Recollections of a Fan- 1986 AFC Championship

When I started this blog, I wanted a forum to write about whatever I wanted to that related to the Denver Broncos and the NFL. I didn't want to start a blog that just pumped out daily news information on the Broncos. There are many other sites that do that and do that very well. If information and updates are what you are looking for, then go to Orangemane.com, MileHighReport.com, DenverPost.com, and DenverBroncos.com. Those sites fulfill all of those needs. One of the best aspects of being a Denver Broncos' fan is that the franchise has had some amazing and memorable moments throughout my lifetime. Since it is late June, and training camps won't get going until the end of July, I wanted to share some of my favorite personal memories from my years of being a Bronco fanatic. I even came up with a cheesy title-"Recollections of a Fan." This installment is none other then the 1986 AFC Championship. Denver at Cleveland. The Drive.


I was born in 1979, so I was seven years old during the 1986 season. I became a Denver fan in 1985. My father and I watched football every Sunday in my parents' basement, and 1986 Broncos were having a dream season. Living in New York, I didn't get a chance to see every game, but the Broncos started 6-0, and finished 11-5 and were crowned AFC West Champs. The Broncos were on a lot of national television, primetime, or main doubleheader games that year. One major attraction in favor of the Broncos was star QB John Elway. The Broncos defeated the Patriots 22-17 in the AFC Divisional Playoff, and headed into Cleveland as the underdog to the top-seeded Browns. I remember getting ready to watch the game in my parents' basement with my father and my mother. I sported my brand new Elway jersey, and my replica NFL game ball. I had a penchant for getting very upset when things were going Denver's way. I would almost cry when another team would get a first down. Things didn't change as I watched the first quarter unfold in the Dawg Pound. Cleveland's Herman Fontenot scored on a swing pass from Bernie Kosar to put the Browns up 7-0. I remember seeing Fontenot scoot into the end zone, and I immediately burst into tears. My dad tried to calm me down and kept saying that "I shouldn't worry" and "Christ, it's only the first quarter!" The rest of the game was like tennis match stuck at "Deuce." I remember each team gaining the advantage, then the other team coming back to even it out. At 13-13 with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Bernie Kosar hit Brian Brennan with a 48 yard touchdown pass. Denver safety Dennis Smith completely misplayed the ball and Brennan, and if it wasn't for John Elway, Dennis Smith would be one of the biggest goats of all time. I remember the Dawg Pound going crazy, but for some reason I was able to hold back the tears. All that changed on the ensuing Cleveland kickoff. Mark Moseley squibbed the kick that was mishandled by Gene Lang and Ken Bell. I can still see Bell having to cover the ball and turtle down as he was swarmed by various Browns at the Denver two yard line. Here came the tears. Maybe I was too young to really understand the severity of the situation that Denver was in, but my father's words summed it up: "Oh no! It doesn't look good Mike. Sorry!" With my dad's words of encouragment ringing in my head, I didn't realize that I was about to watch the greatest drive in NFL history. The moments that were about to transpire vaulted John Elway into a legend, and the Broncos into Super Bowl XXI. I remember the first play of "The Drive." Elway hit Sammy Winder on a pass in the flat to give Denver some breathing room. The next play that stood out was a bullet from Elway to Steve Sewell for a 22 yard gain to the Denver 48. After a completion to Steve Watson, an incomplete pass, and a sack, Denver faced 3rd and 18 at Cleveland's 48 yard line with 1:47 remaining in the game. When Elway zipped an abosolute rocket to Mark Jackson for a gain of 20 and a first down, my dad blurted "Wow! What a throw. What a play!" Right there I could see sense Elway morphing into a full-fledged superhero. A series of plays put Denver at a 3rd and 1 from Cleveland's 5 yard line with 39 seconds remaining. To this day, I can still see Elway’s arm cocked back and aiming a low heater down and in to Mark Jackson for the touchdown that completed the epic drive. As Jackson stood up to celebrate, I jumped in the air simultaneously and screamed at the top of my lungs. My dad even stood up out of his recliner and threw his own touchdown signal up in the air. Although I didn’t comprehend the significance of “The Drive” at that time, I knew that John Elway had just pulled Denver back from the depths of defeat and rescued them. This is where Elway became a god to me. Rich Karlis nailed the extra point, the game was headed to overtime. As I was ready to settle in for the extra period, there was a big problem brewing, and it had nothing to do with Bernie Kosar and the Browns winning the coin toss. The NFC Championship game between the Washington Redskins and New York Giants from Giants Stadium was scheduled to kickoff at 4:oo pm. By going to overtime, the Bronco game was going to overlap with the start of the Giant game. Back then, the networks didn’t wait for the early game to end, they always started their broadcast on time. My dad was lifelong Giant fan. He watched the 1958 NFL Championship, witnessed those great Giant teams in the 1960s, and suffered through the ticket burning era in the 70s. When Bill Parcells took over and rebuilt the Giants into a playoff team, my dad loved it because Parcells was the same kind of coach that my dad was. Parcells was a take-no-shit disciplinarian, who loved ball control, field position, and great defense. My father had waited 23 years for the Giants to make it to another Championship game. He was not going to let his seven year old son stop him from watching his team play in the NFC Title game. Instead of watching the Broncos and Browns battle in overtime in front of my parents’ big television in the comfortable family room, I was banished to my parents’ bedroom and a little 13 inch box television. My dad’s explanation was pretty simple: “Son, I waited a long time to see my Giants play for a title. You’re gonna have to watch the end of the Denver game upstairs. Sorry, kid.” So that is where I watched the conclusion of one of the greatest games in Denver and NFL history. I stood on my parents’ bed as Rich Karlis nailed a 33 yard field goal to beat the Browns 23-20 and send the Broncos to the Super Bowl. I was jumping up and down on the bed and began to run downstairs. For a kid my age, this was perfect. Your favorite team just won a great game to go to the Super Bowl, and your favorite player was the guy to deliver it. Every kid needs a great moment to get them going with their obsession for their team-A moment that stands out above all other games. For me that was the 1986 AFC Championship Game. I remember I really started to grasp the significance of that game the following summer. I was at a card store looking for a magazine to read. My mother was letting me pick any one I wanted. I finally settled on an “NFL ‘87” magazine that previewed the 1987 season. The reason I picked it was because there was a special section of the magazine devoted solely to Elway, the ’86 AFC Title, and “The Drive.” After reading that, I finally realized how special that game and that drive were. That game put Elway on the map. It also put Denver on the map, and for a seven year old kid from Long Island, it officially made the Broncos and Elway a major part of my life.

The Number 1 Announcing Team!!!!

I conclude the rankings of all the NFL announcing teams with the number 1 pairing....

1) Jim Nantz/Phil Simms (CBS): Nantz and Simms get the number one nod in my rankings. Jim Nantz has really developed into the voice of CBS Sports. Whether he is doing the Masters, the Final Four, or the NFL, you know it is a big game or event when you hear his voice. Nantz does a great job of setting the scene for the game. If it is late December, and the Pats are hosting the Colts, Nantz does the best job of setting the scene and bringing you into the telecast. It is a skill that not many broadcasters have the ability to pull off. Plus, Nantz has a great voice and sets up Phil very well. Nantz always keeps you aware of the situation and the implications of what the outcome of the game means (He talks about playoff seeds and homefield advantage in October!). He understands the structure of the NFL, and he gives the game a special feel. Simms is the best analyst on television. He has been since he was on NBC in the 90s. Simms really understands the game on both sides of the ball. Obviously, he analyzes the QB position, but he really explains different aspects of offensive and defensive strategy to the viewer at home. One of my favorite attributes about Simms is that he is honest. He doesn't sugar coat anything and says what is on his mind. Simms is the best analyst and pairing him with Nantz made perfect sense. They aren't in the caliber of Summerall and Madden, but they are by far the best announcing team on television.

Announcer Rankings- Number 2!

The NFL Announcer Rankings continue with the top 2 teams.....


2) Joe Buck/Troy Aikman (FOX): My number two team goes to Buck and Aikman for various reasons. When you are the top announcing team, you always get the best regular season and playoff games. It definitely adds to your ranking to have all the best games each and every week. As a result of having those top matchups, the announcers can bring their best to the table each week. Trust me I watch every NFL game every Sunday. If you are doing Cowboys-Giants in December, the game will bring out the best performance from the announcers. If you are doing Lions-49ers in Week 16, it doesn't exactly have the same appeal and doesn't command the type of big time performance from an announcing crew. Anyway, Buck and Aikman are a very good NFL broadcast team. Joe Buck (Thanks, Dad) is a very good play-by-play announcer. He captures the moment, and he lets the game breath. He has become the voice of the NFL and MLB on FOX, so when he is doing a game, you know it is a marquee tilt. The thing that knocks Buck down a few notches is that he tries to inject his humor and persona to the game. That simply doesn't work because Buck isn't really funny (Did you see his debut of "Joe Buck Live" on HBO?), and he can get annoying because it seems like he wants to be part of the show. When he just sticks to the basics of calling the game, he does a very nice job. Aikman is a great compliment to Buck. Aikman has a smooth voice, and he does a really good job of analyzing the action. Unlike other analysts, he not only breaks down the QB position very well, but he has a good handle of the analysis of other positions. Overall, they are a very good tandem, but they are not the number 1 team.

Announcer Rankings Continued...

7) Sam Rosen/Tim Ryan (FOX): Sam Rosen is a great NHL play-by-play guy, and he does a really good job as a NFL announcer. The excitement and enthusiasm he brings to NHL games definitely translates over to the NFL games. Tim Ryan is an underrated analyst. He has a good voice and does a solid job. He doesn't try to say too much or state the obvious. This is a solid group, but unfortunately they usually get stuck doing Saints-Falcons or Bucs-Panthers. They need some top level games next season.

6) Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker (CBS): You have to love Gus Johnson. The guy can make any play in any game situation very exciting. I know Gus isn't for everybody, but I love the guy. He just elevates the broadcast. You just get excited when he is doing the game. Tasker is okay, but not a solid partner to Johnson. Both men could benefit from having different partners. Gus Johnson needs to get promoted!

5) Dick Stockton/Brian Baldinger: Stockton is an all-time great NFL announcer. Back when he worked for CBS in the 80s, Stockton and Dan Fouts were an terrific pairing. Stockton has a smooth voice, and he is a staple of the NFL. When he is calling a game, you just know the telecast will be well done. Why did he got demoted to the third team on FOX? It doesn't make sense because he is that good. Baldinger is getting better. He is in the Matt Millen and Bill Maas type of role. He does a decent job of analysis, and he has benefited from working with Stockton. They are a very underrated combo.

4) Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf (CBS): This tandem is hot and cold with me. Some weeks they do a really good job, and then some weeks they are impossible to listen to. They called the Baltimore-Tennessee playoff game last year, and they were fantastic. There are other weeks where Gumbel sounds like he is falling asleep and Dierdorf exaggerates every thing. Overall, a good pair, but they need to step it up every week.

3) Ian Eagle/Solomon Wilcots (CBS): This team does a great job every week. Eagle has a great voice, and he really lets the game breath. He has become a very good NFL announcer. Wilcots is one of the best analysts out there. He doesn't bore you or state the obvious. He is opinionated and gives a fair judgment of what he is watching. Both work well together, and they are due for a promotion and better games.

NFL Announcing Rankings- Worst to First

Football, particulary the NFL, is a perfect, made-for-television product. Unlike Basketball, Hockey, or Baseball, Football is set up perfectly for television. Ask any NFL fan this question: Would you rather go to a NFL game or watch it on TV. I bet the overwhelming majority of fans would rather stay home and watch on their 55-inch LCD High Definition flat screen. The NFL and television is a perfect marriage. Now that we have established that fact, the NFL always does well with their ratings. It is the only league that still draws exceptional numbers for their product. Watching NFL games on television is a ritual. Men all over the country have a certain itinerary for Sunday viewing habits. NFL fans can watch any game at any time. Just give them some football to watch, and they are all over it. With the advent of Directv and the NFL Sunday Ticket, fans can watch every game at home or at a bar. It is the ultimate NFL viewing experience. As I pointed out in the previous post, you would think that the networks would have the best equipment, graphics, techonology, producers, directors, and announcers for all of the NFL games. The networks spend billions of dollars on the NFL, you would think that every fact of the telecast would be top notch. Right? Not exactly and there lies the problem. Trust me when I say this, but NFL fans really do care about the announcers. If the announcers suck, the game loses something. It is not the end of the world, but it kind of needles the viewer and agitates as the gamce progresses. With all that said, I came up with a rankings for all the announcing teams that do NFL games every Sunday. I am going to omit the Primetime Crews (ESPN, NFLN, and NBC) because all three have new teams this year. Without further ado we start the countdown from worst to best:

14) Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli (FOX): FOX doesn't have a lot of depth on its' bench, and it is highlighted by Pitts and Boselli. Pitts just doesn't have a good play-by-play voice, and he is very boring. Simply, he brings nothing to the table. Boselli isn't awful, but he is stuck with Pitts, and it brings the whole telecast down. It doesn't help when they are always stuck doing Niner-Ram games or Lions-Buc matchups.

13) Chris Rose and John Lynch (FOX): Chris Rose seems to get teamed with various recently retired NFL player. It is like the tryout spot. Rose just isn't that funny, and he is better at being the host of a studio show, rather then doing play-by-play. Lynch wasn't awful, but he is new at this, so there is plenty of room for improvement. This pair just doesn't stand out and brings nothing to the table. A very "vanilla" tandem.

12)Thom Brennaman and JC Pearson (FOX): I know it seems like I am killing FOX, but CBS jus has better game announcers. I like Thom Brennaman, but who the fuck is JC Pearson. He has been doing games for FOX for a few years, and I still can't figure out if he even played in the NFL! Brennaman is a better baseball announcer, but he does a good job with a football broadcast. I think Brennaman could be a top tier NFL announcer if he had someone good to work with. Pearson's lack of notoriety kills his credibility, and he is a below average analyst. Not a good pairing at all.

11) Dick Enberg/Randy Cross (CBS): Finally a CBS crew. No announcing team has been more aggravating then Enberg and Cross. Enberg is just too old. He can't see the players, he can't hear the refs make calls, he doesn't see the time on the clock. I could go on and on. Enberg was as great NFL announcer, but those days are long gone. He should be doing in studio features on players, but get him out of the booth. Cross is terrible. His voice is annoying, and he seems to be wrong a lot. His opinions don't make sense and all he does is state the obvious. A bad group that always seems to get some marquee matchups late in the year.

10) Kenny Albert, Darryl Johnston, T0ny Siragusa (FOX): Back to FOX we go for our next group. This is the first "Three Man" team to crack the list. Kenny Albert is a very good hockey announcer, but he isn't a good listen while watching an NFL game. He just doesn't have it for an announcer who is doing the second best game for FOX. Moose is very good, but he is stuck playing second fiddle to that idiot Tony Siragusa. They should stick Siragusa into the Studio Show. He act is old, and does nothing for the telecast. Put Moose back with Dick Stockton.

9) Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon (CBS): I'm disappointed in Harlan's descent. He was a great play-by-play guy for the Kansas City Chiefs for many years. He is a top NBA announcer, but he has lost it doing NFL games the last few years. I don't know how to explain it, but he just isn't the same. THe one thing that annoys me is how he tries to act like a football strategist and explain every tiem the defense is in "Nickel" or "Dime" coverages. Look, it's 3rd and 15, I'm sure the defense has extra defensive backs on the field. Just stick to the play-by-play please! Gannon is pretty good, but he always seems to be biased and can't hide it when he is doing Raider games. Gannon would benefit from being in a "Three Man" booth because he really only gives good analysis of Quarterbacks and QB play. Overall, Harlan has slipped, but Gannon is ascending.

8)Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein (CBS): I actually like this combo a lot, but I can't go too high with them because they always get the shitty game on CBS. They do a lot Raider, Bengal, Browns, and Bills games. I feel bad for them because Macatee has a good voice and does a solid job with the play-by-play. Beuerlein has a good voice too, and he provides solid and insightful analysis. That's
all you need for a good broadcast. I just wish they got a few games that were actually meaningful and attractive.

TO BE CONTINUED WITH THE TOP 7!

Offseason NFL Announcing Team Rankings!

In the next few days, I will be taking a look at all the NFL announcing pairings and creating a list of the best and worst crews. Below I have listed all of the crews that call games for CBS, FOX, NBC, NFL Network, and ESPN. The networks spend billions of dollars on the rights to broadcast NFL games on their respective networks. Consequently, these networks are rewarded with big time ratings for the NFL product, as well as free and endless cross promotion for all the shows on their network. You would think that a product and entity such as the NFL would have the best and most talented announcing crews? We will soon find out. Here is the list of the teams:

CBS:
Jim Nantz/Phil Simms (1st Crew)
Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf (2nd Crew)
Dick Enberg/Randy Cross (3rd Crew)
Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon (4th Crew)
Ian Eagle/Solomon Wilcots (5th Crew)
Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker (6th Crew)
Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein (7th Crew)


FOX:
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman (1st Crew)
Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan (4th Crew)
Chris Rose and John Lynch (7th Crew)
Kenny Albert, Darryl Johnston, T0ny Siragusa (2nd Crew)
Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger (3rd Crew)
Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli (5ht Crew)
Thom Brennaman and JC Pearson (6th Crew)

Primetime Crews:
NBC: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
ESPN: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
NFL Net: Bob Papa and Matt Millen

WTF: What Has Happened to the Denver Broncos?

I have been a Denver Broncos fan since 1985. I was 7 years old, and I used to watch football with my dad every Sunday. One Sunday in 1985, the NBC late game was the Los Angeles Raiders at the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had a cool stadium name, Mile High Stadium, a young All-Pro QB, some guy named Elway, and they wore awesome looking orange jerseys. Throw in the fact that it was snowing, and I was hooked. I became a Bronco fan. From 1986-1998, the Broncos went to 5 Super Bowls, and won back to back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. They also went to the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo in 1991. Led by Head Coach Mike Shanahan, Denver reached the playoffs in 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005. They even handed Bill Belichick and Tom Brady their first playoff loss in 2005. They hosted the 2005 AFC Championship Game. At this point all that success would seem like 100 years ago. At this point, the Broncos franchise looks and feels like the Cincinnati Bengals. Look at what has happened to this franchise since that loss to Pittsburgh in the '05 AFC Title game:
1) In 2006, Denver starts 7-2, but they lose 5 out of their last 7 games (Including a brutal 26-23 loss at home to 6-9 SF to end the season) and miss the playoffs at 9-7.
2) Starting Cornerback Darrent Williams gets shot and killed on Dec 31, 2007.
3) Reserve RB Damien Nash collapses and dies of a heart attack in March of 2007.
4) Denver starts 2-0 in 2007, but finishes the season 7-9 (Only Shanahan's 2nd losing season in Denver). That season included losses to San Diego 41-3 and 23-3, a 41-7 loss to Detroit, a 31-13 loss to Houston, and a 34-20 loss to Oakland.
5) Starting Receiver Javon Walker asks for and his granted his release.
6) Brandon Marshall gets suspended for 3 games to start 2008. He actually only serves a 1 game suspension because of good behavior.
7) Denver starts off 3-0, and the team sits at 8-5, while San Diego is 5-8 with only three games left. Denver loses their next two (Including at home to a 6-8 Buffalo team), while SD wins their next two games to set up 8-7 Denver vs. 7-8 SD for the AFC West Title in Week 17.
8) Denver loses to SD 52-21 to lose the division title and miss the playoffs.
9) Pat Bowlen fires Mike Shanahan after 14 seasons as Head coach.
10) Bowlen's new coach, Josh McDaniels, tries to trade franchise QB Jay Cutler for Matt Cassel. The Broncos can't get the deal done, and Cutler eventually demands a trade.
11) Denver trades Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears.
12) Pro Bowl WR Brandon Marshall skips mandatory mini-camp in June of 2009 and demands a trade from Denver.


So as you can tell, things are not so good for Bronco fans in recent memory. The only thought that pops into my mind right now when I think about the Broncos is a line that Johnny Drama always says on HBO's Entourage: "We're so fucked."

Here We Go Again!?!

Adam Schefter reported on KOA Radio that Brandon Marshall has asked to the Denver Broncos to trade him. He is unhappy with his current contract situation (2.2 million dollars for 2009), and he is frustrated with the Bronco Medical staff for misdiagnosing his hip injury during the season. This mistreatment of the injury led Marshall to undergo hip surgery that has kept him out of off season workouts, and he will not be healthy until the start of training camp in July. Schefter also reported that during his meeting with Pat Bowlen, Marshall stated his intention for a trade, and then Bowlen apparently told him to reconsider with the promise of some sort of contract extension. How much this is true remains to be see, but one thing is for sure: We have another debacle going down in Denver. Where do we begin on this one? First, in the words of long time radio host Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, Brandon Marshall is a "freaking phony." The day after Cutler got traded to Chicago, Marshall was interviewed by Rich Eisen of NFL Total Access. Marshall explained that he supported Coach Josh McDaniels and Owner Pat Bowlen in their decision. He explained that Bowlen has won 2 Super Bowls and McDaniels has won 3 Super Bowls, and they know what it takes to build a great team. Now, all of a sudden he wants a trade-give me a break. Second, Marshall doesn't have a lot of leverage here. He is constantly in trouble with the law, and he is coming off hip surgery. Why would any team give him a new deal right now? If the Broncos are going to give him an extension, then do it if he performs well during the season (Any new deal better have a personal conduct clause in it). Third, the Broncos could not give him a new deal and then either slap him with the Franchise tag or match any offer that he gets when he becomes a restricted free agent. Lastly, Denver needs to take a stand. Don't trade him. Jay Cutler set an example that if you act like a child and demand a trade, then Denver is going to trade you. Well, the Broncos shouldn't trade Marshall because then anytime a player gets unhappy, then they will ask or demand a trade. Denver must put an end to this now. Also, after the 2008 season concluded, the three best players on the Broncos' roster were Jay Cutler, Champ Bailey, and Brandon Marshall. If we trade two of those players away, the Broncos can start planning for the 2010 draft in July of 2009. Bowlen and the front office need to take a stand, but make sure that they can get Marshall in the mix. How this plays out? Who knows! Deep in my heart, I never thought Cutler would get traded, and then he did. Will Marshall get traded? I would say right now it is 50-50. The Brandon Marshall saga is just about to get heated up as we head into the dead period of the NFL offseason. This offseason has to be the worst offseason in the history of the NFL. When NFL Network does a "Top 10 Worst Offseasons" show, I want to be interviewed for it because the 2009 Denver Broncos will be number one. The drama out of Dove Valley gets worse every week. When Denver lost to San Diego at the end of last season, I said that it is always the darkest before the dawn. Well, how fucking dark does it have to get for my Denver Broncos!!!! Seriously, this is fucking ridiculous!!!!

Schedule Expansion and other topics around the NFL Cont...

3) A third reason why the NFL shouldn't expand to 17 or 18 games is because the NFL is fine exactly the way it is now. The quote "It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It" applies perfectly with the NFL. The league is fine, so leave it alone. It reminds me of when Eric Bishoff and WCW in the late 90s. From 1996-1998, WCW was beating the WWF and dominating the Pro Wrestling Industry. However, Bischoff and Company began to tweak and change the landscape of WCW, and eventually the company bottomened out and went under in 2001. Now, I know the NFL won't have the same fate, but the same principle applies-just leave it alone. 16 games is perfect. Everyone knows the deal with the preseason games anyway. Besides, it is still Baseball season when the NFL preseason kicks off. The most intense NFL fan, myself included, doesn't really get worked up for preseason, but we don't need to. We know we have 17 weeks of NFL action, followed by 3 weeks of playoff games and a Super Bowl. We are find we that! Please, Mr. Goodell leave it alone!


The Favre Watch: I am sick of Brett Favre. He is definitely coming back to the NFL and playing for the Vikings. No big deal-at least it will make the Vikings somewhat watchable early in the season.

International NFL Regular Season Games: This angers me deeply. Use the preseason to pump up international appeal. Put preseason games in England, Germany, Mexico, Japan, and Canada. Don't take away home games from fans, so the NFL can promote the product overseas. No one in London cares about the NFL. The Bills playing home games in Toronto is terrible. The Bucs losing a home game to play in London is ludicrous.