Below is the lovely Gina Evans, circa 1981. Note the cutlass, the sash and the hat attempting to stay true to the buccaneer theme. Also note the leggings, the granny-panty-looking leotard and the fact that they only part of Gina not covered by something is her face. This photo is really all the promotion that "Swash-buc-lers" (get it?) got outside of the game.

Let's move ahead 26 years to 2007 and Miss Jessica Diaz. Note the tits, the body, and the eyes which seem to indicate that she wants to leap through the camera and jump you like a starving tiger on an injured gazelle (sorry, I just got done watching the Discovery Channel.) Notice also that this photo has absolutely nothing to do with cheerleaders or football, yet it is for sale along with a dozen others in the Buccaneer Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar. What have we learned? That in making the cheerleaders dress in bikinis for what is essentially a softcore porn publication, the Buccaneers demonstrate that they know how to adapt to their audience and environment, much like how some male mockingbirds change their song based on which females are nearest (ok, I'll turn the TV off.)

Although there are many old schoolers out there who long for the days when there was no such thing as a facemask or pass interference, I think we can all agree that the evolution of the Buccaneers cheerleader should continue unabated to its natural conclusion of nudity and dance routines which include lots of kissing and groping. You wait... it's only a few years away.

(Yes, the only reason for this post was because I stumbled across that old photo. Cut me some slack; there is absolutely nothing going on today.)