Top 10 Now Defunct Teams We’d Like To See Comeback

Eric Urbanowicz
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One of the hardest things to go through in sports is losing a team due to relocation. While it’s cool to see old logos and jerseys from yesteryear worn every once in a while, you can’t help but want to see teams come back and play. One of those teams has had the flames stoked recently with Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy inviting the Carolina Hurricanes to play a regular season outdoor game at Hartford’s Rentschler Field. With the hope of reliving the glory days, here are 10 teams we’d love to see reborn.

 

10. St. Louis football: The only Super Bowl in the history of the Los Angeles Rams came when the team was playing in St. Louis with the “Greatest Show On Turf”. When it was announced the Rams were moving back to Los Angeles, the city of St. Louis was crushed and has since clamored for a team. Having lost both the Cardinals (Arizona) and the Rams, the city has wanted to see a hometown team come in and restore them back. St. Louis has always been a big sports town with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team always being popular and the St. Louis Blues gaining more and more traction. While they’d need a logo and team name, it would be cool to see the city of St. Louis back in the NFL spotlight.

 

9. Brooklyn Baseball: The Dodgers are never coming back, neither are the Polo Grounds, but why not relive the history of the once great team. Although the Boston Red Sox have adopted and made the “B” red, nothing beats seeing the old Brooklyn white “B” baseball cap. It’s been 60 years since the Dodgers moved to the city of angels and yet their time in Brooklyn has become more and more celebrated. This is something that needs to be taken advantage of, bring back Brooklyn baseball!

 

8. Quebec Nordiques: Given the rumors that Quebec City could be seeing an expansion team in the near future, there’s only one thing they’d have to do: bring back the Nordiques. For over two decades, the Nordiques have been one of Canada’s representatives in two different hockey leagues. They never won anything in the NHL which helped prompt the move to Colorado to become the Avalanche but the logo has been one of the more popular ones over the years, especially for those who played any of the EA Sports NHL games.

 

7. Baltimore Bullets: Before they were the Washington Wizards, they were the Washington Bullets and before that they were the Capital Bullets but they started off as the Baltimore Bullets. Now Baltimore doesn’t have a team and that’s a shame. Given that the team wasn’t that great, yet the name is remembered; it could be time for a second chance. It’s questionable if the team name would fly with all the recent tragedies, it still would be cool to see NBA basketball in Baltimore again.

 

6. Syracuse Nationals: What? Syracuse had a professional sports team? Yes they did from 1946 through 1963. In that time, they won three conference championships and an NBA championship before moving to Philadelphia and becoming the 76ers. Given how loyal the Syracuse Orange’s fan base is in the NCAA and how dedicated the Buffalo Bills fan base is, which is only three hours away, it could work in their favor.

 

5. Washington Senators: It’s great to see baseball back in Washington D.C. but it would be even better to see the Senators return. It would be so cool to see the Nationals and Senators play against each other if you have one representing each league. The Senators have boasted so many great players such as Goose Goslin, Joe Cronin and arguably the greatest pitcher of all time, Walter Johnson. This one may be more of a pipe dream but given that the team has had three incarnations, maybe the fourth time is the charm.

 

4. Atlanta Thrashers: This one could be for a love of Chic-Fil-A since it rarely sees action at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (due to Falcons playing on Sundays) but given that Atlanta is a major sports city and it lost it’s hockey team, now there’s a potential home for them. The Thrashers for a decade were a team that never really had the time to achieve anything spectacular as seen with their lack of a Stanley Cup, Presidents Trophy or even retired numbers (Wayne Gretzky’s doesn’t count). While it’s definitely cool to see the Winnipeg Jets back, you can’t not a have hockey team in Atlanta. Let Ted Turner own it, he did well with the Braves after all.

 

3. Houston Oilers: The Texans have become one of the NFL’s most polarize teams. The problem is they’re the second most known team from Houston. Unless they win a Super Bowl soon, they’ll be in the shadow of the Houston Oilers and for good reason. The franchise boasted two of the all-time greats in quarterback Warren Moon and halfback Earl Campbell. Given Texas’ love for football, it wouldn’t be farfetched to see another Houston team and if it ever happens, can you imagine how crazy it would get to see the baby blue jerseys again. We’ve seen the Tennessee Titans sport those jersey’s reminding the fans of the memorable oiler rig logo but to see a full on reunion of the team would be something for the ages.

 

2. Montreal Expos: It was a crazy ride for the Montreal Expos at the end. Having  played 22 games in Puerto Rico as well as a back and forth between the city and the MLB who owned the team at the time over a new stadium, the curtain fell on the team in 2005 when the team moved to Washington. Since then, the team has had Andre Dawson and Tim Raines inducted into the Hall of Fame wearing the familiar cap. The one thing this team has that none of the others on this list is the rumblings that the city of Montreal may be near the top of possible expansion/relocation sites. Given the history of the Expos, it’s time to see Les Expos make a comeback.

 

1. Hartford Whalers: What happens when a team that hasn’t existed for over 20 years has found ways to remain as one of the most popular sports brands in the NHL? You have a cult classic. That’s exactly what the Hartford Whalers have been since they moved to North Carolina in 1997. In that time, the team has not only sold merchandise with the familiar “whale tail” logo but has been mentioned in movies, featured in video games, even seen the Hartford Minor league team change their name from the Hartford Wolf Pack to the Connecticut Whale for three seasons. Even one of Hartford’s classic rock stations has taken on the name 102.9 The Whale. The following for the Whalers is astronomical. While it’s silly to think that the Carolina Hurricanes could move back to Hartford, however, with this recent invitation by Governor Malloy, it may not be too crazy to think the Whalers could be back in the near future. There is hope.

Eric Urbanowicz

Connecticut

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