BY IRA KAUFMAN

Nobody should be surprised that Mike Evans is getting his hands on fewer footballs this season.

After all, the additions of DeSean Jackson and rookies O.J. Howard and Chris Godwin gave Tampa Bay’s passing game more options to complement Cameron Brate and Adam Humphries. I didn’t expect Evans to match his gaudy 2016 numbers: 96 catches for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns.

But no one expected this. (more…)

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Ira fires away on the state Jameis Winston, Bucs coaches and so much more. Tune in right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — and there is no offseason. Click or download above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

George W. Bush was sitting in the Oval Office and Jon David Gruden was stalking the Buc sidelines.

“No Country For Old Men.” was playing on movie screens and the Bucs proved that a year later with a veteran purge that included Derrick Brooks.

Alicia Keys topped the charts with “No One,” while Legally Blonde debuted on Broadway.

Yes, Buc fans, it was the winter of 2007, and yes, it seems like a century ago. (more…)

BY IRA KAUFMAN

They played hard, they played physical … and they lost.

Blame this setback on lack of football smarts. Tampa Bay kicked Green Bay’s rump up and down Lambeau Field all afternoon in a game the Packers simply had to have. (more…)

Joe has challenged Ira Kaufman, Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter, to pick against the spread this season for a $500 prize. Every Friday, Ira types out his picks for each Sunday and Monday game. If Ira hits at 53 percent or better for the regular season, then he gets $500 in gift cards to Abe’s Place in Clearwater, home of historically amazing food and 44 craft beers on tap. Feel free to send Ira your stone cold locks on Twitter, @ikaufman76. The sage of Tampa Bay sports always appreciates a tip.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

At this point, a 6-6 record against the spread is enough to touch off a celebration around the Christmas tree. (more…)

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Ira is dialed in with firm thoughts on the return of Jameis Winston and so much more. Tune in right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — and there is no offseason. Click or download above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Let’s not pin this all on little Ryan Smith.

It was Smith’s misfortune to be matched up often against Julio Jones Sunday in Atlanta, where one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers torched the Bucs all afternoon. (more…)

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Recorded in Atlanta following the Bucs-Falcons game, the sage of Tampa Bay sports fires away on all kinds of Bucs subjects. Tune in right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — and there is no offseason. Click or download above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Postcard from Atlanta.

First look at cavernous Mercedes-Benz Stadium, check.

Tasty beet salad at the world’s busiest airport, check.

Buc victory? Not so fast. (more…)

Ira takes you inside the locker room and more

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

My only road trip of the season ended in heartache for the visitors and relief for the surging Falcons.

Tampa Bay made it interesting for awhile in the second half, but the Bucs failed to make the plays necessary to extend their winning streak to three games. One look at the face of dejected GM Jason Licht in the locker room and you knew there are no moral victories in the NFL. (more…)

Joe has challenged Ira Kaufman, Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter, to pick against the spread this season for a $500 prize. Every Friday, Ira types out his picks for each Sunday and Monday game. If Ira hits at 53 percent or better for the regular season, then he gets $500 in gift cards to Abe’s Place in Clearwater, home of historically amazing food and 44 craft beers on tap. Feel free to send Ira your stone cold locks on Twitter, @ikaufman76. The sage of Tampa Bay sports always appreciates a tip.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

It’s the holiday season, a time for giving.

In that spirit, NFL odds-makers are giving away lots of points this weekend. Four teams are favored by at least 10 points at home and the Falcons are just short of that spread against the Bucs on Sunday.

I’ve been giving away too many games against the spread during this wacky season, which has seen the surprising rise of the Rams, Eagles, Saints and Vikings as division leaders. (more…)

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It’s Thanksgiving, but Ira is still firing away with Joe, recorded at One Buc Palace yesterday. All kinds of stuff on the table, as always. Tune in right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — and there is no offseason. Click or download above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Bravo to my fellow selectors.

The men and women on the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting board were smart enough to choose three ex-Buccaneers among the 27 semi-finalists for the Class of 2018.

There is one more hurdle to cross before John Lynch, Ronde Barber and Simeon Rice make it into that Minneapolis discussion room on the day before the Super Bowl.

In January, the list of 27 former players will be whittled down to 15 modern-day finalists whose accomplishments will be debated by 48 selectors, including yours truly. (more…)

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Sage eye-RAH! jumps into every last angle of the Jameis Winston mess with Joe. Nothing is left under the table. Plus, there’s plenty of hard football talk, as well. Tune in right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — and there is no offseason. Click or download above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

BY IRA KAUFMAN

If this NFL investigation into Jameis Winston’s conduct on the night in question lingers into next year, there’s something wrong with the process.

We don’t need psychiatrists, character witnesses and a wave of forensic teams to testify.

We need to answer one crucial question: how many passengers were in the Uber? (more…)

Insight, observations, quotes and more from the Sage of Tampa Bay sports

BY IRA KAUFMAN

The Bucs ended another ugly streak Sunday, and if the game didn’t reach the heights of Masterpiece Theater, so be it.

A week after snapping a 5-game tailspin, Tampa Bay ended its 6-game nightmare on the road. In beating up on the bottom feeders of the AFC East in successive weeks, the Bucs capitalized on mistakes by the Jets and Dolphins.

The Bucs forced some of those errors at Hard Rock Stadium, but they were also the beneficiaries of 17 Miami penalties. If Don Shula was looking on from a suite, he probably tossed up his steak sauce. (more…)

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Regular listeners know that Jon Gruden himself, Chucky, offered to introduce this podcast with his appreciation of Ira. And with that nugget in mind, listen today to Ira give you the very latest on the chatter about Gruden returning to coaching. There’s plenty more with Joe and chatter on many things Bucs, as usual. Tune in right here, or at iTunes, Google Play or Podbean.com. The Ira Kaufman Podcast keeps you informed and entertained every Tuesday & Thursday — and there is no offseason. Click or download above. It’s free and easy. Enjoy!

The Sage of Tampa Bay sports, Hall of Fame voter and JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman, knows the elephant in the room is all the national chatter about Jon Gruden taking over as head coach of the Bucs in seven short weeks. So Ira is doing his old-school reporter diligence to dig out what this reality means at One Buc Palace. 

If you’re interested, you do NOT want to miss Ira’s podcast tomorrow — or today’s column.

BY IRA KAUFMAN

Cameron Brate says there’s enough time, and he’s right. (more…)