NFL 2016 Pick'em League!

[Brian37]

ABBA for the win in Superb Owl L Trophy Eye!

[TheRealJoeFish]

Chargers to LA = I don't have a problem with it. I don't *like* it, I don't think it's a smart move long term, but I don't have a problem with it.

Chargers' new logo = <sound of me vomiting and then convulsing in said vomit>

[SteelCurtain]

Still miss translating into binary?

Nope.  And I don't miss transferring files easily from one folder to another, or one device to another, because I don't have to screw around with virtual synching BS.

Chargers to LA = I don't have a problem with it. I don't *like* it, I don't think it's a smart move long term, but I don't have a problem with it.

Chargers' new logo = <sound of me vomiting and then convulsing in said vomit>

Oh gross...



Also, their interim stadium is where the LA Galaxy play. Only seats 30,000. What a shame.

Of course, when they move to the Inglewood Complex in 2019, it will likely all be worth it.

[c172]

Nice stadium. Seems our city wasted a lot of money on this and lost. 

Go, LA Chargers! Welcome home.

[Brian37]

Chargers to LA = I don't have a problem with it. I don't *like* it, I don't think it's a smart move long term, but I don't have a problem with it.

Chargers' new logo = <sound of me vomiting and then convulsing in said vomit>

I have a problem with it. This isn't the first time. Cities get played off of each other like a kid plays two parents against each other, blackmail both until one or the other builds them a news stadium.

[SteelCurtain]

Chargers to LA = I don't have a problem with it. I don't *like* it, I don't think it's a smart move long term, but I don't have a problem with it.

Chargers' new logo = <sound of me vomiting and then convulsing in said vomit>

I have a problem with it. This isn't the first time. Cities get played off of each other like a kid plays two parents against each other, blackmail both until one or the other builds them a news stadium.

This one, at least, was done right. The city of San Diego had a referendum asking if they wanted to subsidize a new stadium, and the taxpayers said no. The Chargers have been playing in Qualcomm since the 60's. The team is essentially a small market team in a military town. Lots of transient residents. I think it's shitty that the owners don't pay for stadiums outright, but the market wins. If there are cities that are willing to shell out hundreds of millions for a stadium complex, then teams will go to those cities. It sucks, but it's the way it is. Thing is, if the Chargers hadn't sucked for 20 years straight, if they had a 5 year window where they were good, then the fans would have hit the voting booth. It happened with the 49ers. They made the NFC Championship and had a couple of good years, and they got a stadium deal--no one was upset about it. Now they returned to sucking, and people have turned.

In twenty years when the Patriots need a new stadium, they will get a deal. Same with the Steelers in 2031. There will be all of 4 people in Allegheny County that would be against giving their team a new facility.

[Brian37]

I have a problem with it. This isn't the first time. Cities get played off of each other like a kid plays two parents against each other, blackmail both until one or the other builds them a news stadium.

This one, at least, was done right. The city of San Diego had a referendum asking if they wanted to subsidize a new stadium, and the taxpayers said no. The Chargers have been playing in Qualcomm since the 60's. The team is essentially a small market team in a military town. Lots of transient residents. I think it's shitty that the owners don't pay for stadiums outright, but the market wins. If there are cities that are willing to shell out hundreds of millions for a stadium complex, then teams will go to those cities. It sucks, but it's the way it is. Thing is, if the Chargers hadn't sucked for 20 years straight, if they had a 5 year window where they were good, then the fans would have hit the voting booth. It happened with the 49ers. They made the NFC Championship and had a couple of good years, and they got a stadium deal--no one was upset about it. Now they returned to sucking, and people have turned.

In twenty years when the Patriots need a new stadium, they will get a deal. Same with the Steelers in 2031. There will be all of 4 people in Allegheny County that would be against giving their team a new facility.

Yes it is shitty that 32 billionaires cant see fit to pool their own money to pay for their own stadiums, but lets stop using that bullshit "market wins", no still a huge difference between market demand and what we have now, which is 36 years of deregulation which allows for corporations to lead people on and manipulate them into allowing it. 

Look at whom we just elected, a fucking snake oil salesman.

[Tiberius]

In twenty years when the Patriots need a new stadium, they will get a deal. Same with the Steelers in 2031. There will be all of 4 people in Allegheny County that would be against giving their team a new facility.

Except that the Patriots are owned by the Kraft family, and 100% of construction costs for Gillette stadium were paid by Bob Kraft. If he's still alive and kicking, or his son has taken over, they might pay for it again.

[Brian37]

In twenty years when the Patriots need a new stadium, they will get a deal. Same with the Steelers in 2031. There will be all of 4 people in Allegheny County that would be against giving their team a new facility.

Except that the Patriots are owned by the Kraft family, and 100% of construction costs for Gillette stadium were paid by Bob Kraft. If he's still alive and kicking, or his son has taken over, they might pay for it again.

If all 32 teams thought like that, and paid for their own digs, nobody would or should complain. However, I do know that when the NJ/NY teams got funding for their new stadium, tax payers were still paying for the old one. 

I really have a hard time believing 32 billionaires cant pool their own money.

[Tiberius]

Except that the Patriots are owned by the Kraft family, and 100% of construction costs for Gillette stadium were paid by Bob Kraft. If he's still alive and kicking, or his son has taken over, they might pay for it again.

If all 32 teams thought like that, and paid for their own digs, nobody would or should complain. However, I do know that when the NJ/NY teams got funding for their new stadium, tax payers were still paying for the old one. 

I really have a hard time believing 32 billionaires cant pool their own money.

Reading up on Kraft's history with the Patriots, it's clear that he's a fan first and an owner second. He bought the original Patriots stadium when it went into bankruptcy for $22 million but it was considered to be outdated and worthless, however it came with the lease to the Patriots. He was offered $75 million by the Patriots owner to buy out the remainder of the lease so the Patriots could move to St Louis, but Kraft rejected the offer and instead offered $172 million to buy the team outright (which at the time was the highest amount a sports team had ever sold for). Kraft is quoted as saying he had to "break every one of my financial rules" in order to buy the Patriots, but that was basically fulfilling a lifelong dream.