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July 15, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/franchiserelocations
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Excerpt [with inserts, not part of originating
article, included in brackets]:
...
Arizona Cardinals
Reason for moving: The Cardinals have lost
home games in a path across the U.S. since
becoming a charter member of the NFL in
1920 as the Chicago Cardinals, so named for
the hand-me-down maroon jerseys given to
the team by a local college team that had got-
ten new digs. (See, they were even cheap be-
fore the Bidwell's bought them.)
The Cardinals have only won one champion-
ship in that time, that being the 1947 cam-
paign. They are also credited with the 1925
NFL title, but it really belongs to the Potts-
ville Maroons (The sooner you give it back,
the sooner you can hope for some postseason
success, Cardinals fan).
More here in the "Cardinal Curse" - in 1960,
the Cardinals had enough of battling the cross-
town favorite Bears (pay attention, White Sox)
and moved to St. Louis where they continued
to build the Cardinals tradition of losing. In
the next 28 years, the Cards went to the post-
season only three times (1974, 1975, 1982).
In 1988, Cardinals ownership was unable to
convince the city to help fund a stadium (I've
been saying this is the way the Dallas area
should try to get rid of the Texas Rangers for
years) and the team moved again, this time to
Phoenix. Success hasn't been found in Arizona
either for the Cards so I think, after 20 years,
it's time for a change of scenery and a fresh
start.
[insert -- No way this will happen, not after
Phoenix (technically-speaking, Glendale) cre-
ated a Desert Palace for the Cards to play in.
-- end insert]
Possible destinations: Given the constant west-
ern movement of the team to this point and the
absence of an NFL team in the second-largest
market in the U.S., I think the L.A. Cardinals
should be coming soon.
Green Bay Packers
Reason for moving: You ever had a friend that
dealt with a stalker? You have to change your
phone numbers, e-mail addresses and your nor-
mal daily rituals.
In some extreme cases, you even have to move.
This is what the Packers need to do. It's obvious
there is no reasoning with Brett Favre. He's
gonna keep coming back every year, wanting
to get back together, despite the fact he broke
up with you a few months ago AFTER he com-
pletely screwed your life up with his bad deci-
sions (that INT in the Championship Game was
AWFUL, but classic Favre).
Making matters worse, your family (the fans)
think he's the best guy ever and encourage you
to make up with him and beg him to come back.
It's time to make a run for Packers management,
even though the odds of Green Bay succeeding
at anything this year aren't in their favor.
[insert -- Obvious tongue-in-cheek criticism of
Favre, here, and the chances of the Green Bay
Packers ever moving away from anyplace other
than a locale in Wisconsin is roughly the same
chance of having a 100 degree day in the Green
Bay dead of winter. Of course, with global warm-
ing, who knows, but seriously, once again, after
all the money this town-owned team just spent
on stadium renovations, this ain't gonna happen.
-- end insert]
Possible destinations: The playoffs (he never
shows up there anymore ... bah-bum, chhh!)
Jacksonville Jaguars
Reason for moving: In 1991, the NFL announced
that it would expand into two new markets. The
top five contenders for the new franchises were
Charlotte (currently the 25th-largest broadcast
market), Baltimore (No. 24), Memphis (No. 47)
and Nashville (No. 30), St. Louis (No. 21) and
Jacksonville (No. 49).
The NFL awarded two franchises to Charlotte
and Jacksonville in 1995. Since that time, the
second-smallest market in the NFL has strug-
gled to support the team. Numerous blackouts,
including 12 of 16 home games in both 2003
and 2004, have been a major reason that owner
Wayne Weaver finds himself refinancing $110
million in debt. On top of that Alltel has pulled
out of the naming rights deal for Jacksonville
Municipal Stadium, which cuts off Weaver's
largest single source of income.
Weaver has made numerous statements to the
effect that the team will not be sold and/or
moved. In fact he is so adamant that, given the
track record of sports owners, it can only mean
one thing: The deal to sell and move the team
is in the works as we speak.
Possible destinations: I realize the Jags are pro-
bably the front runner for L.A., but I'd like to
offer a different solution to Mr. Weaver or
whomever the new owners may be ... San An-
tonio. It would be a 12-spot jump in market
size and no other fan base falls in love with
their teams like these folks (see Spurs fan and
San Antonio Cowboys fan).
The only real obstacle will be Jerry Jones, who
says he wants to see an NFL team in San Antonio
more than anyone. In fact he is so adamant that,
given the track record of sports owners, it can
only mean one thing ...
[insert -- This move, of the -3- mentioned, is
the only one that makes any sense, especially
-if- L.A. is the destination, but San Antonio,
being so much larger of a market than Jackson-
ville, should get a team someday, whether it's
the Jaguars, some other team (the Bills?) -or-
an expansion franchise. -- end insert]
--- end excerpt ---