Orlando Claims Credit for Bucs Super Bowl Win

[USFMikeB]

This is freaking incredible!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/columnists/orl-sptbianchi22072203jul22,0,1934027.column?coll=orl-sports-headlines

Welcome home, world champion Orlando Bucs

Published July 22, 2003

For the first time since we molded them into Super Bowl champions, they put the pads back on Monday at the field where it all began -- the green, green grass of home.

Welcome back, Bucs.

Our Bucs.

The Orlando Bucs.

We build champions; Tampa only claims them.

"Hey, Tampa, this is about you, baby," running back Mike Alstott cooed to the crowd that lined the Tampa streets at the Super Bowl victory celebration in January.

Tampa Mayor **** Greco was there, looking the giddiest a politician has looked since Marilyn Monroe sauntered into JFK's office. Greco was flanked by the mayors of Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Our mayor wasn't there. Guess we weren't invited to the party.

What were the Bucs without us? For 26 years, they trained in Tampa, and for 26 years, they were the NFL's most woeful washouts. After one year of training in Orlando, one year of fairy tales and pixie dust, they are not only the Pirates of the Caribbean but the premier Pirates of the entire planet.

"Orlando is where it all started last year," Bucs Executive Vice President Joel Glazer said Monday. "And we all know how it ended."

Overall record while training in Tampa: 148-255-1, 3-7 in the playoffs, no Super Bowls. Overall record in Orlando: 12-4, 3-0 in the playoffs, one Super Bowl.

We get results; Tampa gets the credit.

Pick a cliché, any cliché. We took the Bucs to the next level. We raised the bar and pushed them over the hump. We whipped them into shape and got them headed in the right direction. We made them bigger, faster, stronger than they've ever been.

"You know what they say," said Reggie Williams, vice president of Disney's Wide World of Sports, where the Bucs are training for the next month. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."

At Disney, the first step -- and every step on the plush practice fields -- is like walking on green satin sheets. This is nothing like the ratty, roach-infested dump in Tampa where the Bucs once trained. Scot Brantley, a former Bucs linebacker, still wrinkles his nose when he remembers the stench of the old training facility.

"I went into the bathroom one morning," Brantley said, "and found a frog had wrapped himself around my toothbrush."

We gave the Bucs the best of everything, then they turned into the best in the world. Our water hydrated them; our humidity conditioned them; our food nourished them.

We even supplied them with their best player -- Warren Sapp. Tampa supplied them with Shaun King.

But Tampa still gets the glory -- as always. Tampa got the NFL; we got the XFL. Tampa got the NHL; we got the whatever-HL. Tampa got Major League Baseball; our minor-league team is moving to Alabama to become the Montgomery Biscuits. There even has been talk that the Magic might move to Tampa someday.

If Tampa wants to flirt with the Magic, maybe it's time we start making goo-goo eyes at the Bucs. Tampa might not want to give us any credit, but those in the Bucs' organization do.

Coach Jon Gruden: "Darn right Orlando is part of our success. This is a great city with a lot to be proud of. They have Disney and Mickey Mouse, and yeah, they can claim the Buccaneers, too."

Glazer: "The Buccaneers are Central Florida's team. Fans here have embraced us. They feel as much a part of the championship as anyone else, and rightfully so."

Welcome home, Central Florida Bucs.

We turn laughable losers into world champions.

We turn frogs into princes.

In Tampa, they turn toothbrushes into frogs.

[MikeG]

Riiiiiight.

Tell me again how they helped the Predators beat the Storm then.

[smazza]

sports people say anything and believe it

[USFMikeB]

I truly believe that Orlando is starting to get the little sibling syndrome, always being a pain and saying stupid things to get attention...

[ChiTownBull]

I truly believe that Orlando is starting to get the little sibling syndrome, always being a pain and saying stupid things to get attention...

yeah just like ucf

[S p e n c e]

Where is the Magic's Championship?

[KnightsRule]

Where is the Rays championship? Lightning? Have the Rays ever not come in last?

[S p e n c e]

True, but we never opened up our mouths and took credit for something we had nothing to do with claiming Tampa "Builds champions" as Orlando did.