“I Don’t Buy The Idea That It Is Super Bowl Or Bust”
July 8th, 2022
Strange Tom Brady comment.
Joe is a big, big fan of the one and only Chris “Mad Dog” Russo of SiriusXM fame who now moonlights weekly on “First Dump,” seen on BSPN. But in this instance, Joe doesn’t know where Russo is coming from when he speaks about Tom Brady.
Russo last week debated former Bucs defensive tackle and current BSPN talking head Booger McFarland about Brady, the Bucs and the urgency of the 2022 season. Booger said it is Super Bowl or bust for Brady and the Bucs.
Seems reasonable to Joe, no? Of course anything less than a Super Bowl will be disappointing in what likely is Brady’s final season. But Russo wasn’t buying what Booger was selling.
If you listen to Russo closely (on the second or third time), it seems he’s saying Brady’s legacy will be untarnished if the Bucs fail to win it all this fall, whereas Booger noted the all-in nature of this season.
This makes sense, sort of, from Russo. Regular listeners to his radio show know he’s all about legacy talk. A quarterback cannot be considered elite without multiple rings. A coach is not among the greats unless he has three Super Bowl wins, etc. Russo rarely has a narrow focus of one season. He’s always looking at the big picture, a guy’s career or his Hall of Fame candidacy. Some call this “Old Man Radio.”
For example, Wednesday listeners of Russo were treated to a debate on who was a better first baseman, Lou Gehrig or Albert Pujols?
“Booger they won two years ago,” Russo said of Brady and the Bucs. “What, if Brady loses a playoff game we are going to look at this as a bad year or he had a bad career? Aw, absolutely no way. … I don’t buy the idea that it is Super Bowl or bust.”
So if Joe is reading Russo right, he’s right. Brady’s legacy is already set and established no matter what happens this season. But Booger is dead-on correct, too. This Tampa Bay season very much is Super Bowl or bust.
There will be no moral victories if the Bucs come up short and are staring squarely in the faces of Blaine Gabbert or Kyle Trask taking over for Brady in 2023.
The Bucs would then be “peering into the abyss,” as the great internationally renowned JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman would say.
July 8th, 2022 at 4:17 am
Every season that doesn’t end in a super bowl is a failure for the greats. Even if we the fans can enjoy a playoff appearance, Brady always plays for more. I just hope if we lose he doesn’t go somewhere else
July 8th, 2022 at 6:48 am
“Peering into the abyss” would be a lot more palatable with another Super Bowl ring.
July 8th, 2022 at 7:16 am
Grrrr… the Dead Season
July 8th, 2022 at 8:17 am
He looks like Sacha Baron Cohen playing Chris Russo in this picture
July 8th, 2022 at 8:18 am
One of the few times I agree with Russo. Brady’s legacy is already set in stone. He’s the greatest QB to ever play the game, period. What I don’t agree with is fans on this site, Ira, and Joe himself who think next year will be all gloom, and doom. It helps having a great QB like Brady, but Trent Dilfer has a SB ring! I’m not a Gator fan, but I watch college football. I saw how much better the Gators got when Trask replaced Fillippi. Made me think how the Gator coaches didn’t see he was the better QB from day one. People get it wrong. Bucs have a solid core of good players. They drafted Trask for the 2023 season, he’ll be ready, we’ll be fine.
July 8th, 2022 at 9:45 am
They are two completely separate issues. Yes, Brady’s legacy is set. TB is The Goat no matter if we win the SB this year or not.
At the same time, Licht and company and every single player on the Bucs know this is it for TB (or damn close to it), and do you think every one of them doesn’t know that? Is there one player on the Bucs that doesn’t know this is likely their best chance at another ring? One player who is NOT all in?
Russo and Booger are both right
July 8th, 2022 at 9:55 am
I’m sure someone will drag Bellicheat into the story if Brady and the Bucs don’t get far down playoff road.
Part of why Brady came here was to prove it wasn’t just the system that made him great.
There can be questions about the COVID year, so Brady’s legacy could still be put in doubt.
Brady isn’t going to l;et up this season. If it is in his power he will carry the team to the Stupor Bowl. The question is in how much it will take out of him; his balancing of the factors that ruin most players might come apart.
July 8th, 2022 at 10:03 am
For the majority of teams, it’s always Super Bowl or bust so I’m confused on that one. And Brady’s legacy was set years ago, so there’s no debating that.
July 8th, 2022 at 10:31 am
^^^^ with all due respect Craig, I disagree. TB’s legacy is rock solid and enhanced at this point and forever. If TB stayed in NE, the debate of TB vs the system would rage on forever. Here, TB took a losing franchise (albeit, what obviously had loads of talent) and won a SB. Then last year, brought us close to another – we lost thru no fault of TB, as he gave the Bucs an opportunity to beat the Rams.
Not taking anything away from Belicheat. He is a great coach. He waited until the middle of Rd 1 to possibly get a franchise QB. Give him a little time with Jones – I think he has a winner there.
July 8th, 2022 at 10:40 am
All Superbowl contenders are Superbowl or bust what’s the point of it if it isn’t.
July 8th, 2022 at 11:02 am
Hodad I’m always trying to stay positive but the Bucs franchise and Jason Licht are not going to hand Trask the ball from Brady (if in 2023), especially with a ton of FA or guys on one year deals after this year. I lmao when I hear Shannon Sharp trying to make a point we lost OJ Howard as a bad thing. Reefers.
July 8th, 2022 at 11:08 am
I think the way Joe says it makes good sense. Brady’s legacy is set. But for this team…this year? SB or bust.
July 8th, 2022 at 11:16 am
I mean we’ve been SB or bust since Brady signed his contract in Tampa. All Brady has done in his time here is built on his legacy AND helped put a rush job on the raising of standards Bruce Arians eluded to after being hired in 2019.
July 8th, 2022 at 11:27 am
Unlike the Jags, Jets, or Giants, who would be ecstatic just to make the playoffs, the Bucs (and this fan) will be disappointed without at least 2-3 playoff wins. Yes, this team is SB or bust this year due to expectations.
July 8th, 2022 at 11:28 am
I would have to say superbowl or bust in 2023 we are negative 60 mil in cap space with almost no contracts to rework. Brady legacy is already set in stone but one thing I do know if they go with Gabbert in 2023 we will have a top 5 pick in 2024.
July 8th, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Culpepper >> Booger.
July 8th, 2022 at 2:10 pm
@ @Craig. The COVID year was one of his greatest accomplishments in his career. He was coming into a completely new offense with no off-season. That’s no easy feat. How many other QBs would be able to overcome that adversity, especially after the slow start? His legacy is already set in stone.
People are just reaching for content, and any topic involving Brady is great for engagements and ratings.
July 8th, 2022 at 6:46 pm
Dooley. Elude and allude are completely different words.
July 8th, 2022 at 11:36 pm
Let’s have some effective goal setting. Several small goals have to be accomplished. Stay healthy. Focus on the next team. Be sure we’re ahead at the end of the first half. Every single game. Those goals lead to the playoffs. And maybe the Super Bowl. GoBucs.
July 9th, 2022 at 11:11 am
Agree Bucsfan 13
July 9th, 2022 at 4:05 pm
The 2022 season for Brady will rival and might even surpass the intensity and sheer force of will displayed by Brady and his Pats during the “revenge tour” season which culminated in that never before, never again 28 – 3 comeback to beat the Falcons in SB LI.
Sure, Brady had a chip the size of Mount Rushmore on his shoulder resulting ftom Goodell’s unsuccessful attempt to hobble Brady from winning another SB and his teammates played that 2016 season for him as much as for themselves as Goodell tried to take them all down.
But this season, likely Tom Brady’s last NFL season, is Brady’s last chance to outperform any of his previous stellar seasons. There will be a feeling of magic in the air, a building anticipation that all fans of football will witness something extraordinary this season. The soundtracks of “A Field of Dreams”, “Hoosiers”, and “The Natural” have been playing in my head since Brady unretired. “Unfinished business” indeed. A destiny with Fate. All the Bucs players will feel it, as well, as it will exude from Brady and infect them all. Tom Brady, by force of sheer will, by example and by unequaled leadership will make each of his teammates join him in playing the best season of football of their entire lives.
July 9th, 2022 at 5:38 pm
“staring squarely in the faces of Blaine Gabbert or Kyle Trask taking over for Brady in 2023”
You have a factual basis for saying that about Gabbert; you have no factual basis for saying that about Trask.