John McClain Ends Oilers-Titans Throwback Uniform Debate In One Tweet

Long time, now retired Houston Chronicle legend John McClain put an end to the Oilers-Titans debate in one tweet on Monday.

Photo Courtesy of The Tennessee Titans

NASHVILLE - Since the announcement of the Tennessee Titans' plans to wear throwback uniforms this season, some fans in Houston and the football world have found a reason to become offended by the idea. 

It's been written, debated, tweeted, discussed, rehashed, and directed to death plate, but that can all end now, and it's all because a Houston sports writing legend dumped water on the fire on Monday in one big tweet.  

Retired, former Houston Chronicle columnist and NFL media legend John McClain, who spent 47 years covering sports in Houston, entered the fray on Monday with a series of tweets and one final hoorah that should end this thing once and for all.   

McClain emphasized a point I've been making for a while now, that the team moved here and played two seasons as the Tennessee Oilers, wearing the same uniforms they wore in Houston and the same ones they will bring back for two games in the coming season. 

However, it was the line about people in Houston giving a hoot that was the clincher. 

The Tennessee Oilers wore Oilers uniforms in 97-98, their first 2 seasons in Nashville. Nobody in Houston gave a hoot. In 99 they were renamed Titans and got new stadium, practice facility and uniforms that included some Columnia Blue. Nobody in Houston have a hoot. They do now!

— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) July 24, 2023

To quote McClain, "Nobody in Houston have (typo) a hoot." 

Indeed, when the team left Texas amidst a dispute over owner Bud Adams wanting a new stadium,  while the city was unwilling to acquiesce to his demands, most fans said good riddance and didn't care what uniforms their former team wore in Memphis in 1997, or at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998.

Some probably even celebrated in 1999, when the team, with a new headquarters and new stadium, in their new city, announced changing the team's name from the Tennessee Oilers to the Tennessee Titans.   

The Houston Oilers and even Oiler's name was officially dead and could be buried. 

However, this throwback issue brought back some hard feelings from some old-timers in The Lone Star State and emboldened the Karens of our culture to find a soapbox to stand on. 

McClain kicked their soapbox from under them today, and they should move along and not try to stand on it again. It's broken, and it's time to put it and this debate to bed forever. 

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