The Bucs' first win should come against Da Bears on Oct. 24 at home. Da Bears don't have a QB either. It will be an ugly game but a victory.
As an Eagles fan, I truly am enjoying every loss the Bucs are racking up.
-- Ray Supper, Tampa
They'll win when they start playing as if they expect to win instead of playing as if they expect to lose.
-- Michael Harris, Oldsmar
I've been a Bucs fan since 1976. My home is Indiana and our Colts have done okay since the Bucs were so smart and kind to give us Tony Dungy. The Bucs will win Oct. 24 because the Bears lost Rex Grossman.
-- Joe Anderson, Columbus, Ind.
The Buccaneers will finally break their string of losses when Malcolm Glazer visits the entire team and the coaches to make this proclamation:
"I am instituting a new incentive payment plan immediately so hear and hearken: For each NFL game you win, you get paid your weekly salary. For each NFL game you do not win, you get nothing, zero, nada, zilch!! If any of you do not understand this, I can arrange to have a professional cartoonist draw you a picture."
You can bet your sweet bippy they will win then! Even the best of us should know where motivation lies . . . in our wallet. You get in my wallet, you have my undivided attention.
P.S. Eight-man football teams (a.k.a. Arena league) had a similar salary scheme. If they won a game, they got X number of dollars. If they lost the game they got a lesser amount.
-- J.M. Hill. Largo
The Bucs can and will win their next game only when the quarterback tries to score a touchdown in the red zone on third down instead of throwing the ball to the sideline. The QB should stop - I said stop! - depending on the placekicker!
-- Billy Cox, Clearwater
They could possibly win Oct. 24 vs. Chicago, but potentially could go winless all year.
Why? How? You don't have to be a psychologist to see that the "soul" of the team has been missing since last year. When you think back to the glory days, win or lose, there was a certain swagger, a certain attitude. Martin jumped, kicked and yelled after every field goal and his teammates celebrated with him, occasionally picking the guy up and swinging him around. They were playing Buc Ball. I don't think they have enjoyed playing. They are just bodies executing a playbook.
What has happened in those team meetings or in practices? We just don't recognize those once exuberant faces anymore. We miss your smile, Martin. Other than names, and the numbers on the jerseys, we no longer recognize our team.
I'd like to know who is responsible for the low self-esteem? Glad to see John Lynch's smile last weekend. Too bad that smile belongs to a former player in a different colored jersey. At least he's having fun playing ball. Warren Sapp is having fun playing ball, and I'm sure Rich McKay is having fun managing a 4-0 team.
-- SueAnn B. Brockwell, Parrish
An awful lot of us did not agree with Tony Dungy's play calling. It seemed to be lackluster and repetitive. Heck, I could figure out the next call many times and, gee, I'm just a girl! Jon Gruden definitely woke folks up with his play calling.
One thing that Dungy did do righteously, however, was to demand discipline. When we had Dungy's discipline with Gruden's play calling, lo and behold, we won the Super Bowl!
If anyone thinks that Michael Pittman would still be here - or that Warren Sapp would have gotten away with his off-field antics last year with Dungy's moral and ethical ideas of discipline - they didn't know Tony Dungy.
So when will the Bucs win? When discipline is restored to this team. And, quite frankly, bringing in the dregs of the Raiders to replace the likes of John Lynch isn't going to do it.
-- JoAnn Zinkand, Gulfport
I am a season-ticket holder and I hate to say it, but I really don't care if the Bucs win or lose. In fact it would be sort of exciting if they matched our inaugural season of no wins. Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen took away the leaders, the face, the fun, the heart, soul and the bond we fans had with John Lynch and Warren Sapp. Next cut is Mike Alstott and Brad Johnson. I guess Allen's wife will again shed a tear as she did for Lynch.
-- Stan Bialous, St. Petersburg
The Bucs will start winning when they develop a passing game. The quarterback must release the ball within three seconds. Passes should be forward for yardage and often to a receiver on a cut. Jon Gruden must call for more passes on second down as well as on third. Even passes on first down would be good.
When runs are called for, they should not be repeated so often by Gruden as he does for Mike Alstott and Michael Pittman. The Bucs are not making the yardage and they are losing possession of the ball, which is essential to winning. Go Bucs!
-- C.J. Bjornberg, Clearwater
[Last modified October 10, 2004, 00:54:25]
