“I Guess People Just Don’t Like Us”
May 28th, 2025
Lots of theories flow about why the Bucs are usually disrespected on a national stage. Many Bucs fans and officials have become so obsessed with the reality they can’t think clearly at times.
Consider Lavonte David was asked during his sitdown with ESPN’s Mina Kimes why the Bucs keep winning through all kinds of change, including at quarterback. The on-screen graphic even read, “Why are the Bucs able to exceed expectations?”
Yeah, Kimes previously mentioned the Bucs often get “slept on” by pundits, but she clearly was asking David why the team has become a perennial winner, not at all about disrespect.
David, like most Bucs fans, seemed to have brain seize at the hint of media not feeling Tampa Bay.
“I don’t know. It’s very confusing, though, right?” David replied.
“We’re always doubted. We never be picked to make the playoffs or whatever. But somehow we always end up in there, end up in the thick of things at the end of the season. I guess people just don’t like us. You know, I don’t know why, man. We’re a humble organization. We got a lot of great players. You know, it’s good, though, it’s good. We like having that underdog mentality. That’s who we are. We have a bunch of underdogs on our team. A lot of guys with a tremendous amount of talent, with a lot of guys with a lot of heart who battle week in and week out with each other.”
Joe would love to lead a panel discussion on the Bucs’ image nationally and then see a Bucs-loving nerd write a thesis on the subject.
There are so many reasons and potential reasons why the Bucs get more disrespect than most teams or are routinely underestimated and underappreciated.
Lately, Joe would point quickly to a poor record in high-profile night games, quiet superstars, a somewhat boring head coach and an inexplicable, systemic disbelief in Baker Mayfield.
Over time, Joe thinks the Bucs also are recovering from six years of the worst uniform choice mankind has ever known, as well as the endless malaise of The Lost Decade. A fan base that won’t vote hard to get its players in the Pro Bowl creates a negative vibe, too, along with Bucs home games featuring legions of out-of-town fans.
May 28th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
The perceived lack of respect by the pundits is easier to understand than the complete lack of respect of many so called fans commenting here.
May 28th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
I think you hit on all points. Yes not only the list decade, but before Dungy, Gruden and the gang, the Bucs were appropriately the Yucs!!!. Yes the Bucs play bad In prime time!! The Bucs are a small market and the past they have been a poor organization that was run poorly from the ownership down. I think you need more fans buying tickets so the stadium doesn’t fill up with fans for the opposing team. You won’t see that in Philadelphia, New York, Greenbay Kansas City and so on.
However lately Licht is starting to get props as 1 of the better GM’s and Ownership too. With that said they now also have a prolific offensive that can score points. Yes David is a tragedy I think due to the lost decade. If they can have a great year this year and win some of the high profile games, things may change. However, if this turns out to be a not so good year people will say, same old Bucs.
May 28th, 2025 at 5:43 pm
It is simple jealousy-they do not live in Tampa Bay and we do.
May 28th, 2025 at 5:49 pm
Funny, people outside of Tampa used to love the Bucs when they were the most losing franchise in all of sports.
May 28th, 2025 at 5:57 pm
It’s the national perception that the almighty Tom Brady lifted the Bucs out of the dumpster and hoisted them upon his back and led them to glory and once he was gone they would fall back into the trenches of mediocrity. Hell, before his arrival, even Ring of Honor Bruce Arians couldn’t even lead them to a winning season. Only the nationally hated upon Mayfield and Bowles have been able to do that as many times in their two years together as the franchise has been able to accomplish without Brady since Gruden was fired.
May 28th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
It’s some of those things Joe but this league and world is fickle. We got no press as the team was build until Brady got here and all the talk about who was most important to the PATRIOTS Brady Or Belicose, I mean Belichick, nothing about the Bucs. Got some funny stuff early, Brady in the wrong house and all but at the end of the year who was laughing last? Then the end drama and that’s it for the Bucs. The bigger markets in the East, even though collectively they stink, Cowboys cause Jones is ALWAYS in front of a mike, 2000’s equivalent to PT Barnum is the reason is some of it. And seemingly the hot hand gets the news. Alice Cooper said about his shows as they got more extravagant that people would rather go see a plane crash than a circus, and to a large extent he’s right. Just look at the boobs and click bait.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:01 pm
Nothing wrong with Boobs mind you……
May 28th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
Once we climb out of the bottom of all time win percentage I think we will start to be more respected.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Another Super Bowl would help too. Also having a few years of dominance in our division would also help along with putting up a few double digit win totals.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:09 pm
Well, a lot of people don’t know when or how to vote. Perhaps a little assistance from all the Buccaneer pundits, web sites, and blogs would flip the tide of “Buc fans” voting at the least.
Help us, help them etc. Make a thing of it with Much More Fanfare.
Could be the largest voter block ever if it’s proposed in a strong light. Right?
May 28th, 2025 at 6:17 pm
I think a big reason is we get into the playoffs by barely winning a very mediocre division. Last season was our first 10 win season in a few seasons. We had a 13 wins season after the super bowl but it’s been just enough to squeak by since then. I’m not blaming anybody, we had major vacancies for multiple reasons at our interior o line and then we are in cap hell post super bowl in Brady. And last year was all about the injuries.
This year we stay healthy, we have a chance of that 12 to 14 wins but the defense has to be markedly better and injuries have to be minimal.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:19 pm
As a transplant and not a regional native (who still spends time up north) I can say that no one that I know disrespects us. There’s a natural media tendency to not care at all about any region unless it’s northeast, Chicago, LA, Bay Area or cowboys (not Texas, the cowboys. No one cares about Houston). Shit….even GB only gets a moderate about of love nowadays.
If you’re a market like ours you have to go on a serious run. Like KC type of run. Division titles don’t matter to the fickle media. They want eyeballs and advertisers .
May 28th, 2025 at 6:28 pm
Winning in Primetime will win fans or at least respect.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:31 pm
People outside of the Bucs fans can KISS YOUR ASSES GLAZERS. I will come down there and I’m some others will be there to make sure of it. If I’m right you guys weren’t really football people when y’all’s father bought the team. Wasn’t he coming to Tampa and decided to give it a shot ?? Anyway Culverrhouse didn’t really make the team very at all after the first few seasons. You guys got Brady here and all that he asked for. Never did that ever happen before. I remember when they had bloopers and Jimmy Giles was trying to pick up the wet football and run with it but couldn’t get a handle on it. all we the Bucs were was a joke. Not with you guys anymore. And please no more creamcicles just the all pewter ones. Let’s Go Bucs !!!!
May 28th, 2025 at 6:34 pm
Not dominating and winning in prime time games does that also.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:37 pm
NOT THIS YEAR
Most people are picking the Bucs as the 2nd or 3rd best team in the NFC in 2025. I haven’t seen lower than 4th in the NFC.
I read an article yesterday that had the Bucs challenging for best record in the NFC.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:51 pm
“A fan base that won’t vote hard to get its players in the Pro Bowl creates a negative vibe, too, along with Bucs home games featuring legions of out-of-town fans.”
What can be added to that? Our fans may complain some but, many are not zealous.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
Giving reporters sun poisoning when they come to rayjay probably doesn’t help either. Go Bowles!
May 28th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
I agree with BakerFan and Inwoodjeremy. You HAVE to win in Prime Time on the national stage. Not only win, but dominate. Having a coach with a big personality (Gruden and Arians) helps too, but does not mean you get respect, just a little more conversation on the talking heads shows.
May 28th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
An article on disrespect, and no Rodney Dangerfield mention?
May 28th, 2025 at 7:04 pm
We don’t need the head coach to be over the top we have Gruden back and Ric Flair for that
May 28th, 2025 at 7:18 pm
Riches to rags to riches QB story
HoF WR
Godwin
Bucky
Vita
Win Jr
The national media would be over the top if they were Giants or Cowboys
May 28th, 2025 at 7:29 pm
I voted twice in the Pro Bowl. We need more hype here when it comes around this year.
May 28th, 2025 at 7:43 pm
We just need to give “them” a reason.
It starts soon.
May 28th, 2025 at 7:50 pm
prolly just nobody thinks bowles can do it. doubt it’s about disrespecting the players who are clearly above average
May 28th, 2025 at 8:13 pm
When people outside of Florida think about Florida they thing of sand, water, beaches, fish AND mosquitos, cockroaches, snakes, alligators, heat and humidity. They don’t think of football teams or other sports. This is even when the teams are good.
Unless you are in the travel industry the hell with them. Enjoy your positive attributes and try and fix your negatives- -you do have them.
May 28th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
Folks need to re-read what Lavonte told Mina Kimes in that interview. And especially …
“We’re a humble organization. We got a lot of great players. You know, it’s good, though, it’s good. We like having that underdog mentality. That’s who we are. We have a bunch of underdogs on our team. A lot of guys with a tremendous amount of talent, with a lot of guys with a lot of heart who battle week in and week out with each other.”
LVD nailed it. Does no good to pee & moan about why the national media seems to pay more attention to some teams than to others. Nothing they write is gonna win us another Super Bowl.
May 28th, 2025 at 8:28 pm
People love drama and dysfunction; it makes great sports talk. The Bucs are a solid respectable organization who doesn’t draft low character players. Antonio Brown would have never been signed without Brady. Plus we are in the NFCS and won a division with a losing record 3 years ago lol.
May 28th, 2025 at 8:37 pm
It’s a Bucs life…
May 28th, 2025 at 9:48 pm
The Bucs were a joke before Dungy…but the media turned on the Bucs the night packed his SUV in the rain.
May 28th, 2025 at 9:56 pm
“We never be picked to make the playoffs or whatever.”
A real Mensa member there. No wonder the defense is so terrible.
May 28th, 2025 at 11:38 pm
‘somehow we always end up in there’
Somehow?…. 1 of the worse divisions and still struggle to beat 3 sorry in division teams…
‘somewhat boring head coach’
Subpar and easily outcoached in meaningful games!
May 29th, 2025 at 12:01 am
trolly? smh
May 29th, 2025 at 12:12 am
The head coach matters. The Bucs have a brilliant Chief HR Executive who also tries to do two 90 hour a week jobs with one 90 hour a week effort. The defensive guru leads one of the worst defenses in the league over the last two years. Lost twice to Kirk’s Cousin when he sucked against everyone else. Gags in prime time and at the end of games. Gave Tom Brady the only losing record of his whole life.
The national media has the Bucs exactly at what their HR guru has earned them.
May 29th, 2025 at 7:09 am
The national media is doing us a favor. We can just play ball. The New York and Chicago teams suck because they are playing tight under such intense media scrutiny.
May 29th, 2025 at 7:52 am
It’s about trust. There’s nothing to trust about this team and its consistency. We simply thrive as underdogs. We are at our best when no one sees us coming. Need examples? Last season, we get a little hype after a 2-0 start, even beating the favored NFC Super Bowl Contenders in their house, then we get throttled by the 0-2 Broncos at home against a rookie QB. We beat the breaks off a hot Chargers team, we lose to a bad Cowboys team the next week in Primetime. Speaking of which, we go into some of these primetime matchups, where we are favored, all the color commentors pick us to win, then we lose the game. Time and time again we play down to inferior teams. Dare we talk about the mid-season slumps?
And, no one wants to hear this, but Baker is a contributor to this skepticism and lack of national media respect. If we had Brady this season, even at 47/48 yrs old, with this roster, you don’t think we’d be getting the national media hype? And why? Consistency, Brady is a proven winner. Baker is much like this team and what we’ve seen the last 2 seasons…he’s a .500 guy, first round playoff one and done QB. That is what he has shown us so far despite everyone on here thinking he’s a top 10 QB. Despite my comments, I’m not hating on Baker, he’s our best option right now, and I like making the playoffs, regardless of the outcome.
I’m amazed the lack of skepticism this fanbase actually has… I get it, we filled a lot of needs this offseason, and yet we really don’t know what we are going to get until the first few games of the season are played. We’re hoping for a lot of guys to finally step up and be game changers. Like every season, I hope this one will be different.
May 29th, 2025 at 8:12 am
First impressions are hard to overcome, and beginning your first 25 yrs as the sports franchise (all sports) with the worst win percentage sticks with people.
The rest is on the fan base, as Joe points out. Especially,
Tampa is not really a blue collar Steelers-type of town where the fan base grew with the NFL as a low cost family entertainment option, where the fans identified with a team named after their job and was the only thing to cheer about in a soot filled town (titles helped too). And it’s not really a white collar town, DC-esque, where season tix are generational inheritances used to schmooze out of town clients or photo ops to show our politicians and foreign dignitaries as common folk. No, Tampa has traditionally been more a transient-snowbird-base town and those folks tend to carry with them the teams they rooted for as kids. I can relate as a diehard Buc fan transplanted into enemy territory and I embrace the orange so us diehards can easily sports one another behind enemy lines. My advice, stop whining, show up, support your team/players, vote, and BUY DAVID’S JERSEY and try to get on tv/jumbotron wearing it
May 29th, 2025 at 8:20 am
Joe, I’d be interested to see a flash poll to see how many people have Bucky and/or Mayfield jerseys vs David’s
May 29th, 2025 at 8:43 am
Maybe it is time for Bucs fans and the team to drop the underdog attitude. Winners have a winning attitude every game.
May 29th, 2025 at 9:25 am
I feel like the 2nd Super Bowl trophy should have moved us into the level of teams. But the national media doesn’t care or doesn’t agree.
May 29th, 2025 at 9:47 am
No one is as disinterested in the Buccaneers as Joe Buck & Troy Aikman.