Houston: A City Downtrodden...But Not for Long! The Great NFL Famine of the Late 90s
Ah, Houston. Home to rodeos, refineries, and a certain Beyoncé (huge fan, by the way). But for a brief, yet soul-crushing period in the late 90s, the Bayou City faced a crisis that threatened its very identity: the lack of an NFL team. Imagine the horror! Sundays without the electrifying crackle of pads, the roar of the crowd, and the existential dread that comes with watching your team lose (we've all been there).
The Oilers Say "Sayonara!"
Let's rewind to 1997. The Houston Oilers, a team with a storied history and a fanatical following, decided to pack their helmets and head for greener pastures (or rather, pastures with a shiny new stadium) in Tennessee. This move, orchestrated by the then-owner Bud Adams, left a gaping hole in Houston's heart the size of J.J. Watt's biceps.
Five Years of Football-less Purgatory
For five long years, Houston wandered the NFL wilderness. Sundays became a desolate wasteland of unanswered existential questions like "what am I supposed to do with all this barbecue?" and "is professional bowling actually a sport?" The city yearned for the camaraderie, the competition, the sheer joy of screaming obscenities at the opposing team (hopefully not the refs, but hey, we all get a little heated sometimes).
Enter the Texans: The Cavalry Arrives (Finally!)
But fear not, Houston! Just when all hope seemed lost, the NFL gods (or maybe it was just Commissioner Tagliabue) smiled upon the Bayou City. In 1999, Houston was awarded an expansion franchise: the Houston Texans! It was a glorious day, a day etched in the annals of Houstonian history. The city erupted in a celebration that rivaled the time they invented the spork (seriously, that was a good day).
So How Long Did They Suffer, Really?
Five years. Five long, football-less years. But let's be honest, for a city as passionate about the sport as Houston, it probably felt like an eternity. Luckily, the arrival of the Texans brought the city back to life, proving that sometimes, the best things in life are worth waiting for (even if the wait involves a lot of existential barbecue consumption).
So there you have it, folks! The tale of Houston's brief NFL exile, a cautionary tale about the importance of keeping your star players happy (and maybe building them a decent stadium). But hey, it all worked out in the end. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Texans highlights to watch and a celebratory bowl of chili to devour. Go Texans!
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