Tuesday Afternoon Linebacker

Welcome to the all new, not improved Tuesday Afternoon Linebacker. The 2007 NFL season is off and running with a full slate of preseason “action” to digest. Aside from Ron Mexico, not much all that compelling is happening around football these days.

Bucs 13, Patriots 10
Wow. Heck of a game wasn’t it? Was it? I Tivo’d the game, watched the first half (mostly via FF), then skipped through the rest to see what was going on. From what I’ve read Tim Rattay, er, Luke McCown lit up the joint. Or a joint. Not sure which. But either way, the local sports media seems to be impressed. Of course, Bruce Gradkowski was en fuego this time last year. And we know how that turned out.

And as impressive as it was, you’d think that Gaines Adams knocking down a Tom Brady pass was the second coming or something. Let’s see if he can do that come September. To me, NFL preseason football is a lot like Star Trek Voyager; I don’t like it, but feel that I have to watch.

I just hope the team can make it through the next three weeks, and arrive at Qwest Field without any injuries.

Dog-gonner
Ron Mexico is going to jail. All three co-defendants are rolling on him. Word is Vickie is seriously considering a plea deal himself. He still thinks he has a future in the NFL. But given that he’ll be pleading in one of the toughest courts in the land, he should probably worry more about getting by on the prison yard than on the gridiron.

No Wonder
Kenyatta Walker wasted no time joining up with the Carolina Panthers’ trash talk. “They only won one Super Bowl over there, and I was the starting right tackle. I don’t think they’re winning one anytime soon.” Yep, it was all Kenyatta’s doing when the Bucs won the Vince. It had nothing to do with the defense. Or the slightly re-tooled offense. It was Kenyatta, and Kenyatta alone that won the championship. Please go eff yourself Facyanka Walkusback.

Scheduling Note
Florida’s season opening victory over Western Kentucky has been moved from a 6 PM start on Pay-Per-View to a 12:30 PM kick-off on your local Lincoln Financial Sports affiliate. For those of you in the Tampa area, that’s be Channel 38. And to read was Foley had to say, he’s none too happy.

Running Items
Super Bowl XLII
Well, well, well… The Colts would have been a lock, but with the loss of Booger and a couple of guys on offense this isn’t such an easy pick. How about… Saints and Patriots?

Plus One Bowl
USC is the current popular pick to hoist the crystal football in January. And without any other evidence to the contrary, I’ll have to agree (for now). As for the match-up? TALB sees something akin to USC vs LSU.

Next Week: More boring preseason “action”.