It’s Super Bowl week! Radio row in Miami will start to buzz soon. The AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs and the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers have already arrived in Florida to play the big game. Dade County has put on its game face and this Sunday should be an exciting Super Bowl LIV.
For Buccaneer fans it has been 17 years since they sipped from the world champion chalice. Catching a replay of the Buccaneers/Raiders super bowl this weekend on the NFL Network was a treat. The marathon of Super Bowls on the network gave the Bucs/Raiders the 10:30 am EST time slot. How can you not set the DVR to record and watch it a few times this week?
Super Bowl 37 (The Pirate Bowl)
Speaking of XXXVII. Wasn’t it genius for the NFL Films crew to have John Lynch mic’d up for that entire game. From the pregame intensity of winding up a rabid Warren Sapp. To the identification of everything the Raiders offense, and quarterback Rich Gannon were doing. If the rest of the world didn’t know, they did now. Lynch was an alpha dog on a defense full of alpha dogs. The Buccaneers finalist for the 2001, 2002, and 2003 Walter Payton Man of the Year award, John Lynch is a born leader.
Drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 2nd round of the 1992 MLB draft. The two-sport phenom out of Stanford would play for the Erie Sailors in the Marlins minor league system. He threw the first pitch in Marlins team history and earned a place in the Hall of Fame. Cooperstown, not Canton. The pitch can be seen (here).
Back to Super Bowl XXXVII and that exhilirating January afternoon at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Former FSU safety Dexter Jackson earned the MVP that day. But watching the highlights of the game, as covered by Peter King of Sports Illustrated in 2002 (seen here), If there was a supporting actor prize for MVP assistance, Lynch would have taken home the hardware. Immediately identifying the “trips receiver formation” of the Raiders and considering the ball near midfield. Lynch immediately reminds the secondary not to bite Rich Gannon’s pump fake. “Get to your landmarks”, Lynch is heard barking to his defensive teammates. Leading almost immediately to the 2nd Dexter Jackson interception on the day.
Once a Buccaneer, Always a Buccaneer
Now #47 is in Miami as the General Manager of the 49ers. Buccaneer fans believe it fair he should also get a knock on his hotel door and receive notification that he will be in the NFL Hall of Fame, as well. San Francisco fans have other things on their minds.
One thing is for sure. As John Lynch has all season. The consummate competitor will surely have his staff getting to their landmarks.
Photo credit: buccaneers.com
