The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have finally come up with the best possible strategy for dealing with the past rape allegations involving recently re-signed tight end Jerramy Stevens.

They’ve forbidden their fans from mentioning the situation on the team’s official message boards.

A reader sent to us a link to a message from a moderator, who explains that the “Jerramy Stevens article” (i.e., this one) may not be discussed on the official team message boards.

The “only“ reasons for the decision are: 

(1) “If linked to, it will contains words which are censored here, and will thus be consided [sic] by-passing the censors.”

(2)  “The article brings up, to paraphrase, forcing someone into sexual activities.  That topic is not allowed here.”

The moderator then cautions that anyone posting or linking to the article “will be suspended,” and closes by calling the move “a warning as much as a favor.”  (Whatever in the hell that means.)

It’s an intriguing approach.  A team like the Bucs who has signed a player who (allegedly) has done certain unspeakable things can prevent discussion of the unspeakable things that the player (allegedly) has done by blocking discussion of such unspeakable things generally.

Hey, Bucs — you’re only making a bad situation worse, and you’re only providing folks who are inclined to criticize you for re-signing Stevens more fodder for keeping the story alive.