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