It’s been 25 years since Tennessee’s NFL workforce modified its identify to the Titans as the ultimate step of relocation, however for some purpose the franchise remains to be locked in its edgelord teenage part. This Sunday the Titans will put on among the finest, most-iconic throwback jerseys of all time, which belonged to the Houston Oilers — they usually’re deliberately doing it towards the Texans as soon as extra.
In what’s change into a sample for the group, the Titans will as soon as once more put on the throwbacks towards their AFC South division rival. It’s the one time through the 2024 NFL season that Tennessee will put on the jersey, and somewhat than being some type of sick burn, it actually underscores how little historical past or something memorable the franchise has contributed to the league within the final two and a half a long time.
The jersey alternative is tantamount to the Titans (3-13) mocking the Texans (9-7) for his or her workforce relocating. It’s actually a alternative while you’re final place within the AFC South and taking part in the workforce about to win the division, however it additionally proves how the Titans ought to have relinquished their Houston historical past to the Texans when Houston returned to the NFL. Simply because the New Orleans Pelicans determined to return their workforce’s historical past to the Charlotte Hornets upon their rebrand, guaranteeing the recollections of Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues and the beloved groups of the 90s belonged to the town of Charlotte, not a grasping proprietor who moved the workforce.
It might be one factor if the Titans merely selected to put on the Oilers throwbacks towards actually another workforce within the league, however deliberately carrying them towards Houston is a tragic center finger for seemingly no purpose.
Like most workforce relocations the rationale the Oilers left Houston was greed. Proprietor Bud Adams wished 75 % public funding for a brand new stadium within the metropolis that might be privately owned by him and shared with the Houston Rockets. Town of Houston, who desperately wished to maintain the Oilers, had been cautious of a big public funding in a brand new sporting venue — particularly within the wake of the oil collapse of the mid-80s which brought on large financial injury to the town.
Adams shopped the Oilers, somewhat than making an attempt to work with the town of Houston on incremental enhancements to the Astrodome, and ultimately Nashville agreed to pony up the cash for the stadium Houston wasn’t keen to.
That is the unhappy actuality of sports activities, and on some degree you actually can’t blame Adams for transferring the workforce. The Astrodome of the early 90s was in tough form — however everybody who was part of that debacle is now retired or useless. The one people who find themselves damage by repurposing the Oilers id are the followers who bear in mind the workforce the fondest and have recollections of profitable back-to-back AFL Championships with George Blanda, Earl Campbell being one of many NFL’s most dynamic working backs of the late Seventies, and the rise of Warren Moon within the ‘80s.
These titles, these information, these legends — they had been solid in Houston. A workforce that was created throughout Houston’s growth that occurred due to oil cash, and brought away when oil cash waned. It’s a part of the DNA of the town, to not be thrown in as a joke in Week 18 while you’re the worst workforce in your division and the Texans are the very best.
Attempting to say this outdated glory in Nashville makes you mirror on how the workforce hasn’t been a lot past mediocre since getting into the league. The Music Metropolis Miracle run of 1999 was legendary, however it was additionally 25 years in the past now. Since then the Titans have solely made it to the playoffs 9 instances, and solely made it previous the Wild Card spherical on six events. Coaches have lasted a mean of 4 years, and out of doors of Steve McNair the workforce hasn’t had an thrilling quarterback for his or her complete time in Tennessee.
There are actually followers in Houston who’ve turned the web page and don’t actually want to see the Oilers’ historical past return now. Nonetheless, carrying them towards the Texans is only a unhappy transfer by a franchise trying to make waves in an effort to distract individuals from the myriad soccer issues the Titans have had over time. The Adams household have been masterful at getting cash and getting stadiums constructed for them — profitable? Not a lot.
This week the Oilers jerseys can be donned as soon as extra like a glove to slap Houston within the face. Actually, it’s like an edgy teen carrying an offensive shirt to highschool and hoping somebody notices.
