Respect Has Been Earned
December 12th, 2016
Brent Grimes hauls in a pick off of Drew Brees. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)
Through all the garbage years and garbage players and garbage coaches, Joe would always get messages from fans asking why the Bucs were never respected by national media types.
Joe always answered a tried and true fact: Respect is earned; not given.
Well, with the Bucs riding a five-game winning streak and tied for first place in the NFC South less than two weeks before Christmas (!), the respect has been earned. No less of a national authority than Sports Illustrated has jumped on the bandwagon with both feet. Greg Bedard suggests no team in the NFL is hotter than the Bucs.
Everybody needs to stop sleeping on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They may not be sexy and they got off to a bad 1–3 start to the season, but what they’ve done over the past five weeks can be put up against anybody else in the NFL. You want a blowout against a weak team? Bucs did that against the Bears. You want a tough road win against a good opponent? Bucs beat Chiefs in Kansas City. How about a home win against a tough team? Bucs beat Seattle. A road win in a possible letdown scenario? Bucs went to San Diego and won. How about another great defensive effort against a good offense? Bucs shut down Drew Brees and the Saints 16-11 on Sunday. I don’t know what else Tampa has to do to show it’s a contender in the NFC with its five-game winning streak, but they’ll be at Dallas next Sunday night if you need to see for yourself.
This on the heels of FOX’s Terry Bradshaw flying in for the lone purpose of interviewing America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, Britt McHenry doing a sitdown with Jameis for a full-blown feature on the four-letter, and Peter Schrager of NFL Network bragging that Mike Evans is putting up Hall of Fame numbers.
Yes, Bucs fans, it sure feels like the dark ages are just about over. You can step out of the cave and bask in the sunlight of the Bucs’ success.
It’s been too, too long.
December 12th, 2016 at 7:56 am
some people were excited back when the right moves were made!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
January 20th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
I am so excited with the coaching staff that is assembled!! Really hope licht steadies the pipeline of talent and Coach Mike Smith remembers how fun it is to lead a dominate defense and just falls in love with our beloved area here!!!!
If you are not excited right now, Then you need to question if you are a football fan at all!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 12th, 2016 at 8:20 am
For a fan since the first win in 1977 it sure feels good. We’ve paid our dues. Time to reap the benefits.
December 12th, 2016 at 8:26 am
It feels great to get national love , but the media quickly turns , if we lose Sunday against the cowboys , the headlines will be the Bucs choked away the playoffs
December 12th, 2016 at 8:29 am
It feels AMAZING!! This defense is so fun to watch I love the way they dance on the field in between plays it really gets us pumped up Go Bucs!
December 12th, 2016 at 8:29 am
If the Packers or the Giants or Eagles had done what the Bucs have done over the past 5 weeks, all of the national media would be screaming cancel Christmas because those teams are going to win the Super Bowl. I hope they keep underestimating the Bucs. They thrive on it. And I have felt extremely confident that we are going to take the show to Dallas and shut 101,000 Cowboys fans the hell up next Sunday night. Lets go Bucs!
December 12th, 2016 at 8:36 am
I just dont understand why people get off on respect from national media, They will hate you the first week you lose, I just hope we can keep winning and sneak into that tournament. I actually enjoy the media hating and doubting the Bucs!!
December 12th, 2016 at 8:40 am
Respect has been earned,
In that case The Den of Depression nickname should be retired.
December 12th, 2016 at 8:51 am
I feel you J 2.0 especially that part about I hope they keep underestimating us.
December 12th, 2016 at 8:53 am
Don’t know who coined it but “Den of Aggression” sounds good to me.
December 12th, 2016 at 9:02 am
Until next year when Mike Smith gets another head coaching job.
December 12th, 2016 at 9:17 am
Give Bucs realist a cookie he was so right a year ago……
You guys need to check your ego at the door.
December 12th, 2016 at 9:19 am
If they weren’t here for 2-14 I don’t want them here for 8-5.
December 12th, 2016 at 9:39 am
I can’t help who I am, the Bucs are who they are. I’m back on the wagon again and holding on for dear life. It feels good.
December 12th, 2016 at 9:51 am
In 2007 NY Giants were 6th seed, beat us in the playoffs and went on to beat the 15-1 Patriots in the Super Bowl. We can do it this year. We have to win out though. After getting beat in NJ, America’s Team will be on its heels and probably not ready for our defense. Let Dak beat himself. Probably a low scoring game. Just need to make sure the men on the team don’t get stage fright Sunday Night, because all of America will be watching this game.
I hope Gerald McCoy is ready for his closeup.
December 12th, 2016 at 9:55 am
Mike Smith has recaptured some of that defensive mojo his Jaguars defenses had (back when that team had a good defense). Props to the job Koetter is doing, but the dramatic turnaround this defense has done deserves major kudos to coach Smith (of the Mike variety). The players seem to finally understand the scheme and have “bought in”
December 12th, 2016 at 10:34 am
Nice indeed, it just feels right and the way it should all play out after so many wrrong turns and deciisions since 1/18/2003. It would appear that we currently have a very high numbers of players, coaches, owners, and significant others who are doing it correctly on the field and off the field in the community. Numerous players are Pro Bowl Bound and Beyond. Vincent Jackson is overdue for The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year honors. Many others are Amazing…
December 12th, 2016 at 10:34 am
Through the dark days and ten win predictions I was one of the few blog over the top optimists. There were a few others but not that many. Most were yearning for an 8-8 record, some thought six wins at least acceptable in the turnaround.
Well you have three more games to yearn some more!!!
Here is where I hope I’m wrong. Ten wins and then one and done in the playoffs.
I’m no longer certain this team isn’t peaking at just the right time for the playoffs.
Experience is great in the post season but team health, confidence, and momentum are even more important. Perhaps the Bucs can do some real damage in the post season if we get there.
December 12th, 2016 at 10:44 am
Not that it matters, but I still see disrespect from the national media. For example, what were the highlights from the Bucs-Saints game last night on the NBC Sunday Night Football broadcast? On the Bucs side, they focused on Huff’s muff, the safety, and Anger’s poor kick out of bounds. Yes, these were boneheaded plays, but there was a lot more that the Bucs did. Among other things, they shut down Drew Brees and prevented him from mounting career 4th quarter comeback #42! More disrespect will come as the Bucs get set to play the Cowgirls. Go Bucs!
December 12th, 2016 at 10:47 am
I mentioned this to a Cowboys fan friend yesterday…
Dak seems to have been slowly regressing over the last couple of weeks. I mentioned to him that this would technically be the end of the college football season and it’s slightly possible that Dak could be hitting that infamous rookie wall.
If that is the case, then, man, I’m sure glad we’re playing them after week 14…
December 12th, 2016 at 11:12 am
I have a feeling Bucs will beat Dallas…