Saturday, October 18, 2008

Sunday Night Should Be All About 40


By JC De La Torre

One of the selfish reasons I desperately want to see the Rays win tonight is that Game 7 would happen at the exact same time as the Bucs hosting the Seattle Seahawks on NBC's Sunday Night Football. At halftime of the game, Mike Alstott - the A Train - one of the most beloved players in Bucs history will be honored by the team.

#40 won the hearts of fans, teammates and those around the league with his team-first attitude, his undying loyalty to the Buccaneers, his hard charging, powerful, bull-like, never-say-die running style, and his gutsy, big plays at big moments in Big games.

We all know his signature runs, be it pin-balling off a bunch of Washington Redskins and rolling into the endzone for a crucial touchdown in the NFC playoffs, be it steamrolling the Minnesota Vikings or the Cleveland Browns, the A-Train was always there when the Bucs needed a battering ram.

He is Tampa Bay's all-time touchdown leader and he was a leader in the locker room.

The battered Seattle Seahawks come to town, desperate for a victory - but gave the Buccaneer defense a little bulletin board material this week when RB Julius Jones said, "You have to beat them atheletically. They have a bunch of older guys who've played a long time, so you have to beat them as an athelete,"....basically saying the Bucs defense was old. Mr. Jones should be reaquainted with Tanard Jackson, Jermaine Phillips, Gaines Adams, Aquib Talib, Cato June, Barrett Ruud, Jovan Haye, and Chris Hovan - none of which are over the age of 30.

The Bucs won't lose on Mike Alstott night...they can't!

So Rays, please win - because Sunday Night belongs to #40, Mike Alstott - THE A TRAIN!

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