USFL: The Inaugural Season

[Velo]

The USFL starts play tonight, with the Birmingham Stallions hosting the New Jersey Generals at Birmingham's Protective Stadium. The eight league team also consists of the Houston Gamblers, Michigan Panthers, Philadelphia Stars, New Orleans Breakers, Tampa Bay Bandits and Pittsburgh Maulers. The other six teams will play in three games tomorrow.

All eight teams are apparently headquartered in Birmingham and all the games this season will be played at one of two venues in Birmingham: Legion Field or Protective Stadium. A 10-week season is planned, with two playoff rounds.

Former coach of the Chargers, the legendary Mike Riley, is GM and HC of the Generals. Mike Pereira is head of officiating (I assume we will also continue as rules analyst for Fox NFL games). Chargers fan favorite Jeff Fisher is GM and HC of the Michigan Panthers.

The USFL is introducing some new innovations and rules; some of the rules I don't fully understand. They are getting rid of the chain gang; a chip in the all will decided placement, whether a first down is made. The technology is borrowed from pro tennis, which uses a chip to determine whether a ball is in our out. (Personally, I think the NFL should have adopted this technology years ago.)

In addition to the 1 point kick on extra points and the 2 point conversion from the 2-yard line, teams can opt to try to score from the 10 yard line for 3 points.

There are other rules involving kickoffs, onside kicks, punts, pass interference and how times is kept. I won't go into them here, but they are explained at this link. https://www.foxnews.com/sports/usfl-...vealed-kickoff Just a bit about pass interference though: It won't be a spot foul unless a defender blatantly tackles a receiver. Also there is a rule about two forward passes behind the LOS I don't fully understand.

Although the name of the league and the some of the team names, borrows from the 1980s USFL, they are not affiliated. Some principals of the old league are suing the new league for infringement though. They had asked for a preliminary injunction to stop the new league from starting play, but a judge denied it. (The first time I heard of Donald Trump was back in the '80s when he was a part owner of the New Jersey Generals.)

Games will be on FOX, NBC/Peacock, USA and FS1. Tonight's inaugural game will kick off on Fox at 4:30 PST. Will anybody here be watching?

[Bolt-O]

If I don't have much to do, I might watch some. I guess the coaches are mostly NFL retreads, and there are some veteran name players, as well as guys not good enough to play beyond practice squad eligibility. What's strange to me is that the cities named don't actually have games played in them, but I think they want to see if they can get traction with a 'beta test'.

[Topcat]

The USFL starts play tonight, with the Birmingham Stallions hosting the New Jersey Generals at Birmingham's Protective Stadium.

Every time I hear of a team called the "Generals," I think of that poor patsy team of Division II castoffs trying to keep up with the Globetrotters...

[AFboltfan]

I'll watch tonight but def not getting invested in it... These leagues never last and I doubt this one will be any different, the names aren't even that good. LA Express is lame... Bring back the San Diego Fleet.

[Blue Thunder]

I was a big USFL fan back in the day, so seeing the teams (even if it is in name only) returning from the early '80s brings back some good memories. I've got the DVR set to record all four games so I can fast-forward through the commercials, but I will be watching all the games. I know that the level of competition won't rival the NFL, but that's okay. It's still football.

I was a big Michigan Panthers fan (Anthony Carter, Bobby Hebert, Derek Holloway, John Corker, David Greenwood, Ken Lacy, just to name a few) so I'm hoping for a repeat performance of the inaugural year (1983) in which the Panthers defeated the Philadelphia Stars, 24-22, to win the USFL Championship. I'd also like to see the league do well so that they will hopefully bring in some of the other teams as well. I grew up in Oklahoma, so I'd like to see the Outlaws come back too. In fact, I am wearing an Oklahoma Outlaws shirt right now.

If there are any other USFL fans out there, I'm about halfway through a book about the history of the original league. It's called "The United States Football League, 1982-1986", by Paul Reeths. It's been an excellent read so far.

[Boltjolt]

I'll watch tonight but def not getting invested in it... These leagues never last and I doubt this one will be any different, the names aren't even that good. LA Express is lame... Bring back the San Diego Fleet.

I Actually enjoyed that league. Kinda bummed when they shut it down.
I looked over the rosters for this league and only recognize maybe a half dozen names. Scooby Wright, Paris Ford, Marlon Williams. I'd have to look again to remember the others lol.

I do remember the Generals QB Perez from the AAFL league.

[Bolt-O]

Two quick TDs.

[Formula 21]

I’d probably support a spring league with a San Diego team based at SDSU stadium. Maybe they find a way to up the showtime factor.

[AFboltfan]

I Actually enjoyed that league. Kinda bummed when they shut it down.
I looked over the rosters for this league and only recognize maybe a half dozen names. Scooby Wright, Paris Ford, Marlon Williams. I'd have to look again to remember the others lol.

I do remember the Generals QB Perez from the AAFL league.

I did too, I enjoyed watching Martz's Fleet and I enjoyed the original XFL when I lived in Vegas. This league, I dunno. Its kinda bugging me I can't see what quarter they're in or the game clock.

[dmac_bolt]

I was a big USFL fan back in the day, so seeing the teams (even if it is in name only) returning from the early '80s brings back some good memories. I've got the DVR set to record all four games so I can fast-forward through the commercials, but I will be watching all the games. I know that the level of competition won't rival the NFL, but that's okay. It's still football.

I was a big Michigan Panthers fan (Anthony Carter, Bobby Hebert, Derek Holloway, John Corker, David Greenwood, Ken Lacy, just to name a few) so I'm hoping for a repeat performance of the inaugural year (1983) in which the Panthers defeated the Philadelphia Stars, 24-22, to win the USFL Championship. I'd also like to see the league do well so that they will hopefully bring in some of the other teams as well. I grew up in Oklahoma, so I'd like to see the Outlaws come back too. In fact, I am wearing an Oklahoma Outlaws shirt right now.

If there are any other USFL fans out there, I'm about halfway through a book about the history of the original league. It's called "The United States Football League, 1982-1986", by Paul Reeths. It's been an excellent read so far.

The USFL back in the day competed for and signed several top NCAA prospects, Steve Young started in the USFL. This ain’t that USFL. I watched part of the first game, its minor league.

[Blue Thunder]

Oh, I know it's totally different. I don't expect the same kind of "star power" in this USFL reboot - and rightfully so.

I think that the new USFL might actually stand a chance of lasting longer than the first one did IF they continue to approach things as they seem to be doing now. Keeping costs low this first year by having no travel costs for games is smart as well as taking the "minor league" approach instead of trying to take on the NFL head on. Developing fringe-level players and giving them experience (and reps) may actually endear them to the NFL eventually as basically a developmental league. Also, they do also have the advantage of TV contract money from multiple networks (Fox, NBC, USA), which as we all know is a LOT more that it was 40 years ago.

Spending too much money way too quickly, especially on player contracts, is a large part of what did in the first USFL. That and the decision to move to the fall and take on the NFL head-on. Winning the anti-trust suit against the NFL originally looked like a feather in the USFL's cap; that is, until they were only awarded $3 in damages.

Anyway, even if the new league doesn't make it, I'm enjoying the stroll down memory lane for now.

[powderblueboy]

The USFL starts play tonight, with the Birmingham Stallions hosting the New Jersey Generals at Birmingham's Protective Stadium. The eight league team also consists of the Houston Gamblers, Michigan Panthers, Philadelphia Stars, New Orleans Breakers, Tampa Bay Bandits and Pittsburgh Maulers. The other six teams will play in three games tomorrow.

All eight teams are apparently headquartered in Birmingham and all the games this season will be played at one of two venues in Birmingham: Legion Field or Protective Stadium. A 10-week season is planned, with two playoff rounds.

Former coach of the Chargers, the legendary Mike Riley, is GM and HC of the Generals. Mike Pereira is head of officiating (I assume we will also continue as rules analyst for Fox NFL games). Chargers fan favorite Jeff Fisher is GM and HC of the Michigan Panthers.

Is it possible for every team in that league to be sub 500?