Question.....

[Big Africa]

I have a question about what division/conference a team is placed in.

Firstly the Dallas Cowboys are in the NFC East, yet in the NBA/NHL/MLB the Dallas team is in the West Conference/Divsion. The Detroit Red Wings are in the Western Conference in the NHL, all Detroit's other teams are in the East/Central. Then their is the St. Louis Rams who are in the West Division, but the MLB's Cardinals are in the Central.

The one I am most confused by is Dallas, anyone got some answers/explainations?

Thanks

[scooter13]

The NHL split there teams by true geographics. The 15 most western teams were put in the Western Conference. As for the Cowboys, it goes back to the 60's (I believe) and a division alignment they had. The Cowboys were in the same division as the Redskins, Giants, and Eagles. So to maintain those rivalries, they kept Dallas in that division, though not truly in the east.

[BBTV]

Big Africa,

If you aren't too familiar with American sports leagues (and the NHL, which is American & Canadian) it is easy to get confused with these alignments. You really can't think about it too much because it will make you nuts. Some teams are mis-aligned due to traditional rivalries, franchise moves, league / conference balancing, and other mysterious reasons that just don't make sense.

For example, the Arizona Cardinals were in the NFC East until a couple of years ago because they moved from St. Louis, which was considered East (yet was west of Chicago, which was considered Central.)

Don't lose sleep over it!

[CC97]

Let's not forget some old-time alignments:

- Atlanta Braves in the NL West from 1969-1993

- Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers in the NFC West (? I don't follow NFL that much)

- Orlando Magic in the NBA Midwest in the late 1980s

- Toronto Maple Leafs in the Western Conference from 1994-1998

- Toronto Raptors in the NBA Atlantic from 2005-Pres

I also have an old Toronto Star article from January 1976 talking about the Toronto Giants being in the NL West until a re-alignment in 1977.

[slapshot]

Can't forget the East Coast Hockey League (though only known as the ECHL) and it's teams:

Alaska Aces

Bakersfield Condors

Fresno Falcons

Idaho Steelheads

Las Vegas Wranglers

Long Beach IceDogs

San Diego Gulls

Victoria Salmon Kings

[OMMF]

Can't forget the East Coast Hockey League (though only known as the ECHL) and it's teams:

Alaska Aces

Bakersfield Condors

Fresno Falcons

Idaho Steelheads

Las Vegas Wranglers

Long Beach IceDogs

San Diego Gulls

Victoria Salmon Kings

Actually, it's official name is ECHL having dropped everything related to the "East Coast" part of their name.

Now St John's being in the Western Conference of the AHL, that boggled my mind.

[DEAD!]

Now St John's being in the Western Conference of the AHL, that boggled my mind.

That's the strangest one of them all. Although Carolina, Atlanta in the NFC West, the Atlanta Braves in the NL West were strange as well. Didn't the Bucaneers play in the AFC West in their inaugural season? Also, I think Detroit Red Wings and the Nashville Predators in the NHL Western Conference and the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA's Western Conference are a bit strange as well.

[rockchalk]

Original MLB Divisional Lineups:1969-1993

NL WEST-Atlanta, Cincinnati, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston

(1993 only:Colorado)

NL EAST-New York Mets, St. Louis, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia, Montreal, Pittsburgh

(1993 only:Florida)

AL EAST- (1969-1971) New York Yankees, Boston, Baltimore, Washington, Detroit, Cleveland

AL WEST- (1969-1971) Kansas City, Seattle/Milwaukee, Oakland, Minnesota, Chicago White Sox, California

In 1972, Washington moved and became the Texas Rangers, leading the AL to move the Rangers to the West and Milwaukee to the East. Expansion in 1977 added Toronto to the East and Seattle to the West.

[slapshot]

Putting St. John's in the Western Conference only made sense so the league could keep them with the other Canadian teams.

[rockchalk]

Three Division NFL Format

NFC EAST-Dallas, New York Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, St. Louis Cardinals (moved to Arizona in 1988)

NFC CENTRAL-Chicago, Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota (Tampa Bay added in 1977)

NFC WEST-Atlanta, New Orleans, LA Rams (moved to St. Louis in 1995), San Francisco (Seattle added in 1976, moved to AFC in 1977) (Carolina added in 1995)

AFC EAST-Buffalo, Baltimore Colts (moved to Indianapolis in 1984), New England, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins

AFC CENTRAL-Cleveland Browns (moved to Baltimore and became Ravens in 1996), Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston Oilers (moved to Nashville and (evenutally) became Titans in 1997) (Jacksonville added in 1995, Cleveland added in 1999)

AFC WEST-Kansas City, Denver, Oakland/LA/Oakland, San Diego (Tampa Bay added in 1976, replaced in 1977 by Seattle)

[kurtman62]

It should also be noted that from 1953 until 1969 and the AFL merger that followed that the Baltimore Colts played, for whatever the reason, in the NFL's Western Conference. In fact, from 1967-69, the Colts, along with Atlanta, competed in the Coastal Division with LA and San Francisco.