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Wake-Up Call: No. 1 draft pick nearly in the bag for Bucs

Photo by Rob Swain

Bucs fans were in their throwback gear - as in paper bags - during Sunday's loss to Carolina.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2009

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• Fan apathy painfully evident
• Bucs run over again
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• Gallery: Game photos

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The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

OK, now we know where this season is headed.

With the first pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select …

It's easy to visualize that scene after Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium, when the Carolina Panthers won 28-21, moving the Bucs to 0-6 for the first time since 1985.

Now the Bucs must fight that playing-out-the-string feel as talk of 0-16 possibilities will certainly heat up (punctuated, of course, by the organization's almost incomprehensible punchline-waiting-to-happen on Nov. 8, when a likely winless Bucs team dons the orange throwback uniforms and winking-pirate helmets).

But we digress.

Back to Sunday's misery in the stands.

The crowd was announced at 62,422. According to the Tampa Sports Authority, actual attendance was 42,847 - meaning nearly 20,000 no-shows. Who thought we would ever see that again at a Bucs game?

Or this.

In the West club section, not far from the Glazer family box, four Tampa men wore paper bags on their heads. Other fed-up fans continually asked them to bunch together and pose for a group photograph.

The paper bags were decorated by handmade slogans.

The team's execution? I'm in favor of it.

Circa 1976.

"We're not going to get any value for these season tickets," Rob Swain said. "It has gotten ridiculous."

"We just made the bags this morning," Patrick Mickler said. "At 0-5, we decided it was time to break them out."

Rah, can I get a chest bump?

Man U - 7-1 … Bucs - 0-6.

"We bring in a coach with no experience, we bring in the junior varsity, and now we don't have anything to look forward to," Paul Gamber said. "Look at the upper deck. There's nobody there. We have no direction, no talent. It's so sad."

"Honestly, we love the Bucs," Kevin Riffey said. "We want them to do well. The 2002 season (Super Bowl championship) was amazing. But enough is enough. This is just embarrassing now. Now we're reduced to this - wearing paper bags."

Swain, Mickler, Gamber and Riffey were treated like novelty items as they exited the stadium.

Pretty soon, they agreed, the idea won't be unique.

"What's going to happen against the Patriots?" Swain said. "I mean, really? If both teams play to their potential? Oh, my gosh."

"When the Bucs come home to play the Packers (on Nov. 8), the paper bags are going to be everywhere," Mickler said. "It's going to be an absolute joke."

The Bucs aren't alone in this miserable state. It looks like a fight to the finish for the No. 1 overall pick among three teams - the Bucs (0-6), St. Louis Rams (0-6) and Tennessee Titans (0-6).

We surveyed 10 mock drafts, including the popular mainstream versions at ESPN.com, CBS Sports.com, The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated, searching for players who came up the most often as potential top-10 picks.

Here they are, in alphabetical order (six are junior-class players who are projected to enter the draft):

• Tennessee strong safety Eric Berry (5-11, 203, Jr.)

• Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford (6-4, 223, Jr.)

• Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant (6-2, 220, Jr.)

• Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap (6-6, 290, Jr.)

• Washington quarterback Jake Locker (6-3, 226, Jr.)

• USC free safety Taylor Mays (6-3, 235, Sr.)

• Texas quarterback Colt McCoy (6-2, 210, Sr.)

• Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (6-4, 297, Jr.)

• Oklahoma State offensive tackle Russell Okung (6-5, 300, Sr.)

• Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (6-4, 300, Sr.)

No doubt, this subject will be revisited a few (hundred) times before season's end.

The NFL's Final 3

The Kansas City Chiefs checked out of the winless club with Sunday's 14-6 victory at Washington.

When the Detroit Lions went 0-16 last season, some people thought we'd never see anything like that again in our lifetime. But the 0-16 derby is officially a three-horse competition. Here's the racing form.

Tampa Bay Bucs (0-6) : Sunday, New England (at London); Nov. 8, Green Bay; Nov. 15, at Miami; Nov. 22, New Orleans; Nov. 29, at Atlanta; Dec. 6, at Carolina; Dec. 13, New York Jets; Dec. 20, at Seattle; Dec. 27, at New Orleans; Jan. 3, Atlanta.

St. Louis Rams (0-6) : Sunday, Indianapolis; Nov. 1, at Detroit; Nov. 15, New Orleans; Nov. 22, Arizona; Nov. 29, Seattle; Dec. 6, at Chicago; Dec. 13, at Tennessee; Dec. 20, Houston; Dec. 27, at Arizona; Jan. 3, San Francisco.

Tennessee Titans (0-6) : Nov. 1, Jacksonville; Nov. 8, at San Francisco; Nov. 15, Buffalo; Nov. 23, at Houston; Nov. 29, Arizona; Dec. 6, at Indianapolis; Dec. 13, St. Louis; Dec. 20, Miami; Dec. 25, San Diego; Jan. 3, at Seattle.

Jets' Feely sets team record

New York Jets place-kicker Jay Feely (Jesuit) made two field goals (23- and 41-yarders) in Sunday's 16-13 overtime loss against the Buffalo Bills, giving him a team record of 24 consecutive made field goals. Pat Leahy held the old mark (22 straight in 1985-86).

Feely had an opportunity at a go-ahead 50-yarder in the fourth quarter, but holder Steve Weatherford mishandled the snap and threw an interception.

Caldwell still productive

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell (Jefferson) had six receptions for 57 yards in Sunday's 28-17 loss against the Houston Texans. Through six games, Caldwell has 24 catches for 238 yards and two touchdowns.

Bonner leads FAU

Florida Atlantic University senior wide receiver Chris Bonner (Gaither) had six receptions for 134 yards and one touchdown in the Owls' 44-41 win against North Texas on Saturday. Bonner's 50-yard catch set up the game-winning score.

Arenas out for Crimson Tide

University of Alabama senior cornerback Javier Arenas (Robinson), who is 163 yards away from becoming the SEC's all-time leader in punt-return yardage, did not play in Saturday night's 20-6 victory against South Carolina. Arenas suffered a rib injury at the end of Wednesday's practice.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said Arenas had been sore, but expected to play. During Saturday's pregame warmup, though, Arenas "couldn't move," according to Saban.

"Hopefully, he won't be out for any extended period of time," Saban said.

Alabama hosts Tennessee on Saturday.

Joey Graham impresses Nuggets

Former Toronto Raptors forward Joey Graham (Brandon), who signed with the Denver Nuggets in the offseason, already has caught the eye of Coach George Karl.

"Joey has that Dahntay Jones personality," Karl told the Denver Post, speaking about one of the team's best defenders last season who has since signed with the Indiana Pacers. "They are different players, going to do it in different ways. But from the standpoint of courage and toughness and the desire to defend, Joey has those personalities."

Graham undoubtedly appreciates the sentiment, but is taking nothing for granted.

"Hopefully, I can show them that I do deserve to be on this team," Graham said.

Former Ram dies at 58

Thirty years ago, the Bucs had the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense and came within 10 points of reaching Super Bowl XIV in the fourth season of the franchise's existence.

But the Los Angeles Rams beat the Bucs 9-0 in the NFC Championship Game at Tampa Stadium in as physical a game as you'll ever find. The Rams were led that day by running back Cullen Bryant, who rushed 18 times for 106 yards, becoming only the second back in 1979 to have a 100-yard rushing game against the Bucs.

Bryant, a 6-foot-1, 234-pounder, was one of the largest running backs in the 1970s.

"When Cullen hit the holes, nobody wants to stick their nose in there," former Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood once said.

Last week, it was quietly announced that Bryant had died at his home in Colorado Springs, Colo.

He was 58.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to former Bucs executive Tim Ruskell, who is now president and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks. Tuesday, Ruskell turns 53.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Friday's trivia question:

When former Florida State University quarterback Drew Weatherford (Land O'Lakes) led the Seminoles to the 2005 ACC title, he defeated Virginia Tech in the league's championship game.

Monday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

How many times have the Bucs earned the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft? (And that includes the times the Bucs traded away the No. 1 overall pick).

Check for the answer in Tuesday's Wake-Up Call.

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