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Thomas Bassinger - Newsletters Editor
Thomas Bassinger

Newsletters Editor

I am the sports data reporter at the Tampa Bay Times, and here are some of the things I believe: • Tecmo Super Bowl is the greatest sports video game of all time. • The eye test is bogus. It’s just a way to make your opinion sound more credible. • Football teams should almost always go for it on fourth and 1 and fourth and 2.

  1. The Buccaneers tease new uniforms for 2020
    Feb. 12• Bucs
    The Bucs posted a video Tuesday that teases changes to the team's uniforms. [@Buccaneers on Twitter]
  2. The eye-opening lesson the Bucs should learn from the Titans’ surprising playoff run
    Jan. 13• Bucs
    Titans running back Derrick Henry is the first player to gain 377 rushing yards in his team’s first two playoff games. [JULIO CORTEZ | Associated Press]
  3. The XFL experiment: How do you build a team that Tampa Bay wants to watch?
    Jan. 13• Vipers
    Running back Jacques Patrick is one of 30 Tampa Bay Vipers players who had ties to Florida before they joined the team. He played college football at Florida State for four seasons. [CLIFF WELCH | Icon Sportswire]
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  5. Carson Palmer predicted a 'massive’ 2020 for Jameis Winston. Should we trust him?
    Jan. 10• Bucs
    Carson Palmer and Jameis Winston played against each other twice, once in 2016 (a 40-7 Cardinals win) and once in 2017 (a 38-33 Cardinals win during which Winston suffered a shoulder injury). [RICK SCUTERI | Associated Press]
  6. The XFL has announced rules that the NFL will someday steal
    Jan. 7• Vipers
    The XFL begins its 10-week regular season Feb. 8, one week after the NFL's Super Bowl. [CLIFF WELCH | Icon Sportswire]
  7. Madden NFL 20 warned us about the Buccaneers
    Jan. 6• Bucs
    Madden's forecasts are pretty spot-on. Its portrayals of NFL coaches? Not so much. Is that Bruce Arians or Benjamin Button? [EA Sports]
  8. The Buccaneers’ 2020 salary cap situation isn’t what it seems
    Jan. 4• Bucs
    Linebacker Shaquil Barrett is one of 25 Bucs players who are set to become unrestricted free agents in March. Re-signing him is one of Tampa Bay's top offseason priorities. [PAUL SANCYA | Associated Press]
  9. Jameis Winston: What will the Bucs do? Here are their options.
    Dec. 31, 2019• Bucs
    No matter where he is playing next season, Jameis Winston is likely to see his salary increase to about $25 million. [OCTAVIO JONES | Times]
  10. Bucs-Falcons: There’s no denying it. We know who Jameis Winston is.
    Dec. 30, 2019• Bucs
    Jameis Winston threw a team record 33 touchdown passes this season, but he also threw an NFL record seven pick-sixes. [JASON BEHNKEN | Associated Press]
  11. He was a high school football coach. Then the XFL called.
    Dec. 19, 2019• Vipers
    Linebacker Lucas Wacha, now with the XFL's Tampa Bay Vipers, played for Wyoming from 2013 through 2016, for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys during summer of 2017 and for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2018. [ANDRES LEIGHTON | Associated Press]
  12. Bucs-Lions AfterMath: Are we overreacting to Tampa Bay’s win streak?
    Dec. 17, 2019• Bucs
    Bucs safety Andrew Adams returns an interception Sunday against the Lions. Over the past month, Tampa Bay has recorded the third-most takeaways (10) in the NFL. [PAUL SANCYA | Associated Press]
  13. Bucs-Lions: Tampa Bay has found its winning formula, and other things we learned
    Dec. 15, 2019• Bucs
    On Sunday, Jameis Winston became the first quarterback in NFL history to gain 450 yards in back-to-back games. [PAUL SANCYA | Associated Press]
  14. Stop! Jameis Winston is not on track to be the next Peyton Manning
    Dec. 14, 2019• Bucs
    Peyton Manning threw 26 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions in 2001, his age-25 season. Jameis Winston has thrown 26 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions through 13 games this season, which is his age-25 season. What does it mean? Probably nothing. [KEVIN RIVOLI | Associated Press]
  15. Bucs-Lions: Jameis Winston has changed, but you might not have noticed
    Dec. 14, 2019• Bucs
    Last season, Jameis Winston threw the ball away five times. This season, he has thrown it away 23 times. “One of the hardest things to do is to throw the ball away — trust me,” Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich said. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
  16. XFL Q&A: Why former Oklahoma State quarterback Taylor Cornelius is an ‘iceman’
    Dec. 13, 2019• Vipers
    With Oklahoma State in 2018, Taylor Cornelius threw for 3,978 passing yards (fifth most in program history) and 32 touchdowns (fourth most). The Tampa Bay Vipers drafted him in October. [SUE OGROCKI | Associated Press]
  17. XFL Q&A: Oliver Luck on lessons learned, Colin Kaepernick and sports betting
    Dec. 11, 2019• Vipers
    The XFL isn't a developmental league, but it is a "league of opportunity," commissioner Oliver Luck said Tuesday. "Bust your butt, play hard, have a chance to get great game tape and you’ll get a shot in the NFL." [TED S. WARREN | Associated Press]
  18. Bucs-Colts AfterMath: How sustainable is the Jameis Winston Experience?
    Dec. 10, 2019• Bucs
    In Sunday's win, Jameis Winston finished with four passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, three interceptions and more than 400 passing yards. He’s the only quarterback in NFL history to hit those marks in a single game. [CHRIS O'MEARA | Associated Press]
  19. Bucs-Colts: Tampa Bay will miss the playoffs (again), and other things we learned
    Dec. 8, 2019• Bucs
    Bucs receiver Breshad Perriman caught the game-winning touchdown pass Sunday. [MARK LOMOGLIO | Associated Press]
  20. Buccaneers-Colts: Math is taking over the NFL. Adapt or die.
    Dec. 7, 2019• Bucs
    Frank Reich's Colts go for it on fourth down roughly 20 percent of the time. [DARRON CUMMINGS | Associated Press]
  21. Day 1 for the Tampa Bay Vipers: “The XFL is for real. This is going to happen.”
    Dec. 6, 2019• Vipers
    Tampa Bay Vipers quarterback Aaron Murray tosses the ball during practice Thursday in Plant City. "It's grind time," he said. [XFL]
  22. XFL uniform reveal: Here is the Tampa Bay Vipers jersey and helmet
    Dec. 4, 2019• Bucs
    Tampa Bay Vipers coaches and players had their first team meeting Tuesday. Workouts and football activities begin Thursday. [XFL]
  23. Bucs uniform redesign: A reader updated our mockups, and they’re a must-see
    Dec. 3, 2019• Bucs
    This is what we in the business call a "tease." See the full Bucs uniform mockup below. [ANGUS O'KEEFE | Special to the Times]
  24. Bucs-Jaguars AfterMath: Is this the turnaround we’ve been waiting for?
    Dec. 2, 2019• Bucs
    Ndamukong Suh and the Bucs defense held the Jaguars to 11 points Sunday, the fewest points Tampa Bay has allowed in a game in more than a year. [PHELAN M. EBENHACK | Associated Press]