Will The Fans Come Back?
October 4th, 2011
Bucs coach Raheem Morris celebrates last night's win with the fans.
Like a moron, Joe forgot to DVR the game last night. “This Joe” was at the game and wanted to hear what hopscotch act Chucky danced through the way he talks about how every player deserves a bust in Canton.
Joe also wanted to hear how the crowd noise came through on the boob tube. (Any day Joe can get away with the word “boob” in a post is a good morning.)
Joe was seated in the press box, the closed press box, which is OK with Joe. But damn, the crowd at times was loud, real loud. Reminded Joe of the old days with Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice bouncing to the music blaring over the PA system, waiting to pounce on their helpless prey: the opposing quarterback.
It would be nice if that type of crowd reaction becomes the norm again.
While arriving last night, Joe did a double-take when he saw his good friend John Cotey of the St. Petersburg Times in attendance. Like Joe, Cotey wonders once the hangovers have faded and the fans have recovered from a lack of sleep, if they will regularly return to the house that Sapp built?
But it was another, dare I say, thrilling Bucs win, the team’s 13th in its past 20 games, and the first in front of a full pirate ship of fans.
Like more than a few Bucs wins lately, it was three quarters of uneven play, mistakes, holding penalties and dropped passes, and then one glorious quarter of Josh Freeman lunging and LeGarrette Blount lumbering.
Did the Bucs make the most of their moment in the spotlight? That depends on the patience of fans and viewers.
Joe is of the mind that no, the fans won’t return in droves due solely to the game last night. What will bring the fans back is if the Bucs prove last night was not an aberration. If the Bucs continue to win, the fans will continue to return and if the Bucs do make a playoff run, another sellout or two is not out of the question.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:13 am
A win in SF which will be televised in Tampa at 4 pm, and a win at home against the Saints will do a lot to refill the CITS. Whats nice is the last two and the next two games are 4 pm starts which always garner more national attention. So, the buzz has started, listening to NFL on siriusxm all morning and definitely getting my air time this morning than we normally do. Everyone loves Josh, Blount and our D line.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:14 am
“are 4 pm starts” meant to say “are late starts”
October 4th, 2011 at 10:23 am
I bought two tickets off of stubhub…..with my current financial situation it was money that I probably should not have spent, but it was a special night (first time on Monday in 8 years, beautiful weather, Rays game on the Jumbotron, etc etc), and I wanted to be in the stadium supporting this team…..
We showed up around 3:30, fired up the grill, and got down….$15 to park in Al Lopez plus about another $50 for food/beer. No biggie, it’s all part of the experience. I’ve got my $100 Davin Joseph jersey and $30 Bucs hat on and a nice crisp fifty dollar bill in my pocket that I plan on spending on concessions throughout the evening.
About 7 o’clock we decide to go in the stadium and try to catch some of the Rays game. My buddy scans his ticket and he’s in…..mine doesn’t scan. They tell me I have to walk to the other side of the stadium to get it sorted out…..again, no biggie….I tell my buddy to go up to the seats and I’ll be there in 20 minutes tops
Well, to finish this story off they say my ticket is a fake…..a ticket that I bought on stubhub and printed out at the exact same time as my buddies ticket. First guy I spoke with told me I was SOL….I ask to speak to the manager. “What do you want me to do?” he kept asking.
“Well first I’d like you to go up to my seat and see if there’s anybody sitting there,” I say. He assures me they will (I wish you could see me rolling my eyes right now). Again he asks what I want him to do……I tell him to find me a ticket I can buy and I’ll deal with it tomorrow (today).
Bottom line, and to answer your question Joe……if this isn’t rectified I will never step into that stadium again and will never spend another cent on this team.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:52 am
Creamsicle:
Have you tried calling StubHub?
October 4th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
A win against the 49ers and Saints and you can expect the next Saints home game to be sold out. Even if we Just beat the 49ers and don’t lose horrifically to the Saints it may be enough.
Fans now know who the team is. Last year the crowd noise was low regardless of the game and situation. These last two games the crowd was louder than all hell. Fans are finally embracing this team. They getting to know the players.
They are starting to get familiar with the “new” style of Buc’s play. It will only get stronger as the year goes on, and so will our attendance.
October 4th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
@CBH Dude, that sucks big time! I am so sorry you had to deal with that. I would have ripped an arm/face off and been thrown in jail had they done me like that. Way to hold your composure. I hope it gets fixed for you, bro. No one deserves that crap. Especially when paying hundreds to go to an event.
October 4th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Joe…I’m not a Gru guy…I respect him and am thankful for the super bowl…Last night chucky was a class act when it came to the Bucs (team and organization)…he could have taken credit for drafting the Oline and getting Faine…he had the opportunity to gush about what he saw in Josh Johnson, etc.
The whole night he praised the organization and even announced how much $ the glazers have spent on various players…as if to say “look they are spending money”…he even said this product is worth coming out to support…Hell they should hire him as head of PR and ticket sales lol
October 4th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
“Creamsicle”…Had the same thing happen at a Rays game last year. Only we bought 4 tickets. You may have already found out from Stub Hub that the tickets weren’t “fake.” Their policy is that if someone outbids you at the last minute, your ticket that you just printed will be rendered null. You don’t find out until it’s too late. Stay away from Stub Hub. It sucks.
October 4th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Well here’s the update (been trying to post but mine aren’t going up for some reason right now….not sure if this one will make it but here goes)
Called StubHub and they were great…refunded my money immediately
Called the Bucs (prior to calling StubHub just so I could find out what they said the problem was)…..left a message at 9:30am for the gentleman who helped me last night at the ticket office. Have not, as of 5:45 heard back. StubHub was great the Bucs have not.
In truth, at this point the situation has technically been “righted.” I’ll admit to being a little disappointed that the team isn’t bending over backwards for one of their diehards….still upset that I missed the kickoff bc of this nonsense but in the grand scheme of things it’s not the end of the world….I just wish this organization would show the same dedication to their fans that their fans show to them