There Goes My Hero

“There was a time when it wasn’t popular to be a Buccaneer, and Mike made it cool to be a Buccaneer.”
-Tony Dungy

What defines greatness? Is it the numbers? Is is the championships? Is it the leadership? To be fair, it’s all of those, plus many more factors.

What does it mean to be a Buccaneer? What defines Buccaneer greatness? In a word: Alstott.

Mike Alstott, one of the greatest Buccaneers to ever pull on the jersey, announced his retirement today, following a 12 year career that ended with a neck injury. 12 years is an early retirement, but Alstott is not being selfish. The past few years, he has fought various injuries, including two serious neck injuries. This decision is for him and his family, not for us fans, and that’s the way it should be. No matter how much we hate it as fans, we have to be respectful of Alstott and his family. His wife and children are more important than us anyday.

One of the biggest draws for me, to become a Buccaneer fan, was watching Mike Alstott in a game against the Chicago Bears, several years ago. I was still young, and was still developing my sense of football, having yet to select a team in which I would devote myself to. I don’t remember vivid details of the game, I just remember watching the A-Train bounce off of defenders, and plow right through them for valuable yards. I remember thinking about how intimidating he looked, with those propped up shoulder pads. What an interesting player he was. The team seemed to rally around him, as if he was their leader. It didn’t take long for me to realize he was. In the end, he ran for over 100 yards on the way to a Bucs victory. It was his versatility and power running that helped the Bucs win after they were down early. He just never stopped. Watching that game, I instantly fell in love. I fell in love with Alstott, and I fell in love with the Buccaneers. I had found my team.

Throughout the years, I have watched the Buccaneers triumphs. I have watched their struggles. I was there when the Bucs fell 6 points shy of their first trip to the Super Bowl in 1999. I still remember looking at Alstott, who had had a monster season, as he held his head in his hands, following the loss. I was there for the early playoff exits in 2000 and 2001. I was there when Tony Dungy was fired. I was there when they hired some guy that looked like Chucky. The best part about it all, was that I was there that season, that magical season where the Bucs finally won the Super Bowl. Mike Alstott didn’t even run for 20 yards, but that didn’t matter. He had done his part all season long, and he was now a champion. All the years, all the frustration, and now, it was all over. Mike Alstott would hold the Lombardi Trophy, for the first and only time in his career.

I was there when everything came crashing back to earth. I was there through the disappointing seasons of 2003, 2004, and 2006. I was there when Mike Alstott got injured time after time. The worst part? I was there when he announced his retirement.

Mike Alstott is one of the few remaining players to have worn the pewter and orange. He is one of the few that was around for the big overhaul in 1997. Not many players have lasted quite as long as he has. Not many players have been through the same changes on one team that Alstott has. Not many players have been so durable.

The images of this man will never leave my mind. I will always remember watching him fly over defenders, or rumble into the endzone with three defenders on top of him. How could I forget him? He’s the man that led me to the devotion of my team. It’s going to be hard to watch the Buccaneers without him. I’ve even wondered if I should like the Bucs anymore. Of course I will, but it will be hard to not see number 40 plowing through the defensive line. Mike Alstott is the reason I’m a Buccaneers fan. Even with him gone, I will still remain a Bucs fan forever, always remembering the reason I became one in the first place. Whether he goes to Canton or not, Alstott will always remain in my heart, as a true hero. I turned to Buccaneers football during the hardest times, and #40 was always right in the middle of the offense, always there with the team that helped ease my pain.

“There was a time when it wasn’t popular to be a Buccaneer, and Mike made it cool to be a Buccaneer.”

Truer words have never been spoken. He is the reason I am a Buccaneers fan. He made it cool for me. While everyone around me is decked out in Bears blue and orange or Rams yellow and blue, I stick out like a sore thumb in my Buccaneers red and brown. None of that matters though. What matters is that this man is the reason I am a Buccaneers fan, and why so many other people are Bucs fans as well. For that, I will always be grateful. I will never forget the reason why I get chills when I hear chants of “A-Train.” I will never forget the reason why I always choose the number 40 when I’m getting a lottery ticket. I will never forget the reason why I’m writing on this site. Most importantly, I will never forget the reason why I love this team. One man has defined greatness for a franchise. For that, he has drawn countless fans, myself included. For that, he will always remain my hero.