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 Rays for a Wonderful 2018 Season.

The 2018 baseball season is over for the Rays. 162 games flew by fast this season and this season was a pleasant surprise. Prior to the start of the season, the biggest question in Tampa Bay was whether or not the Rays could win more games than the Tampa Bay Lightning did during the 2017-2018 season (54 wins). Well, the Rays surprised many by winning more than 54. They surprised many by actually having a winning season thanks to their 90 wins season.

With all the drama about the team’s future, it was nice to see the Rays be competitive for the majority of the season. The Rays started off slow, injuries being the main culprit, and 50 wins seemed like a realistic milestone. The team had traded the face of the franchise, Evan Longoria, and the team’s ace Chris Archer was on the shopping block and was eventually traded.

However, something magical happened along the way. The Rays started finding ways to win. The idea to start games with relief pitchers worked like a charm while Blake Snell was magical as a starting pitcher and should be a serious candidate to win the Cy Young award. It was also great to see young players get called up from the minor leagues and contribute to the team. One can only hope the likes of Willy Adames, Brandon Lowe and Jake Bauers will become the future All-Stars of this team.

Manager Kevin Cash deserves a lot of credit for this magical season and, in my opinion, should be a front runner for AL Manager of the Year. The crazy idea of starting games with relief pitchers and managing the playing time of the rising stars has paid off. Obviously, it will always be tough to compete in a division that has both the Yankees and the Red Sox but all that Rays fans can ask for is to see a competitive winning team. Thanks for a great season, Rays and here’s hoping next season will be better.