When Will The NFL Return?

Growing up in Los Angeles, I was spoiled with two NFL teams, the Rams and the Raiders. The Rams basically always stunk – you know, the Lambs? There’s a sign at a sports bar I once visited that reads: “Will the lady who left her eleven children at the Coliseum please come pick them up. They are beating the Rams 21-0.” That pretty much summed up their existence in Los Angeles. The owner took fans for granted and had nothing nice to say about the city. When she moved the team to St. Louis, suddenly it was time to spend money. Thanks! Of course, L.A. was still good enough for her to keep her main offices here. Argh…I won’t say anything too mean about her since she’s no longer of this Earth.

The Raiders were a different story. They brought a Super Bowl win to Los Angeles and plenty of hype, shenanigans, and overall good times. Since Al Davis is alive I will rag on him. He broke Oakland’s heart when he moved the team down here. Then he stepped all over us when he took them back there. Someone even told me that he was threatening Oakland with bringing them back down here again. I don’t think that will work, Al. Would someone please take the team away from him before he hurts anyone else!

Angelinos now follow a multitude of teams. I root for California football teams – 49ers, Chargers, and Raiders of course. I’ll even avidly follow the team from the city where I went to college – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Side note: you must go to Raymond James Stadium before you die. It is an amazing place to catch a game. Just don’t stand too close to the pirate ship if you value your hearing. Fire them cannons! Oh yeah, listen to Gene Dekerhoff calling the game also at least once – he’s right up there with the best announcers in sports. Alright…back to Los Angeles…

Today we are getting a special announcement from Edward Roski about the NFL in Los Angeles. Apparently, he is unveiling plans for a stadium in the City of Industry. Great! We have a stadium. What is wrong with the historic Coliseum? Why do I have to trek all the way out there? Argh! At least it’s better than putting a team in Anaheim. (Anaheim is in Orange County and not Los Angeles in spite of that baseball team using the Los Angeles name so they can get television coverage.) At any rate, I am just terribly cynical since the NFL has been gone for so long. Please stop teasing us.