One city's heartbreak, another city's dream

The last twenty years of professional sports have earned several nicknames: The Steroid Era, The Jordan Era, and The Way Too Much National Attention on Every Aspect of Brett Favre's Life Era.

I prefer to call it, The Relocation Era. (Although the Era When All of My Favorite Teams Were Started could be more fitting.)

In 2002, the NBA Charlotte Hornets, North Carolina's first pro team, went through a nasty divorce with the city of Charlotte, and the state. The real loser?

The fans.

The Hornets lasted only 14 seasons in Charlotte, and in that time, there was The Shot, The Trade that Saw Us Lose Kobe and Gain Vlade, and three trips to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.

Can you tell I'm reminiscing?

George Shinn went from beloved to behated (It's not a word but it fits him all the same), and after a failed bid for a new uptown arena that we got in 2004 with the Bobcats anyway, he packed the Bugs' bags and headed south for New Orleans. Then a short stay in Oklahoma City, and back in New Orleans.

We were heartbroken: our first team, our beloved team, taken from us by an evil owner who wanted an unnecessary new arena, and a bunch of skyboxes.

We wouldn't do that to another team. We wouldn't accept the heartbreak of bringing in a team who never should have left its original home.

Or would we?

I give you, our 2006 Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes.

Remember when they started out in Greensboro in 1997 until their new digs in Raleigh were finished?

Of course you don't. Very few people went to the Canes' games initially. Outside of Raleigh the media placed Canes news just below NASCAR Truck Series qualifying and Ric Flair's endorsement-du-jour.

Then, the Canes made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, and won the whole thing in 2006. Now they're eight measly wins from another Cup. Our good 'ole Canes.

They weren't originally the Canes. It amazes me how few of my friends know this. Hopefully you do. Probably not.

From 1971-97, they were the Hartford Whalers, based in Hartford, Connecticut in the Shirley MacLaine of sports arenas, the Hartford Civic Center.

Then Peter Karmanos, affectionately referred to as "Satan" in Hartford, bought the team in a package in 1994 and after being refused his $175 million new arena (Does Hartford even HAVE $175 million?) he decided to relocate the Whalers.

St. Paul, Nashville and Kansas City were the favorites, just like in 1988 when Orlando, Miami and Minneapolis were the favorites to get an NBA team BEFORE the Hornets. (So much for that...)

Karmanos moved the Whalers to the Research Triangle in North Carolina, ready to set up shop in Raleigh once the arena was ready. He picked out "Hurricanes" as the name, and the rest is history, just like the Whalers. History.

The hardcore fans, some of them call them the Whalercanes. They know what happened. But put two and two together. We, as in North Carolina, gained a team in the Hurricanes, only to lose one in the Hornets in similar fashion.

Now the cash-strapped Phoenix Coyotes are possibly on the move, reportedly to Hamilton, Ontario.

Word of advice, Hamilton: if you get the Coyotes, especially if you rename them the Mounties or whatever, have some respect for the forerunners to the team you're getting. (If you get them.)

I don't like the uncertainty that comes with a few losing seasons, a little red in the books, and boom, your team is moving.

Here's hoping the next 20 years doesn't see as much relocation.

But aside from ticket buying, we have as much of a say in it as the guy at the tower who rejected Maverick's flyby. (Damn it Maverick!)