Old Man Garcia Gets It Done Again

The perfect prototypical quarterback is normally comprised of certain characteristics: a natural born leader, a player whose heart is his strongest muscle, and a tall powerful frame that commands a presence in the pocket.  Well, for Jeff Garcia, two out of three ain’t bad. But it’s his heart and leadership which have helped the 38-year old veteran prove that he can win time and again, no matter what city he calls home.

Once again, Garcia got the call for the Bucs this weekend after replacing the injured Brian Griese last week, and guided them to a big 27-3 win over division rival Carolina. The cerebral warrior under center was efficient and effective as he managed the game by completing 15 of his 20 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown.

For as long as we can remember, Garcia has overcome adversity and proved his worth on the field.  He grew up as part of a Irish and Mexican family in a small garlic town called Gilroy, California. Doubters said his 6-foot 1-inch, 200-pound frame wasn’t big enough to compete for the quarterback position on a collegiate or professional level.

He went un-drafted out of San Jose State in 1994 and was forced to seek work across the border in the Canadian Football League.  He’s even been nicknamed “Nautilus” by a group of my friends because we’ve only witnessed him using Nautilus machines while lifting at the local 24-hour fitness gym.

But Garcia always finds a way to win.  He took the Canadian League by storm and helped the Calgary Stampeders capture the Grey Cup.  He stepped in for Steve Young in San Francisco and guided them back to the playoffs in 2001 and 2002 along with three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.  He led the Niners to the second largest comeback in NFL playoff history when they overcame a 38-14 deficit against the Giants in the 2003 playoffs.

He later went to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006 and stepped in for the injured Donovan McNabb to lead the Eagles to five straight wins and a first round playoff victory.  He then went to Tampa, where he won the division for the Bucs in 2007 and once again was invited to the Pro Bowl.  And yet, again, he was demoted to the bench.

Now that his number has been called once again, this is a good thing for Bucs fans, because Garcia has the toughness and leadership needed to get this Tampa team back to the postseason and beyond.

(Imagef: DayLife.com)