USFL: The Inaugural Season

[DerwinBosa]

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.

Maybe this is unrealistic thinking, but I was hoping this league would spend bigger on name quarterbacks. Marcus Mariota came to mind when I first heard about the USFL coming back, but then out of nowhere he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Basically, my hope was this would be a league for players such as Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson, and other NFL failures who will never be able to get back to the highest level. Although they were disappointments, I suppose it would be interesting to watch them play in the spring.

[DerwinBosa]

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.

Thank you for the book recommendation. Here's another book: Football For A Buck, by Jeff Pearlman.

[screeme18]

I always liked Mike Riley.. probably in over his head as our HC, but seemed like a decent guy. I didn't know the league was starting soon. I've wondered for a few years now why there isn't some sort of chip technology in the ball that would help with ball placement. I've always thought it was silly how casual they are in 9/10 of the ball placements, just tossing the ball around and eyeballing it in general, and striving for pinpoint accuracy on <1 situations. Maybe if you weren't so frikken casual five yards back, it would have made up that inch!! I'm curious to see how it works.

[Velo]

I always liked Mike Riley.. probably in over his head as our HC, but seemed like a decent guy. I didn't know the league was starting soon. I've wondered for a few years now why there isn't some sort of chip technology in the ball that would help with ball placement. I've always thought it was silly how casual they are in 9/10 of the ball placements, just tossing the ball around and eyeballing it in general, and striving for pinpoint accuracy on <1 situations. Maybe if you weren't so frikken casual five yards back, it would have made up that inch!! I'm curious to see how it works.

Same here. Football is called a game of inches, but those inches can be pretty arbitrary, based on an officials often flawed perception. I'm told the NFL has not done away with the chain gang method because it creates drama, and the NFL wants that drama to remain a part of the game.

[JOJAX85]

I really enjoyed the 1st game, but I'm biased, I know. Kid, who grew up a few houses down from me, plays for Birmingham. Chauncey Haney, DE, #91. He was actually in on the tackle for the opening kickoff for the new rebranded league and also had a Tackle For Loss. Pretty cool stuff.

[northerner]

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...

I always think of H. Walker and the original USFL generals.

[Old Marine]

This legue was a joke the first time I saw it why are they bringing it back

[bartman83642]

I always liked Mike Riley.. probably in over his head as our HC, but seemed like a decent guy. I didn't know the league was starting soon. I've wondered for a few years now why there isn't some sort of chip technology in the ball that would help with ball placement. I've always thought it was silly how casual they are in 9/10 of the ball placements, just tossing the ball around and eyeballing it in general, and striving for pinpoint accuracy on <1 situations. Maybe if you weren't so frikken casual five yards back, it would have made up that inch!! I'm curious to see how it works.

Yeah Riley seemed like a nice enough guy but was definitely in over his head as Charger coach. He was also very predictable. Saw a lot of Oregon St. games before he went into the NFL and I could basically sit back and watch the Chargers games on DTV and predict a huge amount of his play calls. He didn't seem to change things up and the mostly miserable roster the Bolts had at the time probably didn't help him.