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Bob D’Angelo

Bob is a longtime member of the Florida sports media, having served as a reporter and copy editor for more than 30 years. His true sports passion, however, is the history of the various games, exhibited by his in-depth book reviews and hobby of collecting cards and other sports memorabilia. He blogs for TBO.com on both subjects, transferring his work for the Tampa Tribune to the realm of cyberspace.

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Carnes not at practice

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Gregg Becnel

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 03:36 PM

University of South Florida T Jared Carnes, who injured his knee in Wednesday’s practice and had to be carted off the field, was not at Thursday’s practice. Obviously, Carnes’ injury is serious and looks like he will not be available for Saturday’s game at No. 17 Auburn.

I’ll have more after practice.

It’s payback time Tampa Bay!

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Bucified Bert

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 01:14 PM

Well, well, well “Fanatical” ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls…It is time to GET REAL with the game of FOOTBALL!

I am very excited as I know my predictions mean a lot to all my FANATICAL FANS and they really count! In preseason, I can promise you all, that I will be right every week! The worst we can do this season is 12 and 4….keep in mind, I only made one mistake in preseason, I feel like I established myself a person you can trust and count on to get you through the 2007 season. Your Fanatical Fan Leader!

With last year behind us… this year, Bucified Bert is on the microphone! Before I talk about the upcoming game Sunday at 4:15 p.m., where the Buc’s will go against the Seahawks (and defeat them), lets reflect back to last year and the last time the Buc’s played….we lost to Seattle, 23 to 7 - in our house!….. Now, it’s PAYBACK TIME TAMPA BAY!!! Let me say that again, It is PAYBACK TIME TAMPA BAY!!! I can’t wait because I know our Buccaneers are ready to bring on the “D” in Defense, which is meaner and more vicious with Jeremiah Trotter. Also, word out of Las Vegas has made us the 6 point underdog. There will be a lot of money lost on that bet. Their mistake! Obviously they are not aware of the influence and motivation the song, CANNON POWER will have on our BUCCANEERS this year!

Thanks to each and everyone of you for the wonderful comments on the song. Speaking of the song CANNON POWER, all my FANATICAL FANS can see the video for the song on WFLA TV at 6:00 pm during the newscast on Saturday, Sept. 8th and for more info on Bucified please check out my website at www.bucified.com !!

Seattle will see the SHOT GUN ~ this is something we did not have last year! So fasten your seat belts and get ready for a FANATICAL start Tampa Bay!

Bucified Bert’s prediction ~ BUCS 21 ~ Seahawks 10….LETS GO TAMPA BAY!….The Buc’s are gonna’ bring it!!!!

It’s Payback Time Tampa Bay!

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Bucified Bert

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 01:04 PM

Well, well, well “Fanatical” ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls…It is time to GET REAL with the game of FOOTBALL!

Seattle will see the SHOT GUN ~ this is something we did not have last year! So fasten your seat belts and get ready for a FANATICAL start Tampa Bay!

Bucified Bert’s prediction ~ BUCS 21 ~ Seahawks 10….LETS GO TAMPA BAY!….The Buc’s are gonna’ bring it!!!!

Preacher’s Week One Prognosis

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Darin Shaw

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 10:56 AM

It all kicks off tonight. I mean it. Kick-offs. Lots of them. Do the math: 2 high powered offenses + 2 historically porous defenses = 2 tired kickers by the end of the game. All of America is tuning in to see Peyton and Reggie. The Preacher predicts that Adam and Olindo’s moms are going to be loving all the TV time their boys get tonight. “That’s my boy!” Hey, here’s something interesting. Olindo Mare graduated from the same High School that the Pigskin Preacher attended. Hmmm, that may have to figure into my pick.

This first weekend’s slate of games provides a number of interesting subplots.

When the Patriots meet the Jets, will it be love or shove between Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini? You remember last year Bill offered up the infamous snub the first time they faced off, followed by a ‘God, this is awkward but the cameras are rolling’ embrace the second time. I tell you, Bill Belichick is softening up a bit. I bet this time Bill will give Eric a gentle little man-kiss on the forehead.

Do you know who was happy to see David Garrard named starting QB in Jacksonville? The Tennessee Titans. The last time they faced Garrard, he graciously provided them with three interceptions and a fumble recovery. Don’t be surprised if Titans fans show up to the game wearing Garrard jerseys.

How about the Lions against the Raiders? Since Super Bowl XXXVII the Raiders have been the worst team in the NFL. The Lions? Over the entire Matt Millen era, they’re the worst. Two teams with nowhere to go but up. Hey, by the way, do you remember when I told you that a McCown would be an opening day starter this year all the way back on August 13th? Don’t look now, but the season hasn’t even kicked off and already I’m in mid-season form. Don’t try this at home, folks. I am a highly trained professional.

Okay, okay… for those of you who really love it when the magician lets you in on the secret, here goes: Preacher, how did you so confidently predict that Josh McCown would start on opening day for the Raiders? Well, my student, it was as easy as looking at the schedule. The Raiders opening day opponent happens to be the Lions; the same team that made a little draft-day trade with the Raiders, involving one…

Alright already, you’ve stopped by today for me to tell you the winners and losers for the kick-off weekend’s games. I aim to please. Here are my ‘Olindo kicked at my high school and we never won a season opener’ locks for week one: Colts over Saints; Broncos over Bills; Jaguars over Titans; Redskins over Dolphins; Rams over Panthers; Patriots over Jets… and watch for the kiss; Vikings over Falcons; Steelers over Browns; Eagles over Packers; Chiefs over Texans; Seahawks over Bucs; Chargers over Bears; Raiders over Lions; Cowboys over Giants; Ravens over Bengals; and 49ers over Cardinals.
For more precision prognostication, check out the Pigskin Preachers 2007 NFL Preview.

Taylor’s Surgery Goes Well

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 10:00 AM

Just got the early word on captain Tim Taylor after he underwent a hip resufacing procedure this morning.

According to team trainer Tom Mulligan, everything went as expected during the hour-plus surgery at University Community Hospital. There was nothing unexpected in Taylor’s right hip area and not a whole lot of stuff to clean out, which made the procedure a bit shorter than normal.

Taylor is expected to be off his feet for up to two weeks, initially in a wheelchair and then crutches. Mulligan said Taylor will undergo some brief therapy at the hospital today to get the hip joint in motion, but nothing too major. Taylor is expected to start more intensive therapy in 2-3 weeks.

Taylor did joke with me on Tuesday that he was going to have somebody wheel him up to the observation area next week during conditioning drills the first two days of camp just so he could watch! It’s nice to see he hasn’t lost any of his sense of humor.

Slide Show: Bucs-Seahawks Preview

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Alex Vila

Updated Sep 16, 2007 at 07:00 PM

Photo Gallery: http://www2.tbo.com/static/photo_gallery/tbo_special_reports_photogallery_seahawkspreview/" title="Photo Gallery">Click here

Check out our Bucs-Seahawks preview in photos.

Midweek Analysis: Rice Will Be Missed

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Roy Cummings

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 08:57 AM

Gaines Adams may still prove to be the second coming of Julius Peppers, but I think the Bucs are going to miss Simeon Rice. In fact, I think they miss Rice already.

Adams didn’t win the starting job at right defensive end. The only reason he’s slated to start there on Sunday is because Patrick Chukwurah is hurt. If Chukwurah weren’t hurt, Adams might not be get much playing time at all.

Rice, meanwhile, is all charged up and ready to go win a second Super Bowl while playing alongside fellow former Bucs John Lynch. I’d put the over-under on Rice’s sacks this year at 12.

TROTTER VS. QUARLES: I like the signing of Jeremiah Trotter. He’s going to fill that hole behind Barrett Ruud at middle linebacker and give Ruud someone to bounce things off of should he have any difficulty making the transition to every-down player.

At the same time, I find it a little ironic that Trotter is the player the Bucs signed for that role.

This is a guy who was released by the Eagles because of concerns over his health. He’s replacing a guy (Shelton Quarles) who was released by the Bucs because of concerns over his health.

I guess you can say that the 30-year-old Trotter is probably in better shape physically than the 36-year-old Quarles, but Quarles knew the Bucs system inside and out. Trotter doesn’t.

GRUDEN STAYS, ALLEN GOES? Heard someone on the radio the other day saying he believes Bucs coach Jon Gruden’s future with the Bucs is tied to that of General Manager Bruce Allen, meaning that if one goes, both go.

That’s right, but only partially right.

If Gruden is let go at the end of this season, you can bet that Allen will be let go right along with him. There’s a chance, though, that Gruden can survive while Allen is let go.

The reason is simple. The Bucs owe Allen nothing. He didn’t win them a Super Bowl, Gruden did. And he did it while Rich McKay was the general manager. All Allen has done is tear that Super Bowl team apart.

And in so doing, he has helped the Bucs post three losing seasons in the last four. Gruden’s a big part of that slide as well, of course, but he still has that Super Bowl chip in his pile.

Allen doesn’t have that. It wouldn’t surprise me at all then to see Gruden survive while Allen is let go. For that to happen, though, Gruden would have to agree to work for another GM, and that’s dicey.

Gruden and Allen are tight. They are in fact tied to one another in a way. But they’re not so tied that one can’t survive without the other. It’s unlikely, though, that Allen survives while Gruden is let go.

RECORD IS MISLEADING: We’re starting to hear more and more talk about how Chris Simms lost his last four starts as Bucs quarterback. What’s funny is that the stat is always being mentioned as support for the argument that Simms should have been cut or that he’s not as worthy as Luke McCown or Bruce Gradkowski of a roster spot.

The stat is accurate, of course, but it’s silly to suggest that Simms deserves to be let go simply because he lost his last four starts. After all, McCown and Gradkowski lost their last four starts as well.

I guess what shocks me most about all this Chris Simms talk is the constant banter about how poorly he played at the start of last year. That’s certainly a valid claim but isn’t just a tad shortsighted. I mean, Simms is also the last quarterback to help get the Bucs into the playoffs and had an official’s call gone the Bucs way he would have won them a playoff game. Seem everyone tends to forget all that. They’re not alone, though. It seems Gruden has forgotten it too.

KEEPING SIMMS THE RIGHT MOVE: One more thing on Simms. The Bucs made the right call holding on to him. He may not be ready to play right now, but this season shouldn’t be about the here and now.

This Bucs team is not going to the Super Bowl, so one eye has to be on the future, and Simms may have a pretty good future ahead of him.

The last thing the Bucs want to see is this guy throwing touchdown passes against them and the last thing they need is to lose Simms and then have to start all over again at quarterback a year or two years from now.

As it sits right now, the Bucs have a nice little competition brewing between Simms, Gradkowski and McCown for the right to succeed Jeff Garcia as the starting quarterback. That’s a good thing.

1997 team gets its due; hoops headed downtown

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 09:01 AM

The majority of players on USF’s inaugural team spent most of 1996 practicing and practicing and, oh yeah, practicing. One year, nothing but practice. No games.

All of the practices paid off in the 1997 inaugural game, an 80-3 victory against Kentucky Wesleyan. Today marks the 10-year anniversary of that first game and finally USF is going to recognize that first team.

On Tuesday when I asked USF associate AD of marketing Bill McGillis if there were any plans to honor USF’s first team, he said no. He said he wasn’t aware today was the 10-year anniversary of the inaugural game.

I then told him the majority of the former players, who I contacted for an another story, have never heard from USF since they left and felt “slighted,” “disappointed” and “hurt” that there were no plans to honor them. Then about 24 hours later, on Wednesday, McGillis told me there were now tenative plans to honor them before the Cincinnati game, Nov. 3.

Finally, USF has decided to do the right thing and will properly honor this team that built the foundation for USF’s program.

In other news:

Because the Forum in downtown Tampa is hosting NCAA first- and second-round tournament games this season, at least one USF men’s basketball home game will be moved from the Sun Dome. The most likely game will be chosen from either Pittsburgh (Jan. 9), West Virginia (Jan. 20) or Louisville (Jan. 23).

USF’s women’s team also will play a game in downtown Tampa on Nov. 15 as part of the ESPNU Invitational doubleheader. USF will play Duke followed by Tennessee vs. Oklahoma.

More Buccaneer nicknames

Posted Sep 6, 2007 by Paul Stewart

Updated Sep 6, 2007 at 07:15 AM

So in the best tradition of occasionally making the sequel equal to or better than the original (definitely not including Wayne’s World), here are Buccaneer nicknames Mark 2.

Richard “Batman” Wood - how did I miss that one out first time round? Back in the days before the late great Commissioner Pete Rozelle stopped any kind of NFL uniform individuality, Wood and equipment manager Frank Pupello used to put Batman logos all over his arm pads and shoes. Richard had once introduced himself as “The Batman from Gotham City” at USC and the nickname stuck over the years.

And talking of uniform violations, former Buccaneer QB Parnell Dickinson is now in charge of checking team apparel at Raymond James Stadium. Dickinson, who played in 1976 and part of 1977, was nicknamed “Paydirt” from his time at college and in the pros.

FB Adger Armstrong was James Wilder’s blocking partner for three seasons and went by the nickname of “Lead Dog” in the process. Wilder always maintained that Adger’s efforts were the primary reason for his incredible 1984 season.

How about Karl “The Truth” Williams? Great nickname but I’ve never actually gotten to the bottom of how or why on that one. But at least I know little-known WR Andre Tyler (1983-84) was nicknamed “Sea Biscuit” after a horse. But why? Perhaps not worth going there.

We all remember Anthony “Booger” McFarland (that’s Booger, not first round draft bust by the way) but how about Jeff “The Judge” Davis? Jeff, about to be inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame, got that nickname during his college days and spent six seasons patrolling the middle of the field for the Buccaneer defense.

And last and probably definitely least, my own nickname of Scoop that many booster club members in the 1980s knew me as. That was simply from being a reporter as a kid and always walking round with a notebook looking for a story. With lap-tops, wireless connections and mobile phones, times have changed even if nicknames have not.