Jesus coming back from the dead last Sunday made me think about the professional sports franchises of yesteryear that have died and gone to Professional Sports Heaven. So many great teams come to mind right off the bat. The MLB, NFL, NBA, and the NHL all have classic former franchises that are dearly missed. Some of the teams had a good history of success and failed due to financial situations or bad ownership, and other franchises failed because of poor play and a disinterested fan base. Regardless of how they went, they went, and are dead. But Barney Bring Back is here to resurrect one team per league.
MLB
This one is a no brainer, Canada is getting its 2nd basement team back with the Montreal Expos.
I mean look at those uni’s. They are dynamite. The Expos can take the place of the Tampa Bay Rays we are already thinking about playing half of their season in Montreal anyway.
NFL
This one is a slight detour on the rules. I’m not bringing back a franchise to a city, but I’m bringing a team back to America. The Oilers are back to the National Football League
Look me in the face and tell me these aren’t the best uniforms you’ve ever seen bless your eyes.
I don’t know whether the Titans, who succeeded the Oilers, should go back to the iconic brand, but I think a total 360 would best benefit the Oilers. Send them to Houston. The Texans is a lame name anyway and their logo is dumb. Welcome back, Houston Oilers.
NBA
This was a hard one. So many iconic old NBA franchises like the SuperSonics and the Vancouver Grizzlies, who probably have the best jersey scheme in NBA history, but one team takes the cake for me, the Charlotte Bobcats.
Bring back Adam Morrison too. For those of you wondering what he’s up to now, he’s a men’s basketball analyst/commentator for the Mountain West Conference.
The Hornets just don’t have the spark that the Bobcat orange & navy brings to the hardwood. I bet if you change the team back to the Bobcats, MJ wouldn’t even notice. The ‘Cats are back.
NHL
This was the hardest one for me. The obvious pick was the Hartford Whalers (as seen in the cover pic), but that team was in a small market, and are only a big hit cause of those killer sweaters and the lure that Gordie Howe, Mr. Hockey, gave to the small New England city. Then teams like the Minnesota North Stars, Quebec Nordiques, and the Atlanta Thrashers are out there to bring back, but they aren’t quite up to par to compete with a team you’ve probably never heard before, the California Golden Seals.
Look at those skates! The Green and Gold needs to bless the ice again back in the Bay Area.
The Golden Seals are a killer name, and now they’d be in a perfect market with San Francisco booming with sports and financial success. The San Jose Sharks are a great franchise in the area but San Jose is a dump. Sharks eat seals in nature but this ain’t nature. The Golden Seals are back!
- The Board is Back: September 11th - September 10, 2021
- Barney Big Board: Fall is Here, August 28th - August 27, 2021
- Knick-Knack, Barney Brit Big Board is Back - August 20, 2021