Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line serves up food, good cheer

Cars formed a queue at least 90 minutes before the Bucs offensive linemen started giving away Thanksgiving dinners Tuesday afternoon.

Yet the line of automobiles — stretching from Himes Avenue, across the old Tampa Bay Center parking lot and to the east gate of One Buc Place — served as only one indication of the needs of area families. Two of the cars provided a dire illustration, with one needing a jump, the other on the verge of running out of gas.

Still, the generosity of these Bucs behemoths appeared to ease the worries of the 600 families who came to pick up a 10- to 12-pound turkey with fixings plus a pumpkin pie.

Tough times for the community. Good times for a night.

Turkey Time with the O-Line got its start two years ago through the big hearts of Jeremy Trueblood and Davin Joseph. They wanted to do something for the holiday and decided to ask all 11 of the team's offensive linemen to donate. Money out of their pockets paid for most of the food, with Publix chipping in.

"No family should go without during the holidays," starting center Jeff Faine said.

The unit gave glory instead of seeking it, but the game's most thankless warriors always do that. On game day, they help skilled players score touchdowns. On this day, they helped families score meals.

Many of the cars came through the caravan with kids eager to see players like the 6-foot-8, 320-pound Trueblood and the 6-3, 313-pound Joseph. Adults seemed equally enthused, many jumping out of their cars to snap pictures with the players. They wanted photo opportunities, whether posing with starters like Jeremy Zuttah and Donald Penn or backup Demar Dotson.

A mini school bus carrying 18 people from St. Petersburg's Harbordale YMCA may have been the most spirited group of the night. Did they come to get food or see the players?

"Probably a little bit of both," said camp director Tracie Stokes. "We have a couple of parents who definitely came to flirt with the players."

Another fan almost drove up on the sidewalk as she waved to players, and then almost drove off without food.

The players, cheerleaders, Bucs employees and Publix volunteers who joined in to help keep the line moving appeared equally enthusiastic. Capt. Fear, the team mascot, had a particularly good time, riding in the beds of pickup trucks, poking his head in car windows and juicing up kids.

Bucs director of security Andres Trescastro brought all three of his kids to help. His diminutive 10-year-old daughter, Danae, appeared even smaller handing out bags of cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing and rolls next to Trueblood, but she bounced around in her pink Crocs with just as much energy as the players.

"They have to learn how to give," Trescastro said.

And they have to learn that such programs are about more than food. Agnes Thomas, a 59-year-old Clearwater woman with four children, 20 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, praised the players and said their generosity means she can help others be happy.

"It's just a blessing," said Thomas, an usher at St. Petersburg's Lion of Judah Church. "We're all blessed."

Maybe these deserving folks couldn't pay cash for the turkeys, but they ponied up plenty of gratitude. One family even gave a thank-you card.

It was signed by all seven of their children.

That's all I'm saying.