Lee Paige
Windermere, FL 34786
www.bucpower.com/EX-BUC SHOOTS HIMSELF
Most Tampa Bay fans, even the most loyal and die-hard, will not have heard of Lee Paige. He was a defensive back who played the three replacement team games in 1987. But the whole world knows Lee Paige now - for he is the DEA agent who was giving a talk to a Florida youth group and shot himself in the foot in the process!www.bucpower.com/paige1204.htmlDEA Agent Who Shot Self In Foot Sues U.S.
Lee Paige played three games in his NFL career, all of which came for the Buccaneers' replacement team during the 1987 strike. But he is now always going to be known far more for his post-footballing career antics, rather than being a statistical entry on an all-time list of Tampa Bay franchise players.
Paige went into the law enforcement business after leaving football and became a member of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1990. In 2004, he was giving a presentation to a Florida youth group, when he managed to shoot himself in the foot. Of course, that sort of headline could have been used too many times in Buccaneer franchise history, but this time it turned out to be true.
The presentation was being filmed and naturally in the current world, the clip found its way on to the internet where it was viewed by thousands. And naturally in the current world, Lee Paige has decided to sue someone over its release. Just like the Canadian schoolkid who was ridiculed worldwide for his Star Wars impersonations, Paige believes he should be compensated for the embarrassment the whole event has caused him.
Whether or not the suit is successful, or almost forgetting for a moment the Buccaneer involvement in this, the video just has to be seen. Lee Paige is holding a gun in the air and quotes to his audience "I'm the only one professional enough in this room to use this weapon" and then puts the gun back in its holster and shoots himself in the foot in the process. Laugh, I was crying when I first saw it!
My thanks to Chris Sterbenz for tracking this story down!
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Lee Paige DB #29
College Florida State
Height 6-0
Weight 197
Date of birth 16-Oct-60
How acquired: Signed when the NFLPA strike began
How left: Released when the strike was called off
Seasons played 1987
Games 3
Starts 0
ProfilePlayed in all three replacement games having been signed by the Tampa Bay Bandits to play in the 1986 season but never actually suited up due to the USFL folding after its third season. Had not appeared in the NFL before the strike games and never played in it again afterwards.