RB Warrick Dunn turned in a string of memorable plays against St. Louis last December
The meter reads 98 but it's dropping fast.
Here in Tampa, the heat of the onrushing summer is building, but it hasn't quite hit 98 degrees yet. No, the meter we have our eye on is the one counting down the days to the 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season.
98 days. 14 weeks. A little over three months.
Sure, the NFL offseason can be captivating for the devoted football fan, what with the draft, free agency, coaching changes and more. But these are developments playing out in general managers' offices, on draft boards, in the weight room, on the practice field.
We're ready for the game played between the lines, in packed stadiums with delirious fans and opponents in differently colored jerseys. We need our fix, and it's just 98 days away, figuring from Monday. That's when the Bucs will kick off the 2001 preseason on August 13 with a Monday Night Football game against Miami.
The Buccaneers' Video Production crew is anxious for that day as well. These are the award-winning folks who supply the adrenaline-boosting content on the BucVision Video Boards at Raymond James Stadium, and they've recently applied their skills to the creation of a Buccaneers highlight reel.
With all of the most thrilling moments of the 2000 campaign, this seven-minute package, not to be confused with the annual highlight video produced by NFL Films, is sure to get any Buc fan in the mood for the upcoming season. To watch it using Windows Media Player, please click here. To watch it using QuickTime, please click here.
The video follows the chronological development of last fall through the Buccaneers' 10 victories, opening with a shot of CB Ronde Barber sacking New England QB Drew Bledsoe. Throughout, the action is accompanied by the frenzied excitement of Gene Deckerhoff's instantly recognizable descriptions.
This video goes between the lines, onto the sideline, into the locker room and inside the huddle.
See Barber and Donnie Abraham combine for two crucial turnovers against Chicago. See Keyshawn Johnson power in for a touchdown against Minnesota, then head to the sideline, where a joyous Warren Sapp tells him, 'Let's get nasty.' See Clyde Christensen predict a Reidel Anthony touchdown against Minnesota moments before it occurs. Zoom in on Karl Williams' face as he completes a touchdown punt return against Buffalo.
The video concludes with some of the most gripping Buccaneer highlights ever, as the Monday Night victory over the St. Louis Rams is profiled. Two different views of Warrick Dunn's pitchback play to Shaun King recall the Bucs' top moment of 2000, and are followed by two views of Dunn's subsequent game-winning touchdown.
All of the best moments of the 2000 season are there. Relive them and then repeat after us: 98 days.
