I was living in New Orleans during the Buccaneers 2002 journey to the Superbowl. I was working as a cook at Le Madeleine at the time. When I was working and couldn't watch the games, I would have my mother leave her phone near the TV and I would put my cellphone on speaker so I could cook and listen. I racked up quite the minute charges that year. What made the venture worse was the fact that the New Orleans Saints bet the Bucs twice that season. I was at the Saints home game in which the Bucs lost. I still recall vividly everyone in New Orleans saying the Bucs weren't worth "A pile of s#!t to step in".
My brother lived with their as well and 5 of our friends from high school were attending Tulane.We had a huge Superbowl blow out. Before the game there was an eerie mood among us all. We could not believe that the Bucs were in the Superbowl. Then the game started....
It was an emotional day for us. We all wished we were able to celebrate with our families, though for that day, we were all family. I never in my life can remember a time in which I knew a moment that all of my family was in the same exact moment as myself. The Bucs won and everyone's phones were ringing off the hook. The screaming in the room blending in with the screaming on the phone lines.
I will remember that day for the rest of my life. The day that a simple team sport brought an entire family and community closer than it had ever been before.
The 2002, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: One of the greatest Superbowl victories of all time.