Tampa Bay sports fans have led a pretty charmed life over the last couple of years.
On the gridiron, Tom Brady’s decision to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in March of 2020 quickly led to a Super Bowl victory in his first season with the team, followed by their first NFC South title in more than a decade the following year.
Over that same stretch, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been even more successful, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. They kick off the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night against the New York Rangers, in pursuit of a legendary third straight championship.
During a recent interview for ESPN, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos acknowledged it might not be a coincidence that the Bolts’ recent success coincided with Brady’s arrival in Tampa Bay, and admitted he uses the GOAT’s “TB12 method” of training to keep himself in top shape while playing perhaps the most physically demanding of the major team sports:
Brady spent 20 years with the New England Patriots, helping to lead the most recent NFL dynasty, and one of the best in league history. Since joining the Bucs, Brady has overseen the most successful two-year run in franchise history.
Currently in his 14th season with the Lightning, the only NHL team he’s ever known, Stamkos is in a similar position for hockey’s most dominant franchise. In addition to their pursuit of a three-peat, Stamkos and the Bolts have made it to the conference finals in six of the past eight seasons.
The whole “Champa Bay” moniker has been quite fitting for the state of professional sports in the Tampa area, and two of the region’s most influential leaders appear to be inspiring one another to continue that epic run of greatness.
[listicle id=68475]