USFL

The XFL needs to go some forgotten asspit of history, it shouldn't be in the conversation with the USFL, AFL or even the WFL. It is not worth remembering, other than being one of the greatest examples of all-time in foolhardy hubris on the part of NBC and McMahon.

 

I'm not sure the difference between the NBA and ABA was that great. I'm sure the NBA, from top to bottom, was a deeper, better league, but teams like the Colonels and Pacers could have been NBA title contenders.

 

To be fair (and being fair to Vincent Kennedy McMahon usually involves asking him if he wants an aspirin before ramming a hand-held blender up his ass), the XFL only had the one year. Given time and all the right dominoes falling, it could have at least developed an Arena League-esque cult following. But the problem is that there's too many outlets for traditional football (NFL, college, NFL Europe, CFL). If they were going to get their cut of the pie, they needed to make real cutting-edge changes to the game, not faux ones to the presentation. But given his druthers, Mr. McMahon will choose sizzle over steak 11 times out of four.

 

Balanced out by franchises like the Floridians, Memphis Pros, Pittsburgh Condors, et al, who were positive dreck. The Colonels and Pacers just happened to have more than that 25 percent.

 

And some of the teams had the talent but an amateurish regional schedule (Virginia Squires with Julius Erving and a home schedule split over four cities in a 300-mile span, Carolina Cougars [thx microguy] playing at any decent arena in the three I-85 metro areas).

 

As were the 76ers and TrailBlazers in the early 70s. The only difference was the bad teams in the NBA had better financial stability.

 

Bob Costas had an awesome HBO special about the ABA a few years ago. He was the PBP guy for the Spirits of St. Louis, and he and Rudy Martzke (who was the Spirits' PR guy at the times) once had an argument about whether the crowd at the St. Louis Arena (capacity 19,000 or so) was 800 or 400.

And how about an All-USFL offense:
QB: Jim Kelly.
RB: Herschel Walker, Kelvin Bryant.
WR: Eric Truvillion, Ricky Sanders, Anthony Carter.
TE: None.
OL: Kent Hull, Irv Eatman, Buddy Adellyte, Gary Zimmerman, Ray Pinney.

 

former giants-niners center bart oates, too. he started for three super bowl title teams. not to shabby.

 

If the WHA's teams had been allowed to enter the NHL intact (and if Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson hadn't already jumped to the New York Rangers) the Winnipeg Jets would have won a Stanley Cup within three years, tops. They were that good.

Instead, the Jets got raped by the merger "agreement," set futility records and generally took a back seat as Edmonton, which Winnipeg had spanked in the last Avco Cup final, wound up with all the glory.

 

Dan Ross at TE. He was still a pretty good one, though the Breakers never had a decent QB to get him the ball.

 

Love the USFL talk! I watched that league and enjoyed it (rooting for Chuck Fusina, Kelvin Bryant and the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars). It gave some life to football, not just with cool nicknames and uniforms, but the two-point play. Although I recall the first game on TV was between the Generals and Express and Tony Bodie (sp?) outrushed Herschel Walker.

How many NFL teams were around back then? I'd say the quality was better than you think.

 

Here's a shocker ... the team I ended up pulling for was the Stars. Anyone who could win some silly short linebacker on defense (forgot his name) and Chuck Fusina at QB was worth my time. ;D