NFL Agrees in Principle W/ L.A. Coliseum

[CS85]

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The NFL and city officials have reached a preliminary agreement on terms to bring a team back to the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue made the announcement Thursday on the steps of City Hall. But he didn't identify a potential tenant or speculate when Los Angeles might get the team.

He also spoke positively about a team playing at a facility proposed for the Angel Stadium parking lot in Anaheim and didn't rule out the Rose Bowl in Pasadena as a possible home field, either.

As Tagliabue entered a limousine, he was asked if he could assess the significance of what he had just announced. He replied, ``I'd rather not try.''

The commissioner did say: ``It's the first time we've had agreement on term sheets. We're one step closer, two or three steps closer. Whether it's 2009, 2010, or 2000-whatever, our goal is to have definitive agreements on all subject matters well before our league meetings in March.''

The Los Angeles area, the second-largest television market in the country, has been without an NFL team since the Raiders moved from the Coliseum back to Oakland and the Rams moved from Anaheim to St. Louis before the 1995 season.

After announcing plans in the spring of 1999 to put an expansion team in the Coliseum, the NFL was unable to reach an agreement with the Los Angeles backers and instead awarded the 32nd franchise to Houston that October.

Houston businessman Bob McNair and his backers offered to pay $700 million for the new franchise and spend another $310 million on a stadium, making it the NFL's first billion-dollar deal. The Texans began play in 2002.

Tagliabue said significant progress has been made in the past year regarding the Coliseum. His statement came following a meeting with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and before a session with Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle.

``I think the critical thing now is we're at the point where it's recognized, certainly by us, that the time is right,'' Tagliabue said. ``We have to get agreements finalized. We'll be pursuing agreements in Anaheim. We're going to work with both communities for an agreement.''

He said there have been no in-depth discussions on whether the region would get an expansion or existing team.

Tagliabue said last month that future expansion was unlikely anywhere but Los Angeles.

He also said it was important to make sure Southern California, the nation's top-ranked college team, was comfortable with any agreement, since the Trojans have made the Coliseum their home since 1923.

Tagliabue planned on meeting with USC coach Pete Carroll later Thursday. The commissioner met with Gov. Arnold Schwarzennegger late Wednesday.

Tentative plans call for the NFL to finance construction of a $500 million stadium inside the Coliseum, home to the Rams from 1946-79 and the Raiders from 1982-94.

City Councilman Bernard Parks said after listening to Tagliabue that he believes the Coliseum will eventually get an existing team rather than an expansion team.

``The NFL is going to have a say on who's going to come here. The Coliseum has no role in selecting a team,'' Parks said.

Asked when it might happen, Parks replied: ``I don't know. Nobody's signed anything. They've got to say they're coming.''

That being said, Parks expressed optimism.

``In my judgment, I don't believe these business people waste their time and money,'' he said. ``They've spent a lot of time and money.''

While Tagliabue didn't rule out the Rose Bowl, the Pasadena City Council voted 5-2 with one abstention last June to pursue a plan for the stadium that doesn't involve the NFL. Carson dropped out of contention in May when city officials decided to build a mall on its proposed site.

[hubsportsfan17]

removed

[JH42XCC]

Here's my idea:

-Move Chargers from San Diego to Los Angeles

-Move Saints from New Orleans to San Antonio. Otherwise, keep them in New Orleans if the city recovers quickly enough from Hurricane Katrina.

[NJTank]

I think the writing is on the wall Saints will be in LA.

[In 5..4..3..2..1]

I'll say it again L.A. wants the Chargers. As far as expasnsion I hope not that would suck. The quality of play has already suffered enough with expansion. Cleveland sucks Houston sucks and they have since they came into the league. As for a team going to Anaheim the list is as follows Jags,Bills,Saints,Vikings and the 49ers.

[Cyclopsis Joe]

Sorry NOLA, you lose.

Benson wants them in San Antonio, Taglibue wants them in LA..you've been officially cut out of the picture.

[Cujo]

The Saints are done in New Orleans and I'll say they probably wind up in San Antonio.

And in a shocker, I'm gonna say in 2008, Los Angeles lands . . . the Buffalo Bills. Why not??

[RickV]

I think the writing is on the wall Saints will be in LA.

I'd probably agree with that. I seriously doubt the Chargers would be allowed to leave San Diego. That's what I hate about Tagliabue, he is a freaking two faced liar. Two weeks ago when asked if the Saints might end up in L.A., he responded with "L.A. isnt even on the radar". What a rat.

[Roger Clemente]

$50 says they name the team the Los Angeles Rough Riders.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[Andy]

Here's my idea:

-Move Chargers from San Diego to Los Angeles

-Move Saints from New Orleans to San Antonio. Otherwise, keep them in New Orleans if the city recovers quickly enough from Hurricane Katrina.

Thank you for this amazing plan that has never been brought up before.

[quantum]

OK, here is a different plan:

Oakland Raiders to Los Angeles

New Orleans Saints to San Jose

(Alright, I'm just kidding. I just don't see the NFL moving the Chargers to LA when the Saints are in need of a new home)

[The_Admiral]

Here's my idea:

-Move Chargers from San Diego to Los Angeles

-Move Saints from New Orleans to San Antonio. Otherwise, keep them in New Orleans if the city recovers quickly enough from Hurricane Katrina.

Thank you for this amazing plan that has never been brought up before.

But does New Orleans get the Cleveland deal?!?!?

[LMU]

Finally, an agreement!

I can finally follow a team less than one hundred miles away!

[Seadragon76]

NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can the NFL be that damn stupid? Remember what happened with the Raiders and the Rams? That's right, they left L.A. because the people didn't give a rat's ass about football there.

Now, all of a sudden, Taglibue has a hard on for a team in L.A. I don't get it. It failed... TWICE! What does it take to make you realize that it'll fail again.

I say no to a team in Los Angeles. If they do get a team, expect that team to stay only for 3-4 years, max.

[RickV]

Now, all of a sudden, Taglibue has a hard on for a team in L.A. I don't get it.

What Tagliabue and the NFL have a hard on for is the money generated from having a team in the #2 TV market in the country. They could give a rat's *ss about what the citizens of Los Angeles want or wish to support.

[BBTV]

$50 says they name the team the Los Angeles Rough Riders.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

Nah. Roughriders would be more appropriate.

[CS85]

The most famous of all the units fighting in Cuba, the "Rough Riders" was the name given to the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt resigned his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in May 1898 to join the volunteer cavalry. The original plan for this unit called for filling it with men from the Indian Territory, New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma. However, once Roosevelt joined the group, it quickly became the place for a mix of troops ranging from Ivy League athletes to glee-club singers to Texas Rangers and Indians.

Roosevelt and the commander of the unit Colonel Leonard Wood trained and supplied the men so well at their camp in San Antonio, Texas, that the Rough Riders was allowed into the action, unlike many other volunteer companies. They went to Tampa at the end of May and sailed for Santiago de Cuba on June 13. There they joined the Fifth Corps, another highly trained, well supplied, and enthusiastic group consisting of excellent soldiers from the regular army and volunteers.

The Rough Riders saw battle at Las Guásimas when General Samuel B. M. Young was ordered to attack at this village, three miles north of Siboney on the way to Santiago. Although it was not important to the outcome of the war, news of the action quickly made the papers. They also made headlines for their role in the Battle of San Juan Hill, which became the stuff of legend thanks to Roosevelt's writing ability and reenactments filmed long after.

How the hell does this have anything to do with Los Angeles?

[appleclock]

I guess in about ten years the CFL will be putting a team in New Orleans and calling them the New Orleans CFL Saints... can't wait for that law suit.

[yh]

I say the Browns move to Los Angeles and thus get the New Orleans Deal.

Yup, that was pretty bad, but it's all I had.

Looks to me like the NFL wants to be prepared to get the Saints to L.A. and this letter of intent or whatever the hell it is that was executed will at least provide Benson with some sort of assurance that the league will assist in resolving a long-term stadium issue. In essence, this now makes L.A. a more desireable market for the Saints than San Antonio since there is no present plan to overcome the apparent luxury suite shortcomings at the Alamodome.

And I really don't see the Chargers leaving San Diego. Why would the league want to move a team out of the 4th or 5th largest metro area in the U.S., even if it does mean moving up to the #2 market?

[TBGKon]

I agree that the Saints would be the most logical as of now to move to Los Angeles, but the Chargers are looking for a new stadium deal and if that doesnt come around, they may be willing to relocate to LA.

I think that if the Saints move somewhere, that a modified Cleveland Browns rule would come into effect. Instead of guaranteeing NOLA an expansion team, promise them (once a stadium is available) a Super Bowl every 5 or 6 years. If this were to occur, the NFL could begin an order of succession for the Super Bowl...

2010 - Miami

2011 - New Orleans

2012 - Los Angeles

2013 - Houston or Dallas (alternating)

2014 - Phoenix/Glendale

2015 - Atlanta or Tampa Bay (alternating)

... and this system would rotate on and on and on. What do you all think?