Joe came across a great Fourth of July story, that oddly enough was published July 3.

Seems as though the four-letter network is putting Chucky to work early. He’s writing a column about his experiences visiting our troops overseas protecting us from those animals that behead people and fly planes into skyscrapers.

I think sometimes people forget the role our military plays in keeping our country safe. There is the Air Force, the Navy and the Army all working together tirelessly, putting in long hours every day so far away from home. I’ll never think about military service the same way after seeing it up close this week. It’s been a life-changing experience for all of us.

Joe, like most Bucs fans, had some issues with Chucky but one of them was not the way he treated men and women in uniform. He regularly held a practice each season at MacDill for the sole benefit of our troops. Joe thought that was way cool.

And Chucky’s missive also gives us a moment to pause in-between beers and boating and diving and golfing and and grilling and gawking at the ladies on the beach and the fireworks to realize how fortunate we are.

We only need to know we live in the greatest country on Earth because it’s the only country on Earth to realize how golden football is.