TAMPA, Fla. -- Summer afternoons in Florida can be brutal, so Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy had a wise idea to add some chill to the end of his team's three-day minicamp.
Pick up the tab for a shaved ice truck to visit One Buc Place.
Near the end of Thursday's session, a truck offering tropical shaved ice parked near the corner of a practice field. When the practice broke, a handful of players -- with running back Doug Martin and offensive tackle Anthony Collins leading the way -- gravitated toward the vehicle to claim their treat.
"It's a family here, man," McCoy said. "And what I do at home with my family is I take care of my family. ... These are my brothers. This is my family. Been working hard since April. We're all about to go on break. I just figured it's hot out here. I'd just do something nice for my family."
McCoy said he received the idea after his wife, Ebony, craved shaved ice on a recent drive with him in the Tampa Bay region. McCoy thought it would be a good idea to have the shaved ice be a sweet reward before players and coaches dispersed for the summer prior to meeting again for training camp, which starts July 25.
"How often do you get to finish with a snow cone?" Bucs coach Lovie Smith said. "It's just kind of the topping on the cake."
Check out what Gerald McCoy brought to practice for his teammates on the last offseason program day. pic.twitter.com/tnDdDDnYPh
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) June 12, 2014
#Bucs had a shaved ice truck at the end of practice, courtesy of Gerald McCoy. pic.twitter.com/qBRc7fN6ax
— Andrew Astleford (@aastleford) June 12, 2014
Bucs quarterback @JoshMcCown12 enjoying the shaved ice truck after practice at One Buc Place @TB_Times pic.twitter.com/z3Y1r7I5kG
— Daniel Wallace (@DW_Times) June 12, 2014
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
