A Bit of Sunshine and Goodwill on an Otherwise Serious Election Day

Tomorrow, while we're all furiously scanning the news for hints of how the election may be going, some folks will be spending a painful day in a hospital. Thank goodness there are some folks who didn't forget:

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Players for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be a big hit when they visit hospitalized veterans Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the James a. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, Fla., to celebrate Veterans Day.

Attending will be wide receiver Joey Galloway, defensive end Dewayne White and center John Wade, who are scheduled to visit the hospital at 2 p.m., signing autographs, presenting patients with souvenirs, and helping brighten the day for those who have sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom. The Buccaneers are the 2005 NFL South Division Champions and won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 with a 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

The Buccaneers players will visit the James A. Haley VA Medical Center, 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in advance of Veterans Day, bringing team pennants for all the patients and footballs for severely wounded Iraq War veterans at the Tampa VA Polytrauma Center.

I've never been a Tampa Bay fan. But at least for tomorrow, I will be.

And thanks to the DAV for setting it up!

Update: But wait! There's more! Now I get to be a fan of the Ravens, too!

BALTIMORE, Nov. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Players for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens will be a big hit when they visit hospitalized veterans Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Baltimore VA Medical Center in Baltimore, Md., as part of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Celebrity Entertainment Program.

Ravens running back Musa Smith, fullback Justin Green and offensive lineman Jason Brown are scheduled to visit the hospital at 11 a.m., signing autographs, presenting patients with souvenirs, and helping brighten the day for those who have sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom. The Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001 defeating the New York Giants 34-7.

The visit by the Ravens players to the Baltimore VA Medical Center, 10 North Greene Street, will be their first as part of the DAV Celebrity Entertainment Program. They join other NFL teams, Major and Minor League Baseball players, NASCAR drivers, country music singers and others participating in the program. They are generously donating their time to remember the men and women who sacrificed greatly in defense of liberty.

"We are proud to welcome the Baltimore Ravens to our Celebrity Entertainment Program," said DAV National Commander Bradley S. Barton. "I know that their visit to the Baltimore VA medical center will bring a great deal of joy to the men and women veterans being treated there. Many of these wonderful veterans rarely get visitors. They have sacrificed a great deal to defend our nation's liberty, and they should get the respect and care they deserve."

Update 2: Bears!

CHICAGO, Nov. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Players for the NFL's Chicago Bears will be a big hit when they visit hospitalized veterans Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Ill., as part of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Celebrity Entertainment Program.

Wide receiver Rashied Davis and defensive end Copeland Bryan are scheduled to visit the hospital at 11 a.m., signing autographs, presenting patients with souvenirs, and helping brighten the day for those who have sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom. The Bears have won nine football championships, including Super Bowl XX. The team has 26 members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the most of any team.