No football today?!?

I think this is the closest that yours truly has ever been to PTSD.

With the recent losses of both my beloved Gators and the Apopka Blue Darters, and given the pathetic nature of the Bucs this season, I just didn't know what I would do with all my spare time this weekend.

Forutnately, my little sister came to the rescue with this snapshot of her son's flag football game up in South Carolina.

Not quite the same as watching an SEC gridiron battle on cable TV, but I'll settle for anything at this point.

And, given the scouting reports of Junior Simmons' fierce running game, methinks Tebow's records may fall in about 15 years. Ye Noles fans should also be quaking in your collective boots!

Timing is everything

There I was. 3:30pm on a Friday before a long holiday weekend.

That's when I got the call that 2 tickets were available to tonight's preseason Bucs game vs Houston down in Tampa.

The only problem was kick-off was at 7pm, and Raymond James Stadium is an hour-and-a-half drive down notoriously infernal I-4.

Well, that and I (along with just about everybody else in the world) already had plans set by that late hour.

Fortunately, I was able to find a home for the tix. I do have some contacts who enjoy a degree of spontaneity in their lives.

Anyway, just as well I didn't make the trek down there. The Bucs lost 27-20.

I do read in the post-game dissection reports, however, that former Gator stand-out Rex Grossman may have salvaged his pro career.

Ye socks may remember him as the QB who "led" Chicago to the 2007 Super Bowl. In this little corner of heaven, however, he is perhaps best known for bailing on the Gator Nation soon after Steve Superior's premature departure.

But, I digress, and who could really blame Rexy for not staying thru the Zook years, anyway?!

Despite missing most of the preseason with a hamstring injury, ole Rex was back to his winning ways--threw 2 TD passes to put the nail in the Bucs' proverbial coffin.

Hopefully, this will mean he survives tomorrow's last round of roster cuts. He couldn't have timed this win any better . . . kinda typifies his career, both collegiate and professional, no?

Some early Christmas surprises

For ye out-of-state socks, this may all seem "ho-hum" to you, but whatever:

HOW BOUT THEM BUCS?!

I wasn't sure if it was a Nyquil-induced hallucination until they replayed it again, and again, and again.

That's right, in the long and storied history of our beloved ball team from the bay, we have NEVER seen a kick-off returned for a touchdown. NEVER.

Until today, that is. (Early Christmas surprise #1.)

And, by going on to beat the Falcons, the guys in pewter also clinched a play-off spot. (Early Christmas surprise #2.)

But, the greatest thing about this afternoon of being shut-in at the house, I discovered an unopened bag of Hall's cough drops in the "gift closet." (Early Christmas surprise #3.)

I hope all these early surprises don't mean Santa plans on disappointing on Christmas Day. He's never let us down before, but how many more surprises could he have up his sleeve?!

Perhaps some snow in Apopka wouldn't be entirely out of the question this year?!

And, maybe Denise the Lunchlady will win Survivor tonight?!

Ok, ok, I'll stop.