“It Is The Bucs”

May 31st, 2020

Talks pressure on Tom Brady.

It is sad to think how far the Bucs have come from being afterthoughts in the NFL.

Oh sure, now with park-violating, home-invading Tom Brady on board, many people think a run to the Super Bowl inevitable. The hype train is long and loud. Almost overnight the Bucs have become the “It” team.

One guy who doesn’t seem quite ready to go all-in on Super Bowl talk for the Bucs is the one and only Chris “Mad Dog” Russo of SiriusXM.

In the post-Chucky era, the Bucs have been a woebegone franchise that just cannot seem to get out of its own way. And it might be a struggle for Brady, no matter his glowing resume, to get the Bucs to the postseason much less a Super Bowl.

In a question-and-answer session with Steve Serby of the New York Post, Serby asked Russo about the pressure on Brady to win immediately.

Q: Is there more pressure now on Tom Brady with Tampa Bay or Bill Belichick?

A: It is Tampa, if he [Brady] doesn’t play well, people will chalk it up, well he’s 43 years of age, what do you expect? … I would put more pressure on Belichick.

That’s where the Bucs are in the NFL landscape. People expect the Bucs to be a playoff factor. But if Brady cannot get this team over the hump, “Eh, it’s Tampa. Don’t blame Brady.”

Joe recently interviewed Russo about the Bucs. He watches a lot of Bucs games, in part, because his son is a college student in Tamp and Russo makes several trips to Tampa as a result.

The Bucs just can’t seem to handle success, Russo told Joe; when the team has a good season and you think they may have turned the corner, they always fall apart.

It’s a helluva point. In 2011, the year after the Bucs won 10 games, the team crashed to the bottom after a 4-2 start. In 2016, coming off only its second winning season of the Lost Decade, the team imploded and resumed its usual spot in Buccaneers Cove, last place in the NFC South.

With expectations high, can this team finally get its act together?

19 Responses to ““It Is The Bucs””

  1. Howard Cosell Says:

    “Eh, it’s Tampa. Don’t blame Brady.”

    Get this framed and hang it behind the Glazers desks.
    They’ve now owned the team longer than Boss Hogg.

    Boss Hogg Culverhouse – 23 years
    “Team” Glazer – 25 years and counting

  2. Howard Cosell Says:

    1995 – 2000 was awesome work. After that it became a mockery of an NFL team

  3. Sport Says:

    Solid coaching staff (best since Gruden)
    Multiple years with solid offensive stats
    2 amazing receivers (one a path to the Hall)
    Improving defense
    GOAT QB
    HOF TE

    Reduce
    Turnovers
    Penalties
    Crappy Special Teams

    =‘s No repeat of ‘Bucs Can’t handle success’

    BELIEVE!!!

    Go Bucs!!!

    In BA I Trust!

  4. Clay Says:

    Russo is Nu Yawk guy. Hates everything Belichick, Brady and Patriots. By extension he now will pass gas on the Buccaneers. Forgedaboudit. He’s nothing.

  5. kyle Says:

    I love the hype and all, its really helped through all of this corona nonsense. That being said, Im hoping the bucs can compete for a wildcard spot this year with the expanded playoff format. Its going to be very difficult for this team to hit the ground running when the season starts, the lack of an off season training program is a problem. Im looking for this team to be playing good football in November and December and making a run at a 9-7 season. I think 2021 is the bucs year!!

  6. Alanbucsfan Says:

    2011-
    receivers were A Benn and M Williams, McCoy injured and the Defense was horrible 2nd 1/2 of season.

    2017 (2016- Bucs went 9-7) Swaggy Baker? JR Sweezy? They let B McDougald go? Injuries – Hargreaves, Marpet, Jameis

    2020- All pro receivers, future HOF’s Brady and Gronk, 1st round pick at RT, best DLine since SB year, totally revamped talented secondary, great LB’s – White and David , kicking game?

  7. ir8oldman Says:

    There is reason for optimism, legitimate optimism at that. More positive attitudes. Less of Kobe Faker, sheep, and incessant ruminating over the most recent QB who is now a backup to the backup, and the Bucs will change that view that the talking heads/ beat reporters have. We have deserved it, no question about that. But like the weather, that can change.

  8. Leighroy Says:

    Great point ir8. “America’s 3rd string QB” will get far less reps than Sean Payton’s mini Tim Tebow. Will Jameis even play a down outside of the preseason (if there is one) unless Brees gets hurt?

  9. Jean Lafitte Says:

    We’re gonna change that perception of Tampa Bay this season when our guys make it to post season. When we’re in the playoffs anything can happen and with Brady’s experience I like our odds. I have way more confidence with this “Old Man Brady” offense than I did with the “ATM Winston” offense.

  10. Ron Says:

    Pressure is a strange element in that both Brady and Belichick will do the same things that they are custom to doing. Now the chemistry with the players around them will be different as Tom is coming to a team on paper looks better but will the Buc players gel with him, if this occurs then that is great, but if it doesn’t than the pressure is for Brady to try to find another way than a way he knows is successful and has produced championships hopefully he doesn’t do that and strives to raise the players around to what he knows to be right. While Belichick has a system and a nucleus of players who know this system which has produced championships, so he needs to find a quarterback who can manage this system as well as Brady did which is extremely hard to do in tight games as a timely first down or score can change the outcome of most of those games and for a person to get the best out of the player he has against a elite defense is tough. The patriots will win games defensively and games that the offensively goes smoothly it is the games that both sides of the ball are being challenge is what will determine what type of team they will be and this is the same as the Bucs, Bowles has set a good defense and it on it own merits can win games for us as Brady won’t give games away. I am just hoping on the offensive side that our players are able to have the chemistry and poise to trust Brady and Brady has the ability to trust himself when things seem off cause he has shown himself to be a champion so hopefully he does not let either success or failure those two imposters change him instead of trusting himself.

  11. Oneilbucs Says:

    Jamies is not a 3rd string quarterback . Lol lol you people are so stupid with the hate yall have for Jamies . The guy yall keep thinking is the number 2 quarterback is a gadget guy. Wich means he’s not the second string quarterback . All I know is this one true fact about our team is that we never developed a quarterback in the history of this franchise . And I remember Brees years with the San Diego . He had 76 interceptions and became a hall of fame quarterback under Sean Payton . So nobody knows what’s going to happen with Jamies or with a 43 year old quarterback that can’t move .

  12. Alvin Scissors Harper Says:

    Oneilbucs, do you pay your 3rd stringer in NOLA something like 16M? Hill’s contract is something like that as I recall. Face it, Jay Miss is the 3rd stringer and for good reason.

  13. gp Says:

    Hey Joe’s
    A little off topic, but this might rate a little bit of a write up
    Churches are beginning to open again all across America.
    Joined a service myself this morning.

    The story?

    Most churches are enclosed spaces not known for adequate ventilation.
    With crowds not to exceed 25% capacity to begin with. Face masks and social distancing required. A little bit of chanting and subdued prayer(no foot stomping or yelling please).
    It’s kind of a test bed to see if it might be safe to allow fans into a stadium to watch a game.
    Three months of data to compile before the season starts!

  14. 3rdGenNative Says:

    What does 2011 and 2016s teams have to do with 2020?? They were completely different teams, players, and coaches. Using that logic, lets say they will win because of what the 2002-2003 team did. SMH

  15. Miller5252 Says:

    Yeah I don’t think you pay a gadget QB 21 million with 16 guaranteed. Jameis got what?? Couple mil?? This has nothing to do with hating on Jameis and the thought that the Saints have found the future in Hill. Hill looks like he can be in that new type of QB that scrambles to pass down the field. The Saints seem to really think they’ve found something great in Hill and Jameis is there to try and get better. 5 years of work from Jameis and Hill gets paid more…..

  16. Stanglassman Says:

    Didn’t this guy beat a stripper to death outside Bada Bing in Jersey?

  17. Mike Johnson Says:

    I just hope Buc fans are not disappointed. The hype for this season has been, off the chain so to speak. Hope is a terrible thing..not realized. That’s why I will just wait to see the actual games played.. No matter who you got on your team, you still gotta produce wins. You cannot speak them. They must materialize. That’s the best thing about the NFl. You cannot hide behind talk. Wins are all that matters.

  18. Oneilbucs Says:

    Mike Johnson I agree with you bro I will believe it when I see it . Brady haven’t threw 1 pass for us yet and everyone is going crazy about Brady and we don’t know what’s going to happen .

  19. Stanglassman Says:

    I’m sure I’m in a minority here but I’d be just as optimistic about this season with Jameis coming back for his 2nd year in the system. Having him and the WRs heathy with all the defense playing better and intact with a solid draft I’d be felling pretty good about our chances making a deep playoff run. With Brady and Gronk they should be pretty tough to beat also just with a much smaller window.