More NFL talk: duck and cover. (Comment).UH-OH, it's back... Deja-vu all over again... Just when you thought it was safe... Once more, there's talk about L.A. getting a National Football League team housed in a brand-new ballpark. And once more, Angelenos are yawning and the NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga owners are huffing, "Who needs 'em?" Seems that a group of nine-and ten-figure guys, led by Philip Anschutz Philip Frederick Anschutz (born 28 December 1939 in Russell, Kansas) is an American businessman and supporter of Christian causes. With an estimated current net worth of around $7.8 billion, he is ranked by Forbes as the 31st richest person in the USA. , Ed Roski and Ron Burkle, are behind the new stadium, which the Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times Morning daily newspaper. Established in 1881, it was purchased and incorporated in 1884 by Harrison Gray Otis (1837–1917) under The Times-Mirror Co. (the hyphen was later dropped from the name). says would be built downtown. Since L.A. was outbid out·bid tr.v. out·bid, out·bid·den or out·bid, out·bid·ding, out·bids To bid higher than: We outbid our rivals at the auction. by Houston a couple of years back for the very last league expansion most of us will ever see, the new franchise would have to be relocated from some sorry burgh BURGH. A borough; (q. v.) a castle or town. like Buffalo or Indianapolis. The arguments for bringing back football to L.A. are getting a little tired: second largest media market, no NFL team since 1995, encouraging rhetoric from Commissioner Paul Tagliabue Paul John Tagliabue (born November 24 1940 in Jersey City, New Jersey) was the Commissioner of the National Football League. He took the position in 1989 and was succeeded by Roger Goodell, who was elected to the position on August 8, 2006. , etc. I'll refrain from declaring that it will never happen because, well, never is a long time. But NFL football in Los Angeles is at least five years off, more likely 10 or 20. Even the guys looking into the current stadium plan-guys who are usually unafraid to take chances-hint privately that this is a long-term proposition. What's lacking in this latest football foray are the details-location, timing and, of course, financing. Perhaps they have a detailed road map all ready and just don't want it to leak out to be divulged gradually or clandestinely; to become public; as, the facts leaked out s>. See also: Leak , drib by drab. But whatever the plan, it's likely to encounter the same hurdles that were faced with the earlier disastrous effort. To wit: No NFL team will consider relocating here without a new stadium. No stadium can be financed without at least some public participation (re: subsidy). No public participation is likely to get passed by the city council, much less the voters. They can't even muster enough support to help fund a downtown convention hotel, whose economic benefits are much more obvious than some football team's. Expect little help from Mayor James Hahn, aside from a few carefully chosen remarks about how he's willing to work with whomever whom·ev·er pron. The objective case of whoever. See Usage Note at who. whomever pron the objective form of whoever: on whatever. With the move for Valley secession showing unexpected strength, this is not the time to crusade for another downtown development. And if secession should get through, bringing NFL football to L.A. will be the least of his worries. Anschutz and his pals probably would be happy to write out a check for the whole darn thing, but the NFL chieftains do not take kindly to stadium deals that don't involve some sort of public role. That would set bad precedent for the next time a franchise city is asked to cough up a few dollars to build a ballpark. Meanwhile, we're back to hearing the critiques by fat-cat NFL owners on why our fair city doesn't deserve a pro football team. "There's so much to do out there 12 months a year, it's got to be a captivating cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. element to capture people and sit them down for three or four hours. I haven't seen it from people in L.A.," Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell snidely snide adj. snid·er, snid·est Derogatory in a malicious, superior way. [Origin unknown.] snide told the Times. What he and the others are really saying, of course, is how dare Los Angeles not bow to their wishes. How dare Los Angeles not recognize the importance of their sport, America's sport. They are saying, in effect, screw L.A. Isn't it time we said the same thing back? Mark Lacter is editor of the Business Journal. |
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