USFL and XFL merge

The guy, Jake Bates, was attempting his first field goal since high school.

He started at Central Arkansas as a soccer player.

He transferred to Texas State and spent two seasons as a kickoff specialist.

He transferred to Arkansas and spent one more season as a kickoff specialist.

And ... he had his first try at the 64-yarder, which was good, wiped out by a late time-out. So he just does it again. (And neither kick was particularly close to being short.)

I won't be hanging on UFL games, but for a story line, that ain't too bad.

 

With three games left in the season, the Birmingham Stallions and the Michigan Panthers are set to play in the first UFL Division Championship game.

https://www.al.com/sports/2024/05/b...-league-playoff-time-date.html?outputType=amp

The Stallions have not lost a game since game five of last season. The St. Louis Battlehawks, QB'd by A.J. McCarron, played here last week. The Stallions pulled out the promotional stops to try to get bammer fans to come to the game to see their boy. A.J. lost the game and gave the crowd, some 14,000 weak, the finger.

I don't give a crap, but they're going to play for a third straight championship, so there's that.

 

Arena League looking to go 8-8

Jeff Fisher becomes interim commissioner of Arena Football League

 

I thought they were gonna have 1 v. 2 playoff games in each division, and then the title game.

Maybe not.

EDIT: Apparently that is indeed the deal.

Presumably Birmingham (7-0, #1 seed) will host Michigan (5-2, #2) in the USFL Division.

In the XFL Division, St. Louis and San Antonio are tied at 5-2 with DC still in the hunt at 3-4. I have no idea who stands where in the tiebreakers.

 

Yeah, I missed the division championship part. Like I said, not a fan, just posting. Game in B'ham or Michigan is TBD.

 

There may still be people walking towards the stadium from Fultondale. Two Nate Bargatze shows next door at the arena and a dance recital doubleheader in the concert hall. Parking was, umm, scarce Saturday.

 

FOX Sports has been running promo ads for the UFL for the last couple of weeks of NFL games, so I'd guess that's a sign they're going ahead with the 2025 season.