Nashville Tn Athletics

The commercial focused on Elaine Goetz, a 75-year-old white-haired kindly woman standing in her kitchen mixing the batter for a chocolate cake. Whom did you expect? Houston Oiler owner Bud Adams? Quarterbacks Steve McNair and Chris Chandler? "Hi, I'm Elaine Goetz and I'm retired, but I stay busy," she said before making her way to the antique chair in her comfortable living room. "I'm not a sports fan, but I am going to vote 'yes' on May 7. My vote is a lot more than about football.

NHL hockey arrived in Music City on Saturday night, and the fans were more than ready. About 2,000 people lined up outside Nashville Arena three hours before the start of the Nashville Predators' inaugural regular-season game, a 1-0 loss to the Florida Panthers, to see the players arrive and walk in on a red carpet. Owner Craig Leipold waded through the crowd, shaking hands and receiving slaps on the back. "More people just said 'Thank you for bringing hockey to Nashville,' " he said. " . . .

NHL hockey arrived in Music City on Saturday night, and the fans were more than ready. About 2,000 people lined up outside Nashville Arena three hours before the start of the Nashville Predators' inaugural regular-season game, a 1-0 loss to the Florida Panthers, to see the players arrive and walk in on a red carpet. Owner Craig Leipold waded through the crowd, shaking hands and receiving slaps on the back. "More people just said 'Thank you for bringing hockey to Nashville,' " he said. " . . .

In a sweeping plan that would bring the NHL back to two cities, introduce it to two others, guarantee seven years' labor peace and change the face of the league, the NHL's Expansion Committee recommended Tuesday the addition of four teams by 2000. It also urged realignment to two conferences, each with three five-team divisions. As outlined in the committee's report, Nashville, Tenn.

The city of Nashville on Thursday signed an agreement that could make the Music City home to the Houston Oilers by 1998, with the team possibly playing in Memphis for the next two seasons. Nashville officials signed a 50-page document laying out the $292-million deal that could have the Oilers playing in Tennessee by next fall. The city is required to help find an interim stadium if the Oilers buy out the two years remaining on their Astrodome lease.

A three-hour meeting Wednesday helped clear up the final roadblocks in a 50-page deal to relocate the Houston Oilers to Nashville, Mayor Phil Bredesen said. "We have cleared up everything. We have a deal," Bredesen said Wednesday afternoon after returning from Houston. He flew down Wednesday morning for a meeting with Oiler owner Bud Adams. Bredesen said the two made only "lawyerly" changes in the 50-page agreement. Adams followed Bredesen to Nashville in his own jet.

In a sweeping plan that would bring the NHL back to two cities, introduce it to two others, guarantee seven years' labor peace and change the face of the league, the NHL's Expansion Committee recommended Tuesday the addition of four teams by 2000. It also urged realignment to two conferences, each with three five-team divisions. As outlined in the committee's report, Nashville, Tenn.

It is a jarring sight: a futuristic-looking arena jutting up in the heart of Nashville, in the middle of what used to be a seedy honky-tonk row. The $120-million indoor facility is credited with transforming downtown, spurring $44 million in additional investment that has already made the area a tourist mecca before the arena is even finished. Still, after several years of trying, the city has not found a professional hockey or basketball team to play in the arena.

The commercial focused on Elaine Goetz, a 75-year-old white-haired kindly woman standing in her kitchen mixing the batter for a chocolate cake. Whom did you expect? Houston Oiler owner Bud Adams? Quarterbacks Steve McNair and Chris Chandler? "Hi, I'm Elaine Goetz and I'm retired, but I stay busy," she said before making her way to the antique chair in her comfortable living room. "I'm not a sports fan, but I am going to vote 'yes' on May 7. My vote is a lot more than about football.

It is a jarring sight: a futuristic-looking arena jutting up in the heart of Nashville, in the middle of what used to be a seedy honky-tonk row. The $120-million indoor facility is credited with transforming downtown, spurring $44 million in additional investment that has already made the area a tourist mecca before the arena is even finished. Still, after several years of trying, the city has not found a professional hockey or basketball team to play in the arena.

The city of Nashville on Thursday signed an agreement that could make the Music City home to the Houston Oilers by 1998, with the team possibly playing in Memphis for the next two seasons. Nashville officials signed a 50-page document laying out the $292-million deal that could have the Oilers playing in Tennessee by next fall. The city is required to help find an interim stadium if the Oilers buy out the two years remaining on their Astrodome lease.

A three-hour meeting Wednesday helped clear up the final roadblocks in a 50-page deal to relocate the Houston Oilers to Nashville, Mayor Phil Bredesen said. "We have cleared up everything. We have a deal," Bredesen said Wednesday afternoon after returning from Houston. He flew down Wednesday morning for a meeting with Oiler owner Bud Adams. Bredesen said the two made only "lawyerly" changes in the 50-page agreement. Adams followed Bredesen to Nashville in his own jet.