Some 700 turn out to honor ex-Bucs safety John Lynch, now a Bronco.
By RICK STROUD
Published May 6, 2004
[Times photo: Joseph Garnett Jr.]
Jamie Steinhoff, right, and her friend Elly Baughman, both of Hudson, show Lynch their shirts that say, "Bucs lose this season, Chuckie will be Lynched," in reference to Bucs coach Jon Gruden.
TAMPA - In the end, it was a little like he had always imagined it.
Surrounded by family and friends, he would hear one more thunderous ovation from Buccaneers fans, fall into the arms of his teammates, and swap stories of tears and triumphs.
He would walk outside the arena, arm-and-arm with his wife and children, still wearing his No. 47 jersey and a 500-kilowatt smile.
It was the only way for John Lynch to leave his team and his adoptive hometown.
Except on Wednesday, the farewell celebration took place outside an ice hockey arena and not Raymond James Stadium, and the commemorative jersey he was presented was from the Tampa Bay Lightning, not the Bucs.
In fact, Lynch didn't even know exactly what he was doing at the St. Pete Times Forum when his favorite band and a crowd of about 700 greeted him at an outdoor concert in his honor by yelling, "Surprise!"
It was nothing compared to the shock Lynch experienced in March when the 11-year Pro Bowl safety learned his career with the Bucs was over during his first conversation with general manager Bruce Allen.
"It gives me closure in one respect," said Lynch, who will participate in his first minicamp with the Denver Broncos on Friday. "But then today someone for the first time at our luncheon mentioned that I'm going to have to tackle Mike Alstott the fourth game of the year, or whatever it was. I seriously hadn't thought about that. This does give me a little bit of closure and also lets you know this is not goodbye. We're going to be back in this community, we've got too many good friends here. So we will be back."
Many of those friends, including retired general Tommy Franks, a handful of teammates, Tampa mayor Pam Iorio and the Warren Brothers, took turns saluting Lynch in a "This Is Your Life" format during a one-hour program planned by Daphne Boyd and his wife, Linda.
Franks, who met Lynch during a coin toss at a game at RJS last season and later became a close friend, remembered his generosity to the men and women in the military.
"I noticed No. 47 just kind of left the sideline and he was walking down toward those (troops) standing in the end zone, all by himself," Franks said. "And I got my first insight into what kind of human being John Lynch is on that afternoon because I walked up to him and said, "Thanks a lot for doing that, for our young men and women.' And he said, "General, I have a family, too, and I love this country.' That's John Lynch."
Lynch had the look of a man who had wandered onstage and didn't know his part as one by one teammates and friends took turns telling tales of his career and contributions to the community.
Quarterback Brad Johnson called Lynch "the best teammate I've ever played with in my 12 years." He recalled a time when Lynch did his morning pregame stretching routine outside a hotel room in Chicago and became locked in the stairwell on the 23rd floor.
Johnson, who rode to every Bucs game with Lynch, said, "We've got one more ride together and obviously this year he'll be playing for a different team. But on that particular game day, when we play the Denver Broncos, I'll be picking up John at his hotel. I'm not sure he's going to control the radio dial, but we're going to be driving together. I love you, man."
Cornerback Ronde Barber remembered the hit Lynch put on Panthers receiver Mushin Muhammad after a dropped pass. "But he was going to drop it anyway because you hit this guy so ... damn ... hard. I was thinking to myself at that moment, if there's anything about John Lynch, the football player, John Lynch, I'm going to miss, it's going to be that.
"You can wear the Denver colors, you can wear the New York Jets colors at some point in your career, but you'll always be 47 red to me."
Safety John Howell said he was inspired before every game the way Lynch looked at a picture of his family and read a note from his wife Linda. "To me, when he was doing that, is sent chills down my spine because that was kind of like the calm before the storm," Howell said. "Because when that guy took the field, all hell broke loose."
And so it went, testimonials from Mike Alstott, Joe Jurevicius, former Tampa mayor Dick Greco and others.
"What I'm getting at is we play Denver here pretty soon," Jurevicius said. "I happen to be one of the guys that he's paid to hit. So just remember I was here to help honor you."
Iorio declared May 5, 2004, as John Lynch Day and presented him with the key to the city.
Lynch, who may not have left on his own terms, finally got a deserving sendoff.
"The emotions of the week, it's been a whole lot," Lynch said. "I knew this would be a difficult week, that's why I planned it this week with the minicamp coming up in Denver (Friday). It's pretty symbolic that I'm closing the door here for now.
"It's been totally heartwarming to feel the support and love from here. At the same time, you feel a little silly because you know people go through a lot worse and I'm going to a new opportunity. I think what's special is to feel the impact the city has had on my family and that we've left a little impact here, that so many people have been so good to us."
