SIDE SALAD - Everything crunchy is good.

FIRST DOWN

Okay, so the Buccaneers 20-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars was kind of lackluster. To say the least.

But a trained eye would easily have spotted the best play of the night:

Third quarter, Jags on about the 25. Quarterback David Gerrard needs two yards for a first down.

He drops back to pass..

Seeing no open receivers, he sprints around the left end.



A pretty speedy guy, Gerrard gets around the end and makes it past some lumbering third-string Bucs.



He gets his first down, holds onto the ball and trots out at about the 15 or so. Nice tidy run.

But it's not over.

Gerrard gets tangled up with Captain Fear, the Buccaneers' mascot.



Captain Fear bounces off Gerrard and tangles with an unidentified woman dressed in a pink blouse and purple flip-flops who is taking photos along the sideline.



Unidentified woman immediately trips and goes ass-over-tea-kettle.



Displaying the skills of a professional matador, a less-than-chivalrous photographer who was in her way steps to the side to allow her to eat a turf sandwich.

She disappears out of the frame.

The play, although it has some nominal value in propelling the drama of the game, is nonetheless worthy of a replay from a second-angle camera.

Woman is again shown being bowled over.

TV announcer says, "We hope the woman in pink is okay." He displays his own professional abilities by not relaying the avalanche of laughter now erupting from the boys in the replay truck.

Alas, she is okay. But, since her mama didn't raise no dummy, she is now a considerable distance away from the play and away from the border of the field.

Posted by Jeff at August 22, 2005 08:18 AM | TrackBack