The Frat Boys Who Moved The Colts Out Of Baltimore

Quote:But the buses headed north, away from the nation's capital. It wasn't until they turned at the exit sign on the interstate for Owings Mills that it dawned on Greg Gaston, who now hosts a sportstalk show mid-days on WHBQ-AM in Memphis, what was going on. The Sigma Chis prided themselves on being a jocky frat. They knew where the Colts headquarters were located.

Gaston recalls a little grumbling among some of the brothers once they figured things out. Maybe they should pull out of the job, someone suggested when the bus rolled up to the training center parking lot. Baltimore was only 30 miles from the Maryland campus, after all. Even though the Colts were in the dumps at that time and football fandom within the fraternity leaned far more toward Joe Gibbs's gang in Washington, which had appeared in the Super Bowl the previous two seasons, there was still some loyalty to the blue horseshoe.

"I grew up idolizing Johnny U. and his hi-tops and that buzz cut and then Bert Jones," says Gaston. "And here I am, moving the Baltimore Colts! I was moving my favorite team!"

I wouldn't doubt that Gaston probably helped Cal moved the SnoCone machine in the middle of the night too.

Thank you Mr. Gaston!

I remember all that stuff to this day.

We, Memphis, had a key meeting up in Chicago with Colts owner Robert Irsay.

It was down to four cities as far as relocation - Jacksonville, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Memphis.

We promised him the entire kitchen - full stadium season ticket sales, you name it.

Ad exec John Malmo, our mayor at the time and key city leaders went to Chicago to convince Mr. Irsay to move the franchise and play in the Liberty Bowl stadium.

We had the best financial offer on the table. For some reason, Irsay walked out of that meeting, saying he would return, and never did.

IMO, that was our best chance for an NFL team in Memphis. Even more than when the Southmen / Grizzlies applied and got denied. And more so than the last expansion race among Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore, Jacksonville and Memphis.

The common theme is this - every one of the cities above now enjoy NFL football on fall Sundays. Except one.

(05-06-2014 09:06 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  I remember all that stuff to this day.

We, Memphis, had a key meeting up in Chicago with Colts owner Robert Irsay.

It was down to four cities as far as relocation - Jacksonville, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Memphis.

We promised him the entire kitchen - full stadium season ticket sales, you name it.

Ad exec John Malmo, our mayor at the time and key city leaders went to Chicago to convince Mr. Irsay to move the franchise and play in the Liberty Bowl stadium.

We had the best financial offer on the table. For some reason, Irsay walked out of that meeting, saying he would return, and never did.

IMO, that was our best chance for an NFL team in Memphis. Even more than when the Southmen / Grizzlies applied and got denied. And more so than the last expansion race among Charlotte, St. Louis, Jacksonville and Memphis.

The common theme is this - every one of the cities above now enjoy NFL football on fall Sundays. Except one.

I didn't realize Memphis was in the mix then. I do remember when they left Baltimore but not really any of the details.

Doesn't matter. In the end Memphis got the team they were meant for.

apparently so

(05-06-2014 09:06 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  I remember all that stuff to this day.

We, Memphis, had a key meeting up in Chicago with Colts owner Robert Irsay.

It was down to four cities as far as relocation - Jacksonville, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Memphis.

We promised him the entire kitchen - full stadium season ticket sales, you name it.

Ad exec John Malmo, our mayor at the time and key city leaders went to Chicago to convince Mr. Irsay to move the franchise and play in the Liberty Bowl stadium.

We had the best financial offer on the table. For some reason, Irsay walked out of that meeting, saying he would return, and never did.

IMO, that was our best chance for an NFL team in Memphis. Even more than when the Southmen / Grizzlies applied and got denied. And more so than the last expansion race among Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore, Jacksonville and Memphis.

The common theme is this - every one of the cities above now enjoy NFL football on fall Sundays. Except one.

The only difference being regarding the last expansion that went to Charlotte and Jax, Memphis was promised the next expansion slot after Tampa Bay and Seattle were added in the 70s by Pete Rozelle. This is documented in Howard Cossells' book. Promised.

(05-07-2014 10:46 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(05-06-2014 09:06 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  I remember all that stuff to this day.

We, Memphis, had a key meeting up in Chicago with Colts owner Robert Irsay.

It was down to four cities as far as relocation - Jacksonville, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Memphis.

We promised him the entire kitchen - full stadium season ticket sales, you name it.

Ad exec John Malmo, our mayor at the time and key city leaders went to Chicago to convince Mr. Irsay to move the franchise and play in the Liberty Bowl stadium.

We had the best financial offer on the table. For some reason, Irsay walked out of that meeting, saying he would return, and never did.

IMO, that was our best chance for an NFL team in Memphis. Even more than when the Southmen / Grizzlies applied and got denied. And more so than the last expansion race among Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore, Jacksonville and Memphis.

The common theme is this - every one of the cities above now enjoy NFL football on fall Sundays. Except one.

The only difference being regarding the last expansion that went to Charlotte and Jax, Memphis was promised the next expansion slot after Tampa Bay and Seattle were added in the 70s by Pete Rozelle. This is documented in Howard Cossells' book. Promised.

You know what promises mean in business.

I stand by my personal opinion that we would have gotten the team that went to Jacksonville if we had a new football stadium in our bid.

We were bigger than Jax, had more money in the ownership group, and were further away from any other NFL city than Jax.

But personally, I prefer the NBA to the NFL, and I'd choose it.

But economically, an NFL team would be better.

(05-07-2014 12:40 PM)Latilleon Wrote:  I stand by my personal opinion that we would have gotten the team that went to Jacksonville if we had a new football stadium in our bid.

I remember wondering what they were thinking in expanding the Liberty Bowl and putting those boxes way at the top.

(05-07-2014 03:37 PM)Mick Light Wrote:  

(05-07-2014 12:40 PM)Latilleon Wrote:  I stand by my personal opinion that we would have gotten the team that went to Jacksonville if we had a new football stadium in our bid.

I remember wondering what they were thinking in expanding the Liberty Bowl and putting those boxes way at the top.

Lack of vision and a desire to keep costs low.

Stats on 560 always talks about how the NFL made a mistake by passing over Memphis for Jacksonville, not b/c of stadium or demographics, but because of the ownership group we had lined up.

That is why the Die hard Memphis folks would not support the Oilers here. Hell Nashville hadn't even been mentioned as pursuing a team. We were absolutely, positively, screwed. I loved the Colts they were my favorite team. I've never cared that much about the NFL since that day. I'm not a fan of the Irsay family.

(05-08-2014 04:52 PM)KRB Wrote:  That is why the Die hard Memphis folks would not support the Oilers here. Hell Nashville hadn't even been mentioned as pursuing a team. We were absolutely, positively, screwed. I loved the Colts they were my favorite team. I've never cared that much about the NFL since that day. I'm not a fan of the Irsay family.

You know what reported caused Bud Adams to call Phil Bredensen to offer to relocate the Oilers to Nashville?

Nashville's aggressive, "we'll give you everything you want" pursuit of an NHL team.

We weren't chasing anything but the NFL and our package was never the best. If we offered a new stadium, we'd have the Houndogs and the Oilers would be in Jacksonville.

Awesome story.

(05-07-2014 10:32 PM)memp600 Wrote:  Stats on 560 always talks about how the NFL made a mistake by passing over Memphis for Jacksonville, not b/c of stadium or demographics, but because of the ownership group we had lined up.

I've read some of the Post Dispatch archives in the past year and never knew what a clusterf* their bid was, and how presumptuous their media coverage had been at the time.

Go Grizz.

(05-14-2014 08:37 AM)kabluey Wrote:  

(05-07-2014 10:32 PM)memp600 Wrote:  Stats on 560 always talks about how the NFL made a mistake by passing over Memphis for Jacksonville, not b/c of stadium or demographics, but because of the ownership group we had lined up.

I've read some of the Post Dispatch archives in the past year and never knew what a clusterf* their bid was, and how presumptuous their media coverage had been at the time.

Go Grizz.

Jacksonville cancelled their bid and the NFL pleaded with them to bring it back.

The writing should have been on the wall then.

The Liberty Bowl sucked in 1992, and how could the powers that be not see that?

(05-14-2014 12:31 PM)Latilleon Wrote:  

(05-14-2014 08:37 AM)kabluey Wrote:  

(05-07-2014 10:32 PM)memp600 Wrote:  Stats on 560 always talks about how the NFL made a mistake by passing over Memphis for Jacksonville, not b/c of stadium or demographics, but because of the ownership group we had lined up.

I've read some of the Post Dispatch archives in the past year and never knew what a clusterf* their bid was, and how presumptuous their media coverage had been at the time.

Go Grizz.

Jacksonville cancelled their bid and the NFL pleaded with them to bring it back.

The writing should have been on the wall then.

The Liberty Bowl sucked in 1992, and how could the powers that be not see that?

they saw that BUT when they mentioned building a new stadium, the blowback was crazy ..

The expansion of the Liberty Bowl hurt the NFL bid AND hurt Tiger Football ..

(05-08-2014 04:52 PM)KRB Wrote:  That is why the Die hard Memphis folks would not support the Oilers here. Hell Nashville hadn't even been mentioned as pursuing a team. We were absolutely, positively, screwed. I loved the Colts they were my favorite team. I've never cared that much about the NFL since that day. I'm not a fan of the Irsay family.

Me either. I'm telling you, we were not that far away from landing the Colts back then. The Liberty Bowl wasn't considered as "inappropriate" as it was during the 93 expansion race. Check this old piece out - that Malmo meeting alluded to in the article was when Irsay left the Memphis group high and dry. We were going to offer him the proverbial kitchen sink. Use your mouse to scroll down the article.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=88...323,208531

(05-14-2014 02:06 PM)k2tigers Wrote:  

(05-08-2014 04:52 PM)KRB Wrote:  That is why the Die hard Memphis folks would not support the Oilers here. Hell Nashville hadn't even been mentioned as pursuing a team. We were absolutely, positively, screwed. I loved the Colts they were my favorite team. I've never cared that much about the NFL since that day. I'm not a fan of the Irsay family.

Me either. I'm telling you, we were not that far away from landing the Colts back then. The Liberty Bowl wasn't considered as "inappropriate" as it was during the 93 expansion race. Check this old piece out - that Malmo meeting alluded to in thearticle was where Irsay left the Memphis group high and dry. We were going to offer him the proverbial kitchen sink. Use your mouse to scroll down the article.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=88...323,208531

our having a 'pretty nice' empty stadium was perfect for the NFL .. they coerced their current cities with the threat of moving to Memphis and it was all the more credible since 1) we WANTED a team and 2) we had a functioning stadium sitting there ready to go ...