Dogs are out across the bay

By ERNEST HOOPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 16, 2000

Who let the dogs out -- in the Tampa Bay area?

Practically everybody.

The University of South Florida uses the Baha Men's song WHO LET THE DOGS OUT to buck up the defense (the fans at the Troy State game woofed their heads off). The Devil Rays used it between innings. The Lightning have played it while displaying a scoreboard graphic of a dog wearing sunglasses.

And anyone who has been to a Buccaneers game or seen one on TV has heard the barking.

"I heard it on the radio in June or early July, and I thought it would be a great song to edit some defensive highlights. I was kind of waiting to use it on that," says Chris Kartzmark, Bucs director of game day and video production.

"Then we played it for the regular-season opener when the players were running out of the tunnel. The players went crazy and fans went nuts. (Defensive coordinator) Monte Kiffin told me the players were amped up and they loved the song.

"Sometimes, we just play the little hook and they (the fans) bark on their own. A football game is the type atmosphere where we want to bark and holler."

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