Sports What Ifs.

Jim Smitty

Jim Smitty

I debated where to put this, but I decided here.

I use to be a NASCAR fan, but honestly when I look at the sport I loved as a kid its almost impossible to see how what today is called NASCAR is linked to the NASCAR I loved as a kid. Anyways here is what I'm thinking.

Dale Earnhardt lives in 2001 instead of dying in the Daytona 500. He goes on to retire in 2005 after a few years of not winning anything, with his last win coming in 2002 at Daytona, the Pepsi 400 the summer race. He becomes an elder stateman of the sport, but their is building feud between him and France family as France/NASCAR is trying to keep the good times going by changing the sport in the hunt for the casual racing fan that made the sport boom in the 90s. Anyways things come to a head in 2016. Earnhardt with unknown backers launch what amounts to a coup against France to try and save the sport. This leads to a leavage buyout of the France family with Earnhardt taking over as CEO in 2017.

As CEO Earnhardt undertakes a major effort to change the sport. He does away with the whole chase for the cup and goes back to the old fashion point system, but one that is modified. He cuts out a number of speedways that were built during the boom years, like Chicago, Kansas, Fontana, Kentucky, etc. Return to places like North Wilkesboro and Nazareth (After rebuilds) and create more road coarse like Sears Point and Walking Glen along with more short track races. Outside historical races like the Daytona 500, NASCAR goes to more night races during the week as it gives up trying to fight with the NFL in the fall. The tech package needed to race is retarted to make the sport more affordable as they have to get money flowing again.

NASCAR never returns to the high points of the 90s but Earnhardt and company returns it to a position where its a buyable business model again as the old hard core fans start returning as they see the sport they love return and they bring in their kids.

In case anyone missed it, I was a big NASCAR/Earnhardt fan. Now I just don't know the sport anymore and want to find a way for it to live.
 

Colonel Zoidberg

The original Foolish Club - the eight owners who started the American Football League - was almost nine, but the NFL poached Max Winter for Minnesota. What if they didn’t? Would they stop at eight and tell the investors who started the Raiders thanks but no thanks or would they have gone balls-out and gone with nine, looking for a 10th ASAP?

Let’s say Al Davis gets that 10th team rather than the Raiders - I read in another post here that he was interested in New Orleans.

By the time of the merger, how big could the AFL be?
 

AltSptHst

Colonel Zoidberg said:
The original Foolish Club - the eight owners who started the American Football League - was almost nine, but the NFL poached Max Winter for Minnesota. What if they didn’t? Would they stop at eight and tell the investors who started the Raiders thanks but no thanks or would they have gone balls-out and gone with nine, looking for a 10th ASAP?

Let’s say Al Davis gets that 10th team rather than the Raiders - I read in another post here that he was interested in New Orleans.

By the time of the merger, how big could the AFL be?
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Actually, Minnesota was the eighth team (the AFL started with eight teams, not ten), but they were lured to the NFL (I think it was George Halas that lured them. He wanted to kill the AFL), so Oakland was picked to replace them.

As for the Raiders and NO, that came close to happening in early 1963, I think. Davis wasn't even the HC yet, let alone owner.
 

Colonel Zoidberg

AltSptHst said:
Actually, Minnesota was the eighth team (the AFL started with eight teams, not ten), but they were lured to the NFL (I think it was George Halas that lured them. He wanted to kill the AFL), so Oakland was picked to replace them.

As for the Raiders and NO, that came close to happening in early 1963, I think. Davis wasn't even the HC yet, let alone owner.
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This is true that Oakland was a replacement for Minnesota, but is it possible that the AFL could expand a mere couple of years later to 10 with Oakland and New Orleans? Do that and make it work and you can get to 12 by the merger.

The better question is this - does the NFL run the Raiders out of Oakland, and if so, where?
 

Colonel Zoidberg

Nivek said:
Well, like always Oakland screwed in football...maybe they will move a different place? seattle? portland? something else?
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Portland is interesting. The better question is this - I assume the NFL takes Atlanta and Seattle if Minnesota goes AFL. If New Orleans isn’t an option, who’s number 16? Tampa? Memphis? Phoenix?
 

Colonel Zoidberg

AltSptHst said:
Portland tried to build a domed stadium in 1964 to get an NFL, AFL, or MLB team, but the proposal was defeated:

https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2014/5/15/5691856/the-50th-anniversary-of-the-death-of-the-delta-dome
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I like Portland as a natural rival to Seattle, and Tampa probably gets one in the 70s along with Phoenix and Bart Starr.

Of course, if they go into Carolina and Jacksonville in the 90s and then the Browns and Oilers move, oh holy fuck does that cause a mess.
 

adalah

Sport to unite human beings, though a lot of his controversy
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AltSptHst

What if Tebow had an epiphany, and realized that he needed to leave college after his sophomore year so he could develop as a passer (playing with Urban Meyer was reinforcing the same bad mechanics)?
 

Nivek

AltSptHst said:
What if Tebow had an epiphany, and realized that he needed to leave college after his sophomore year so he could develop as a passer (playing with Urban Meyer was reinforcing the same bad mechanics)?
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Who Will draft him? That is the vital thing for his development
 

AndyWho

Nivek said:
The lions can't fuck that one...or Will they? Still the rams get Bradford a year early...might the bucs select local boy tebow? Or the Jets?
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Well, the Lions may be in prime position for Bradford. If they can keep strong pieces to not have Bradford get injured, Detroit may be in prime position to rival the Packers early on, threatening Rodgers' dominance in the NFC North. Otherwise, Bradford on the Rams may just end up injured early.

Tebow to the Jets leaves a treasure trove of potentials. Most notably, what if, under the Rex Ryan years, that Jets team bests the Manning-led Colts to face the Saints in Miami. The battle-worn Brees against the rookie Tebow? With the Jets, he may be a longer stay with them than the Broncos.

As for draft rankings, the closest FL team in the roster for Tebow was Jacksonville (whom may select their hometown boy, even if for being on the bench his rookie year). Otherwise, you lead yourself through the Packers, Bills, Saints, and others before Tampa at the 17th (unless they trade up for him). Otherwise, there is the Chiefs and Seahawks before the Jets (that is if the Browns don't trade their spot), and Bengals and Raiders before the Jags.
 

Nivek

AndyWho said:
Well, the Lions may be in prime position for Bradford. If they can keep strong pieces to not have Bradford get injured,
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Stafford is better that Bradford with no hindsight but still that is a draft day action, Ditto Jets could get Bradford
 

AltSptHst

Nivek said:
Who Will draft him? That is the vital thing for his development
Click to expand...

Tebow should have worked with a throwing guru (like Tom House, the guy he worked with in OTL. He would still work with him during CFL off-seasons) for a year before entering the CFL in 2009 (and staying there for two years, telling teams that he won't enter the NFL Draft until 2011).
 
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