I went to a football game, and a baseball game broke out.

Or something like that.

Yesterday's game between the Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was most certainly not the top ticket in town, as baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays were facing the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

I knew this because as soon as I entered the photo workroom, all the photographers were wishing they were over in St. Petersburg for that game, which if the Rays won, would send them to the World Series for the first time in their history.

Kickoff and first pitch were at about the same time, and Raymond James Stadium was pretty full. The Bucs were running a live scoreboard for the baseball game in place of the football stats board that usually is in place.

This was not only a blessing for Tampa fans, who could watch the baseball game progress, but also for the Seahawks, who weren't able to see that at halftime that their offense had only managed...one first down...44 yards of total offense (18 on the ground, 26 through the air)...and had the ball for only 9:44 of the 30 minute half.

Dismal.

A Buc Kicking, as it were.

Despite the 1-4 start, there were some Seahawks believers in attendance, including Lauren Wynne, left, and David Wynne of Orlando, who said, "we like to root for underdogs".

Well, there's a couple of fans who will be around for the rest of the season. Care to buy some Huskies tickets while you're at it?

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 70-200mm/f2.8 lens @ 100mm, ISO 800, 1/500th sec., f2.8)

Seneca Wallace, the number two quarterback for Seattle, started in place of injured starter Matt Hasselbeck. Wallace figured to be an upgrade for Charlie Frye, the number three man who laid an egg at home against the Green Bay Packers a week ago.

No such luck. Wallace looked hurried and flustered for much of the game, earning the ire of head coach Mike Holmgren on more than one occasion, including a memorable rant after Wallace missed a wide-open Bobby Engram on a third down play.

While the stats won't show that he got sacked often, he was often forced out of his rhythm, and had this pass tipped away by the Bucs' Gaines Adams. This is shot from ground level, lying down on my stomach.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 70-200mm/f2.8 lens @ 70mm, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec., f2.8)

Tampa Bay pretty much had their way with Seattle on both sides of the ball. Tampa Bay's Antonio Bryant looks for yardage as he confounded Seattle defenders including Kelly Jennings (21), Leroy Hill (56) and Patrick Kerney.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec., f2.8)

I also moved a cropped version of the photo in order to emphasize the upside-down Seahawks player.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec., f2.8)

Even though the Seahawks weren't being blown out on the scoreboard, the outcome was never in doubt.

With a 1-5 record staring them in the face, the Seahawks were a pretty downcast bunch in the second half. I decided that trying to capture the frustration of the game would also speak for the frustration they were experiencing for the season up to this point.

Even reliable-up-til-now kicker Orlindo Mare missed his first field goal of the season, a 38-yarder into a swirling wind.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec., f2.8)

Head coach Mike Holmgren exploded at officials after they picked up a penalty flag that appeared to have been thrown at a Tampa Bay's Antonio Bryant as he pushed off on Seattle's Kelly Jennings on a play that resulted in a touchdown.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 70-200mm/f2.8 lens @ 140mm, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec., f2.8)

This horned Seahawks/Ogre/Fan was downcast as well.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec., f2.8)

After the game, quarterback Seneca Wallace walked off the field alone.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 24-70mm/f2.8 lens @ 25mm, ISO 1600
Seahawks fans were left to wonder what had happened to their team, which at the start of the season was predicted by most to win their division.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/800th sec., f2.8)

If I have time, I make a point of listening in on Mike Holmgren's postgame press conference. As this was a night game and I was on a tight deadline, I didn't stop to listen. However, I liked the atmosphere of his media briefing being held in a tunnel beneath the stands (visiting coaches sometimes have to put up with such inequities).

(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 70-200mm/f2.8 lens @ 70mm, ISO 2000, 1/400th sec., f2.8)

While Seattle's fans were left empty-handed, Tampa Bay fans were enjoying a double-dose of victory. After watching the Bucs dismantle the Seahawks, many stayed in the stands to watch the Rays beat the hated Red Sox in a dramatic Game 7.

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(Canon EOS 1D Mark III, EF 400mm/f2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 1/1000th sec., f2.8)