Pres Visits Bucs, Gives Simms Advice

[Fan. Attic]

President Bush visits Bucs, plays catch
NFL.com wire reports


TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 21, 2006) -- It seems like everyone has some advice these days for the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers and struggling quarterback Chris Simms.

Even President Bush tossed the football with the former University of Texas quarterback, and offered some advice.

"Put a little more air under it," Bush said when asked what he told the Bucs during a half-hour visit to the team's training facility near Raymond James Stadium, where the president delivered a fundraising speech to about 400 people in a VIP club area.

Coach Jon Gruden wouldn't disclose what additional wisdom the president might have imparted to Simms, who has had several passes batted down in the team's first two games.

"It's great, though, to get some advice from the president of the United States. It's a little different when the coach is telling you to do this or do that. You have the president come and give you some advice, that's something you gotta listen to," Gruden said.

"Hopefully it works. If it doesn't work out this week, he can call the president to see what happened."

Bush accepted an invitation to stop by practice and was greeted on the field by Simms and teammates Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber and Mike Alstott and Ryan Nece, as well as an appreciative Gruden.

"The president has a lot to do. For him to show up here with the SWAT team on the roof and the Secret Service guys, that's awesome," Gruden said. Secret Service agents were able to knock down three Simms passes during the brief toss-and-catch session.

The Bucs (0-2) are preparing for the game against Carolina, another winless team. Simms has been the target of criticism following subpar performances the first two weeks of the season.

Bush addressed the entire squad, coaching staff and other team officials and personnel in the middle of the field. The president mingled with players, coaches and officials, posing for pictures and signing autographs before tutoring Simms, son of New York Giants Super Bowl-winning quarterback Phil Simms.

OK, the real, unedited story is here.

 

[hasbeen99]

Even President Boomhauer tossed the football with the former University of Texas quarterback, and offered some advice.

"Dangol'Putalittlemoreairunderit,man." The president replied when asked what he told the Bucs during a half-hour visit to the team's training facility near Raymond James Stadium...

Fixed.

 

[PantherFanz]

As I wrote in my blog, this is the one thing Bush has done during this term that I can stand behind. He helped the Bucs waste an entire practice day the week they have to play us....Go President Bush!

 

[HighPoint49er]

Gotta love the disruption it caused for that practice.

 

[The_professor]

:sulfer

 

[reb]

Thank God he didn't come around here. We have enough bad luck.

 

[tharan000]

The Panthers used it as a Weapon of Mass Distraction. The only thing we have to worry about is if the scoreboard is made by Diebold.

 

[QC REPRESENT]

"I would love to punch this cracka out!"

 

[Black&Blue]

Shaking hands with a wife-beater. Nice.

 

[buck nasty]

i think in that first picture gruden has a hard-on for bush