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