Bucs Could Become An Afterthought In September
April 29th, 2010
Yeah, Joe’s a Rays fan.
And with the Rays jumping out to a 16-5 record with a sound team loaded with pitching, it’s a pretty good bet that the Rays will be back in the playoffs or at least playing very meaningful games in September and October.
Back in 2008, Joe was in the press box on Mike Alstott Night when the Rays were in the playoffs and the Buccaneers still had plenty of seats available for a Sunday Night Football game honoring perhaps the most popular Bucs player in history.
Joe remembers looking around at the empty seats and being flabbergasted that the then 4-2 Bucs were struggling to sell tickets. Especially considering that fresh in Joe’s mind was the absolute sea of New York Giants fans at the Bucs’ last playoff game nine months earlier.
That was enough evidence for Joe that the Bucs were in a popularity freefall, which has now culminated in Team Glazer admitting to looming blackouts in 2010.
Given the still-painful economy, Joe can’t help but wonder how ugly it could get for the Bucs as early as September, if the team isn’t winning and the Rays are buzzing toward a division crown.
There’s only so much money to go around nowadays, and Joe knows quite a few middle class Bucs fans who would rather save their cash for a Rays playoff ticket then go out to the C.I.T.S. to watch a losing football team.
Of course, football always comes first for Joe, but just how many hardcore fans are there to stand behind a rebuilding team in a rough economy?
If the Bucs can’t win early and Rays keep humming along, we’re all going to find out.
April 29th, 2010 at 10:22 am
i have a lot of faith both team will be stunning the league!!!
any chance to have bucsraysfans.com?? :p
April 29th, 2010 at 10:24 am
I would go to a winless Bucs game over baseball 8 days a week. JMO
April 29th, 2010 at 10:33 am
It could get ugly thats for sure.
In the long run it might be a good thing. Everyone likes a winner and maybe while the Bucs are down it will give the Rays a chance to make some new fans….lord knows they need it. 10,000 at the game the last two nights for the best team in baseball.
But no matter what when the Bucs get back to winning they will be back to the top of the Tampa Bay sports world where they belong.
April 29th, 2010 at 11:00 am
I’m with you Joe…..going to be tough to choose especially if the Bucs start off hot as well. I’ll probably try and attend a few of both and DVR whichever one I can’t make! Go Bucs! Go Rays! Get Better Bolts!
April 29th, 2010 at 11:08 am
joeraysfan.com? Doubt it, it’s obvious joeboltsfan.com isn’t doing so hot with all the new articles posted. No offense Joe.
April 29th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Go Rays!! We all need to support both teams. Of course Pro Football will reign supreme throughout the country, but evidence that a winning franchise will always be the most popular. Remember the Stanley Cup run for the Lightning, you could’nt find a ticket anywhere. I can’t wait to get back to Tampa, i’m tired of all of the Caps & Skins talk. BTW I did renew my season tickets after watching the draft.
April 29th, 2010 at 11:15 am
If the Bucs lose that Cleveland game, focus will shift to the Rays. It’s hard to believe the 1st game of the season is a “must win”, but it is.
April 29th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
The Rays have been incredible. They are devouring their opponents. It does sadden me that attendance has been bad so far. I don’t get it. I have a feeling they will end up in Tampa which would suck. I think a joeraysfan would work. I would believe that there are more baseball fans than hockey fans here. And the Rays are a good team, so that would help.
April 29th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
I fully expect the Bucs to get off to a good start. Cleveland is still rebuilding and they are coming here. Carolina on the road is a winnable game. The Panthers seem to building for the future without Fox instead of trying to win now. Pitt without Big Ben is a break for the Bucs as well. Dennis Dixon? Byron Leftwich? Stack the line and have one of those two try to beat you. Best case scenario is 3-0. I think they have to come out of that 3 game stretch at 2-1 at least.
April 29th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Eric S – Need i remind you that the Bucs lost ___ games last year to teams who were playing with their backup QB’s?
Cleveland had a good draft too. Mangenius & Holmgren are gonna be tough.
April 29th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Rays? What are Rays?
REAL men follow football
April 29th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
And the Rays keep rollin……nothing like making the Royals pull their pitcher in the 3rd 🙂
April 30th, 2010 at 9:25 am
“Cleveland had a good draft too. Mangenius & Holmgren are gonna be tough.”
Hahahaha!!!!! Whats a good draft? Colt McCoy and Joe Haden? Get the f— out!
Besides, I think the Browns have proven over the last few decades or so that pretty much any body who goes to thier team is going to blow.
Clevland Browns @ Bucs = Sloughter time!!