Bringing back the Oilers

[Warren]

Legacy lost: Should Titans return "Oilers" to Houston?

The Oiler name had great sentimental value to Bud Adams; the NFL seemingly had to twist his arm to make him follow through on his promise to rename the team once they got to Tennessee.

The Oiler history should be in Houston. The retired jerseys of Norton, Bethea, Campbell, Munchak, Matthews, and Moon should be hanging in NRG (okay, Nashville has a claim to Matthews too). The Texans should be able to break out the Columbia blues once a year. The former Houston Oiler players should be able enjoy the nostalgia in a city where there's actually nostalgia for them. Having the Texans and Oilers share a recordbook just makes sense despite the fact that they're not the same corporate entity. Pro sports try to sell us on the myth that these are "our" teams and this would be one symbolic way of showing that. The Nashville fans couldn't care less.

The Adams family should let this happen with the condition, out of respect for Bud, that the Texans can only wear the uniforms once per year and can only use the name in connection with the throwback stuff. Merchandise revenues from NFL Properties are split evenly among teams so the Titans wouldn't be losing out on any money. They could say they're doing it to help heal old wounds and let bygones be bygones.

[chuck]

McNeck wants no part of this.

[painekiller]

I mourned the lose of the Oilers as much as anyone. My family had season tickets from the beginning. I grew up with them, I hung out with them, but Bud Adams took my love away. I do not want the Columbia Blue playing in Reliant.

I wish there was a way to honor the old Oilers that have no tie to Nashville, but I cannot come up with a better plan than Texans Pro Football Ambassadors. I do think we need to have a Harris County Sports Hall Of Fame. It can hold High School, College and Pro Sport Heroes.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by painekiller

I mourned the lose of the Oilers as much as anyone. My family had season tickets from the beginning. I grew up with them, I hung out with them, but Bud Adams took my love away. I do not want the Columbia Blue playing in Reliant.

I wish there was a way to honor the old Oilers that have no tie to Nashville, but I cannot come up with a better plan than Texans Pro Football Ambassadors. I do think we need to have a Harris County Sports Hall Of Fame. It can hold High School, College and Pro Sport Heroes.

My dad had 50-yd-line seats back in the Rice Stadium days. But, honestly, I'm not all that nostalgic for the old Oilers. They are kind of like a first wife. She moved on so I moved on. It was fun for awhile but you knew she would never be faithful.

[chuck]

I never loved a team like I loved the Oilers, I never suffered for a team like I suffered for the Oilers, and it was the sting of that suffering that taught me (eventually) not to get too dependent on any given team.

So who knows, Buford, maybe this is one of your tortured analogies that actually works.

[HPF Bob]

The Texans will be 15 years old this fall and what have we to show for our suffering? Precious few AFC Central titles and a handful of playoff victories but no AFC Championship Games, much less Super Bowls. It will be good when Houston wins more Super Bowls than hosts Super Bowls but I don't think that will happen in my lifetime. Not unless we kidnap Belichick and hold him at gunpoint for 20 years (and I reach 80).

[chuck]

I'm a decade younger than you are but neither do I think that I'll live to see the day that the Texans play in as many Super Bowls than the city has hosted. Hell, at this point one would be a systemic shock.

I know it doesn't always seem like it but my expectations for the Texans are quite tempered, even moreso now that the sort of shitstain the owner is can be appreciated in sharpish relief.

[Arky]

Being a long term fan of any Houston team (minus mid 90's Rockets) will teach one to be tempered, cautious and to have lowered expectations. I've been programmed to approach each year with a show-me-you-can-do-it-and-then-I'll-believe attitude. I realize I have no control of the situation and am just an observer...

Man, I felt so bad for the city of Atlanta and their fans after the Super Bowl. Sporting-wise, Atlanta and Houston have a lot in common specifically, a lack of championships. Atlanta's perfect storm of choke was such an Oiler thing to do.... Does anyone recall that graphic during the Super Bowl where they compared the city of Boston's championships vs. the city of Atlanta's championships? During most of the game, it looked like Atlanta was going to get over the hump like Tampa Bay and New Orleans did.... Poor Arthur Blank, sports just ain't fair sometimes....

I pretty much agree with Bob's assessment. The Oilers are in the past. Despite a few exciting periods, I can recall many, many dreadful years. There were years I wouldn't wish on any fan base but I think time has softened those memories...

[Keith]

Totes. We all share similar Oilers-related PTSD in here.

And this is a low-key Hakeem Olajuwon appreciation thread.