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I saw it on my phone and immediately I realized I should have thought of it sooner.
"Steelers, Vikings in London 2013."
After I had secured sideline and locker room access in the Metrodome for that game, I had approximately three days worth of reason to be in the building, and I could have soaked up free gear like you wouldn't believe.
I could have been the guy to carry the headset cords around during the game. I could have been the guy in the end zone scrambling after the ball Antonio Brown just spiked.
Small dreams, I know.
Not surprising at all when I saw the Tweet indicating the Steelers would head across the pond as part of the league's favorite useless money-making ploy, but upset.
Upset at the fact I don't get all the perks I was going to have. Upset over the fact the Steelers have to sacrifice at least part of their bye week recovering from jet lag. Upset over the fact their road schedule just became far more elaborate, and for reasons as silly as selling an American sport to a country that has worshiped soccer at a level Americans will never understand.
I see zero point in international games. Maybe a few Lymies are wearing Ben Roethlisberger jerseys next year. I'm still going to be bitter .
For the Vikings, it makes perfect sense. They're playing the end of this season, and 2013, in the Metrodome before it's finally razed and on it, a new stadium is built. During that time, they'll play at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium.
Pulling a classic "I know a guy," but I have confirmation from two different people who are closely "in the know" with the Vikings who say Minnesota has offered basically to play in London for the 2013 season while they're stadium is being built.
I knew that before, but never thought, for some silly reason, the obviousness of the Steelers game being sent with them overseas didn't hit me.
From a marketing perspective, it's a big score for the league, and presumably, both teams. The Steelers are icons of the league while running back Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen are two players who'd be brought up when highlighting some of the best players over the last seven years.
It pisses me off all the same. I don't care about the Vikings new stadium, or revenue streams coming from England. I just wanted to be at the Dome when the Steelers came to town like I was last time.
Why is that too much to ask?