THE DAY AS A BUCCANEER

I was recently the lucky winner of tickets to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Arizona Cardinals. Shout out to the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce for the hookup! As game day approached, I figured it would be wise to research the history behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Obviously, I needed to prepare for the role of #1 fangirl.

WHAT I UNCOVERED

1.    Everyone loves the pirate ship

2.    Everyone hates the current uniform

The Buccaneers got their name from the pirates who frequented the coast of Florida in the 17th and 18th centuries. When the team came to fruition in 1976 the colors were set to be orange and red. The orange was said to represent the Florida citrus industry and the red represented pirates blood? Not completely sold on that fact.

While on the topic of uniforms – I couldn't help but notice during the game that at least 50% of fans were rocking the "Bucco Bruce" logo (thrown overboard in 1996) and a large quantity wearing the 1976 creamsicle orange. Are we getting a hint about the feelings towards the current uniform?

WHAT TO EXPECT UPON ARRIVAL

Once arriving to the stadium we parked in someone’s front yard adjacent to the stadium (yes, this is normal and no Siri didn't take you to the wrong address). To the right of the entrance was Bucs Beach - a 2018 stadium addition. The quaint sand area has beach chairs, umbrellas, palm trees; The only thing missing was the ocean.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS – THE *NOT SO* SPORTY VERSION

I navigated my way through the stadium, grabbed a cold beer, and found my seat. Sitting high and mighty in section 202, I had an unobstructed view of the field. The stadium had so much energy whether it was the shooting cannons, Devin White telling the fans to "make some noise", or the roar of the first touchdown – There was always something going on. As the time ticked, the outcome of the game became less and less predictable.

The sun continued to beat down on Section 202, so I decided to take a break from the heat and take a walk around the stadium. The First stop was the infamous pirate ship – it is indeed pretty awesome! After several failed selfie attempts and a few strange looks, I decided to keep moving. Per usual, I was hungry and the Pizza Box Nachos (new menu item) were there to lend me the support I needed – worth every bit of the sixteen dollars

Fast forward to the fourth quarter – The Buccaneers were down by four with one minute and forty-three seconds left in the game. Peyton Barber with the help of Matt Gay get the Buccaneer TD that was so desperately needed. The Bucs WIN THE GAME!

UNTIL NEXT TIME MATES

From all of the Buccaneer's history I acquired to the riveting team victory, it was a Sunday well spent! I look forward to my next Bucs game (preferably 20 degrees cooler outside). Until then, I will continue to soak up all things Tampa. Stay tuned my friends!