Freedom Bowl
Ever since the original Freedom Bowl was cancelled, I have wished it could be resumed.
It probably failed for lack of a permanent home of the same name, such as the Rose Bowl. We’ve had the Liberty and Independence bowls for decades. America deserves the Freedom Bowl, right where the game was born, in Orange County.
Sept. 11, 2001, and our current engagements overseas, which will continue for a long while, bring a sharper focus to this idea.
The National Football League has publicly acknowledged interest in OC. The NFL also has confirmed that the greater Los Angeles region, comprising all or parts of eight counties, will support two professional football franchises.
Then why not build the nation’s finest, state-of-the-art stadium, possibly to provide permanent accommodations for both teams?
The Rams moved from Cleveland to L.A. in 1946, the same year the rival All-America Football Conference began operations. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was home to four football teams for four seasons, from 1946 through 1949: USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, NFL’s L.A. Rams and AAFC’s L.A. Dons.
Could this happen again in our Southland? Not by accident.
Both the Rose Bowl and the Coliseum need extreme makeovers. Both have major access and parking problems, with surrounding areas not conducive to major football activities.
A majestic edifice of prestigious national stature could lure four teams again on a permanent basis. For national broadcast exposure, where a college or pro team plays in our area is not such an overwhelming problem. The Redskins, Giants, and Jets all play in states adjoining their geographic namesakes.
In 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere”,during his famous Four Freedoms message, and inaugural third term state of the union address. His dynamic and strategic declaration, in union with his noble and ennobling four freedoms, could form a solid foundation on which to erect a magnificent, multipurpose football facility.
I wish to suggest a stadium, the U.S. Freedom Bowl, anchored by four tower buildings,Freedom One West, Freedom Two East, Freedom Three North and Freedom Four South,to provide accommodations for research, education, commerce and government interests, as well as possible residential condominiums.
The season-ending Freedom Bowl could be revived as the U.S. Freedom Bowl,in time, becoming a top-tier bowl of the first rank. A preseason college football game, featuring two nationally prominent teams, or a different Pac-10 team yearly plus an opponent of choice, might be called, the Great Freedom Kickoff. Perhaps the Annual Army-Navy Game could alternate between the East Coast and the U.S. Freedom Bowl. The Pac-10 serving as host conference, a final feature could be the Pac-10’s Senior All-Stars versus those of a different conference each year, possibly known as the Great Freedom Challenge.
No doubt, the Super Bowl would be a fairly regular event. Even the NFL’s Pro-Bowl might alternate between Hawaii and the mainland.
The U.S. Freedom Bowl surely would become the outdoor venue of choice for various events with nationwide appeal, such as political conventions and music concerts, insuring year-round usage.
A complex of this magnitude could develop into the primary center of OC and Southern California, with national and international recognition.
This most certainly would be the first, and only, stadium with five locker rooms.
Russ Thorson
Riverside
More Angels
Being a resident of Orange County and employed in Anaheim, I find it objectionable to support the proposed name change of the Anaheim Angels to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
This geographical misnomer of a name change not only is incorrect (and blatant false advertising), it is a slap in the face to residents of Anaheim and OC.
Therefore, if the name change goes through for the sake of the global marketing of the team, I will personally (along with no doubt thousands of others) boycott game tickets and merchandise relating to our “Lost Angels.”
Angels’ owner Arte Moreno should ask himself this question: According to my academic standards, how can I correctly explain my definition of Southern California geography to a fifth-grade class?
Actually, a fair compromise to consider might have been a name change to “The Orange County Angels of Anaheim.” This at least would have been geographically, and, in this case, ethically correct!
Hopefully, Moreno will retract this ill advised pursuit to change the name of the team, and, in so doing, offer an apology to the residents of Anaheim and OC. If this is done, the Angels’ franchise will have regained the confidence of their home base. And, in Godspeed, everytime the cash register rings another wonderful Angel will have earned his wings!
Joseph A. DeVito
Brea
El Toro, Cont.
What Irvine and its Great Park politicians didn’t realize is that any federally recognized operator of airports can come into Orange County and operate El Toro International Airport, and that is what is happening with Los Angeles.
Lest “carpet bagging” be considered to have traction, the city of Fullerton has similar designs. Lest zoning laws be considered supreme, try zoning the University of California at Irvine out of existence, or Concordia University up on the hill.
No, Irvine’s airport destiny was decided 60 years ago when the Navy built the airport on this natural site. The airport is there, and that’s why they’re coming to run it. They see the need and it totally fits the bill. Long live the Great Airport Park.
Donald Nyre
Newport Beach
