Ricky Bell was the first player taken in the 1977 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He struggled as the team struggled through a 2-12 season that year then a 5-11 record in 1978. But 1979 was magical, and the player unappreciated by Buccaneer fans, suddenly became a hero along with the rest of his teammates. This is the second of a three-part series remembering the backbone of that great '79 team.
The assignment was a good one for a young sports writer at the Tampa Tribune : go over to One Buccaneer Place and interview Ricky Bell for a feature.
In those days, we would meet players in a stark, barren room at Buccaneer headquarters. Plastic chairs, egg-white walls, you get the picture.
When he walked into the room, you couldn't help but notice his size. Yes, he looked big down on the field, ...
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Article written by Tom Edrington
Ricky Bell: The Unsung Hero of the 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Posted: 5th November 2009 by Tom Edrington in NFLComments Off on Ricky Bell: The Unsung Hero of the 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers