August 16, 2006

ANOTHER YEAR,
ANOTHER TRAINING CAMP


MikeAlstottSignsAutographsDuringBucs2006TrainingCamp.jpg

Salad Boy and I went out to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers train at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex on Sunday. It will probably be the last time we see the team there during training camp, since they're slated to begin having training camps at their new facility in Tampa next year.

It's a ritual for us each year, one we've been doing since Summer 2002, when we bumped into Brad Johnson, Mike Alstott and Warren Sapp. (You can see photos from 2003 and 2004 by clicking here and here.)

I put up a gallery of some of the photos I shot on Sunday on the new Snap photo gallery service at TBO.com.

Salad Boy pegged a bunch of the players at the team hotel in Celebration as they boarded the transportation vans that took them to their afternoon practice. He brought along a Buccaneer souvenir football that we've been dragging to camp the past couple years. It even has some autographs on it from players like Keenan McCardell, whose not on the team any longer.

Players he met Sunday included:



TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp1BruceGradkowski.jpg

Backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.

TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp2BruceGradkowski.jpg

After the great performance Gradkowski had against the Jets on Saturday, Salad Boy was quite happy with that signature.


TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp3JoshBidwell.jpg

Punter Josh Bidwell tried to make a run for it out a back door. Salad Boy went into high-gear stalking mode.


TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp4JoshBidwell.jpg

Another one bites the dust.


TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp5JoeyGalloway.jpg

When Joey Galloway came out, the handful of autograph hounds who were waiting outside with us began screaming his name.

Whom did Galloway motion for?


TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp5JoeyGalloway3.jpg

Salad Boy, of course.

(And yes, my 11-year-old boy is almost as tall as an NFL wide receiver.)



TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp5JoeyGalloway4.jpg

Score!

Even one of the collectors had to give him props.

"Nice," was all he said. But Salad Boy beamed.



TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp6JonGruden.jpg

Coach Jon Gruden came out, but he wasn't having any.


TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp8TJermainePhillips.jpg

At the training facility, one of our family favorites, safety Jermaine Phillips, took Brian's ball and started to sign it. Then he stopped.

"I already signed it," he said.

He was right. We got it his rookie year at training camp.

Nice to see Jermaine's eyes are still sharp.

He gladly signed a ticket for us instead.

TampaBayBuccaneers2006TrainingCamp9NBrianHouckAsleep.jpg

All that stalking in Florida heat can wear a Salad Boy out on the ride home.


Posted by Jeff at August 16, 2006 09:53 AM | TrackBack
Comments

Almost as tall as an NFL wide receiver and taller than his fifth grade teacher!

Posted by: Amy at August 16, 2006 11:00 AM

I like his Derrick Brooks shirt, too.
That's one autograph I'd like to have!

Posted by: Laura at August 16, 2006 11:19 PM

Better coverage than the official paper of the fan.

Posted by: bikesnel at August 17, 2006 06:37 PM
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