1.
Shreveport Steamer
–
The Shreveport Steamer were a professional American football team in the World Football League. The franchise began the 1974 season in Houston, Texas, as the Houston Texans, toward the end of the season the team relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana, and became the Shreveport Steamer. They played at the 30, 000-seat State Fair Stadium, now named Independence Stadium, larry King, of CNN fame, was one of their broadcasters. The Steamer showcased a number of veterans and a few rookies, among them were ambidextrous quarterback and former University of Houston star D. C. John Mallory and Art McMahon, and rookie linebacker John Villapiano, the Texans played in Houston for 11 games, going 3-7-1. The team relocated to Shreveport on September 18,1974, on September 23,1974, they were rechristened the Shreveport Steamer. The franchise, according to the WFL, was operated on a play now, the team was coached by Marshall Taylor, a former star player at Tennessee Tech. The Steamer made their debut on September 25 against the Memphis Southmen. They played in front of just over 21,000 fans and they had a 4-5 record after the move, finishing 7-12-1 overall in 1974. However, Goslin allowed the Hornets to play the Steamer before the impounding of the equipment, the Steamer returned for the 1975 WFL season. Right from the both the Boats and the resurrected league struggled. The second Chicago franchise ceased operations on September 2, after five games, after a mediocre 5-7 record and with the franchise almost out of money, the Steamer and the WFL sank permanently on October 22,1975. The second WFL ceased operations little more than halfway through the 1975 season, billy Kilmer served as the teams coach in its first season
2.
NRG Stadium
–
NRG Stadium, formerly Reliant Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, United States. NRG Stadium has a capacity of 71,795, a total area of 1,900,000 square feet with a 97,000 sq ft playing surface. The stadium served as the host facility for Super Bowl XXXVIII on February 1,2004, Super Bowl LI on February 5,2017, NRG Stadium is part of a collection of venues, which are collectively called NRG Park. The entire complex is named for NRG Energy under a 32-year, the stadium was constructed at the cost of $352 million. NRG Stadium is the first facility in the NFL to have a retractable roof, in February 2017, NRG Stadium hosted Super Bowl LI. It also hosted all 10 of the University Interscholastic Leagues Texas high school championship games at the conclusion of the 2015 season. The Houston NFL Holdings group came to Populous to begin the design for the first-ever NFL retractable roof football stadium in 1997. The intention was to create a stadium to replace the Astrodome that would operate like an open-air facility but have the intimacy. With the design for football and the square footage requirements of the rodeo, groundbreaking for the stadium was on March 9,2000 and the building was officially topped off in October 2001. The stadium opened on August 24,2002, with a game between the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans which the Dolphins won 24–3. The stadium hosted its first regular season NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans on September 8,2002, construction was completed in 30 months. The first rodeo was held in the stadium in February 2003, during a Texans preseason game on August 30,2012, against the Minnesota Vikings, an intoxicated fan fell to his death from an escalator. On March 19,2014, the stadium was renamed NRG Stadium, after NRG Energy, during the 2015 season, a permanent artificial surface was installed at NRG Stadium. The Texans had used a natural surface since the stadium opened, in recent years, the stadium installed artificial turf to be used during high school and college games while keeping the grass for Texans games. After the Texans home opener, complaints about the field conditions led to the installation of the artificial surface for Texans games. The surface brand is UBU Speed, which is part of Act Global, on the night of September 12–13,2008 the stadium sustained damage from Hurricane Ike forcing the Houston Texans home opener scheduled for September 14 to be postponed. Part of the roof cladding came off, and there was wind and that game was rescheduled to week 8, which was to have been the bye week for both the Texans and Bengals. The Bengals bye week was moved from October 26 to November 9, the stadium reopened on October 5,2008 when the Texans hosted the Indianapolis Colts and hosted three additional home games in October
3.
Houston
–
Houston is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States. With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 square miles, it also is the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County. Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico, it is the city of Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land. Houston was founded on August 28,1836, near the banks of Buffalo Bayou and incorporated as a city on June 5,1837. The city was named after former General Sam Houston, who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded, the burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the citys population. Houstons economy has an industrial base in energy, manufacturing, aeronautics. Leading in health care sectors and building equipment, Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters within its city limits than any city except for New York City. The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled, the city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community. Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has described as the most diverse in the United States. It is home to cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District. Houston has a visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District. In August 1836, two real estate entrepreneurs from New York, Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen, purchased 6,642 acres of land along Buffalo Bayou with the intent of founding a city. The Allen brothers decided to name the city after Sam Houston, the general at the Battle of San Jacinto. The great majority of slaves in Texas came with their owners from the slave states. Sizable numbers, however, came through the slave trade. New Orleans was the center of trade in the Deep South. Thousands of enslaved African Americans lived near the city before the Civil War, many of them near the city worked on sugar and cotton plantations, while most of those in the city limits had domestic and artisan jobs. Houston was granted incorporation on June 5,1837, with James S. Holman becoming its first mayor, in the same year, Houston became the county seat of Harrisburg County and the temporary capital of the Republic of Texas
4.
National Football League
–
The National Football League is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL is one of the four professional sports leagues in North America. The NFLs 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing 16 games, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season, the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. S. The NFLs executive officer is the commissioner, who has authority in governing the league. The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen, the current NFL champions are the New England Patriots, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in Super Bowl LI. Another meeting held on September 17,1920 resulted in the renaming of the league to the American Professional Football Association, the league hired Jim Thorpe as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals, remain, the first event occurred on September 26,1920 when the Rock Island Independents defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at Douglas Park. On October 3,1920, the first full week of league play occurred, the following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys controversially winning the title over the Buffalo All-Americans. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League, in 1932, the season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied for first in the league standings. This method had used since the leagues creation in 1920. The league quickly determined that a game between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the leagues champion. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0. Fan interest in the de facto championship game led the NFL, beginning in 1933, the 1934 season also marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the league. The de facto ban was rescinded in 1946, following public pressure, the NFL was always the foremost professional football league in the United States, it nevertheless faced a large number of rival professional leagues through the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate American Football Leagues and the All-America Football Conference, on top of regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these leagues, including the Los Angeles Rams
5.
2002 NFL season
–
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League. The league went back to a number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each, also, the Chicago Bears played the 2002 season in Champaign, Illinois at Memorial Stadium because of the reconstruction of their home stadium Soldier Field. The NFL title was won by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they defeated the Oakland Raiders 48–21 in Super Bowl XXXVII, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. With the Houston Texans joining the NFL, the teams were realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each division. In creating the new divisions, the tried to maintain the historical rivalries from the old alignment. The major changes were, The Seattle Seahawks became the team to switch conferences twice. The Arizona Cardinals moved from the NFC East to the NFC West and they had originally played in Chicago and then St. Louis before moving to Phoenix in 1988. The Indianapolis Colts, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans, the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, the New Orleans Saints, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were placed into the newly formed NFC South. Both the AFC Central and the NFC Central were renamed AFC North and NFC North and they retained their team placement, minus the Titans, Jaguars and Buccaneers of their respective conferences. From 1999 to 2001, at least one team sat out each week because of an odd number of teams in the league. Under the new scheduling formula, only two of a teams games each season are based on the previous record, down from four under the previous system. All teams play four interconference games, an analysis of win percentages in 2008 showed a statistical trend upwards for top teams since this change, the top team each year then averaged 14.2 wins, versus 13.4 previously. The playoff format was modified, four division winners and two wild cards from each conference now advance to the playoffs, instead of three division winners and three wild cards. In each conference, the winners are now seeded 1 through 4. In the current system, the way a wild card team can host a playoff game is if both teams in the conferences championship game are wild cards. Since 1990, the number of teams is still 12. A player who touches a pylon remains in-bounds until any part of his body touches the ground out-of-bounds, continuing-action fouls now become dead-ball fouls and will result in the loss of down and distance
6.
American Football Conference
–
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League, the highest professional level of American football in the United States. This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference, currently contain 16 teams each, a series of league expansions and division realignments have occurred since the merger, thus making the current total 16 clubs per each conference. Since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, the New England Patriots have won nine AFC titles, the most of any team in the conference, since 2002, the AFC has 16 teams, organized into four divisions each with four teams, East, North, South and West. Two of these games are assigned on the basis of a teams final divisional standing from the previous season. The remaining 8 games are split between the roster of two other NFL divisions and this assignment shifts each year and will follow a standard cycle. Using the 2012 regular season schedule as an example, each team in the AFC West plays against every team in the AFC North and NFC South. In this way, non-divisional competition will be mostly among common opponents – the exception being the two games assigned based on the teams prior-season divisional standing, at the end of each season, the top six teams in the conference proceeds into the playoff. These teams consist of the four winners and the top two wild card teams. The AFC playoffs culminate in the AFC Championship Game with the receiving the Lamar Hunt Trophy. The AFC Champion then plays the NFC Champion in the Super Bowl, both the AFC and the NFC were created after the NFL merged with the American Football League in 1970. The AFL began play in 1960 with eight teams, and added two expansion clubs before the merger. In order to equalize the number of teams in each conference, since the merger, five expansion teams have joined the AFC and two have left, thus making the current total 16. When the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the league in 1976 and this arrangement lasted for one season only before the two teams switched conferences. The Seahawks eventually returned to the NFC as a result of the 2002 realignment, the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars joined the AFC in 1995. There have been five teams that have relocated at least once, in 1984, the Baltimore Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. In California, the Oakland Raiders relocated to Los Angeles in 1982, the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997, where they were renamed the Tennessee Oilers. The team would change its name again, two later, to the Tennessee Titans. The NFL would again expand in 2002, adding the Houston Texans to the AFC, by contrast, the NFC has sent 12 different teams during that same time frame
7.
Houston Texans
–
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team competes in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference South division. The Texans first played in 2002 as a team, making them the youngest franchise in the NFL currently. The Texans replaced Houstons previous franchise, the Houston Oilers, which moved to Nashville, the teams majority owner is Bob McNair. While the team struggled in the 2000s, they clinched its first playoff berth during the 2011 season as AFC South division champions. The Texans have gone on to win more AFC South championships in 2012,2015, to date, the Texans are the only NFL franchise to have never played in a conference championship game. In 1996, an earlier, the Cleveland Browns had controversially relocated to become the Baltimore Ravens. As part of the settlement between the NFL, the city of Cleveland, Ohio, and the owned by Art Modell. In order to out the franchisees at 32, the league also contemplated adding another expansion franchise. In association with Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, they would push for a domed stadium as part of the bid to lure the NFL back to Houston, on October 6,1999 the NFL awarded the 32nd team to Houston, at the cost of $700 million. The Houston Texans joined the league at the 2002 NFL season, while the team struggled in early seasons, results began to improve once native Houstonian Gary Kubiak became the head coach in 2006. The Texans finished with a.500 season in both 2007 and 2008, and nearly qualified for the 2009–10 NFL playoffs with a 9–7 result in 2009. In 2010, the team started the season on a 4–2 record going into a Week 7 bye week, the Texans then beat wild card Cincinnati Bengals 31–10 in the first round of the 2011–12 NFL playoffs, before a 20–13 defeat by the Ravens in the semifinals. The Texans surged as the team to beat in the AFC South in 2012, however, they lost three of their last four games to finish 12–4, beating the rival Indianapolis Colts in that four-game stretch allowed them to clinch their 2nd AFC South title. The Texans beat the Bengals again in the round. The Texans started 2–0 in 2013 but went into a tailspin, Kubiak was fired as head coach after being swept by the rival Jacksonville Jaguars, who themselves started 0–8. Wade Phillips filled in as coach, but the Texans poor form did not change. The 14-game losing streak is also the worst in franchise history, the Texans entered the 2014 season with a 14-game losing streak
8.
Bill O'Brien (American football)
–
William James OBrien is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was the coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 2012 to 2013. OBrien began his career in 1993 at Brown University before spending more than a decade coaching in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He joined the New England Patriots in 2007 where he served as quarterbacks coach. In 2012, he was hired by Penn State to take over a program that had just endured the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, in his first season as head coach, he led the team to an 8–4 record and won ESPNs National Coach of the Year award. After the 2012 season, OBrien garnered significant interest to return to the National Football League as a head coach, OBrien decided to stay at Penn State, citing that it would send a poor message to leave after just one season. After his second season, he left Penn State to become the coach of the Texans. William James OBrien was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, oBriens first coaching position was at Brown, where he coached tight ends in 1993 and inside linebackers in 1994. He then spent the three seasons as an offensive graduate assistant at Georgia Tech. He then coached the Yellow Jackets running backs from the 1998 season through 2000 season, in 1999, RB Sean Gregory ran for 837 yards with 6 TD. In 2000, RB Joe Burns ran for 908 yards with 12 TD, from 2001 to 2002, OBrien served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and was named an assistant head coach for the 2002 season. In 2002, OBrien was hired as Notre Dames offensive Coordinator before George OLeary was dismissed, as offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech in 2001 and 2002, his teams averaged 31 and 21.5 points per game, respectively as the teams went 9–4 and 7–6. In 2001, RB Joe Burns ran for 1,165 yards with 14 TD, in 2002 under Chan Gailey, RB Tony Hollings ran for 633 yards with 11 TD and WR Kerry Watkins got 1,050 yards and 5 TD. In 2003, he left to coach running backs at the University of Maryland, in 2003, RB Josh Allen ran for 922 yards with 8 TD while Bruce Perry ran for 713 yards and 6 TD. As offensive coordinator at Duke in 2005 and 2006, his teams averaged 16.1 and 14.9 points per game, in 2006, QB Thaddeus Lewis threw for 2,134 yards with 11 TD. After two seasons with Duke, OBrien was hired by the New England Patriots on February 27,2007 as an offensive assistant, on February 21,2008, OBrien was promoted to wide receivers coach. He became the coach and offensive play-caller following the 2008 season after the departure of quarterbacks coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in February 2011, instead, OBrien interviewed with Penn State staff on January 5,2012, was offered the head coach position, and signed a four-year contract to become the Nittany Lions coach
9.
2011 Houston Texans season
–
The 2011 Houston Texans season was the teams tenth season in the National Football League. The Texans improved on their record from the 2010 season, and earned the franchises first playoff berth by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 20–19 in Week 14 and it also assured the Texans of at least one playoff game at home—the first NFL playoff game in Houston since 1993. After reaching the Divisional match against the Baltimore Ravens, the Texans suffered their maiden loss in the NFL Playoffs, the Texans defense made major improvements on defense in Phillipss first year calling Houstons defensive plays. Houston allowed the fourth-fewest points in the league in 2011, the second-fewest yards allowed, the Texans preseason schedule was announced on April 12,2011. LEGEND, ^ The game was simulcast locally on KIAH, the Texans began their season at home against the AFC South division foes, Colts. With the win, the Texans started the season out at 1–0, the Texans went on the road to face the Dolphins. With the win, the Texans improved to 2–0, with the loss, the Texans fell to 2–1. With the win, the Texans improved to 3–1, with the loss, the Texans fell to 3–2 and they lost both their second game and first home game against the Raiders. With the loss, the Texans fell to 3–3, with the win, the Texans improved to 4–3. Battle Red Day With the win, the Texans improved to 5–3, with the win, the Texans improved to 6–3. With the win, the Texans went on their bye week 7–3, however, Matt Schaub was lost for the season due to an Lisfranc injury on his right foot. With the win, not only the Texans improved to 8–3, the Texans had to play the remainder of the season with T. J. Yates at QB after losing Matt Leinart for the season with a broken collarbone. With the win, the Texans improved to 9–3, with the last-second win, the Texans improved to 10–3 and clinched the franchises first playoff berth and AFC South division title. With the loss, the Texans seven-game winning streak was snapped, Houston also lost to the Panthers for the first time in franchise history. With the loss, the Texans fell to 10–5, with the loss, the Texans would end their season at 10–6 and the AFCs #3 seed. Making their NFL postseason debut as the AFCs #3 seed, the Texans began their run at home in the AFC Wild Card Round against the #6 Cincinnati Bengals. Houston trailed in the first quarter with Bengals running back Cedric Benson getting a 1-yard touchdown run, watt returning an interception 29 yards for a touchdown. With the win, the Texans improved their record to 11–6
10.
2015 Houston Texans season
–
The 2015 Houston Texans season was the franchises 14th season in the National Football League and the second under head coach Bill OBrien. Houston started the season going into their bye week at 3–5, including losses to the Atlanta Falcons. However, the Texans had a surge in the half of the season. The 2015 season marked the first time the Texans beat the Colts in Indianapolis, the 2015 Houston Texans were featured on the HBO documentary series Hard Knocks. Note, Intra-division opponents are in bold text, in the 2015 season opener, the Houston Texans took on the Kansas City Chiefs with Brian Hoyer in his first regular season start as the Texans quarterback. Hoyers first pass was intercepted which eventually lead to a Kansas City touchdown, the Chiefs managed to score another 7 points off of turnovers to take a 14-0 lead with 4,28 left in the first. Houston finally managed to get on the late in the 1st quarter following a 4-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins from Hoyer. With Randy Bullock missing the point the Texans trailed 14-6 with 0,46 left in the 1st. Following another dismal quarter for the Texans, Kansas City lead 27-9 at halftime, Houston managed to shut out the Chiefs for the entire second half and with almost 6 minutes left in the game brought Ryan Mallett in as quarterback, who led the team on two scoring drives. Nonetheless the Texans couldnt manage a comeback and fell to the Chiefs 27-20 and this is the first time since 2009 where the Texans lost their season opener. Houston kicker Randy Bullock became the first player to miss a point-after attempt following a change for the 2015 season. Ryan Mallett was given the starting position against the Panthers. The Texans only lead of the came in the first quarter following a 43-yard field goal from Randy Bullock. Following 10 unanswered points from Carolina in the 2nd quarter, Houston trailed 3-10 going into halftime, early in the third quarter Houston tied the game at 10 a piece. A Carolina touchdown late in the 3rd quarter and another early in the 4th sealed a Panthers victory as the Texans couldnt manage a comeback, with the loss Houston dropped to 0-2, their worst start since the 2008 season. The Texans hosted the 1-1 Buccaneers at home, looking for their first win of the 2015 season, both Houston and Tampa Bay punted the ball on their first possession, before Houston scored first with Ryan Mallett connecting with DeAndre Hopkins for a 5-yard touchdown pass. With Randy Bullocks extra point good, the Texans took a 7-0 lead with 4,58 left in the first quarter. Tampa Bay managed to get on the board with their first possession of the 2nd quarter, both teams punted on their next possession, with the Texans committing the first turnover of the day with a Ryan Mallett pass being intercepted by Kwon Alexander
11.
American football
–
The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs, or plays, or else they turn over the football to the opposing team, if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs. Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the teams end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponents goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins, American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of association football and rugby football. The first game of American football was played on November 6,1869, during the latter half of the 1870s, colleges playing association football switched to the Rugby Union code, which allowed carrying the ball. American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States, Professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game, with the other major levels being high school and youth football. As of 2012, nearly 1.1 million high school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually, almost all of them men, in the United States, American football is referred to as football. The term football was established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season. The terms gridiron or American football are favored in English-speaking countries where other codes of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, American football evolved from the sports of association football and rugby football. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6,1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams, the game was played between two teams of 25 players each and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head or sides, Rutgers won the game 6 goals to 4. Collegiate play continued for years in which matches were played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19,1873 to create a set of rules for all schools to adhere to. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet were specified, Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. An 1875 Harvard-Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two impressed Princeton athletes and these players introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to selling refrigerators to Eskimos. Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia then agreed to play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, although Yale did not join until 1879, the introduction of the snap resulted in unexpected consequences. Prior to the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position, however, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they now could hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, both teams in a game between Yale-Princeton used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records, each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0-0 tie
12.
History of the Houston Oilers
–
The professional American football team now known as the Tennessee Titans previously played in Houston, Texas, from 1960 to 1996. This article chronicles the history during their time as the Houston Oilers during that period. The Oilers began play in 1960 as a member of the American Football League. The team won two AFL championships before joining the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in the late 1960s, the Oilers competed in the East Division of the AFL before the merger, after which they joined the newly formed AFC Central. The Oilers throughout their existence were owned by Bud Adams and played their games at the Astrodome for the majority of their time in Houston. The Oilers were the first champions of the American Football League, winning the 1960 and 1961 contests, from 1978 to 1980, the Oilers, led by Bum Phillips and in the midst of the Luv Ya Blue campaign, appeared in the 1978 and 1979 AFC Championship Games. For the rest of the Oilers time in Houston, however, they were generally in the division of the league. The Oilers main colors were Columbia blue and white, with scarlet trim, Oilers jerseys were always Columbia blue for home and white for away. The Oilers played the 1997 season in Memphis before moving to Nashville in 1998, the NFL would return to Houston in 2002 with a new franchise, the Houston Texans. The Houston Oilers began in 1960 as a member of the American Football League. They were owned by Bud Adams, a Houston oilman, who had several previous unsuccessful bids for an NFL expansion team in Houston. The Oilers appeared in the first three AFL championships and they scored an important victory over the NFL when they signed LSUs Heisman Trophy winner, All-America running back Billy Cannon. Cannon joined other Oiler offensive stars such as quarterback George Blanda, flanker Charlie Hennigan, running back Charlie Tolar, after winning the first-ever AFL championship over the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960, they repeated over the same team in 1961. They lost to the Dallas Texans in the classic 1962 double-overtime AFL championship game, in 1962, the Oilers were the first AFL team to sign an active NFL player away from the other league, when wide receiver Willard Dewveall left the Bears to join the champion Oilers. Dewveall that year caught the longest pass reception for a touchdown in professional American football history,99 yd, from Jacky Lee, previously, the Oilers had played at Jeppesen Stadium at the University of Houston from 1960 to 1964, and Rice Universitys stadium from 1965 to 1967. Adams had intended the play at Rice from the first. After the Astrodome opened for business, Adams attempted to move there, the 1969 season, the last as an AFL team, saw Houston begin 3–1, but tumble afterwards. They qualified for the playoffs, but were defeated by the Raiders 56–7, the years immediately after the AFL-NFL Merger were not as kind to the Oilers, who sank to the bottom of the AFC Central division
13.
Nashville, Tennessee
–
Nashville is the capital of the U. S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in the central part of the state. The city is a center for the music, healthcare, publishing, banking and transportation industries and it is known as a center of the country music industry, earning it the nickname Music City, U. S. A. Since 1963, Nashville has had a consolidated city-county government which includes six municipalities in a two-tier system. Nashville is governed by a mayor, vice-mayor, and 40-member Metropolitan Council, thirty-five of the members are elected from single-member districts, five are elected at-large. Reflecting the citys position in government, Nashville is home to the Tennessee Supreme Courts courthouse for Middle Tennessee. According to 2015 estimates from the U. S. Census Bureau, the balance population, which excludes semi-independent municipalities within Nashville, was 654,610. The 2015 population of the entire 13-county Nashville metropolitan area was 1,830,345, the 2015 population of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Columbia combined statistical area, a larger trade area, was 1,951,644. The town of Nashville was founded by James Robertson, John Donelson, and it was named for Francis Nash, the American Revolutionary War hero. Nashville quickly grew because of its location, accessibility as a port on the Cumberland River, a tributary of the Ohio River. By 1800, the city had 345 residents, including 136 African American slaves and 14 free blacks, in 1806, Nashville was incorporated as a city and became the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. In 1843, the city was named the permanent capital of the state of Tennessee, by 1860, when the first rumblings of secession began to be heard across the South, antebellum Nashville was a prosperous city. The citys significance as a port made it a desirable prize as a means of controlling important river. In February 1862, Nashville became the first state capital to fall to Union troops, the state was occupied by Union troops for the duration of the war. Within a few years after the Civil War, the Nashville chapter of the Ku Klux Klan was founded by Confederate veteran John W. Morton, meanwhile, the city had reclaimed its important shipping and trading position and developed a solid manufacturing base. The post–Civil War years of the late 19th century brought new prosperity to Nashville and these healthy economic times left the city with a legacy of grand classical-style buildings, which can still be seen around the downtown area. Circa 1950 the state approved a new city charter that provided for the election of city council members from single-member districts. This change was supported because at-large voting diluted the minority populations political power in the city and they could seldom gain a majority of the population to support a candidate of their choice
14.
Tennessee Titans
–
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference South division. Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team play in 1960 in Houston. The Oilers won the first two AFL Championships, and joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, the team relocated from Houston to Tennessee in 1997, and played at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis for one season. The club moved to Nashville in 1998 and played in Vanderbilt Stadium, for those two years, the team was known as the Tennessee Oilers, but changed its name to Titans in 1999. The team plays at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, which opened in 1999 as Adelphia Coliseum, the Titans training facility is at Saint Thomas Sports Park, a 31-acre site at the MetroCenter complex in Nashville. When the team debuted as the Houston Oilers in 1960, the logo was an oil rig derrick. Except for minor changes throughout the years, this logo remained the same until the team was renamed the Titans in 1999. The logo was originally called Ol Riggy, but this was dropped before the start of the 1974 season, the Oilers uniforms consisted of blue or white jerseys, red trim, and white pants. From 1966 through 1971, the pants with both the blue and white jerseys were silver, to match the color of the helmets, for selected games in 1973 and 1974, and again from 1981 through 1984, the Oilers wore their white jerseys at home. The light blue pants were discarded by coach Jeff Fisher in 1995, from 1960 to about 1965 and from 1972 to 1974, they wore blue helmets, from 1966 to 1971, the helmets were silver, and they were white from 1975 to 1998. During the 1997–98 period, when they were known as the Tennessee Oilers, the uniforms consist of white helmets, red trim, and either navy or white jerseys. White pants are worn with the navy jerseys, and navy pants are worn with the white jerseys. On both the navy and white jerseys, the shoulders and sleeves are light Titans blue. In a game against the Washington Redskins in 2006, the Titans wore their jerseys with navy pants for the first time. Since 2000, the Titans have generally worn their dark uniforms at home throughout the preseason and they have worn white at home during daytime contests on many occasions for September home games to gain an advantage with the heat except in the 2005,2006, and 2008 seasons. The Titans introduced an alternate jersey in 2003 that is light Titans blue, with navy outside shoulders and that jersey was usually worn with the road blue pants. When it was the jersey from 2003 to 2007, the Titans wore the jersey twice in each regular season game
15.
History of the Houston Texans
–
The Houston Texans are a member of the National Football League. In June 1997, Bob McNair and Chuck Watson were bypassed by the National Hockey League in an attempt to bring a team to Houston, in part because of a lack of a suitable NHL arena. Two weeks later, Houston found itself without professional football for the first time since 1959 as Houston Oilers owner Bud Adams got the approval to move his team to Tennessee. A lawsuit filed by the city of Houston, Harris County, in an interview with the Houston Chronicle, local entrepreneur and San Diego Padres owner John J. While efforts to get an NHL team in Houston faltered, McNair made his decision to set his sights higher, Steve Patterson, who had been working with McNair in an attempt to bring the NHL to Houston, was immediately named as head of the new organization. Cleveland had lost the Browns in 1995 and had promised by Tagliabue that the next expansion team would play there. A future expansion to 32 teams seemed both logical and destined to happen, and Tagliabue praised McNairs strong initial efforts. Two days later, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials announced they would push for a domed stadium as part of the bid to lure the NFL back to Houston. In late October 1998, Tagliabue announced that the NFL owners would indeed expand the league to 32 teams, on March 16,1999, the NFL owners, by a 29–2 vote, approved a resolution to award Los Angeles the expansion 32nd franchise. A month later, NFL executives flew to Los Angeles, at this point, Tagliabue expressed his frustration with Los Angeles’ inability to get a plan together, and the next month he advised McNair to resume his discussions with the expansion committee. On September 9,1999, the expansion committee indicated that McNair. The NFL noted that the Los Angeles effort was making no progress. Although the league would still entertain an offer from any of the competing Los Angeles groups, in the first week of October, Ovitz announced that his group was prepared to offer $540 million for the 32nd NFL franchise to be awarded to Los Angeles. In addition, Houston would also host the 2004 Super Bowl, after that, things moved fast for the yet-to-be-named football team. Focus groups were formed across the state to determine the image and that spring, Houston celebrated the official groundbreaking of Reliant Stadium. The 69, 500-seat state-of-the-art facility would become the NFLs first retractable-roof stadium, Texans was instead picked to be something unique to Houston and the NFL, as well as representative of the bravery of Texas natives. On January 21,2001, the Texans turned to the coaching staff, Capers had served the previous two seasons as the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator. From 1995 to 1998, Capers was the coach of the then-expansion Carolina Panthers
16.
National Hockey League
–
Headquartered in New York City, the NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world, and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the playoff champion at the end of each season. At its inception, the NHL had four teams—all in Canada, the league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the Boston Bruins joined, and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams. After a labour-management dispute that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004–05 season, in 2009, the NHL enjoyed record highs in terms of sponsorships, attendance, and television audiences. The league draws many highly skilled players from all over the world, canadians have historically constituted the majority of the players in the league, with an increasing percentage of American and European players in recent seasons. The National Hockey League was established in 1917 as the successor to the National Hockey Association, founded in 1909, the NHA began play one year later with seven teams in Ontario and Quebec, and was one of the first major leagues in professional ice hockey. Realizing the NHA constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out, the four teams voted instead to suspend the NHA, frank Calder was chosen as its first president, serving until his death in 1943. The Bulldogs were unable to play, and the remaining owners created a new team in Toronto, the first games were played on December 19,1917. The Montreal Arena burned down in January 1918, causing the Wanderers to cease operations, the NHL replaced the NHA as one of the leagues that competed for the Stanley Cup, which was an interleague competition back then. Toronto won the first NHL title, and then defeated the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association for the 1918 Stanley Cup. The Canadiens won the title in 1919, however their Stanley Cup Final against the PCHAs Seattle Metropolitans was abandoned as a result of the Spanish Flu epidemic. Montreal in 1924 won their first Stanley Cup as a member of the NHL, the Hamilton Tigers, won the regular season title in 1924–25 but refused to play in the championship series unless they were given a C$200 bonus. The league refused and declared the Canadiens the league champion after defeated the Toronto St. Patricks in the semi-final. Montreal was then defeated by the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League for the 1925 Stanley Cup and it was the last time a non-NHL team won the trophy, as the Stanley Cup became the de facto NHL championship in 1926 after the WCHL ceased operation. The National Hockey League embarked on rapid expansion in the 1920s, adding the Montreal Maroons, the Bruins were the first American team in the league. The New York Americans began play in 1925 after purchasing the assets of the Hamilton Tigers, the New York Rangers were added in 1926. The Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars were also added after the league purchased the assets of the defunct WCHL, a group purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927 and immediately renamed them the Maple Leafs. The first NHL All-Star Game was held in 1934 to benefit Ace Bailey, the second was held in 1937 in support of Howie Morenzs family when he died of a coronary embolism after breaking his leg during a game
17.
Bud Adams
–
Kenneth Stanley Bud Adams, Jr. was the owner of the Tennessee Titans, a National Football League franchise. He was instrumental in the founding and establishment of the former American Football League, Adams became a charter AFL owner with the establishment of the Titans franchise, which was originally known as the Houston Oilers. He was the owner with his team in the National Football League. Adams also was one of the owners of the Houston Mavericks of the American Basketball Association, Adams had many business interests in the Houston area. A Cherokee person who made his fortune in the petroleum business, Adams was chairman and CEO of Adams Resources & Energy Inc. a wholesale supplier of oil. He also owned several Lincoln-Mercury automobile franchises, born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on January 3,1923, Adams was the son of K. S. Boots Adams and Blanch Keeler Adams and he became an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation by virtue of his maternal line. Two of his great-grandmothers were Cherokee women who married European-American men, Nelson Carr, Keeler, who played roles in trade and oil in early Oklahoma. Keeler drilled the first commercial oil well, near the Caney River, Adamss father succeeded the founder Frank Phillips as president of Phillips Petroleum Company in 1939. Keeler was democratically elected and served until 1975, Adamss ancestors include other prominent Cherokee leaders. Adams graduated from Culver Military Academy in 1940 after lettering in three sports, after a brief stint at Menlo College, he transferred to the University of Kansas, where he played briefly on the varsity football team as he completed an engineering degree. During World War II, Adams served in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater of operations, attaining the rank of Lieutenant, after the war, he returned to KU for additional studies and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Shortly after his 1946 discharge, Adams was on a trip in which his plane was fogbound in Houston and he liked the area and decided to settle there. Soon afterward, Adams launched a wildcatting firm, ADA Oil Company, the companys basketball team was an Amateur Athletic Union powerhouse, finishing third nationally in 1956. Adams soon became interested in owning an NFL team, in 1959, Adams and fellow Texas oilman Lamar Hunt tried to buy the struggling Chicago Cardinals and move them to Texas. When that effort failed, he tried to get an expansion team, a few days after returning to Houston, Adams got a call from Hunt proposing an entirely new football league. They met several times that spring, and Hunt convinced Adams to field a team in Houston, in Hunts view, a regional rivalry between Hunts Dallas Texans and a Houston team would be critical to the leagues growth. On August 3, Adams and Hunt held a conference in Adamss boardroom to announce formation of the new league
18.
Cleveland Browns
–
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns compete in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference North division. The Browns play their games at FirstEnergy Stadium, which opened in 1999, with administrative offices and training facilities in Berea. The Browns official colors are brown, orange and white and they are unique among the 32 member franchises of the NFL in that they do not have a logo on their helmets and are the only team named after a specific person, original coach Paul Brown. The franchise was founded in 1945 by businessman Arthur B, McBride and coach Paul Brown as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference. The Browns dominated the AAFC, compiling a 47–4–3 record in the four active seasons. When the AAFC folded after the 1949 season, the Browns joined the National Football League along with the San Francisco 49ers, from 1965 to 1995, they made the playoffs 14 times, but did not win another championship or appear in the Super Bowl in that period. In 1995, owner Art Modell, who had purchased the Browns in 1961, announced plans to move the team to Baltimore, Maryland. The Browns intellectual property, including name, logos, training facility, and history, were kept in trust. A new team would be established by 1999 either by expansion or relocation, the Browns were announced as an expansion team in 1998 and resumed play in 1999. Since resuming operations in 1999, the Browns have struggled to find success and they have had only two winning seasons, one playoff appearance, and no playoff wins. The franchise has also noted for a lack of stability with quarterbacks. To date, the Browns overall win-loss record since 1999 is 88–200, the Browns origins date to 1944, when taxicab magnate Arthur B. Mickey McBride secured the rights to a Cleveland franchise in the newly formed All-America Football Conference. S, early in 1945, McBride named 36-year-old Ohio State Buckeyes coach Paul Brown as the teams head coach and general manager and gave him a share in its profits. The move surprised and upset Buckeye fans, who had hoped he would resume his successful run at the school after the war, the name of the team was at first left up to Paul Brown, who rejected calls for it to be christened the Browns. The franchise and the Cleveland Plain Dealer then held a naming contest to publicize the team, in June 1945, a committee selected Panthers as the new teams name, named after a failed American Football League franchise in Cleveland which only lasted a single season in 1926. It is unclear whether Panthers was the highest vote-getter, or if it was second-highest behind Browns, however, the owner of the failed AFL Panthers franchise, General C. X. Zimmerman, indicated that he owned the name Cleveland Panthers, at this point, Paul Brown bowed to popular sentiment and agreed to the Browns name
19.
Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
–
The Browns were officially reactivated in 1998 through the expansion process and resumed play in 1999. The compromise between Cleveland, the NFL, and Modell was a first in North American professional sports, the compromise has been cited in other franchise moves and agreements, including those in the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, and Major League Baseball. Under the terms of the lease he agreed to back the City a portion of the profits he would realize each year. Modells newly formed company, Stadium Corporation, paid a rent of $150,000 for the first five years. Modell had originally promised never to move the Browns, in 1990, the Indians prevailed upon the local governments and voters and convinced them to build them their own facility where they controlled the suite revenue. Modell, mistakenly believing that his revenues were not endangered, agreed to participate in the Gateway Project that built Jacobs Field for the Indians, Modells assumptions proved incorrect, and Stadium Corps suite revenues declined sharply when the Indians moved from the stadium to Jacobs Field in 1994. Soaring player salaries and deficits also contributed to Modells financial losses, Modell lost $21 million between 1993 and 1994. On the field, the Browns, coached by Bill Belichick, were coming off a season in which the team finished 11–5. Sports Illustrated even predicted the Browns would represent the AFC in Super Bowl XXX at the end of the season, however, the team disappointed many fans by losing three straight games after starting the season 3–1. The reason Modell chose to relocate to Baltimore was because he felt the city of Cleveland did not have the funding nor political will to build a first-class stadium, the very next day, on November 7, Cleveland voters overwhelmingly approved the aforementioned tax issue to remodel Cleveland Stadium. The City of Cleveland sued Modell, the Browns, Stadium Corp, the Maryland Stadium Authority, cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Case No. Several other lawsuits were filed by fans and ticket holders, the United States Congress even held hearings on the matter. Actor/comedian Drew Carey returned to his hometown of Cleveland on November 26,1995, a protest was held in Pittsburgh during the Browns game there against the Pittsburgh Steelers but ABC, the network broadcasting the game, declined to cover or mention the protest. Browns fans reacted with anger to the news, wearing hats and T-shirts that read Muck Fodell, virtually all of the teams sponsors pulled their support, leaving Cleveland Stadium devoid of advertising during the teams final weeks. The final game the team played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium was a 26–10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the game itself was blacked out on television locally, but NBC did broadcast extensive pregame coverage from Cleveland. After extensive talks between the NFL, the Browns, and officials of the two cities, Cleveland accepted a settlement that would keep the Browns legacy in Cleveland. Modell would in turn then be granted a new franchise, for Baltimore, retaining the current contracts of players, there would be a reactivated team for Cleveland, where the Browns name, colors, history, records, awards, and archives would remain in Cleveland. The only other current NFL team to suspend operations without merging with another was Clevelands previous NFL team, upon their reactivation in 1999, the Browns were placed back in the AFC Central with the Steelers and Bengals, as well as the Ravens, Titans, and Jaguars
20.
Baltimore Ravens
–
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference North division. The team plays its games at M&T Bank Stadium and is headquartered in Owings Mills. The Ravens were established in 1996, when Art Modell, who was then the owner of the Cleveland Browns, in return, he was allowed to take his own personnel and team to Baltimore, where such personnel would then form an expansion team. The Ravens organization has been led by general manager Ozzie Newsome since 1996, the team is owned by Steve Bisciotti and valued at $1.5 billion, making the Ravens the 24th-most valuable sports franchise in the world. The name Ravens was inspired by Edgar Allan Poes poem The Raven, chosen in a fan contest that drew 33,288 voters, the allusion honors Poe, who spent the early part of his career in Baltimore and is buried there. As the Baltimore Sun reported at the time, fans also liked the tie-in with the birds in town, the Orioles. After the controversial relocation of the Colts to Indianapolis, several attempts were made to bring an NFL team back to Baltimore. In 1993, ahead of the 1995 league expansion, the city was considered a favorite, behind only St. Louis and this led to public outrage and the Baltimore Sun describing Taglibue as having an Anybody But Baltimore policy. Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer said afterward that Taglibue had led him on, praising Baltimore, by May 1994, Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos had gathered a new group of investors, including author Tom Clancy, to bid on teams whose owners had expressed interest in relocating. Angelos found a partner in Georgia Frontiere, who was open to moving the Los Angeles Rams to Baltimore. Jack Kent Cooke opposed the move, intending to build the Redskins new stadium in Laurel, Maryland and this led to heated arguments between Cooke and Angelos, who accused Cooke of being a carpetbagger. Following this, Angelos made an unsuccessful $200 million bid to bring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Baltimore, enticed by Baltimores available funds for a first-class stadium, Modell announced on November 6,1995 his intention to relocate the team from Cleveland to Baltimore the following year. The resulting controversy ended when representatives of Cleveland and the NFL reached a settlement on February 8,1996, tagliabue promised the city of Cleveland that an NFL team would be located in Cleveland, either through relocation or expansion, no later than 1999. Additionally, the agreement stipulated that the Browns name, colors, uniform design, the franchise history includes Browns club records and connections with Pro Football Hall of Fame players. Modells Baltimore team, while retaining all current player contracts, would, for purposes of history, appear as an expansion team. Not all players, staff or front office would make the move to Baltimore, after relocation, Modell hired Ted Marchibroda as the head coach for his new team in Baltimore. Marchibroda was already well known because of his work as coach of the Baltimore Colts during the 1970s
21.
Cleveland
–
Cleveland is a city in the U. S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the states second most populous county. The city proper has a population of 388,072, making Cleveland the 51st largest city in the United States, Greater Cleveland ranked as the 32nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with 2,055,612 people in 2016. The city is the center of the Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area, the city is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border. Clevelands economy has diversified sectors that include manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, Cleveland is also home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Residents of Cleveland are called Clevelanders, Cleveland has many nicknames, the oldest of which in contemporary use being The Forest City. Cleaveland oversaw the plan for what would become the downtown area, centered on Public Square, before returning home. The first settler in Cleaveland was Lorenzo Carter, who built a cabin on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, the Village of Cleaveland was incorporated on December 23,1814. In spite of the swampy lowlands and harsh winters, its waterfront location proved to be an advantage. The area began rapid growth after the 1832 completion of the Ohio, growth continued with added railroad links. Cleveland incorporated as a city in 1836, in 1836, the city, then located only on the eastern banks of the Cuyahoga River, nearly erupted into open warfare with neighboring Ohio City over a bridge connecting the two. Ohio City remained an independent municipality until its annexation by Cleveland in 1854, the citys prime geographic location as a transportation hub on the Great Lakes has played an important role in its development as a commercial center. Cleveland serves as a point for iron ore shipped from Minnesota. In 1870, John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil in Cleveland, other manufacturers located in Cleveland produced steam-powered cars, which included White and Gaeth, as well as the electric car company Baker. Because of the significant growth, Cleveland was known as the Sixth City during this period, by 1920, due in large part to the citys economic prosperity, Cleveland became the nations fifth largest city. The city counted Progressive Era politicians such as the populist Mayor Tom L. Johnson among its leaders, many prominent Clevelanders from this era are buried in the historic Lake View Cemetery, including President James A. Garfield, and John D. Rockefeller. In commemoration of the centennial of Clevelands incorporation as a city, conceived as a way to energize a city after the Great Depression, it drew four million visitors in its first season, and seven million by the end of its second and final season in September 1937. The exposition was housed on grounds that are now used by the Great Lakes Science Center, following World War II, the city experienced a prosperous economy. In sports, the Indians won the 1948 World Series, the hockey Barons became champions of the American Hockey League, as a result, along with track and boxing champions produced, Cleveland was dubbed City of Champions in sports at this time
22.
Art Modell
–
Arthur Bertram Art Modell was an American businessman, entrepreneur and National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise for 35 years and established the Baltimore Ravens franchise, however, he made controversial actions during his ownership, which included the firing of Paul Brown, the franchises first coach and namesake. In 1995, Modell faced widespread scorn in Cleveland when he attempted to relocate the Browns to Baltimore, while the Browns were ultimately able to remain in Cleveland, Modell was allowed to retain the contracts of all Browns personnel, who formed the Baltimore Ravens in 1996. Modells impact on the Browns franchise remains controversial due to the Browns consistent struggles since returning to the league as a team in 1999. Art Modell is widely known as one of the most hated men in Cleveland sports history, Modell also once stated his team was losing money, when they were in fact 5th in the NFL for attendance and 2nd in Nielson Ratings. Modell was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York and his father George was a wine sales manager who went bankrupt after the stock market crash of 1929 and later died when Modell was 14. Modell attended New Utrecht High School, at the age of 15, Modell left high school to help support his family. His first job was cleaning the hulls of ships in a Brooklyn shipyard, in 1943, when he was 18, he joined the US Army Air Corps. After World War II, he enrolled in a New York City television school under the G. I. In 1947, he founded his own company with a fellow student and in 1949, they produced one of the first daytime shows in the country, Market Melodies. Modell sold the idea of his show to the Grand Union grocery store chain and Modell installed televisions, at his expense, at the time, very few households had televisions so the store format was wildly successful. In 1954, using the lucrative Grand Union account as leverage, hartman Co. in New York City, eventually becoming a partner. Formed after the Prohibition era, the L. H, hartman was primarily involved in liquor advertising. In 1958, Modell bought an upstate New York champagne maker, hartman was dissolved, and Modell again used his Grand Union account to land a job as senior vice president at the advertising firm Kastor, Hilton, Chesley, Clifford & Atherton. During the 1940s and 1950s, Modell worked in the advertising, public relations businesses and he purchased the Cleveland Browns in 1961 for $4 million, investing only $250,000 of his own money. He borrowed $2.7 million and found partners to cover the rest, unlike the Browns previous owners, Modell immediately took an active role in the management of the team, and fired legendary coach Paul Brown on January 9,1963. Paul Brown had won seven league championships prior to Modells acquisition of the team, after firing Brown, Modell quickly named Browns assistant, Blanton Collier, as the new coach on January 16,1963. The Browns beat the Colts 27–0 in Cleveland Municipal Stadium and this particular Browns team consisted of many players initially drafted and acquired by Brown
23.
Toronto
–
Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. With a population of 2,731,571, it is the fourth most populous city in North America after Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles. A global city, Toronto is a centre of business, finance, arts, and culture. Aboriginal peoples have inhabited the area now known as Toronto for thousands of years, the city itself is situated on the southern terminus of an ancient Aboriginal trail leading north to Lake Simcoe, used by the Wyandot, Iroquois, and the Mississauga. Permanent European settlement began in the 1790s, after the broadly disputed Toronto Purchase of 1787, the British established the town of York, and later designated it as the capital of Upper Canada. During the War of 1812, the town was the site of the Battle of York, York was renamed and incorporated as the city of Toronto in 1834, and became the capital of the province of Ontario during the Canadian Confederation in 1867. The city proper has since expanded past its original borders through amalgamation with surrounding municipalities at various times in its history to its current area of 630.2 km2. While the majority of Torontonians speak English as their primary language, Toronto is a prominent centre for music, theatre, motion picture production, and television production, and is home to the headquarters of Canadas major national broadcast networks and media outlets. Toronto is known for its skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, in particular the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. The name Toronto is likely derived from the Iroquois word tkaronto and this refers to the northern end of what is now Lake Simcoe, where the Huron had planted tree saplings to corral fish. A portage route from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron running through this point, in the 1660s, the Iroquois established two villages within what is today Toronto, Ganatsekwyagon on the banks of the Rouge River and Teiaiagonon the banks of the Humber River. By 1701, the Mississauga had displaced the Iroquois, who abandoned the Toronto area at the end of the Beaver Wars, French traders founded Fort Rouillé on the current Exhibition grounds in 1750, but abandoned it in 1759. During the American Revolutionary War, the region saw an influx of British settlers as United Empire Loyalists fled for the British-controlled lands north of Lake Ontario, the new province of Upper Canada was in the process of creation and needed a capital. Dorchester intended the location to be named Toronto, in 1793, Governor John Graves Simcoe established the town of York on the Toronto Purchase lands, instead naming it after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. Simcoe decided to move the Upper Canada capital from Newark to York, the York garrison was constructed at the entrance of the towns natural harbour, sheltered by a long sandbar peninsula. The towns settlement formed at the end of the harbour behind the peninsula, near the present-day intersection of Parliament Street. In 1813, as part of the War of 1812, the Battle of York ended in the towns capture, the surrender of the town was negotiated by John Strachan. US soldiers destroyed much of the garrison and set fire to the parliament buildings during their five-day occupation, the sacking of York was a primary motivation for the Burning of Washington by British troops later in the war
24.
Los Angeles Rams
–
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team that play in the National Football League. The Rams franchise was founded in 1936 as the Cleveland Rams in the short-lived second American Football League before joining the NFL the next year, in 1946, the franchise moved to Los Angeles. The Rams franchise remained in the area until 1994, when they moved to St. Louis. The Rams franchise returned to Los Angeles in 2016, Reeves threatened to end his relationship with the NFL and get out of the professional football business altogether unless the Rams transfer to Los Angeles was permitted. A settlement was reached and, as a result, Reeves was allowed to move his team to Los Angeles, consequently, the NFL became the first professional coast-to-coast sports entertainment industry. From 1933, when Joe Lillard left the Chicago Cardinals, through 1946, after the Rams had received approval to move to Los Angeles, the Rams entered into negotiations to lease the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Rams were advised that a precondition to them getting a lease was that they would have to integrate the team with at least one African-American, subsequently, the Rams signed Kenny Washington on March 21,1946. The signing of Washington caused all hell to break loose among the owners of the NFL franchises, the Rams added a second black player, Woody Strode, on May 7,1946, giving them two black players going into the 1946 season. The Rams were the first team in the NFL to play in Los Angeles, the upstart All-America Football Conference had the Los Angeles Dons compete there as well. Reeves was taking a gamble that Los Angeles was ready for its own football team –. Reeves was proved to be correct when the Rams played their first pre-season game against the Washington Redskins in front of a crowd of 95,000 fans, the team finished their first season in L. A. with a 6–4–1 record, second place behind the Chicago Bears. At the end of the season Walsh was fired as head coach, the Coliseum would be the home of the Rams for more than 30 years, but the facility was already over 20 years old on the day of the first kickoff. In 1948, halfback Fred Gehrke painted horns on the Rams helmets, Kelley had an early evening talk show on L. A. radio station KMPC, that was considered by most sports enthusiasts as highly entertaining. Kelley was generally considered a Legend and a professional, one of the great radio. At the beginning of the 1951 World Championship game after the kickoff, Kelley was able to cite every player on the prior to the first snap from scrimmage. The Rams first heyday in Southern California was from 1949 to 1955, during this period, they had the best offense in the NFL, even though there was a quarterback change from Bob Waterfield to Norm Van Brocklin in 1951. The defining Offensive players of this period were wide receiver Elroy Hirsch, Van Brocklin, teamed with fellow Hall of Famer Tom Fears, Hirsch helped create the style of Rams football as one of the first big play receivers. During the 1951 Championship season, Hirsch posted a then stunning 1,495 receiving yards with 17 touchdowns, the popularity of this wide-open offense enabled the Los Angeles Rams to become the first pro football team to have all their games televised in 1950
25.
History of the Los Angeles Raiders
–
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football franchise based in Oakland, California. The Raiders currently compete in the NFL as a club of the leagues American Football Conference West division. At the end of the NFLs 2015 season, the Raiders boasted a lifetime record of 444 wins,397 losses. The Raiders plan to remain in Oakland through 2018 – and possibly 2019 –, the Raiders off-field fortunes have varied considerably over the years. The teams first three years of operation were marred by poor performance, financial difficulties, and spotty attendance. In 1963, however, the Raiders fortunes improved dramatically with the introduction of head coach Al Davis, in 1967, after several years of improvement, the Raiders reached the postseason for the first time. The team would go on to win its first AFL Championship that year, in doing so, the Raiders advanced to Super Bowl II, the Raiders run of success intensified during the 1970s. From 1970 to 1977, the team won six division titles, in 1976, the team captured its first NFL Championship with a convincing victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. In 1982, amidst much controversy, the Raiders relocated to Los Angeles, the team finished with the NFLs best regular season record that year, one year later, the Raiders beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII to capture their third Super Bowl championship. The Raiders fortunes declined following the 1985 season, they would win just one division title. In 1995, the Raiders returned to Oakland, after several years of continued mediocrity, the team entered a brief period of pronounced success in the early 2000s. From 2000 to 2002, the Raiders won three division titles and four playoff games, their renaissance culminated with a lopsided 2002 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. The Super Bowl loss marked the beginning of a period of futility for the Raiders, from 2003 through 2015. In 2016, the Raiders finally ended their postseason drought with a victory over the division rival San Diego Chargers. At the end of the 2016 NFL season, the finished with a 12–4 record. The Raiders are known for their fan base and distinctive team culture. Since 1963, the team has won 15 division titles, four AFC Championships, one AFL Championship, fourteen former members of the team have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Having enjoyed a successful coaching career at Navy during the 1950s
26.
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
–
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston or abbreviated HLSR, is one of the largest live entertainment and livestock exhibitions. It also includes one of the richest regular-season rodeo events and it has been held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, since 2003. It was previously held in the Astrodome and it is considered to be the citys signature event, much like New Orleanss Mardi Gras, Dallass Texas State Fair, San Diegos Comic-Con and New York Citys New Years Eve at Times Square. In 2017, attendance reached a high of 2,611,176 people requiring over 32,000 volunteers. In 2007, the rodeo was deemed the year of the volunteer, the event is 20 days long. The show features championship rodeo action, livestock competitions, concerts, a carnival, pig racing, barbecue, international Wine Competition, shopping, sales and livestock auctions. Traditional trail rides, which start in different areas of Texas and end in Houston, the City of Houston celebrates this event with Go Texan Day, where residents are encouraged to dress in western wear the Friday before the rodeo begins. The Friday before the Parade is also known as Go Texan Day, where the population of Houston is encouraged to dress in Western attire, such as jeans, cowboy boots. While the concept was discussed in 1938 by the General Manager of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, in 1954, Archer Romero chaired the first Go Texan Committee to encourage what would later become a Houston tradition during the rodeo. In 1937, planning had begun for the first Rodeo Parade leading up to the 1938 Houston Livestock Show, the first parade was headed by Mounted Police and various dignitaries on the city, county, and state levels, who also rode horseback. There were two bands with a Drum and Bugle Corp, in 1952, the Salt Grass Trail ride was the first trail ride that was formed by only a few men. The following year, the publicity from that ride attracted more people to join, all of the Trail Riders converge on Memorial Park to camp out for the night before heading down Memorial Drive to where it empties out onto Texas Ave to line up for the parade. The parade has approximately 115 different groups joining in the festivities, the Trail Rides are a long tradition with the rodeo and gather at Memorial Park to camp for a rest and party before the big Annual Rodeo Parade through Downtown Houston. It takes place on the parking lot of NRG Stadium, with over 350 teams participating every year. While the event is open to the public, those that can get into the tents are generally allowed an unlimited amount of food. Since the addition of the event in 1942, it has one of the more popular events during the actual rodeo. The event features 14 calves and 28 students who must try to one of the calves, put a halter on it. One of the rules is that as long as a contestant is actually in the act of holding the calf to get the halter on and its at this point where the calf is fair game once again
27.
Dallas Cowboys
–
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference East division. The team is headquartered in Frisco, Texas, and plays its games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The stadium took its current name prior to the 2013 season, the Cowboys joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1960. The teams national following might best be represented by its NFL record of consecutive sell-outs, the Cowboys streak of 190 consecutive sold-out regular and post-season games began in 2002. This has also corresponded to eight NFC championships, most in the NFC, the Cowboys are the only NFL team to record 20 straight winning seasons, in which they only missed the playoffs twice, an NFL record that remains unchallenged. In 2015, the Dallas Cowboys became the first sports team to be valued at $4 billion, making it the most valuable team in the world. The Cowboys also generated $620 million in revenue in 2014, a record for a U. S. sports team. Prior to the formation of the Dallas Cowboys, there had not been an NFL team south of Washington, D. C. since the Dallas Texans folded in 1952. Oilman Clint Murchison Jr. had been trying to get an NFL expansion team in Dallas, Murchison had tried to purchase the Washington Redskins from Marshall in 1958. An agreement was struck, but as the deal was about to be finalized and this infuriated Murchison and he called off the deal. Marshall then opposed any franchise for Murchison in Dallas, since NFL expansion needed unanimous approval from team owners at that time, Marshalls position would prevent Murchison from joining the league. Marshall had an out with the Redskins band leader Barnee Breeskin. Breeskin had written the music to the Redskins fight song Hail to the Redskins, Breeskin owned the rights to the song and was aware of Murchisons plight to get an NFL franchise. Angry with Marshall, Breeskin approached Murchisons attorney to him the rights to the song before the expansion vote in 1959. Murchison purchased Hail to the Redskins for $2,500, before the vote to award franchises in 1959, Murchison revealed to Marshall that he owned the song and Marshall could not play it during games. After a few Marshall expletives, Murchison gave the rights to Hail to the Redskins to Marshall for his vote, the one against Murchison getting a franchise at that time. From 1970 through 1979, the Cowboys won 105 regular season games, in addition, they appeared in 5 and won two Super Bowls, at the end of the 1971 and 1977 regular seasons
28.
Minnesota Vikings
–
The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as a team in 1960. The team competes in the National Football Conference North division, before that, the Vikings were in the NFC Central, the team has played in four Super Bowl games, but lost each one. The team plays its games at U. S. Bank Stadium in the Downtown East section of Minneapolis, professional football in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area began with the Minneapolis Marines/Red Jackets, an NFL team that played intermittently in the 1920s and 1930s. However, a new team in the area did not surface again until August 1959. Skoglund, and Max Winter were awarded a franchise in the new American Football League. Ole Haugsrud was added to the NFL team ownership because, in the 1920s, when he sold his Duluth Eskimos team back to the league, the agreement allowed him 10 percent of any future Minnesota team. Coincidentally or not, the teams from Ole Haugsruds high school, Central High School in Superior, Wisconsin, were called the Vikings. From the teams first season in 1961 to 1981, the team called Metropolitan Stadium in suburban Bloomington home, the Vikings conducted summer training camp at Bemidji State University from 1961 to 1965. In 1966, the moved to their current training camp at Minnesota State University in Mankato. The Vikings played their games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis from 1982 to 2013. The Vikings played their last game at the Metrodome on December 29,2013, since the teams first season in 1961, the Vikings have had one of the highest winning percentages in the NFL. As of 2014, they have won at least three games in every season except in 1962, and are one of only six NFL teams to win at least 15 games in a regular season. The Vikings have won one NFL Championship, in 1969, before the merger with the American Football League. Since the league merger in 1970, they have qualified for the playoffs 26 times, the team has played in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI, though failing to win any of them. In addition, they have lost in their last five NFC Championship Game appearances since 1978, the team currently has 13 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was named the Minnesota Vikings on September 27,1960
29.
Chicago Bears
–
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference North division. The Bears have won nine NFL Championships and one Super Bowl and hold the NFL record for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Bears have also recorded more victories than any other NFL franchise. The franchise was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919 and it is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFLs founding. The team played games at Wrigley Field on Chicagos North Side through the 1970 season, they now play at Soldier Field on the Near South Side. The Bears have a rivalry with the Green Bay Packers. The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, the Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season. They hold their training camp from late July to mid-August at Ward Field on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. Originally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur and this was the typical start for several early professional football franchises. The company hired George Halas and Edward Dutch Sternaman in 1920 to run the team, the 1920 Decatur Staleys season was their inaugural regular season completed in the newly formed American Professional Football Association. Full control of the team was turned over to Halas and Sternaman in 1921, official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL. The team relocated to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys, under an agreement reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, Halas purchased the rights to the club from Staley for US$100. In 1922, Halas changed the name from the Staleys to the Bears. The team moved into Wrigley Field, which was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, as with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their citys baseball team. Halas liked the bright colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois. The Staleys/Bears dominated the league in the early years and their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals, the oldest in the NFL, was key in four out of the first six league titles. During that span, the Bears posted 34 shutouts, the Bears rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921. The franchise was a success under Halas, capturing the NFL Championship in 1921
30.
Gary Kubiak
–
Gary Wayne Kubiak is a former American football coach and player. He served as coach for the NFLs Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013 and of the Denver Broncos in 2015 and 2016 before stepping down from the position on January 1,2017. He also had jobs as assistant coach at Texas A&M University and with the San Francisco 49ers, Kubiak played quarterback in college at Texas A&M. He was drafted in the 8th round, 197th overall pick, Kubiak passed for a then state-record 6,190 yards as a quarterback for St. Pius X High School of Houston, Texas, where he was given the nickname Koob. Twice named to the football, basketball, baseball, and track teams. Kubiak graduated St. Pius X in 1978, as a junior, he set a conference record by throwing six touchdown passes against Rice. In four seasons at Texas A&M, he passed for 4,078 yards,31 touchdowns, Kubiak played his entire career for the Broncos as a backup for Elway, a Hall of Famer. In nine seasons, Kubiak went 3–2 as a starter, throwing for 14 touchdowns,16 interceptions and 1,920 yards while part of three AFC Championship teams, Kubiak replaced Elway at the end of the Broncos defeats in Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXIV. Kubiak began his career at Texas A&M, his alma mater. He worked extensively with All-American running back Greg Hill, who was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 1994 draft. Kubiak won his first Super Bowl serving as the coach for the San Francisco 49ers in 1994. Young received his second NFL MVP and captured Super Bowl XXIX MVP honors by throwing a Super Bowl-record six touchdowns in San Francisco’s 49–26 win over the San Diego Chargers. Kubiak went to the Broncos the following season when Mike Shanahan, in 11 seasons as the teams offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Kubiak helped lead Denver to two Super Bowl titles, which were also the final two seasons of John Elways playing career. In Kubiaks 11 seasons with the team, the Broncos amassed 66,501 total yards and 465 touchdowns and he coached 14 different Broncos that made the Pro Bowl, including running back Terrell Davis, who was named the NFL MVP in 1998. Kubiak was named the head coach in Houston Texans history on January 26,2006. In his first season with the team, Houston finished fourth in the AFC South with a 6–10 record, the Texans ended the 2007 season at 8–8, a non-losing record for the first time in team history. The Texans had their second non-losing season, again finishing 8–8 and they missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker with the New York Jets. On February 2,2010, with a left on the original deal he signed
Current season
