By Mark Kreidler -- Bee Sports Columnist

Eddie DeBartolo is the former owner of the 49ers and a current resident of Tampa once said to be preparing a bid to buy the Buccaneers. So he did the only appropriate thing upon learning the teams would play Sunday: Bolted town.

"I don't want to be anywhere within 100 miles of Tampa this weekend," DeBartolo told the Tampa Tribune. "I'll watch (the game), but my loyalties are really torn."

DeBartolo, who was removed from the 49ers' picture in a bitter transfer of ownership to sister Denise DeBartolo York in 2000, said he'll be at his ranch in Kalispell, Mont., rather than his luxury suite at Raymond James Stadium.

"I'm too old to get back into it," said DeBartolo, who moved to Tampa three years ago. "I'm 56 going on 80. ... I'm happy what I'm doing. But you never say never. If an NFL opportunity arose, I'd have to first sit down with my family."

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