Conditioned To Losing
October 24th, 2016
Bucs fans were on the verge of mental collapse in the first half.
You felt it. Joe felt it. Admit it.
When the Bucs were trailing 14-0 in the first quarter, you were looking for a bottle of cheap hooch. Your pet dog was cowering under the bed. Your wife began collecting potential projectiles and hid the remote.
You were about ready to walk out into the street and begin hollering to the sky, “I’m as mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
Bucs fans had good reason. The Bucs have been so downtrodden in recent years, been alley-beaten so many times, Bucs fans expected a loss trailing by two scores early.
Consider what data-driven Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times dug up: Of the 26 times the Bucs trailed by 14 after the first quarter, they lost 24 times. In fact, Bassinger noted the last 20 NFL games in which a team trailed by 14 points after the first quarter, that team lost 19 times.
So Joe can understand why fans were freaking out on Twitter yesterday in the first half wanting Dirk Koetter’s head on a platter. Well, sort of. They fully expected the Bucs to lose.
October 24th, 2016 at 5:16 am
My kids were definitely hiding all projectiles. I’ve launched all sorts of things at the TV in the pass.
October 24th, 2016 at 5:35 am
Well when all the Bucs do is crush your soul on Sundays can you blame anyone?
October 24th, 2016 at 5:46 am
Falling behind 14-0 early in the game is never a good thing. Bucs played well in climbing out of the hole they dug for themselves, but reality is that it was San Fran. Had it been the Broncos or the Pats the result would likely have been quite different. We just can’t keep doing that. Thought that our defense played a great game overall in nearly shutting down the 49ers after the 1st qtr, especially GMC and Will Gholston on the DLine. Bucs OLine rocked also.
October 24th, 2016 at 5:50 am
Oh yeah, myself and the few Buc fans that were watching the game together at the pub yesterday were wondering how bad the loss was going to be after Sideshow Bob went up 14 nil; 38-7,42-14, another beatdown ala Lovie’s 2015 debut (48-14)…. Amazed and happy that they got the W. BTW Joe I bet if you research a bit further you may find that while the Bucs probably are one of the few teams that have gotten the big lead like the Niners did and somehow found a way to lose like the way Lovie went vanilla and allowed a 24 point 2nd quarter lead to evaporate. Its seems like ancient history since Chuckie had this team playing +0.500 ball through most of his tenure. 0.500 is simply average but from where the Bucs have been under Lovie and Sciano it seems like a 11 or 12 win season to this fan who is so used to 1-5 or 0-6 starts after 6 games; that’s how low the bar has got for most of us Buc fans who are now conditioned into thinking a non 10 loss season is a successful season…..
October 24th, 2016 at 5:50 am
“We won a game yesterday, if we win one today that’s two in a row. If we win one tomorrow that’s called a winning streak…. It has happened before”
– Lou Brown, Major League
October 24th, 2016 at 6:00 am
We put a hurting on the chip Kelly led eagles. I had this game as a win just on that. I had LA Rams as a win, but had Carolina as a loss. I guess what I’m saying is, the score is exactly what I predicted ut would be after week 7. And my 8-8 prediction is now in the crosshairs.
October 24th, 2016 at 7:45 am
Yeah, I almost turned the DVR off ad asked myself why am I recording this ish
October 24th, 2016 at 7:47 am
You know Joe, you bring up a good point. Have to give Koetter credit for sticking with his game plan and establishing the run. Smart. He could have panicked, some coaches definitely would have.
October 24th, 2016 at 8:22 am
Wow, I thought we were going to be thin at running back this year behind DM and CS. Hats off to Dirk and JL for getting adequate legs in town when both went down with injuries. I know it was the 49ers Defense but all three runners looked great behind that line. PB, J Quizz and Antone were awesome and looked very fresh.
I feel sorry for Sweezy as I don’t think he will start. How much of his contract is guaranteed? Our OL is good, on the verge of being mentioned like Dallas. For those guys to get 250 yards on the ground was great. With Oakland, Falcons and Bears coming to town we might have have DM back and have a feild day against those run defenses.
October 24th, 2016 at 8:38 am
I was ready to throw in the towel at 14-0. They lose that game 9/10 times in the past 10 years. I think this might be a different team.
I’m glad I was wrong.
Go Bucs!
October 24th, 2016 at 10:11 am
I was pissed when Jameis’ pass got tipped then picked, and then Mike Evans went down after getting blasted on the side. Thank God he came back in the game.
October 24th, 2016 at 10:18 am
Man, you hit the nail on the head here, joe! Ask any long-time Bucs fan that question….shaking head. The offense won this ballgame. DK is building an offense that will rival our SB defense. Won’t that be a HOOT, fellow long-suffering Bucs brethren!! 🙂
October 24th, 2016 at 10:42 am
I like Koetters enthusiasm when the Bucs are clicking. Big smiles and excitement and genuine emotion by the coach is uplifting. Not the cold statue look from the recent past.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:37 am
“You felt it. Joe felt it. Admit it.”
I never doubted that we would win with 32+ points. Never doubted.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:39 am
orlbucfan Says
“The offense won this ballgame.”
Actually, the defense locked them out from scoring TDs after those 14 points, so I would say both sides of the ball won the game. They also stopped Jameis’ pick from turning into a TD.
October 24th, 2016 at 11:49 am
And why not? Joe is correct. Bucs fans are conditioned to losing. Bucs have existed for what 40 yrs? Out of those 40, we have had what? Somewheres between 10 or 11 winning seasons? Yep, I’m conditioned. And over those yrs, I’ve used Bucs games as an excuse to get..snockered, Zuteed, And drunk past the twilight zone. Because when you watch a bucs game, you never know who or what teams gonna show up! We have now won 2 in a row? If we win 3, I’ll probably go into my..Fred Sanford imitation with, Its the big one Elizabeth!!