A Last Place team has TWO (2) MNF Games this year....

[SnookAU]

All the Bucs need is a USC RB (who isn't even really a RB) that only averages 500 yards rushing per season and a QB who throw 700 times in a season because his defense sucks...  That's how you get on MNF.  STAR POWER!!

Not being a boring club....check
Expectation to not be a top 5 draft pick....check
Overhyped but oddly marketable RB....check

Yeah we've got....nada to recommend us to a national audience. Don't know why folks find that so odd.

Ummm... I'm not arguing the Bucs should be on national tv.  I don't find it odd all that the Bucs aren't in any national games.  Where did I say that?  I like 1pm games much better anyways.  I just find it odd people are so in love with the Saints.  They're a glorified Arena Football team. 

I'm arguing the Saints aren't worthy of hype.  They've missed the playoffs the last two years and finished LAST in 2008.  That "high powered" offense sure is great!!

I'd bet you money Garcia QBR > Any Bucs QBR this year (with some caveat about # of passes being more than 100 or so)

I'm ALL OVER that bet.  How much?   And let's go with 100+ passing attempts.

[nhbucsfan]

 
I think the only thing that bothered me about the lack of prime time appearances is how the heck San Francisco - who have less stars and less wins than the Buccaneers get two prime time games and we get nothing.
 

Even in bad times, SF will always have plenty of fans, just like the Raiders, who we see way too often.

[Ladyfan]

Tampa Bay is doing a good job across the board in attracting sports fans at all levels from college to pro.  The Tampa Bay area and Fl in general are known for producing great athletes.  That being said, there really is nothing "sexy" about TB  in general.  We're not a lunch bucket community like the Steelers, we don't have the big market glamour of Jets and Giants and Patriots.  We don't have stars that people are interested in following.  We do have many former and current players and coaches known for their character...but right now the current state of affairs is that we are a good sports area,  with an awesome venue at RayJ, with good players and good coaches and good enuf fans.  I'm sorry.  But that just does not translate to sizzle.  TB area just lacks charisma on the national state at this time.  I have no idea how to change that.  Lure some high profile "fun" people to live in the state and get involved in transforming the image?  Who would that be? Dunno.  Part of it is the history of the state itself.  No real identity other than used to be a good place to retire to before property taxes and home insurance fees got out of control.  Its not a typical southern state.   Now we are losing population e.g. see declining school population.  It just ain't in the cards.  Its up to the young people currently in school to forge something great about Florida.

Personally, I see Florida as a ho-hum place with no ambition or great vision to be a great place for its citizens.  Its all special interest at the top.  No one is for FLORIDA: THE CUTTING EDGE STATE WITH GREAT SCHOOLS, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES (WAGES), LEADERS WITH VISION TO IMPROVE AND CREATE....INSPIRE AND EXCITE!  All that is lacking statewise trickles down to the Bucs getting little to no attention.

[HughC]

All the Bucs need is a USC RB (who isn't even really a RB) that only averages 500 yards rushing per season and a QB who throw 700 times in a season because his defense sucks... That's how you get on MNF. STAR POWER!!

Absolutely true, just look at how networks market any game (even non-nfl games.)  It's the same formula in nearly every ad: Player X and Team Y meet Someone and the Somebodies in a battle of Adjective Z.  For example, "Adrian Peterson and the Vikings face LaDainian Tomlinson and the Chargers in a battle of the NFL's best running backs, Sunday night at 8" or "Jake Delhomme and the Panthers look for revenge against Kurt Warner and the Cardinals tommorrow night at 9", etc.

That being said, I'm still at a bit of a loss over why so many people are up at arms over the Bucs not being on primetime.  It's as if some people are more concerned about national perception of the Bucs than they are with the actual performance of the team.

I realize that being at a primetime evening game can be very excitement due to the buzz (literally and figureatively) at RayJay, but there's no guarantee that it would be a home game - and for those that have to get up early to work the next day (most everybody that can afford tickets) an earlier start is more convenient.

A team that plays Sunday or Monday night games also has much less time to game plan for the following week, and players have less time to recover - both of which are an advantage for the next opponent.  Put that together with flying under the radar, other teams possibly having a letdown - or at least not getting quite as up for the Bucs if they were more well known, and in my opinion not being on primetime is not a bad thing.

[CadillacPower24_2006]

That being said, I'm still at a bit of a loss over why so many people are up at arms over the Bucs not being on primetime.  It's as if some people are more concerned about national perception of the Bucs than they are with the actual performance of the team.

I realize that being at a primetime evening game can be very excitement due to the buzz (literally and figureatively) at RayJay, but there's no guarantee that it would be a home game - and for those that have to get up early to work the next day (most everybody that can afford tickets) an earlier start is more convenient.

+1, having prime time games makes no difference what-so-ever about the out come of the season

[BUCINRIGHT]

What about the Cleavland Browns they were horrible 4-12 and they get not one but 2 prime time games.  Also the bears finish 9-7 no playoffs and they get 5 nationally televised games.  Just saying