Those who live in the Miami area may, worried about being avoided by restaurants and country clubs, claim to be Dolphins fans, farm fins, and live underwater in their spare time. But Miami, like any other city in a state with multiple football teams, probably has its fair share of Tampa Bay fans. Perhaps these people once lived in Tampa Bay and moved to Miami. Maybe they grew up watching Tampa Bay or know someone who played for them. Perhaps, they (gasp!) would rather be a buccaneer than a dolphin. For Tampa Bay fans staying in the city of Miami, this article is one you’ll probably want to hack.
Every NFL team has its fair share of history and trivia. But, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers possess some of the most interesting curiosities out there. Those who disagree will have to walk the plank.
kings of the south: Tampa Bay is the only team in the NFC South to prevail as the Super Bowl Champion. Although Atlanta and Carolina have made it to the Super Bowl, they have yet to emerge victorious. New Orleans, on the other end of the spectrum, is one of the few teams that never made it to the championship.
The rich get richer: Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer also owns Manchester United, an English soccer team. Manchester United is considered the richest sports organization in the world.
oops: The 1976 Buccaneers are the only team in modern NFL history to lose every game in a season. Since the NFL went to a sixteen-game season in 1978, several teams have gone 1-15, but none have gone 0-16. During the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Baltimore Colts were winless, but did have a tie to go along with their eight losses.
It could go all the way… but it won’t.: The Buccaneers are the only team in the NFL to never have scored a touchdown on a kickoff return during a regular season game, a feat that, through the start of the 2006 season, other teams have accomplished more than 1,700 times. However, the Bucs have scored five touchdowns on kickoff returns during preseason games.
The curse of a pirate: No team that has lost a regular-season game at Tampa Bay has ever won the Super Bowl. This, due to its years of existence, is known as The curse of Tampa Bay and go after anyone who falls to the Bucs before the end of the season.
The hot weather factor: Until the final game of the 2002 regular season, in which Tampa Bay defeated the Chicago Bears in Chicago, the Buccaneers had never won a game in which the starting temperature was below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Before beating the Bears, the Bucs had lost the previous twenty games played in cold weather.
being realistic: The Bucs not only didn’t do well in cold weather, they also didn’t do well playing on artificial turf. They once lost 27 straight games played on artificial turf in outdoor stadiums. This losing streak spanned 15 years, from the 1980 season to the 1995 season.
Trainer Potatoes: Tony Dungy, who recently led the Indianapolis Colts to Super Bowl victory and previously served as the Buccaneers’ boss, has seen four people on his Tampa Bay coaching staff become head coaches. Herman Edwards, Dungy’s assistant, coaches the Kansas City Chiefs; Rod Marinelli, defensive coach under Dungy, coaches the Detroit Lions; Mike Tomlin, Dungy’s defensive coach, coaches the Pittsburgh Steelers; and Lovie Smith, linebackers coach under Dungy, coaches the Chicago Bears. The former Buccaneers coaches last met at the 2007 Super Bowl.
Tampa Bay may not be a team full of Super Bowl rings or hall of fame names, but it’s an interesting team nonetheless, and some Miami fans can’t help but applaud… even if it’s done quietly. .