TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bucs Tackle GIs With Joysticks

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

Buccaneers linebacker Cato June plays "World at War" against troops stationed in Japan via the Internet during the Pro vs. GI Joe event at One Buc Place to honor soldiers and veterans on Veterans Day.

ADVERTISEMENT

By KEITH MORELLI

kmorelli@tampatrib.com

Published: November 12, 2008

TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers do battle on the football field once a week. U.S. troops overseas face real-life hostilities just about every day.

Tuesday morning, Bucs players waged video war alongside and against GIs online in a USO event staged to bring a little bit of home to troops around the globe. They also met on "Madden NFL '09" for cyber football bragging rights.

The worldwide video-game competition, sponsored by the nonprofit group Pro vs. GI Joe, began at the 11th hour Tuesday, Veterans Day, and pitted four Buccaneers against troops stationed in four countries, said Addie Zinone, co-founder of Pro vs. GI Joe, which sets up video competitions across the nation involving professional athletes and troops overseas.

"We do this about twice a month," she said.

Soldiers are big-time gamers, said Zinone, an Army Reserve sergeant who recently completed her second tour in Iraq, "It's the No. 1 activity when they are off-duty."

Tuesday was special in Tampa, though.

Relatives of GIs were flown in to Tampa for free to watch the competition against Bucs players Cato June, Alex Smith, Phillip Buchanon and Aqib Talib. They cheered for their soldiers and the Bucs and had brief face-to-face video conversations with their loved ones overseas.

"What?" asked Robin Parker of Virginia with headphones on, looking into a laptop at her brother Michael, who is stationed in Japan. She turned to her mother, Michele.

"He wants me to show him my belly."

Robin stood up and pulled her T-shirt up to reveal a very pregnant condition. She hasn't seen her brother in two years, she said. "This is a little weird."

About 40 relatives of overseas troops took up the first three rows in the auditorium at One Buc Place on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The rest of the seats were taken by service members who came to watch. About 80 people altogether were there.

Live Web feeds came from Japan, Iraq, Germany and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

"That's him right up there on the left," said JoAnn Digman of St. Louis, who sat in the second row and who admitted knowing very little about video gaming.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT