Either way, we should be feeling the fallout soon. Real soon. Which is to say, Red McCombs may already be on the line with Bekins. There are any number of upshots, practically speaking, from Monday's decision, in which a jury rejected the Raiders' contention of ownership of the vacant Los Angeles market. One would be that the NFL's lawyers are no longer joined at the hip with the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only winless enterprises in modern league history. Another would be that the league would suddenly, and finally, appear to have gained some control over the comings and goings of its member franchises. Since the Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982 (and had the right to make such a move upheld by the judicial equivalent of instant replay), the league has seen six teams pack up and move to greener turf, presumably powerless to stop the madness. But here is the biggest news of the day — the Los Angeles market, the second largest in the country, is now available for showing, if not exactly in move-in condition. Los Angeles has been without a team since the Raiders and Rams fled town following the 1994 season. A couple teams expressed interest in filling the vacuum, notably the Seahawks (under former owner Ken Behring), and the New York Jets, who floated, then punctured a trial balloon to that effect earlier this month. The NFL considered Los Angeles for its one-team expansion class of 2002. A well-organized Houston plan, however, defeated a fractious bid from, seemingly, several thousand SoCal developers. That, however, was then. Now, without Davis' specious claims of ownership hanging over the market like yet another toxic cloud, Los Angeles beckons as never before. It's a straight shot into town. No muss, no fuss, no threat of having to answer questions beginning with, "Isn't it true ... " All a new team needs is a stadium. Which means Minnesota is on the clock. McCombs, owner of the Vikings, has a lease to play in the Metrodome through 2011, but isn't happy about it. The team recently held a news conference to present plans for a retractable-roof stadium on the University of Minnesota campus. However, such efforts to get the local populace excited over a new crib has, to this point, generally failed with the first mention of the word, "million." Monday's decision may have changed that. Meanwhile, in San Diego, Chargers owner Alex Spanos has made, then retracted, a veiled threat to skip town unless his team could secure a new concrete-and-glass revenue stream. It has escaped nobody's notice in San Diego that the Chargers were conceived and played their first season in, yes, Los Angeles, before moving south in 1961. Just recently the New Orleans Saints declared the Louisiana Superdome dingy and, well, really dingy. To which the nice people who operate the Superdome replied, "So what's your point?" The Jets continue to chafe at their status as secondary tenants in Giants Stadium. Figure them to do their chafing with one eye on the western horizon from this point on. San Francisco voters agreed to partially subsidize a combo stadium/shopping mall on behalf of the 49ers four years ago, but that project died of neglect while the 49er dynasty was busy doing its Mir thing. And finally — and please hold your laughter until the end of the program — there are the Raiders. Despite the fact the Oakland Coliseum was modified for football, despite the fact much of the cost of that renovation has been picked up by local taxpayers in the face of seat license shortfalls, despite the fact the Raiders became the Bay Area's flavor of the month during their playoff run last January, Davis continues to express unhappiness over his plight in Oakland because, well, because he's Al Davis. Yes, the Los Angeles market is suddenly a viable destination for all of the above, with just one caveat — any team wishing to relocate there will have to deal with an agent. That would be newly empowered NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. No longer the unclothed emperor, Tagliabue now wears the Superior Court of Los Angeles seal of approval. If there's to be any further franchise relocation on his watch, it will be with his blessing. And you can bet there will be further franchise relocation. It's simply good business to have a team in Los Angeles. Maybe two. Which changes the political climate in NFL cities all across the great country, even as we speak. A helpful reminder to those cities, just to help them get up to speed: Dingy went out with the straight-ahead place-kicker. Gary Peterson is a columnist for the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times.

-- Jan Zumbo (dvt99@aol.com), May 23, 2001

Answers

I've been saying it for years, don't kid yourselves that the Vikings can not leave town due to some "ironclad" lease agreement. McCombs is a used car salesman, he at one time owned the only dog in town in his beloved hometown and sold it for an extra buck. If someone from the Los Angeles market comes a calling with a wheelbarrow full of cash, McCombs will find a way to sell the team and the buyer will find a way to move them.

IZ

-- Iz (izmorrow@yahoo.com), May 23, 2001.

I agree there is always some loophole to dive through and MONEY TALKS. The self rightous assholes in the Minnesota State legislature keep bogging down the stadium issues not because they care about education and all the other important things, it's because they want to know what's in it for them. How much of these millions will be left over for them and YES that includes Ventura. The Sports Facilities Commission is a JOKE they don't want to lose the millions they get every year from the dome to line their pockets. I'm so sick of these bull$hit political games. As for L.A they could care less about a team. there is so much to do in that market. They essetially have two baseball teams, basketball, hockey, beautiful weather tons of theme parks, beaches etc... They don't deserve the NFL they blew it with two teams and now instead of working reaaly hard for an expansion team they let Houston beat them out and now they want to steal one. F$$$ L.A ONE last thing If McCombs was a real owner and really cared about Minnesota he would cough up 3/4 of the price and get a stadium built. GO VIKES!!!!!

-- Tom (BMatheus@aol.com), May 24, 2001.

Though I am from So Cal I would love to see the Vikings stay put in Minnesota, Hopefully they will work out a deal. But if they were to move and keep the name Vikings I would follow the team to where ever it goes and if that's LA it's cool. It's true we have all those good things Tom talked about baseball, basetball and hockey teams along with beautiful weather and theme parks and beaches, but I think there is a core of Viking fans here that would be more than happy to see the team come here and I would love a chance to tailgate before a Viking game a few times a year!

-- Ralph (RFELIX7550@aol.com), May 29, 2001.

I personally would hate to see the move if it happened. It's hard enough for me to get up to see them at home from IN now, it would be damn tough to get to CA! LOL Plus, it just wouldn't be the same calling them the California Vikings, or the LA Vikings. Neither one sounds very good to me!

-- Dan (hookti1@aol.com), May 30, 2001.

I agree that the California Vikings or the L.A. Vikings just does not sound right, but there are other options. For instance how about the Upland Vikings (About 5 mins away from Ontario International Airport and right in between the Los Angeles, Orange County and Inland Empire population bases). Or there could be the Anaheim Vikings, it has that Germanic ring to it. Then there is my favorite option, the Elsinore Vikings, which of course is not just a city in Sweden but also a nice little hamlet smack in between Los Angeles, San Diego and the Riverside/San Bernardino megalopolisis.

Just so long as they don't build a stadium in that redneck haven of Fontana (Home of the California Speedway and Ralph Felix). I would hate to see what would happen when those hillbillies found out that they would have to pay admission for their sheep or leave them in the pasture.

IZ

-- Iz (izmorrow@yahoo.com), May 30, 2001.

I know, let's call them the "Moreno Valley Vikings" after my highschool I attended and yes played football for through my sophmore year, back in '74, before moving to Europe! Yea that's the ticket, the Moreno Valley Vikings! Has a nice ring to it, don't you think! mo

-- Chris (krondor105@aol.cpm), May 30, 2001.