Lousy Loss, That’s What It Was Tom McEwen, The Tampa Tribune, published 24 December 2007 Like old times, wasn’t it? The Bucs, readying for the playoffs, played like champs at times on Sunday, like chumps at times, in the great theater that the San Francisco 49ers offer. Somebody, an announcer, surely not recognizing the significance of it, mentioned Trent Dilfer’s name. He’s kind of a Forty-Niner, like he was once a kind of a Buccaneer. Would have been too much to have him out there at Monster Park in that one when the mighty Buckos did not have a final shot at a win because the wideout, Michael Clayton of LSU, did not have both feet inside the end zone back-line when he caught a pass Luke McCown drilled into his chest on a two-point conversion. That would have tied the game 21-21 and given the Bucs another opportunity to lose it another way. McCown, who seems to be a personal project of Bucs coach Jon Gruden, and his Buccaneers lost yet another one on the West Coast, to add a credential to their list of those they carry into the National Football League playoffs in a couple of weeks, 21-19. They are not among the favorites, as I understand it. Might have been given a longshot tag had they not lost so typically of other Sundays, at San Francisco. Won’t go there too harshy. To win or lose didn’t matter much, except to the psyche of the Buccos and those of their fans, like us, who would have been genuinely juiced with the win out there Sunday in that dandy game of so many possible outcomes. It was a lot like old times, really. The Bucs, playing with dash early, went to two field goals and a 6-0 lead, but we all knew should have been more. The Bucs just must have a big, bruising back, oh, like Frank Gore of the Niners, for just these times — TDs instead of the field goals we know Matt Bryant can kick. Hate to go back there, but, well, only us of the Buc Nation know more about the difference between 14-0 and 6-0 - not just the game’s outcome, but, well, our comfort and joy and Christmas spirit, really. Anyway, the Bucs got their 6-0 lead, saw it disappear when a San Francisco quarterback with little experience and a broken finger did what they could not — score touchdowns twice for the 14-6, then 14-13 lead, then the final, overpowering, 21-19 margin. Oh, I know. I know. The Bucs saw their fumble malady, like malaria, reappear, and another relative, the interception of our Luke McCown, as well. He had to fumble. He moves around so, and so early, and carries the ball like a little watermelon. Can’t carry a big one as far away from his body as he does, the football, maybe he forgets he is carrying it. I don’t know. The Wauchula Wildcats of Joel Evers, my high school football team, weren’t taught to carry it that way. So, McCown fumbled in the nick of time for San Francisco to score on the next play to go ahead to give Michael Clayton time to get a foot out of bounds. I don’t know about you, but I think the Bucs might have won it, had they tied it 21-21. The Niners had used up the advantages of fumbles and an interception, the only one McCown or Jeff Garcia, the starter, threw. Oh, by the way, Garcia played dandy. He’s all right, and will be when the playoffs begin in two weeks in Tampa. But, we’ve got us another game of no consequence here Sunday, at Raymond James Stadium. It is against Carolina. Means nothing to Carolina either, except for, what is it, pride? Sure would have liked to have the Bucs — all of them — show more of that sports grit, Sunday out West. The Niners will say the win is something to build on. The Bucs could have said that, too, if they’d won, if they’d not fumbled so much, had not settled for field goals, well, had won. That is why they play, isn’t it? And, get paid, I add. I thought it was a lousy game and a lousy outcome. The kid should have had both feet in the end zone. Nothing wrong with expecting that, is there? I got season tickets, too, you know. Bought and paid for and my family will be in them Sunday, not pulling for anything short of victory over Carolina.