The 34th Franchise

A couple weeks back the Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the National Football League said that if the NFL was to award a team to the city of Los Angeles it would have to find a city for a second expansion team. The league office said that it would like to keep a balance schedule and be easier to go from 32 teams to 34 rather then 33.

Proposed expansion of the L.A. Colosseum 

Will the NFL really work in Los Angeles again? Yes it is weird that a city that a city that has two NBA teams, two MLS teams, one NFL and MLB team does not have an American football team, however the league has survived very well since the Raiders moved back to Oakland and the Rams packed their bags to St. Louis. Lets just say the league finally gives the city the team that it has been waiting for since 1996 but what city will win the right to be the home town of the 34^th franchise?

There are cities that traditionally have a strong college football culture, but that doesn’t always translate to being a city that is idea for professional team. Then there are cities that are the largest with out an NFL team and the last type of city that has done everything that the league has asked or has required for them to do to be on the short list.

Based off of this you can probably come up with about a handful of cities that would true be a good fit for the league and they deserve a team. The cities that I have narrowed it down to are San Antonio, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and Birmingham.

San Antonio- It is one of the largest cities in the U.S. to only support one pro sports team, the Spurs of the NBA. San Antonia did a good dib as temporary home for the New Orleans Saints after hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf area. The City is located in Texas and we all know how big football is in Texas. You could have the San Antonio Toros, or the Riders, Gunslingers, Wings, Force, or Talons. However I am sure the NFL can find a better name for the team.

Las Vegas- The when you hear this city you think of the glitz and lights of the Vegas strip but how stable is the city to host a team. The league has been trying to keep a squeaky clean image and I don’t think that Vegas would be supporting that. However on the other side almost all of the leagues that have taken a stab at major professional football in the past 20 years have placed a team in the city. How does the Las Vegas Locomotives sound to you, or the Outlaws, Sting, Gladiators, or Posse?

Oklahoma City- OKC is a bit the odd one out among these cities. The Thunder of the NBA have only recently moved to the city that has not really had any professional teams in the past however the state does have a strong college football tradition with both the Okalahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Some team names that have popped up in the past have been Oklahoma Outlaws or the Wranglers.

Birmingham- Alabama like Oklahoma has a great college football tradition where people yell “War Eagle” or “Roll Tide” but can the fans of the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide be converted into NFL fans? Or at least enough to support a team? Birmingham has had a number of football teams through the years but for some reason I have a hard time picturing an NFL team in ‘Bama, but a name like Alabama Hammers has a ring to it, how about Alabama Viper, Birmingham Fire, Stallions, Americans, Vulcans, Thunderbolts, or Barracudas.

Blast from the past

In case you missed it on facebook but last weeks blast from the past was former NBA guard Jeff Hornacek.

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If you are living in Budapest Hungary and are worried about not having enough time to get ready for swimsuit season, have no fear there is a solution. The BKV workout plan is available on youtube