Article:NFL in LA?

According to the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times, Edward P. Roski Jr., a part owner of the Kings and Lakers who has spent several years trying to lure an NFL team to the Los Angeles area, has scheduled a news conference at Staples Center to make a “major announcement” concerning the league and L.A. The media gathering is scheduled to take place Thursday. Plans include a stadium to be built in the City of Industry area near Los Angeles.

If this is the case, then the City of Angels could be back in the NFL business and that would be a good thing. Los Angeles, the second-largest market in the country, has been without an NFL team since 1995, when the Raiders moved back to Oakland after playing 13 years at the Los Angeles Coliseum and the Rams moved from Anaheim to St. Louis. It was bypassed for expansion by Houston, when they got the Texans in 2002. Los Angeles needs this to work and I think it will. It's kind of strange seeing the third-largest city in the United States not have a football team. Its history of professional and college football, with Southern California and UCLA speak for itself.

I'm not advocating that the Rams leave St. Louis and come back to the Left Coast. If a team were to come, fans would support it. Let's face it, Los Angeles loves sports, whether it's the Dodgers, Kings, Lakers, et al. They deserve it. Win or lose, they're willing to go to great lengths to support their clubs. If this stadium thing works, let's hope the people that are planning this thing do it right, make sure their ducks are in a row and let the NFL know that they're no longer the red-haired stepchildren of pro sports. A city the size of Los Angeles with NO pro football? Sinful!

There is support. Build it, Mr. Roski. They will come. They might have to fight traffic on the 101 but they will come.