This still seems weird. You pick up the Sunday sports section of the Tampa Bay Times and you are reminded–starting with the front page–of a certain athletic hierarchy. Pro football is first. Nothing else is close. Context doesn’t matter.
It obviously remains must-reading for lots of sports fans. And there’s always something to write–formulaically–about. As in: Let’s double down on further rehashing this disappointing, stormy Bucs’ season that’s turned into a Dirk Koetter soap opera. Let’s also preview the inconsequential Carolina Panthers game as well as preview all other Week 16 games. It’s the way it’s always been done. Pro football is ubiquitous in the culture.
Then on pages 8-9 there is coverage of the previous night’s Lightning win over the Minnesota Wild before another loud, sold-out Amalie Arena crowd.
Ironically, the Lightning are the best team in the NHL. And the Bolts actually played–they weren’t just being previewed and over-analyzed. That Minnesota win by what could be a best-ever Bolts franchise got them coverage right before the weather page. A shutout account right before the allergens update.
And, BTW, USF won its bowl game the previous day over Texas Tech. The Bulls finished 10-2; no USF team has ever had a better record. It got them page 6 coverage. It is what it is.
* The Christmas Day schedule of televised sports events included five NBA games and two NFL games. What a holiday tradition.
* It was vintage tabloid–as well as a fitting farewell. The Tampa Bay Times headline announcing the impactful, emotional departure of Rays third baseman–and franchise avatar–Evan Longoria: “So Longo.”