The What-If Thread

[NEW.ERA]

What if the Skydome/Rogers Centre was built without a roof and hotel?

That is actually so awesome! Too bad there is no time machine to take us back to the mid 80's to change the plans of SkyDome.

Until it's covered in snow on Opening Day

I think that was more of a weather anomaly back in '77

I'm not from the area, but I assume the weather in Toronto is a lot like Cleveland or Detroit at that time of year.

[DnBronc]

What if Paul Brown went back to Ohio State after WWII instead of taking the Cleveland job in the new AAFC?

This "what if" has massive butterfly potential in pro and college football history.

[BLUELANDbeliever]

What if Don Waddell was never born?

[TBGKon]

What if the Skydome/Rogers Centre was built without a roof and hotel?

That is actually so awesome! Too bad there is no time machine to take us back to the mid 80's to change the plans of SkyDome.

Until it's covered in snow on Opening Day

I think that was more of a weather anomaly back in '77

I'm not from the area, but I assume the weather in Toronto is a lot like Cleveland or Detroit at that time of year.

I would think it's similar, but with less lake effect snow since Toronto is on the north side of the lake.

[DCDuck]

What if Vince Young doesn't play out of his mind against USC in the NCG in '05?

[BLUELANDbeliever]

What if Peachtree ridge hadnt scored the 2nd touchdown in 08? What if Ean Pemberton hadnt gotten tripped up on his way to the endzone?

[jamdawg1]

What if Paul Brown went back to Ohio State after WWII instead of taking the Cleveland job in the new AAFC?

This "what if" has massive butterfly potential in pro and college football history.

I'm writing a two part blog on that very subject.

The Entire History of Professional and Major College Football since WWII would be Radically Different to the point where it's at the "Alternate Universe" level. His influence to this day is still that widespread.

Here's some more.

What if George Steinbrenner were successful in his attempt to buy The Indians in the early 70's? (He tried to before he bought The Yankees.)

What if Michael Jordan had missed "The Shot" over Craig Ehlo?

What if Vic Wertz's Hit had gone towards one of the Foul Poles in the Polo Grounds (Which was a short distance.) in Game One of The '54 World Series instead of going to Center Field? (The Polo Grounds Distance to Center was ridiculous. It would have been a Home Run in EVERY other park at that time.)

What if The Officials had properly called Rich Karlis's Overtime FG Wide Left instead of Good in the '87 AFC Championship? ("The Drive")

What if The Umps had decided to actually call strikes for Indians Pitchers after Game 3 of the 2007 ALCS instead of squeezing the strike zone to the size of a shot glass on Indians Pitching?

What if Art Modell had never bought The Browns? What if he never fired Paul Brown? What if he never decided to play hard ball with Jim Brown when he was filming The Dirty Dozen?

What if after the Merger, The NFL dropped the "Super Bowl" name (Remember, the first four Super Bowls WERE NOT NFL SANCTIONED GAMES.) and just kept calling them the NFL Championship Game?

[BLUELANDbeliever]

What if all the Staal's played on the same team?

[DnBronc]

What if Paul Brown went back to Ohio State after WWII instead of taking the Cleveland job in the new AAFC?

This "what if" has massive butterfly potential in pro and college football history.

I'm writing a two part blog on that very subject.

The Entire History of Professional and Major College Football since WWII would be Radically Different to the point where it's at the "Alternate Universe" level. His influence to this day is still that widespread.

Here's some more.

What if George Steinbrenner were successful in his attempt to buy The Indians in the early 70's? (He tried to before he bought The Yankees.)

What if Michael Jordan had missed "The Shot" over Craig Ehlo?

What if Vic Wertz's Hit had gone towards one of the Foul Poles in the Polo Grounds (Which was a short distance.) in Game One of The '54 World Series instead of going to Center Field? (The Polo Grounds Distance to Center was ridiculous. It would have been a Home Run in EVERY other park at that time.)

What if The Officials had properly called Rich Karlis's Overtime FG Wide Left instead of Good in the '87 AFC Championship? ("The Drive")

What if The Umps had decided to actually call strikes for Indians Pitchers after Game 3 of the 2007 ALCS instead of squeezing the strike zone to the size of a shot glass on Indians Pitching?

What if Art Modell had never bought The Browns? What if he never fired Paul Brown? What if he never decided to play hard ball with Jim Brown when he was filming The Dirty Dozen?

What if after the Merger, The NFL dropped the "Super Bowl" name (Remember, the first four Super Bowls WERE NOT NFL SANCTIONED GAMES.) and just kept calling them the NFL Championship Game?

Yeah, man, I saw that blog that you had up one time. Very interesting. Brown is one of, if not the most, influential man in Pro Football history. It is heavy to think about how much the NFL would be different without him.

I want to address some of those "what ifs" that you have posted:

1. As far as the 86 AFC Title game is concerned, the "what if" should be this: What if Marty Schottenheimer would have passed the ball instead of ran it on third and 2 on the previous drive?

2. If Jordan misses that shot, the Cavs go to the conference finals, but get exterminated by Detroit in five games at most because the Pistons would have been too deep and strong for them. As for the Bulls, though, not making that run probably delays their development, and who knows if they win the title by 1991.

[Unocal]

What if Adam Vinatieri missed the 45 yard field goal with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter of the Tuck Rule game?

Suppose the whole Tuck Rule things happens, Vinatieri missed the kick, the Raiders win, and there isn't the Tuck Rule uproar.

[jamdawg1]

What if Paul Brown went back to Ohio State after WWII instead of taking the Cleveland job in the new AAFC?

This "what if" has massive butterfly potential in pro and college football history.

I'm writing a two part blog on that very subject.

The Entire History of Professional and Major College Football since WWII would be Radically Different to the point where it's at the "Alternate Universe" level. His influence to this day is still that widespread.

Here's some more.

What if George Steinbrenner were successful in his attempt to buy The Indians in the early 70's? (He tried to before he bought The Yankees.)

What if Michael Jordan had missed "The Shot" over Craig Ehlo?

What if Vic Wertz's Hit had gone towards one of the Foul Poles in the Polo Grounds (Which was a short distance.) in Game One of The '54 World Series instead of going to Center Field? (The Polo Grounds Distance to Center was ridiculous. It would have been a Home Run in EVERY other park at that time.)

What if The Officials had properly called Rich Karlis's Overtime FG Wide Left instead of Good in the '87 AFC Championship? ("The Drive")

What if The Umps had decided to actually call strikes for Indians Pitchers after Game 3 of the 2007 ALCS instead of squeezing the strike zone to the size of a shot glass on Indians Pitching?

What if Art Modell had never bought The Browns? What if he never fired Paul Brown? What if he never decided to play hard ball with Jim Brown when he was filming The Dirty Dozen?

What if after the Merger, The NFL dropped the "Super Bowl" name (Remember, the first four Super Bowls WERE NOT NFL SANCTIONED GAMES.) and just kept calling them the NFL Championship Game?

Yeah, man, I saw that blog that you had up one time. Very interesting. Brown is one of, if not the most, influential man in Pro Football history. It is heavy to think about how much the NFL would be different without him.

I want to address some of those "what ifs" that you have posted:

1. As far as the 86 AFC Title game is concerned, the "what if" should be this: What if Marty Schottenheimer would have passed the ball instead of ran it on third and 2 on the previous drive?

2. If Jordan misses that shot, the Cavs go to the conference finals, but get exterminated by Detroit in five games at most because the Pistons would have been too deep and strong for them. As for the Bulls, though, not making that run probably delays their development, and who knows if they win the title by 1991.

Thanks. I've moved all my stuff like that to Angelfire (Website, when I have time.) and Blogthings (Again, when I have time.)

[winghaz]

Calvin Giffith, who owned the Washington Senators and then moved them to Minnesota where they became the Twins, nearly signed a young Cuban pitcher, but decided against it. He even asked this question: What if he had signed Fidel Castro?

[jamdawg1]

Calvin Giffith, who owned the Washington Senators and then moved them to Minnesota where they became the Twins, nearly signed a young Cuban pitcher, but decided against it. He even asked this question: What if he had signed Fidel Castro?

GOOD ONE. Not just a Sports one either.

Here are the blog links to my Paul Brown "What If" and why he is the most important figure in the history if Post WWII Football.

http://jamdawg-blog.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-paul-brown-is-most-important-figure.html

http://jamdawg-blog.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-paul-brown-is-most-important-figure.html

http://jamdawg-blog.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-paul-brown-is-most-important-figure_05.html

[bigbean24]

What if the North Stars didnt go to Dallas?

[BLUELANDbeliever]

What if the North Stars didnt go to Dallas?

Mike Modano would still be playing, and Sabres fans wouldn't have something to bitch about.

[charger77]

What if the North Stars didnt go to Dallas?

Mike Modano would still be playing, and Sabres fans wouldn't have something to bitch about.

Minnesota would have still been in the West and could have played Buffalo in the 1999 Finals.

[BLUELANDbeliever]

What if the North Stars didnt go to Dallas?

Mike Modano would still be playing, and Sabres fans wouldn't have something to bitch about.

Minnesota would have still been in the West and could have played Buffalo in the 1999 Finals.

Right but with the way the ownership was at the time of moving, had it stayed in Minny, it wouldnt have been successful.

[B-Rich]

Calvin Giffith, who owned the Washington Senators and then moved them to Minnesota where they became the Twins, nearly signed a young Cuban pitcher, but decided against it. He even asked this question: What if he had signed Fidel Castro?

Pretty good short story on a variation of that, with Fidel as a star pitcher playing for the NY Giants in the 50s, is "Southpaw" by Bruce McAllister.

[Drakonius26]

What if the AFL had continued their war for players and draft picks against the NFL. Would the NFL have folded, and how much different would the sport of professional football look today?

[BLUELANDbeliever]

What if the AFL had continued their war for players and draft picks against the NFL. Would the NFL have folded, and how much different would the sport of professional football look today?

You're joking, right?