The Days of Wine and Roses

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were feted in Washington D.C. last week. By the end of the week, they were receiving their solid gold multi jewel-encrusted trophies aka Championship rings. Yesterday they were on the field for the 1st day of training camp and all was good. These are the days of wine and roses for the Bucs. Everything is simple. They are either loved or hated. Adored or feared. Ahead of them is a tough road to repeat. Some have said they have an easy schedule. WRONG! Nothing is easy when you are the top dog. Whoever Tampa Bay plays this season you best believe that game already has a red circle around it. They are going to get everyone’s best. Most teams are going to play like crap the game before and the game after. But they won’t play like crap on the day they play the Buccaneers. Their coaches are going to make sure of that. It is a statement if they can beat Tampa Bay. For the coaches, it means they are good enough to match wits Arians, Bowles, and Leftwich. For the players, it means they can match up against the Super Bowl champions. Oh yeah. They will be coming. Every week, every play.

It’s the days of champagne and toasts to last season. Drink up and get it over with boys. Then smash both the bottles and the glasses and throw them behind you. It’s time to go forward. To be better than you were last year. Bigger, stronger, faster, longer. The bullseye in on your backs. You have to raise your game., You are about to find out what being a champion is all about. It’s not about the bright lights. It’s not about the red carpets. It’s not even about solid gold multi jewel-encrusted Super bowl rings. If anything continuing as a champion is like a marriage. It is about dedication and devotion. Developing good habits and eschewing the bad. Giving more than you get. Finding a silver lining in every cloud.

So get ready guys and go get em. Dig deep and be smart.  The road to immortality is traversed by small steps