A hidden field camera took this picture of Dexter Jackson after catching a kickoff

No. THE PESSIMIST is not a pie-in-the-sky believer.

Raheem The Dream and Mark Dominik and the rest of the guys in charge of the livin’-on-a -prayer Buccaneers keep wanting fans to have faith in banged up players, unproven players and those who flat out stink.

Give it a rest already. There’s only so much a guy can take.

Yesterday it was the Bucs director of college scouting, Dennis Hickey, coming out and trying to tell everyone Dexter Jackson wasn’t a bust, even after Chucky himself all but admitted as such to the NFL Network.

Do you feel you reached on Dexter Jackson in the second round of last year? Did you have a second-round grade for him?
“We evaluated him and we took him at a position that we felt he deserved. That’s where we took him.”

You don’t think that was a reach?
“That is up for you guys to decide. It is the ultimate second-guess, right? Let me say this, we are excited about Dexter. A lot of guys want to judge everybody based off their first year, and we think Dexter has made a lot of progress and we are excited about him. “

C’mon. It’s bad enough the Bucs want fans to feel excited about Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich, Michael Clayton, Sgt. Winslow, Maurice Stovall, Ryan Sims, Gaines Adams — hell, the entire defensive line and linebacking corps sans Barrett Ruud — Ronde Barber.  Should THE PESSIMIST continue? 

At this rate someone might actually buy a Jerramy Stevens jersey.

Just flat out say you’re rebuilding and end the false hope for the fans. A little reality isn’t too much to ask. It worked for the Rays.

All this spin is maddening. It’s like getting kicked in the scrotum while someone tells you to have a positive attitude.