BillyCarpenter1

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
1976-77


No professional football team started out as miserably as the Tampa Bay Bucs. They lost their first 26 regular season games, 11 by shutout.

The Bucs were headed in the wrong direction even before the kickoff of their NFL debut. After completing their pre-game warmups in the Houston Astrodome, the team followed their coach, John McKay, off the field and into the concrete innards of the stadium. And there they promptly got lost.

Forty-five players, eight coaches, and assorted equipment men, trainers, and doctors wandered around befuddled, searching futilely for the locker room. Finally, a security guard found them and guided them back to their locker room. But by then, the Bucs had just a few minutes to get ready and return to the field for the start of the game.

As it turns out, the offense never did find the end zone and mustered only a paltry total of 108 yards in a 20-0 loss to the Houston Oilers.

The next week, the offense produced only 13 yards through the air. "The running backs ran like they were mud fences," complained McKay. Thirty-nine times in the game, Tampa Bay either failed to move the football or was thrown for a loss.

Not until the fourth game did the Bucs score their first touchdown— and it was pulled off by the defense on a 44-yard fumble recovery. Most of the Bucs' offensive punch was supplied by cornerback Mike Washington, who threw a fist and was ejected from the game. Afterward, McKay said, "We will be back, maybe not in this century, but we will be back."

Following their eighth straight loss, 28-19 to Kansas City, McKay lost his patience and temper. He thundered, "They were absolutely horrible and that's the nicest thing I can say about them."

The next week, Tampa Bay raised the hopes of its fans when the team tied Denver 10-10 in the third quarter. But the joy was short-lived. The Bucs lost, 48-13. McKay's frustration reached a peak; he refused to shake Denver coach John Ralston's hand after the game. Instead, McKay accused Ralston of running up the score, and hurled a bunch of obscenities at the Bronco coach. Meanwhile, Tampa's starting tight end Bob Moore summed up the feeling of the losing team, "Sometimes I feel as though I were on the aft deck of the Lusitania."

The following week, the New York Jets sacked Buc quarterbacks four times and took advantage of six turnovers to record their first shutout in thirteen years, 34-0.

In their final game of the year, a 31-14 clobbering by the New England Patriots, the Bucs became the only expansion team in NFL history to lose all the games in their first season. "I'll probably take a little time off," said a weary McKay, "and go hide someplace."

The Bucs started the second year off just like the first, scoring only one touchdown in the first 4 games. They lost for the second straight year to their expansion brothers, the Seattle Seahawks, this time 30-23, on 4 interceptions and 2 fumbles. In a game in which the Bucs' offense scored its most points ever, the defense decided to take the day off.

The next week, the Bucs lost to Green Bay, 13 to terrible. Said the St. Petersburg Times: "Continuing their unrelenting vendetta against victory, the Tampa Bay Bucs pulled out all the stops to ward off an impending win and kept their losing streak intact. The Bucs used timely penalties, fumbles, mental lapses and an absolutely pointless display of offensive football to further secure their position at the bottom of the NFL barrel."

They played rookies who were so inexperienced that some of them hadn't even lettered. Fans began hoping for 0-for-forever and wore T-shirts that read, "Go for 0." They cheered the visiting teams. They had little reason to cheer the Bucs. But on occasion they would applaud when the team did something spectacular—like making a particularly smooth entry onto the field.

tweeky

Oh Billy, I wouldn\'t have posted that if I were you.
I\'m sure you\'ll find out why very soon.
Its not going to be pleasant either.

BillyCarpenter1

I already know but just have to get something started early in the morning.

tweeky

Hmmm, Billy which do you enjoy more, being right or just stirring it up?

BillyCarpenter1

LOL.........Well, of course I like to be right but it\'s getting getting harder to find something football related to talk about. I\'m marking the days off on my calender brother. I don\'t think it\'s ever going to get here. :casstet:

BucNup

Billy, Billy, Billy......

Any fish biting in this pond? The bait looks tempting, but I refuse to bite...

I suggest a different lure....

BillyCarpenter1

I know...............

The bait that all Bucs seem to like............


JAIL BAIT????????????????

Batwood

The greatest part of that memory is the first franchise regular season win IN NEW ORLEANS! WOO HOO! was that a hoot or what!

The Buccaneers crushed the New Orleans Saints 33-14 to end the second-longest losing streak in NFL history at 26 games (Chicago Cardinals have a 29-game losing streak). Saints coach Hank Stram, on the other hand, will wear the stamp of the man first beaten by Tampa Bay, The Bucs beat the coach who wanted the job McKay got. (that\'s right Saint fans Stram wanted the Bucs HC job back then, you were his second choice)

Before that memorable game Saints quarterback Archie Manning was reported to have said, \"It would be a disgrace to lose to the Bucs\"

The defense, incensed by remarks attributed to Saints QB Archie Manning, stung Manning and his backup, Bobby Scott, with six pass interceptions, including three for TDs, plus a fumble recovery and 5 sacks. Richard \"Batman\" Wood went 10 yards with an interception for a touchdown.

Hank Stram burned the game film in front of his players the following Monday and was fired after the season. Over 8,000 fans were at Tampa International Airport to welcome the team home from their first victory.


Thanks for the memories Saints! And what is ironic now that we are in the same division, is that the FIRST EVER victory of the Bucs franchise was the Pre-season matchup in 1976 against the Atlanta Falcons!

We have EARNED our celebration of our championship as long suffering fans. Hopefully you Saint fans will experience it in your lifetime, fanbs like us that suffer for so long appreciate it more than fans like Packer fans who follow a team that has won it before they ever became fans.

\"I don\'t think he has many tools on offense that he actually likes,\" says Randy Mueller, former Saints GM. Wait until he gets his own players. Watch out.\"
http://i.tsn.com/i/o/books/covers/su...rbowlcover.gif

BillyCarpenter1

Actually, because of suffering through many loosing seasons as a Saints fan, I was happy that the Bucs fans could finally celebrate a superbowl victory. Must feel great.

However, my hypocrocy only goes so far. The best team will be there this year.

Aaron Books, Horn, Duece, and Stallworth, are the Bucs worst nightmare!!!

Batwood

Actually Philly was the Bucs worst nightmare. The Saints were more like a trip and fall, considering the Bucs dominated them so badlly the year prior and Philly had beaten us in the playoffs two years in a row. But like the Saints sweep last year, it is old news and we have to suit up and battle again.