It's difficult to want the Oiler name when there was zero chance we would ever be able to get it. I'd have much rather had the Oiler name and colors than the Texans. While I don't hate it as much now since it's been around a while, I absolutely hated it then.
Bud's biggest mistake was poor timing. He asked for (demanded) a new stadium when public support for the team was at an all time low. The Oilers sucked balls on the field, the Rockets coming off two titles didn't have a new stadium, and McLane kept pimping the Astrodome. The Save the Oilers rally was a freaking joke. Bud wanted to be coddled. He did a lot for Houston. When his ego was popped, his hand was forced. He was no saint but neither were the other major players in this debacle who get no hate.
A very even handed post....and one I agree with.....ultimatly (as Jeff said) it cost more for the Texans then it would have to keep the Oilers. DD
Yea... it did in total $$$... but not necessarily in Houston local tax payers-burden. The infrastructure for financing the stadiums was in place by the time it came around to getting the Texans... and the hotel/car rental tax was a mode of funding that hadn't been explored by sports teams' at the time of Bud's demand for a new stadium. Houston was never willing to build him squat... but at least him moving the team got their collective asses in gear to solve all the other stadium problems before they lost all their teams. One of the very first e-mails I EVER wrote (the internet was brand new back then) was comments stating how maybe the Oilers leaving will be the ONLY way this city will ever wake up and get something done... from the repeated botched attempts to get public transportation trains (even though the voters already approved it in the 80's... along with the monorail debacle), to the short-sighted reactionary move to renovate the dome (and do a poor job of it)... this city was heading to the dumper, facillities-wise, which would have possibly set-off a chain reaction to make Houston a po-dunk version of San Antonio.
