Hubert Mizell
Capital punishment has The Buccaneers' inaugural year is etched in infamy, Fourteen straight, consecutive, in-a-row defeats. The first NFL team ever to go oh-for-autumn. They teased at times — like Sunday against New England — but always perished, Always. "Wait 'til next….."

Never did the old Brooklyn Dodgers or the new Florida Gators have such a valid, hopeful chant as Tampa Bay's "Wait 'til next yea!" This is a team with no rear-view mirrors, Ahead, it's the only way to look. From the gutter to the Bucs ain't up.

"I don't foresee sitting in some bar 10 years from now and telling stories about being a member of the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers," said Bob Moore, a tight end blessed with good hands and eloquence.

Pat Toomay wrote a book entitled "The Crunch" someplace earlier in a seven-year pr0 football career, Asked if he would write another, Toomay frowned a face decorated with mud and beard and said, "Living it (the 0-14 season) was enough, I certainly don't want to re-live it."

If a book is written about the Bicentennial Buccaneers, it should be authored by Mel Brooks, Nobody believes his stuff, so Tampa Bay's first NFL year would fit perfectly. There were good times. Good moments, at least. But try to tell that to an outsider. "All they know is that we're bums, last in offense and last in defense, Oh-and fourteen. To them, nothing else matters" said Council Rudolph.

Rudolph, a five-year pro, packed his shoulder bag in reparation to leave town, He will visit his mother in Ala. 'then continue to his home in Houston, '"After that, going to California for the Super Bowl" Rudolph said. As a fan, that's how a Buccaneer gets to the Super Bowl. Johnny McKay will be there, too. So will his father the coach. Considering the circumstances,' I thought the effort today was great," said young McKay, "but it typified he season. A few big mistakes ruining it, Key players going out (with injuries) like Ed Williams and Morris Owens."

Toomay, Rudolph, McKay and large numbers of Bucs players made mentions of the spectator support in a year when Tampa Stadium customers had to search for reasons to hurrah' '*When we start 'winning," wide receiver McKay said. "The fans will be incredible. Double the crowd and the noise will triple. 'We'll very tough to beat at home."

Toomay has heard cheers as a Cowboy in Dallas and as an OJ Simpson teammate in Buffalo, but Buccaneer screamers left the veteran from Vanderbilt with a special warmth. "When the Bucs really get something going, winning several games in a row, contending for something" he said" then it will be unbelievable. They stuck with us pretty good in the bad times and gave us standing ovations in the good times. Players remember that."

Even losing teams warm goodbyes among themselves. Equipment men embrace giant offensive tackles. Linebackers clasp hands with assistant coaches. A genuine thing to witness. Maybe a dozen Bucs will stay in the area for the off-season. That number will increase as the roster solidifies. At this stage, there is an uncertainty for Tampa Bay players except for a precious few.

Today I can't even think about the future," said Moore, who will pursue a master's degree in government during the winter at the University of San Francisco. "After 20 games and a tough training camp, I don't see how any player can walk out of here and say he is excited, right this moment, about next summer's training camp."

Moore is a realist. He stood just under a year ago in another "getaway" dressing room. Then, he was a tight end for the Oakland Raiders and they had just lost the American Conference champion8hip game at Pittsburgh. "The longer you play this game, the more you realize other people make the key decisions that affect your life' he said. “So I'm not speculating ahead. It's fun for the press and fans to talk about the promise of next season, but I've got to be realistic.

"All I know right now is that I'm going to New Orleans tonight and will hoist a few mint juleps or something. I'm meeting Jim Plunkett there (he and Moore were college teammates at Stanford)," For Plunkett, too, it has been a tough season, being booed as San Francisco's quarterback and finally being benched in the same area where he was a Heisman Trophy hero at Stanford.

Like Moore said, it rally is fun for you and me to consider the apparent promise of 1977 and seasons beyond. To think of a backfield corps blessed with a Ricky Bell, an Anthony Davis, a healthy Harold Hart and others. To see the 18 or 20 Bucs who finished the season on injured reserve as healthy aspirants next July. Most of all, a good Buc fan remembers Lee Roy Selmon's knee in his prayers.

Mike Current, finishing his 10th season at offensive tackle, met offensive line coach Jerry Frei in the center of the luxurious Tampa Bay dressing room. Since mid-summer, they had worked together as regularly as Starsky and Hutch. The closeness was evident. We deserved better," Current told his coach, "But it leaves lots of room for improvement next year."