Sports What Ifs.

[Colonel Zoidberg]

I think 32 is possible...either there will not be Jags or titans instead...and before you say different colts..depend, i can see Art Modell moving.

Still very wide open, chances for a portland MLB team?

For your first question, I see the Colts still moving unless maybe Jack Kent Cooke kicks up enough of a fuss about losing a nearby rival (the natural NFC East is the OTL one minus the Cowboys and Cardinals with the Falcons and Colts dubbed in.) If he stalls Irsay long enough, the state takes over the team and stops a move long enough to cause a few other butterflies.

One possibility: JKC stalls Irsay long enough for the state to take over. Irsay’s out on the sidelines suing the state, but in the meantime, the NFL decides to award an expansion team to Indy. Jacksonville is probably a good candidate for a 32nd team since their USFL team did well as far as attendance goes. And the Cardinals may still move, but Phoenix is out of the question - one outside shot is Birmingham.

SCOTUS rules for the state in Irsay’s case (OTL they ruled for eminent domain in a similar case) and Irsay is done - Peter Angelos buys the Colts. The Rams, still the only game in LA, opt not to move to St. Louis - instead Modell moves the Browns there. Then Adams moved the Oilers to Nashville. Soooooooo the NFL needs two replacements - now it’s at 34.

And the Saints? Al Davis moves them to San Antonio after Katrina - hello replacement. Number 36? Vegas.

As for an MLB team...the A’s go to Portland. It also nurtures the Pilots as a rival. The trick is this - Bud Selig was bound and determined to bring a team to Milwaukee, so the next expansion probably includes them.

 

[Nivek]

One possibility: JKC stalls Irsay long enough for the state to take over. Irsay’s out on the sidelines suing the state, but in the meantime, the NFL decides to award an expansion team to Indy. Jacksonville is probably a good candidate for a 32nd team since their USFL team did well as far as attendance goes. And the Cardinals may still move, but Phoenix is out of the question - one outside shot is Birmingham.

If we've not phoneix...either we got the tenesse place or stay on STL, we got it to preempt bart starr anyway

the A’s go to Portland

I would see an expansion(taking pilots place even) that the A's the A loved Oakland at the time

 

[AltSptHst]

The NFL goes to Dallas in 1960 and Seattle in 1961.

Seattle may be plausible because they would let the NFL use Husky Stadium (they wouldn't let the AFL use it when Willard Rhodes wanted to put a team there).

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

I would see an expansion(taking pilots place even) that the A's the A loved Oakland at the time

Portland I place of Seattle has merit - I would just want to keep Selig from buying the team. Best case, MLB tells him to deck off and someone else gets a Milwaukee expansion team in 1977 (Toronto and Seattle still go to the AL but someone else gets a team to Milwaukee in the NL...maybe DC too?)

Seattle may be plausible because they would let the NFL use Husky Stadium (they wouldn't let the AFL use it when Willard Rhodes wanted to put a team there).

I like it. Plus if Portland gets a team in 1967, that makes them permanent rivals and possibly LA-SF long-term if the Raiders never move to LA and fuck it up for the Rams (also means Stan Kroenke never buys the Rams too, though in the above scenario he buys the former Browns.)

 

[DTF955Baseballfan]

If Selig doesn't by the pilots, the White Sox would have moved to Milwaukee almost certainly by 1971. Which makes me wonder, Chicago had become a Cubs town by them, I wonder if the American League tries to put an expansion team there or not. You would think they would but attendance was so bad they might figure it's not worth the bother.

 

[AltSptHst]

If Selig doesn't by the pilots, the White Sox would have moved to Milwaukee almost certainly by 1971. Which makes me wonder, Chicago had become a Cubs town by them, I wonder if the American League tries to put an expansion team there or not. You would think they would but attendance was so bad they might figure it's not worth the bother.

From what I have observed, it seems to me that the AL has been reluctant to let the White Sox leave Chicago over the years because they don't want to leave that big market and leave it all to the NL Cubs.

 

[Nivek]

From what I have observed, it seems to me that the AL has been reluctant to let the White Sox leave Chicago over the years because they don't want to leave that big market and leave it all to the NL Cubs.

Yeah that is ridiculous, the white sox survived the black sox scandal, they will not moved them.

What if Packers Drafted Barry Sanders?

 

[Histor32]

What if Packers Drafted Barry Sanders?

You are evil

 

[ejpsan]

The White Sox did play a few games a year in Milwaukee after the Braves moved but it was more of a ploy to threaten Chicago in to building a new stadium, and it was to claim the Milwaukee market for themselves.

 

[FickleCrossroad]

You are evil

Hey, I'm the one that keeps suggesting he go to the Dolphins. Marino with Sanders behind him would've been a treat.

 

[Dempsey-Louis]

4. Max Schmelling defeats Louis twice?

Schmeling defeats Louis for the second time in June 1938

The Southern newspapers (in minority) that supported race (Schmeling) over nation (Louis) are delighted, and smug.

Joseph Goebbels/Germany holds the HW title hostage for the duration of the war by excluding American challengers (and maybe a Brit or two)

Joe Jacobs (his Jewish trainer/manager) having served his purpose is no longer tolerated by Goebbels and is pressured out of Germany; returns to the United States early '39.

Before the outbreak of war Schmeling fights one defense against a German challenger sometime in early '39. Likely Adolf Heuser (The Bull Dog of the Rhine; 88-21-17).

The Americans, squeezed out of the title by Goebbels, by 1941 start talk of an American HW Champion and match Louis against Lou Nova for the AHW title.

Pearl Harbor and WWII puts all titles (in the US) on hold for the duration of the war, the idea of an AHW Champion never gets legs under it.

Come the war Max is spared the front and ends up a morale officer; he doesn't fare as well (as in OTL) with the allies after the war. Schmeling is acquitted of war crimes, but he is charged.

At War end a call to rematch Louis against Schmeling results in a Louis victory. (Both have faded but Schmeling more so.)

Louis is not revered and does not become a national icon (as in OTL) and 'colored' HW Champions are still suspect; in '47 Branch Rickey finds less support for his 'Jackie Robinson' revolution and the color barrier in baseball is maintained until the mid fifties when it is finally broken by court action.

 

[Calcaterra]

What if Elway wins all of his Super Bowls, including those as GM?

 

[Nivek]

What if Elway wins all of his Super Bowls, including those as GM?

5-0 making him a proto-brady, 2-0 not that much, he still have not got to playoffs post Peyton

 

[John Roscommon]

1967 was one of the times my baseball heart was ripped out (yeah, I'm that old). If Dick Williams put up the fresh Lee Stange up to start Game 7 rather than Jim Lonborg on two days rest, backed up with a full bullpen (including Lonborg who was good for an inning or so), can the Red Sox bring it home? A week before the end of the season five teams (White Sox, Angels, Twins, Tigers and Red Sox) were in contention. Three days before the end of the season four teams were in contention (Subtract the White Sox). Last day of the season all four of those teams still had had a shot. When last day of play on the East Coast was over two teams (Red Sox and the Tigers who were playing in California) were still in contention. Baseball in Boston in particular and across the country generally was energized by the 1967 AL pennant race, especially by the Red Sox who had finished ninth out of ten in '66. Does this revive interest in MLB play?

 

[Calcaterra]

5-0 making him a proto-brady, 2-0 not that much, he still have not got to playoffs post Peyton

He would be 7-0 counting those with Manning in this scenario (if he even gets Manning).

 

[Nivek]

He would be 7-0 counting those with Manning in this scenario (if he even gets Manning).

If we keep ceteris paribus after retirement depends, if not them he never reach the SB and he is one of those amazing player, bad executive type

 

[Calcaterra]

How about if Richard Nixon became an NFL telecaster and sportswriter? He often mused about taking up that occupation and was known as a football fanatic, he even called a play for the Washington Redskins once.

 

[Nivek]

How about if Richard Nixon became an NFL telecaster and sportswriter? He often mused about taking up that occupation and was known as a football fanatic, he even called a play for the Washington Redskins once.

And was a Rams megafan when was in Cali, he was a sportaku in all the sense of the word..

I joked in other thread he ended up owning the redskins...and he send spies in the draft. thus watergate become unsportmanlike conduct in the draft

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

Hey, I'm the one that keeps suggesting he go to the Dolphins. Marino with Sanders behind him would've been a treat.

If he could work with the guy. Marino was hard-pressed to share the spotlight. But yes, put him in Miami and that team at least visits the Big One two more times.

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

What if Elway wins all of his Super Bowls, including those as GM?

He beats the 86 Giants? And wins against Washington and stops a 49ers repeat? Dude’s the GOAT in that case, especially if he’s the reason a subpar Broncos team beats three monsters.

Also, if the Broncos had bothered to show up against the Seahawks, it was probably 50-50 that they beat the Seahawks IF the Seahawks weren’t as on-point defensively. As it was, as well as the Seahawks D played, there isn’t a team in the NFL that would have beaten them that day. The 49ers came close but they wouldn’t stand a chance on that field in NJ.