May 19, 2013

The Congregation of NFL

Wilmer, Broxton Enterprise, Alabama
In a business that is clearly a cash cow, why is there so much disagreement ?
To me it breaks down like this, there are four parts to the story:
1. The “NFL” who we shall refer to as “God”
2. The “Owners” who we shall refer to as “The Chosen Ones”
3. The “Players and Coaches” who we shall call “The Workers”
4. The “Fans” who we shall call “The Congregation”
If we are going to be made to believe in “God” and want to attend church of “The Chosen Ones” because we were intrigued by their promise of a better tomorrow and believe in the word of “The Workers” of a new beginning, we the “Congregation” truly have bought into these beliefs but can not afford to live and pay tithes that are demanded of us to be able to come and worship in the “Chosen Ones” houses that our tithes have built. If “God” is truly concerned for “The Congregations” well being and that of his “Workers” would he not do what had to be done to keep are faith in him alive ? Come on “God” What Would Jesus Do ? I have come to realize now that maybe “Goodell” should change his name to “Gods-Devil” because he is playing both sides.

Goodell: You’re Breaking My Football Heart

Goodell you disappoint me, you disappoint footballs most loyal fans, you’ve

dishearten our children and you failed footballs past!

I grew up on a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood full of all boys, and even though I was picked last they always let me play. I was that little blonde tomboy running with “the boys”, on that make shift field outlined by scattered clothes. Shirts marked the sidelines, shoes bordered the end zones, and hole ridden socks distinguished the hash marks on our heavily trafficked dead grass lawns. That gridiron was the place where everyone in our neighborhood pretended to be footballs greatest icons: Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White, Joe Montana, Dan Marino or my then favorite Brian Cox. It never mattered if it was rain or shine, that field was our game time and our second home.

I know my generation didn’t have the same players as my uncles, my father and even grandfather, however we all dreamed the same dreams and loved the same game. Now you, Roger Goodell, NFL board members, and franchise owners are sucking the sole of tradition away.

Football has held a place in my life, inside my heart and I thought it could never disappoint me. This game has been there for me, it’s the place I go on Sunday’s, and the teams are the friends I meet. So to witness the threat to my ritual and weekly happiness is downright shameful and had become a personal fight to me.

There have been changes to the game and we fans have all seen the game evolve. Except with these changes it is not still our game Mr. Roger Goodell it has become yours.

Goodell, you know more than many what it’s like to work inside those historic walls, and for someone who has witness 2 strikes and now a possible lockout you will be responsible for tearing them down.

The NFL is a nonprofit organization, and I do believe our congress approved this application with the promise “to better our community”. The community you are threatening is not just the NFPLA, it’s the entire United States and the global community. The world enjoys football, and I am sure you’re well aware of your stage. So I am forewarning you this charade of greed will be detrimental in too many ways.

Today, it’s my turn to call my son home at sundown and pull him of that field. However, what I find so heart breaking is trying to explain to him how the tradition of American football is slowly slipping away.

*So answer me this you vultures, you greedy slimy snakes:

What would footballs past say to all of this?

What has become of America’s finest tradition?

Evolution of NFL Teams

Football Teams Through Time

Teams & Date

In 1933 the National Football league formed with 10 teams:
New York Giants
Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
Pittsburgh Steelers
Chicago Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles
Boston Redskins
Brooklyn Dodgers
Cincinnati Reds
Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans

In 1934

Spartmans move to Detroit and become Detroit Lions

Reds move to St. Louis and become St. Louis Gunners

1935

St. Louis Gunners disband

1937

Cleveland

1944

Boston Yanks (Expansion League)

1945

Brooklyn Dodgers disband

1946

Rams move to Los Angeles aka Los Angeles Dons

AFC is formed of their 8

Cleveland Browns
San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles Dons
Chicago Rockets
Buffalo Bisons
Miami Seahawks
New York Yankees
Brooklyn Dodger

1947

Miami Seahawks move and become Baltimore Colts (AAC)

Buffalo Bisons become Buffalo Bills

1949

Boston Yanks move & become New York Bulldogs

Chicago Rockets change to Chicago Hornets

New York Yankees & Brooklyn Dodgers Merge as New York Brooklyn-Yankees

1950
New York Bulldogs disband
All America Conference disbands after 4 seasons
Cleveland Browns join NFL as expansion team
San Francisco 49ers join NFL as expansion team
Baltimore Colts join NFL as expansion team
New York Yanks join NFL as expansion team

1951
Baltimore Colts disband
New York Yanks disband

1952
Dallas Texans join league as expansion team

1953
Dallas Texans move to Baltimore, become Baltimore Colts

1960
Dallas Cowboys join league as expansion team
Chicago Cardinals move to St. Louis, become St. Louis Cardinals
American Football League formed with 8 team:
Dallas Texans
Los Angeles Chargers
Boston Patriots
New York Titans
Denver Broncos
Houston Oilers
Buffalo Bills
Oakland Raiders

1961
Minnesota Vikings join NFL as expansion team
Los Angeles Chargers (AFL) move to San Diego, become San Diego Chargers

1963
Dallas Texans (AFL) move to Kansas City, become Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)
New York Titans Change name to New York Jets

1966
Atlanta Falcons join NFL as expansion team
Miami Dolphins join NFL as expansion team

NFL and AFL merge. All 9 AFL teams join league. National and American Conferences are formed. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore volunteer to join AFL. New line-up reads:

1967
New Orleans Saints join NFC as expansion team

1968
Cincinnati Bengals join AFC as expansion team

1971
Boston Yanks move to Foxboro Mass., change name to New England Patriots

1976
Seattle Seahawks join AFC as expansion team Tampa Bay Bucaneers join NFC as expansion team

1982
Oakland Raiders move to Los Angeles, become Los Angeles Raiders

1984
Baltimore Colts move to Indianapolis, become Indianapolis Colts

1988
St. Louis Cardinals move to Tempe, Arizona, become Arizona Cardinals

1995
Jacksonville Jaguars join AFC as expansion team Carolina Panthers join NFC as expansion team Los Angeles Rams move to St. Louis, become St. Louis Rams Los Angeles Raiders move back to Oakland, become Oakland Raiders again

1996
Cleveland Browns move to Baltimore, become Baltimore Ravens

1997
Houston Oilers move to Nashville, Tenn., become Tennessee Oilers


1999
Cleveland Browns join the AFC as expansion team

At the end of the 2001 season, the National Football League (31 teams) was organized as follows:

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

San Francisco 49ers
St. Louis Rams
Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys
Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles
Arizona Cardinals

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

West
Oakland Raiders
Seattle Seahawks
San Diego Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs
Denver Broncos
Central
Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Oilers
Baltimore Ravens
East
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
Indianapolis Colts
New England Patriots
Buffalo Bills



For the 2002 season, the NFL re-aligned, adding the Houston Texans as an expansion team to the AFC, making 32 teams. The two conferences have 4 divisions:

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

East
Buffalo
Miami
New England
NY Jets
North
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
South
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Tennessee
West
Denver
Kansas City
Oakland
San Diego

NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

East
Dallas
NY Giants
Philadelphia
Washington
North
Chicago
Detroit
Green Bay
Minnesota
South
Atlanta
Carolina
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
West
Arizona
St. Louis
San Francisco
Seattle


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