1975 WFL Week 10 Recap: Midseason Moment of Truth
Back in October of 1973, when Gary Davidson announced that he would follow up his launch of rival basketball (ABA) and hockey (WHA) leagues by taking a shot at the biggest fish in the sea, the NFL, we at Sport Magazine decided we would follow this story closely. After all, the American Football League had proven that there was a thirst for more football than the NFL could provide at the time, and quite possibly Davidson was correct that the desire for more had not been sated by the NFL-AFL merger. We committed to following the league, to see if it would find the same kind of success the AFL had a decade earlier or implode under the pure hubris of Gary Davidson’s ambition.
It did not look good for the WFL at first, with teams shifting, moving, and folding before a single game was played. But after the announcement that the planned 1974 season would be mothballed, the league restructured, refocused, and pushed for more stability before its new kickoff this past Independence Day weekend. We have seen quite a few success stories from the new league over the past 2 months, and now, with the NCAA and NFL seasons about to kick off, significantly increasing the choices football fans have for their dollars and their TV viewing, the WFL finds itself at another tipping point. Can the league hold its own now that the big boys, from Tuscaloosa to Ann Arbor and from Miami to San Francisco start taking to the field.
The likely answer is both yes and no. Some WFL clubs seem well-prepared for the competition for fans, having quickly developed a solid fanbase and a good gameday experience. Fans in places like Birmingham, Memphis, Honolulu, and Jacksonville seem more than ready to have a pro team to call their own. Others, like the Philadelphia Bell and Chicago Fire are hoping on field success, paired with real questions surrounding their local NFL teams, might be enough to keep the ball rolling. And then there are the early question marks for the WFL, the New York Stars and the Portland Storm, both struggling at the box office, in the financial ledgers, and on the field. New York has already made a move, relocating the Stars franchise to Princeton University after an absolute disaster in their early games at New York’s dilapidated Downing Stadium. Portland is struggling to make payroll after early season rain and an 0-8 start made it tough to get folks to come out to Civic Stadium. In Florida, where fans in Jacksonville have come out in droves, there are real financial concerns about the ownership group even when the team seems poised to average over 40,000 per game at the Gator Bowl (though they do share their team with Orlando and its much smaller Tangerine Bowl as well).
After 10 weeks of action, the WFL has impressed with the quality of play on the field. Those who predicted that the handful of NFL jumpers would dominate have been proven wrong. Yes, we have seen some great performances from NFL stars like Joe Namath, Virgil Carter, Calvin Hill, John Gilliam and the Memphis combo of Warfield, Csonka, and Kiick, but we have also seen some relative unknowns proving they belong on the field with the more familiar NFL names. Players like Philadelphia Bell QB Jim “King” Corcoran, Portland tailback Rufus Ferguson, NFL cast offs like WR Cecil Turner (Florida) or LB Jim Sniadecki (Hawaiians) are looking over the league from the top of the stat boards, and many more are showing each week that they are legitimate football talents.
Yes, there is an apparent gap between the haves and have-nots, with Chicago at 9-1, Southern California at 8-2, and Philadelphia at 7-3 leading the way, while Portland (1-9), the Houston & San Antonio based Texans (2-7-1) and New York (3-7) have looked truly lost at times. But this is football and we could say the same thing about the standings of the SEC, Big 10 or most NFL divisions each year. What is promising is that we do not have a clear juggernaut and that even the league’s worst team, the Portland Storm, are still working to improve, having signed former NFL QB Pete Beathard a couple of weeks back, a move that helped produce their first win this week.
What is more promising is the way fans have accepted the early-start WFL with good attendance in several cities since the July 4th Weekend kickoff. Philadelphia seems to have found success by providing discount tickets to local police, firefighters and military personnel, while other teams have reached out to schools and summer camps to bring in young fans (and often their fathers with them). At the midpoint of a long 18-week season, we have several teams looking to top 40,000 in average attendance, and many more in the 30’s. Now, the question is, how could this change as not only the NFL, but also NCAA football and even high school football starts to become a factor. After all, it may be tough for teams like the Texans, Hawaiians, Birmingham Americans, and Memphis Southmen to draw fans on a Friday Night if the local high schools are in action. Add Saturdays in the major NCAA conferences and suddenly fans have to decide between USC or UCLA or a trip to Anaheim to watch the Southern California Sun, not to mention the Tuscaloosa v. Birmingham, or Gainesville v. Florida Blazers competition. And, of course, with all 3 major networks covering the NFL each week, the WFL’s agreement with the TSN network of stations will start to be a real challenge if there are NFL games on the larger networks.
But, that is the calculus that Davidson and the WFL owners have worked out, or at least hope they have, that there are enough Oiler, Longhorn, and Aggie fans who will tune in to a Texans broadcast on a Friday Night, or Dolphin, Gator, and Seminole fans who will add one more broadcast to their weekend plans to catch the Blazers. Only Chicago and the Texans share a stadium with an NFL team, so it is not a question of booking the games, that is already done, it is about convincing fans that heading out to Soldier Field on a Thursday or Friday night for $5 tickets is a better option than waiting until Sunday and the Bears’ game for $10. The league has already allowed teams to reduce ticket prices across the board for the games that occur during the NFL season, and with their strategic distribution of “community” tickets, often at only $1 apiece to select groups within each market, the hope is that those who want to watch a game in person will find the WFL a solid alternative.
And so we will wait and watch, to see if the WFL can maintain an impressive early turnout, keep up pretty solid TV numbers (considering the non-network stations in each market), and the quality of play as more players struggle with the extended 18-game schedule. We wait to see about the finances behind each club, the fanbase, and the energy around the league, because what we have seen so far has been better-than-expected, but what is still to come is the real test.
Worlds Apart: The Good, Bad & Ugly of the 10 WFL Teams after 10 weeks.
We decided that rather than just examine the leaguewide issues that impact the new World Football League, it is a good time to take a look at each of the league’s 10 franchises. What has worked well, what has not, and where we see the next few months headed for each team. We will start in the East, following the current standings, and take a look at each club in turn.
Philadelphia Bell (7-3)
41,561 Average Attendance (5 games)
Sure, there are still some snickers around the somewhat unthreatening team name and the bright blue and yellow uniforms, but the on-field play of the Bell, combined with a real lunch pail, blue collar attitude, has gotten them some quick wins with the often skeptical Philadelphia sports fans. The Bell’s last two home games have drawn a combined 83,000 to Franklin Field, making the club one of the early season’s biggest success stories.
HIGHLIGHT: The biggest bonus for the Bell has been the play of unheralded former minor-league QB Jim “King” Corcoran, who has outpaced the bigger names like Namath, Carter, and Morton to lead the WFL in both passing yards and passing TDs after 10 games. A former member of the Pottstown Firebirds and Flint Sabres, Corcoran has become something of a local hero in Philly, where his frequent South Street appearances and his love of the game have created a blue collar connection to the fans who come out each week.
LOWLIGHT: Philadelphia is lucky in that the most apparent weakness for the franchise is an on-field one, not a financial or logistical one. The Bell are among the worst teams in the WFL in rushing the ball. Their lead back, J. J. Jennings is averaging a very solid 4.4 yards per carry, but has only 114 touches after 10 games, compared, for example to Calvin Hill in Hawaii, who has over 240. The Bell are sitting at 7-3, so it has not cost them much to rely on Corcoran and receivers Ron Holliday, Ben Hawkins and Ted Kwalick, but imbalance is never what a coach wants to see and we expect that Coach Ron Waller is hoping to find more in his run game.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Folks are already watching Corcoran, so we are going to turn to the defense and point out that undrafted Maryland end Don Ratliff is quickly proving to be a handful in the WFL. The smallish DE (at 250 lbs) has proven he has some moves, leading the team and the league with 11 sacks in only 10 games. That is the kind of pace we expect from names like Deacon Jones or Jack Youngblood, two names not even Ratliff would have compared himself to when he joined the Bell.
WHAT’S NEXT?: The Bell were upset by the New York Stars this week, and that has to worry Coach Waller. They now face a very tough run of games, starting with Chicago this week, and won’t face a team with a losing record until Week 16. Their ability to stay atop the East will largely depend on how they fare in this stretch.
FLORIDA BLAZERS (6-4)
37,322 Average Attendance (3 games)
The Blazers have been a pretty solid club on the field, proven with an upset win over the Southern California Sun in Anaheim this week, and no one is complaining about the attendance in Jacksonville, where the team regularly draws over 40,000 to the Gator Bowl, but despite those two big success stories, the Blazers look to be a franchise in turmoil. Major financial issues have arisen, ranging from payroll issues (delayed gameday checks) to state investigation of now 2 of the club’s 3 primary owners. This could well be the story of a good team with a bad front office, and that could be real trouble.
HIGHLIGHT: We probably ought to name the Jacksonville fanbase as the highlight of the club, as folks from northern Florida (and southern Georgia) have embraced the club. It is almost too bad that they are a split-location team, because their draw in Orlando has been about half of what they regularly bring in at the Gator Bowl. But, if we are talking about the on-field performance, our bullpen has been most impressed with linebacker Chip Myrtle, who leads the WFL with 84 tackles in 10 games. Myrtle, a Maryland product who spent 6 years with the NFL Broncos, never made many waves with the Orange Crush, but in Florida he is proving to be a very solid tackler with good instincts in the run game.
LOWLIGHT: It has to be the financial questions swirling around this team. Both Jacksonville-based Fran Monaco and Orlando’s Rommie Loud seem to have mortgaged and borrowed to the hilt to get in the game but now are looking at major issues related to their ability to fund the team when the costs turn from hypothetical to very real. Rumors of missed paychecks and unpaid bills are beginning to move the Blazers from the Sports Section to the Local News, and not in a good way.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Currently 5th in the WFL with 637 yards on 164 carries, we are seeing some real bounce in HB Tommy Reamon. The Mizzou product joined the league in 1974, turning down a 9th round selection by the NFL Steelers. When the 74 season was cancelled, he spent 1 season in Canada with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but returned to Florida for the league’s July kickoff. Reamon has been a nice surprise for the Blazers, breaking off several nice runs, showing good vision, and an ability to succeed as a receiver as well, with 3 touchdowns through the air.
WHAT’S NEXT?: Four of the next five games for Florida are home games (2 in Jacksonville and 2 in Orlando), so the time is now to prove that Florida can support a 2nd team, a year before the NFL’s expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off. If they can take advantage of home cooking in those games, they could challenge Philadelphia, and, maybe just bring in enough gate receipts to help fix some of the financial issues as well.
BIRMINGHAM AMERICANS (6-4)
46,505 Average Attendance (5 games)
Tied with Florida for 2nd place, the Americans raced to a 3-0 start to the year, but now have lost 4 of their last 7. The reason for the drop has been hard to pin down. Birmingham is not atop the league in any area, but they are mostly in the upper half in everything from turnover differential to yards allowed to yards gained. George Mira, their veteran CFL quarterback, has been solid, throwing for over 1,800 yards so far, and while the run game has not produced a league leader, it has put up a solid 1,253 yards over 10 games. Birmingham may need to do more to secure one of only 2 playoff spots in the East, but they are in position if they can string together some wins.
HIGHLIGHT: Lots of good moments on the field, but we have to give this to the fans in Birmingham, who have come out for the Americans like few fanbases. Legion Field is not a great facility (its heyday has passed), but the atmosphere in the stadium and in the parking areas before the game feel very much like what you would expect for Alabama-Auburn, not a new pro league in its first season.
LOWLIGHT: Every season has pinnacle games and trough games, and the Week 4 home loss to the at-the-time winless New York Stars has to be considered the low so far for this Stallion team. The loss came out of nowhere, and the team just played poorly in every facet. They also fell to a mediocre Hawaiians team in Week 9, giving them a pretty pedestrian 2-2 record in front of their fans, something they definitely want to improve on.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Former Detroit Lion Ron Jessie is making the most of his second chance as he has become one of George Mira’s favorite targets, especially on those outside fly routes. Jessie is averaging 18.9 yards per reception and has produced 4 touchdowns for the Americans. He is part of a solid 3-man group with rookie Alfred Jenkins and another NFL castoff, Dennis Homan.
WHAT’S NEXT?: The Americans got a big win over Memphis this week, and now have 5 games against Western Division teams in the next 6 weeks. Those are important, but the game to watch is Week 12, when the division-leading Philadelphia Bell come to Alabama.
MEMPHIS SOUTHMEN (4-5-1)
43,653 Average Attendance (4 games)
The Southmen, and flamboyant owner John Basset, made huge news when they signed a trio of All-Pro superstars in former Dolphins Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, and Jim Kiick, but while those three have certainly helped to boost ticket sales in Memphis, they have not produced a winning record at the season’s midpoint. Memphis may well be considered one of the disappointments of the season so far, at least in the standings, as they are doing just fine at the ticket office.
HIGHLIGHT: Almost certainly the highlight of the year was the season opener, when more than 44,000 fans showed up to watch the Southmen defeat the visiting Hawaiian squad. It was a great atmosphere, a great kickoff for the league, and a sign that Memphis was excited about the team John Basset put on the field.
LOWLIGHT: It has to be the defense, one of the league’s most porous, giving up 23 points a game. So much attention was paid to the 3 NFL “jumpers” that signed on, and that has put butts in seats, but defense wins titles, we all know that, and the Memphis defense has not been up to the task.
PLAYER TO WATCH: For all the hype Csonka, Kiick, and Warfield have brought to Memphis, the player who has most impressed us is rookie QB Danny White. Signing with Memphis over the Dallas Cowboys (who wanted him to be a full-time punter), White got his shot to take the field when season starter John Huarte was lost to injury for several weeks. White has impressed since taking over, throwing for 1,200 yards, 13 TDs and only 5 picks. He still has some issues with accuracy, but he has been able to make plays and lead the offense, so keep an eye on him the rest of the way.
WHAT’S NEXT?: The Southmen play at home 3 of the next 4 weeks, which gives them a chance to jump back over .500, but it won’t be easy. They face the Hawaiians this week, who seem to have turned the corner, then have Southern California and Chicago coming to town, two very solid teams with very good QB play. If they can go 2-1 in those 3 games, and pick up what should be a win in their road game to Portland, they may well find themselves in the mix.
NEW YORK STARS (3-7)
10,235 Average Attendance (4 games)
The Stars were 0-3 at Downing Stadium, have won 3 of 7 on the road, and will now head to a new home stadium at Princeton’s Palmer Stadium in Week 11. Can the change of venue also be a change of trajectory for the league’s “big market” team? The WFL really does not want to see the Stars fail, because failing in New York tarnishes the entire league, but can a roster made up of past-their-prime former NY Jets keep up in a league that is proving that NFL pedigree is not a guarantee for WFL success?
HIGHLIGHT: The win this week in Philadelphia was both totally unexpected and very much needed. New York proved they were not a doormat with a very solid game, one that saw their defense look as good as anyone’s against the Bell offense, while the offense managed to control the ball and avoid turnovers on their way to a 3rd win on the year.
LOWLIGHT: That’s it, low light. That is what Downing Stadium offered, along with run down locker rooms, shoddy bench seats, an impossible ferry-based transportation system, and lighting that was absolutely insufficient for night games and TV broadcasts. New York was a joke in a league that could not afford for people to laugh at them. Can a change of venue now redeem a team that already lost out on making a good first impression?
PLAYER TO WATCH: Without a doubt the most impressive player for the Stars has been rookie linebacker Rod Shoate. The Oklahoma Sooner who chose the WFL over the NFL (he was drafted by New England in the 2nd round) has been everything Coach Parilli could have hoped for. He leads the club with 84 tackles and is playing more like an 8-year veteran than a rookie fresh out of the Big 8.
WHAT’S NEXT?: All eyes are on Princeton, New Jersey, to see if the Stars can shed their comical first impression and be reborn with a new home venue. Early reports are that attendance at this week’s new Home Opener could exceed anything the Stars saw at Downing Stadium, and the road win over Philadelphia this past weekend can only help draw people out to New Jersey to watch the team. If New York (New Jersey?) can start stringing together some wins and bringing fans to their new stadium, they could well take advantage of the Giants playing the season in Queens to help build a Jersey-based following.
CHICAGO FIRE (9-1)
39,163 Average Attendance (5 games)
With the best record in the league and a great comeback story in QB Virgil Carter, the Fire are hoping to take advantage of the recent struggles of the Chicago Bears and the option for fans to get on board with a winning club at half the cost of Bear tickets. So far the box office has been solid, not eye-opening, but solid, but now, with the Bears and their rookie sensation, Walter Payton, about to hit the field, we will see if the Fire's early season success can translate to fan interest.
HIGHLIGHT: As good as Carter's play has been (2,117 yards and 14 TDs so far), what has to be loved by old school Chicago football fans is the Fire's top-rated defense. The Fire lead the league, allowing only 268 total yards per game, and are one of only 2 teams not allowing 100 yards per game on the ground. Yes, the offense has certainly benefitted from the combo of Carter to former Viking John Gilliam, but it is the Fire defense that has Chicago sitting at 9-1.
LOWLIGHT: Not much when you have only 1 loss on the season, but if there is one thing Coach Spavital would like to see it would be for one of the club's tailbacks to step up and become a true bell cow back. Chicago has been splitting carries between Cyril Pinder and WIllie Jackson, with neither really showing they have the stuff to be a 3-down back or to merit 20+ carries a game.
PLAYER TO WATCH: It has to be WR John GIlliam, who leads the WFL in both receptions (55) and yards (856), on pace to easily eclipse 1,200 yards. Gilliam has been impossible to cover and has been available to Virgil Carter whenever the team has needed a big play. Not every NFL "jumper" has proven to be an elite WFL player, but Gilliam certainly has taken that step.
WHAT’S NEXT?: Early home games for Chicago now turn into a 4-game road trip, not ideal when they are trying to maintain their fanbase at Soldier Field, and this will not be a victory parade either, with 3 of the 4 teams looking like very tough opponents, starting this week with a trip to Philly before also facing the Texans, Americans, and Memphis Southmen.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUN (8-2)
29,904 Average Attendance (6 games)
The signing of Joe Namath was the biggest feather in the cap of the World Football League, but "Hollywood Joe" is paying a hefty price for his move from Broadway, sacked 58 times in only 10 games. He is out for a 2nd week after suffering an injury in Week 9, and that could be a big issue for the Sun, who were unbeaten until Namath went down.
HIGHLIGHT: The Sun spent big on Joe Namath, but they also invested in the run game with UCLA's Kermit Johnson and USC's Anthony Davis. That combo has been electric for the club and a huge reason they are sitting at 8-2. Davis appears to be getting the nod as the starter more often than not, but Johnson is one heck of a change-up.
LOWLIGHT: No surprise here, the O-line, and particularly their pass blocking. The run game is surviving on a mix of outside runs and a decent right side, but the left side of the line is allowing too much access to Joe Namath, and with his knees, he is not escaping a lot of rushers. They need to keep Namath upright and on the field if the Sun want to finish strong and make the postseason.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Both short-term and long-term, the answer may be former USC quarterback Pat Haden. We honestly don't know how long Joe Namath can withstand the pressure, or how many injuries he will sustain if he does stick out this season with this line, but it seems clear that Haden will be the future when Namath steps away, as well as the present, since Namath is out. His ability to cope with pressure will be the key to Southern California staying competitive.
WHAT’S NEXT?: When the schedule came out, the league was hoping to highlight this week's Sun @ Stars game, Joe Namath returning to New York. What they get instead is Pat Haden going to New Jersey. That feels a lot like going to Broadway to see Chita Rivera in the hit "Chicago" only to find out you have tickets to see Tiny Tim off broadway in "Sheboygan".
THE HAWAIIANS (3-7)
30,366 Average Attendance (5 games)
The first pro team in the 50th state have gotten off to a rocky start, but have also had some highlights to rally around. Fans in the Aloha State have a new stadium that offers great sight lines, and, although some are complaining about the drab brown and mustard uniforms, they are more than happy with the play of NFL import Calvin Hill, the league's leading rusher after 10 weeks.
HIGHLIGHT: On field it has to be Hill, who is on pace to reach 1,800 yards, with a long shot at reaching O. J. Simpson's 2,000 yard mark (though in an 18 week, not 14 week season). Hill is loving life in Hawaii, often spotted poolside when not practicing and the Hawaiians are seeing more than a few Cowboy jerseys in the stands as Hill fans are making Honolulu a vacation destination.
LOWLIGHT: Ugh, that defense. The Hawaiians need to figure something out soon because they are just too mistake-prone and too sloppy. In some games it is penalties, in others just blown coverages or poor tackling, but the bottom line is that any hope of reaching .500 will depend on this defense figuring out how to play with some consistency.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Sonny Sixkiller made news initially as the first Native American to be named a starting QB for a pro team in the USA, but now he is making news for the quality of his play. He is not a scrambler, but is agile enough to extend plays and make late throws. He is not a gunslinger, but will rifle the ball in when needed. While defenses are focussing on Hill, watch as Sixkiller sees more and more opportunity to make plays.
WHAT’S NEXT?: The Hawaiians have a chance to make a move, with 3 of their next 4 games against fellow sub-500 teams. This week's trip to Memphis won't be easy, but it is winnable, then it is home for the 1-9 Portland Storm, then a trip to play the New York Stars in Week 14. Going 3-1 in their next 4 would put them at 6-8 with 4 games left to play.
THE TEXANS (2-7-1)
30,728 Average Attendance (7 games)
The WFL was always going to be a tough sell in the land of "Luv'Ya Blue", but the green & yellow Texans are not making it any easier by struggling to find themselves offensively. There was interest initially in the signing of former Cowboy QB Craig Morton, but Morton has been something of a bust for the Texans, who simply don't have enough around him to make him an effective passer. Former Patriot Jim Nance has had some good games, but does not have the explosiveness to make defenses overload the box to stop him.
HIGHLIGHT: It is hard to sell a team on their run defense, but that is clearly the best part of the Texans so far. They have allowed fewer than 90 yards per game on the ground, which normally indicates one of two things, a team with a dominant front 7 or a team that allows too much to the passing game of the opposition. Houston is 2-7-1, which do you think is the more likely explanation? And yes, we are selling the run defense as a highlight, but also as a lowlight.
LOWLIGHT: It would be too easy to say Morton and the Texans' passing game. Yes, it is not good, but perhaps more concerning is that the decision to combine games in Houston's Astrodome with others in San Antonio's Alamo Stadium has forced the Texans to play two very different styles. The racetrack of Astroturf in Houston does not align well with the kind of plodding, run-dominant style that will win games on San Antonio's sod field. Throw in the variation between 90 degree outdoor games and 72 degree dome games, and the lackluster attendance caused by playing in 2 locations (and playing poorly) and the energy is just not there for this club.
PLAYER TO WATCH: It has to be Jim Nance, who left his role as an inside "pounder" for the Patriots to become... an inside pounder for the Texans. Nance is only averaging 3.5 YPC, but is third in the WFL in rushing thanks to 230 carries. That is a nasty ratio that likely produces more wear and tear than yards and scores, but right now it is the Texans' most successful strategy.
WHAT’S NEXT?: The good news is that the Texans' next two home games are in San Antonio, where the slow, methodical grinder style game is more likely to be effective. The bad news is that it may already be too late for the Texans to make a first impression on fans, in either Houston or San Antonio. We will see how attendance looks for the Texans now that the WFL is competing not only with the Oilers and Cowboys, but also the Longhorns, Aggies, most of the Southwest Conference and the cultural juggernaut that is Texas high school football.
PORTLAND STORM (1-9):
17,840 Attendance Average (6 games)
Portland got their first win this week, but the celebration is pretty muted when one considers that it took 10 weeks, and the team is still struggling at the box office, the bottom line, and in most statistical categories. Ownership says they are committed to the team and believe Portland can be a good home for a WFL team, but this particular WFL team is not exactly turning the town lime green and blue with deep allegiance.
HIGHLIGHT: The mid-season signing of former 49er Pete Beathard has done two very positive things for the Storm. It has given them a much-needed win, something neither Ken Johnson nor Don Horn could produce, but perhaps more importantly, it showed locals that this team, for all the financial concerns, was invested in winning, spending money few thought they had to bring in a new option at QB.
LOWLIGHT: Pretty much everything over the first 9 weeks, from soggy early season games that held down attendance to sloppy play week in and week out, to a lack of energy on defense from 10 of 11 players. The only player who seems ready to give it his all is the one who is asking for a trade, former Chief Willie Lanier. He may well get that deal as it would certainly help Portland's financial situation, but what would a mid-season departure of their one big name NFL signing mean for the fanbase?
PLAYER TO WATCH: Not so much on the field, but we need to watch the Lanier situation off the field. Ever since he publicly stated he would like a trade, the Storm have been getting inquiries. The Stars, Bell, Americans, and Hawaiians have all put options on the table, and Portland has not yet said no to any of the possible deals. Where Lanier goes could shape the final stretch of the season, and how Portlanders view a trade could determine how the Storm are perceived by the market as a whole. If you are speaking purely of on-field excitement, Portland's obvious choice is Rufus Ferguson, one of the best backs in the league and the one true playmaker we have seen in the Storm attack.
WHAT’S NEXT?: No game looks like a surefire win when you are 1-9, but if you want to see the Storm double their win total, the next good opportunity may be a ways off, a Week 15 home game against the Texans. If we were advising the Storm, we would be hyping up that game as much as possible and, if they can, use a possible Lanier trade to bring in a player who fans can rally behind. Maybe a receiver to help Beathard make a larger impact.
Comments