I'm not sure if this topic has been touched on around here or not, but it was twenty years ago this year that the Memphis Hound Dogs were denied existence.

From what I recall, Charlotte was pretty much a lock to get one of the two teams, but Jacksonville was a surprise.

So looking back over the last twenty years, what if the two 1993 expansion teams had been the Carolina Panthers and the Memphis Hound Dogs? How would the NFL look today?

I think the most obvious difference is that Bud Adams never would have considered Nashville as a destination for the Oilers four years later, as they would have been considered Hound Dogs territory. So where would he have moved the Oilers to? By that time, St. Louis and Baltimore already had teams. Would he have been convinced that Jacksonville was a gold mine and moved the Oilers there? Or would he have quickly filled the void in Los Angeles?

How would an NFL team being here have affected the city's chances at an NBA team eight years later?

How differently would the divisions look today?

Let's say Adams did move the Oilers to Jacksonville. The AFC South probably would have been..

Indianapolis
Houston (assuming they still got their expansion team years later)
Memphis
Jacksonville

I dunno....interesting topic to discuss, I think...

It is for me, maybe not for others......

I remember the 1976 NFL-A-Thon with Musberger and Phyllis George trying to get the Grizzlies in the NFL after the WFL folded. I remember Bob Irsay being a **** to Malmo and the Memphis contingent when they offered him the moon to move the Colts to Memphis.

I remember being one of four finalists when Tampa and Seattle got teams - Memphis and Phoenix were the other finalists. I remember being one of the finalists for the Colts relocation to Indianapolis. Again, Memphis, Phoenix and also Jacksonville were the other considerations. And in '93, Memphis was one of the final 5 cities - Charlotte and Jax got the teams - Memphis, St. Louis and Baltimore were the other finalists. So......every team that has been a bridesmaid in the past now has an NFL franchise except one. And it went to Nashville.


Enjoy...

http://wfl.charlottehornetswfl.com/pages..._white.php

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.c...ug=1722611

http://mentalfloss.com/article/29462/11-...missed-cut

(08-09-2013 02:10 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  It is for me, maybe not for others......

I remember the 1976 NFL-A-Thon with Musberger and Phyllis George trying to get the Grizzlies in the NFL after the WFL folded. I remember Bob Irsay being a **** to Malmo and the Memphis contingent when they offered him the moon to move the Colts to Memphis.

I remember being one of four finalists when Tampa and Seattle got teams - Memphis and Phoenix were the other finalists. I remember being one of the finalists for the Colts relocation to Indianapolis. Again, Memphis, Phoenix and also Jacksonville were the other considerations. And in '93, Memphis was one of the final 5 cities - Charlotte and Jax got the teams - Memphis, St. Louis and Baltimore were the other finalists. So......every team that has been a bridesmaid in the past now has an NFL franchise except one. And it went to Nashville.


Enjoy...

http://wfl.charlottehornetswfl.com/pages..._white.php

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.c...ug=1722611

http://mentalfloss.com/article/29462/11-...missed-cut

See, that's because you're old as

I'm kidding, I'm kidding..

I guess I had '93 specifically in mind because I was actually around for that one. But yeah, the topic could be...what was it about the city that caused the NFL to eventually back away every single time?

the stadium

I remember the Nashville members of the state legislature refusing to support Memphis as an expansion candidate unless it was promised that some of the games would be played in Nashville.

I think the NFL players strike of 87 really did us in. Everything had come together perfectly then. St Louis, still had the Cardinals, Charlotte and Jacksonville weren't even making efforts. A 40'ish Fred Smith was at the helm. The Liberty Bowl had been expanded to 62,000 with suites in progress. At the time, compared to other NFL facilities, it was fine. Memphis was well liked by pretty much all NFL owners and was fully expected to be awarded a franchise along with Phoenix by the 1988 Super Bowl. Then in 1987 NFL week two, the players walked out. This was the first domino that fell, pushing the timetable back. I remember right before the 87 Cards-Chiefs game (which was 14 hours after the Tigers 16-10 win over Ole Miss in the 'Damon Young' game, what a great weekend for Memphis) that the opening kickoff ball was being delivered by parachute. Anyhow, right before he landed the Cards and Chiefs met at midfield for the NFLPA unity handshake. The parachutist had to divert, landing near one of the benches on the sideline. You could tell he was ticked as he handed the captains the ball. After the strike, Rozelle retired, many old school, pro Memphis owners such as Joe Robbie of the Dolphins, sold their franchises. In 1988 St Louis Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell called Fred Smith and Memphis officials and wanted a franchise relocation package for his Cardinals. Memphis and Smith passed, still convinced we were in line for a team. In hindsight, this may have been Memphis' best chance in recent history to join the NFL. By the time Tagliabue was NFL commish, the landscape had changed. In short, our NFL chances had passed us by. Fred Smith got out in 91. As I recall, FedEx was having some difficulty then and some of the stockholders were trying to oust him as CEO. I appreciate Billy Dunavant but by 93 we were simply outgunned by new stadiums in Jacksonville and Charlotte.

Here's a great article. Read the 2nd paragraph:
http://www.memphisflyer.com/backissues/i...cvr445.htm

A few good pics:
1987 Cards-Chiefs game. 40'ish Fred Smith. Who knows about Pepper Rodgers.




We kept trying:


The end nears:

(08-10-2013 12:46 PM)UofMark Wrote:  I think the NFL players strike of 87 really did us in. Everything had come together perfectly then. St Louis, still had the Cardinals, Charlotte and Jacksonville weren't even making efforts. A 40'ish Fred Smith was at the helm. The Liberty Bowl had been expanded to 62,000 with suites in progress. At the time, compared to other NFL facilities, it was fine. Memphis was well liked by pretty much all NFL owners and was fully expected to be awarded a franchise along with Phoenix by the 1988 Super Bowl. Then in 1987 NFL week two, the players walked out. This was the first domino that fell, pushing the timetable back. I remember right before the 87 Cards-Chiefs game (which was 14 hours after the Tigers 16-10 win over Ole Miss in the 'Damon Young' game, what a great weekend for Memphis) that the opening kickoff ball was being delivered by parachute. Anyhow, right before he landed the Cards and Chiefs met at midfield for the NFLPA unity handshake. The parachutist had to divert, landing near one of the benches on the sideline. You could tell he was ticked as he handed the captains the ball. After the strike, Rozelle retired, many old school, pro Memphis owners such as Joe Robbie of the Dolphins, sold their franchises. In 1988 St Louis Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell called Fred Smith and Memphis officials and wanted a franchise relocation package for his Cardinals. Memphis and Smith passed, still convinced we were in line for a team. In hindsight, this may have been Memphis' best chance in recent history to join the NFL. By the time Tagliabue was NFL commish, the landscape had changed. In short, our NFL chances had passed us by. Fred Smith got out in 91. As I recall, FedEx was having some difficulty then and some of the stockholders were trying to oust him as CEO. I appreciate Billy Dunavant but by 93 we were simply outgunned by new stadiums in Jacksonville and Charlotte.

Here's a great article. Read the 2nd paragraph:
http://www.memphisflyer.com/backissues/i...cvr445.htm

A few good pics:
1987 Cards-Chiefs game. 40'ish Fred Smith. Who knows about Pepper Rodgers.




We kept trying:


The end nears:

I remember going to the Vikings/Chiefs pre-season game. What could have been.

F the NFL

(08-09-2013 02:17 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  the stadium

^^^^
THIS

If the city would have built a new stadium with NFL style seating and skyboxes, instead of nickel and diming improvements to the Liberty Bowl, Memphis would have joined with Charlotte.

Was that the time when those "skyboxes" were built on the east side?