Raheem the Dream is all smiles as he is flanked by a Bucs cheerleader honor guard Saturday night at the CITS. Joe should only be so fortunate.

Of course, Joe was out at the CITS for the Bucs’ first night scrimmage. Joe will have a bit more detail on the scrimmage later.

But for now, some quick observations:

First off, Joe doffs his sweaty, beer-stained cap to Bryan and Joel. What a fabulous idea this was to hold the event at the CITS. Raheem The Dream seemed to love it.

Scott Smith, of Buccaneers.com, did his best to play Bonnie Bernstein or Erin Andrews, playing the bit of sideline reporter. Physically of course, Smith failed miserably, but the Bucs tried to make the scrimmage as close to a game-day experience as possible, hence Smith’s interviews on the Jumbotron of Raheem The Dream and other coaches before and during the practice.

Most of the practice was just drills and special teams play. But when the Bucs did scrimmage,  during each play Motley Crue, Ozzy Osborne, Pearl Jam, Metallica, Van Halen, among others, were blasted over the public address system with the cannons booming whenever there was a first down.

Raheem The Dream begged the fans to make as much noise as possible to try to create distractions.

Speaking of distractions, the 2009 Bucs cheerleaders performed and even had an honor guard of sorts as the Bucs players ran onto the field, not unlike pregame introductions (with cannons booming).

While Joe’s thinking of it, he has to lodge a protest against the good people of Buccaneers.com: Will someone kindly wake up over there? The 2009 cheerleaders have not only been selected, they’re making appearances and cutting videos yet at Buccaneers.com, the 2008 squad is still listed on the site.

Now there’s no way Joe’s going to complain about gawking at Rachel Watson, but geez, someone needs to get on the ball and upload the 2009 cheerleader photos. What are you waiting for, New Year’s Eve?

As the great Moe Howard would say, “What’s the matter with you?”

Ahem, back to football…

Even the end zones were painted to replicate game day.

Other thoughts:

Good thing this was a scrimmage for the workers. Since there was not a drop of Caybrew to be found, Joe was going to settle for a light beer from a world renowned brewer in St. Louis. The lines, unlike the rest of the windows, were unusually long. Oh well, Joe thought.

Well, the line Joe was in was basically shut down. There was a discrepancy on a customer’s credit card and rather than ask the customer to step aside so the clerk could resolve the issue, that register was in effect, closed.

So Joe switched lines, as did many others waiting in the same line, but without any luck. The young man there didn’t know how to pour a beer and as a result, he could pour little more than foam. What is this world coming to when a college-aged young man does not know how to pour a beer? Can you imagine!

It was so bad that the clerk was letting the customers pour their own beer. Sadly, so much beer was wasted as a result, the keg ran dry. Frustrated, Joe decided a light beer was out of the question (unless he wanted to wait in line for 45 minutes) so he walked over to another counter that had a small line and was selling the leaded version of the beer brewed from a world famous brewery in St. Louis.

By the way, Joe wants to extend another heart-felt thanks to Bryan and Joel: When is the last time anyone slapped a $5 bill on the counter at the CITS, ordered a beer… and got change back! If ever Joe needed a designated driver…

Yes, the cheerleaders were there performing. They were well-tanned and fit and gyrated and moved to the music and Joe was pleased. Joe was sitting in the end zone at this time and when the girls walked by Joe spotted the lovely Jaime Hanna. Joe realized first-hand why Rays slugger Evan Longoria is enamoured with her. Who wouldn’t be?

Outside the stadium there were some people tailgating but not as many as Joe expected. Joe did not see any grills working but most of the tailgaters seemed to be well-stocked with adult beverages.

Joe never realized just how loud the cannons are or the music that is piped over the public address system. There were only a few thousand people there but the volume was ratcheted up as if it was a soldout house.

Two odd sightings: A Son of Bob jersey and a Jason Bartlett Minnesota Twins jersey. Really, man, invest in some new gear, huh?

Maybe it was the set up but Joe couldn’t help but flash back to the first NFL training camp he worked (in college in 1987) when Mean Gene Stallings coached the (then) St. Louis Cardinals, Joe remembers that camp to be significantly more fast-paced. Joe doesn’t remember much if any wasted time or standing around at that camp unless there was a scrimmage. Saturday at the CITS it seemed most players wandered around and dawdled than actually practiced or ran through drills.

Later today, Joe will have more details about the football aspect of the scrimmage and quotes from Raheem The Dream, defensive coordinator Jim Bates and offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski.

Oh, last thought: This Saturday evening practice at the CITS was such a success, the Bucs hierarchy should sell the rights to next year’s night practice at the CITS — and there really should be another one — to Sun Sports or Fox Sports Florida to be broadcast on a tape delay basis after a Rays game so it could be piped throughout the country.

Or possibly the NFL Network would pick it up? They do broadcast such events.