From: drxmann@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Dustin R. Christmann)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro
Subject: Re: NFL Realignment
Date: 29 Aug 92 08:28:51 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <BtMHFG.LG4@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> dwarner@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (david j warner) writes:
>- Would you be in favor of realignment?

Yep.

>- Why or why not?

The current divisions are a throwback to the 1970 merger and the AFL-NFL days
before them.

>- If yes, what would you like to see in the ways of realignment?

Let's assume that St. Louis and Charlotte get expansion franchises.  This is
my opinion of who will get expansions, and not the result of anything I've
heard, read, or whatever.

Eastern Conference
------------------

Northeast Division: New England, NY Jets, NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington

Great Lakes Division: Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh

Southern Division: Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Tampa Bay, New Orleans

Western Conference
------------------

Midwest Division: Chicago, Minnesota, Green Bay, Indianapolis, St. Louis

Southwest Division: Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Phoenix

Pacific Division: LA Raiders, LA Rams, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle

Note that the division names are purely hypothetical and are just my way of
describing the region.  Also, note that some traditional blood-and-guts rival-
ries are broken up, like Dallas and Washington, the Raiders and either KC or
Denver, Buffalo and either the Jets or Miami, the Jets and Miami, and Houston
and Pittsburgh.

However, many rivalries are preserved, like Chicago and Green Bay, Denver and
KC, Cleveland and Cincinnati, the Rams and SF, and Atlanta and New Orleans.
Also, some great rivalries would arise with this alignment, like Dallas and
Houston, the Rams and Raiders, the Jets and Giants, and Miami and Tampa Bay.
At least, these are the obvious ones.

For those of you who poo-poo the concept of geographically-based rivalries,
consider this:

1. Most Oiler fans that I know, including me, would love to throttle the Pokes
twice a year.  I'm sure that Buc fans, Jet fans, and Ram fans feel the same way
about the Dolphins, Giants, and Raiders.  After all, everybody wants to gun for
the big guys, especially if they're cross-state (or cross-town) rivals.  Even
the Dallas fans I know like to beat the Oilers, though not as much as the
Skins, if for no other reason but to shut us up.

2. More sellouts.  Last year, when the Pokes came to the Dome to play the Oi-
lers, was the game a sellout? You betcha.  Why?  Because of all the Cowboys
fans that came, many from Dallas.  Would the same thing happen in Texas Sta-
dium?  I believe so, though to a lesser extent, because Texas Stadium tends
to sell out more often than the Astrodome anyway.

Also, this arrangement would save teams money in travel expenses.  The most
widely separated divisional teams are San Diego and Seattle and Houston and
Phoenix.  Both are less than 1500 miles, though.  And when you consider that
the divisional games are half the schedule...

>- Do you think the NFL would do it?

Nah, too radical.


BTW, I don't think the current divisions should be maintained and simply 
'named.'  First, you get into deciding who should be namesakes and for what
divisions.  For example, should AFC divisions only be named for AFL pioneers?
I think so.  But who?  Certainly Lamar Hunt, but other than him, who else?
There are numerous people who deserve that kind of honor, including IMHO Al
Davis, who would not be chosen simply because of his history as a maverick,
something that the league establishment has not been happy about in the past.
I believe that many deserving people would be left out, due to politics.
-- 
Thanx,			|   Team OS/2	| Internet: drxmann@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
Dustin R. Christmann	| (I was there) | Bitnet: DRXMANN@UTXVM
  Editor-in-chief of the ARAPOUT: All the news that is fit to print...NOT!
	Alpha Rho Chapter - Alpha Phi Omega - The University of Texas
"My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60.  She's 93 to-
day -- and we don't know where the hell she is."	-- Ellen DeGeneres
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro