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Grubman says timetable for relocation applications could be accelerated

NFL executive V.P. Eric Grubman has become a popular man lately in San Diego, St. Louis, and Oakland. He eventually could be hanged in effigy in two of those cities.

Until then, folks in each of those three cities will hang on Grubman’s every word. And he spoke plenty of words in San Diego on Tuesday that made the relocation of one or two teams to Los Angeles seem more likely, not less.

For starters, Grubman indicated that the next window for filing an application for relocation (which runs from January 1 to February 15) will be accelerated, via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. Which makes sense; the smarter approach would be to tighten the period dramatically, forcing teams to file applications after the regular season ends and before the postseason begins, minimizing the distraction that comes from an effort to move one or more teams.

(Things will get much more interesting if the Rams, Raiders, or Chargers qualify to host games in the postseason.)

Regardless of who it is, it looks more and more like the time is coming for one or two teams to return to L.A.

“The momentum has been generated, and it continues to build,” Grubman said.

And Grubman, who made the trip to San Diego to discuss plans for building a new stadium there, was candid regarding the local NFL team’s efforts to satisfy league rules regarding relocation. Via Gehlken, Grubman pointed out that a team must simply “engage in a good faith effort” before changing addresses.

“It doesn’t need to exhaust all possibilities,” Grubman said.

Grubman added that the Chargers have engaged in a good-faith effort to stay in San Diego. Which makes sense, given that the Chargers have tried for 14 years to get a new stadium locally.

So while the powers-that-be in San Diego finally have rolled out of bed, they hit the snooze button for far too long. And as the saying goes, if you snooze, you don’t win. Or something.