Ford Field hosted Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006 as The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 21-10 to win their fifth Super Bowl championship.
The stadium is home to the Motor City Bowl featuring a top Mid-American Conference team and a Big Ten Conference team. It has also hosted the annual Mid-American Conference Championship Game since 2004. On December 13, 2003, Ford Field hosted the largest crowd ever to attend a basketball game, as 78,129 people packed the stadium to watch University of Kentucky defeat Michigan State University, 84-79. The MHSAA Football Finals also take place on Thanksgiving weekend, drawing over 60,000 fans. Ford Field is also home to the Detroit Lions.
On April 1, 2007, Ford Field hosted World Wrestling Entertainment's WrestleMania 23. The event set a Ford Field attendance record of 80,103. It was the first WrestleMania held in the Detroit area since 93,173 fans set a world indoor attendance record at the Pontiac Silverdome for WrestleMania III in 1987.
The University of Detroit Mercy and Ford Field is also scheduled to host 2008 NCAA Basketball Tournament regional semifinal and final games (March 28 and 30, 2008), the 2009 Final Four (April 5 and 7, 2009), hosted by University of Detroit Mercy, and the 2010 Frozen Four (April 8 and 10, 2010).
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is the home stadium for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution soccer team. Located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the facility opened in 2002, replacing Foxboro Stadium. The seating capacity is 68,756, including 6,000 club seats and 87 luxury suites. The stadium is owned and operated by Massachusetts businessman Robert Kraft, who also owns the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution.
The stadium was originally known as CMGI Field before the naming rights were bought by Gillette after the "dot-com" bust. Although Gillette has since merged with Procter & Gamble, the stadium retains the Gillette name because P&G has continued to use the Gillette brand name. Additionally, uBid (until April 2003 a wholly owned subsidiary of CMGI) as of 2006 continues to sponsor one of the main entrance gates to the stadium. Because of the association of Gillette with personal-care products, including those used for shaving, the stadium has been nicknamed "The Razor."
The stadium was originally known as CMGI Field before the naming rights were bought by Gillette after the "dot-com" bust. Although Gillette has since merged with Procter & Gamble, the stadium retains the Gillette name because P&G has continued to use the Gillette brand name. Additionally, uBid (until April 2003 a wholly owned subsidiary of CMGI) as of 2006 continues to sponsor one of the main entrance gates to the stadium. Because of the association of Gillette with personal-care products, including those used for shaving, the stadium has been nicknamed "The Razor."
M&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is the home to the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore's National Football League franchise. Opened in 1998, M&T Bank Stadium is one of the newest and most state-of-the-art stadiums built. M&T Bank Stadium was originally known as Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards, until ISP PSINet acquired the naming rights in 1999, naming it PSINet Stadium. It then reverted back to Ravens Stadium in 2002 when PSINet filed for bankruptcy. In 2003 M&T Bank acquired naming rights to the stadium. Two other companies were in the running to be granted naming rights to the stadium; they were reportedly, Nextel and CarMax. Following the September 2002 death of Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas, public sentiment leaned toward renaming the then-sponsorless stadium after the Baltimore icon. However, the Ravens and the Maryland Stadium Authority held firm in their right to negotiate naming rights fees. In the end, a plaza on the stadium's northwest corner was named "Unitas Plaza", complete with a bronze statue of the Hall of Famer.
Located in downtown Baltimore, the stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. The stadium is served by the Hamburg Street station of the Baltimore Light Rail.
Located in downtown Baltimore, the stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. The stadium is served by the Hamburg Street station of the Baltimore Light Rail.
FedEx Field
The stadium opened in 1997 as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, in honor of the recently deceased owner of the team, and the stadium site was known as Raljon. Before the stadium was built, the Wilson Farm was there. The name "Raljon" is a portmanteau of Jack Kent Cooke's sons' first names - "Ralph" and "John." Notably, Cooke was even able to register Raljon with the United States Postal Service as a legal alternate address for the 20785 zip code of Landover, Maryland, in which the stadium is located, and went to some lengths to require media to use Raljon in datelines from the stadium.
After the team and stadium were purchased by Daniel Snyder, the naming rights were sold to the FedEx corporation in November 1999 for an average of $7.6 million per year; however, many fans still refer to the stadium as "Big Jack." FedExField replaced Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., as the home of the Washington Redskins. FedExField has not had a football season in which the stadium failed to sell out its tickets. Even though it's the NFL's largest stadium, the waiting list for Washington Redskins season tickets has reached well over 10 years.
For the past six years at FedExField, Redskins fans have set the regular-season home paid attendance record. In 2005, the team drew a record 716,999 fans overall. The December 18, 2005, 35-7 win against the Dallas Cowboys was the most watched game in Redskins history, with 90,588 fans in the stands.
The August 28, 2004, BCA Classic between the Virginia Tech Hokies and USC Trojans attracted a record 91,665 in attendance
After the team and stadium were purchased by Daniel Snyder, the naming rights were sold to the FedEx corporation in November 1999 for an average of $7.6 million per year; however, many fans still refer to the stadium as "Big Jack." FedExField replaced Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., as the home of the Washington Redskins. FedExField has not had a football season in which the stadium failed to sell out its tickets. Even though it's the NFL's largest stadium, the waiting list for Washington Redskins season tickets has reached well over 10 years.
For the past six years at FedExField, Redskins fans have set the regular-season home paid attendance record. In 2005, the team drew a record 716,999 fans overall. The December 18, 2005, 35-7 win against the Dallas Cowboys was the most watched game in Redskins history, with 90,588 fans in the stands.
The August 28, 2004, BCA Classic between the Virginia Tech Hokies and USC Trojans attracted a record 91,665 in attendance
Louisiana Superdome
The Louisiana Superdome, often informally referred to simply as the Superdome, The Dome or even the New Orleans Superdome is a large, multi-purpose sports and exhibition facility located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. The Superdome is the current home of the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
The Superdome is the largest fixed domed structure in the world, but it lost its title as the largest domed structure when the Georgia Dome in Atlanta was completed in 1992. (Both the Superdome and Georgia Dome were surpassed in size by London's Millennium Dome in 1999.)
In 2005, the Superdome came to international attention when it housed thousands of evacuees seeking refuge from Hurricane Katrina.
More Super Bowls have been played at the Louisiana Superdome than at any other sports facility: 1978, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1997, and 2002.
The Superdome is the largest fixed domed structure in the world, but it lost its title as the largest domed structure when the Georgia Dome in Atlanta was completed in 1992. (Both the Superdome and Georgia Dome were surpassed in size by London's Millennium Dome in 1999.)
In 2005, the Superdome came to international attention when it housed thousands of evacuees seeking refuge from Hurricane Katrina.
More Super Bowls have been played at the Louisiana Superdome than at any other sports facility: 1978, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1997, and 2002.
RCA Dome
The RCA Dome was named the Hoosier Dome until 1994 when RCA paid $10 million for the naming rights for 10 years, with two five-year options to RCA at a cost of $13.5 million if invoked. Currently, the stadium seats 57,980 for football. Modifications were made to the stadium in 2001 to expand the suites and add club seating. Prior to that, the maximum seating for a football crowd was 60,272. The dome was officially dedicated on September 8, 1984 as a sold-out crowd witnessed the Purdue Boilermakers defeat the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
Basketball is also played at the RCA Dome. The first game played there was an exhibition game in 1984 between an NBA All-Star team led by home-State hero Larry Bird and the United States Olympic Men's Basketball team, coached by Bob Knight, who was at the time the coach of Indiana University. The dome also served as the site of the NBA All-Star Game in February of 1985. Since then it has hosted many NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games, including four Final Fours (1991, 1997, 2000, 2006). The NCAA, whose headquarters are in Indianapolis, has committed to holding the Final Four in Indianapolis once every five years. The RCA Dome hosted its first Women's Final Four in 2005.
In addition, it has hosted the Indiana High School Athletic Association's annual boys and girls championships, and served as one of two sites for the FIBA Men's World Basketball Championship Tournament in 2002, sharing the honors with Conseco Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers. Additionally, the RCA Dome is the site of the Indiana State School Music Association State Marching Band Competition, the Bands of America Grand Nationals, and the Drum Corps International Midwestern Regional. The dome also served as host venue to the World Wrestling Federation's WrestleMania VIII in 1992.
Originally the football playing surface was astroturf, replaced with FieldTurf in May 2005. The Indianapolis Colts have called the dome home since 1983.
Basketball is also played at the RCA Dome. The first game played there was an exhibition game in 1984 between an NBA All-Star team led by home-State hero Larry Bird and the United States Olympic Men's Basketball team, coached by Bob Knight, who was at the time the coach of Indiana University. The dome also served as the site of the NBA All-Star Game in February of 1985. Since then it has hosted many NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games, including four Final Fours (1991, 1997, 2000, 2006). The NCAA, whose headquarters are in Indianapolis, has committed to holding the Final Four in Indianapolis once every five years. The RCA Dome hosted its first Women's Final Four in 2005.
In addition, it has hosted the Indiana High School Athletic Association's annual boys and girls championships, and served as one of two sites for the FIBA Men's World Basketball Championship Tournament in 2002, sharing the honors with Conseco Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers. Additionally, the RCA Dome is the site of the Indiana State School Music Association State Marching Band Competition, the Bands of America Grand Nationals, and the Drum Corps International Midwestern Regional. The dome also served as host venue to the World Wrestling Federation's WrestleMania VIII in 1992.
Originally the football playing surface was astroturf, replaced with FieldTurf in May 2005. The Indianapolis Colts have called the dome home since 1983.
Soldier Field - Notable Events
Soldier Field (then known as Grant Park Municipal Stadium) hosted its first football game on October 4, 1924 between Louisville Male High School and Chicago Austin High. Louisville Male won 26-0. (Chicago Tribune, October 2, 1924)
Three NFC Championship Games held at Soldier Field.
The 1985 NFC Championship Game took place in Soldier Field, where the Bears defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-0.
The 1988 NFC Championship Game took place here, where the Chicago Bears lost to eventual Super Bowl XXIII champions San Francisco 49ers 28-3.
The 2006 NFC Championship Game granted the Bears their second trip to the Super Bowl, the first in 21 years, with a 39-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Soldier Field played host to the Annual Army-Navy Game in 1926 before an estimated crowd of 110,000.
The Long Count Fight, the second heavyweight championship bout between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney, was held at Soldier Field on September 25, 1927.
The stadium and all time college football attendance record was set on November 16, 1929 when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish beat the USC Trojans 13-12 in front of 112,912 fans. Notre Dame had met USC in 1927 and Navy in 1928 in front of crowds estimated at 120,000 in Soldier Field, but the 1929 number is the highest audited count.
Glenn "Fireball" Roberts won the only NASCAR Grand National race held at Soldier Field's short track which ran across the old configuration, in 1956.
The Fog Bowl was an NFC Divisional Playoff vs the Philadelphia Eagles on December 31, 1988. Dense fog covered the game reducing visibility down to 15-20 yards. The Bears won the game 20-12.
1994 FIFA World Cup Venue of all matches scheduled to play in Chicago, including the opening match between Germany and Bolivia on June 17, 1994.
Legendary rock group the Grateful Dead performed its final concert at Soldier Field on July 9, 1995.
The Rolling Stones played the largest concert in the stadium's history on September 10, 2005.
On July 21, 2006, rock and roll band Bon Jovi performed in front of 60,000 fans at Soldier Field, for 3 hours straight, making it the stadium's longest running music concert.
On September 1, 2007, Northern Illinois University faced the University of Iowa in the first Division I College Football game at Soldier Field since renovations. The game is the second game of a home and home series between the two programs, although NIU's campus is located in DeKalb, 69 miles (111 km) to the west of Soldier Field on Interstate 88. With attendance of 61,500, a Mid-American Conference record for a home football game was set.
Soldier Field appears in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie Flags of Our Fathers, when the survivors of the Iwo Jima flag-raising reenact it for a patriotic rally.
Several games of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup were held in Soldier Field. The final was contested on June 24, 2007 between the United States and Mexico, where the United States won 2-1, fueling an already-growing intense international rivalry.
Three NFC Championship Games held at Soldier Field.
The 1985 NFC Championship Game took place in Soldier Field, where the Bears defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-0.
The 1988 NFC Championship Game took place here, where the Chicago Bears lost to eventual Super Bowl XXIII champions San Francisco 49ers 28-3.
The 2006 NFC Championship Game granted the Bears their second trip to the Super Bowl, the first in 21 years, with a 39-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Soldier Field played host to the Annual Army-Navy Game in 1926 before an estimated crowd of 110,000.
The Long Count Fight, the second heavyweight championship bout between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney, was held at Soldier Field on September 25, 1927.
The stadium and all time college football attendance record was set on November 16, 1929 when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish beat the USC Trojans 13-12 in front of 112,912 fans. Notre Dame had met USC in 1927 and Navy in 1928 in front of crowds estimated at 120,000 in Soldier Field, but the 1929 number is the highest audited count.
Glenn "Fireball" Roberts won the only NASCAR Grand National race held at Soldier Field's short track which ran across the old configuration, in 1956.
The Fog Bowl was an NFC Divisional Playoff vs the Philadelphia Eagles on December 31, 1988. Dense fog covered the game reducing visibility down to 15-20 yards. The Bears won the game 20-12.
1994 FIFA World Cup Venue of all matches scheduled to play in Chicago, including the opening match between Germany and Bolivia on June 17, 1994.
Legendary rock group the Grateful Dead performed its final concert at Soldier Field on July 9, 1995.
The Rolling Stones played the largest concert in the stadium's history on September 10, 2005.
On July 21, 2006, rock and roll band Bon Jovi performed in front of 60,000 fans at Soldier Field, for 3 hours straight, making it the stadium's longest running music concert.
On September 1, 2007, Northern Illinois University faced the University of Iowa in the first Division I College Football game at Soldier Field since renovations. The game is the second game of a home and home series between the two programs, although NIU's campus is located in DeKalb, 69 miles (111 km) to the west of Soldier Field on Interstate 88. With attendance of 61,500, a Mid-American Conference record for a home football game was set.
Soldier Field appears in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie Flags of Our Fathers, when the survivors of the Iwo Jima flag-raising reenact it for a patriotic rally.
Several games of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup were held in Soldier Field. The final was contested on June 24, 2007 between the United States and Mexico, where the United States won 2-1, fueling an already-growing intense international rivalry.
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is home to the NFL's Atlanta Falcons (since 1992) and the annual host to the Southeastern Conference Football Championship Game, The Chick-fil-a Bowl (formerly known as The Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl and The Peach Bowl) post-season college football games, and since 2004 the FIRST World Championships.
It was also home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks during the construction of Philips Arena from 1997 to 1999, as well as hosting basketball, team handball and gymnastics during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Since 1994. The Dome has Hosted two Super Bowls and has also been host to both the Men's and Women's NCAA Final Four Basketball National Championships and several SEC and ACC Basketball Championships.
It was also home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks during the construction of Philips Arena from 1997 to 1999, as well as hosting basketball, team handball and gymnastics during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Since 1994. The Dome has Hosted two Super Bowls and has also been host to both the Men's and Women's NCAA Final Four Basketball National Championships and several SEC and ACC Basketball Championships.
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium is a football and soccer stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls, and was formerly home to the MLS's Tampa Bay Mutiny. The stadium seats just over 66,000, and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events, making it much smaller than the stadiums in Gainesville, Miami and Tallahassee. The stadium also hosts the annual Outback Bowl on New Year's Day, and the Superbowl of Motorsports monster truck event in mid-January. Super Bowl XXXV was held there on January 28, 2001 between the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants. It will host Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.
Raymond James Stadium was built primarily to replace the aging Houlihan's Stadium, formerly located adjacent to the property. It is located on the former site of the now-demolished Al Lopez Field. The stadium officially opened September 20, 1998, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Chicago Bears, 27-15. The final cost of the stadium was $168.5 million, publicly financed. It was known as Tampa Community Stadium during construction, but the naming rights were bought for $32.5 million for a thirteen-year deal by St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Financial in June 1998. On April 27, 2006 an extension was signed to maintain naming rights through 2015.
Raymond James Stadium was built primarily to replace the aging Houlihan's Stadium, formerly located adjacent to the property. It is located on the former site of the now-demolished Al Lopez Field. The stadium officially opened September 20, 1998, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Chicago Bears, 27-15. The final cost of the stadium was $168.5 million, publicly financed. It was known as Tampa Community Stadium during construction, but the naming rights were bought for $32.5 million for a thirteen-year deal by St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Financial in June 1998. On April 27, 2006 an extension was signed to maintain naming rights through 2015.
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium is a football stadium located in downtown Jacksonville, Florida next to the St. Johns River. It is the home stadium facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL franchise. The stadium sits on 10 acres (40,000 m²) of land and originally had a capacity of 73,000. Expansions over the next decade have brought capacity to 76,877.
Municipal Stadium is used primarily as a football facility but does host other events including monster truck shows and concerts. It is also well-known for hosting college football, including "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" each year between Florida and Georgia. The stadium is also the site of the annual Gator Bowl which currently pits teams from the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference. In December 2005, the stadium hosted the inaugural ACC football championship game.
The Jacksonville Jaguars called Municipal Stadium home since 1995.
Municipal Stadium is used primarily as a football facility but does host other events including monster truck shows and concerts. It is also well-known for hosting college football, including "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" each year between Florida and Georgia. The stadium is also the site of the annual Gator Bowl which currently pits teams from the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference. In December 2005, the stadium hosted the inaugural ACC football championship game.
The Jacksonville Jaguars called Municipal Stadium home since 1995.
Dolphin Stadium
Dolphin Stadium (previously known as Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, and Dolphins Stadium) is a football, lacrosse, soccer and baseball stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb north of Miami. The stadium serves as host to the Miami Dolphins, the Florida Marlins, and starting in 2008, the Miami Hurricanes.
Since its construction, there have been four Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI) and two World Series ('97 and '03) played in the stadium. The stadium will serve as host for Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.
The Miami Dolphins have used the stadium since 1987.
Since its construction, there have been four Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI) and two World Series ('97 and '03) played in the stadium. The stadium will serve as host for Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.
The Miami Dolphins have used the stadium since 1987.
Invesco Field at Mile High
INVESCO Field at Mile High is a stadium in Denver, Colorado. INVESCO Field at Mile High replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium (named for the fact that Denver is exactly one mile above sea level) in 2001.
Naming Rights Controversy
Many fans opposed a corporate name and wished to retain the previous venue's name, "Mile High Stadium." The Denver Post initially refused to use the INVESCO label and referred to it as Mile High for several years before changing their policy and adding INVESCO to articles.
INVESCO Field is used primarily for football games. It is the home field for Denver's NFL team, the Denver Broncos. The stadium also hosts the city's Major League Lacrosse team, the Denver Outlaws. In college football it has hosted the rivalry game between the Colorado State Rams and the Colorado Buffaloes. INVESCO Field is also used for concerts and other events. It was the former home of the city's Major League Soccer franchise, the Colorado Rapids.
The Denver Broncos have used the field since 2001.
Naming Rights Controversy
Many fans opposed a corporate name and wished to retain the previous venue's name, "Mile High Stadium." The Denver Post initially refused to use the INVESCO label and referred to it as Mile High for several years before changing their policy and adding INVESCO to articles.
INVESCO Field is used primarily for football games. It is the home field for Denver's NFL team, the Denver Broncos. The stadium also hosts the city's Major League Lacrosse team, the Denver Outlaws. In college football it has hosted the rivalry game between the Colorado State Rams and the Colorado Buffaloes. INVESCO Field is also used for concerts and other events. It was the former home of the city's Major League Soccer franchise, the Colorado Rapids.
The Denver Broncos have used the field since 2001.
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium (a.k.a. "The Q"), formerly known as San Diego Stadium and Jack Murphy Stadium, is a multiple-use stadium in San Diego, California. It is the current home of the San Diego Chargers of the NFL and of the San Diego State University Aztecs college football team. It hosts the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl and the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl college football games every December. Until 2003, it served as the home of the San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball. The stadium has hosted three Super Bowl games: Super Bowl XXII in 1988, Super Bowl XXXII in 1998, and Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. It has also hosted the 1978 and 1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Games, the 1996 and 1998 National League Division Series, the 1984 and 1998 National League Championship Series, and the 1984 and 1998 World Series. It is the only stadium ever to host both the Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year (1998).
The San Diego Chargers have used the stadium since 1967.
The San Diego Chargers have used the stadium since 1967.
Monster Park
Candlestick Park was named for Candlestick Point, a point of land jutting into San Francisco Bay. Candlestick Point is itself named for the indigenous "candlestick bird" (Long-billed Curlew), once common to the point.
The rights to the stadium name were licensed to 3Com Corporation from 1996 until 2002. During that time, the park became known as 3Com Park at Candlestick Point. In 2002, the naming rights deal expired, and the park then became officially known as San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point. On September 28, 2004, a new naming rights deal was signed with Monster Cable, a maker of cables for electronic equipment, and the stadium was renamed Monster Park (many people erroneously assume the Monster Park name is associated with the well-known Monster.com job search website, or the Monster Energy drink company).
The City and County of San Francisco had trouble finding a new naming sponsor due in part to the downturn in the economy, but also because the stadium's tenure as 3Com Park was tenuous at best. Many local fans were annoyed with the change and continued referring to the park by its original name, and many continue to do so to this day, regardless of the official name. The Giants reportedly continued to call the stadium "Candlestick Park" in media guides. Freeway signs in the vicinity were recently changed to read "Monster Park" as part of an overall signage upgrade to national standards on California highways.
A measure passed in the November 2, 2004, election states that the stadium name will revert back to Candlestick permanently after the current contract with Monster Cable expires in 2008. This highlights San Francisco's extreme distaste for corporate naming. Many San Franciscans refer to AT&T Park, where the Giants play, by its original name, Pac Bell Park, despite its having undergone two name changes in the stadium's relatively short life. Monster Park is similarly almost universally referred to as Candlestick Park by both locals and much of the media despite the name change. The Monster Park moniker is confined to the 49ers' front office and to some radio and television broadcasters, all of whom are contractually required to use the corporate sponsor's name whenever referring to the park, just as they were with 3Com.
On August 10, 2007, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom announced that the playing field would be renamed Bill Walsh Field in honor of former San Francisco 49ers' coach, the late Bill Walsh, who passed away on July 30 that year, pending the approval of the city government. However the stadium will retain its current name as is contractually obligated.
The San Francisco 49'rs first used this venue in 1960.
The rights to the stadium name were licensed to 3Com Corporation from 1996 until 2002. During that time, the park became known as 3Com Park at Candlestick Point. In 2002, the naming rights deal expired, and the park then became officially known as San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point. On September 28, 2004, a new naming rights deal was signed with Monster Cable, a maker of cables for electronic equipment, and the stadium was renamed Monster Park (many people erroneously assume the Monster Park name is associated with the well-known Monster.com job search website, or the Monster Energy drink company).
The City and County of San Francisco had trouble finding a new naming sponsor due in part to the downturn in the economy, but also because the stadium's tenure as 3Com Park was tenuous at best. Many local fans were annoyed with the change and continued referring to the park by its original name, and many continue to do so to this day, regardless of the official name. The Giants reportedly continued to call the stadium "Candlestick Park" in media guides. Freeway signs in the vicinity were recently changed to read "Monster Park" as part of an overall signage upgrade to national standards on California highways.
A measure passed in the November 2, 2004, election states that the stadium name will revert back to Candlestick permanently after the current contract with Monster Cable expires in 2008. This highlights San Francisco's extreme distaste for corporate naming. Many San Franciscans refer to AT&T Park, where the Giants play, by its original name, Pac Bell Park, despite its having undergone two name changes in the stadium's relatively short life. Monster Park is similarly almost universally referred to as Candlestick Park by both locals and much of the media despite the name change. The Monster Park moniker is confined to the 49ers' front office and to some radio and television broadcasters, all of whom are contractually required to use the corporate sponsor's name whenever referring to the park, just as they were with 3Com.
On August 10, 2007, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom announced that the playing field would be renamed Bill Walsh Field in honor of former San Francisco 49ers' coach, the late Bill Walsh, who passed away on July 30 that year, pending the approval of the city government. However the stadium will retain its current name as is contractually obligated.
The San Francisco 49'rs first used this venue in 1960.
McAfee Coliseum
In September 1997, UMAX Technologies agreed to acquire the naming rights to the stadium. However, following a dispute, a court decision reinstated the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum name. In 1998, Network Associates agreed to pay $5.8 million over five years for the naming rights and the stadium became known as Network Associates Coliseum, or, alternately in marketing and media usage as, "the Net."
In 2003, Network Associates renewed the contract for an additional five years at a cost of $6 million. In mid-2004, Network Associates was renamed McAfee, restoring its name from before its 1997 merger with Network General, and the stadium was renamed McAfee Coliseum accordingly.
Despite the different name changes, locals generally refer to the stadium as "The Coliseum." This fits the trend of older stadium renamings being rejected by the general public. This is especially true in the San Francisco Bay Area where changes to the name of nearby Candlestick Park have been wholly rejected by voters, and changes to the names of both Pacific Bell Park and the San Jose Arena were received with much negative criticism and widely ignored by fans and media alike.
It is the home field of the Oakland Raiders, first used in 1966.
In 2003, Network Associates renewed the contract for an additional five years at a cost of $6 million. In mid-2004, Network Associates was renamed McAfee, restoring its name from before its 1997 merger with Network General, and the stadium was renamed McAfee Coliseum accordingly.
Despite the different name changes, locals generally refer to the stadium as "The Coliseum." This fits the trend of older stadium renamings being rejected by the general public. This is especially true in the San Francisco Bay Area where changes to the name of nearby Candlestick Park have been wholly rejected by voters, and changes to the names of both Pacific Bell Park and the San Jose Arena were received with much negative criticism and widely ignored by fans and media alike.
It is the home field of the Oakland Raiders, first used in 1966.
University of Phoenix Stadium
The 63,400-seat stadium (expandable to 73,000) opened on August 1, 2006 after three years of construction. It is considered an architectural icon for the region and was named by Business Week as one of the 10 “most impressive” sports facilities on the globe due to the combination of its retractable roof and roll-in natural grass field. It is the only North American facility on the list.
The ceremonial groundbreaking for the new stadium was held on April 12, 2003. The cost of the project is $455 million. That total includes:
$395.4 million for the stadium;
$41.7 million for site improvements;
$17.8 million for the land.
Contributors to the stadium are:
The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority = $302.3 million;
The Arizona Cardinals = $143.2 million;
The City of Glendale = $9.5 million.
The University of Phoenix, a for-profit university specializing in adult education, acquired the naming rights in September 2006, shortly after the stadium had opened under the name Cardinals Stadium.
It is the home field of the Arizona Cardinals.
The ceremonial groundbreaking for the new stadium was held on April 12, 2003. The cost of the project is $455 million. That total includes:
$395.4 million for the stadium;
$41.7 million for site improvements;
$17.8 million for the land.
Contributors to the stadium are:
The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority = $302.3 million;
The Arizona Cardinals = $143.2 million;
The City of Glendale = $9.5 million.
The University of Phoenix, a for-profit university specializing in adult education, acquired the naming rights in September 2006, shortly after the stadium had opened under the name Cardinals Stadium.
It is the home field of the Arizona Cardinals.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland. The team's headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia, a community in Loudoun County, Virginia near Dulles International Airport. They are members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
According to Forbes Magazine, the Redskins are the second most valuable sports franchise in the United States, valued at approximately $1.467 billion, having this year been surpassed by the Dallas Cowboys. Last year they generated over $300 million in revenue and netted over $60 million. They have also broken the NFL's mark for single-season attendance six years in a row due to having the NFL's largest stadium capacity.
Overall, the Redskins have played for eleven NFL Championships and have won five, including three of the five Super Bowls (Lost Super Bowl VII (Miami Dolphins) 14-7, Won Super Bowl XVII (Miami Dolphins) 27-17, Lost Super Bowl XVIII (L.A. Raiders) 38-9,
Won Super Bowl XXII (Denver Broncos) 42-10, Won Super Bowl XXVI (Buffalo Bills) 37-24) in which they have played.
The Redskins are one of only two teams in the NFL with an official marching band. The other is the Baltimore Ravens. The Redskins were also one of the first teams to have a fight song, "Hail to the Redskins."
According to Forbes Magazine, the Redskins are the second most valuable sports franchise in the United States, valued at approximately $1.467 billion, having this year been surpassed by the Dallas Cowboys. Last year they generated over $300 million in revenue and netted over $60 million. They have also broken the NFL's mark for single-season attendance six years in a row due to having the NFL's largest stadium capacity.
Overall, the Redskins have played for eleven NFL Championships and have won five, including three of the five Super Bowls (Lost Super Bowl VII (Miami Dolphins) 14-7, Won Super Bowl XVII (Miami Dolphins) 27-17, Lost Super Bowl XVIII (L.A. Raiders) 38-9,
Won Super Bowl XXII (Denver Broncos) 42-10, Won Super Bowl XXVI (Buffalo Bills) 37-24) in which they have played.
The Redskins are one of only two teams in the NFL with an official marching band. The other is the Baltimore Ravens. The Redskins were also one of the first teams to have a fight song, "Hail to the Redskins."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Losing streaks
The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost all 14 games during the regular season. They stand as the only NFL team in the modern era to experience a winless regular season. In 1978, the season expanded to 16 games, however, no team has managed to finish 0-16. The Baltimore Colts went 0-8-1 in the strike-shortened 1982 season. A twenty-game road losing streak against AFC teams finally ended with a 17-10 victory over the Denver Broncos on December 26, 1993. In 1980 (against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium), the Buccaneers began a 27-game losing steak of games played outdoors on AstroTurf. It was not broken until 1995 when the team defeated the Eagles at Veterans Stadium. From their inception, they lost 20 consecutive games in which the temperature at kickoff was below 40°F (4°C). The streak was ended in the final week of the 2002 regular season, when they beat the Bears at Champaign. The only dubious streak which remains as of 2006 is the fact that the Buccaneers are the only team in the NFL without a kickoff return for a touchdown. Before the start of the 2007 football season, the number of regular season kickoff returns stood at 1,851. The Buccaneers have scored touchdowns on five kickoff returns during pre-season games.
Records
* Matt Bryant's 62-yard, game-winning field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006 tied him for the third-longest field goal in NFL history. It also marked the second-longest game-winning field goal in NFL history.
* The Buccaneers are the first post-merger expansion team to win a division title, win a playoff game, and to host and play in a conference championship game. This was accomplished during the 1979 season.
* The Buccaneers are the first expansion team created since the AFL-NFL Merger to win a Super Bowl.
Distinctions
* The Buccaneers are the first team to win a Super Bowl in each of the following circumstances:
o after having lost at home on opening day (the Buccaneers lost to the New Orleans Saints in overtime)
o after having gained less than 100 yards rushing per game during the regular season
o after having been eliminated in the wild-card round of the prior season's playoffs
o having three interceptions returned for touchdowns
* The Buccaneers are the only team in the NFC South to have won a Super Bowl.
* Due to the long-term success of the Buccaneers in running the Cover 2 defense, it has become well known as the "Tampa 2".
* The Buccaneers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in both the final pro-football game played at Veterans Stadium, the Eagles' old facility, as well as the first regular season NFL game played in the Eagles' new facility, Lincoln Financial Field. The former was accomplished in the 2002 NFC Championship Game and the latter on the first MNF game of the 2003 season. Coincidentally, both games were won by 17 points.
* No team that has lost to the Buccaneers during the regular season has gone on to win the Super Bowl, often referred to as the Tampa Bay Curse.
* As of January 23, 2007, four members from Tony Dungy's coaching staff are head coaches of other NFL teams
o Herman Edwards for the Kansas City Chiefs (Assistant head coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
o Lovie Smith for the Chicago Bears (Linebackers coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
o Rod Marinelli for the Detroit Lions (Defensive line coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
o Mike Tomlin for the Pittsburgh Steelers (Defensive backs coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost all 14 games during the regular season. They stand as the only NFL team in the modern era to experience a winless regular season. In 1978, the season expanded to 16 games, however, no team has managed to finish 0-16. The Baltimore Colts went 0-8-1 in the strike-shortened 1982 season. A twenty-game road losing streak against AFC teams finally ended with a 17-10 victory over the Denver Broncos on December 26, 1993. In 1980 (against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium), the Buccaneers began a 27-game losing steak of games played outdoors on AstroTurf. It was not broken until 1995 when the team defeated the Eagles at Veterans Stadium. From their inception, they lost 20 consecutive games in which the temperature at kickoff was below 40°F (4°C). The streak was ended in the final week of the 2002 regular season, when they beat the Bears at Champaign. The only dubious streak which remains as of 2006 is the fact that the Buccaneers are the only team in the NFL without a kickoff return for a touchdown. Before the start of the 2007 football season, the number of regular season kickoff returns stood at 1,851. The Buccaneers have scored touchdowns on five kickoff returns during pre-season games.
Records
* Matt Bryant's 62-yard, game-winning field goal against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006 tied him for the third-longest field goal in NFL history. It also marked the second-longest game-winning field goal in NFL history.
* The Buccaneers are the first post-merger expansion team to win a division title, win a playoff game, and to host and play in a conference championship game. This was accomplished during the 1979 season.
* The Buccaneers are the first expansion team created since the AFL-NFL Merger to win a Super Bowl.
Distinctions
* The Buccaneers are the first team to win a Super Bowl in each of the following circumstances:
o after having lost at home on opening day (the Buccaneers lost to the New Orleans Saints in overtime)
o after having gained less than 100 yards rushing per game during the regular season
o after having been eliminated in the wild-card round of the prior season's playoffs
o having three interceptions returned for touchdowns
* The Buccaneers are the only team in the NFC South to have won a Super Bowl.
* Due to the long-term success of the Buccaneers in running the Cover 2 defense, it has become well known as the "Tampa 2".
* The Buccaneers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in both the final pro-football game played at Veterans Stadium, the Eagles' old facility, as well as the first regular season NFL game played in the Eagles' new facility, Lincoln Financial Field. The former was accomplished in the 2002 NFC Championship Game and the latter on the first MNF game of the 2003 season. Coincidentally, both games were won by 17 points.
* No team that has lost to the Buccaneers during the regular season has gone on to win the Super Bowl, often referred to as the Tampa Bay Curse.
* As of January 23, 2007, four members from Tony Dungy's coaching staff are head coaches of other NFL teams
o Herman Edwards for the Kansas City Chiefs (Assistant head coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
o Lovie Smith for the Chicago Bears (Linebackers coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
o Rod Marinelli for the Detroit Lions (Defensive line coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
o Mike Tomlin for the Pittsburgh Steelers (Defensive backs coach under Dungy at Tampa Bay)
Miami Dolphins
History, Mascot and Uniforms
The Miami Dolphins were founded by Joe Robbie in 1966. The Dolphins were a part of the AFL league between 1966 and 1969. In 1970 the Dolphins became a part of what is known today as the NFL. The Miami Dolphins play at Pro Player Stadium.
Mariners, Marauders, Mustangs, Missiles, Monns, Sharks, Suns. None of those names suggested to the AFL expansion franchise in 1965 could raise a fin to the runaway winner. "Dolphins" was submitted by 622 entrants in a contest which attracted 19,843 entries and more than a thousand different names. The dozen finalists were delivered to a seven member screening committee of local media.
On Friday, April 18, 1997, the first "official" mascot of the Miami Dolphins was introduced. The winning entry, was announced at the annual Dolphins Awards Banquet on June 4, 1997.
The club had a live dolphin, "Flipper", who was situated in a fish tank in the open end of the Orange Bowl during the team's early years, and "Dolfan Denny", has prowled the sidelines for many seasons. However, this marks the first time the club actually has an official mascot, one who participates in many of the team's programs in addition to his game-day activities.
Uniforms
In 1997, dark blue was added to the logo and uniforms as an accent color. The hashmarks around the perimeters of logo's sunburst were removed, while the dolphin's features were accentuated. The Dolphins also changed from numbers outlined in orange to drop-shadow numbers.
In 2005 and 2006, the Dolphins wore the all-white combination. From 2000 through 2004, the Dolphins usually wore all-white at home and aqua pants with white jerseys on the road under former coach Dave Wannstedt (2000-2004) and interim coach Jim Bates (2004).
On three occasions, the Dolphins have worn an all-aqua combination for prime-time games: defeating the Chicago Bears in 2002, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2003, and defeating the Cleveland Browns in 2004.
In February 2007, it was announced that the Dolphins would make slight alterations to their uniforms. The navy blue outline on the Dolphins numbers will be thinned in hopes of making them easier to read for viewers. Despite this news and contrary to rumors, the Dolphins have no plans to change the team's logo.
Seattle Seahawks
On June 15, 1972, Seattle Professional Football Inc., a group of
Since then #12
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team. The team plays its home games in San Francisco, California, while the club's headquarters and practice facility are located in Santa Clara, California. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
The 49ers began play in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and joined the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC merged into the older league. The team currently shares the record for most Super Bowl victories (five) with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys, and is the only team with two or more appearances in the Super Bowl to remain undefeated in the championship game. The 49ers teams of the 1980s and early 1990s are considered to be among the greatest teams in NFL history. Many of the NFL's greatest players (including Joe Montana, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott, and Jerry Rice) played for the 49ers during this period.
The 49ers began play in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and joined the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC merged into the older league. The team currently shares the record for most Super Bowl victories (five) with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys, and is the only team with two or more appearances in the Super Bowl to remain undefeated in the championship game. The 49ers teams of the 1980s and early 1990s are considered to be among the greatest teams in NFL history. Many of the NFL's greatest players (including Joe Montana, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott, and Jerry Rice) played for the 49ers during this period.
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Sports Curse
The San Diego Sports Curse or simply the San Diego Curse, is a mythical explanation for San Diego's inability to win a Super Bowl (the San Diego Chargers), World Series, NBA Finals or any other major league sports championship in the United States.
Because of the lack of a championship, and the city's population, San Diego has the distinction of being the largest city in the United States to have never won a Major League Sports championship. Furthermore, San Diego has one of largest sports championship droughts in all of the United States, only winning the AFL championship in 1963.
Unlike other "curses" that seem to strike particular teams (the Boston Red Sox's Curse of the Bambino, the Chicago White Sox's Curse of the Black Sox – both of which seem to have been lifted, and the Chicago Cubs' Curse of the Billy Goat), this evil is said to have struck all professional teams in the city and county of San Diego (much like Philadelphia's Curse of Billy Penn). Neither the San Diego Padres nor the San Diego Chargers has ever won a championship. Nor has any other major sports team that has resided in San Diego (the Clippers and the Rockets) done so while located there.
The cause of the curse is unknown although one explanation offered for the curse is the trade of wideout Lance Alworth to the Dallas Cowboys, which is similar to the Boston Red Sox Curse of the Bambino, as the flip side of the curse was the Cowboy's success after the sale, from becoming a team that seemed to be a perennial loser in championship games over the previous five seasons (the Ice Bowl, Super Bowl V) to a team that won the Super Bowl during his first season in Dallas (and has won 5 Super Bowls overall), as well as the distinction of being "America's Team", while the Chargers were sent into a huge championship drought, although that wouldn't explain why all San Diego teams are cursed.
No official name has been established by anyone for all of San Diego's misery and heartbreak, hence the name San Diego Sports Curse.
Saint Louis Rams
Last 20 Years of Post-season Games
2004 NFC Wildcard Game: won 27 - 20 at Seattle SeahawksHere's how the Saint Louis Rams have performed in post-season play since 1987.
NFC Divisional Playoff: lost 17 - 47 at Atlanta Falcons
2003 NFC Divisional Playoff: lost 23 - 29 vs. Carolina Panthers
2001 NFC Divisional Playoff: won 45 - 17 vs. Green Bay Packers
NFC Championship Game: won 29 - 24 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl: lost 17 - 20 vs. New England Patriots
2000 NFC Wildcard Game: lost 28 - 31 at New Orleans Saints
1999 NFC Divisional Playoff: won 49 - 37 vs. Minnesota Vikings
NFC Championship Game: won 11 - 6 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Super Bowl: won 23 - 16 at Tennessee Titans
1989 NFC Wildcard Game: won 21 - 7 at Philadelphia Eagles
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 19 - 13 at New York Giants
NFC Championship Game: lost 3 - 30 at San Francisco 49ers
1988 NFC Wildcard Game: lost 17 - 28 at Minnesota Vikings
All time post-season record: 19 - 24
Carolina Panthers
Fierce Rivals
The teams considered to be the Panthers' fiercest rivals are the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both in the NFC South along with Carolina. The rivalry with Atlanta dates back to 1995, when both teams were in the NFC West, and made a resurgence in 2005 after the Panthers won twice over the Falcons, turning the tide in what was considered to be a one-sided rivalry, given the Falcons' success over the Panthers in preceding years. The rivalry with Tampa intensified during 2003, when the Panthers blocked an extra point at the end of a Week 2 matchup that would have given the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a win. The Panthers went on to win the game in overtime, 12-9.
The team also has lesser rivalries with fellow NFC South members New Orleans Saints, and former NFC West foes San Francisco, and St. Louis
Some Panthers fans have begun to suggest the Dallas Cowboys as a particular foil for Carolina. This is due to a few contested or humiliating defeats dealt to Carolina by Dallas, including a game in 2005 where Steve Smith was ejected for touching a Ref and a field-goal block was reversed by a dubious penalty, leading to a Dallas touchdown. This late-season loss led to Carolina being a wild card in the playoffs, not a division champion. Also, Dallas won 35-14 with a huge number of unanswered points on the higher-profile NBC Sunday Night Football in 2006. Dallas fans think of the Panthers as rivals because the Panthers have knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs twice. It should also be noted that before their 1996 playoff match-up vs. the Dallas Cowboys, then Dallas coach Barry Switzer claimed to not know where Charlotte is located.
Some also considered the Jacksonville Jaguars to be their AFC rival since both of these teams came into the NFL in 1995. The Panthers first pre-season game was against the Jaguars, which the Panthers won.
Along with the Detroit Lions, the New Orleans Saints, the Cleveland Browns, the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars they are one of the only six teams to have never participated in a Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles
2006 in Review
Things started well for the Philadelphia Eagles as they won their season opener on the road against the Houston Texans as Donovan McNabb returned to throw three touchdown passes in a solid 24-10 win. A week later the Eagles appeared to be cruising to 2-0 as they held a 24-7 lead in the 4th Quarter against the New York Giants. However, the Giants rallied to force overtime behind 17-unaswered points, as the Eagles defense allowed 371 yards passing to Eli Manning who hit Plaxico Burress on a 31-yard TD pass in overtime to deliver the Giants a 30-24 win.
The loss to the Giants would be a mere bump in the world as they would win their next three games, with McNabb topping nearing 300 yards in each game with the Eagles scoring 31 or more, which included 38-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys, in T.O.'s return to Philadelphia. The winning streak would come to an end in New Orleans, as the Eagles lost another last second heartbreaker 27-24 on a Field Goal by John Carney as time expired.
A week later the Eagles would suffer as they were stunned by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-21 The Eagles would return home, but their struggles continued as they lost their third straight game to the Jacksonville Jaguars 13-6.
The Eagles would improve to 5-4 a week later by taking out their frustrations against the Washington Redskins in a dominant 27-3 win.
The Eagles would lost more than a football game as Donovan McNabb suffered a season ending knee injury in a 31-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
The Eagles fell below .500 a week later as the Eagles were hammered on the road in a Sunday Night Showdown with the Indianapolis Colts.
Even - Garcia led the way in three straight road wins over the Eagles bitter NFC East rival, including a 23-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day.
The Eagles closed with five straight wins clinching the division title with a 10-6 record after a 24-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
In the playoffs the Eagles faced the New York Giants for the third time, and this time it would be another nail bitter, as the Eagles held a 20-10 lead at the start of the 4th Quarter only to see the Giants rally to tie the game - the Eagles won.
The Eagles advanced to the Divisional Round where they landed in another rematch of a frustrating regular season loss as they faced the New Orleans Saints on the road. The Eagles gave their fans something to cheer about early as Sheldon Brown laid a devastating hit on Reggie Bush. It was a struggle for the Eagles who cut the lead to 27-24, but could not get any closer.
After the season, in a move that stunned their fans, the Eagles would not re-sign Jeff Garcia, allowing him to sign a free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Oakland Raiders
2006 in Review
Art Shell's tenure as coach of the Oakland Raiders began as the Raiders were blanked 27-0 at home by the San Diego Chargers. Things did not get better-- the following week as the Raiders dropped to 0-2 with a 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on the road.
The Raiders would finally earn their first win against the Arizona Cardinals, who were just six days removed from a stunning 4th Quarter comeback, and obviously still in a hangover.
A week later the Raiders would take advantage of Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger playing with a concussion, as the Raiders defense returned two interceptions for Touchdowns highlighted by a 100-yard return from Chris Carr as they beat the defending Super Bowl Champions 20-13, despite a paltry 98 yards total offense.
A week later the Raiders were not as fortunate as they were blanked 16-0. In the waning moments of their loss to the Seattle Seahawks a television camera caught WR Randy Moss sulking on the bench.
Unfortunately for the once proud Raiders, it looked as if nobody cared as they lost their remaining games to finish the season at 2-14. They totaled just 168 points for the season, getting shutout three times, scoring 20 or more points just four times, with their highest scoring game being their 22-9 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Along the way the Raiders became the laughing stock of the NFL with their offensive coordinator Tom Walsh getting a bulk of the attention. Walsh would lose his job in the middle of the season as the return of Art Shell lasted just one season, with the Raiders hiring the youthful Lane Kiffin following the season. Randy Moss would also be shown the door, as the Raiders traded him to the New England Patriots for a 4th round draft pick
Tennessee Titans
The 2006 Season
When the season began the Tennessee Titans were a team looking toward the future as they were not expected to make a run for the playoffs, while the fans anticipated when QB Vince Young the 3rd overall pick would get his chance to play. Young would play sparingly in the first two games, before finally getting his chance to start in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. Young and the Titans would lose that game 45-14, as they got off to a 0-5 start. Young got his first win in Week 6 against the Washington Redskins, as the Titans overcame a 14-3 deficit, to win the game 25-22, before returning home the following week to beat the Houston Texans 28-22. However, there were still growing pains for the young Titans as they dropped their next two games and fell to 2-7. The Titans though would not end the season quietly as they stunned the Philadelphia Eagles 31-13 on the road, using the big play to win the games, as a 70-yard run by Travis Henry and a 90-yard punt return by Pacman Jones put the game out of reach in the 3rd Quarter. A week later the Titans came out flat as they trailed the New York Giants at home 21-0 in the 4th Quarter. However, the Titans would show fans that there was no quit in their team as they scored 24 unanswered points to stun the New York Giants 24-21, as Pacman Jones intercepted a pass by Eli Manning in the final minute to set the game winning field goal. The Titans used the momentum of that win to stun the Indianapolis Colts 20-17 the following week at LP Field as Rob Bironas nailed a game winning 60-yard field goal as time expired. A week later Vince Young returned to his hometown Houston to show Texans fans just what got away, leading the Titans to their fourth straight win with a 39-yard Touchdown run in overtime 26-20. Suddenly the Titans were the hottest team in football as they climbed to .500 with a 24-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The streak appeared to be on the verge of ending the following week as they trailed the Buffalo Bills 29-20 on the road in the 4th Quarter. However, the never say die Titans rallied again for a 30-29 win with Bironas again kicking the game winner. With an outside chance of making the playoffs the Titans ended the season with a game against the New England Patriots. However, the Pats looking to finish the season strong jumped out to a big lead and never looked back, as the Titans finished the season with an 8-8 record, as Vince Young was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, not all news was good news for the Titans, as Pacman Jones, would find himself in legal hot water for his involvement in a nightclub shooting in Las Vegas. With a history of arrests, Jones became the poster child for out of control NFL players, and was made an example of by Commissioner Roger Goodell who suspended him the entire 2007 season.
When the season began the Tennessee Titans were a team looking toward the future as they were not expected to make a run for the playoffs, while the fans anticipated when QB Vince Young the 3rd overall pick would get his chance to play. Young would play sparingly in the first two games, before finally getting his chance to start in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. Young and the Titans would lose that game 45-14, as they got off to a 0-5 start. Young got his first win in Week 6 against the Washington Redskins, as the Titans overcame a 14-3 deficit, to win the game 25-22, before returning home the following week to beat the Houston Texans 28-22. However, there were still growing pains for the young Titans as they dropped their next two games and fell to 2-7. The Titans though would not end the season quietly as they stunned the Philadelphia Eagles 31-13 on the road, using the big play to win the games, as a 70-yard run by Travis Henry and a 90-yard punt return by Pacman Jones put the game out of reach in the 3rd Quarter. A week later the Titans came out flat as they trailed the New York Giants at home 21-0 in the 4th Quarter. However, the Titans would show fans that there was no quit in their team as they scored 24 unanswered points to stun the New York Giants 24-21, as Pacman Jones intercepted a pass by Eli Manning in the final minute to set the game winning field goal. The Titans used the momentum of that win to stun the Indianapolis Colts 20-17 the following week at LP Field as Rob Bironas nailed a game winning 60-yard field goal as time expired. A week later Vince Young returned to his hometown Houston to show Texans fans just what got away, leading the Titans to their fourth straight win with a 39-yard Touchdown run in overtime 26-20. Suddenly the Titans were the hottest team in football as they climbed to .500 with a 24-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The streak appeared to be on the verge of ending the following week as they trailed the Buffalo Bills 29-20 on the road in the 4th Quarter. However, the never say die Titans rallied again for a 30-29 win with Bironas again kicking the game winner. With an outside chance of making the playoffs the Titans ended the season with a game against the New England Patriots. However, the Pats looking to finish the season strong jumped out to a big lead and never looked back, as the Titans finished the season with an 8-8 record, as Vince Young was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, not all news was good news for the Titans, as Pacman Jones, would find himself in legal hot water for his involvement in a nightclub shooting in Las Vegas. With a history of arrests, Jones became the poster child for out of control NFL players, and was made an example of by Commissioner Roger Goodell who suspended him the entire 2007 season.
New York Jets
Originally known as the New York Titans, the team played home games at the Polo Grounds. But they had trouble attracting crowds despite fielding respectable teams that finished .500 (7–7) during their first two seasons. After a 5–9 season in 1962, the team's future was in doubt. It was saved from bankruptcy by a group headed by MCA head Sonny Werblin and Leon Hess, who bought the team from Harry Wismer on March 13, 1964.
After Werblin and Hess took over, the team was renamed the New York Jets as they planned to relocate from the Polo Grounds to the New York Mets' Shea Stadium one year later. Shea Stadium lies so close to LaGuardia Airport that the sound of jets roaring overhead was a common sound heard during games played there. The team's colors were also changed from blue and gold to kelly green and white, which also were the colors of Hess' gasoline stations.
Exactly one month after the sale of the team, the Jets hired Weeb Ewbank as head coach. Ewbank had won back-to-back NFL championships in 1958 and 1959 with the Baltimore Colts, and was one of the most respected coaches in the game.
Hess eventually bought out his partners, and retained sole ownership until his death. His estate sold the team to Johnson & Johnson heir Robert Wood Johnson IV in 2000.
On January 7, 2007, the Jets played rival AFC East champion New England Patriots. The Jets had both beaten and lost to the Patriots in the regular season. While the Jets took an early 10-7 lead after a field goal and a 77-yard touchdown catch and run by Jerricho Cotchery,which was the second longest pass play in wild card history, the Jets were not able to score another touchdown, and the Patriots closed out the game after two turnovers by the Jets offense. The Jets postseason ended with a 37-16 loss. One notable aspect of the game was the rivalry between Patriot head coach Bill Belichick and Jet head coach Eric Mangini. The two were not on good terms, and their relationship was widely publicized before the game. Regardless, at games end, the two embraced.
After Werblin and Hess took over, the team was renamed the New York Jets as they planned to relocate from the Polo Grounds to the New York Mets' Shea Stadium one year later. Shea Stadium lies so close to LaGuardia Airport that the sound of jets roaring overhead was a common sound heard during games played there. The team's colors were also changed from blue and gold to kelly green and white, which also were the colors of Hess' gasoline stations.
Exactly one month after the sale of the team, the Jets hired Weeb Ewbank as head coach. Ewbank had won back-to-back NFL championships in 1958 and 1959 with the Baltimore Colts, and was one of the most respected coaches in the game.
Hess eventually bought out his partners, and retained sole ownership until his death. His estate sold the team to Johnson & Johnson heir Robert Wood Johnson IV in 2000.
On January 7, 2007, the Jets played rival AFC East champion New England Patriots. The Jets had both beaten and lost to the Patriots in the regular season. While the Jets took an early 10-7 lead after a field goal and a 77-yard touchdown catch and run by Jerricho Cotchery,which was the second longest pass play in wild card history, the Jets were not able to score another touchdown, and the Patriots closed out the game after two turnovers by the Jets offense. The Jets postseason ended with a 37-16 loss. One notable aspect of the game was the rivalry between Patriot head coach Bill Belichick and Jet head coach Eric Mangini. The two were not on good terms, and their relationship was widely publicized before the game. Regardless, at games end, the two embraced.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team located in Jacksonville, Florida. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Jaguars, along with the Carolina Panthers, joined the NFL as expansion teams in 1995. Jacksonville is one of six teams, including the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and the New Orleans Saints, never to have played in a Super Bowl.
Work in the community
The Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation was established in 1995, when the franchise deal was first announced. Since then, the Foundation has given over $6 million to area efforts in community improvement. In recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on youth programs, such as Honor Rows and Fresh Futures. The Jaguars also have a program called Playbooks, which is designed to help stop illiteracy.
Radio and television
Since the first 1995 season, the Jaguars' flagship radio station has been WOKV.
For 2007, WOKV now simulcasts on both AM 690 and on 106.5 FM. Brian Sexton, a past contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, is the play-by-play announcer and Jeff Lageman is the color analyst and WOKV's Sports Director Cole Pepper serves as the pre-game and post-game show host with former Oakland Raider Pete Banaszak serving as post-game analyst. During preseason games, telecasts not seen nationwide are on WTEV channel 47, the CBS affiliate. In 2006, the announcers were Curt Menefee and Tony Boselli.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints are currently champions of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
The Saints were founded in 1967, as a result of the AFL-NFL Merger, for which legislation was helped pass in Congress by the Louisiana contingent of Senators and Representatives. Louisiana was rewarded for its lobbying with an NFL franchise, which can be considered a direct result of the existence of the rival American Football League (AFL 1960 - 1969) and the subsequent merger of the NFL with the AFL. They went more than a decade before they managed to finish a season with a .500 record and two decades before having a winning season. The teams first successful years were from 1987-1992, when the team made the playoffs four times and had winning records in the non-playoff seasons. In the 2000 season, the Saints defeated the then defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams for the team's first playoff win.
The Saints' home stadium is the Louisiana Superdome. The team has played its home games in the "dome" since 1975. However, due to damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to the New Orleans area, the Saints' 2005 home opener was played at Giants Stadium, the home stadium of their opponent, the New York Giants. The remainder of their 2005 home games were split between the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a $185 million renovation of the historic stadium, the team returned to the Superdome for the 2006 season. The team played its 2006 home opener in front of a sold-out crowd and national television audience on September 25, 2006, defeating its NFC South rival, the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 23-3. The victory received a 2007 ESPY award for "Best Moment in Sports."
The Saints are one of six teams (joined by the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions) to never to have played in a Super Bowl. The Saints did qualify for the NFC Championship Game on January 13, 2007, after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 27-24 in the divisional round of the playoffs. They are the first team in NFL history to reach a conference championship after losing 13 or more games the previous season. They suffered a 39-14 loss the following week to the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship.
The Saints were founded in 1967, as a result of the AFL-NFL Merger, for which legislation was helped pass in Congress by the Louisiana contingent of Senators and Representatives. Louisiana was rewarded for its lobbying with an NFL franchise, which can be considered a direct result of the existence of the rival American Football League (AFL 1960 - 1969) and the subsequent merger of the NFL with the AFL. They went more than a decade before they managed to finish a season with a .500 record and two decades before having a winning season. The teams first successful years were from 1987-1992, when the team made the playoffs four times and had winning records in the non-playoff seasons. In the 2000 season, the Saints defeated the then defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams for the team's first playoff win.
The Saints' home stadium is the Louisiana Superdome. The team has played its home games in the "dome" since 1975. However, due to damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to the New Orleans area, the Saints' 2005 home opener was played at Giants Stadium, the home stadium of their opponent, the New York Giants. The remainder of their 2005 home games were split between the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a $185 million renovation of the historic stadium, the team returned to the Superdome for the 2006 season. The team played its 2006 home opener in front of a sold-out crowd and national television audience on September 25, 2006, defeating its NFC South rival, the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 23-3. The victory received a 2007 ESPY award for "Best Moment in Sports."
The Saints are one of six teams (joined by the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions) to never to have played in a Super Bowl. The Saints did qualify for the NFC Championship Game on January 13, 2007, after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 27-24 in the divisional round of the playoffs. They are the first team in NFL history to reach a conference championship after losing 13 or more games the previous season. They suffered a 39-14 loss the following week to the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, nicknamed the "Pats" by sports writers and fans, are a professional American football team based in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The owners changed the name from the original Boston Patriots after relocating the team to Foxborough in 1971.
An original member of the American Football League (AFL), the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of those leagues. The team advanced to the playoffs four times before appearing in Super Bowl XX in January 1986, losing to the Chicago Bears. The team also appeared in Super Bowl XXXI in 1997, losing to the Green Bay Packers.
Between 2000 and 2005, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history (after the Dallas Cowboys) to win three Super Bowls in four years (Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX), and the eighth (and to date, most recent) to win consecutive Super Bowls. Their success in the early part of the decade has prompted many to dub the team as a modern NFL dynasty.
Super Bowl Wins 2000 - 2005
Baltimore Ravens 2000
Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots 2001
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002
Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots 2003 and 2004
Pittsburgh Steelers 2005
An original member of the American Football League (AFL), the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of those leagues. The team advanced to the playoffs four times before appearing in Super Bowl XX in January 1986, losing to the Chicago Bears. The team also appeared in Super Bowl XXXI in 1997, losing to the Green Bay Packers.
Between 2000 and 2005, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history (after the Dallas Cowboys) to win three Super Bowls in four years (Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX), and the eighth (and to date, most recent) to win consecutive Super Bowls. Their success in the early part of the decade has prompted many to dub the team as a modern NFL dynasty.
Super Bowl Wins 2000 - 2005
Baltimore Ravens 2000
Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots 2001
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002
Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots 2003 and 2004
Pittsburgh Steelers 2005
Minnesota Vikings
What's been happening 2000 - 2007
In 2000, the Minnesota Vikings went 11-5. The Vikings were 11-2 after 14 weeks, but slumped briefly, losing their last three to the Rams, Packers and Colts while starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper was hampered by injury. Nonetheless, the Vikings made the playoffs for the fifth straight year. After easily beating the Saints in the Divisional game 34-16, they were humiliated 41-0 by the New York Giants in the Conference Championship. Robert Smith, who ran for a team record 1,521 yards (1,391 m) and 7 touchdowns, retired at the end of the year after only playing eight NFL seasons.
In 2001, after a disappointing 5-11 season, the Vikings bought out the contract of Dennis Green, who had become a polarizing presence in the Viking fan base despite his successful coaching tenure with the team. Mike Tice coached the final game of 2001, losing to the Baltimore Ravens.
During the 2003 season, the Vikings came close to getting into the playoffs. However, the Arizona Cardinals completed a game winning touchdown with 0:00 left knocking the Vikings out of the playoffs.
Mike Tice was named the permanent head coach after the 2001 season. Under Tice the Vikings did not return to the playoffs until 2004.
In 2004, Daunte Culpepper amassed MVP-like statistics, throwing for 4,717 passing yards (leading the NFL), 39 passing touchdowns (a Viking record), and 5,123 total yards (an NFL record). In the wild card matchup, the Vikings defeated the rival Green Bay Packers in their first-ever playoff meeting, 31-17. In doing so, the Vikings became the second team in NFL history to have a .500 record (8-8) in the regular season and win a playoff game. In the divisional round, the Vikings were defeated by the eventual NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. The game was noted for Viking penalties, turnovers, and other miscues.
Tice was let go after the 2005 season and was replaced by Brad Childress.
Minnesota began the 2006 season 4-2 (and Childress becoming the first coach in Vikings history to start 2-0 in his first year), but would finish the year at 6-10, tying for the 7th worst record in the NFL and receiving the 7th pick in the NFL Draft; with it, the Vikings selected Adrian Peterson out of the University of Oklahoma.
Kansas City Chiefs
Culture and Traditions
The Chiefs Radio Network
Since the 1989 season, KCFX, a.k.a "101 The FOX", has broadcast Chiefs games from the site of the games under the moniker of "The Chiefs Radio Network." Mitch Holthus acts as play-by-play announcer as Super Bowl IV MVP Len Dawson acts as color commentator. Bob Gretz gives updates from the field, as well as pre-game and post-game commentary. Legendary Chiefs broadcaster Bill Grigsby adds memories and perspective on game day. Mitch Holthus replaced Kevin Harlan, who had left the Chiefs Radio Network in 1994.
The Chiefs Radio Network has extended its broadcast rights to Chiefs game through the 2009 season. The current relationship between 101 the Fox and the Kansas City Chiefs represents the longest standing relationship in the NFL with an FM station. The Chiefs Radio Network extends throughout the six-state region of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, with over 60 affiliate stations, as well as an online stream of the broadcast on the internet.
Mascots
The mascot during the team's glory years at Municipal Stadium and until 1989 was the beautiful pinto horse named Warpaint. During its heyday, the first Warpaint (born 1955) was ridden bareback by rider Bob Johnson who wore full Indian headdress. Warpaint circled the field at the beginning of the game and then did a victory "dance" at each touchdown. The Chiefs are reportedly considering bringing Warpaint back in the near future.
In 1989 Warpaint was replaced by K.C. Wolf which is a man dressed in a wolf costume. K.C. Wolf was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame (MHOF) in 2006. He is nicknamed the 'Grand Daddy" of NFL mascots and he has averaged 350-400 appearances per year for the past 14 years.
Training Camp
Since 1991 the Chiefs have conducted summer training camp at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in River Falls, Wisconsin.
When the team was in Dallas, they held summer practice at Southern Methodist University, Lamar Hunt's alma mater. From 1966 to 1971, the Chiefs practiced in downtown Kansas City for training camp, and from 1972 to 1991 the Chiefs held camp at William Jewell College in Clay County, Missouri—where Lamar Hunt had extensive business dealings including Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun and SubTropolis.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Texans joined the NFL as a 2002 expansion team. The city's previous franchise, the Houston Oilers, moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1997, changing their name to the Tennessee Titans in 1999.
Traditions
* Battle Red Day - On Battle Red Day the team wears the red alternate jerseys and fans are encouraged to wear red to the game.* Bull Pen - The sections behind the north end zone of Reliant Stadium are known as the Bull Pen. Like the "Dawg Pound" in Cleveland, the most avid fans attend games in the Bull Pen and regular members have helped create and implement fan traditions, songs and chants.
* Bull Pen Pep Band - 45-member musical group that performs at all Houston Texans home games.
Indianapolis Colts Trivia
The Colts' Lombardi Trophy from Super Bowl V is reportedly in the possession of Georgia Frontiere, owner of the St. Louis Rams. Frontiere's late husband, former Colts' owner Carroll Rosenbloom, swapped franchises in 1972 with Rams' owner Robert Irsay but managed to keep possession of the Super Bowl trophy by "borrowing" it and simply neglecting to return it. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle authorized a replacement trophy for the Colts, but the Colts lost possession of this trophy in 1986 when, as part of the legal settlement following the Colts' move to Indianapolis, the replacement trophy was awarded to the city of Baltimore.
The Indianapolis Colts are one of eight "dome teams" in the NFL, and in 2007 became the first such team to win a Super Bowl since the 1999 St. Louis Rams, and the first ever to win one in an outdoor stadium.
The Colts are the only team in the AFC South to have won a Super Bowl.
All three of the Colts Super Bowl appearances have been in Miami.
No Colt has won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Before Colts home games between 2004 and 2006, the RCA Dome monitors displayed the warriors from the final battle in the film Braveheart which features warriors with their faces painted blue with woad screaming and shouting, while the Dome crowd joins in. In 2007 the footage was changed to a scene from the film 300 with a similar motif.
At the start of the 2007 season the Indianapolis Colts franchise is 8 games under .500(including playoffs).
(from wikipedia.org)
The Indianapolis Colts are one of eight "dome teams" in the NFL, and in 2007 became the first such team to win a Super Bowl since the 1999 St. Louis Rams, and the first ever to win one in an outdoor stadium.
The Colts are the only team in the AFC South to have won a Super Bowl.
All three of the Colts Super Bowl appearances have been in Miami.
No Colt has won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Before Colts home games between 2004 and 2006, the RCA Dome monitors displayed the warriors from the final battle in the film Braveheart which features warriors with their faces painted blue with woad screaming and shouting, while the Dome crowd joins in. In 2007 the footage was changed to a scene from the film 300 with a similar motif.
At the start of the 2007 season the Indianapolis Colts franchise is 8 games under .500(including playoffs).
(from wikipedia.org)
Denver Broncos
Home field
For most of their history the Denver Broncos played in Mile High Stadium, which became one of the shrines of professional football for its record ongoing streak of sell-outs: every game from 1970 to 2006, with the exception of two replacement games during the 1987 strike (but both were sold out before the strike), for a total of 299 games, including post-seasons. The stadium's legendary home-field advantage is regarded as one of the best in the NFL, especially during the post-season. The Broncos have had the best home record in pro football over the past 32 years (1974-2006, 191-65-1). Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL's loudest stadiums, with steel flooring instead of concrete, which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents. Since 2001, they have played at Invesco Field at Mile High, built next to the former site of the since demolished old Mile High Stadium. Sportswriter Woody Paige, along with many of Denver's fans, however, often refuse to call the new stadium by its full name, preferring to use Mile High Stadium because of its storied history and sentimental import.
The Colorado altitude has also been attributed as part of the team's home success. The stadium displays multiple references to the stadium's location of 5,280 ft. (1 mile) above sea level, including a prominent mural just outside the visiting team’s locker room. Many believe the physical and mental aspects of competing athletically with less air to breathe affects the performance of visiting teams.
Tragedies in early 2007
Cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed around 2 a.m on West 11th Avenue and Speer Boulevard in downtown Denver on January 1, 2007. He was in a Hummer H2 limousine.
Team spokesman Jim Saccomano said police called him about 2 A.M. from the scene and told him three people had been shot, and the 24-year-old Williams had been killed. His death came hours after the Denver Broncos were eliminated from the playoff race.
A little after 2 A.M., a white Hummer limousine was fired on from a white 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe that pulled up along its side, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. As many as a dozen bullet holes were visible on the driver's side of the vehicle. One window was blown out and four others had bullet holes. Javon Walker was also in the limousine but he was not injured. Brandon Flowers and Nicole Reindl were injured but not killed.
Williams was the second starting corner for Denver, playing with Champ Bailey and others in the Denver secondary. In his 2 year career, he had 1 sack and 6 interceptions, returning 2 of them for touchdowns. He was a second round pick in the 2005 draft out of Oklahoma State University. He started 9 games in his rookie year, most in franchise history for a rookie CB.
A mere 50 days after the fatal shooting, running back Damien Nash collapsed and died suddenly on February 24, 2007, following a charity basketball game in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Cause of death is yet to be determined.
(from wikipedia.org)
For most of their history the Denver Broncos played in Mile High Stadium, which became one of the shrines of professional football for its record ongoing streak of sell-outs: every game from 1970 to 2006, with the exception of two replacement games during the 1987 strike (but both were sold out before the strike), for a total of 299 games, including post-seasons. The stadium's legendary home-field advantage is regarded as one of the best in the NFL, especially during the post-season. The Broncos have had the best home record in pro football over the past 32 years (1974-2006, 191-65-1). Mile High Stadium was one of the NFL's loudest stadiums, with steel flooring instead of concrete, which may have given the Broncos an advantage over opponents. Since 2001, they have played at Invesco Field at Mile High, built next to the former site of the since demolished old Mile High Stadium. Sportswriter Woody Paige, along with many of Denver's fans, however, often refuse to call the new stadium by its full name, preferring to use Mile High Stadium because of its storied history and sentimental import.
The Colorado altitude has also been attributed as part of the team's home success. The stadium displays multiple references to the stadium's location of 5,280 ft. (1 mile) above sea level, including a prominent mural just outside the visiting team’s locker room. Many believe the physical and mental aspects of competing athletically with less air to breathe affects the performance of visiting teams.
Tragedies in early 2007
Cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed around 2 a.m on West 11th Avenue and Speer Boulevard in downtown Denver on January 1, 2007. He was in a Hummer H2 limousine.
Team spokesman Jim Saccomano said police called him about 2 A.M. from the scene and told him three people had been shot, and the 24-year-old Williams had been killed. His death came hours after the Denver Broncos were eliminated from the playoff race.
A little after 2 A.M., a white Hummer limousine was fired on from a white 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe that pulled up along its side, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. As many as a dozen bullet holes were visible on the driver's side of the vehicle. One window was blown out and four others had bullet holes. Javon Walker was also in the limousine but he was not injured. Brandon Flowers and Nicole Reindl were injured but not killed.
Williams was the second starting corner for Denver, playing with Champ Bailey and others in the Denver secondary. In his 2 year career, he had 1 sack and 6 interceptions, returning 2 of them for touchdowns. He was a second round pick in the 2005 draft out of Oklahoma State University. He started 9 games in his rookie year, most in franchise history for a rookie CB.
A mere 50 days after the fatal shooting, running back Damien Nash collapsed and died suddenly on February 24, 2007, following a charity basketball game in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Cause of death is yet to be determined.
(from wikipedia.org)
Atlanta Falcons
Logo and Uniforms
When the team debuted in 1966, the Atlanta Falcons wore red helmets with a black falcon crest logo. They wore white pants and either black or white jerseys. At first, the falcon crest logo was also put on the jersey sleeves, but it was replaced by a red and white stripe pattern four year later. They switched from black to red jerseys in 1971, and the club began to wear silver pants in 1978.
A prototype white helmet was developed for the team prior to the 1974 season, but never worn.
In 1990, the uniform design changed to black helmets, silver pants, and either black or white jerseys. The numbers on the white jerseys were black, but were changed to red in 1997. (The red numerals could be seen on the away jerseys briefly in 1990.)
Both the logo and uniforms changed in 2003. The logo was redesigned with red and silver accents to depict a more powerful, aggressive falcon, which now more closely resembles the capital letter F. Although the Falcons still wore black helmets, the new uniforms featured jerseys and pants with red trim down the sides. The uniform design consisted of either black or white jerseys, and either black or white pants. During that same year, a red alternate jersey with black trim was also introduced. The Falcons also started wearing black cleats with these uniforms.
In 2004, the red jerseys became the primary jerseys, and the black ones became the alternate, primarily wearing white pants with the white jerseys and white pants with the red jerseys. The Falcons also in select road games wear black pants with white jerseys. In the past three seasons, the Falcons wore an all-black combination for home games against their archrivals, the New Orleans Saints, winning the first two contests (24-21 in 2004 and 36-17 in 2005), but losing 31-13 in 2006. They wore the combination again in 2006, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. The Falcons won that game as well, 14-3.
In the 1980s the Falcons primarily wore their white uniforms at home mainly to gain an advantage due to the heat and humidity of Atlanta's climate. When the team moved indoors, the Falcons switched to wearing their dark uniforms at home. The Falcons have worn white at home a few times since moving indoors. In 2002, the Falcons wore white at home for a game against the Bengals. In 2003, the Falcons wore white for a game against the Panthers.
(from wikipedia.org)
Dallas Cowboys
An article on Forbes Magazine's website, published September 13, 2007, lists the Dallas Cowboys as the most valuable sports team on the planet, with an estimated value of approximately $1.5 billion, ahead of the Washington Redskins ($1.467 billion) and the New England Patriots ($1.199 billion). They are also one of the wealthiest teams in the NFL, generating almost $250 million in annual revenue.
The Cowboys are one of the most successful teams of the modern era (1960 and beyond.) They hold league records for most consecutive winning seasons (20, from 1966 to 1985) and most seasons with at least 10 wins (24). The team has earned the most post-season appearances (28, which includes another league record of 54 post-season games, winning 32 of them), the most appearances in the NFC Championship Game (14), and the most Super Bowl appearances (9), two more than any other NFL team. The Cowboys also played in 2 NFL championship games before the NFL's 1970 merger with the American Football League. The Cowboys became the first team in NFL history to win 3 Super Bowls in just 4 years (a feat that has been matched only once since, by the New England Patriots). They are also tied with the San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers for having the most Super Bowl wins
The Cowboys are one of the most successful teams of the modern era (1960 and beyond.) They hold league records for most consecutive winning seasons (20, from 1966 to 1985) and most seasons with at least 10 wins (24). The team has earned the most post-season appearances (28, which includes another league record of 54 post-season games, winning 32 of them), the most appearances in the NFC Championship Game (14), and the most Super Bowl appearances (9), two more than any other NFL team. The Cowboys also played in 2 NFL championship games before the NFL's 1970 merger with the American Football League. The Cowboys became the first team in NFL history to win 3 Super Bowls in just 4 years (a feat that has been matched only once since, by the New England Patriots). They are also tied with the San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers for having the most Super Bowl wins
Thursday, September 13, 2007
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City metropolitan area. The team is headquartered, trains, and plays its home games at Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in the suburb of East Rutherford, New Jersey. They are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Giants were one of five teams that joined the NFL in 1925, but the only one admitted that year which still exists.
The Giants have won a total of six NFL titles—four in the pre Super Bowl era (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956) and two since the advent of the Super Bowl (Super Bowls XXI and XXV). During their history the Giants have featured 15 Hall of Fame players, including NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winners Mel Hein, Frank Gifford, Charlie Conerly, Y. A. Tittle, and Lawrence Taylor.
To distinguish itself from the professional baseball team of the same name, the football team was referred to as the New York Football Giants. Although the baseball team moved to San Francisco in 1957, the football team continues to use "New York Football Giants" as its legal corporate name. The team has also gained several nicknames, including "Big Blue", the "G-men", the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew", the "Jersey Giants", and the "Jints", a name seen frequently in the New York Post, originating from the baseball team when they were based in New York.
(from wikipedia.org)
The Giants have won a total of six NFL titles—four in the pre Super Bowl era (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956) and two since the advent of the Super Bowl (Super Bowls XXI and XXV). During their history the Giants have featured 15 Hall of Fame players, including NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winners Mel Hein, Frank Gifford, Charlie Conerly, Y. A. Tittle, and Lawrence Taylor.
To distinguish itself from the professional baseball team of the same name, the football team was referred to as the New York Football Giants. Although the baseball team moved to San Francisco in 1957, the football team continues to use "New York Football Giants" as its legal corporate name. The team has also gained several nicknames, including "Big Blue", the "G-men", the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew", the "Jersey Giants", and the "Jints", a name seen frequently in the New York Post, originating from the baseball team when they were based in New York.
(from wikipedia.org)
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo, New York, metropolitan area, playing their home games in the suburb of Orchard Park. They are currently members of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Bills began competitive play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League and joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL Merger.
The Bills won two consecutive AFL titles in 1964 and 1965, but the club has not won a championship since the merger. Buffalo is also the first and only team to win four consecutive American Football Conference Championships, though they failed to win any of the subsequent Super Bowls.
The Bills are named after Buffalo Bill Cody, the winning entry in a local contest. The Bills' cheerleaders are known as the Buffalo Jills. The official mascot is Billy Buffalo.
The Bills conduct summer training camp at Saint John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY.
They are currently the only NFL team to play their home games within New York State. Both the New York Jets and the New York Giants play in the suburb of East Rutherford, New Jersey outside of New York City.
(from wikipedia.org)
The Bills won two consecutive AFL titles in 1964 and 1965, but the club has not won a championship since the merger. Buffalo is also the first and only team to win four consecutive American Football Conference Championships, though they failed to win any of the subsequent Super Bowls.
The Bills are named after Buffalo Bill Cody, the winning entry in a local contest. The Bills' cheerleaders are known as the Buffalo Jills. The official mascot is Billy Buffalo.
The Bills conduct summer training camp at Saint John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY.
They are currently the only NFL team to play their home games within New York State. Both the New York Jets and the New York Giants play in the suburb of East Rutherford, New Jersey outside of New York City.
(from wikipedia.org)
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are the oldest continuous "professional" American football club in the
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are currently members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
The Packers are the last remaining example of the "small town teams" that comprised a majority of the NFL during the 1920s. Green Bay is by far the smallest media market to be the home of a North American major professional sports league team (though their fanbase includes Milwaukee, most of Wisconsin, and cheeseheads scattered throughout the United States and Canada).
Founded on August 11th, 1919 by former high school football rivals Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun as a new version of the semi-pro town teams that had been playing in Green Bay since 1896, the Packers turned professional. It joined the NFL in 1921.
Today, the team holds the record for most NFL league championships with 12: nine NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl era; three additional titles in 1966, 1967, 1996 after which they defeated the American Football League/American Football Conference champion in Super Bowl I, Super Bowl II and Super Bowl XXXI. The team has a fierce, long-standing rivalry with the Chicago Bears, whom they have played in over 170 games. The team also holds the distinction of winning the first two AFL-NFL Championship Games that were held before the AFL-NFL Merger, later referred to as Super Bowl I and II.
The Packers are currently the only non-profit, community owned major league professional sports team in the United States. Currently, a total of 4,750,925 shares are owned by 111,967 stockholders - none of whom receive any dividend.
(from wikipedia.org)
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions began play as the Portsmouth Spartans for the 1929 season, drawing players from defunct independent professional and semi-pro teams in the local Ohio-Kentucky-West Virginia tri-state area. They immediately made an impact by twice defeating the heralded Ironton Tanks, a nearby independent professional team who had regularly played NFL member teams since the early 1920s with considerable success. The successful 1929 season behind them, the Spartans gained full NFL membership for the 1930 season, managing a respectable 5-6-3 in league contests, while the rival Tanks became yet another casualty of the Great Depression.
Early highlights as the Portsmouth Spartans include the "iron man" game against Green Bay in 1932. In that game, Spartan coach Potsy Clark refused to make even a single substitution against the defending NFL champion Packers. Portsmouth won 19-0 and used only 11 players all game.
Also as the Portsmouth Spartans, the franchise played in an unscheduled NFL championship game against the Chicago Bears in 1932. The Spartans-Bears game was played because both teams ended the regular season with the same won-lost percentage (the Spartans finished at 6-1-4 while the Bears were 6-1-6; ties were not reckoned as part of the percentage in the NFL until 1972). Because of blizzard conditions in Chicago, the game was moved from Wrigley Field indoors to Chicago Stadium, which allowed for only an 80-yard field; some have called the contest the first arena football game. The Bears won, 9-0, and the resulting interest led to the establishment of Eastern and Western conferences and a regular championship game beginning in 1933.
Poor revenues and the Great Depression led to the team's move from Portsmouth to Detroit in 1934. That season, Detroit hosted its first ever Thanksgiving Day game, a tradition continued to this day.
Under quarterback Dutch Clark, Detroit won its first NFL championship in 1935.
(from wikipedia.org)
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). They are currently the National Football Conference Champions, after winning the 2006 NFC Championship Game.
The Bears have won nine Professional American Football league championships (eight NFL Championships and Super Bowl XX), trailing only the Green Bay Packers, who have twelve. The Bears have the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 26 members.
The club was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919 and moved to Chicago in 1921. The team played home games at Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side through the 1970 season. With the exception of the 2002 season, they have played their home games at Chicago's Soldier Field every year since 1971. The stadium is located next to Lake Michigan and was recently remodeled in a modernization intended to bring stadium amenities up-to-date while preserving a historic Chicago building. The team has a fierce, long-standing rivalry with the Packers, whom they have played in over 170 games.
The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is actually located in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois. The team practices at adjoining practice facilities there during the season. Currently, the team holds its annual training camp from late July to mid-August on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois.
Year founded: 1919
City Chicago, Illinois
Other nicknames Da Bears, The Monsters of the Midway
Team colors Navy Blue and Orange
Head Coach Lovie Smith
Owner Virginia Halas McCaskey
Chairman Michael McCaskey
General manager Jerry Angelo
Fight song "Bear Down, Chicago Bears"
Mascot Staley Da Bear
(from wikipedia.org)
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a rich history full of interesting ups and downs!
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Northern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC), in the National Football League (NFL). The Steelers are the oldest and most championed franchise in the AFC. The team has appeared in six Super Bowls and, along with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, is one of three teams to have won the Super Bowl five times. They have appeared in thirteen Conference Championship Games and have hosted more conference championship games than any other NFL franchise. They are the only team in NFL playoff history to win a Super Bowl after being seeded sixth in the playoffs, winning three consecutive games on the road followed by a Super Bowl XL victory in Detroit on February 5, 2006 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Originally named the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team joined the NFL in 1933 when owner Art Rooney, Sr. paid a US$2,500 franchise fee to the league. Prior to 1933, strict state blue laws had prevented sporting events from taking place on Sundays, when most NFL games were scheduled.
The team was renamed the Steelers in 1940, after the city's prominent steel industry. A fan suggested the name in a contest held by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the team.
(obtained from wikipedia.org)
Cleveland Browns
Did you know that the Cleveland Browns were earlier an AFC Team??
The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1946 under proprietor Arthur 'Mickey' McBride. A lover competition was conducted to decide the figure of the squad, with the almost favorite selection being "Panthers. " However, Coach Paul Brown objected to the figure as there was a semi-pro squad using it already. A second competition was held, and the figure "Browns" was selected. The manager was uneasy with the thought of having the squad named after him, but stated publicly that the original squad was named after boxing champ Joe Louis, who was known as the "Brown Bomber. " The Browns were exceedingly productive early into their creation, dominating the original All-America Football Conference, winning all four of its championships including the 1948 season in which they went undefeated and untied - 24 years before the NFL's 'best' ideal squad, the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Cleveland's unbeaten streak (including ties) reached 29 games including 18 consecutive wins.
In early 1998 the National Football League began its search for an owner for the reborn Browns, finding one later in the year in Al Lerner, a former limited partner of the original Browns and a friend of Art Modell who assisted in Modell's move to Baltimore. Lerner was the winning bidder against a number of others who sought the team, including cable TV magnates Charles Dolan and Larry Dolan, Cleveland real estate developer Bart Wolstein and New York developer Howard Milstein. During the period from 1996-1998 other franchises, such as Tampa Bay, threatened their home cities with the possibility of moving to Cleveland in order to put pressure on their respective cities to get more governmental funding for their own stadiums, despite the fact that the city of Cleveland asserted that it would not accept such an arrangement.
(0btained from wikipedia.org)
Cincinnati Bengals
Here's some great information for the Cincinnati Bengals as well. This is a recap of their Hall of Famers and retired/reserved numbers!
Pro Football Hall of Famers
Anthony Munoz, Multiple Pro-Bowl offensive tackle from 1980 - 1992
Paul Brown, Innovative head coach and owner.
Retired numbers
54 Bob Johnson Offensive lineman and first ever draft pick of the Bengals.
Reserved numbers
Although these jersey numbers were not officially retired, they are not used in regular season games as an unofficial tribute to the former players. Practice squad and pre-season players may use them.
After Esiason left the Bengals following the 1992 season, David Klingler wore #7. Boomer wore #7 after returning to the Bengals in 1997. No Bengal player has worn #7 until undrafted free-agent Jeff Smith signed with the Bengals this season..
13 Ken Riley
Worn by punter Dan Pope in 2000, but no other players since
14 Ken Anderson
69 Tim Krumrie
78 Anthony Munoz
(obtained from wikipedia.org)
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. They compete in the Northern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Ravens have won one Super Bowl title, Super Bowl XXXV, in the 2000 season against the New York Giants.
On November 6, 1995, then-Cleveland Browns proprietor Art Modell announced his intent to go the squad to Baltimore, citing the deficiency of Cleveland Stadium and the deficiency of an adequate successor along with his thick debt. The resolution triggered a flurry of lawful action that ended when representatives of Cleveland and the NFL reached a resolution on February 8, 1996. It stipulated that the Browns' figure, colors, and story of the dealership were to stay in Cleveland, including previous records and the attribution of its Pro Football Hall of Fame players. A reactivated Cleveland Browns squad would so start drama in 1999, while Modell's relocated nightclub would technically and lawfully be an enlargement squad, the Ravens. Still, some regard the Ravens and the pre-1995 Browns organization as one continual entity, using terms like "The Modell organization" or "Art Modell's dealership" to denote it.
On November 6, 1995, then-Cleveland Browns proprietor Art Modell announced his intent to go the squad to Baltimore, citing the deficiency of Cleveland Stadium and the deficiency of an adequate successor along with his thick debt. The resolution triggered a flurry of lawful action that ended when representatives of Cleveland and the NFL reached a resolution on February 8, 1996. It stipulated that the Browns' figure, colors, and story of the dealership were to stay in Cleveland, including previous records and the attribution of its Pro Football Hall of Fame players. A reactivated Cleveland Browns squad would so start drama in 1999, while Modell's relocated nightclub would technically and lawfully be an enlargement squad, the Ravens. Still, some regard the Ravens and the pre-1995 Browns organization as one continual entity, using terms like "The Modell organization" or "Art Modell's dealership" to denote it.
Did you know that the Baltimore Ravens have a "Ring of Honor" which is on permanent display encircling the field of M&T Bank Stadium, including a sign with the names and dates of play viewable from the seats. The ring currently honors the following:
21 Earnest Byner, Running back, played for Modell in both Cleveland and Baltimore, inducted 2001.
Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts, inducted in 2002 following the death of Unitas. The numbers of the following Hall of Fame Colts players are honored:
19 Johnny Unitas
24 Lenny Moore
70 Art Donovan
77 Jim Parker
82 Raymond Berry
83 Ted Hendricks
88 John Mackey
89 Gino Marchetti
Art Modell, original owner, inducted 2003.
99 Michael McCrary, defensive lineman, inducted 2004
Season W L T Finish Playoff results
1996 4 12 0 5th AFC Central --
1997 6 9 1 4th AFC Central --
1998 6 10 0 4th AFC Central --
1999 8 8 0 3rd AFC Central --
2000 12 4 0 2nd AFC Central Won Wild Card Playoffs (Broncos) 21-3
Won Divisional Playoffs (Titans) 24-10
Won Conference Championship (Raiders) 16-3
Won Super Bowl XXXV (Giants) 34-7
2001 10 6 0 2nd AFC Central Won Wild Card Playoffs 20-3 (Dolphins)
Lost Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 10-27
2002 7 9 0 3rd AFC North --
2003 10 6 0 1st AFC North Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Titans) 17-20
2004 9 7 0 2nd AFC North --
2005 6 10 0 3rd AFC North --
2006 13 3 0 1st AFC North Lost Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 6-15
2007 0 0 0 --- AFC North --
Totals 91 84 1 (1996-2006, regular season)
5 3 0 (1996-2007, playoffs)
96 87 1 (all games, 1996-2007, including playoffs)
(obtained from wikipedia.org)
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