Micheal Savoie

I am a season ticket holder for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I attend as many of the games as I can. When I am in the stadium, I see the regulars. The die hard fans. Some wear their gear proudly, others just a hat or jersey combo. But they are there to cheer for the Bucs.

But there are other fans in the building. The ones who are there to root for the enemy. The Dolphin Fan, Browns Fan, 49ers Fan, Giants Fan and this week, the Cardinals Fan. In fact, the person who has the tickets for the seats next to me has sold their seats to opposing team fans every game this season. I am heading into this weekend with the trepidation that the Saints fans sitting next to me will be obnoxious and loud all game (unless the Bucs take an early lead and manage to hang on all game).

I am a member of Facebook Buccaneers Groups and I am amazed at how many “fans” are so hateful of the team, ownership, coaching staff and individual players that they should have their fan card revoked. The team posts live videos on Facebook, and some of the commenters are posting that the Bucs need a white quarterback… as if skin color has anything to do with the ability to play football. They are getting out of hand, and it is mostly because they are sitting safely behind a computer or phone, miles away, and feel like they can lash out with no fear of repercussion.

Look, I understand, I hate to be 3 – 6 in November and watching all the other teams maneuvering for playoff spots. But if those same fans had been on board early on and supporting their team instead of tearing it down, where would the team be right now? People who don’t go to home games because the team isn’t winning are part of the problem. When the Steelers were doing bad early in the season, did their fans stop going to the games? (The answer is no, and because the fans are so supportive, the team invested some of their draft picks for next year on Minkah Fitzpatrick this year and it has turned the team around in a big way).

Football is all about being out on the field – even if your team is outmatched or outplayed. If the players are out there in the heat or cold, rain or snow – why can’t the fans be there to support the team? It is funny to me to hear people who complain about the team for years while they are not doing well suddenly get mad at all the “new” fans showing up when the team starts doing well. Those new fans are called bandwagon fans, yet a lot of them were fans all along, they just got turned off from all the negative griping “fans” who complain about everything from the playcalling to the ownership. Come on, people, give it a rest and enjoy your team while you can. Having a home field advantage would actually help your team win some games that they would otherwise lose. Fans in seats do make a difference. Ask the teams with real fans.

If your team was not in the Super Bowl last February, you are probably eager to see what they are going to do this year to become a contender. The sad part about this is that 30 teams’ fans are in this predicament.

When the new league year starts, teams start shuffling and strategizing for improvement over the previous year. They look at their overall stats and the individual performance of the people involved in those stats to help them come up with the right plan for the draft, free agency and possible trades. Some teams have cut ties with coaches because they needed improvement that just shuffling players around did not seem to provide.

If you are like me, you probably have Sirius XM NFL Radio (channel 88) going on your browser and in your car. And in between, you have the NFL network on the TV to keep you up to date on late breaking stories. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of day, stories break about trades, players getting cut or players running their mouth about wanting something. That is why this blog was created.

When something amazing happens, you have to get it off your chest. Last year, when Le’Veon Bell refused to sign his franchise tender, it seemed that he was the only person in the news. He managed to milk that all season long, too. But he had people talking about it. Everyone had an opinion. People needed to get that off their chests! So when something happens this year, expect me to write about it. I may not be a fan of your team, but when big news hits, I will be here to tell you my opinion about it and point you in the direction of additional stories about it.

Why? Because I can. Blogging is the fun part of my online day, and when football fans are pining for the wide receiver that is tearing up the Twitter with his Batman like abs and amazing 40 yard time, it is my duty to tell you that your team will probably not draft him, because they have needs that should probably be addressed before the caped crusader!

Free Agency, though, is where the rubber meets the road in the NFL. At noon Eastern Time today, the two day negotiating period opens up for teams who want to make a deal with potential free agents. Teams who are budget conscious have to let good players walk, to the delight of teams who have caps space available and a dire need at that position. Many teams did not pick up the final year option for players’ contracts so that they could make their money in free agency, or at least allow them to test the market for their services. They could end up signing with their old team at a discount if the offers don’t come from other teams.

So, what are you excited about in the coming free agency for your team? Are you sad to see some players go? Is there one player in particular that you want your team to snatch up? Tell us in the comment section!