:46 pm
AN OPEN LETTER TO BYRON LEFTWICH:
Dear Mr. Leftwich,
You’re terrible and mathematics & odds and almost cost this team the win and chance to advance.
You’re an absolute idiot for calling long passes on 3rd and short like the deep, poor-odds pass play to Gronk on 3rd and 3 that ended our possession at that the. But you’re an even bigger moron for throwing a deep sideline pass to AB on a measily 3rd and 1.
Today was nothing new as you did this last game and in others as well.
You, sir, do not understand the basics of math.
On behalf of all Bucs fans around the world, for the Love Of God, DO NOT do it in the NFC Championship. Be smart, play the probabilities, and give us the best chance to move the chains and keep possession. If not, we probably won’t beat the Packers with you gifting Rodgers more possessions without us scoring.
Thank you for your cooperation.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:47 pm
And the Eagles 1st play? A big kick return to the 25, and they run one in, untouched 2 plays later. The Vet crowd explodes with delirium…..and then Joe Joe takes a crossing route 70 yds inside the 10yd line. Then Alstott plunges in with Sapp lead blocking as fullback for 10-7 lead. And then the Defense takes over and dominates that nasty ass Eagles! Could hear a pin drop in the Vet, and all the long sad and angry faces on the worse fans in football brought me great joy.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:47 pm
Tom Brady looks great at his age and his hot buns have me all wet.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:47 pm
saints reign is officially over…
worst cap situation in the league next season…
a lot of players will have to be cut to make their cap work…
it’s the bucs division moving forward…
tom gravy and the boys will be firmly in control of the nfc south
January 17th, 2021 at 10:47 pm
“NO MORE VET!!!”-Keyshawn Johnson. My favorite Bucs quote of all time. Amazing game. Brady and White got me giggling like an 8 year old school girl tonight.
Third times a charm. Thank you Bucs.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:48 pm
Disagree on the “fluke” play to end 2017. That was a nice drive. Two fourth down conversions and Winston to Godwin on the final play for a TD.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:48 pm
I like Drew Brees tight butt.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:50 pm
I was at the old sombreo to welcome tbe Buc team bus after the very first Bucaneer NFL win against..,wait for it. The Hank Stram coached Saints!!. On a side note, not only did Hank burn the game film, he never coached another game!
Now let our guys go to Lambeau and humble hip thrusting, punk-ass Aaron Rodgers
Go Bucs!!
January 17th, 2021 at 10:51 pm
Didn’t he get fired for losing to the Bucs?
And if memory serves, the next game the Bucs beat the Cardinals and that got Don Coryell got fired.
So the Bucs ran two coaches in two weeks. LOL
January 17th, 2021 at 10:53 pm
Bradybucs, put down the Skol Vodka and look at the final score. Take your negativity and go cheer for the Saints. No one needs your crap.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:54 pm
It is time to melt Lamboo Field.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:56 pm
YES IT DOES! GO BUCS! AND WHILE BREES WAS AND IS GREAT, GOOD RIDDANCE.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:56 pm
I agree, felt like the vet game. And the white play felt like the barber int. I watched that a couple times this morning to get pumped up.
January 17th, 2021 at 10:58 pm
It’s actually Shut down the vet. No more vet!”
January 17th, 2021 at 11:02 pm
Drew Brees deserves a lot of respect. But it was so sweet to see his farewell game ending in such a disastrous way. The Aints went all-in this season and lost (again). Their cap situation will send them to the bottom of the NFC South.
Thx, Tom Brady, go Bucs!!!
January 17th, 2021 at 11:08 pm
Smack smarmy Rogers in the mouth next week D!
January 17th, 2021 at 11:15 pm
I tweeted Cam Jordan.
He hasn’t answered.
January 17th, 2021 at 11:16 pm
Barbers was great and all but this was better hopefully brees retires and they go with jaymiss well maybe they’re both great legend killer moments
January 17th, 2021 at 11:21 pm
We could have had more. While somebody is whining about a bomb on 3-1 wasn’t that the play that Godwin caught in the end zone but was unable to hold on?
A couple of touch passes that were just off to Gronk.
January 17th, 2021 at 11:29 pm
Shut down the Dat.
January 17th, 2021 at 11:31 pm
joe – i said all week a win here would make up for all those losses handed to us by brees since he signed into the south. us getting bullied by every team. not anymore! we shut their stupid asses up! what a team win and a win for buc nation. all is forgiven in the lost decade!!
January 17th, 2021 at 11:32 pm
Drew Brees arguably the #2 G.O.A.T. Congrats on a great career and good riddance!
January 17th, 2021 at 11:34 pm
As a buccaneer fan, glad he is done, but mad respect to
Brees on an incredible career
January 17th, 2021 at 11:39 pm
Winning one game doesn’t exactly equate to “shutting down the Vet” or any other stadium. Which the Bucs will play in again next year. So doesn’t mean the same thing in the least.
January 17th, 2021 at 11:45 pm
Oh well here we go again, i have a fan posting as me, lol…have to love the admiration though….all good
January 17th, 2021 at 11:48 pm
eh, ill try under my other
January 18th, 2021 at 12:03 am
Brees was like a sports car…on it’s very last legs…leaking oil. It was glorious!
January 18th, 2021 at 12:12 am
Joes on 3…
1,2,3 – JOES
January 18th, 2021 at 12:13 am
@buddy – we MIGHT have shut down – retired – Drew Brees.
and the Saints monopoly on the NFC South Div. title
January 18th, 2021 at 12:14 am
This game is right up there with shutting down the Vet or in ’79 when the Bucs beat the Eagles at the Sombrero in that first ever Buc playoff game in which an outspoken Brent Musberger essentially guaranteed an Eagle win during the NFL Today pre-game and even as a teenager back then I kind of just knew that Brent must have lost huge coin betting against our Bucs. This year feels like 2002, the stars appear to be aligned but first they have to go face down an old rival on the hopefully not too frozen tundra. Great to be a Buc fan tonight, I hope all the fans enjoy it and savor it, we have been waiting a long time!
January 18th, 2021 at 12:15 am
F Brees!! Got what he deserved for selling out this morals and kneeling!! …. Karma dude!! You stood your ground before to say I will not kneel because my whole family are vets…. You took that oath and made that stance as a true American who knows the manipulation that goes on in politics and stayed out of it…. Well you should have just retired! You sold your soul for one more season to lose like you always do….. And the great part is Kama isn’t done with you yet… Wonder how many of those vet family members want to kneel with you??
January 18th, 2021 at 1:04 am
That was a dime Brady threw to his son in the corner of the endzone.
January 18th, 2021 at 1:46 am
Ok, I’ll admit it, while Tom’s buns make me wet, I’m more into father figures and BA really gets my heart racing !
January 18th, 2021 at 2:48 am
BL IS WORKING MAGIC
GO BUCS
January 18th, 2021 at 7:59 am
Saints scored 20 courtesy of a trick play and a 65 yard punt return. They are turning it on at the right time.
January 18th, 2021 at 8:20 am
I felt the same thing…
#PoundBressIntoRetirement
Not sure its not as good as closing down the Vet. First Ballot HOF Bress’ last game?
January 18th, 2021 at 8:25 am
Hey Marshon, “better luck next year”…I’ll say it since ME won’t