| It's no secret that outgoing NFL commissioner | | | | in the second largest media market is |
| Paul Tagliabue has wanted a team back in Los | | | | foolish. The revenues are too much to resist. |
| Angeles ever since the Rams and Raiders | | | | Even at the risk of some fan apathy. |
| defected in 1994. It stands as the one goal | | | | |
| he hasn't been able to accomplish in an | | | | The city has picked up on Tagliabue's desire |
| otherwise impressive tenure. | | | | for a franchise to go back there. The Los |
| | | | Angeles City Council just recently voted to |
| Despite numerous rumors throughout the past | | | | spend $25 million dollars on improvements at |
| decade of an expansion team or even an | | | | the Coliseum in hopes of speeding up the |
| existing franchise moving to the City of | | | | process of getting a team. |
| Angels, nothing has become of it. All the | | | | |
| while, the cash-stuffed NFL owners and | | | | There is also a proposal on the table to |
| management keep hoping that someday the | | | | spend upwards of $800 million dollars for a |
| second largest media market will have a pro | | | | complete renovation of the stadium should the |
| football team to call its own. | | | | NFL owners approve a motion to put a team in |
| | | | L.A. by the 2009 season. |
| Make no mistake, Tagliabue and company want a | | | | |
| team in L.A. and will put one there before | | | | I for one think it would be a good idea to |
| the decade is out. Even if the Southern | | | | bring a team back to Los Angeles. It's a city |
| California fan base is somewhat apathetic at | | | | that has had a rich NFL history since the |
| times to even having an NFL team in the first | | | | Rams moved from Cleveland in 1946. It's a |
| place. | | | | large TV market that will increase the amount |
| | | | of revenue shared between clubs and will only |
| For those who are old enough to remember when | | | | make the game better and more competitive |
| the Rams were strutting their stuff in the | | | | because of it. |
| seventies. A then record seven consecutive | | | | |
| division titles, five NFC championship game | | | | The problem comes in deciding what city will |
| appearances and even a Super Bowl berth in | | | | lose its franchise. We already have 32 teams |
| 1979, weren't enough to bring out the L.A. | | | | so an expansion team is out of the question. |
| crowd. | | | | It would wreak havoc with the schedule. That |
| | | | means an existing club will be picked. The |
| Even with all that success, Carol | | | | most likely candidates are the San Diego |
| Rosenbloom's Rams didn't have a sellout. Yes | | | | Chargers, New Orleans Saints and even the |
| they played in that cavern known as the | | | | Colts and Vikings have been included in the |
| Coliseum. But even so, fellow tenant USC | | | | talks. |
| managed to out-draw the Rams during their | | | | |
| Super Bowl year, causing the first blow that | | | | The choice that makes the most sense is San |
| would eventually see the Rams leave | | | | Diego. The franchise started in L.A. back in |
| California and call St. Louis home in 1995. | | | | 1960 and with the city council recently |
| | | | voting down a tax increase for a new stadium, |
| No matter. Money is what's driving the latest | | | | Chargers owner Alex Spanos could be on the |
| push to get a team in L.A. The NFL has grown | | | | move. |
| so rapidly since 1994 that not having a team | | | | |