R.I.P Lee Roy Selmon

[stingray]

A great player no doubt. And the face of the franchise for a very long time. I don't know who is considered the greatest Bucc of all time but it has to be either him or Warren Sapp.

Selmon followed his Hall of Fame college career with an equally impressive run in the NFL. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1976 draft -- the first ever selection by expansion Tampa Bay -- and suffered through a winless inaugural season before achieving success. In 1979, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award when he helped Tampa Bay make it to the NFC championship game. The Buccaneers also won the NFC Central title two years later.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/69...aneers-de-dies

[Showtime100]

(Wow, no love for Lee Roy?)

I remember when they were raising hell in Oklahoma then there was a big deal that the "Selmon brothers" were in Tampa Bay to help turn it around. Even they couldn't fix those terrible Tampa Bay teams, but they brought an excitement there that hadn't yet been seen before.

RIP Lee Roy Selmon.

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by Showtime100

(Wow, no love for Lee Roy?)

I remember when they were raising hell in Oklahoma then there was a big deal that the "Selmon brothers" were in Tampa Bay to help turn it around. Even they couldn't fix those terrible Tampa Bay teams, but they brought an excitement there that hadn't yet been seen before.

RIP Lee Roy Selmon.

I remember he and his brother Dewey making Tampa Bay a respectable team in the late 70s. Dude was a monster.

I wonder if TB will stitch a number 63 on their uniforms in his honor this year.

[Hookem Horns]

Originally Posted by Showtime100

(Wow, no love for Lee Roy?)

I remember when they were raising hell in Oklahoma then there was a big deal that the "Selmon brothers" were in Tampa Bay to help turn it around. Even they couldn't fix those terrible Tampa Bay teams, but they brought an excitement there that hadn't yet been seen before.

RIP Lee Roy Selmon.

That is a very common mistaken memory of those Bucs. It's funny however so many think that team was always horrible. I would call going from as horrible as they were the first 2 seasons to the NFC championship game by year 3 of their existance a huge "turn around" and VERY acceptable as a expansion team. The Selmon brothers were a key component of that.

They came into the league in 1976 and were 1 game from the Super Bowl in 1979. They continued to be a playoff team in the early 80's.

The Texans are now coming up on year 10 and haven't even made the playoffs. The Texans have been far worse than the Bucs historically.

[Showtime100]

Originally Posted by Hookem Horns

That is a very common mistaken memory of those Bucs. It's funny however so many think that team was always horrible. I would call going from as horrible as they were the first 2 seasons to the NFC championship game by year 3 of their existance a huge "turn around" and VERY acceptable as a expansion team. The Selmon brothers were a key component of that.

They came into the league in 1976 and were 1 game from the Super Bowl in 1979. They continued to be a playoff team in the early 80's.

The Texans are now coming up on year 10 and haven't even made the playoffs. The Texans have been far worse than the Bucs historically.

Well, my memory is intact, thanks. By "not being able to fix" those terrible teams I meant they never won a SB with them, which is the goal of every team. They got much better, but the ultimate fix never came. It just depends on how you look at it I guess.

[Hookem Horns]

Originally Posted by Showtime100

Well, my memory is intact, thanks. By "not being able to fix" those terrible teams I meant they never won a SB with them, which is the goal of every team. They got much better, but the ultimate fix never came. It just depends on how you look at it I guess.

That applies to hundreds maybe even thousands of great players. Earl Campbell comes to mind.

[Showtime100]

Originally Posted by Hookem Horns

That applies to hundreds maybe even thousands of great players. Earl Campbell comes to mind.

Absolutely. He didn't, nor could he fix all there was.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by stingray

A great player no doubt. And the face of the franchise for a very long time. I don't know who is considered the greatest Bucc of all time but it has to be either him or Warren Sapp.




http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/69...aneers-de-dies

Lee Roy Selmon was one of the greatest linemen I've ever seen. Id take him over Sapp if they had some bizarro fantasy draft with both guys in their prime. Class act too. RIP.

[texanhead08]

They probably would have been a playoff team the rest of Selmon's career had they not been so cheap with Doug Williams.

[Hookem Horns]

Originally Posted by texanhead08

They probably would have been a playoff team the rest of Selmon's career had they not been so cheap with Doug Williams.

Yep .. the Culverhouse's were cheap and bad owners. It got worse when Hugh died and his clueless daughter took over. This is why they were so bad until the Glazer's took over. Ownership is most definitely the biggest factor in the longterm success and failure of a franchise.

So far the jury is still out on McNair and unfortunately even the Culverhouse's were more successful after 10 years with their new franchise, both expansion in this case.