The Great Houston Hiatus: A Football-Less Fiasco (Thankfully Short-Lived)
Ah, Houston. A city known for its booming energy industry, delicious barbecue, and...well, a whole lotta football passion. But did you know Houston once faced a dark time, a period devoid of pigskin glory? Buckle up, friends, because we're about to delve into the not-so-distant past and explore the Great Houston Hiatus.
The Oilers Take Flight (and Land in Tennessee...Sorry)
Back in 1997, the unthinkable happened. The beloved Houston Oilers, a team that had been a pillar of the city's sporting scene since 1960, decided to fly the coop (pun totally intended). Their owner, Bud Adams, packed his proverbial bags and announced a move to Nashville, Tennessee. The fans were heartbroken. The city was in mourning. Where would they get their weekly dose of touchdowns and terrible referee calls?
This was a football famine of epic proportions.
Enter the Texans: From Zero to Hero (in Relatively Short Order)
Thankfully, the good folks of Houston wouldn't be stewing in this football-less misery for long. Just two years later, in 1999, the NFL gods (or maybe it was just Commissioner Tagliabue) smiled upon Houston. The city was awarded an expansion franchise, a brand new team: the Houston Texans.
Huzzah! The pigskin prayers had been answered!
Now, some might argue that two years without football isn't that big of a deal. But for a city as passionate about the sport as Houston, it felt like an eternity. Imagine, no Sundays spent cheering on your home team, no Monday morning water cooler debates about blown coverages. A true existential crisis for the football faithful.
So, How Long Was the Hiatus, Really?
Okay, okay, enough with the dramatics. Let's get down to brass tacks. The Oilers left in 1997, and the Texans took the field for their inaugural season in 2002. That means Houston went a whopping five years without an NFL team. Five years of Sundays without the sweet sounds of a roaring crowd and the satisfying thwack of a leather helmet hitting a shoulder pad.
Five. Long. Years.
Thankfully, the arrival of the Texans brought the city back to life. They may not have captured that elusive Lombardi Trophy yet, but they've given Houston a team to rally behind, a reason to wear those Texans jerseys with pride (and maybe a little ketchup and mustard from all that delicious barbecue).
So there you have it, folks. The story of the Great Houston Hiatus, a time thankfully short-lived. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Texans game to watch (and maybe a plate of ribs to devour).
