NFL Expansion

So the NFL is going to expand to 18 games, everyone knows that. The NFLPA is trying to make the best of the situation and avoid a 2011 holdout. I think though that we need more teams to go along with this buyout. I'm generally in favor with adding more teams and I think I've come up with a system that would work.

The NFL is currently pretty balanced overall. 4 teams in each division, so you'd want to add 8 teams overall, but you wouldn't be able to do that in a year, there simply isn't enough talent. However the NFL has added two teams before in a single season. So it'd be a good idea to start there.

In the first year I think it'd be best to add teams in the East first. While LA has been clamoring for a team for years now, the overall eastern market is more productive dollars-wise and generally the teams preform better.

In the NFC East I think the ideal location would be in Boston. Despite having the Patriots a short drive away, Boston would still like it's own football team, almost as much as LA wants it's own team. I think a good team name would be Boston Football Celtics, with the colours of Irish green, white, and orange. Also it's probably likely that the New England Sports Ventures group, that owns both the Red Sox and the Liverpool Football Club, would be interested in owning a Boston Football team.

In the AFC East I think that Virginia has been asking for a team for a while. A state enriched in American Tradition and History, and with a fairly large population but no sports teams. Considering their ties to great generals of the American past and that the Founding Fathers would be far to close to the Patriots, I think the Virginian Generals would be the best idea for a team name, with Richmond as the location. I think good colours for the teams would be a Navy Blue and Gold.

Then after a two year period would've passed I think you then add the teams for the West. Los Angeles clearly being the ideal choice for the NFC West. With LA's proximity to water and the fact that it's been an oft-rumoured name for other teams I think the LA Sharks would be a great name for this team. With a Deep Blue and Seafoam Green for the colour scheme.

For the AFC West another possible location would be Las Vegas, there would probably be lots of Casino owners interested in opening up such a team so you'd have plenty of support for ownership and the Casinos would certainly draw in people to the stands. I think given the sinful nature of the city that the Las Vegas Vices is a good name for such a team. I'm not quite as confident in the colour scheme for this team, but Green, Gold, and desert brown comes to mind.

Again following the same two year system and this time going to the Northern Divisions. Being that we're going to the AFC North, might as well visit our northern neighbors in Canada. A great location for a football team, as shown by their interest in the Bills, would be Toronto. And being that their a symbol of Canadian pride the Toronto Mounties would be a great name with a red, navy blue, and gold colour scheme.

For the NFC North I think a good location for a football team would be in Lincoln, Nebraska. Also a good name I think for the team would be the Twisters, considering their location in the tornado valley. Not really sure of a good colour scheme for the team though, maybe a dark grey and blue?

Finally we finish in the South two years later. Now some people may consider this risky because of the current drug problems in Mexico but there is a call for an American Football team in Mexico, and Mexico City is a great location. I think a good name would be the Mexico City Bandidos, with a green, red, and silver colour schematic.

And in the AFC South I think Huntsville or Birmingham, Alabama would be a great location. Everyone knows the love that Alabama has for the University of Alabama, so a football team would be sure to draw in the crowds. I think a great name would be the Alabama Mountain Lions, with a light brown and red colour schematic.

How the new divisions would look:

AFC East:
New England Patriots
New York Jets

Miami Dolphins

Buffalo Bills
Virginia Generals

AFC North:
Pittsburgh Steelers

Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati Bengals
Toronto Mounties

AFC South:
Jacksonville Jaguars
Indianapolis Colts
Houston Texans

Tennessee Titans
Alabama Mountain Lions

AFC West:
Kansas City Chiefs
San Diego Chargers

Oakland Raiders
Denver Broncos
Las Vegas Vices

NFC East:
Philadelphia Eagles
NY Giants
Washington Redskins
Dallas Cowboys
Boston Football Celtics

NFC North:
Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
Detroit Lions
Nebraska Twisters

NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers
Mexico City Bandidos

NFC West:
St. Louis Rams
Seattle Seahawks
San Fransisco 49ers
Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Sharks