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By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 5, 2001
Weakest Link
Well, we tried. In the spirit of the Weakest Link, each day of training camp one Buc was asked to vote on who or what should be thrown out: Here is the team's final, and unified, response:
The Bucs have decided to vote off the weakest link. And we agree. Goodbye!
Oh, but they won't be able to get rid of us that easy. Coming Monday: Now Playing!
NAME: Corey Ivy.
HT/WT: 5-8; 183.
COLLEGE: Oklahoma.
POSITION: Defensive back.
NFL EXPERIENCE: Rookie.
HOMETOWN: Moore, Okla.
BACK IN THE DAY: A two-year letterman at Oklahoma, Ivy served a brief stint on the Patriots practice squad in 1999 and spent training camp with the Browns in 2000. But his biggest thrill comes from simply continuing to play the game that has been part of his life since he first played pee-wee ball at age 7 or 8. "As a little kid, you see people on TV play for certain universities, and that would be a dream of yours to get out and play," he said. "I was given that opportunity and took full advantage of it. Now, I'm given another opportunity to play here, so I've just got to take full advantage of this."
BRUSH WITH GREATNESS: Ivy once saw Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal at a club ("I knew he was big, but I didn't think he was that big."), but nothing compares with the time he met Redskins cornerback Darrell Green when Washington played the Browns in a 2000 preseason game. "He plays the position I play and he's short in stature like me, but he's been playing so long and made such a great impact for the team he's playing on," Ivy said. "I try to mold myself after him and see what he does and follow in his footsteps. Hopefully, I'll have a career like him."
TO MAKE THE TEAM: The Bucs have three cornerbacks in Donnie Abraham, Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly and a likely fourth in third-round draft pick Dwight Smith. Ivy is in the battle for the fifth spot, should the team keep that many.
WHAT'S HIS TAKE: "I just have to impress the coaches and hustle around and make plays every possible chance I get. Show them relentlessness and show them that I do want to be here. Show them that I am a hard worker and that, given an opportunity, I can produce for the team." -- FRANK PASTOR
"As much as I like football, that would kind of be like the mailman taking a walk on his day off." -- TONY DUNGY, Bucs coach on whether he would attend the Storm's Arena Football League playoff game today at the Ice Palace
TODAY: Off.
MONDAY: 8:30-10:40 a.m., shells; 3:30-5:15 p.m., shorts.
TUESDAY: 8:30-10:45 a.m., shells; 3:30-5:15 p.m., special teams. This day's practices are closed to the public for Bucs Family Day.
FIRST PRESEASON GAME: Aug. 13, vs. Dolphins, 8 p.m., Raymond James Stadium.
* Practices are free and open to public.