Obscure Stat Shows How Far Things Fell For Bucs
February 2nd, 2026
Baker Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs lead the Tampa Bay Lightning into The Licht House for the NHL’s Stadium Series game between the Lightning and Boston Bruins on Sunday.
Joe hates to remind Bucs fans of how the season ended. But the following nugget shows how this team has to be better when it matters the most.
The Bucs, as we all know, jumped out to a 6-2 record to start the season — then proceeded to lose seven of their final nine games and blow an NFL South division lead and a playoff berth.
#Sad
Now you may have heard that The Licht House last night hosted an NHL game. It was part of the NHL’s Stadium Series, in which the NHL holds a game or two each year in a football or baseball stadium.
It was the first time the Lightning hosted an outdoor game. The weather certainly cooperated because it was almost hockey weather. It needs to be a little colder to have hockey games on local ponds and lakes, though.
The game was a spectacle. The Lightning embraced the Bucs by using a pirate theme for the game. Before the game, Baker Mayfield and left tackle Tristan Wirfs, decked out in Lightning jerseys, led a parade of Lightning players into the stadium as those Lightning players wore Bucs creamsicle uniforms to honor the Bucs before the game.
The Lightning trailed by four goals to the Bruins last night but rallied to win in overtime. It was a fun game.
Hey, at least the Lightning can win (briefly) wearing the creamsicles.
After the game, Nick Wize of WDAE-AM 620 had a depressing stat connecting the Lightning and the Bucs.
That stuff has to change, obviously. If the Bucs are going to return to the playoffs in 2026, and perhaps in the process save Todd Bowles’ job, the Bucs likely will need to win more than one game in The Licht House after Dec. 1.
It can’t just be the local NHL team, one that plays a home game there every 12 years.
The @TBLightning have arrived in full @Buccaneers gear 😎
Watch the 2026 @NavyFederal NHL #StadiumSeries TONIGHT at 6:30p ET on @espn, @Sportsnet and @TVASports! pic.twitter.com/5mPnjY29bf
— NHL (@NHL) February 1, 2026
February 2nd, 2026 at 4:50 am
Den of depression last season, no question about it. That won’t change until Bowles and Licht are finally gone.
February 2nd, 2026 at 5:47 am
Why did the Lightning choose those unis. Why wear those uni’s???? Those have loser all over them. They may look decent, but as a lifelong Bucs fan since 1976, they are LOSING unis. This year the Bucs wore those 1976 wites and for most of the year they looked very much like 1976 Bucs that the fans from then had to endure. Enough of those things, wear the SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JERSEYS, RED or White Either one is fine, becuase it represents a CHAMPION not a LOSER
February 2nd, 2026 at 6:42 am
Todd Bowles is a fraud and the Glazers are straight up cowards for not doing the obvious thing after the last game.
February 2nd, 2026 at 6:43 am
The Errol Flynn pirate will live in infamy for eternity=YEAH CREAMSICLE!!!
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:24 am
Lightning are the best sports franchise in the nation. Even the creamsicles can’t defeat them!
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:51 am
Not only did they win , they came back from a near impossible 5-1 deficit to do it. Grit, determination, skill, a little luck, a goalie fight! WTF? They never gave up. That is the lesson. Go Bucs, go Bolts!!!
February 2nd, 2026 at 7:53 am
There is nothing wrong with the Bucs old uniforms never forget 1979. The play is what counts
February 2nd, 2026 at 9:42 am
Bolts have a coach who has been willing to learn , grow and adapt ,,, Cooper will be a hall of famer
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:07 am
A real coach knows how to coach a team and make them winners. Even with a slew of injuries to the starters. That’s the difference between Cooper and Bowles.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:18 am
Im glad other posters had the same thought, coaching! Coop is the Lightning.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:19 am
I am with August 1976 Buc on the creamsicles. The Bucs are horrible when they wear them, their record is about as good in them as it is when Bowles is coaching a primetime game. I get the fact that the Glazers want to sell these hideous reminders of bad seasons every year but why can’t they just go retro with the 1997 uniforms when the Bucs broke the creamsicle curse and won their first playoff game since 1979? Good to see Baker and Wirfs showing their Tampa pride, I guess it was bit too chilly for Bucco Bruce to come up from Key West to march in with the Lightning. I would love it so much if the Glazers announced that they are permanently retiring the creamsicles and as for Bucco Bruce, they just let him stay retired down in Key West with his significant other…. It is not going to happen though, not as long as people continue to buy those relics from losing football.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:40 am
The Glazers could learn a thing or two (or three or four-hundred) from Jeff Vinik. Just saying.
February 2nd, 2026 at 10:47 am
41 at puck drop 37 after shootout Victory!
What an experience it was Awesome!
Go Boltz! Go Bucs!
February 2nd, 2026 at 11:01 am
I feel confident in writing, 95.3% of Bucs fans do not want to “save Todd Bowles job”.
February 2nd, 2026 at 11:07 am
Who cares if Bucs missed playoffs? That team was heading nowhere and at least they moved up in the draft. Hopefully, they can figure out a deal to get one of Ohio State’s linebackers.
February 2nd, 2026 at 11:10 am
If you are entering a season trying to save the HC\DC job, then you are already conceding defeat.
Another mid season is the last thing this organization needs.
Perhaps the Glazers are hoping for a tanking in 2026 to cut some drift wood, get a top five draft pick, and snag a franchise QB.
As long as they stay silent all we can do is guess and speculate.
February 2nd, 2026 at 11:19 am
Gipper. Yep. One of those linebackers. Man, imagine if we had gotten Emmanwori last year. Egbuca was a good choice but now – best available Defensive player- every round.
February 2nd, 2026 at 11:38 am
You hollered awful loud for Emmanwori last year Gipper. We oughta listen on that pair of linebackers. Emmanwori is a finalist for AP defensive rookie of the year. He’s been a cornerstone of the Seahawk defense as a rookie. Last week he had 3 key pass breakups on Stafford and about 5 bone crushing tackles. He didn’t really get started til his 5th game- and it was against us. Hasn’t left the field since. A couple of players like that and maybe we can turn this thing around.
February 2nd, 2026 at 11:43 am
I’m watching the fantastic Kay Adams interview with Joe Flacco. He’s looking for a job-wants to play. We should call him immediately. Talking Atlanta and KC. We oughta get him. Seriously.
February 2nd, 2026 at 1:39 pm
Bolts and Bucs couldn’t be more different if they tried. Bolts are a winning organization known for overachieving. Bucs (post Brady) are back to being losers and loafers.
February 2nd, 2026 at 1:47 pm
Kenton,
Emmanworri was easy but this year more complicated. I like Patrick Queen if he really is a FA. Going to be a huge draft jump to get Arvell Reese or Sonny Stiles at LB. Also, would try to make deal with Pitts for Jack Sawyer at DE. Sawyer is a pure football player. Hate to see him off the field. Still studying 2026 draft. Will know a lot more in a couple of weeks.