“So Much Of It Is Luck”
July 26th, 2021
This may not be what Bucs fans want to hear as they flex their muscles and tell the world on social media that Tampa Bay is winning back-to-back Super Bowls, baby.
Players are out there at Bucs practice grinding way on Day 2 of training camp, and Bucco Bruce Arians is cracking a whip, even instilling tough rules on media in attendance — no video or even still photos after the typically uneventful first 30 minutes of practice.
But despite all that hard work and roster-building and strictness, Arians was quick to say yesterday that so much of repeating as champs is out of his control.
“You know, so much of it is luck. You gotta stay healthy,” Arians said. “If you start losing guys, starters, your chances go down. You gotta have some luck.”
The question posed to Arians came from Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman, the iconic JoeBucsFan.com columnist. Ira asked Arians whether he had consulted with any colleagues who won back-to-back championships for insight into what it took.
Arians replied that he had been on Super Bowl winners returning the following season (not eventual back-to-back-champions) and he seemed to downplay that there might be a secret sauce to taste in order to help the Bucs repeat.
For Arians, it seems staying locked in on a forward-looking mentality, hard work and health is the road to another ring.
And a hearty dose of luck.
Over the years, Joe often has thought about the Bucs’ 2005 NFC South champion team. Man, they had a lot of balls and calls bounce their way in the regular season, it seemed.
Luck matters every season, though Joe thinks it’s very overrated. As the famous quote reads, “Luck is the residue of design.”
It’s today’s new Ira Kaufman Podcast! Presented by the nationwide lifetime warranty on new and used vehicles at Bill Currie Ford.
July 26th, 2021 at 9:51 am
Or, as Jack Nicklaus once said, “The more I practice the luckier I get.”
July 26th, 2021 at 10:07 am
Good.
He’s being honest and realistic. Luck is a huge part of it and we were extremely lucky last year.
This is why I have a problem with all the jokers who start penciling in wins the day the schedule is released.
Things change….. and luck runs out.
Can we repeat this year?
Absolutely and I hope we do.
Fingers crossed and hoping for the best.
Go Bucs!
July 26th, 2021 at 10:12 am
I think that’s very true, particularly with covid. Keep in mind why we picked up Antonio Brown….a little bad luck with injuries to Evans and Godwin. You lose one, no big deal….they both get beat up and that totally changes the offense. That was a big part of why Arians became more open to signing Brown. Initially he wanted no part.
July 26th, 2021 at 10:17 am
The Vita Vea injury was a freak play. One or two weeks later and our Superbowl trip might not have happened either.
July 26th, 2021 at 10:33 am
Luck plays a part in all sports…….look at golf….baseball……but it will only get you so far…..a bad team can have lots of luck & still lose. A good team only needs a little bit of luck.
On injuries, there’s a thin line between fitness, training, youth & luck…..Bucs need it this year.
July 26th, 2021 at 10:33 am
I think there is luck that goes into it. Look at San Fran last year. Possible defending NFC champ couldn’t even sniff the post season because everyone was hurt. Still surprised they’re not talked about more as a potential good opponent the Bucs may have to deal with this post season. If you go back and look, a lot of NFC Super Bowl teams never see the post season the following year… including the 03 Bucs.
July 26th, 2021 at 10:51 am
Add to that – officiating! Bad calls cost games, and the players have no control over that.
July 26th, 2021 at 11:05 am
Hard work, preparation and trusting environment improves your odds of good luck
July 26th, 2021 at 11:19 am
Agree with most, certainly luck and officiating play into the wins and losses, but so does talent, preparation, and positional depth. This team is stacked and has good depth at most positions. We know it’s well coached. So no reason to think the Bucs won’t get back to the SB, unless something catastrophic (won’t even go there) happens and many key players are affected at the same time.
July 26th, 2021 at 11:31 am
Excellent comments. As TBBF said: “Luck plays a part in all sports, but it will only get you so far”. As the old saying goes: ‘Sh1t happens; deal with it’.
Injuries, especially to key players, often adversely impact teams who might otherwise have been contenders. The Bucs had plenty of injuries last year, BUT … this team didn’t let that derail them. Some guys (like ME13 & Godwin & Brady & JPP & Whitehead?) fought through injuries for much of the season & still played at a high level. IMO that’s a credit to not only those players but also to our Strength & Conditioning coaches & medical staff. But in those cases where players couldn’t fight through injuries (loss of OJ & Vea for example), quality DEPTH and adaptive coaching carried us through.
Luck may play a role in officiating (refs are human & sometimes get it wrong), but IMO it usually balances out over the course of a season. Still can’t remember any team winning a Super Bowl because the refs got it wrong.
July 26th, 2021 at 11:50 am
They don’t need luck when when they have a roster like the one they have now.
On both sides of the ball.
Secondary is still young but I think they’re coming along nicely.
Suh, Vea, JPP, and Shaq. With the 2 LB’s David and White. What team wants to deal with that?
Did I mention they have the Goat at qb and some weapons on offense too?
They don’t need luck. Back to back is what I expect.
Go Bucs!!!
July 26th, 2021 at 12:00 pm
“Luck” largely pertains here to health.
Are you lucky enough to have your key guys healthy?
Are you lucky enough to play other teams when they have health issues (ie KC -2xOT)?
July 26th, 2021 at 12:15 pm
What were you expecting him to say? Being Arians, I would of expected Defense Rules comment. “Sh!t happens. Next question.”
July 26th, 2021 at 12:17 pm
I agree as it pertains to remaining healthy.
As to play, you create your own luck. An ill-prepared team is not going to benefit from “lucky” bounces if they’re too undisciplined to be in the right spots or take advantage. On top of that, good teams find a way to overcome adversity, or “bad luck”.
As ’87 stated above, I expect this team to win. We’re a good football team.
July 26th, 2021 at 12:45 pm
The bucs during the offseason created some of their own luck adding depth to the team thru the draft and free agency and may not be done yet.
July 26th, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Luck is found at the corner of Preparation and Opportunity.
July 27th, 2021 at 5:41 am
Hard work makes some luck. BUT luck plays its own part. We won a State Championship in boys basketball; tallest player was 6’2″
the next year we were a way better team – tallest player was 6’11”, shortest player was same 6’2″ point guard (my best player). An F-ing ref took the game from us in a most egregious way. That is bad luck
July 27th, 2021 at 2:38 pm
From a purely scientific standpoint, luck has more to do with your success in life than skill. This flies in the face of what most people would like to believe, that it is something fundamentally intrinsic to their makeup and hard work that trumps any hand life deals them. It just contradicts the math. The very fact that you are able to read this post now in the comfort of your own home instead of frantically looking for cover against bombs dropped on you daily in the middle of Syria should be enough proof of that. In the NFL, the talent levels between the top teams are very close. The Saints shellacked the BUCS twice before the playoff game when in an unusual number of calls and breaks happened to go the BUCS way. An inch here or there is all it takes. (The fact that you are here reading this now instead of existing as a random collection of vaporous molecules is something you can thank Vasili Arkhipov for)