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BY IRA KAUFMAN

It don’t come easy. You know it don’t come easy.

The Bucs have backed themselves into a coffin corner heading into the final game of the regular season. It’s win or go home, literally, when Tampa Bay faces the 2-15 Panthers in Charlotte.

Jobs are on the line, starting with the head coach. If the Bucs, favored by six points, don’t get the job done in Week 18, the Saints could steal the NFC South crown and trigger an offseason shakeup at One Buc Place.

Only one team was ready to play Sunday — and that’s inexcusable considering what was on the line. Of Tampa Bay’s three first downs in the opening half, two came courtesy of yellow flags.

The Bucs were outgained 202-44 after two quarters and the 23-13 final score won’t fool anyone who was there or who watched the debacle. If the Bucs wake up from their coma and beat the Panthers, this travesty will be quickly forgotten as they prepare for the NFC’s No. 5 seed in the postseason.

But make no mistake, Sunday’s lethargic effort serves as a reminder that this team is not close to being a championship contender. (more…)

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It’s a fun and loaded year-end edition of The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports with Joe. Enjoy! Remember to subscribe to Ira’s podcast. Thanks to the many thousands that do!

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford. Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

Click on through to shop at BillCurrieFord.com. Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is ready to help you PERSONALLY and give you the Ira Kaufman discount. Just ask! See their amazing O% financing offers right now.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Blue-collar town, blue-collar team.

While they still boast a few stars, the 2023 Buccaneers have won the region over with a one-for-all attitude that helped them persevere through a horrendous midseason slide that would have doomed this franchise in years gone by. Tampa Bay took on adversity head on and never whined about injuries, official’s calls or bad breaks. (more…)

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It’s a feisty episode from The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports with Joe, recorded live at the Big Storm Brewing Co. taproom in Odessa. Enjoy!

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

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Click above to shop now at Tampa’s first family of Ford, BillCurrieFord.com. Reach out to Ira’s friend and GM Sean Sullivan for a hearty JoeBucsFan discount, and remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles at Bill Currie Ford.

It’s a Christmas Day edition of The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports following the Buccaneers’ stunning blowout win. Dive in! Plenty on the holiday buffet.

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

Click on through to shop at BillCurrieFord.com. Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is ready to help you PERSONALLY and give you the Ira Kaufman discount. Just ask! See their amazing O% financing offers right now.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

What a difference a day makes. December 10th to be exact.

That’s the day the Bucs rallied for a 29-25 victory in Atlanta. They haven’t been the same team since.

Just ask the reeling Jaguars, who were never competitive during Sunday’s 30-12 setback. That’s four consecutive losses for Jacksonville and four straight victories for Tampa Bay.

Had the Bucs lost to the Falcons that fateful afternoon, they would have dropped to 5-8, with seven losses in nine games. Todd Bowles would have been a dead man walking and Buc Nation would have turned their attention to a quarterback-rich draft. The Kyle Trask mob would have been howling for No. 2 to replace Baker Mayfield.

But that’s not what happened. Mayfield threw a game-winning TD pass to Cade Otton in Atlanta and the last two weeks has seen this offense and defense come together impressively. Suddenly, the Bucs have the look of a dangerous team. They can wrap up a third consecutive NFC South crown by sweeping the Saints next week and confidence couldn’t have been higher in the locker room after dismantling the Jaguars.

Talk about your changed narratives.

Buc Nation is warming up to Bowles, although it’s been a slow crawl. Mayfield has won over teammates, coaches and fans with his blue-collar approach and passion for the game. Three potential free agents — Mayfield, Mike Evans and Antonio Winfield Jr. — are making compelling cases to remain Buccaneers for 2024.

It could all come crashing down in the next two weeks, but that feels unlikely at the moment. Instead, it feels like this is a franchise that survived a midseason meltdown and came out stronger for the struggle. (more…)

BY IRA KAUFMAN

It’s the highest praise you can lavish on a Buccaneer defensive back … he’s playing like Rondé Barber. (more…)

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Episode 2 of this week is a passionate affair. Enjoy!

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

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Click above to shop now at Tampa’s first family of Ford, BillCurrieFord.com. Reach out to Ira’s friend and GM Sean Sullivan for a hearty JoeBucsFan discount, and remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles at Bill Currie Ford.

It’s a Thursday edition of Ira live at One Buc Palace. Plenty is on the mind of The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports.

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

BY IRA KAUFMAN

The Todd Bowles haters have been silenced — for now.

In replacing Byron Leftwich as the poster child for Tampa Bay’s struggles, Bowles has taken a lot of heat this season from disgruntled fans. But even the most fervent Bowles skeptics have to acknowledge the Bucs are playing winning football in December.

Sunday’s 34-20 triumph at Lambeau Field was a complete victory led by Baker Mayfield, Chris Godwin and a defense that made just enough plays to even the Bucs at 7-7, keeping them in control of their own playoff destiny.

It wasn’t like the Packers didn’t need the game, either. Green Bay’s postseason chances took a massive hit because the Bucs made big plays, winning plays, when it counted.

Every time Green Bay appeared to grab momentum, Mayfield answered with a long scoring drive that sapped the life out of Packer Nation. Tampa Bay overcame a costly early turnover and played mistake-free football for most of the final three quarters.

A third consecutive NFC South crown is within their grasp and the Bucs also have a legitimate shot at an NFC wild-card spot. The NFL standings suggest a 9-8 finish would be good enough for Tampa Bay to advance to the postseason.

And guess what? That scenario would also keep Bowles at One Buc Place for at least one more year. (more…)

Click on through to shop at BillCurrieFord.com. Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is ready to help you PERSONALLY and give you the Ira Kaufman discount. Just ask!

BY IRA KAUFMAN

He’s not going to win the award, but Baker Mayfield remains a compelling candidate as the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.

Although quarterbacks have won the honor in each of the past five seasons, there’s a safety in Buffalo who is the overwhelming favorite to end that streak. Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest on the field in January and was hospitalized for nine days after being resuscitated, has played three games for the Bills this season.

Hamlin figures to win the award going away and Mayfield’s odds are currently listed at 30-1. Other names in the mix include Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Flacco, but Mayfield has his own convincing story to tell through 13 games. (more…)

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Click above to shop now at Tampa’s first family of Ford, BillCurrieFord.com. Reach out to Ira’s friend and GM Sean Sullivan for a hearty JoeBucsFan discount, and remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles at Bill Currie Ford.

What a surprising week in Bucs annals. Ira is all over it with Joe. Enjoy!

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

Click on through to shop at BillCurrieFord.com. Stunning holiday season offers and GM Sean Sullivan will help you personally and give you an Ira Kaufman discount. Nationwide lifetime warranty on all new vehicles.

In “Magnum Force,” Clint Eastwood stares into the camera and utters one of modern cinema’s most memorable lines: “A Man’s Got to Know His Limitations.”

So does a football team. (more…)

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Click above to shop now at Tampa’s first family of Ford, BillCurrieFord.com. Reach out to Ira’s friend and GM Sean Sullivan for a hearty JoeBucsFan discount, and remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles at Bill Currie Ford.

Sage Ira is fired up as the Bucs march toward their biggest game of the year and franchise-changing decisions.

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

Click on through to shop at BillCurrieFord.com. Stunning holiday season offers and GM Sean Sullivan will help you personally and give you an Ira Kaufman discount. Nationwide lifetime warranty on all new vehicles.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Who says Simeon Rice was unblockable? Surely not the Pro Football Hall of Fame panel of selectors.

Once again, one of the most formidable pass rushers of his era has failed to make the list of 25 semifinalists. Four edge rushers — Jared Allen, Robert Mathis, Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers — were chosen to advance out of a long list of candidates, with Peppers expected to be elected to Canton in his first year of eligibility. (more…)

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BY IRA KAUFMAN

Take a good, hard look at your Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You won’t recognize ’em next season.

In tumbling to 4-7, the fumbling Bucs now must win at least five of their final six games to avoid another losing year. Does this team look capable of a run like that?

Hardly.

It’s time to face the music at One Buc Place, a funeral march toward major changes. Even another division title seems unlikely in the wretched NFC South as the Falcons and Saints are now each a game up with six weeks remaining.

Sunday’s 27-20 setback at Indianapolis followed a typical pattern: Tampa Bay fell behind early, made a fourth-quarter push and ultimately came up short.

The culprits this time around — poor run defense, a couple of key penalties and subpar pass protection. It’s hard to believe this club was once 3-1 and seemingly on its way to a third consecutive division crown.

Todd Bowles, now 12-17 since replacing Bruce Arians, contends the mistakes are correctable. What else can he say? (more…)

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Click above to shop now at Tampa’s first family of Ford, BillCurrieFord.com. Reach out to Ira’s friend and GM Sean Sullivan for a hearty JoeBucsFan discount, and remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles at Bill Currie Ford.

A must-listen for your long Thanksgiving weekend!

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

BILL CURRIE FORD IS OPEN DAILY! Shop now online and don’t forget to request the Ira Kaufman Discount. Nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Buc fans are hoping their misery is just a passing fancy.

During a 1-5 tailspin, the Bucs have apparently forgotten how to play pass defense. At times, it’s been downright embarrassing to see the gaps between opposing targets and the nearest Tampa Bay defender.

Now comes word that cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean might not be available for Sunday’s matchup at Indianapolis.

Can the backups do any worse?

Position coach Kevin Ross, who registered 26 interceptions in his first seven seasons as a Chiefs defensive back, has been preaching for years that Dean and Davis aren’t posting enough takeaways to be considered elite. (more…)

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Click above to shop now at Tampa’s first family of Ford, BillCurrieFord.com. Reach out to Ira’s friend and GM Sean Sullivan for a hearty JoeBucsFan discount, and remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles at Bill Currie Ford.

Put the earbuds or AirPods in and soak up a fast-moving edition of The Sage and Joe. Enjoy!

All the wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford! Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Podbean.com, Stitcher, too, and more.

Bill Currie Ford is one mile north of Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, and Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is Ira’s great friend. He’s ready to help you personally — and to give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of all their amazing deals. E-mail, call or visit Sean at the Bill Currie showroom.

Big Storm beer from Big Storm Brewing Co. is the official beer of the podcast. Try Florida’s best craft beer, especially Bromosa, their amazing tangerine IPA. Listening to Ira is fun, free and easy!

BILL CURRIE FORD IS OPEN DAILY! Shop now online and don’t forget to request the Ira Kaufman Discount. Nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Let’s not overthink this. The other team’s better. (more…)

BILL CURRIE FORD IS OPEN DAILY! Shop now online and don’t forget to request the Ira Kaufman Discount. Nationwide lifetime warranty on new vehicles.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Dave Canales may have just stumbled onto a plan to deep-6 the 49ers.

Without much expected help from a plodding ground game, Canales is looking for plays that can rattle the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense. (more…)