SPORTS REPORT

BY PAUL ALLEN

Tampa Bay Bucs

The Tom Brady era was fun while it lasted! The 2022-2023 Tampa Bay Buc season ended with a thud as the team was trounced by the Dallas Cowboys (31-14) in the playo s. The team just didn’t have enough o ense as Tom Brady seemed to be on a di erent page than Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and the rest of the Buc receivers. The Buc running game was a joke ( nishing last in the NFL), the defense was fair (at best) and the overall play-calling was terrible. This was not the way I envisioned Tom Brady ending his career with Tampa Bay. Yes, they won the “piss-poor” NFC South Division and made the playo s but their overall record was under .500 at 8-9.

The team red o ensive coordinator Bryon Leftwich and he wasn’t the only coach shown the door. I’m still shocked the team retained Todd Bowles as head coach. I thought he did a terrible job all year long. I do not think TB12 will return to the Bucs. I personally hope he retires but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in a Miami Dolphin uniform. Dolphin QB Tua Tagovailoa has been told one more concussion could be detrimental to his health and I gotta admit seeing Tommy throwing the ball to wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle would be something else! Word on the street is he recently purchased a home in South Florida as well … we will see!

I want to thank TB12 for his time in Tampa. He is the GOAT and it was a privilege watching him in pewter & red. The Bucs will move on and hopefully be better than a sub .500 team next year. Look for tons of changes … including a new QB.

Super Bowl

At press time the NFL is down to four teams. In the NFC we have the San Francisco 49ers traveling to Philadelphia to play the Eagles. This should be one hell of a game. The Eagles have a healthy Jalen Hurts back at QB and that means the Eagles can beat anybody! The Niners are led by rookie QB Brock Purdy and he looks like a seasoned pro.

The AFC features the Cincinnati Bengals looking for a return trip to the big game (they were defeated last year by the LA Rams). Cincy will travel to Kansas City to play Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Bengals beat them last year in KC to make it to the Super Bowl and have won the last three games these two teams have played. No matter which two teams make it to the Super Bowl, I’m sure it will be one hell of a game!

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts are playing solid hockey and at press time nd themselves with the third best record in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference trailing the amazing Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Superstar Steven Stamkos knocked in his 500th goal last month and is having a great season. The team has home games this month on 2/7 against San Jose, 2/9 against Colorado, 2/21 against Anaheim, 2/23 against Bu alo and 2/28 against the Florida Panthers … Go Bolts!

Tampa Bay Rays

An under-whelming, disappointing o -season saw the Ray do next to nothing and it looks like they won’t nd the left-handed power hitter they were looking for. The team is still solid but there will be pressure on the team to our produce what they did last season. The NY Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are all improved and the AL East is one tough division!

Spring training starts this month and due to the damage done to the Charlotte Sports Park by Hurricane Ian last year, the 2023 spring training season along with the Rays Major League and Minor League camps will be held at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando. The season opens with a game against the New York Yankees at the ESPN Park in Orlando on February 28.