NFL Thread

[Fukui San]

The last thing driving these talks is any clamor from LA residents for a team of their own. Anything I ever heard from someone who lives in LA is that it's nice to see the best games every weekend and not a crappy home team.

[Rick Kitchen]

Does California need 4? and 3 NHL teams, and 4 NBA teams, and 5 MLB teams?

 

Damn it Cali, stop bogarting all the sports!

 

Why not?  California has 10% of the country's population.

[twoods]

The last thing driving these talks is any clamor from LA residents for a team of their own. Anything I ever heard from someone who lives in LA is that it's nice to see the best games every weekend and not a crappy home team.

Uh we don't see the best games. It's always a Chargers game or Raiders game. Most people in LA don't follow a team because we don't have one, so it will be nice to have someone to follow. Maybe I can finally cut the umbilical cord with the Bills.

[Rick Kitchen]

So, is the NFL trying to approve a San Diego move only if they move into Inglewood with the Rams?  What the heck is going on?

[pennben]

The guy with the money (Ram's owner) won, that's what's going on. 

 

 

Maybe I can finally cut the umbilical cord with the Bills.

 

That's a helluva long umbilical  cord you've got there!  Happy that you get a team or two back in town to root for, sorry that another place loses out (and I don't mean that as a jab, just sincerely).

 

So, taking it from the time I can recall:

 

1.  St. Louis used to have the Cardinals, but they moved to Phoenix;

2.  LA used to have the Rams, but they moved to St. Louis, and now are moving back to LA;

3.  Oakland used to have the Raiders, who moved to LA, then moved back to Oakland, then wanted to go to LA but folks said no, so they stay in Oakland, except, see paragraph 4 below;

4. San Diego started in San Diego (?) and wanted to move to LA, but only with the Raiders, not the Rams, nonetheless, they get up to a year to decide if they are okay with partnering with the Rams (like Giants/Jets) and then can move to LA?  I'm blanking, but maybe SD started in LA as well? And if SD stays in SD and says no to the move, the Raiders get up to a year to decide if, indeed, they want to go to LA?

5.  Not touching the Colts (Baltimore or Indy) or the Browns (connected to the Ravens to Baltimore to make up for the Colts to Indy, so the Browns, an old franchise was resurrected as a new franchise, I think, mess)

 

And we thought the "catch" rule is complicated!

Edited January 13, 2016 by pennben

[twoods]

Poor St Louis fans. At least they have the Cardinals who don't suck. It will be nice to root for someone, and I've never hated the Rams so they are better than the other two whom I loathe.

[Bastet]

I'm blanking, but maybe SD started in LA as well?

 

Back in the beginning, but only for a year or something like that.  There's no connection like there is with the Rams and the Raiders, other than the fact we get treated as a secondary market of the Chargers and get stuck with too many of their games. 

 

I want the Raiders back, and in the Coliseum, but I have to acknowledge that's just a bygone era that won't be recaptured and I'll have to drive to freakin' Inglewood (or, worse yet, Carson).

[tom87]

It is all ridiculous.    

[Dejana]

The NFL is back in LA, after all this time! Where will teams threaten to move now in order to leverage a new stadium?

Antonio Cromartie to welcome children #11 and #12...after vasectomy! His wife says she's having her tubes tied.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Dejana

[pennben]

 

Where will teams threaten to move now in order to leverage a new stadium?

 

St. Louis?!  And the wheels on the bus go round and round.....

[Snowprince]

Back in the beginning, but only for a year or something like that.  There's no connection like there is with the Rams and the Raiders, other than the fact we get treated as a secondary market of the Chargers and get stuck with too many of their games. 

 

I want the Raiders back, and in the Coliseum, but I have to acknowledge that's just a bygone era that won't be recaptured and I'll have to drive to freakin' Inglewood (or, worse yet, Carson).

The Los Angeles Chargers were 1 of the 8 charter members of the upstart American Football League in 1960, moving to San Diego in 1961. the other 7 were:

New York Titans (now Jets)

Boston (New England) Patriots

Buffalo Bills

Houston Oilers (now Tenn Titans)

Dallas Texans (now KC Chielfs)

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

 

The Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals expanded the AFL to 10 teams in 1966/1968

Edited January 13, 2016 by Snowprince

[Rick Kitchen]

Oakland Raiders actually played in San Francisco the first two years of their existence (Kezar Stadium in 1960 and Candlestick Park in 1961).

[BitterApple]

The NFL is back in LA, after all this time! Where will teams threaten to move now in order to leverage a new stadium?

Antonio Cromartie to welcome children #11 and #12...after vascetomy! His wife says she's having her tubes tied.

Daaaammnnn. He better be well invested, otherwise he'll go broke paying child support.

[yourpointis]

NFL vote means Raiders could be playing in Texas as soon as next season

 

What is still up in the air is the future of the Chargers and the Raiders. The Chargers' future seems a little more clear-cut. They have two months to decide if they want to move to Los Angeles for the 2016 season and one year to decide if they will move there at all.

 

The Raiders' lease at the Coliseum in Oakland has expired, which means the team is free to move anywhere.

 

The NFL has proposed $100 million to help finance a stadium for the Raiders in Oakland. But as of today, there is no stadium proposal.

 

"We'll see where the Raider Nation ends up here. We're looking for a home," Davis said. "I don't know where we'll be. My lease at the Coliseum is expired... America, the world, is possibility."

One possibility outside of California is San Antonio.

 

In 2014, the Raiders met with San Antonio officials about a potential move. While many shrugged that off at the time, there is now a feeling that a move is possible. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, the Raiders have already secured land in the Austin/San Antonio area for a potential stadium. With the Alamodome already in place, this strongly suggests that the Raiders could be playing in Texas as soon as next season.

 

Cole presents the land in Texas as "leverage" against the city of Oakland. But if a new stadium can't be built in the Bay Area, then Texas seems like the next destination for Raider Nation.

 

So if San Diego shares a stadium with the Rams and the Raiders are forced to move to Texas, will the League have to change the conferences around so that San Diego or the Rams don't end up having more home games than the rest of the teams in the League? This is just one confusing mess due to Silent Stan only concerned about money and not having a winning product so that fans would be willing to fill seats. Looks like he did a Major League and got his way. Pffft

[mojoween]

It was very magnanimous of the NFL to make the decision Tuesday night and give the college football championship almost a whole day of media.

[ae2]

Random question, but where do you guys go for NFL news and updates? I used to like Pro Football Talk, because their site was simple, loaded fast. Now it's terribly overwhelmed with ads and takes forever to load on mobile. And they're super opinionated there, which can get cloying.

Anyway. Sad to see the Rams leaving St. Louis. I hope LA really does want a team...

[Popples]

The NFL is back in LA, after all this time! Where will teams threaten to move now in order to leverage a new stadium?

Antonio Cromartie to welcome children #11 and #12...after vasectomy! His wife says she's having her tubes tied.

 

Is it wrong that as soon as I heard that, I immediately sought out the video of him trying to name his children from "Hard Knocks" from a few years back? I regret nothing.

[AimingforYoko]

I'm not that outraged by the Rams returning to LA, it was theirs first. At least St. Louis got a SB title out of the deal.

[Kip Hackman]

I think the best case scenario for the league is to only have the Rams in L.A.. I don't know why the Chargers would want to go there and become the NFL's version of the Clippers.

[ae2]

 

The NFL is back in LA, after all this time! Where will teams threaten to move now in order to leverage a new stadium?

 

London?

[merylinkid]

San Antonio has already been thrown in the barrel as the next one to be jerked around for 20 years by the League.   The Raiders started it a couple years ago before they came up with the proposal to join with the Chargers in LA.    

 

The owners are still hoping that Oakland and SD cough up the money for new stadiums.   It was clear that St. Louis was never going to do it, and there's the whole "underground fire headed to toxic waste dump" thing in St. Louis, they got to move.    It's not about putting a team in LA, it's about forcing municipalities to pay for these businesses private work places.

[tom87]

San Antonio has already been thrown in the barrel as the next one to be jerked around for 20 years by the League.   The Raiders started it a couple years ago before they came up with the proposal to join with the Chargers in LA.    

 

The owners are still hoping that Oakland and SD cough up the money for new stadiums.   It was clear that St. Louis was never going to do it, and there's the whole "underground fire headed to toxic waste dump" thing in St. Louis, they got to move.    It's not about putting a team in LA, it's about forcing municipalities to pay for these businesses private work places.

And LA has a huge Methane gas leak happening  for the last few months.    That is just another excuse to blame St Louis who supported this team for years even when the owner refused to try to make it better or even talk to civl leaders.   How do you have a team in a city and never even talk to the Mayor of that city for over 10 years??

Edited January 13, 2016 by tom87

[Constantinople]

The NFL is back in LA, after all this time! Where will teams threaten to move now in order to leverage a new stadium?

 

Ironically, if the Rams and Chargers move to LA, the two largest US Metro Areas without an NFL team would be

17. San Diego

19. St. Louis

 

Followed by

24. Portland

25. San Antonio

26. Orlando

27. Sacramento

30. Las Vegas:  t's my understanding the conventional wisdom is that the NFL would never put a franchise in Vegas because the NFL likes to pretend it's wholesome and/or concern over player gambling.  Therefore, Vegas may not be much of a threat.

 

I don't know Southern California well enough to know if

13 Riverside/San Bernadino

should be on the list, or if that would essentially be subsumed by LA

 

That ranking is from Wikipedia, which I presume is based on census data.

 

I've seen rankings of Top Media markets that have a different order. For example, San Diego falls to the low 20s.  I don't know why.

[Rick Kitchen]

 

will the League have to change the conferences around so that San Diego or the Rams don't end up having more home games than the rest of the teams in the League?

 

The Jets and Giants share a stadium and there is no problem with scheduling.

 

Lawrence Phillips found dead in his prison cell.

[basiltherat]

Mr. Cromartie needs to do like Mr. Foreman and name all his kids George!

[AimingforYoko]

Lawrence Phillips found dead in his prison cell.

Not entirely surprising, since, to quote John Heard in The Sopranos, he was looking at "From now on" in prison. Sad end to a wasted life.

[Danny Franks]

And to think, the Ravens might have picked him as their first ever draft pick. Instead, Ozzie convinced Art Modell that they had to go with Jonathan Ogden, and the franchise was saved a huge headache.

 

I'm happy that the Rams are going back to LA, at least for those LA fans who lost their team. For the St. Louis fans, it sucks, but I'm sure they were celebrating their fortuitous gain of a team twenty years ago. One thing that will get annoying is that now the Rams will be treated as one of the league's premier franchises, just because they're on the NFL Network's doorstep and in one of the biggest markets. They've still been hopeless since Kurt Warner left. And god help the poor (probably rookie) QB who starts for them in 2016. He's going to get torn to shreds by the media after a single mistake.

[ganesh]

No one's going to LA Rams games with the state of the team. Ticket prices go up and the team value goes up, but ownership isn't going to invest in making the team better. 

[pennben]

Random question, but where do you guys go for NFL news and updates? I used to like Pro Football Talk, because their site was simple, loaded fast. Now it's terribly overwhelmed with ads and takes forever to load on mobile. And they're super opinionated there, which can get cloying.

Anyway. Sad to see the Rams leaving St. Louis. I hope LA really does want a team...

 

I still check in with PFT a lot for coverage.  One tool that I've found helpful for coverage is twitter.  For a team that I don't follow, I try to figure out who the beat writers are for the local newpaper of that team.  And then I'll look up their feed on twitter for insights on that team as well as links to the articles they write for the team.  On big news, like yesterday's, I'll check out the twitter feeds of ESPN NFL reporters or just search for the subject I'm looking into on twitter and then pick up the handful of experts to follow for that particular issue. 

[Rick Kitchen]

I get a lot of breaking news (in fact, far too much of it on game days) from the NFL app.

 

The Colts are already wooing the jilted Rams fans.

 

[nowandlater]

Random question, but where do you guys go for NFL news and updates? I used to like Pro Football Talk, because their site was simple, loaded fast. Now it's terribly overwhelmed with ads and takes forever to load on mobile. And they're super opinionated there, which can get cloying.

Anyway. Sad to see the Rams leaving St. Louis. I hope LA really does want a team...

 

 

I just use Twitter....a decade ago I relied on NFL Network (which had Adam Schefter...now it's Twitter, Twitter, Twitter.

 

For those who don't like ProFootballTalk's site, just visit their Twitter page.

 

I follow a bunch of NFL-related people....Tim Kawakami (who covers the Raiders and 49ers and predicted the whole Harbaugh thing....Mike Silver (who is best friend's with Hue Jackson and whose other best friend created The Bachelor and whose other other best friend led the Warriors to an NBA championship last year)...Mike Freeman...Peter King (even though he's annoying)...Andrew Siciliano...Albert Breer...Don Banks...Deadspin...The Big Lead...Jason Cole....Ross Tucker (I listen to his podcasts)....Jason La Canfora...the bald guy on Fox....Drew Magery...Jason Whitlock...Mike Mayock...that ref guy on Fox...Michael David Smith...

Edited January 13, 2016 by nowandlater

[Rick Kitchen]

Patriots' Chandler Jones allegedly taken to the hospital after smoking synthetic weed.

[mojoween]

I was reading an online SI article about football players who were seriously injured in the Super Bowl and they described what exactly happened to Tim Krumrie's leg and even though I am very squeamish, I looked it up on You Tube anyways.

Oh what a different time it was, 27 years ago. Not only did they show it over and over, they also slowed down the replay and used the telestrator to show exactly which ankle it was.

Although, what I really noticed is that he was wearing Pony cleats and I really really want the sweater Sam Wyche was wearing.

[nowandlater]

Ron Jaworski and Joe Flacco are now business partners... https://twitter.com/MichaelDavSmith/status/687416455801995264

 

------------------------------------------

 

So I found on Twitter that the Hue Jackson press conference is going on, and I tune into NFL Network just in time to watch the Q&A portion.

 

And it's really, really interesting...and after a few minutes, NFL Network cuts away and goes to commercial break...then I go to ESPN, and they're STILL covering it, but then after a minute, they cut away, too. (presuming they just saw NFL Network) cutaway.

 

Yeah, I could go to ClevelandBrowns.com and watch it, but what is the point of having a 24/7 NFL Network if you're not going to cover important press conferences in their entirety?

Edited January 14, 2016 by nowandlater

[mojoween]

Ben McAdoo? I hope they give him a long leash and allow him to get his footing.

[stealinghome]

I do enjoy MMQB despite myself.

[pennben]

Hee!  I had to quit following Peter King because of the annoyance factor, but I do also check in for his MMQB column each week, as well as to check out other articles on the site from time to time.

[benteen]

Ben McAdoo? I hope they give him a long leash and allow him to get his footing.

 

I'm a Giants fan and although he's a risk, I'm happy with his hiring.  Eli has looked good in his offense.

 

Sounds like Joe Philbin will be the Giants OC.  Philbin was a train wreck as a head coach but was a really good OC and was the Packers OC when they won the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.  McAdoo was on his offensive staff for several years.  Sounds like Spags will be staying on as DC.  I'm glad...Spags is a really good DC undermined by a lack of depth and talent.

[Bastet]

I'd rather McAdoo than anyone else available, which was my whole hesitation with Coughlin's departure now rather than a year from now -- yes, it makes sense to make a coaching change at this time, but who's out there as a better option right now? -- so I think I'm good with this.  He's a good fit with Eli, and there's a lot there to build on with the offense.  I was over the moon with Spag coming back as Defensive Coordinator, because I think he's great in general and especially with the Giants, but it hasn't worked out as I'd hoped.  (To put it mildly.)  With a beefed-up roster on that side of the ball, though ... It should be an interesting off season and draft.

[ktwo]

Rams' relocation to LA has been approved

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2605293-rams-approved-for-relocation-to-los-angeles-latest-comments-and-reaction

Does LA really need 2 teams?

My husband and I were talking about this today. We are both baffled as to why the NFL wants to split the fan base immediately.

[Danny Franks]

The Chargers will be making a horrible mistake if they agree to move to LA, now.

 

They will be the second team to the Rams, whatever they do. The Rams have the history, the old fanbase to fall back on (I've already seen a lot of guys on the internet who are forsaking their current teams to go back to the Rams, now they're back in town), and now they'll have been there first and been able to grab the attention of the media and the market. Another team will just look like they're riding on the coattails.

 

They'd be better off either kissing and making up with San Diego, or finding a brand new market to move to.

 

No one's going to LA Rams games with the state of the team. Ticket prices go up and the team value goes up, but ownership isn't going to invest in making the team better.

 

 

 

The Rams aren't in that bad a state. They've got a very strong defense, and Todd Gurley to run the ball. That's a good base to build on. Yes, they need a QB and WRs (Tavon Austin is a playmaker, but not a guy to build an offense around), but if they can manage to hit those moves correctly, they're a team that could easily become competitive.

[Moose135]

They'd be better off either kissing and making up with San Diego, or finding a brand new market to move to.

 

I hear St. Louis has a stadium available...

[ganesh]

Well, QBs and WRs basically are what drives the league for the most part. I think 'easily' is a stretch. 2-3 years, ok. I'm just doubtful that the seats are going to be filled in LA while the team grows. I'm just not so sold on the necessity of a team in LA since the league clearly hasn't been suffering without for the last 20 years. 

[tom87]

The Chargers will be making a horrible mistake if they agree to move to LA, now.

 

They will be the second team to the Rams, whatever they do. The Rams have the history, the old fanbase to fall back on (I've already seen a lot of guys on the internet who are forsaking their current teams to go back to the Rams, now they're back in town), and now they'll have been there first and been able to grab the attention of the media and the market. Another team will just look like they're riding on the coattails.

 

They'd be better off either kissing and making up with San Diego, or finding a brand new market to move to.

 

 

The Rams aren't in that bad a state. They've got a very strong defense, and Todd Gurley to run the ball. That's a good base to build on. Yes, they need a QB and WRs (Tavon Austin is a playmaker, but not a guy to build an offense around), but if they can manage to hit those moves correctly, they're a team that could easily become competitive.

Well now. Maybe the owner will actually try now with the move and 11 straight years of sub 500 ball.

Well, QBs and WRs basically are what drives the league for the most part. I think 'easily' is a stretch. 2-3 years, ok. I'm just doubtful that the seats are going to be filled in LA while the team grows. I'm just not so sold on the necessity of a team in LA since the league clearly hasn't been suffering without for the last 20 years. 

Yes it was struggling so much they need two teams in LA just to break even I guess.

[ganesh]

I get that it's a huge media market, but I think it's just going to be a little silly if there's a televised LA Rams game and the stadium is half full. 

[Kip Hackman]

I think it's just going to be a little silly if there's a televised LA Rams game and the stadium is half full. 

 

I think the Rams will do fine. The LA Chargers? Not so much.

[stealinghome]

Chip Kelly to the 49ers? It's either going to go incredibly well or blow up like three weeks from now.

[FuriousStyles]

The Chargers will be making a horrible mistake if they agree to move to LA, now.

They will be the second team to the Rams, whatever they do. The Rams have the history, the old fanbase to fall back on (I've already seen a lot of guys on the internet who are forsaking their current teams to go back to the Rams, now they're back in town), and now they'll have been there first and been able to grab the attention of the media and the market. Another team will just look like they're riding on the coattails.

As someone looking at this without a lot (read any) knowledge of the history of either team and all that, I think either team who joins the Rams in LA will have as much chance to gain a fanbase as the Rams themselves. Whoever becomes a perennial contender first will have the city....not who signed the contract first. The Rams IMO, dont have the same or even half the relative level of success as the Lakers which is what makes the Clippers the "little brother". The Chargers or Raiders dont have that history to compete with, IMO. And given the fact that both those franchises are already in the state with built in fanbase I think gives *them* the advantage. San Diego isnt *that* far away from LA...have no idea about Oakland though.

I dont know how I feel about the Giants hiring McAdoo. I mean I guess out of the candidates still available, he's good since he's already there, knows the offense etc. But what exactly was the plan here? I really hope they didnt fire Coughlin just to keep McAdoo, since he was interviewing for other HC positions, because that to me is dumb. I know McAdoo did a good job with Eli these last 2 years, but Coughlin has already won 2 SB with Eli so that wasnt the issue. Our defense was atrocious. How is McAdoo supposed to fix that? Ill give this guy some time before I really judge this hire, but I dunno, I dont have a good feeling about it.

Edited January 14, 2016 by FuriousStyles

[nowandlater]

I get that it's a huge media market, but I think it's just going to be a little silly if there's a televised LA Rams game and the stadium is half full. 

 

George R.R. Martin agrees.

http://grrm.livejournal.com/467484.html

[Rick Kitchen]

49er fans are not happy.