Talk of the Buccaneers history has been our invention of the “Tampa 2” defense. We became famous for it and league-wide other teams copy it. But when it comes to the history of our head coaches it also has become famous, I call it the “Tampa Two-Step.”

As the story goes, the Buccaneers, the most laughed at football franchise in the history of the NFL, had a miracle bestowed on it. That miracle was the purchase of the team by the Glazer family in 1995 and their hiring of Tony Dungy in 1996. The laughing stock of the NFL soon became a feared and dreaded powerhouse under Dungy’s leadership in ‘96 and the playoff season that followed in ‘97.

But after years of turning the franchise around but never reaching an “oh so close” Super Bowl appearance, the Tampa Bay fans began calling for his head. Ungrateful Bucs fans began to rant and rave, screaming for the firing of this once-upon-a-time miracle head coach who turned the franchise around.

So once again here we are facing the clamor of the naysayers calling for a Buccaneers head coach’s head. Head coach Raheem Morris’ five-game losing streak has sparked an angry mob forming in the courtyard, demanding their head coach to be fired. We went through this before.

Oh yes, see after Dungy was eventually fired there came Jon Gruden. Oh the fans loved this fiery coach from the first day and cried that he’s the Godsend that we have been waiting for to finally take us to the promised land – the Super Bowl. And by golly sure enough, in his first year of being the head coach, Gruden won the first Super Bowl in franchise history. Oh how the fans adored him and all was well in Bucland.

Alas, all that glitters ain’t gold. After years of dismantling and destroying the Buccaneers that Dungy created, Gruden faced the angry mob of Bucs fans, too, that called for his head. Eventually, the cry for Gruden’s firing grew too great and the fans got what they wanted again, the coach was fired.

Gruden was replaced with Morris and oh the fans were oh so happy to have Gruden gone. Sure, Morris was young and had absolutely no experience as a head coach or a coordinator, but anything was better than that lousy Gruden. And the fans rejoiced like kids at Christmas tingling with expectation and endless possibilities. Sure, this could be a bad coaching choice but at least it wasn’t Gruden anymore and anything was possible. This coach could be great.

Tampa Bay fans endured patiently through a sub-par “rebuilding” first year with Morris as a new head coach. In the second year, the fans’ patience was rewarded with a wonderful 10-win season. Oh the Bucs fans were happy, the Bucs players were riding sky high and full of pride and boasts, and the Bucs head coach was loved by Bucs fans once again.

Sadly, this honeymoon wasn’t meant to last. The third year for Morris has brought us here once again with Tampa Bay fans crying out for the head coach to go. They say Morris’ job is on the line and he is in the hot seat.

This tale of the history of the Buccaneers head coaches is what I call the “Tampa Two-Step.” The dance goes like this: embrace your head coach and hold him tight, shower him with praise and dosie doe, spin him around and take him to the top, then when his stock starts to drop stomp on him till his eyes pop.

Try it at home in your spare time, folks. All the Bucs fans are doing it. Why, it’s the latest crave since 1996 around here. 

I don’t know about you, but I for one sure am tired of doing this dance. Aren’t you?

Give the damn head coach a chance. He’s only been here three years. And he inherited a mess, which was replaced with what is the youngest football team in the NFL over the last two seasons.

Hey Raheem, you’ve got my vote of approval. I have faith that you are growing something mighty special. And in years to come, this Buccaneers team will have once again become legendary. Maybe it may take a year or two – shoot maybe three. But I know that you are growing some homegrown greatness. Sure, we may have some growing pains and the fickle fans will start to groaning as usual, but stick to the plan.

Bucs fans – stop this darned “Tampa Two-Step” and stick it out with a coach for once. I never seen anything like it. Bucs fans just can’t be satisfied. You could turn the worst NFL team around to legendary status, but Tampa Bay fans won’t be satisfied. You can take the team to its very first Super Bowl and win it all, but Bucs fans won’t be satisfied. All they seem to want is to complain and win ALL the time.

Hello to reality, folks. You just can’t win all the time and there just may be some years in a row when the going gets tough and losing is all around. But I bet that if you stuck with a darned head coach for more than three years – how about try 10 years – then I’m betting that when you look up after all those years you will see that you have yourself a winning team with a winning overall record. Shoot, even some division championships, conference championships, and Super Bowls.

Rah you got my vote of confidence. At the very least sticking with you will stop this darned dosie doe “Tampa Two-Step.”

It’s got my head spinning. Go Bucs.