^ You really can't gauge it though until you visit wearing that other teams jersey. Browns fans were invited guests, which I always thought was a cool gesture....though it was obviously a business decision for Buffalo.

Went there to watch my Chargers lose in person a few years back. Some fans were cool to me, while others were clearly inbred maniacs shouting jibberish.

 

It seems to me nearly all NFL teams have fans like this. Even Bengals games have a few of these folks. It's especially bad when Pittsburgh is in town - there must be a lot of empty mountains in Appalachia when the Steelers play, because I don't have any idea where these people come from. I can't imagine what the crowd in Pittsburgh must be like if the sampling that makes the trip to Cincinnati is any indication of the average fan.

Went there to watch my Chargers lose in person a few years back. Some fans were cool to me, while others were clearly inbred maniacs shouting jibberish.

 

It seems to me nearly all NFL teams have fans like this. Even Bengals games have a few of these folks. It's especially bad when Pittsburgh is in town - there must be a lot of empty mountains in Appalachia when the Steelers play, because I don't have any idea where these people come from. I can't imagine what the crowd in Pittsburgh must be like if the sampling that makes the trip to Cincinnati is any indication of the average fan.

 

Ha, you're probably right. NFL breeds this kind of thing. Come to think of it, I've had people in Cleveland's Warehouse District pick fights with me for my Bolts jersey on days when the Browns weren't even playing the Chargers.

 

No worries though. Since the Chargers have officially filed for relocation I'm not going to have that problem anymore.

Went there to watch my Chargers lose in person a few years back. Some fans were cool to me, while others were clearly inbred maniacs shouting jibberish.

 

It seems to me nearly all NFL teams have fans like this. Even Bengals games have a few of these folks. It's especially bad when Pittsburgh is in town - there must be a lot of empty mountains in Appalachia when the Steelers play, because I don't have any idea where these people come from. I can't imagine what the crowd in Pittsburgh must be like if the sampling that makes the trip to Cincinnati is any indication of the average fan.

 

The Pittsburgh fans that come to Cincinnati are generally fairly...."rough"- I agree with that. But let's be real, a LOT of the Bengals' core fans are no better. A whole lot of them come up from Kentucky and Appalachian parts of Ohio.

 

Allow me to respond to some of the above....

 

-prominently featured the retired number of murdering psychopath O.J. Simpson throughout their awful stadium

I know there is a movement to have his number removed there.  May have already been done.  The only one "officially" retired is that of Jim Kelley.  There were also tens of millions of dollars in rennovations over the past couple years to improve the fan experience.  Its' still old, and not state-of-the-art, but I'm not sure I'd call it "awful."

-have no parking lot, so locals gouge you for the privilege in parking at their houses on mucky grass

Not sure how you missed, them, but there is a SEA of parking lots surrounding 3 sides of the stadium.  And beyond that there is lots of private lots, and the Erie Co Community college....

-play third rate ads for auto dealerships on their scoreboard

The car dealers are regional there--covering ALL of Western NY.  So I suppose they are big players in the local ad game.

-had their game clock malfunction so none of the players or coaches or referees knew what was going on

This has probably happened in all NFL stadiums at one point.  At least it's not a design flaw, like the millions of dollars of flaws designed into First Energy Stadium or AT&T in Dallas....

-lost electricity throughout the stadium in the second quarter and couldn't sell any beer or soda for the rest of the game

I suppose this could happen in any NFL stadium as well.  See above....

 

Not an overall fun experience.

Maybe you should try it again.  The Ralph is old and not full of glitz, but it serves a purpose, at a far lesser cost to taxpayers than most over venues nationally.   

 

I've been to many NFL stadiums. Heck, I WORKED in decrepit Browns Stadium selling beer from 1990-95. I have never seen the electricity and play clock go out like that. Though I suppose it "could" happen.

 

Anyhow, I'm sure more people have had better experiences  but I have no reason to go back to Buffalo. Ever. One and done!

 

 

I've been to many NFL stadiums. Heck, I WORKED in decrepit Browns Stadium selling beer from 1990-95. I have never seen the electricity and play clock go out like that. Though I suppose it "could" happen.

 

Anyhow, I'm sure more people have had better experiences  but I have no reason to go back to Buffalo. Ever. One and done!

 

 

 

I sold beer for a couple years including the "Red Right 88" game.  I recall some scoreboard glitches but never the actual power.

 

I liked the Bills stadium.  I actually had my old style digital camera, with AA batteries, and was sitting low in the end zone with the Broncos huddling not far away.

 

I was good....... >:)

 

It helped that the Bills fans were 100% aware the Indians were playing the Miami baseball team that night.  Too bad Jose Mesa wasn't.

I've been to many NFL stadiums. Heck, I WORKED in decrepit Browns Stadium selling beer from 1990-95. I have never seen the electricity and play clock go out like that. Though I suppose it "could" happen.

 

Anyhow, I'm sure more people have had better experiences  but I have no reason to go back to Buffalo. Ever. One and done!

 

 

 

I sold beer for a couple years including the "Red Right 88" game.  I recall some scoreboard glitches but never the actual power.

 

I liked the Bills stadium.  I actually had my old style digital camera, with AA batteries, and was sitting low in the end zone with the Broncos huddling not far away.

 

I was good....... >:)

 

It helped that the Bills fans were 100% aware the Indians were playing the Miami baseball team that night.  Too bad Jose Mesa wasn't.

 

Buffalo was the Tribes AAA affiliate for many years. You probably know this, just a general fyi.

 

 

I've been to many NFL stadiums. Heck, I WORKED in decrepit Browns Stadium selling beer from 1990-95. I have never seen the electricity and play clock go out like that. Though I suppose it "could" happen.

 

Anyhow, I'm sure more people have had better experiences  but I have no reason to go back to Buffalo. Ever. One and done!

 

 

 

I sold beer for a couple years including the "Red Right 88" game.  I recall some scoreboard glitches but never the actual power.

 

I liked the Bills stadium.  I actually had my old style digital camera, with AA batteries, and was sitting low in the end zone with the Broncos huddling not far away.

 

I was good....... >:)

 

It helped that the Bills fans were 100% aware the Indians were playing the Miami baseball team that night.  Too bad Jose Mesa wasn't.

 

Buffalo was the Tribes AAA affiliate for many years. You probably know this, just a general fyi.

 

 

 

I actually wore my Bisons cap to the game along with my "Back In" #99 jersey lol. 

 

It had more to do with their antipathy for the Dolphins.  At the time they were the big rival, not so much New England.

The drama continues, as it's sounding like Rams owner is going to build his stadium in L.A. no matter what.

 

Kroenke blasts St. Louis in NFL relocation proposal

By David Hunn

 

ST. LOUIS • The St. Louis region is losing population and lags in economic drivers to such a degree that it cannot support three professional sports teams, St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke told the National Football League in his proposal to move to Los Angeles.

.........

 

But perhaps the most scathing section of the application comes at the end, when it attacks St. Louis.

 

It calls San Diego and Oakland “significantly more attractive markets than St. Louis.” San Diego is the 12th most attractive metropolitan area in the country, it says, and Oakland’s gross domestic product is expected to rise above San Francisco’s in 10 to 15 years.

 

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/kroenke-blasts-st-louis-in-nfl-relocation-proposal/article_cc72f61a-0c35-53bd-8890-0efde6402509.html

^ If I were a leader in St. Louis, I would just say 'good riddance.' There are much better uses for that public money in the region and the economic return of having a football team wouldn't be worth it. And, it's not like the Rams have a long, significant history in St. Louis that makes irrational spending more worthwhile.

^ If I were a leader in St. Louis, I would just say 'good riddance.' There are much better uses for that public money in the region and the economic return of having a football team wouldn't be worth it. And, it's not like the Rams have a long, significant history in St. Louis that makes irrational spending more worthwhile.

 

Well the economics for stadium investment are out and they're not flattering. Wouldn't it be a real kick to have three poorly run NFL teams in L.A. (Los Apathy)?

^ If I were a leader in St. Louis, I would just say 'good riddance.' There are much better uses for that public money in the region and the economic return of having a football team wouldn't be worth it. And, it's not like the Rams have a long, significant history in St. Louis that makes irrational spending more worthwhile.

 

Well the economics for stadium investment are out and they're not flattering. Wouldn't it be a real kick to have three poorly run NFL teams in L.A. (Los Apathy)?

 

They just want the TV market.

The St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders have all applied to relocate to L.A.(!)

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000617813/article/rams-chargers-raiders-apply-for-la-relocation

Bengals fans weren't the only fans who had an awful wild-card weekend:

 

NSFW: http://thesportsdaily.com/vikings-fan-angrily-collapses-after-blair-walsh-miss-his-dog-has-great-reaction/

NFL owners vote 30-2 to OK move of St. Louis Rams back to Los Angeles. Chargers were given the option to relocate, while the Raiders bow out of any move.

 

EDIT: BTW this is why you don't give billionaires taxpayer's money to build stadiums. This nonfederal money could have built the long-sought light-rail line to the south side or rebuilt all of the county's streets, bridge and sewers...

 

Edward Jones Dome was built in 1995. Missouri still owes $72 million in stadium bonds, while St. Louis city and STL county owe $36M each.

"Socialist" Europe has figured out ways to make the private sector pay for stadiums. Why can't we?

Communist China uses private-sector leases to retire public sector bonds.

 

The lesson?

 

America increasingly doesn't provide taxpayers subsidies to benefit the public good unless someone really, really wealthy is the ultimate beneficiary.

As a taxpayer for the Bengals stadium I'm mad as hell the NFL is giving the Rams and the Chargers 100M each to help build that stadium. The county needs to sue the NFL.

^ definately, but the bengals never threatened to leave did they? maybe they should have since it looks like that kind of strategy might have paid off.

 

san diego has a stadium vote in june. they get to wait for that and if it fails they have the option to move. if they choose not to, then oakland gets the option.

 

i dk why they narrowed it to two teams at inglewood, while the carson plan could have had three teams? i guess they need at least two teams to make an almost $2B new stadium worthwhile. its so strange los angeles will probably end up with two teams and maybe could have had three after having none.

 

Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, so what's next the Texans get the rights to the "Oilers" name?

^ definately, but the bengals never threatened to leave did they? maybe they should have since it looks like that kind of strategy might have paid off.

 

The NFL implied the threat for them.  The new stadium was in process in Cleveland.  Cincinnati wasn't a priority to the NFL, as an AFL expansion team it didn't have a historical high profile.

"Socialist" Europe has figured out ways to make the private sector pay for stadiums. Why can't we?

 

They are "socialist" and we are becoming more and more an oligarchy every day....

 

 

As a taxpayer for the Bengals stadium I'm mad as hell the NFL is giving the Rams and the Chargers 100M each to help build that stadium. The county needs to sue the NFL.

 

In 1995, the NFL gave Cleveland $71 million in cash to pay for building a new $280 million stadium, but county taxpayers paid most of the cost.

 

The NFL in 2013 also financed $62.5 million of the $125 million renovation cost of Cleveland's stadium.

"Socialist" Europe has figured out ways to make the private sector pay for stadiums. Why can't we?

 

Because their governments have power more concentrated at the national level, they don't have the zillions of municipalities constantly undercutting each other and screwing over the local taxpayers and residents like we do. Overall I'm definitely in favor of federalism but there's got to be some way we can curb that garbage.

I feel bad for St. Louis, but the NFL is a freakin' joke between stuff like this and their ongoing dismissal of the very real concussion issue.

"Socialist" Europe has figured out ways to make the private sector pay for stadiums. Why can't we?

 

Because their governments have power more concentrated at the national level, they don't have the zillions of municipalities constantly undercutting each other and screwing over the local taxpayers and residents like we do. Overall I'm definitely in favor of federalism but there's got to be some way we can curb that garbage.

 

Do soccer teams over there even move to different towns?

"Socialist" Europe has figured out ways to make the private sector pay for stadiums. Why can't we?

 

Because their governments have power more concentrated at the national level, they don't have the zillions of municipalities constantly undercutting each other and screwing over the local taxpayers and residents like we do. Overall I'm definitely in favor of federalism but there's got to be some way we can curb that garbage.

 

Do soccer teams over there even move to different towns?

 

Yes, but it's rare.  In the larger scheme of things I suppose NFL relocations are rare as well, with the last one being nearly 20 years ago (Houston->Nashville).

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relocation_of_professional_sports_teams#Team_relocations_in_Europe

"Socialist" Europe has figured out ways to make the private sector pay for stadiums. Why can't we?

 

Because their governments have power more concentrated at the national level, they don't have the zillions of municipalities constantly undercutting each other and screwing over the local taxpayers and residents like we do. Overall I'm definitely in favor of federalism but there's got to be some way we can curb that garbage.

 

Do soccer teams over there even move to different towns?

 

Yes, but it's rare.  In the larger scheme of things I suppose NFL relocations are rare as well, with the last one being nearly 20 years ago (Houston->Nashville).

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relocation_of_professional_sports_teams#Team_relocations_in_Europe

 

It's a little more than rare to be honest - it's practically unheared of at the professional level. In the UK at least, the only one I can think of is Wimbledon's move to Milton Keynes which was and remains hugely controversial.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relocation_of_Wimbledon_F.C._to_Milton_Keynes This quote from the wiki article also nicely summarizes why it doesn't happen and I feel is applicable to Europe as a whole and soccer especially;

 

In English football, the relocation of teams away from their traditional districts is unusual because of the nature of the relationship between clubs and their fans: the local football club is regarded by most English football supporters as part of the local identity and social fabric rather than as a business that can be transplanted by its owners at will

 

In English football, the relocation of teams away from their traditional districts is unusual because of the nature of the relationship between clubs and their fans: the local football club is regarded by most English football supporters as part of the local identity and social fabric rather than as a business that can be transplanted by its owners at will

 

The Browns are about as close as the NFL comes to this.  Like it or not, the Rams didn't have the history in St Louis (and why didn't they sue to keep the Cardinals name?)

^ Would the trouble with soccer be attracting new fans at the new location? If a Cincinnati sports team were to move, I certainly wouldn't continue being a fan of them, I'd just let the NFL drop out of my life much like other sports that don't have teams here (NBA and NHL), which is what I imagine the vast majority of fans would do. Perhaps the markets in the US are big enough that attracting new fans isn't a problem? I can't imagine the Rams will have much trouble seeing as how they have about 18 million people in LA as potential fans.

^ Would the trouble with soccer be attracting new fans at the new location? If a Cincinnati sports team were to move, I certainly wouldn't continue being a fan of them, I'd just let the NFL drop out of my life much like other sports that don't have teams here (NBA and NHL), which is what I imagine the vast majority of fans would do. Perhaps the markets in the US are big enough that attracting new fans isn't a problem? I can't imagine the Rams will have much trouble seeing as how they have about 18 million people in LA as potential fans.

 

The other thing about LA is there are so many people there from other cities, so depending on who the Rams play, wouldn't surprise me to see a very large percentage of the crowd rooting for the road team.

^ Would the trouble with soccer be attracting new fans at the new location? If a Cincinnati sports team were to move, I certainly wouldn't continue being a fan of them, I'd just let the NFL drop out of my life much like other sports that don't have teams here (NBA and NHL), which is what I imagine the vast majority of fans would do. Perhaps the markets in the US are big enough that attracting new fans isn't a problem? I can't imagine the Rams will have much trouble seeing as how they have about 18 million people in LA as potential fans.

 

The other thing about LA is there are so many people there from other cities, so depending on who the Rams play, wouldn't surprise me to see a very large percentage of the crowd rooting for the road team.

 

Not only that, but with the percentage of loge areas they want it's likely the place would be filled with even more indifferent corporate types.

Thinking of throwing a Pro Bowl party next year.  Drink every time the whistle blows. 

i really liked the super bowl game this year. it was tough and close. afterward, cam & company were mostly terrible poor sports about losing, but that just reiterates how hard fought the actual game was. they'll be back.

The better "team", not the better "QB" won the SB.  And defenses do win championships.

i really liked the super bowl game this year. it was tough and close. afterward, cam & company were mostly terrible poor sports about losing, but that just reiterates how hard fought the actual game was. they'll be back.

 

Considering the name of the trophy, perhaps Vince Lombardi's famous quote about "good losers" should apply. 

 

Highly competitive people are that way because they do think winning is important....

chicken parm you taste so good!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMMuTs4ZQLg

How many times did Manning say "Budweiser" after the game?

How many times did Manning say "Budweiser" after the game?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Bowl

How many times did Manning say "Budweiser" after the game?

 

That did seem odd.  He doesn't look like a Budweiser guy to me but i guess it's better than "I'm going to Disney world!"

He did used to (possibly still does) own shares in at least two Anheuser-Busch distributors in Louisiana

Active NFL players are prohibited from "endorsing" a specific brand of beer even if they aren't paid for it. Some players were speculating on Twitter last night that it was his way of saying he's retiring, without taking any attention away from his teammates' celebration of the big win.

Denver had 6 starters back and a new HC from the team that played in the SB two years ago. Amazing.

BREAKING NEWS: WSJ reports players' association is finalizing deal with NFL to remove Roger Goodell as Commissioner https://t.co/2mN8ZDaObV

london again. the nfl looks dead set on that. and mex city. and brazil and germany.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/15198732/where-nfl-stands-push-base-team-london-qa

It really isn't going to work until they get 4 teams in Europe -- enough for an entire division.  That would greatly simplify the regular season and playoffs situation.  But what are the 4 teams that will be poached from the U.S.? 

 

And the tax situation is truly ridiculous.  On top of paying well over 50% in taxes, players will also have to pay extra for accountants who can deal with the international complexity. 

 

 

Even if they did get 4 teams in Europe, which conference would they play in?  That would mean one conference has 5 divisions while the other has 4.  Not gonna happen.  Plus, I don't think the NFL has much interest in expanding beyond the current 32 teams.  If a team wants to move, that is fine, but if the league wasn't going to create a new franchise for LA, it sure won't for any city in Europe.

That's what I meant -- they'd have to eventually get four teams to relocate from U.S. cities to England and mainland Europe.  England could probably support two teams and then one in France and one in Germany. 

For logistical reasons, I don't think the NFL will ever put a team in Europe. They are playing these games to grow support abroad, but they aren't going to do it. If they ever did, they would need to add bye weeks for any time a team has to cross the Ocean to play. Teams already complain about playing games on Mondays or Thursdays because of the lack of a break between weeks.

 

Toronto and Mexico City make way more sense than London or mainland Europe. I expect them to continue to push for more games overseas, but not a permanent team.