iPod Insight: Michael Clayton

Have you ever wondered what your favorite player listened to before games? Well, the “iPod Insight” series will give you a “comical, yet accurate” take on what we, at The Pewter Plank, believe is playing on some of the Buccaneers’ iPods. In our first edition of “iPod Insight”, we went inside Josh Freeman’s iPod, now we turn to the struggling, yet hopeful wide receiver from LSU, Michael Clayton.

• Perfect by Simple Plan – Sorry Michael, but you haven’t lived up to the standards we set for you coming out of LSU. The one lyric of the song that portrays Clayton’s time in Tampa goes, “I just want to make you proud, I’m never gonna be good enough for you”. Well, we expected him to be our future #1 receiver for years to come, but he has disappointed us (hopefully 2010 will be a different story).
• I’m a Loser by The Beatles – “I’m a loser, And I’m not what I appear to be,” refers directly to Michael Clayton. I honestly think that when The Beatles wrote this song in the 60’s, they knew that someone (Michael Clayton) would fit every single lyric in their song.
• Our Hope Endures by Natalie Grant – Okay, this song is depressing (I’ll admit it, I shed a tear), but behind Clayton’s toughness, he has a soft spot. The lyric “You would think only so much can go wrong” relates to Clayton’s continue struggles ever since the completion of his rookie season.
• With or Without You by U2 – Clayton’s time in Tampa could be coming to an end soon. Whether he remains on the team or is let go, the Bucs will have to continue their upward movement into a contender again.
• Struggling Man by Jimmy Cliff – No one can disagree that Clayton has been a bust pick, and as he continues to struggle, he must not give up. As crazy as that sounds, Clayton is still young, and has a chance to turn things around. With some inspiration, Clayton could pull through this… or end up a struggling man looking for work elsewhere.
• Born on the Bayou by Creedence Clearwater Revival – In LSU, down at the bayou, Clayton was a hero in the purple and yellow uniform. But in the pewter and red, Clayton is nothing but another guy. As the song goes, Clayton wishes he was back on the bayou.
• Bad Day by Daniel Powter – This is the first song Clayton listens to after every game. In the 16 games he plays in, Clayton is always having a bad day. After his rookie season, Clayton has fallen off the face of the earth, and as the song goes, “he’s trying to turn it around.”
• Yesterday by The Beatles – Another song written by The Beatles has cracked the list, and for good reasons. “Suddenly I’m not half the man I used to be…” refers to Clayton’s drop off after his rookie season, and “… I need a place to hide away” illustrates the image of Clayton fleeing the bay area in the near future.
• Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi – Well, besides working hard at each and every practice, praying for another season in Tampa could be what Clayton is doing at this very moment. With new weapons emerging at receiver (i.e. Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams), Clayton’s prayers are the only thing he has going for him.
• Successful by Drake ft. Trey Songz – All of us have a dream, and some of us have one song that demonstrates that dream, and for Clayton, this is his song. “I want the money… the cars” is all that Clayton dreams of, and unfortunately, he is on Tampa’s payroll despite his terrible performance.

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