Jane Graves
A second-generation St. Petersburg native, I learned to score a baseball game at Al Lang Stadium watching the St. Louis Cardinals during Spring Training. I had a poster of the Tampa Bay Rowdies on my childhood bedroom wall and both won and lost my school lunch money betting on major sports events (Thanks, Big Red Machine. No thanks, Minnesota Vikings.) I watched every single painful loss in person at the Big Sombrero during the Bucs’ inaugural season and drank beer while enjoying some Bandit ball when home from college. And somewhere in my house, I have a seat cushion from the very first Rays game ever played. A graduate of both the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, I consider myself a true Bull Gator who’s not above painting my nails the colors of my favorite teams. I am a chick who loves sports. Especially my hometown teams. Always have, always will. It’s a great time to be a sports fan in Tampa Bay. Let’s talk about it.
Going Outback Bowling
Outback Bowl beginnings -- we remember. Boston College versus Georgia. The inaugural Hall of Fame Bowl. Tampa Bay had hit the bowl circuit.
Nursing The Off-Season Baseball Blues
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks – I’ve got the off-season baseball blues.
A Bucs' Fan's Epiphany
At the beginning of this season, I looked at this to be just another typical Buccaneer year, hoping the team would simply not suck. And then there was a moment in the game against Atlanta.