Magnificent Time for Tampa Bay Sports Fans

 

It has been a very difficult year for many during this pandemic. Florida is no exception but, if there has been a silver lining for the sports fans in Tampa Bay thanks to a historic showing by their professional teams. For local fans such as myself, the Lightning, Rays, Rowdies and the Bucs have given the local fans a great period to be a sports fan.

Being a sports fan in Tampa Bay (City of Tampa and its neighbor across the bay, Saint Petersburg) is not the same as say, being a sports fan in Los Angeles or New York. Those cities have seen their share of champions over the years by their teams. Meanwhile, fans in this area can count on one hand the number of titles won by their teams prior to the pandemic. The Buccaneers (2002) and Lightning (2004) each won once in their respective leagues while the Tampa Bay Rowdies have won the championship twice (1975 & 2012). The Rays came close in 2008 but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. An honorable mention for the defunct Arena Football team, Tampa Bay Storm who won five Arena Football titles in their history, before the league went bust. Although Arena Football is not up there with the NBA, NHL, MLB and NFL, it was an enjoyable niche sport for us football fans down here.

TAMPA BAY SPORTS FOR THE WIN! 🙌

🏈 @Buccaneers
🏒 @TBLightning
⚾ @RaysBaseball
⚽ @TampaBayRowdies @SportsTampaBay #TampaBayLV @TampaBayLV pic.twitter.com/Idndlp2vrE

— 10 Tampa Bay (@10TampaBay) January 24, 2021

Ever since the area was awarded professional sports franchises in the late 70s, this area has not enjoyed a history of successful winning teams. It always felt that one team was doing well while the others were struggling. That narrative changed this year when the Lightning finally got over the hump and won their second Stanley Cup. The Rays and Rowdies, who share the same owner, both managed to make it to their respective finals. The Rays came up short against the L.A. Dodgers in the World Series but their run to the World Series will never be forgotten by the fans. The Rowdies made it all the way to the USL Final, to be played in Saint Petersburg, but a day before the Final, the USL canceled the Final after some Rowdies players and staff tested positive for COVID-19. The reality of the pandemic, especially in Florida, reared its ugly head and snapped us back to reality, but Rowdies fans can only hope for more positive results from their beloved club.

The Buccaneers recently joined the party after defeating the Green Bay Packers to play in the Super Bowl. It would be quite an achievement to watch the cycle culminate with the Bucs winning the Super Bowl, in their own stadium, and give us two titles from four. Los Angeles already saw the Dodgers and Lakers win championships and it would be nice to rub elbows with the big boys if Tampa Bay can claim to boast two champions of their own. Though it will not replace the pain and losses we have suffered during these tough times, it has been a positive distraction for the sports fans of this area.

Thank You, Lightning.

 

Rejoice Lightning fans, your Tampa Bay Lightning are champions once again. Following many years of frustration and disappointment, the Lightning have reached the pinnacle for the second time in their history. This current Lightning team had dealt with comparisons with the 2004 team ever since they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. Last year’s shocking and humiliating sweep in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets was on the back of the minds of many Lighting fans when the puck dropped for the 2019-2020 NHL season. It was Stanley Cup or Bust for this team that were consistent in disappointing their fans for the last 6 years. Thankfully, the pain is over as fans and the team can celebrate being the champions.

 Lightning fans can celebrate the team’s second Stanley Cup as a coronation of their many years of great results. There was talk that perhaps this team seemed destined to never get over the hump. Yet, the Lightning are the 2019-2020 Stanley Cup Champions. Some have alluded that this title should come with an asterisk, and somewhat lessen the achievement because it was won in a bubble. I beg to differ and would counter that the Bolts winning the Stanley Cup in the bubble was the most difficult grueling way to win the Stanley Cup. They absolutely deserve the recognition they deserve as worthy champions.

Speaking of recognition, many deserve praise and thanks for bringing home the second Stanley Cup.

Thank you, Jeffrey Vinik for being a great owner. Mr. Vinik bought the team from the ownership group headed by Oren Koules, the producer of the Saw horror franchise, and Len Barrie, who truly were a horror show. Thankfully, Mr. Vinik came in and changed the culture by surrounding himself with the right people and has done a magnificent job in giving back to the community and honoring others through the team's Lightning Community Heroes.

Thank you, Julien BriseBois, the General Manager who made the right moves in the offseason and during the season. Blake Coleman, Barclay Goodrow, Kevin Shattenkirk, Patrick Maroon, and Zach Bogosian were new additions to the team via free agency and trades. All these acquisitions helped snap the team from the doldrums following last season’s shock exit in the playoffs.

Thank you, players for a great historic season. Alex Barre-Boulet, Anthony Cirelli, Tyler Johnson, Cedric Paquette, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, Mathieu Joseph, Alex Killorn, Pat Maroon, Ondrej Palat, Gemel Smith, Alexander Volkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Barclay Goodrow, Nikita Kucherov, Mitchell Stephens, Luke Witkowski, Braydon Coburn, Cal Foote, Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev, Zach Bogosian, Erik Cernak, Luke Schenn, Kevin Shattenkirk, Jan Rutta, Spencer Martin, Curtis McElhinney, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Scott Wedgewood. They were hitting on all cylinders from January until the lockdown. Once the playoffs started, they were dominant and lost only four lost games in all four rounds. Special mention to Steven Stamkos whose only shift in the entire playoffs was one for the ages. The captain had been  struggling with his recovery from hernia surgery, but that one shift where he scored was inspirational to the team. It had to be difficult for the captain to not be able to be on the ice and deal with all the talk about his whereabouts, but the face of the franchise can now celebrate being a Stanley Cup champion.

Thank you, Jon Cooper for assembling a great staff of coaches and getting this team over the hump. An awesome coach who tolerated so much doubt from many, including from me, after so many disappointments these last few years. The comparisons with Tony Dungy are no more and he can celebrate joining Jon Gruden, and John Tortorella on the Mount Rushmore of Tampa Bay coaches. Anyone else notice a pattern regarding the coaches?

Thank you, Rick Peckham for being the voice of the Lightning on the TV since my arrival to this country in 1995, which coincidentally is when Peckham was hired by the Lightning. Lightning games will be different without Peckham's voice, and he missed by many. The Bolts winning the cup is the perfect sendoff for him and I wish him a happy retirement.

Thank you, Canada, for hosting these games. 

And finally, thank you, Steve Yzerman for building this. As I eluded to earlier, when Mr. Vinik bought the team, he surrounded himself with the right people, and one of those people was Yzerman, who as the General Manager until he stepped down during the offseason, played a significant part in the turning the team’s fortune around. He is responsible for a majority of the names that will be engraved on the Stanley Cup. Lightning fans owe him a huge debt of gratitude that will d never be forgotten.