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Monday, January 7, 2008

EXCLUSIVE: Tampa Bay Refuses to Leave Post-Season after Loss to Giants


Special to "IT IS HIGH..."

Despite yesterday’s double-digit defeat in Florida, a sudden collapse in national polls and by Fox Network's refusal to invite them to next weekend’s playoffs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are buckling down and vowing not to leave the Super Bowl race.


"We can't pull out before Dallas or Green Bay," said a key Bucs insider, following Sunday's 24-14 playoff loss to the Giants. "We invested more than $100 million into this campaign, and it’s too early to quit. How can I justify this, if we fold the tent without even going to Dallas?”

The official acknowledged that back-to-back playoff losses would make it next to impossible for Tampa to win the Super Bowl. The real problem is that the Giants, not Tampa Bay, are now scheduled to play the Dallas Cowboys Sunday in Texas.

That means enormous public exposure for the Giants, which will translate into fundraising opportunities and a growing view nationwide that the Bucs cannot win.

To counter that prevailing opinion, Tampa Bay will launch a major media ad blitz, centering on Fox News Network. The campaign will argue that Sunday's 24-14 outcome was a preliminary final score, which still has not been confirmed by the league in a full and comprehensive recount.
The ads will also contend that the Giants are soft on pass defense and thus, cannot win the Super Bowl, even if they are successful in Dallas.

“We remain the most viable alternative for the NFC," the Bucs insider said. "But I’m not going to sugar-coat this. We really needed that victory. We're just not ready to throw our support behind those northerners just yet. Remember, in Florida, it takes time to count the numbers.”

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