Detroit Cougars / Detroit Falcons (1926-1932)
February 6, 2026 No Comments
The Detroit Cougars were established when the Victoria Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL) relocated to Michigan and joined the National Hockey League (NHL).
Spotlight
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Detroit Wheels
July 13, 2013 5 Comments
The Detroit Wheels were a pro football venture that failed to complete their first and only season in the start-up World Football League in 1974. The Wheels’ misadventures became a point of national embarrassment for the WFL – although far from the only one – as the new league tried to establish itself as a reputable competitor to the National Football League, as the AFL had done in the 1960’s.
Honoring the Negro Leagues
Seattle Steelheads
April 21, 2025 No Comments
The Seattle Steelheads were members of the West Coast Negro Baseball Association (WCNBA) in that circuit’s only season, 1946. The team was actually the Harlem Globetrotters baseball club and returned to barnstorming when the WCNBA ceased operations.
Retro Hockey
San Francisco Seals (1961-1967)
January 22, 2026 No Comments
Hockey’s San Francisco Seals were a popular entry in the minor Western Hockey League (WHL) in the 1960s. The team won two championships before being “promoted” to the NHL in 1966 for the 1967-68 season.
baseball History
Omaha Royals / Omaha Golden Spikes
March 23, 2018 1 Comment
Omaha, Nebraska has hosted the top farm club of the Kansas City Royals since the Major League club’s inception in 1969. Initially known as the Omaha Royals, the Class AAA club won four league championships of the American Association, including back-to-back titles in their first two seasons in 1969 and 1970. The Royals survived the closure of the American Association, joining the Pacific Coast League in 1998. From 1999 until 2001, the team was briefly known as the “Golden Spikes” before returning to the Royals nickname. In 2011, the club re-branded as the Omaha Storm Chasers while simultaneously moving into the new $36M Werner Park.
Soccer Indoor and outdoor
National Women’s Soccer League Heats Up
December 19, 2012 20 Comments
Soccer League As I draft this column, I’m sitting in the athletic center at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts administering the final exam for my Sports Promotions & Marketing course (SM 203). I taught two sections of the course as a guest instructor this semester and it was a blast.
Arena Football
Fresno Frenzy
September 8, 2019 No Comments
The Fresno Frenzy were a One-Year Wonder in the small market indoor football league known as Arena Football 2. The Frenzy were an expansion team during AF2’s third season of play in 2002. They joined the 34-franchise league’s West Division, which also included teams in Bakersfield, Hawaii and San Diego. The Frenzy went out of business after one last-place season at Selland Arena. Arena Football 2 returned to Selland Arena two years later in 2004 with a new franchise, the Central Valley Coyotes.
Los Angeles Stars (1968-1970)
October 20, 2014 1 Comment
The Los Angeles Stars basketball team was a short-lived effort by the American Basketball Association to plant its flag in L.A. during the early years of its rivalry with the National Basketball Association. The Stars labored in the shadows of the NBA’s Lakers and never established a substantial following. Coached by Hall-of-Famer (and future Lakers coach) Bill Sharman, the Stars did enjoy a thrilling Cinderella playoff run at the end of their second and final season in L.A.
Montreal Concordes
January 14, 2018 5 Comments
In the spring of 1982, the Canadian Football League’s venerable Montreal Alouettes franchise collapsed under a mountain of debt. Seeking a clean slate for new ownership, league officials folded the Alouettes on May 13, 1982 and awarded a new Montreal expansion club to Seagram’s liquor baron and Montreal Expos founder Charles Bronfman the next day. The club embarked on a star-crossed four year voyage under the new name “Concordes”, drawing inspiration from the iconic supersonic transatlantic jets of the era.