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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 7, 2001
Doubts arise after loss to the Vikings
The Bucs' offense deserved to lose. The defense didn't. Even Coach Madden calls the Bucs "nine points" as in "When I think of the Buccaneers, I think of nine points." That won't be enough to get in the playoffs, let alone go to the Super Bowl. Might just as well have kept Dilfer and Shula and Hardy and the orange and white. There's nothing new here.
-- Tom Malone, Spring Hill
Gary Shelton hit the nail on the head with his comments (Monday). An average football team; with the schedule this year, an 8-8 record might be good. Anything over that is a bonus. They have brought in the players they wanted and spent lots of money. But it's almost eerie that every year this team looks the same.
I admire Tony Dungy as (a) very fine person. But I'm not sure that, as a coach, he is capable of motivating this team as it should be. I don't fault the players, but they need much better coaching decisions than what they are getting. Just maybe, they need a whole new set of coaches, from the top down. Guess we'll see at the end of this season.
-- Jim Wright, Clearwater
Hope Mr. Sapp has a nice place to retire after the Bus don't win the Super Bowl this year. The lead and the Vikings 96 yards from victory with only a few minutes left? What defense?
-- Eric Howe, Largo
Once again, a conservative game plan cost the Bucs. Tony Dungy put the game in the hands of a defense that was tired, and on the road. The mark of a great coach is that he avoids putting players in a position to fail. By "playing not to lose," Dungy put the defense in a position to fail. His conservativeness cost the Bucs.
When is the last time the Bucs tried something different? Heaven forbid we try something wacko on a kick return (a reverse or pass across the field, etc.) or maybe a flea-flicker or halfback pass (did someone say J-E-T-S?). Those things don't happen in Tampa Bay, not under the Dungy regime.
They had better start though, because with some of the best talent around, the Bucs (since '97) are a combined 41-28 (including playoffs) and a solid underachiever. That's about 9.5 wins a year -- not a Super Bowl contender by any means. Tony, please lighten up and just go for it.
-- P. Michael Natale, Chicago
The famous "press-clipping" defense did it again. How many times have we had the chance to win late in a game, only to have the "all-pros" give up a late score and blow another one? This team is mediocre at best. It is time for the loyal Bucs fans to understand that 9-7 or 10-6 will be as good as it gets.
-- Dave Johnson, Clearwater
Either the marketing director for the Bucs should get an Oscar or the 25,000 on the waiting list for season tickets need a dose of reality therapy. Because frankly, Tampa Bay just doesn't have a very good professional football team.
-- Joe McQueen, Palm Harbor