1 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: I might key. Welcome to an OTP classic presented by 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,159 Speaker 1: Farm Bureau Health Plans. Get the home field advantage with 3 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: healthcare coverage from Farm Bureau Health Plans. They've been protecting 4 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: Tennessee and since nineteen forty seven. This OTP classic is 5 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: a twenty eighteen interview with the recently retired Titans President CEO, 6 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: Steve Underwood, a man whose history with the franchise dates 7 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: back over forty years. In this talk, mister Underwood shares 8 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 1: the stories of the Oilers move from Houston to Nashville, 9 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 1: how Bud Adams turned down a chance at more money 10 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: from another city to select Nashville, how mister Underwood himself 11 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: was not initially a believer in this move, and his 12 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: insight on why this move has worked out so well. 13 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: The best part of the conversation comes at the twenty 14 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 1: eight minute mark, when mister Underwood's phone rings in the 15 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: middle of the interview, and his ringtone perfectly adds a 16 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: creepy soundtrack to the discussion. Yes, we left it in 17 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: just for you, so listen for it. You requested it, 18 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 1: so we're putting it back out. Presented by Farm Bureau 19 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: Health Plans, here is our twenty eighteen OTP Classic with 20 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: Steve Underwood. Welcome to the OTP. My name is Mike Keith, 21 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: and I am joined this week by a very special guest. 22 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: He's the president and CEO of the Tennessee Titans. Now 23 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: three and a half years roughly into this term of service. 24 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: Steve Underwood, Welcome to the OTP. Thanks Mike. It's a 25 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: pleasure of being with you now. Your first tour of 26 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: duty was thirty seven years right, thirty five or so? 27 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: Was giving you too much credit? I was retired in 28 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:17,839 Speaker 1: there somewhere for about three or three and a half 29 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: years and enjoyed being retired. By the way, how did 30 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: you get started with mister Adams? In the mid seventies 31 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,679 Speaker 1: when I graduated from law school, I had two offers. 32 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: One was from the Harris County, Texas District Attorney's Office 33 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: and the other was from a very small kind of 34 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: specialized Houston law firm that most of our work was 35 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: for mister Adams and his business interests. So how did 36 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: you get to the football part of mister adams business interests? 37 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: That was in nineteen seventy seven when I became licensed 38 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: to practice law, and at the time the NFL was 39 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: not what it is now. It was not nearly as 40 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: big a business or as big an enterprise. It was 41 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: a very different time, a very different era for the 42 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: National Football League. And I'm guessing you could have if 43 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: they had been for sale, you could have bought an 44 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:20,839 Speaker 1: NFL franchise then for maybe fifty million. Wow like that. Yeah, 45 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: it's way way advanced now, to the point that you know, 46 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: when you talk about buying and selling franchises, you're in 47 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: the two three billion dollars range. So back then they 48 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: didn't really have the kind of demand for legal services 49 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: that they do now because the you know, good players, 50 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: great players, they made less than six figures, your whole 51 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: your whole player payroll for the entire team in the 52 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: mid seventies was, you know, a couple of million dollars 53 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: something like that. Was your first big football BOLLMT with 54 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: the Oilers, a contract negotiation with someone. Do you remember 55 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: something vividly as that first moment where you knew, hey, 56 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: I've been football. Well, it's kind of an interesting story. 57 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: The first thing that I was asked to work on 58 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 1: was maybe two or three months after I started. We 59 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 1: got into a squabble with the person who had written 60 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: Houston Oilers number one, and that gentleman is was became 61 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: a lawyer in Nashville, Lee Offman. I haven't spoken to 62 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: Lee in many years, but he had a publisher and 63 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: they had made the record, but had not taken care 64 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: of the intellectual property on the back end of that song. 65 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: So we got into a little ruckus over who owned 66 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: the song and royalty payments and those kinds of things. 67 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: But that was my first encounter was over that, and 68 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: the time I came along, they were also we were 69 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: the club was in the process of signing Earl Campbell, 70 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: who was our first round draft pick in nineteen seventy 71 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: seven or seventy eight, I can't remember the years now, 72 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 1: but I was asked to look at some of the 73 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: special language that was in his contract. But it just 74 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:19,239 Speaker 1: kind of goes to show how different things were during 75 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 1: that time period because he only his signing bonus was 76 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: a few hundred thousand dollars. It was a peanuts compared 77 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: to the way things are now. How did it grow 78 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: for you getting into more and more of the football 79 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 1: for mister Adams as far as what you did legally, well, 80 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: he had all these other businesses and one of the 81 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: reasons that I had decided to go to work for 82 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: the law firm was Calldwell and Hurst. The reason I 83 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: had wanted to go to work for them was that 84 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: they promised me that I could get into a courtroom 85 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: almost immediately and start trying lawsuits. Because mister Adams had 86 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: at the time one of the largest automobile dealerships in 87 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: the world. There were a lot of Consumer Protection Act 88 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: things going on at the time that I first became 89 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: a lawyer, so I had the opportunity right off the 90 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: bat to get into a courtroom, which is what I 91 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: really wanted to do, was to try lawsuits. And over 92 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: time the business of the football team became more and 93 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: more prominent, particularly after the nineteen eighty two players strike. 94 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: There were new television contracts at the time, and it 95 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 1: became obvious to everyone that professional sport was going to 96 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: be changing because television injected so much money into the business, 97 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,160 Speaker 1: and a lot of times when I speak to groups now, 98 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: people have trouble coming to terms with the fact that 99 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: we are Yes, we're in the football business, we're in 100 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 1: the entertainment business, but our business is driven television. That's 101 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: changing some now with new media because People are consuming 102 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: media content in many different ways now, but television is 103 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: the driver of the National Football League. We know the 104 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: story of how the Titans got to Nashville. We know 105 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: the Nashville end of it, but I'd like to ask 106 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: you about the Houston end of it. So let me 107 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 1: start with this. When did it become apparent to you, 108 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: or maybe better said, when did it get on your 109 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: radar that mister Adams had issues with Houston and at 110 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: some point something was going to have to give as 111 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: far as the Astrodome or moving Our original lease with 112 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: the Astrodome folks, which was actually made with Ford Motor Credit, 113 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: which owned the Astrodome at the time, or had the 114 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: rights to the Astrodome, expired in nineteen eighty seven and 115 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: we went through a protracted set of issues with them 116 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: at the time because the Astrodome was not really a 117 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: great place to watch a football game. When the seats 118 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: were rotated so that the building was in football configuration, 119 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: people on the fifty yard line were good ways from 120 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: the field. It was not ideal. You know, the Astrodome 121 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: was built with you know, we can do everything here. 122 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: The Rodeo Baseball. There was just no limit to what 123 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: they could do in that building, or what they thought 124 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: they could do in the building, But its weakest use 125 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: was for football because you were just too far away 126 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: from the field. It was designed to be primarily a 127 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: baseball stadium and was okay for baseball. It was large 128 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: and kind of noisy and smokey at the time because 129 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 1: people were still smoking in buildings and the Astrodome was enclosed, 130 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: so by the time the baseball game ended, where there 131 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: was a haze over the playing surface because that's where 132 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:15,079 Speaker 1: the smoke collected. The air conditioning would eventually evacuate all 133 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: the smoke, but not when there were twenty thousand people 134 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: in the building smoking. So we had issues with the 135 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: folks that ran the Astrodome because we had no opportunity 136 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: to sell signage. We didn't get to pick the concessionaire 137 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: or the concessions, and we didn't get very much of 138 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:40,719 Speaker 1: the benefit of the concession sales. In modern stadiums, one 139 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: of the reasons that you want single purpose stadiums is 140 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: that you can control all of those various media opportunities, 141 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: food and beverage, service, staffing, all of the things that 142 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: we had literally nothing to say about it at the Astrodome. 143 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: They even limited the number of parking spaces that we 144 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: had and the parking red we you know, we weren't 145 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: able to capitalize on that opportunity. So we were sort 146 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: of held hostage as far as I was concerned in 147 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: the Astrodome. And so when the lease expired, mister Adams said, 148 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: you know, I'm willing to stay here, but you're going 149 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: to have to make some improvements. There's not enough seating. 150 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: We could sell more tickets if they were available. We've 151 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: got to have some opportunity to develop some sponsorship rights 152 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: in the building, and we need more to have more 153 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: input into what goes on there in terms of parking, seating, 154 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: seat assignments. And there were no suites. You know, modern 155 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,839 Speaker 1: stadiums were having luxury suites. The Astrodome had a set 156 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: of the sort of modified seats up very high, but 157 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 1: you were very far removed from the action in skyboxes. 158 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: I mean, there was a reason they were called skyboxes. 159 00:10:55,920 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: You were literally a couple hundred feet above the surface 160 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: and it was just not a very opportune thing. And 161 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: the suites that they had were not really of a 162 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: modern enclosed configuration. So we made all those complaints and 163 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: really got rebuffed by Harris County and by the Houston 164 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: Sports Association on almost all of those fronts. So mister 165 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: Adams said that he would only agree to a tenure 166 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,440 Speaker 1: extension and it was going to have to be based 167 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: on getting suits built, which they did. They built about 168 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: sixty modern suites in the building and added several thousand 169 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: seats in what was the outfield for those that never 170 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: had the opportunity to be in the astrodome. There was 171 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: a gigantic electronic score sack that lit up like a 172 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: literally like a Christmas tree when somebody hit a home run. 173 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,319 Speaker 1: But it was not very efficient in terms of having 174 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: outfield seats and that sort of thing. So we had 175 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: made our complaints own, kind of county wide at the 176 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: time about what needed to be done to get the 177 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: building into a condition where we felt comfortable being a 178 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: long term tenant, and those things happened. But we were 179 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: promised at the time, both by Harris County and by 180 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: the City of Houston. We were given assurances that at 181 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: some point we would get our own stadium, and we 182 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: took that to heart. I mean, it wasn't committed to 183 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: writing or anything, but those commitments were made, all right, 184 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: so let me jump in at this point in nineteen 185 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: eighty seven ten year lease. Yes, new stadium is in 186 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: the offing. So you think so we were told so, 187 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: you were told the Oilers get really good. Yes, Warren Moon, 188 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: Dean stein Cooler and Bruce Matthews and Mike Munchak and 189 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: the defense. You go to the playoffs seven straight years. 190 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: From the outside, and I was starting my career covering sports, 191 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 1: this never made any sense to me because I'm a 192 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: this is a great organization. They're winning, they're exciting, They're 193 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: on the verge of the Super Bowl. How did the 194 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 1: football momentum not transfer into the business end with Harris 195 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: County in the city of Houston. I think there are 196 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 1: a couple of reasons. One of those was that we 197 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: never advanced far enough in the playoffs. We were you know, 198 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: I would lose in the first sometimes the second round, 199 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 1: and we never got the comfort level that we needed 200 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. Another reason was the disastrous loss in 201 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: Buffalo after we had a thirty point lead. Blowing the 202 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: lead and losing that game. It was it damaged our 203 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: franchise as Houston Oilers in ways from which I'm not 204 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 1: sure we would have ever completely recovered. There was another 205 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: problem too, And before I go out out on this limb, 206 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 1: I want to make clearer that his memory is something 207 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: that I love and respect. Mister Adams was not a 208 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: great communicator in the public sense of that word. Now, 209 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,319 Speaker 1: if you were in a living room with him or 210 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: in his office and it was one on one or 211 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: there was a small group of people there, you know, 212 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: he was very erudite and you knew exactly what he 213 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: wanted done and never had a problem. But in his 214 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: public communications, mister Adams was not as he was not 215 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: as good at that, and I think that also impacted 216 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: sort of our long term prospects in Houston. Other owners 217 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: of other professional football teams did a better job, shall 218 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: we say, managing their public relations than mister Adams was 219 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: able to do. I don't by that. I don't certainly 220 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: don't want to dim his memory. I think the world 221 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: of him even now, even though he's been gone for 222 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: five years or so. But I think even he would 223 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: admit that some part of our inability to get things 224 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: going in Houston in terms of a new stadium was 225 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: because we didn't make the case as well as we 226 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: could have and then just jump ahead just briefly. He 227 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: certainly did make that case of what he needed to Nashville. 228 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: Oh yes, and so if that was maybe not what 229 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: he had hoped it would be in Houston, he certainly 230 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: rectified that. And then some what he eventually talked to 231 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: Mayor Brettison and the fine folks here in Nashville, doubt 232 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: because he was able to develop a quick, quick, in 233 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: quick fashion, a great relationship with then Mayor Bretteson and 234 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 1: just did a you know, he was very well accepted 235 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: here in Nashville the whole time that he was here, 236 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: no matter what circumstances you were in. I never heard 237 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: anyone here that was say anything negative really about mister Adams. 238 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: I think there was some negativism in connection with the 239 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: relocation here because there were people who preferred that the 240 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: money be spent on something other than a new football stadium. 241 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: But none of that was ever ad hominem towards mister Adams. 242 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: It was never personal to him. That was not the case. 243 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: In Houston. Mister Adams had a I think was treated 244 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: unfairly in many respects. Some of that I think he 245 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: would admit he brought on himself. And then of course 246 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: the inability to advance in the playoffs, and the loss 247 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: in Buffalo, all those factors worked against us. When did 248 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: you first get a notion that the franchise could move? 249 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: Do you remember what year that hit you? When Mike 250 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 1: McClure was hired by mister Adams, that was his Mike's 251 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: second tour of duty. Now, let's explain who Mike McClure is, 252 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: if you don't mind, not at all. Mike came to 253 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: work for mister Adams originally around seventy nine or eighty, 254 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: and at that time his focus was on media relations 255 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: what in the modern vernacular would be media relations in sales. 256 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 1: Then Mike left the company in the early eighties, maybe 257 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: eighty three or so, and then came back to work 258 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 1: for mister Adams in nineteen eighty nine as an executive 259 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: vice president of the company. And Mike, I think understood 260 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: very early on that we were not going to get 261 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:41,640 Speaker 1: the building that we had been promised, that we were 262 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: not going to have an opportunity to have our own building, 263 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: and that we were going to be sort of shackled 264 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: with the astrodome. So very early in the process, maybe 265 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: within a couple of years, Mike was already looking around 266 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:00,040 Speaker 1: for other opportunities. The first of those was when we 267 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: moved our training camp to Trinity University in San Antonio 268 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: because San Antonio had just finished building a brand new 269 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: dome stadium downtown that they did with an association with 270 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 1: the transit authority there, and so we started playing some 271 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 1: of our preseason games at the Alamo Dome, which was 272 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 1: not popular thing with the Astrodome. They wanted those games 273 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: played in Houston in their building because they thought, you know, 274 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: that we were a captive audience there. But Mike was 275 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: making clear, making a statement even then that we had 276 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: to get another building Jacksonville. Yes, could have been that 277 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 1: Jacksonville Oilers should have been. How did that happen? And 278 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: the second part is did that ever get close and 279 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: were talking? Yes, mister Adams, I think, was willing to 280 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: look at opportunities that Mike presented to him for possible relocation, 281 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: and Jacksonville was talking about the prospect of a football 282 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: only stadium just for our franchise. But I was never 283 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:24,199 Speaker 1: convinced that mister Adams wanted to go to Jacksonville. You know, 284 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: it was another very small market area. Mister Adams loved Houston, 285 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 1: and I think wanted to have keep his team in Houston, 286 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: and so he brushed up against that fire. I think 287 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 1: there were people in our organization who wanted to go 288 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 1: to Jacksonville and who felt like there was a great 289 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 1: opportunity for us there, but they were not able to 290 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: convince mister Ada. Wasn't there a famous picture of him 291 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: getting off the plane Jacksonville shaking hands with the mayor 292 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,879 Speaker 1: and they had a nice had a great meeting. I 293 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: never went to Jacksonville at the time, but it was 294 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: very closely followed, and that episode was with Jacksonville, in 295 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: my mind, was always sort of the beginning of the 296 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 1: end of our tenure in Houston, because people there sort 297 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: of resented the fact that mister Adams was asking for 298 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: a new building in Houston, but at the same time 299 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: was kind of shopping our franchise in places like Jacksonville, 300 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: looking for other opportunities. Steve Underwood, Titans president and CEO 301 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: in Houston, he worked with mister Adams as a senior 302 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: vice president, I guess an executive vice president and legal counsel. 303 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 1: We've gotten to the point that mister Adams has hired 304 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: Mike McClure. The deal with the Astrodome is not good. 305 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: We're in a situation where he's looked at Jacksonville as 306 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: a possible landing site. What comes next is the disaster 307 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:56,959 Speaker 1: in the playoff game against Buffalo, which ironically hurt the 308 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: franchise according to you and many others, as much as 309 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: the Music City Miracle game would later help the franchise, 310 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: the two most significant games in franchise history. All right, 311 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: so we're to that point. The mayor and mister Adams 312 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: are not getting along. There's not going to be a 313 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,439 Speaker 1: new stadium. When do you know, when does everyone in 314 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: the organization know, as we've set it up that you're 315 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: going to have to make a move, that it's real 316 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 1: that this team is going to leave Houston, Texas. That 317 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 1: would have happened, I think sometime early in nineteen ninety five. 318 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: By then, Mike had already made contact with people here 319 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 1: in Nashville. Among the very first people that Mike spoke 320 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: to was but Spridan, who was the head of the 321 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: even then of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and was 322 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 1: making contact with other influential people opinion leaders here in 323 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: the Nashville area. And we were beginning to do demographic 324 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,880 Speaker 1: studies of Middle Tennessee. What was here were the what 325 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: were the pros and cons of coming to Nashville. And 326 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 1: we were also exploring other opportunities, including the one that 327 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: was in Baltimore in Maryland. Because Baltimore had an already 328 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 1: negotiated lease, they had a building designed. I'm not sure 329 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: that it was fully drawn, but it was let's say, 330 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: close to construction ready, and they had the money on 331 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 1: hand to build a building. They had had, as I recall, 332 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 1: some sort of state lottery program, and they were just 333 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 1: dangling it out there like bait for anybody that would 334 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,679 Speaker 1: that would sign the lease. And the sort of the 335 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: icing on the Baltimore cake was that the day you 336 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 1: signed the lease, they wrote you a check for fifty 337 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: million dollars. Now this was wow, twenty almost twenty five 338 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: years ago, So they had a lure that was already 339 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: kind of in the water. We had looked at it closely, 340 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: and I think I had gone so far as to 341 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: read the lease and to read what the provisions were 342 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: for the development agreement so to speak in Baltimore. And 343 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: it would be building in the same general area as 344 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:21,679 Speaker 1: Kimden Yards. Why didn't you take it? Boy? That's the 345 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: sixty four thousand dollars question fifty million dollars. Yes, I 346 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: asked mister Adams, because as a staff, you know, we 347 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: were sort of trying to offer him the best advice 348 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:38,120 Speaker 1: we could, and when he would ask us about where 349 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,679 Speaker 1: to go, we would say, you know, mister Adams, the 350 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: very best choice is the ready made opportunity in Baltimore. 351 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: It's fifty million dollars in cash. They're going to build 352 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 1: a four hundred and fifty million dollars state of the 353 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: arts stadium. You're going to get it to operate at 354 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 1: three hundred and sixty five days a year at their expense. 355 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,959 Speaker 1: They're going to pay all the bills, you get all 356 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: the merchandising, sponsorship, promotional opportunities that exist with the bill, 357 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: and you get the income from other events for us. 358 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: Sort of a no brainer. But mister Adams had already 359 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: been attracted to Tennessee and to Nashville. He had some 360 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:20,479 Speaker 1: heritage here as a member of the Cherokee tribe, because 361 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 1: the Cherokee tribe had such an eventful history in the 362 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 1: state of Tennessee, and that all had some appeal to 363 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 1: mister Adams. He had also spoken and met Mayor Bretson, 364 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: who then as now had great, great leadership skills, and 365 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: I have mentioned before and have mentioned when I speak publicly. 366 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:52,959 Speaker 1: I think one of the most serious levels of attraction 367 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:57,959 Speaker 1: for us to Nashville was the leadership that was shown 368 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: by the community here, including Philip Bredeson, someone who I 369 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: still deeply admire. He has a set of skills that 370 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: appealed not only to me, but to mister Adam more 371 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: importantly to mister Adams, and a vision that made the 372 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: opportunity here seem better to mister Adams than the one 373 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: in Baltimore, which was actually more favorable financially, and so 374 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: it just felt better. It did. And you know when 375 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: so when people then would talk to me about, you know, 376 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 1: mister Adams only being concerned about money, I would say, 377 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: you know, you just don't know how wrong you are. 378 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: He's turned down what was a financially better opportunity. And 379 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: I think one of the reasons that Art Modell moved 380 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: as quickly as he did to take the opportunity in 381 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 1: Baltimore was because he was afraid mister Adams might beat 382 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:04,120 Speaker 1: him to the punish But you know, if I had 383 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: been asked, I would have said no, he's already been 384 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: I think he's already sort of made up his mind. 385 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: If he's leaving Houston, he's going to Nashville. You and 386 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: I had a discussion at one point years ago, so 387 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,919 Speaker 1: pardon me if I don't remember the exact details, but 388 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:22,160 Speaker 1: you and essence said, when mister Adams sort of gave 389 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 1: the word to Mike McClure and the rest of the 390 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:28,199 Speaker 1: staff that it was time to look he had you 391 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: came up with a list of cities, and that Nashville 392 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: got to sort of the final part of the list 393 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: because it was a city without a professional franchise that 394 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: sort of hit all of the targets that you hoped for. Yes, 395 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 1: it was on the list. We as I recall, Mike, 396 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: there were maybe ten or eleven cities on that list, 397 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,719 Speaker 1: by the way. One of them was Memphis, another was Baltimore. 398 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:57,159 Speaker 1: Nashville was, of course kind of at the bottom of 399 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: the list. The Los Angeles was on the list. There 400 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: were San Antonio was on the list. Jacksonville was on 401 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: the list, Charlotte was on that list. There were a 402 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 1: number of places in the South and mid South that 403 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: were on the list of cities that we thought at 404 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: least needed to be explored if you were going to 405 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 1: rank those, and I'm sure at some point we did. 406 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: Baltimore had to be near the top of that list 407 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 1: just because of the financial aspects of the arrangement. It 408 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,639 Speaker 1: was just a very very favorable thing for whoever the 409 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:35,479 Speaker 1: tenant was going to be. When you sat down to 410 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: call Nashville a what made Nashville the place you were 411 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: going to call? When did it? Do you remember how 412 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: this is going to go? And were you in the 413 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: room for the phone call? Well? As things had progressed 414 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: in Nashville over the summer of nineteen ninety five, mister 415 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: Adams finally said, well, you all need to go and 416 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: have a conversation with them in person and see what 417 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: it is they're able to do, because I'm not convinced 418 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 1: that we can make it work there. So in August 419 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 1: of nineteen ninety five, I came to Nashville for the 420 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:23,479 Speaker 1: first time and we met with Mayor Brettison and with 421 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 1: a group of his advisers in his office in the 422 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 1: City Hall, and we had a list of things that 423 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: we needed if we were going to make the move. 424 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 1: That included the exclusive use of the building are exclusive 425 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 1: to us we could have what other events, There were 426 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: a kind of baseline budget for what we thought the 427 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: building would cost, relocation money paid by the city or 428 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: by a PSL in pain or however was going to 429 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: be done, you know, Mike. At that point, um in 430 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: ninety five, we still had three years left on our 431 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: release ninety seven and still to go, and uh so 432 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: we were it was all kind of rudimentary. But um. 433 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: Phil Brettison looked at that list, he consulted with the 434 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: people that were in the room briefly, and then to 435 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: my huge surprise, he looked at our group on our 436 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 1: side of the table and said, well, you know, I 437 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: think this is something we can do. Well. I was 438 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:43,960 Speaker 1: still a nonbeliever at the time, shall we say, uh 439 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: and I had some skepticism about whether or not you 440 00:29:50,240 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: were a nonbelief staying in Sorry um so um I suggested, 441 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: or someone in the room suggested that what we needed 442 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 1: to do was memorialize the conversation because they had already 443 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: thought through the proposal that they were going to make 444 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 1: that day, and their concern, and very understandable, was Hey, 445 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: if you all want to talk about this, we're perfectly 446 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 1: willing to talk. But we don't want to get into 447 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: a bidding war with some other city. As long as we're, 448 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 1: you know, can moving forward in good faith, will you 449 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: limit your discussions just to us. They didn't want to 450 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: get played, correct, And that's perfectly understandable. It didn't dawn 451 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 1: on any of us because mister Adams was already leaning 452 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: in their direction. Now we didn't say that at the time, 453 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: of course, but we did that day put a letter 454 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: together that was a page and a half something like that, 455 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 1: where we agreed to limit our discussions only to Nashville 456 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 1: for so long as we were having good faith conversations 457 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,760 Speaker 1: about the possibility of relocating. And of course the letter 458 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: got out right away and got back to Houston. And 459 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: then just a few days later, we had a scheduled 460 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: preseason game against the Chargers in the Astrodome, and it 461 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 1: became the first canceled game in the history of the 462 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: National Football League. And of course there were all kinds 463 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: of misunderstandings about what had actually gone on that day 464 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: when they were preparing the playing surface for our preseason game, 465 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: but the cancelation made national headlines in conjunction with the 466 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: letter that had been signed for us to begin the 467 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: process of relocating to Nashville. Can you even describe how 468 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 1: crazy all of this is. You come to Nashville, you 469 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: meet with Bretteson and the team his team, you sign 470 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 1: the letter of understanding. It gets out the Tennessee and 471 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 1: pops the story. The day that you're playing a preseason 472 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: game in Knoxville against Washington, everything gets out during the 473 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: first part of that game. You go home, you have 474 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 1: the preseason game with the Chargers that you don't end 475 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 1: up playing because of the cancelation. And then the national 476 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: media is say, wait a minute, you're gonna move an 477 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: NFL team from Houston, Texas, one of the biggest markets 478 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: in the country, to Nashville. It's not this Nashville. It's 479 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 1: not twenty eighteen Rashville. It's nineteen ninety five Nashville, which 480 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 1: is not even a top forty market. The league's got 481 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 1: to be going, seriously, this is the plan. I mean, 482 00:32:55,520 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: everybody was kind of nuts at this moment. Well, you know, 483 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 1: even then, the league was very desirous of teams getting 484 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 1: modern stadiums. That became you know, sort of we were 485 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: in the vanguard, I think of the movement to build 486 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 1: new football only stadiums, not that you couldn't do other 487 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 1: things in the building. But it was the dual use 488 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: baseball and football was on the way out because the 489 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,800 Speaker 1: collective bargaining agreement and free agency that had come in 490 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 1: with the salary cap meant that having suites and club 491 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 1: seats all important, which was a necessary revenue stream in 492 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: the whole business model, and that had just happened. Yes, 493 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:40,720 Speaker 1: and the more revenue you don't have to share, the 494 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 1: more money you get to keep. I mean, I hate 495 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 1: to put it in those terms, but that was the 496 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: labor agreement was one of the driving forces of new 497 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 1: stadium construction because teams realized in order to survive financially, 498 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 1: they had to have the opportunity to sell club seats, suites, 499 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 1: and sell stadium advertising in ways that would not only 500 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 1: finance the player salaries that they had to pay, but 501 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:11,400 Speaker 1: all of the other things that the teams had to do, 502 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 1: including in many cases helping pay for the stadium. That 503 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:19,560 Speaker 1: was not the case here in Nashville. But we do 504 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: have to pay rent, and we have to pay the 505 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:26,719 Speaker 1: operating expenses for the building, which are considerable, and do 506 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:28,480 Speaker 1: a lot of other spend a lot of other money 507 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:32,400 Speaker 1: in the building to help keep it up. So but 508 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,400 Speaker 1: all of those things were sort of converging, if you will, 509 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:40,719 Speaker 1: just as your question anticipated. And so what we were 510 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: trying to do was find the best opportunity that we 511 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:48,399 Speaker 1: could that would afford us a new stadium. We had 512 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:53,439 Speaker 1: hired consultants who had looked very closely at Nashville. It 513 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 1: was not a very big media market. I think it 514 00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:59,280 Speaker 1: was like thirty eighth or something in the country in 515 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:02,720 Speaker 1: terms of tele vision households. It was a slightly bigger 516 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 1: radio market because there were so many big radio players 517 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 1: in Nashville at the time still are for that matter, 518 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: and a lot of national radio broadcasting signals that came 519 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:19,880 Speaker 1: out of Middle Tennessee. So what we decided as a 520 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 1: organization was to make a list of the things that 521 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: we felt like we had to have to survive because 522 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:30,799 Speaker 1: it was so obvious to us we were not going 523 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 1: to get a building in Houston. That was not going 524 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:36,040 Speaker 1: to happen. They were perfectly willing to build a new 525 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: baseball stadium in spite of the fact that they already 526 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 1: had the Astrodome. And I've always gotten a kick out 527 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,040 Speaker 1: of what mister McLain would tell us when we were 528 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 1: trying to get changes made to the Astrodome. He'd say, 529 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: oh no, the Astrodome's great. It's a great place. And 530 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:56,600 Speaker 1: right away as soon as we left town, well, he 531 00:35:56,640 --> 00:36:00,160 Speaker 1: had to have a new baseball MC yes, and I 532 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: don't blame him for wanting to get a new building, 533 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: but they were willing to build a new building for him. 534 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:08,920 Speaker 1: A few years after we left, they were willing to 535 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 1: build a new building for the Texans kudos to them, 536 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 1: by the way. And they were willing to build a 537 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:21,319 Speaker 1: new basketball facility or multi purpose facility downtown and take 538 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 1: on roughly two billion dollars worth of bonded indebtedness to 539 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: pay for those buildings. But what we needed there wasn't 540 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: going to be any conversation about that. So we weren't 541 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 1: going to get what we needed in Houston, and we 542 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:39,399 Speaker 1: had to find the best alternative that we could, and 543 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 1: so we put together a list kind of we call 544 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:48,399 Speaker 1: the milestones in the second Agreement about things that had 545 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 1: to be accomplished or achieved. Are how close you had 546 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:54,880 Speaker 1: to come to achieving those proof if you will, that 547 00:36:55,719 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 1: we can get where we need to be with the 548 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:01,719 Speaker 1: stadium itself, How are you going to pay for it? 549 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: How long is it going to take to build, When 550 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: can we move into it? What kind of local media 551 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:12,839 Speaker 1: opportunities exist for us in television and radio, What kind 552 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: of sponsorship opportunities are there, How many suites are there 553 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:19,359 Speaker 1: going to be can we sell the suites? What about 554 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: club seats? Can we sell or get a guarantee about 555 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: how many club seats are going to be sold? And 556 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 1: how the building is going to be financed? And those 557 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:32,840 Speaker 1: milestones were what we worked off of in the negotiations 558 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 1: for the relocation here. We also had to have a 559 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:39,920 Speaker 1: place to play if we were going to leave Houston, 560 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:43,280 Speaker 1: and we haven't touched on any part of that yet, 561 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 1: but there was a whole lot of moving parts about 562 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 1: what was going on in Houston while we were trying 563 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:53,600 Speaker 1: to exit that market. But we'll come back to that. 564 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:56,319 Speaker 1: Because we were trying to look ahead, we had to 565 00:37:56,360 --> 00:37:59,600 Speaker 1: have a place to train, we had to have a 566 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 1: place for to play our games, and we had to 567 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:08,280 Speaker 1: have assurances about, you know, what was going to happen 568 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:11,560 Speaker 1: while we were in the process of moving. One of 569 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:15,319 Speaker 1: those items, incidentally, was a making sure that if the 570 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 1: league was going to charge a relocation fee, that's there 571 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:20,319 Speaker 1: was going to be a way to pay for that, 572 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 1: and then we were going We knew that we were 573 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:26,319 Speaker 1: going to lose money operationally while we were in the 574 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 1: process of having to move, and was there going to 575 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:32,160 Speaker 1: be a funding source so that we didn't have to 576 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 1: file for bankruptcy as a part of the as a 577 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: part of the relocation. And over the next six or 578 00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:45,240 Speaker 1: eight months, we worked through all of those problems while 579 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,480 Speaker 1: we were fighting a rearguard action in Houston with the 580 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 1: lawsuit there h and while we were trying to make 581 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:56,280 Speaker 1: arrangements to play our games in yet a third city. 582 00:38:58,239 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: You know, most people that work for NFL teams, they 583 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 1: may do one or two stadium leases in a career. 584 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,520 Speaker 1: We were playing in four different buildings over a four 585 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:11,719 Speaker 1: year period, and it was a Yeah. I look back 586 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: on it even now and I'm like, how did we 587 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: get all that done? How was that accomplished? Because we 588 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 1: were still the same size organization that we had always been, 589 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:25,480 Speaker 1: but we had to call on so many outside resources 590 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 1: in terms of lawyers and consultants and stadium construction specialist 591 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:34,520 Speaker 1: and all that to get done where we needed to be. 592 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 1: Because mister Adams was not big on hiring a lot 593 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:39,000 Speaker 1: of extra people, if you know what I mean. So 594 00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:43,360 Speaker 1: we continue to do our regular job, but at the 595 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:45,799 Speaker 1: same time we're working on all of these other projects. 596 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:49,319 Speaker 1: Truth in life is what you tell your spouse. For 597 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:53,440 Speaker 1: Steve Underwood, that's Francis Underwood, right. What I want to 598 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:57,279 Speaker 1: know is, do you remember when you went home and 599 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:02,880 Speaker 1: told Francis Underwood the franchise is definitely moving. Boy? Do 600 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:07,560 Speaker 1: I ever? You know? Francis has beautiful eyes, but they 601 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:11,719 Speaker 1: got a specially big during that time period, And you 602 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:14,600 Speaker 1: have to kind of put it in context. We had 603 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:19,960 Speaker 1: three children, all of whom were very young. Our oldest 604 00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:23,440 Speaker 1: was five. He was a special needs child, Dennis, and 605 00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:29,320 Speaker 1: then we had two little girls, and our youngest, Liberty, 606 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:33,400 Speaker 1: spent one hundred and twenty one days in a Level 607 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:38,640 Speaker 1: three neonatal intensive care unit because she was premature seventeen 608 00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:43,520 Speaker 1: weeks and so my wife was juggling all of those things, 609 00:40:44,719 --> 00:40:49,440 Speaker 1: and at the same time, her husband was moving between Nashville, Memphis, 610 00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:53,080 Speaker 1: and Houston kind of on an irregular basis and not 611 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:57,279 Speaker 1: at home very much. So one of the conversations that 612 00:40:57,320 --> 00:40:59,680 Speaker 1: we had was about getting her some help, which we did. 613 00:41:01,040 --> 00:41:03,919 Speaker 1: We got kind of a full time person to help 614 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:08,040 Speaker 1: her at home with the two infants and a third 615 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:13,719 Speaker 1: child who needed round the clock help. So she was 616 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:17,520 Speaker 1: willing to put up with it. But I think there 617 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:22,440 Speaker 1: were times in our personal life where we were it 618 00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:26,680 Speaker 1: was a strain, there's no getting around it. But on 619 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:31,279 Speaker 1: the other side of it, it made our marriage, I think, 620 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 1: much stronger. When you go through tough things like that 621 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:38,600 Speaker 1: and make it through, I think you end up with 622 00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: a better bond, a better relationship, and that was certainly 623 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:45,080 Speaker 1: the case with those. We've now been married twenty nine 624 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:51,000 Speaker 1: years this coming August, so and she knew that when 625 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:53,960 Speaker 1: when she and I got married in nineteen eighty nine. 626 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:59,120 Speaker 1: Her dad had been a lawyer. I was a lawyer. 627 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:03,359 Speaker 1: She knew that it was not always an easy existence. 628 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:08,839 Speaker 1: But we got through all that, and I think now 629 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:16,239 Speaker 1: have accomplished as a married couple pretty much as as 630 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 1: much difficulty as you can go through as a result 631 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:24,359 Speaker 1: of your employment. Because I've always felt, and I think 632 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:27,080 Speaker 1: she does too, we take pride in what we do 633 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:31,000 Speaker 1: for a living. I have always taken a huge pride 634 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:33,759 Speaker 1: in working for a National Football League team. You know, 635 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:37,720 Speaker 1: there are hundreds of people just here in Nashville alone 636 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:42,279 Speaker 1: who would love to have my job, and so it's 637 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:46,440 Speaker 1: something I don't take lightly and certainly don't take for granted, 638 00:42:47,320 --> 00:42:49,399 Speaker 1: and always want to do as good a job as 639 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:52,680 Speaker 1: I can. But you also have to balance your family 640 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:57,360 Speaker 1: life with your work life. If inn eighteen ninety six 641 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:02,400 Speaker 1: was the toughest year career being a lame duck in Houston, 642 00:43:03,680 --> 00:43:07,800 Speaker 1: it was nineteen ninety seven A close second. Yes, And 643 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:10,879 Speaker 1: you move a team and the move was late, it 644 00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:15,160 Speaker 1: was it was not fast. You get to Nashville, the 645 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:19,640 Speaker 1: franchise is in three different places in Nashville, the stadium 646 00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:24,680 Speaker 1: is being built. You're playing in Memphis, which is three 647 00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:29,040 Speaker 1: hours away, right, I mean, where do you I mean, 648 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:31,399 Speaker 1: do you think at that point point this move has 649 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:34,200 Speaker 1: really been worthwhile? I'm so glad we did this. No, 650 00:43:34,480 --> 00:43:38,120 Speaker 1: I think everybody was. Everybody was pretty much sick to 651 00:43:38,160 --> 00:43:42,480 Speaker 1: their stomach most of the time. The move to Memphis 652 00:43:42,719 --> 00:43:47,839 Speaker 1: was so abrupt and so unplanned at Hawk, if you will, 653 00:43:49,320 --> 00:43:56,200 Speaker 1: everyone struggled there, including Memphians. There were I think there 654 00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:59,200 Speaker 1: was a little bit of a backlash there about the 655 00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:02,520 Speaker 1: kind of one stand that we were doing, if you will, 656 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:07,120 Speaker 1: If I can use that analogy. In Memphis, they knew 657 00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:10,240 Speaker 1: we weren't going to be staying there. There has always 658 00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:14,120 Speaker 1: been a little bit of I'm not sure what the 659 00:44:14,239 --> 00:44:17,840 Speaker 1: right word is, friction between Memphis and nash Let me 660 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:22,600 Speaker 1: help you. There's a rivalry. There is and there always 661 00:44:22,600 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 1: has been, and they didn't so people there, even the 662 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:29,480 Speaker 1: football fans in Memphis, I think, had a little bit 663 00:44:29,480 --> 00:44:33,919 Speaker 1: of trouble with the upcoming rejection. We weren't going there. 664 00:44:34,040 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: We were going to Nashville, and then you're going to 665 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:42,080 Speaker 1: Little Brother. Yes, that's right. I always remember the line 666 00:44:42,200 --> 00:44:47,680 Speaker 1: from Castaway where Tom Hanks is confronting his former girlfriend about, Okay, 667 00:44:47,719 --> 00:44:50,680 Speaker 1: we've got an NFL team in Tennessee now, but it's 668 00:44:50,680 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 1: in Nashville, because they were all in Memphis, and it 669 00:44:55,920 --> 00:45:01,400 Speaker 1: just was a very, i don't know, uncomfortable time in 670 00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:06,560 Speaker 1: the history of the franchise and people there they never 671 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:11,680 Speaker 1: warmed up to us, and I completely get it. We 672 00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:14,040 Speaker 1: tried to tell mister Adams that it was, you know, 673 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 1: not going to be an easy transition, but he was 674 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:21,600 Speaker 1: expecting great things, and Mike would tell him he'd look right, 675 00:45:21,800 --> 00:45:24,719 Speaker 1: he'd look right at mister Adams and say, this is 676 00:45:24,760 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 1: the NFL. You know there, of course they're going to come. 677 00:45:28,840 --> 00:45:32,680 Speaker 1: In fact, I don't tell everyone this story, but I 678 00:45:32,719 --> 00:45:37,200 Speaker 1: guess I'm going to now. I told mister Adams in 679 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:39,359 Speaker 1: one of the many meetings that we had about what 680 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:43,760 Speaker 1: was going on in Memphis. I said, you know, mister Adams, 681 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:46,200 Speaker 1: I don't think you're going to have fifty five thousand 682 00:45:46,280 --> 00:45:49,040 Speaker 1: people come to every one of our home games in Memphis. 683 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:52,600 Speaker 1: And he got very angry with me, and he said, 684 00:45:53,320 --> 00:45:55,439 Speaker 1: if you ever come in this office again and tell 685 00:45:55,480 --> 00:45:57,640 Speaker 1: me that we're not going to have fifty five thousand 686 00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:00,440 Speaker 1: people at every home game in Memphis, off fire you. 687 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:03,360 Speaker 1: I said, all right, sir, I won't ever say that again. 688 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:07,920 Speaker 1: But he had been fully persuaded that it was going 689 00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:10,879 Speaker 1: to be a huge success in Memphis, and of course 690 00:46:10,920 --> 00:46:14,279 Speaker 1: we all wanted it to be successful, but it was 691 00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:18,920 Speaker 1: just not realistic for Memphians to turn out in droves 692 00:46:19,040 --> 00:46:20,719 Speaker 1: to watch a team that was only going to be 693 00:46:20,760 --> 00:46:25,520 Speaker 1: there for a couple of years. It was something that 694 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:28,839 Speaker 1: I don't think had been thought through very well. But 695 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:32,160 Speaker 1: we couldn't come to Nashville Vanderbilt at the time, and 696 00:46:32,239 --> 00:46:35,880 Speaker 1: I understood this too. They had not warmed up to 697 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:40,319 Speaker 1: us either and did not want us playing in in 698 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:46,040 Speaker 1: their on campus stadium, which I get, you know, we 699 00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:50,719 Speaker 1: didn't try to force our way in. But after the 700 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:53,480 Speaker 1: end of the ninety seventh season, when we were playing 701 00:46:53,480 --> 00:47:03,040 Speaker 1: in Memphis as the Tennessee Oilers, Mayor Brettison then went 702 00:47:03,120 --> 00:47:07,480 Speaker 1: to the chancellor at Vanderbilt and said, Hey, things are 703 00:47:07,520 --> 00:47:11,359 Speaker 1: just not working. Can we sit down and talk about 704 00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:14,480 Speaker 1: them going ahead and moving to Nashville and playing in 705 00:47:14,520 --> 00:47:18,239 Speaker 1: your building? And he was willing to talk about it. 706 00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:21,440 Speaker 1: We had a couple of conversations. Mister Adams came to Nashville, 707 00:47:21,480 --> 00:47:27,320 Speaker 1: we had meeting with Joe Wyatt, yes, and who was 708 00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:33,120 Speaker 1: a Texan by the way, and he well, we came 709 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:37,319 Speaker 1: to terms at the table that day. But we owe 710 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:41,719 Speaker 1: that to Phil Brettison also because he leaned on Vanderbilt. 711 00:47:41,719 --> 00:47:44,560 Speaker 1: He did it publicly too to try and get that done. 712 00:47:44,760 --> 00:47:49,560 Speaker 1: And we were grateful to the university for allowing us 713 00:47:49,560 --> 00:47:52,960 Speaker 1: to play there. We offered to let them play games 714 00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:55,640 Speaker 1: in our stadium, which they took us up on. Several times. 715 00:47:56,440 --> 00:48:03,280 Speaker 1: We've entertained Vanderbilt at Nissan Stadium. However, that also created 716 00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:06,359 Speaker 1: another set of issues because then we had to get 717 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:08,640 Speaker 1: out of Memphis. We had signed a two year lease there. 718 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:13,880 Speaker 1: What held it all together, well, I think the fact 719 00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:16,520 Speaker 1: that we knew there was eventually going to be a 720 00:48:16,560 --> 00:48:21,800 Speaker 1: new stadium. The stadium was not under construction yet or 721 00:48:21,880 --> 00:48:26,040 Speaker 1: had had. It was drawn and construction was getting under 722 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:28,200 Speaker 1: way by while we were playing in Memphis, but it 723 00:48:28,239 --> 00:48:30,239 Speaker 1: didn't look like much, if you know what I'm saying. 724 00:48:31,080 --> 00:48:33,719 Speaker 1: It wasn't very far along. But the notion that we 725 00:48:33,719 --> 00:48:35,440 Speaker 1: were going to have a new home, that we were 726 00:48:35,440 --> 00:48:38,480 Speaker 1: going to have a building of our own, that everybody 727 00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:44,399 Speaker 1: was working toward that goal. And we had a head 728 00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:47,239 Speaker 1: coach at the time and a general manager who were 729 00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,600 Speaker 1: very you know, they were not experienced in a team 730 00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:53,840 Speaker 1: playing you know, all over the place over a short 731 00:48:53,880 --> 00:48:56,840 Speaker 1: period of time, but they had a great rapport with 732 00:48:56,880 --> 00:49:02,120 Speaker 1: the players and with our football and business operations. And 733 00:49:02,200 --> 00:49:06,120 Speaker 1: so without Floyd and Jeff, I'm not sure how well 734 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:09,880 Speaker 1: all that would have ever come off. And even now 735 00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:13,920 Speaker 1: when I look back at what happened in those seasons 736 00:49:13,960 --> 00:49:21,120 Speaker 1: where we were playing at Vanderbilt in Memphis, I'm amazed 737 00:49:21,480 --> 00:49:23,839 Speaker 1: really that we played as well as we did all 738 00:49:23,840 --> 00:49:28,480 Speaker 1: those things considered, and it's a tribute to Jeff mostly, 739 00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:31,799 Speaker 1: but also to Floyd and to the other people that 740 00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:35,759 Speaker 1: were in our football operations. You know, everyone struggled, our 741 00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:40,080 Speaker 1: video guys, our equipment people, our trainers. It was just 742 00:49:40,160 --> 00:49:45,440 Speaker 1: a very difficult undertaking for everyone in those of us 743 00:49:45,480 --> 00:49:48,520 Speaker 1: that were involved in doing the paperwork and the negotiating 744 00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:53,600 Speaker 1: and construction supervision. It was tough on us too, But 745 00:49:54,120 --> 00:49:57,040 Speaker 1: you know, explaining to players how you have to travel 746 00:49:57,280 --> 00:50:00,600 Speaker 1: to every game. Every game was an awake game if 747 00:50:00,600 --> 00:50:03,759 Speaker 1: you were one of our football players, at least in 748 00:50:03,880 --> 00:50:06,960 Speaker 1: ninety seven, because even had to travel to Memphis to 749 00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:10,839 Speaker 1: play your home games. So it was what I tell 750 00:50:10,920 --> 00:50:16,560 Speaker 1: people now kind of to encapsulate what was what went 751 00:50:16,640 --> 00:50:21,640 Speaker 1: on those years, We had by far the most tumultuous 752 00:50:21,680 --> 00:50:24,960 Speaker 1: relocation in the history of professional sports. It's not I 753 00:50:25,000 --> 00:50:29,200 Speaker 1: don't think there's anything that even comes close. You had 754 00:50:30,080 --> 00:50:33,360 Speaker 1: what was going on here and playing in multiple stadiums, 755 00:50:33,360 --> 00:50:37,520 Speaker 1: supervising the construction of an existing a not yet existing building, 756 00:50:37,560 --> 00:50:39,560 Speaker 1: and you got to pop of a referendum right in 757 00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:42,640 Speaker 1: the middle of that that was not expecting. They got 758 00:50:42,760 --> 00:50:48,440 Speaker 1: enough petition signatures to force an election on whether or 759 00:50:48,480 --> 00:50:51,920 Speaker 1: not the building could be financed. Using the approach that 760 00:50:52,239 --> 00:50:56,440 Speaker 1: Mayor Bredeson wanted to use. We also got through that again, 761 00:50:56,800 --> 00:51:01,960 Speaker 1: I think thanks largely to Mike and to Mayor Bretson's leadership. 762 00:51:02,680 --> 00:51:09,080 Speaker 1: So and how about we were also fighting Harris County, Texas, Houston, Texas, 763 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:15,000 Speaker 1: and the Houston Sports Association, our astro of known the 764 00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:18,480 Speaker 1: tenants of the baseball stadium because we were trying to 765 00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:21,480 Speaker 1: get out of that lease early, and so all of 766 00:51:21,520 --> 00:51:27,120 Speaker 1: those things were happening at once. And I'm reminded now 767 00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:29,640 Speaker 1: about your question about my wife at the time, who 768 00:51:29,680 --> 00:51:35,720 Speaker 1: had the three children under six at home and didn't 769 00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:38,719 Speaker 1: have nearly enough help. All that was going on in 770 00:51:38,719 --> 00:51:41,440 Speaker 1: our personal life as well. So it was just a 771 00:51:41,560 --> 00:51:46,680 Speaker 1: very difficult and strained time, not just for me but 772 00:51:46,760 --> 00:51:49,200 Speaker 1: for ione in our organization. And I think there are 773 00:51:49,200 --> 00:51:51,319 Speaker 1: other people that might have even had it worse than me. 774 00:51:52,840 --> 00:51:56,560 Speaker 1: But the things that kept it together were the prospect 775 00:51:56,600 --> 00:52:00,720 Speaker 1: that we had of a home that we could at forever, 776 00:52:01,719 --> 00:52:05,080 Speaker 1: and the leadership that we had on our football side. 777 00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:11,200 Speaker 1: Even now, Jeff and Floyd, I'm willing to give them 778 00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:14,360 Speaker 1: another pad on the back, even twenty years later. What 779 00:52:14,440 --> 00:52:19,359 Speaker 1: would mister Adams think In twenty eighteen, the twentieth year 780 00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:22,640 Speaker 1: of the Titans, the NFL Draft is going to be here. 781 00:52:23,680 --> 00:52:27,640 Speaker 1: His daughter is the owner. She's made some great hires, 782 00:52:27,640 --> 00:52:30,280 Speaker 1: has made all kinds of great moves. She is wildly 783 00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:33,759 Speaker 1: popular in this market. The franchise is back on the 784 00:52:33,840 --> 00:52:37,280 Speaker 1: upswing went to the playoffs last year, one a playoff game, 785 00:52:38,320 --> 00:52:41,480 Speaker 1: and now Nashville is one of the it cities in 786 00:52:41,520 --> 00:52:45,000 Speaker 1: the country. Would that be the first thing he would say, 787 00:52:45,080 --> 00:52:48,640 Speaker 1: is I knew it all along? No? I think mister 788 00:52:48,719 --> 00:52:57,319 Speaker 1: Adams would be both surprised and profoundly proud of not 789 00:52:57,400 --> 00:53:01,200 Speaker 1: only the people that work for him here and of 790 00:53:01,239 --> 00:53:04,120 Speaker 1: the decision that he made to come to Nashville, but 791 00:53:04,200 --> 00:53:07,839 Speaker 1: also of his daughter and what she has accomplished here. 792 00:53:09,040 --> 00:53:14,040 Speaker 1: I know as a father myself how proud I am 793 00:53:14,120 --> 00:53:18,160 Speaker 1: of my children's accomplishments. And I think he would have 794 00:53:18,280 --> 00:53:23,640 Speaker 1: never dreamed that Amy would take over and be as 795 00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:30,799 Speaker 1: operationally efficient and as successful as she has been. But 796 00:53:30,960 --> 00:53:34,520 Speaker 1: I do think he would be enormously proud of what 797 00:53:34,680 --> 00:53:39,160 Speaker 1: she has accomplished. I have thought of that before, and 798 00:53:39,280 --> 00:53:41,600 Speaker 1: Amy and I have had a conversation or two about it, 799 00:53:42,040 --> 00:53:46,640 Speaker 1: because I'm very proud of what she has accomplished and 800 00:53:46,840 --> 00:53:51,239 Speaker 1: the fact that she's been willing to make a complete 801 00:53:51,280 --> 00:53:55,600 Speaker 1: shift in her lifestyle to take over and work. You know, 802 00:53:56,000 --> 00:53:58,920 Speaker 1: she has conversations with all of us every day and 803 00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:03,200 Speaker 1: decisions to make every day, and that hasn't been the 804 00:54:03,239 --> 00:54:06,040 Speaker 1: story of her life. In the last three to three 805 00:54:06,040 --> 00:54:10,600 Speaker 1: and a half years, she's had to completely shift gears 806 00:54:10,840 --> 00:54:14,520 Speaker 1: from what she was accustomed to doing into working what 807 00:54:14,960 --> 00:54:19,080 Speaker 1: is essentially a full time a decision maker role. We've 808 00:54:19,120 --> 00:54:22,040 Speaker 1: asked you for far too much time. But what a history, 809 00:54:22,239 --> 00:54:25,319 Speaker 1: And thank you so much. And I think what we 810 00:54:25,400 --> 00:54:29,319 Speaker 1: all say is to this conversation and to what you 811 00:54:29,440 --> 00:54:32,480 Speaker 1: went through, it was all worth it. Oh gosh, no doubt, 812 00:54:32,560 --> 00:54:37,880 Speaker 1: no doubt. In Jacksonville during the Conference championship game, I 813 00:54:38,040 --> 00:54:42,080 Speaker 1: was I haven't ever said this before either. I was 814 00:54:42,120 --> 00:54:45,279 Speaker 1: on the verge of tears when I realized that we 815 00:54:45,280 --> 00:54:48,080 Speaker 1: were going to go to the Super Bowl as the 816 00:54:48,120 --> 00:54:52,120 Speaker 1: Tennessee Titans. That made everything that we had had to 817 00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:56,520 Speaker 1: go through worth it. I will never be more proud 818 00:54:56,600 --> 00:55:00,640 Speaker 1: than I was that afternoon, realizing that for all of 819 00:55:00,719 --> 00:55:03,959 Speaker 1: the difficulty and tumult that we had had to go through, 820 00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:06,320 Speaker 1: that we were going to have a chance to compete 821 00:55:06,320 --> 00:55:09,640 Speaker 1: to the world champions Time to go again. Yes, no doubt, 822 00:55:09,760 --> 00:55:13,320 Speaker 1: I'm ready sign me up. Steve Underwood, President and CEO 823 00:55:13,360 --> 00:55:16,200 Speaker 1: of the Tennessee Titans, thanks for joining us on the OTP. 824 00:55:16,520 --> 00:55:26,320 Speaker 1: The honor has been mine.