Well, I had originally planned on attending tomorrow afternoon's game at Raymond James Stadium between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, in light of one particular event that took place this week, I will not be doing so.
What event am I alluding to? Well, in case you either missed it or aren't from the Tampa area, let me fill you in. At the end of the 2016 college football season, Raymond James Stadium is slated to host the College Football Playoff Championship Game. As part of agreeing to do so, several renovations must be made to the seventeen-year old facility; most notably a brand new surround sound system, improved concessions, and new HD video boards at both endzones, something that has not changed since the stadium's debut in the fall of 1998. So, this week news broke that the Glazer Family, owners of the Bucs, and the Tampa Sports Authority, who owns the stadium, were close to an agreement in which the Glazers would spend $75million in stadium upgrades.
But there is a huge catch.
Little known to many of us who follow the Bucs was that there was already an agreement in place that allowed the Glazers to move one regular season home game per year to a site other than Tampa. It has only been used twice; 2009 vs. New England and 2011 vs. Chicago; both games outsourced to London's Wembley Stadium as part of the NFL's International Series (more on that later in this post). Well, as a condition for the Glazers to pay for the stadium upgrades, they now want to move a SECOND regular season home game away from Tampa.
Oh.
Hell.
No.
I have been a Bucs fan since I was a little kid; since the days of Doug Williams, Jimmie Giles, Hugh Green, and God bless their souls, Ricky Bell and Lee Roy Selmon, and never have I been as disappointed and angry with this franchise as I am now. Their putrid play since 2011 only scratches the surface; ten consecutive home losses dating back to December of 2013. No playoff wins since their triumph in Super Bowl XXXVII; thirteen seasons ago. Only three winning seasons since that season and two home playoff losses. An 8-33 record since starting the 2012 season 6-4.
Growing up a Bucs fan was difficult enough with fourteen straight losing seasons (double digit losses in thirteen of them); but this is a whole new level of incompetence, and now I may have to see as many as two home games played somewhere else??! Come on, man...
Of course, had Hillsborough County voters not capitulated in 1995 AND had Art Modell not decided to uproot the Browns to Baltimore because he couldn't get a new stadium deal in Cleveland, instead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers we could be talking about the Baltimore Bucs, and long-suffering Tampa fans finally were rewarded two years later; the last at old Tampa Stadium; when Tony Dungy led the Bucs to the playoffs. It started a new love affair between the Bucs and Tampa, the likes nobody had seen here before...
...until two consecutive playoff losses to the Eagles sent Dungy packing. Followed by one of the biggest coaching search fiascos in NFL history. That was until Malcolm Glazer brokered a deal that would bring Jon Gruden here, and that magical season of 2002.
Since then? Pffft...GM Rich McKay bolted for Atlanta after 2003, supposedly after a rift between him and Gruden regarding the drafting of Chris Simms. The rest as they say is history, or should I say in this case, misery; Josh Freeman, Schiano, MRSA, blackouts, etc...
Of course, there IS precedent for a team to play home games regularly somewhere else. The Jaguars already do (what is it with NFL team ownership and Florida, by the way, do they not like us?), playing an annual game in London. The Bills had done so the last few years in Toronto. But the more notable precedent in my mind is the Green Bay Packers. Unless you're an NFL fan over the age of 30, you probably aren't aware that the Packers played home games in Milwaukee from the 1930's to 1994. Should the Bucs decide to play two home games away from Tampa, it would make some sense to relocate them to Orlando and their newly-renovated Citrus Bowl, some 90 miles away. However, the Bucs haven't played in Orlando since a 1997 preseason game against the New York Jets. Also, the set of circumstances regarding the Packers vastly differs the current situation with the Bucs; Milwaukee is Wisconsin's largest city for starters and many season ticket holders for Packers games are from greater Milwaukee. Furthermore the Packers are publicly owned by their ticket holders.
Also, it's not like there is a lot of love lost for the Tampa area from sports fans in Orlando. For starters, Orlando Magic games are not on a local radio station in the Tampa market. Plus the last time the Magic scheduled an exhibition game in Tampa, slated against the Miami Heat and then-new acquisition LeBron James no less, they never even tipped off. Then there's also the snafu from Orlando local TV on week 1 of this NFL season when WKMG, the local CBS affiliate in Orlando, opted to air Ravens-Broncos instead of the Bucs' home opener (and the debut of FSU's Jameis Winston) against the Titans. Add that to the "War on I-4" and the newly-formed rivalry between UCF and USF in college sports, and you would probably get the sense moving Bucs games to Orlando wouldn't go over very well in EITHER market.
But this is the last straw with me regarding the Glazers, ever since they bought Manchester United in the early part of the last decade (and alienated THAT global fanbase), it seems most of their attention has drifted away from the Bucs and more on Manchester United. Sure MUFC has a far more popular brand worldwide than the Bucs, but have we seen an MUFC game in Tampa? I didn't think so. It's like the Glazers just don't want to stop sticking it to the Tampa area.
So, you know what? Why should I (or any other self-respecting Bucs fan) pay to see them if the franchise isn't willing to play all their home games here? That said, unless the Glazers are willing to fully commit to Tampa OR they sell the team, I won't be attending any more Bucs games.
Now on to my picks:
Carolina at Tampa Bay
Bucs are honoring fan favorite Mike Alstott at halftime by putting him in their Ring of Honor. Sure Glazers, throw us a bone after kicking us in the nuts. Or is that the other way around? Anyway, after how I feel it should not be any surprise who I'm picking. Make it 11 straight home losses...
Panthers win to go to 4-0
NY Jets vs. Miami at London
Another game as part of that aforementioned International Series, where the NFL is hell-bent on teasing London into thinking that they may get an NFL team someday. Newsflash, it's like me going on a date with Katy Perry; not happening. As for the game, how fitting that the disappointing Dolphins are playing this game. Britons love their fish & chips, and with the suddenly improving Jets in town, they look to have a feast. Calling Arthur Treacher!!
Jets drown the Dolphins
Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Hey, break up the Colts, they won last week...barely. Their reward? The Jaguars, who apparently have just given up another touchdown.
Colts in a romp
Green Bay at San Francisco
Aaron Rodgers may the best QB in the NFL this year, even without Jordy Nelson. The Niners meanwhile, well they're worried about whether or not head coach Jim Tomsula passed gas at a presser this week. They may have cut the cheese on Friday, but not Sunday.
Packers are my survivor pick this week.
...and now my other picks:
Oakland over Chicago
Cincinnati over Kansas City
Buffalo over NY Giants
Atlanta over Houston
Philadelphia over Washington
San Diego over Cleveland
Denver over Minnesota
Arizona over St. Louis
New Orleans over Dallas (upset special)
Seattle over Detroit
Time for me to grab some Italian and watch the Gators whoop up on Ole Miss...
...I hope.
Enjoy the weekend.
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