Bill Polian Sees Better Days For Bucs Fans
August 12th, 2012
Joe wasn’t the lone person who got a chance to speak with longtime successful NFL front office honcho Bill Polian when he visitied Bucs training camp while co-hosting a show with Alex Marvez heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week.
Even eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune got a chance to chat with Polian, who believes better days are ahead for Bucs fans, meaning, perhaps, fewer blackouts.
“This state has been hit as hard as any in the nation and the team’s been up-and-down,’’ Polian said. “They haven’t established an identity as compared to the old Bucs. But if they win, people will come back. This is a football town—and it always has been. You have to realize the economy is very tough and this is a relatively small market.’‘
Of course, winning cures all ills. But Joe believes Polian has a point: With Father Dungy, and later Chucky, the Bucs had an identity. It was a bruising defense. With Raheem Morris, the identity was more hapless than intimidating, some suggest worse: quitters.
This will not be the case under the New Schiano Order. Expect a return to a punishing run game and a smart, attacking defense.
August 12th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
For the first time since 2008, we have a pro football in town. Everyone, even Eric, should be thrilled about that.
August 12th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
It would be interesting to see how many winter residents there are here in Tampa Bay, as a percentage of the population.
Many, if not most of these winter residents, support their home teams, not the Bucs.
This is vs other places I have lived, like Detroit and Seattle, where the fans there support their teams, no matter what.
August 12th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
” this is a football town”????really??? thats ridiculous to make that statement. Football towns dont EVER get blacked out.
[Not cool to use Joe’s name man. — Joe]
August 12th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Even the most loyal fans would stop watching if: your ownership fired a Gruden and Allen after a 9-7 season hired RahRah and DomDom – slashed payroll and said “we are not rebuilding” only to change that after going 3-13 to ” we are rebuilding” only to change that to a “I told you RahRah and DomDom were legit” to firing them months later after an embarrassing 4-12.
August 12th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
It’s a good point, Chris. I know many people that support other teams…which ticks me off a bit but it is what it is.
Tampa supported a waiting list in the past, so it should be able to support one again some day. The big question is how many Bucs fans relocated out of town due to the economy.
One trend I have been noticing is that many people have struggled so much they just don’t keep up with recent Bucs news. They get it all third-hand and usually from negative sources. This, I believe, is why the Bucs will have to win a bunch of games to get noticed by the fair-weather fans.
And like it or not…the Bucs need real fans, fair-weather fans AND band wagon fans to buy tickets.
August 12th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
thomas two point two
Realistically, it was time for Gruden to go. He had become a public relations nightmare and even the players were starting to hate him. I was surprised they fired him since he’d finally put together two winning seasons in a row, but I understand the reasons.
Gruden was considered untrustworthy by both players and fans. His popularity was at an all-time low when he was fired. The lack of sellouts actually started while Gruden was coach.
As to Allen, I thought he was doing an okay job considering the challenges and limitations placed on him in later years. I wonder if the Glazers offered him a chance to stay and he refused?
August 12th, 2012 at 5:35 pm
I’ll say this too…I understand the unwillingness to spend on players for a few years as well.
1. The Glazers foot the entire bill for the new training facility…and it cost a fortune.
2. There were rumors and plans of a lockout for years before it actually happened. By not giving players too many big contracts, the owners strengthened their own bargaining position.
In addition, I understand cutting so many veterans at once. Fans had been whining for years that the team was long in the tooth. Even national media mocked us. Shoot, even the great D. Brooks was mocked on national television because of how much he’d slowed down.
And even with the fans complaining…when the Bucs started letting the older players go (such as Lynch) the fans complained about that as well. So I figure the Glazers decided to pull off the band aide quickly and do a mass release.
August 12th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
If you are going to fire Gru – replace him with someone who knows that a football has laces and is made of leather – don’t search for the cheapest possible options at GM and HC.
The Glazers have the sweetest deal in the world from local taxpayers ( $ from non-buc events etc) many experts have said so. I know the Glazers claim to have paid for the facility but I have heard rumblings that they just deferred payment by the county until a later date (probably bc they would have taken a public lashing for having the lowest nfl payroll for 1/2 a decade while raping the taxpayers for new facilities).
Again, I don’t know whether this is true just read a report that the county was on the hook for some of the costs, but Glazers said they did not use taxpayer $. It has never been reported that the team waived the public contribution requirement.
My guess: the Glazers don’t want the county claiming ownership of the facility so the Glazers will use the public $ for something else.
August 12th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Well, it’s certainly not a baseball town.
Joe once had a Lightning site. It got scant traffic. Joe has a baseball site. It gets OK traffic. Joe has a Bucs site. It kicks ass.
Joe had done local radio. Rays talk doesn’t generate any calls (outside of losers whining about driving across a bridge). College football gets some reaction. Talk Bucs and the phones light up.
Yes, this is a football town.
August 12th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
I love how Coach Sullivan ran the ball 4 times until he got the TD. The o line was getting a lot of push inside. They didn’t go backwards 1 time, which is new to us. Carl Nicks is a mauler. I feel good about this new staff and their first game went. Good Jon Schiano.
August 12th, 2012 at 6:06 pm
Job haha I’m all thumbs
August 12th, 2012 at 6:33 pm
OT: ”Rays talk doesn’t generate any calls (outside of losers whining about driving across a bridge).” I recall many years ago calling local sports show host David Lamm, before the stadium was completed, and saying that people in Tampa don’t like to drive to St. Pete for anything, & I thought the Devil Rays would draw on week-ends, but not on weeknights. I also mentioned that half of St. Pete is ready for bed at 9:00 pm. He said, ”They’ll do fine.” So, how is attendance at the baseball games?
August 12th, 2012 at 6:47 pm
As an aside, is Gary Gibson hurt, haven’t seen that he is, but he didn’t play against the Fins, unless he snuck in and out really quickly.
After watching the game again, this time on the big screen, have to say Michael Smith impressed. Didn’t have much running room, but he did a good job breaking tackles and keeping his legs churning. I can’t say too many guys at the end of the roster impressed, but he was one of them.
Was a bit suprised to see Schiano go with three down lineman in passing situations, using the same personnel package they did last year, with Watson in as a fourth rusher.
As to Rah’s hiring. I understand it from this point. The Glazers had already lost Mike Tomlin, and they were afraid Rah would leave and be the next Mike Tomlin. So they made him head coach before he could leave. In retrospect that didn’t work, but there was a reason they did it.
August 12th, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Mike J:
The rays average about the same as the Jaguars after 3/4 of the seats are tented to avoid blackouts.
August 12th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
thomas,
as a kid, were you bit on the ass by a snake and dropped on your head? with all the venom you spew and idiotic comments you make, i would guess so.
August 12th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
TY, Thomas.Being an idiot, I failed to mention that I live in Jacksonville now, & have for years.
August 12th, 2012 at 9:08 pm
In all seriousness Thomas, I don’t think being cheap was what the Glazers were thinking when the hired Raheem. I think they were tired of seeing our up and coming assistants go elsewhere and be successful. Regardless of what you think, Raheem was considered an up and coming coach. I think they panicked when Denver interviewed him. Obviously they made a mistake, but I dont think it had much, if anything to do with money. They didn’t have to pay him much because he didn’t have the credentials to demand a huge salary.
August 12th, 2012 at 9:19 pm
Hawaiian Buc, Thomas will never understand that logic. You would have better luck explaining that to a bird, a fish or maybe even a rock.
August 12th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
” fired a Gruden and Allen after a 9-7 season ”
I totally supported that action. The team quit on Gruden, just as bad as they did on Raheem. The only reason they didn’t lose 10 was they only had 4 left. If you wanted Gruden to stay, you’re as deluded as anyone who wanted Raheem to stay. They both wore out their welcome, and good riddance.
August 12th, 2012 at 11:43 pm
I just wonder at what point is Thomas going to stop talking about Raheem? Let it go!
August 12th, 2012 at 11:49 pm
I don’t think the Raheem hire was financial either…but it was a good benefit considering what they were still paying Gruden.
Certainly money was a consideration in regard to the roster.
August 13th, 2012 at 2:16 am
I see the team identity is pick your poison because it still going to hurt. The run is good and the passing game is potential one play away from a td. Gotta love the Balanced offense. It’s the first we had since I been a fan. All I known is run heavy. Having a quarterback, finally, that changed a lot for the franchise. Glad to see this direction.
August 13th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Yeah I’m a Bucs fan that relocated to Houston so websites like these are the only news I can get on the Bucs. NFL Ticket here I come!!
August 13th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
@Chris
This is vs other places I have lived, like Detroit and Seattle, where the fans there support their teams, no matter what.
I really have to disagree with you on Detroit supporting their teams all the time. I grew up there and was fortunate that my family had tickets to these teams. I still follow them but Tampa teams I support 1st.
I would agree that their big 3 (car dealers) support a lot of tickets for their employees or used to.
Pistons – can’t give away seats for last 2-3 years
Lions – had trouble selling out last year, sales were really bad for many years prior. They always had blackout even with Barry Sanders.
Wings – up and down, when they aren’t really good they struggle.
Tigers – horrible attendance even for years with a new great stadium in Comerica until just recently.
Plenty of other cities are in the same boat with much more corporate support IMO anyway.