By: Jim Williams Senior Columnist – Capital Sports Network
A Florida Kid, A California Legend, and the Birth of the Buccaneers
Fifty years ago, I was a 22-year-old sportscaster for WTOG TV in Tampa covering the inaugural season of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was 1976, and the team was brand new. But for me, the real story wasn’t just the expansion—it was the man leading it: Coach John McKay.
I was tasked with postgame interviews, and I told Coach McKay early on: if he didn’t feel like talking, just give me the signal—I’d grab a player or his defensive coordinator Abe Gibron. That simple gesture of respect laid the groundwork for a relationship that would span six seasons and countless memories.
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I covered the Bucs from their first exhibition game in Los Angeles through their early years at home and on the road. McKay’s razor-sharp wit made him a media dream, and easy to work with once he trusted you. I was in New Orleans in 1977 for their first win and at home the following week for their second victory as a team.
McKay was a first-time NFL head coach, fresh off a storied run at USC. The cast of characters at One Buc Place was, at times, a motley crew. But McKay over three years brought structure, wit, and a West Coast swagger to a franchise still finding its footing and a 1979 trip to the playoffs and the NFC Championship against Los Angeles which the Bucs lost at home 9-0.
McKay took the Buccaneers to the NFC Playoffs in just three years and proved he could be a success in the NFL.
How I Became Florida’s Lone USC Fan
Growing up in Tampa, I was a Florida Gator fan by geography—but a USC Trojan fan by heart. I listened to Trojans games on Armed Forces Radio, read McKay’s books, and admired his ability to recruit stars nationwide. I saw him on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and the Bob Hope Christmas Special, where he helped introduce the AP College All-Star Team. His charisma was magnetic.
As a high school senior, I wrote him a letter saying, “Coach, I might just be your only USC fan in Florida.” When he left the glitz of Los Angeles for the challenge of building an NFL team in Tampa, it must have been a cultural shock.
During my first meeting with McKay, I mentioned my letter to him and quoted a passage from his book. I asked him what it was like to appear so frequently on The Johnny Carson Show. We talked for an hour, and I didn’t ask a single question about football. At the end of our conversation, I told him that if he ever needed a straight man to set up his jokes, I was available. Over the years, he took advantage of this opportunity in hotel lobbies, much to my delight, and we became friends. I don’t want to give the impression that we were lifelong pals, but we forged a casual friendship that we both enjoyed.
From Sidelines to Studio: The John McKay Show
In 1978, I became the producer and feature reporter for The John McKay Show on WTOG-TV Channel 44. We launched with Mark Champion—who would later become the radio voice of the Bucs—as our first host. In year two, Jack Harris took over, and he was the perfect foil for McKay’s humor.
McKay welcomed ideas, embraced fun, and never took himself too seriously. He showed me kindness when he didn’t have to. He was a coach, a character, and a friend.
My Favorite John McKay’s One-Liners
On his team’s depth chart: “We have depth. Unfortunately, it’s all at the shallow end.”
On his team’s execution: “I’m in favor of it.”
After a loss: “We didn’t tackle well today. But we made up for it by not blocking.”
On his kicker’s aim: “I told him to aim for the guy waving the hot dog.”
On emotion in football: “Emotion is overrated. My wife is emotional, but she can’t play football.”
On his team’s performance: “We didn’t do anything well. But we made up for it by doing everything poorly.”
On a player’s injury: “He has a knee injury. He’s out indefinitely. That means we don’t know if he’ll ever play again.”
There was only one John McKay and I had the honor of working with him.
