Da Bucs: Doin' it Right . . .

The Bucs practice at One Buccaneer Place in 2009. (Photo by Anne W. Anderson)

This past summer, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came home.

Not that they had deserted us ala the Los Angeles Rams (does anyone besides me remember the Rams before they moved to St. Louis?) or any of the other traveling sports teams.  The Bucs have been our football team -- for better or for worse -- since their first game in 1976.

For several summers, however, the Bucs held their summer training camp out of town. Far from the madding crowds, perhaps. But also far from the fans who loved them.

They came home this past summer. Home to One Buc Place with its multiple practice fields rimmed on three sides with up-close shaded bleachers. The Bucs opened those bleachers to their fans -- free -- for most of their summer practices.

It was a smart move.

The day IGTB went, several grandchildren in tow, only a couple of the fields were being used. But the bleachers near those fields were full. A few Bucs cheerleaders got the crowd whoopin' and hollerin'. We watched the players and coaches run through various drills. We spent a lot of time explaining the game to the kids with us.

The facilities were super clean (my daughter-in-law raved about the restroom); the concessions were very modestly priced. And at the end, they passed out free icee-pops to everyone in the crowd.

Talk about building a fan base.

Thursday April 22, the Bucs do it right again. This time they're inviting fans -- free -- to come for a Draft Party (OK, it's sponsored by Miller Lite) from 5-9 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium. Yes, of course, they'll be hawking team merchandise and tickets and whatnot. But they'll also be showing off new HD video walls (!) on which they'll be airing live coverage of the draft. And Bucs players and cheerleaders will be there to meet and greet.

My guess is the place will be crawling with die-hard Bucs fans. But my guess is that at least a few people will be borderline fans or even the merely curious, waiting to be wooed.

Ya gotta start somewhere.

P.S. The Bucs' Web site says they're "actively seeking" local talent to sing the National Anthem or present colors before home games. Could be you they're seeking?

IGTB at Art-in-the-Park This Saturday

IGTB makes its first public appearance this Saturday, April 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the City of Oldsmar's 2nd Annual Art-in-the-Park.

Held at R. E. Olds Park -- yes, named after the same Ransom Eli Olds who developed the Oldsmobile and Reo cars in the late 1890s and early 1900s -- overlooking the beautiful upper end of Tampa Bay, Art-in-the-Park features area artisans and crafters demonstrating and selling their works, plus live entertainment, a children's area, and food concessions.

Special guests this year include Paper Airplane Artist Dean Mackey and Comic Book Illustrator Mark Pennington. Entertainment will include art lectures and demonstrations, poetry, dancing -- with a special appearance from the Indak Pambata Philippine Dancers -- and more. 


Look for Insiders' Guide® to the Greater Tampa Bay Area at the Clearwater Pen Women booth, which will be next to Formed & Fired: Creations in Clay . . . which will be next to the food concession! Sounds good to me . . .

The park is located at 107 Shore Drive W. in Oldsmar. Take SR580 from either Hillsborough or Pinellas County to St. Petersburg Dr. (there is a stop light).  Turn RIGHT (coming from Pinellas) or LEFT (coming from Hillsborough) -- either way you are turning toward Jack Willie's Tiki Bar & Grill. Follow St. Petersburg Dr. to Bayview Blvd. and turn RIGHT onto Shore Drive W. You should see the park. Warning: The marker on the Google map shows the park southeast of Bayview instead of northwest.

The OTHER Bay Area Bridge

"Say 'bay area' and many people think only of cable cars and a famous bridge on the west coast of the continental United States. Ah, but there's another bay area on another west coast with another equally elegant bridge draped across its shoulders. And this bay area--the Tampa Bay area on Florida's west coast--basks in a whole lot more sunshine every day of the year." (Insiders' Guide to the Greater Tampa Bay Area, p. 3, Area Overview)

Read more about the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, considered by some sources to be among the top 10 bridges in the world in "Bridging the Bay," on pages 24-25 of the Getting Here, Getting Around chapter. You'll also find information about the other five bridges that span various parts of Tampa Bay.

Photo courtesy of Pinellas County Communications.