Before he officially retires, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue would like to put the Los Angeles Coliseum and a possible new stadium in Anaheim on a fast-track to be the future home of a NFL franchise. Tagliabue announced today that prior to the owners’ next meeting, schedule for Denver in May, that both sites be prepared to present viable proposals to the 32-member franchise.
Although adding a 33rd franchise — an expansion team — probably would be more appealing to Los Angeles-area fans, it seems more likely that a relocated franchise will end up in Anaheim or Los Angeles. There continues to be speculation that the San Diego Chargers could move to Anaheim and that possibly the Jacksonville Jaguars to Los Angeles. Even though Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver voted for the new collective bargaining agreement, many in the league believe he definitely will lose money this season based on the $102 million salary cap. The Saints will remain in New Orleans for two more seasons, but who knows whether or not that hurricane-devastated city will be able to support an NFL team like it used to?
Hunt's happy
One of the happiest owners here today was Lamar Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs. Hunt, since his days in the AFL, has been asking for a Thanksgiving Day home game and the league announced that the Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos on the cable NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET, following the traditional games in Detroit and Dallas. Before the Chiefs merged with the NFL, they played on Thanksgiving in the American Football League. Since the merger, Hunt has argued that the Thanksgiving Day games should have been rotated among member clubs, a proposal that Detroit and Dallas has fought at every turn.
USC Pro Day will be a hit
After these meetings, most of the GMs and personnel directors will leave here for Los Angeles to attend USC’s Pro Day on Sunday. It will be the first time that first-round talent like Reggie Bush, LenDale White and Matt Leinart will run and throw for scouts during the draft process. None of them ran at the National Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month. Houston is still considering Bush as the draft’s first overall choice. Scouts are also curious to see whether or not USC TE Dominique Byrd competes in certain drills. White was also about 15 pounds overweight at Indy.
Keyshawn will fit in with Panthers
Keyshawn Johnson gives Carolina a bonafide threat opposite Steve Smith.
The Carolina Panthers actually believed that WR Keyshawn Johnson was going to end up on the FOX pregame show as a replacement for James Brown if they didn’t give him a $5 million signing bonus. Still, Keyshawn is the perfect No. 2 receiver to Steve Smith with maybe speedy Drew Carter as a No. 3. Keary Colbert wasn’t productive this past season for the Panthers and veteran Ricky Proehl seems to be the odd-man out.
More picks for champs
The Steelers won the Super Bowl and they were also big winners with three compensatory draft selections in next month’s draft. The Steelers picked up three extra draft choices for past free-agency losses. They received two extra picks at the both of the fourth round, Nos. 131 and 133 and also a fifth-round pick, No. 167. The New York Jets were the only team to be compensated with a third-round pick, No. 97 overall.
Cowboys reward Glenn
The Dallas Cowboys must have felt some bad vibes from veteran WR Terry Glenn after they signed Terrell Owens to a one-year, $10 million deal. (Three years, $25 million is the total T.O. package). The Cowboys gave Glenn a new extension on Monday, giving him $10 million over the next two seasons. Glenn was scheduled to earn $2 million this season and then be eligible for free-agency in 2007.
Seems to me that putting 2 teams back in LA would be a recipe for disaster. The Raiders oversaturated the market in the early '80s and it led to luke-warm civic support for both teams. LA has turned into a basketball town, if such a thing exists.
For a viable franchise to exist in LA, they need to set their attendance expectations down quite a bit. Everyone knows about the late arriving fans and the traffic to the stadium is atrocious. They should build a new stadium with a smaller capacity to up the demand for games. That way, they have a greater probability of selling out more which enables the games to be seen in the area.
And, that's what it boils down to. If you can't make it to the game, you at least want to see the team in your area. If there is a blackout, how can you achieve a worthy fan base? Either build a smaller stadium or lessen the standards there to around 75% perhaps. If you let everyone watch, then they'll definitely come.
Last edited by DrWiseman on March 27th at 8:50 PM.
The key to having a successful NFL franchise in the Southland? Easy- WIN! I live in Orange County and know that a majority of people in Los Angeles and Orange County will never cast aside their old teams from wherever they moved from and aoverwhelmingly support a new franchise here in our own back yard until they win consistently in the playoffs for a few years, or win the Super Bowl.
I have never seen so many front runners in any sports town than I have here. You wouldn't believe the collapse in Laker fans and sudden explosion in Piston fans a couple of years ago in the time from game 1 of the finals, leading up to Detroit's ultimate victory. At the local Fox Sports Grill which was packed to capacity there were exactly two people who showed up sporting Piston jerseys. Everyone else was sporting the number 8, and bragging about the Lakers. By game 4 everyone was jumping on the Laker bashing band wagon, and the jersey ratio had gone to about 60-40, still in favor of L.A., but come on, in our own back yard after three championships this decade?
Why are you hating the Big Terry and the Cowboys ? This great team knows what is best for its players.Also have you ever heard "Good things come to those who wait" It was Terry's turn to be awarded a big contract based on his performances last season, so chill out and be happy for Terry and the Cowboys.
Ok. I play football, watch football, and love football. I'm only in high school, and I know TD celebrations are not allowed. That's why I love watching them in the NFL. If you don't like it, don't watch. They beat the defense and deserve it. Most players by now know what is very offensive, and what is just a little irritatng. And I don't think I'm the only one who likes the celebrations. It seems like most of the fans in the stadium get loader, when the player starts celebrating. Isn't football supposed to be fun for the fans too. I'm just saying more people probably come to watch because of the celebrations, and more people certainly watch the highlights to see the celebrations. Without the celebrations the highlights would almost be boring.
LA football fans? Non-existent, they never should have let the Rams go, the Raiders were never their team but LA fans are flaky and always will be, I think LA fans like seeing the top billed game each week anyway.
Not to be a spoilsport but it's time for the NFL to cut bait on the "California Question". First, how many chances are the "fans" in LA going to get to keep a team? Second, with the total lack of support and commitment, why are the sport crazy fans on the East Coast always forced to wait until 9 PM for MNF so the people in LA can get home when they don't give a darn in the first place????? Move MNF down to 8 PM and forget expansion into LA again!!! Enough already!!!
i dont know about anyone else, but to me Keyshawn is the most overrated reciever in the league. why would anyone shell out big money to get a guy who cant outrun a down linemen. well, i hope it works out for Carolina, but i think they could have spent the money better by pursuing trades for Moulds or signing another reciever in free agency.
LA is one of the largest media markets in the world... Let's not forget the NFL is still a business and would be fools to continue to ignore LA....
I am an Angelino and Los Angeles does not need to build a new stadium, but if they did (hypothetically) they would make a run at yet another olympic bid as well.
Not to mention, the only game that fills the coliseum is UCLA v USC....
To: L.J. and any other holdout, plus Draftee's that have never played an NFL down. I am a Farmer in Kansas that works his Bleep off so you can have something to eat. If I were to say, if you don't guarantee me good weather God, I just won't plant or raise a thing. You glory seeking money grabbers have made it impossible for the "Working Man" to afford going to a game. If it's on TV, that's it for us.
Oh, one other thing for you Glory Professionals, I served two terms in Viet Nam just to come back and hear about Prejudice and $$$$$$$$$$$$. Things are not Black and White, we all run Red and live, work, pray and die TOGETHER. Yes Vermil was right, it's time to take the diapers off and BE A MAN. I've yet to see the "greedy" last long.
John Czarnecki, a former sportswriter with over 20 years experience covering the NFL, has been the editorial consultant for the Emmy Award-winning FOX NFL Sunday since its 1994 inception. Prior, he provided exclusive information to CBS Sports' The NFL Today program from 1991 to 1993, holding a similar position.
Prior to joining CBS Sports, Czarnecki was a pro football writer for The National Sports Daily (1989-91), The Dallas Morning News (1989), and The Los Angeles Herald-Examin er. An archive of work can be found here.
