Biggest Star Tampa Bay Has Ever Had?
July 17th, 2017
Ian Beckles drops quality take
A very bold and intriguing statement was made by an astute former Buccaneer on Sunday.
You’re damn right Joe was hunting for all things Bucs on a sleepy summer Sunday. Joe won’t snooze on Bucs fans.
The claim came from former Bucs guard Ian Beckles (1990-1996) during his show on 102.5 FM, The Bone, the great guy-talk station with a lot of hosts who warmly embrace JoeBucsFan.com.
Beckles said America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, is the biggest star in Tampa Bay sports history. Beckles has spent time around Jameis and contends that his star power locally is unmatched, but the fact he is so popular and “a big deal” outside the Bay area is what led Beckles to the bold claim.
He added that other Bucs stars left the area and their star power here didn’t translate at their next stop.
It’s a very interesting topic for debate.
Is Beckles correct?
You could make a case for Jameis, but if coaches are fair game, then certainly Chucky and Father Dungy are bigger stars than Jameis. And throw ex-Rays skipper Joe Maddon into the mix.
As for players, so many Tampa Bay studs fizzled on and off the field when they left town, from Warren Sapp to Vinny Lecavalier and more. But David Price delivered as a recognizable big star when he left town, and Doug Williams won a Super Bowl. Rodney Marsh made it huge in broadcasting and is still rolling in that arena. (If you don’t know who Marsh is, well, than you weren’t a sports fan in the Bay area in the late 1970s.)
Derrick Brooks is a big-time star. But does he have the same recognizability across the nation like Jameis does. Did he ever? Joe’s not sure.
Beckles might be right. And there might be no debate after this season — which includes the Bucs on Hard Knocks — if you call Jameis the biggest star in Tampa sports history.
July 17th, 2017 at 12:16 am
Beckles is wrong.
July 17th, 2017 at 12:17 am
There is a reason BSPN, the New York Times, and all the other commie media toilets continue to beat the sh!t out of Jameis whenever they get the chance: He brings eyeballs. Sapp was (is?) a fukkin monster compared to Jameis and rarely do those leftie media places go after him unless he’s actually arrested. That’s because Jameis is star power. The Bucs never would have played on Sunday Night Football unless it was Jameis quarterbacking the Bucs. Hard Knocks doesn’t come to Tampa without Jameis. Beckles is right about two things: his food and Jameis.
July 17th, 2017 at 12:18 am
When it is all said and done Jameis will be the greatest in Tampa history.
July 17th, 2017 at 12:30 am
John Lynch shined fairly bright in Tampa and was also very popular in Denver. If he manages to turn the 49ers around he will be extremely popular there also.
July 17th, 2017 at 12:42 am
Jameis throws 40 more TDs and his name will be in the Ring of Honor at Ray Jay … as far as Tampa sports star power? Nobody touches the “Tampa 2”.
Not yet Jameis, at least.
July 17th, 2017 at 12:58 am
Warren Sapp for sure.
July 17th, 2017 at 1:13 am
Steel:
You are thinking “football star.”
This is being just “star.” For example, neither Warren Sapp nor Derrick Brooks were ever on David Letterman like Jameis was. Sapp, however, was on Howard Stern.
Don’t think Brooks has ever been on TMZ. Sapp has (mostly for the wrong reasons) and so has Jameis (bad and good).
Don’t think Sapp or Brooks have ever been discussed combined as much as Jameis has on BSPN talk shows, radio, etc.
Also, neither Sapp or Brooks won a Heisman Trophy.
Biggest star? Probably a toss-up between Sapp and Jameis.
July 17th, 2017 at 1:14 am
Lynch is somewhat popular in NFL circles (still can’t crack into Canton which suggests maybe not that popular outside of Tampa and Denver) but outside of football, few if any would know who he is.
Again, this is “star” not “football star.”
July 17th, 2017 at 6:11 am
Rodney Marsh! Great shout out!!
July 17th, 2017 at 7:39 am
I always thought Joe believed “Rock Star” Mark Dominick was the biggest star.
If after two years we are even considering Jameis as the biggest star, then that should tell you what the answer will be.
July 17th, 2017 at 7:39 am
Nothing here about BUILDING A WALL …..then there’s nothing here!!!
July 17th, 2017 at 7:40 am
Not sure Rodney Marsh belongs in this conversation. Sure he was HUGE here in Tampa in the 70s but when the Rowdies and the rest of the soccer league went under, you never heard much from him again. Maybe I don’t get out much but I haven’t heard his name more than 10 times since the 70’s and I didn’t even know he was a broadcaster.
July 17th, 2017 at 8:04 am
Hope Jameis doesn’t pull a Shaq on us.
July 17th, 2017 at 9:31 am
How about Hulk Hogan from the port of Tampa…. definitely Jameis
July 17th, 2017 at 9:46 am
It’s true. I wear my Bucs gear here in Vegas and they talk to me about Winston. I try to throw in Mccoy or David or Evans. But they they never watched them just heard of them. I throw a little bit of the legendary players and all I get was yea it was a good defense. Winston is a star in my parts for sure
July 17th, 2017 at 9:50 am
One might criticize Ian’s timing as still a bit premature heading into year three…I do not wish to jinx #3. But who can really argue if he put in ten more years like the first two with the expected improvement by #3 and this entire team including the D…I do not think there is any doubt #3 will be the biggest star ever.
I’m looking at two ingredients that in my mind determine a true national “star”.
First and foremost you gotta do it on the field. Put up the numbers and win some titles. #3 is on the way with the numbers….wins have improved..if that continues and we make the playoffs #3 has a claim to stardom.
Second…charisma. Now can somebody tell me who had more charisma in Tampa Bay sports history than #3? Chucky? Seriously who? Sapp…perhaps in a negative bullying way but he also brought a TON of personal baggage to the show.
I’m a Lightning fan but sadly NHLers generally are really short on charisma.
How about the Rays’…Longoria charismatic? Cmon Man!
So IMHO #3 will clearly fulfill Ian’s prediction IF he meets rule one…produce titles and numbers on the field
July 17th, 2017 at 10:57 am
When Joe was in Vegas, he frequented a bar at Aria where the bartender is a hardcore NFL fan. We talked for hours each night NFL.
Dude never heard of Lee Roy Selmon. He knew all about Jameis.
He was getting there until he knocked up his Playmate girlfriend.
That’s probably the biggest star from Tampa Bay. Not sure it is sports but certainly entertainment.
July 17th, 2017 at 11:01 am
“Nothing here about BUILDING A WALL …..then there’s nothing here!!!”
Someone ought to build you a cage!!!
July 17th, 2017 at 11:07 am
Sapp is still the biggest star to date but it will be Jameis. No doubt.
July 17th, 2017 at 11:09 am
Jimmy needs to stfu and stop reading so much breitbart trash.
July 17th, 2017 at 11:23 am
C’mon people he has mediocre stats, no playoff appearan7ces, and horrible accuracy. If not for Evans he would be labeled a bust. Great cheerleader and motivator but greatest buc star…lol
Tgat goes to Sapp
July 17th, 2017 at 11:34 am
DB55 did make on Family Feud the other night wearing his HOF jacket, only reason I watched. I do believe it’s Sapp though, I wonder what are the rating on the NFL Network Sunday Morning Football compared to when Sapp was on. I flip to various stations now rather than stay on the NFL Network show.
July 17th, 2017 at 11:53 am
Yes, Bucs star, you are likely correct. This isn’t about that (as Jameis would say).
Not a football star, but “star.” In other words, you plop Jameis in a non-football city along with Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp and they walk down main street, who gets recognized first? When folks who don’t watch any football know who you are, that’s a star.
July 17th, 2017 at 12:15 pm
If we are talking national level, then there is a case for Winston, although as stated in other remarks he has a ways to go to catch Lynch and Sapp and Williams. On the local level there is no doubt that he is building. However, he still has a very long way to go before he gets to the way that the locals felt about the A-train in his hey-day. If he manages to deliver the Bucs consistently to playoffs for several year and if he delivers a Super Bowl or two, then he may eclipse Alstott. No doubt his star is rising, but he’s not there yet, not by a long shot.
July 17th, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Hulk Hogan is the biggest “star” from Tampa if you look at it from an international perspective. It’s not even close. I think Joe Madden and Chucky would be next on the list since they have had so much TV exposure.
July 17th, 2017 at 3:47 pm
Nice acknowledgement of Marsh , Joe ! He did do one of those Miller lite commercial back in the day ! Tampa needs to memorialize our beloved Rowdies in some fashion !