Bucs to host another home game in London? Enough Already

There was probably no happier US Citizen living on this side of ‘the pond’ when I first found out back in 2008 the Bucs would be playing in London in ’09 for the annual NFL in Wembley Stadium International Series. My good friends Paul Stewart and Phil Jones would get to not only see a Bucs game that year, but it would be in their back yard!! I couldn’t feel more joy for all the Bucs UK fans, and the only downside was that the Bucs really didn’t play a competitive game as they really weren’t a good team at that point that season.

Opponents of the idea mumbled about the Bucs giving up a home game, and the possibility of playing a cold weather game as a  “Home Game”. My opinion on that was simple; get over it. Its clear the NFL intends to have every team take their turn and play in the historic stadium in the UK, and the presentation of the event, the whole week in fact, is a complete class act on the part of the NFL.

But now rumors (reported by the Chicago Tribune) that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be HOSTING yet another home game in England are giving me the exact opposite reaction. For the second time in three years, the NFL expects the Bucs to move a regular season game from Raymond James Stadium to Wembley Stadium 4,000 miles away, this time to play the Chicago Bears. I believe only 8 teams have made the trip ‘over there’, and there are 32 teams in the NFL. In 2011, the Bucs are coming off a 10-6 season in which they narrowly missed the playoffs by one game. Heck, you can say they missed the playoffs by one PLAY if you want.

Most people feel the NFL’s bogus Pass Interference penalty against Kellen Winslow Jr is the single play that kept us out of the playoffs. You wouldn’t be   exactly wrong if held that opinion. The NFL issued an apology that Monday calling the call incorrect. How do you think fans will feel if we miss the playoffs or home field advantage because we had to play a home cold weather rainy game in London, when over 20 other NFL teams havn’t made the trip yet while the Bucs have gone twice?

Sure, I understand the Bucs have a huge following in England, the Bucs UK, of which I am an honorary member. I get that. I get that the Glazers own Manchester United too. Thats no reason to circumvent your own rules. 

Heck, send the Atlanta Falcons so the Bucs can actually have an ‘advantage’ next year by watching their division mates lose a home game. I would even say take the Saints, but they too have already been.   

Not only am I all for the International Series to continue, I fully Support taking NFL teams and having them play abroad, not only in England, but in other areas of the world where american football is catching on. Germany, Japan, Mexico, and France as well as England should all get regular season games in their home. But make the system fair; No team should have to give up TWO of their home games before another team still hasn’t give up as much as  one yet.

I don’t even like the idea of the Bucs playing in London as the Visiting team against the Bears, but I would take that over the alternative. Another downside that British fans should consider is an outbreak of ill will towards them. Right now its cute, you go to Raymond James Stadium and you tell someone your from England and you love American football, and the people find it interesting and impressive. Do this, and I can see myself getting caught in the middle of                 of a future debate. 

The NFC South plays the NFC North this season; its a perfect time to have the Chicago Bears vs Atlanta Falcons at historic Wembley Stadium, and maybe a nice cold rain could dampen the passing game of the Falcons and finally, just finally, give Atlanta QB Matt Ryan some justification to the nickname, Matty Ice!