The Hype Is Real
May 30th, 2020
For those who follow Joe on Twitter, you may have read Joe’s tweet yesterday about expectations.
For those that didn’t, here is a brief summary:
Yes, we know all sorts of people from the national talking heads to local fans see the Bucs making the playoffs this year, the first time since 2007, a terrible drought.
Part of the thinking is the Bucs return one of the December’s best defenses in the NFL, return an offense stuffed with passing weapons, and they acquired future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski and the six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, park-violating, home-invading Tom Brady.
The hype for the Bucs has just been unreal, easily surpassing the splash Team Glazer expected from the Brady signing. Yes, the hype was fueled indirectly by The Sickness. With sports shut down across the globe, Brady and the Bucs’ headline-grabbing moves dominated chatter about on national and local shows.
(Even JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman was heard discussing Brady and the Bucs on Radio Toledo airwaves. Holy Toledo!)
Joe knew the hype was significant but yesterday learned it was for real while finally visiting a neighborhood barbershop after the state’s house arrest to battle The Sickness. Joe cannot remember being so happy to sit in a barber’s chair.
(Joe used to look forward to going to a barbershop on Fourth Street in St. Petersburg that offered free mass-produced domestic cans of beer while waiting for a haircut.)
Sitting in the chair, Joe noticed on the wall what looked like a (good) Dexter Jackson-signed Super Bowl XXXVII poster, the lone Bucs’ Super Bowl appearance. It was the last time the Bucs won a playoff game (how sad is that?).
Well, at second glance, Joe noticed the poster was actually a flag. That’s pretty cool. Unfortunately, the flag wasn’t exactly in mint condition. It looked like it needed to be placed in the laundry.
So Joe remarked to the barber he should frame that flag. “It’s getting old,” Joe said.
His reply?
“We’re getting a new one this year.”
For Joe, that was all the evidence necessary; the hype is real. Bucs fans fully expect a playoff berth or more this winter.
Don’t disappoint Joe’s barber, Bucs.
Expectations high: Went to barber this a.m. (whew), noticed he had a Dexter Jackson-signed Super Bowl XXXVII flag. Told him he may want to frame it because “it’s getting old.” Barber replied, “We’re getting a new one this year.”
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) May 29, 2020
May 30th, 2020 at 8:07 am
No pressure
May 30th, 2020 at 8:09 am
Awesome response by the Barber!!
May 30th, 2020 at 8:10 am
I really could care less about Brady or Gronk
What makes me happy this year is that we finally got rid of Jameis Winston
and the Bucs got rid of those god awful ugly alarm clock uniforms and returned back to the uniforms everybody likes and love.
Brady and Gronk was just icing on the cake honestly.
You stick any decent turnover-less non fumbling QB in the Bucs offensive system……….they will succeed. Thank Goodness Jameis Winston is gone.
May 30th, 2020 at 8:25 am
Anthem- well said!
May 30th, 2020 at 8:48 am
I’m all excited about the return of DARE!!!
May 30th, 2020 at 9:28 am
99.9 percent of fans are excited and they should be.
May 30th, 2020 at 9:42 am
Youngbuc, that’s right. There are the vocal few that seemingly wish for failure to fulfill some silly agenda of theirs. We all know what that’s about.
May 30th, 2020 at 9:50 am
Joe
Clay matthews on pat mcafee podcast
Said he would be interested in joining brady and bucs
We are light at outside linebacker
He played for 4 mil last year
So he could be had for 3-4 mil
Seems like a no brainer to me
In 13 games he had 8.5 sacks
Super bowl winner / leader/ hard worker/ great teammate
Sign him now.
May 30th, 2020 at 9:57 am
Twelve years ago, we started our fantasy football league. Our commissioner named the league “Bucs in 2020”. Just seems like destiny.
May 30th, 2020 at 10:40 am
I’m with TBBF. I shall be cheering big time for Dare O. Imagine..a walk on at Wisconsin as a DB he switches to RB…earns a scholarship and by his senior year was voted team captain.
His parents immigrated from Nigeria. Can you imagine the shocking change in their lifestyle from Nigeria to poor immigrant to enjoying an NFL salary for at least a year. And D.O. is not financial aid for his parents…his sister plays professional hoops for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA.
D.O. is the man…I might have to get his jersey. He is literally the guy from nowhere who makes it..NOTHING ever given him. Ya gotta love him.
May 30th, 2020 at 10:47 am
We’ll be lucky to be in the final hunt NEXT season. I just don’t see the Bucs being able to get it together quickly enough in what looks to be a truncated preseason.
They need more time to gel. Here’s hoping it happens through the course of the season with enough time left to make a solid run.
May 30th, 2020 at 10:56 am
Why, because he can wear a jersey? This in NFL. Not for long if you can’t play — or should be. This isn’t high school or college where they have walk-ons.
Like any player, Joe will fall in love with one when he produces.
May 30th, 2020 at 11:10 am
Bird:
When was this (Clay Matthews), recently?
May 30th, 2020 at 11:59 am
I’m ready for some football Joe!
May 30th, 2020 at 12:03 pm
I loved Gronk’s response to a question about his role.
Gronk catch football! Gronk run! Awesome caveman response. Special.
May 30th, 2020 at 12:14 pm
TheBucsAnthem Says:
Truth Bomb!
Yes! Jameis Christ is gone! Watching the Bucs with 1/3 the turnovers will be a joy to behold!
And, YES! Brady and Gronk are just incredible icing on the cake.
May 30th, 2020 at 12:38 pm
How much would it take to sign Clay Matthews and why has that not happened?
May 30th, 2020 at 1:12 pm
Not spending $3-4 million on banged up ole Clay Mathews or Devonte Freeman. You don’t pick up an all around RB in the third to sit on the bench at #3. And if we can’t afford Shaq next year I’m looking for LSU Devin White OLB team mate Michael Divinity to step up. Very good numbers in 13 games in 2018 and was suspended for 9 games in 2019. Could be Licht’s next UDFA diamond in the rough.
May 30th, 2020 at 2:40 pm
That “Brief summary” (Joes words, not mine) was significantly longer than your twitter post. Maybe the words should have been changed to “Lengthier explanation” instead.
May 30th, 2020 at 3:06 pm
I’ll take clay Matthews as a rotational piece
May 30th, 2020 at 3:51 pm
@Bucs Anthem, Cobraboy and SPBF:
Gotta love it!
Keep up the good work, fellas!
tickrdr
May 30th, 2020 at 5:50 pm
AWESOME POST!
Where on 4th Street? I used to live in Venetian Isles and should have known about that!
May 30th, 2020 at 6:07 pm
I take it that the barber meant “We are adding another flag along side of it this year Year.” and not replacing it.
Go Bucs!!
May 30th, 2020 at 6:14 pm
Regarding play on the field I understand your position Joe. You have a real tough attitude and you are playing a role as a guy wearing the “objective observer” hat as a journalist. Nobody should think Joe is an “objective observer.” Joe is a Bucs fan, has been for decades, and Joe cheers for the Bucs to win. Winning also is good for business, which is a nice bonus. –Joe
As a fan I love the DO story, too. I hope just for the fun of it that he succeeds at hanging around in the NFL. Of course I understand that he has to produce or he is gone no matter what his story.
May 30th, 2020 at 8:10 pm
Anyone watching the Bucs vs Ravens Superbowl on the NFL youtube channel tomorrow?
After simulating for all 32 teams, the Bucs and Ravens made it. Now the final game will be played by Godwin and one of the Ravens players.
May 30th, 2020 at 8:11 pm
Madden, of course.
May 30th, 2020 at 10:23 pm
Right next door to the famous cheeseburger joint/old man bar that used to have (not sure if they still do) the neon Busch/Cardinals sign in the front window.
Fridge was self-serve. But always stocked on Saturdays for customers. If there was a wait, they’d ask if you wanted a beer or a soda.
It was the only barbershop where Joe didn’t mind waiting. 🙂 Sat on a leather couch and watched one of the early B1G/SEC/ACC football games at noon or a baseball or basketball game and nursed a sluggish start to the day with a cold one.