2006-07-21

What could have been...

The Year: 2008

The Game: NFC Championship

The Scenario: Bucs down 24-30 to the Lions. 7 seconds left in the 4th.

With memories of the Music City Miracle the Bucs, with Andre Hall returning, prepare to receive the kickoff. In an unusual mental lapse Monte Kiffin’s young defense has just let up a last second touchdown. John Madden, Al Michaels and Weird Al Yankovic are already drawing comparisons to the Buc’s collapse against the Rams in ’99.

It’s a long, high kick to the five yard line. Andre Hall cleanly catches the ball.

To the ten, the fifteen.

Hall meets the first wave of attackers. Rick Razzano lays a monster block and Hall jukes past the first wave.

To the twenty, to the twenty-five.

Ernie Simms has an open field shot at Hall, but with a vicious spin move Hall breaks free.

To the thirty, the thirty-five, the forty.

One man between Hall and Glory…Martin Gramatica. Gramatica awkwardly lunges at Hall but falls a foot short.

To the forty five, the fifty.

Nobody stands between Hall and the endzone. No time left on the clock. And…he…goes…all…the…way. TOUCHDOWN!!!

Tampa Bay has just returned their first ever kickoff for a touchdown! Not since Shaun King has a local boy made good for the Bucs. In a matter of seconds Andre Hall has gone from nobody to Tampa Bay legend. Grandfathers will sit grandchildren on their knees decades from now and tell them youngin's how they saw THE Andre Hall win the NFC Championship.

The Bucs are going to the Super Bowl. All because of USF grad Andre Hall!

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Unfortunately this scenario will never pan out. Andre Hall has been cut by the Bucs before training camp has even started. Unlimited possibilities involving Andre Hall will never play out.

But at least Hall has a USF degree to fall back on, right?

ONE LAST TRIBUTE TO ANDRE HALL:

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