Return man Karl Williams cuts laterally across the field to escape LB Antony Jordan (56)
On Monday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' second practice of the day was scheduled to last from 3:30 until approximately 4:30. It's good that a little leeway was built into the regimen there, because a visit from the standing President is one of the few things that can convince an NFL head coach to deviate from his plan.
President Bill Clinton visited the Buccaneers’ afternoon practice on Monday, effectively ending the workout at about 4:20. A large contingent of local police offers were stationed in various areas of the facility throughout practice, and the President's own security force walked onto the track surrounding the main field at about 4:10. Clinton himself arrived a few minutes later and was a spectator for the last few minutes of practice.
Though Clinton's welcome visit may have shaved a few minutes off the workout, Head Coach Tony Dungy indicated that the team had accomplished all they had set out to do.
"We did," said Dungy. "We just worked our special teams – punt, punt return, then we worked some field goal block at the end. We had a good day."
The Bucs worked on virtually every aspect of punting, covering punts and returning punts, breaking the play down into different units and walking through specific duties. They also put it all together and kicked and covered a string of punts live. Return men Reidel Anthony and Warrick Dunn gave the team a thrill when they unexpectedly pulled off a reverse on one return, but the two had done so on Special Teams Coach Joe Marciano's orders. Marciano wanted to school his cover men on how to defend against such a ploy. They also worked on the same play, but with Jacquez Green faking a reverse handoff.
The Bucs return to the practice field Tuesday for practices at 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., as the team begins to prepare for its opening preseason game against the Washington Redskins on Friday.
