Hi all. A quick website update. I am going to be traveling quite a bit over the next 2 weeks. I have written several articles ahead of publishing, so it will not be a 2-week gap, but to spread them out I am going to move to posting once every 3 days instead of every other day. So, expect an update sometime on Wed, then Sat, then Tuesday and Fruday of the week that follows. By that weekend I should be able to move back to a 48 hour cycle. Once again, thanks for all your support.
A good week for shootouts as we had two really exciting back and forth games between the Breakers and Showboats and then between the Panthers and Cannons. We also had our first tie of the season as neither Nashville or Baltimore could muster points in the extra period and had to settle for a 13-13 tie. We had defensive muscle on display when Las Vegas traveled to Pittsburgh, and we had several other games that provided close finishes and big plays. So, all in all a very good week for USFL football.
NEW ORLEANS 24 MEMPHIS 31
Sometimes when things are going badly it seems like even the good times are doomed to go bad. That has to be how the Breakers are feeling as they descend to 0-5 on the season. New Orleans held a 24-10 lead with only 10 minutes left to play and gave up 21 points in those final 10 minutes to fall in Memphis. While it was an exhilarating comeback for the Showboats and their 42,440 fans at the Liberty Bowl, it was another crushing blow for a team that has already been through a lot in what many had hoped would be a triumphant return to action in the Big Easy.
It was a game that encapsulated the entire Breaker season so far, high hopes, promising signs, and ultimate failure. New Orleans was in a dogfight early with Memphis, then scrapped their way to a 14 point lead only to watch it all fade away in the final moments of the game. The Breakers are finding new ways to lose, while Memphis is a surprising 4-1 and now stands alone atop the Southern Division.
The game began very much to the liking of Breaker Head Coach Mike Nolan. New Orleans took the opening kickoff, drove down the field, and put 3 points on the board in less than 3 minutes. Their defense then held Memphis to two straight 3-and-outs. But Memphis would adapt and by the end of the first quarter they were making headway. They had a good drive as the quarter ended, and with 43 seconds left in the first they got on the board, a 12 yard swing pass from Favre to Maurice Smith, the first of three Brett Favre TD tosses on the day.
Memphis would extend the lead to 10-3 in the 2nd quarter before New Orleans added another 3 to go into the half down only 10-6. That score would be cut to 10-9 after the Breakers’ first possession of the second half. But the Breakers needed more, and they would get it after a careless throw from Favre was snatched up by Breaker FS Will Hunter. That pick gave the Breakers momentum, and they would use that energy to get into the endzone, with Eli Manning finding Jerome Pathon from 17 yards out. The 2-pointer was good and after 3 quarters New Orleans was up 17-10.
They would go up by 14 only 5 plays later, when a 3-and-out and a poor punt by Memphis turned into a 43-yard TD from Manning to McCardell. The 8-year vet would catch 10 passes on the day, gaining 129 yards and this score. With the run game still floundering for New Orleans, despite the presence of new acquisition Fred Jackson, it was McCardell who provided the spark.
Unfortunately for the Breakers, momentum has a way of switching mid-game. The Breakers had gone up 14 and were feeling pretty good, but Memphis was not done. They were focused on the next drive, far more than New Orleans appeared to be. When, on a 2nd and 8 from the Breaker 37, Maurice Smith took the ball off left tackle, the hope was for a 6-8 yard gain, but what Memphis got was a 37-yard touchdown, and a significant boost in crowd engagement.
That crowd came in handy on the next defensive set of downs, as noise forced a false start that derailed the New Orleans drive. Memphis would get the ball back with just under 7 minutes to play, down 7. They would find their way into scoring range, and, after a defensive pass interference call placed the ball on the 1, Favre would hit rookie Sidney Rice with a quick slant, and the game would be tied.
And here is where fate can be so cruel. New Orleans got an outstanding return from Walt Harris, putting the ball on their own 48-yard line, with plenty of time to get into range for David Green to kick them to their first victory. They would need to gain about 15 yards in just over a minute to get Green into position, but with 3 time outs in their pocket, it seemed eminently possible. And so, on 1st and 10 from their own 48, they called a simple draw play to rookie Kenny Irons. But in the USFL nothing is as simple as it appears. The ball never made it into the gut of Irons, it bounced off his waiting arm, dropped, was kicked, and ended up rolling past the line of scrimmage, where Memphis DE Julius Peppers fell on it. Memphis ball on the Memphis 49 yard line. And now the Showboats could shoot for that final, game-winning field goal.
Of course, getting the field goal depends on moving the ball again, and when you have Brett Favre at quarterback, any play could become something quite different from what was written up. The call was for a short inside route to TE David Martin, but when Favre was forced out of the pocket, the coverage began to break down. Favre saw this and let the ball rip, downfield about 20 yards to rookie Sidney Rice, Rice went up for the ball, but it bounced off one hand, then off a New Orleans defender, and right into the arms of halfback Maurice Smith. Smith, who had 62 yards rushing and had cashed in on the swing pass TD earlier in the day, was again off to the races. With coaches calling for him to go down, to protect the ball and set up a field goal, Smith was racing down the field, crossing lines of pursuit, and clearly unable to hear or acknowledge the advice of those on the sideline. Had he lost the ball, there would have been hell to pay, but he didn’t, instead he dove over the final defender and into the endzone to put Memphis up by 7 with only 41 seconds on the clock.
Memphis had scored 14 points in less than 1 minute, and New Orleans did not have a response. They got the ball back with just over 30 seconds left, but could not complete a pass when needed and when the clock struck 00’s, Memphis had their 4th win and New Orleans was sent home 0-5.
MICHIGAN 34 BOSTON 40
The Weekend started off with a lot of fireworks as the Panthers and Cannons ran up the score on NBC’s Friday Night Football. Brian Griese would throw 4 touchdowns and newly dubbed starter Justin Fargas would rush for 90 yards and another score, but the Panther defense simply could not contain the Cannons. Drew Bledsoe threw for 3 scores, two to Joe Jurevicious, who seems healthy once again, while Tiki Barber would run for 112. Rookie Tony Hunt would score, but the game winner was on defense, as a desperate Brian Griese threw a bad pass that LB London Fletcher would snag out of the air and return 47 yards to put Boston up 40-28. A late score from Michigan was not enough as Boston moved to 5-0 in impressive fashion.
BIRMINGHAM 17 NEW JERSEY 45
A shocking turn of events as the Stallions drop another one and New Jersey defeats their second Southern foe in two weeks. What was truly stunning was the production of Kelly Holcombe, who completed 16 of 19 passes and threw 4 touchdowns. Hitting both T. J. Houshmanzadeh and Anthony Becht for two scores each. Add in 114 yards from Curtis Enis and this General squad looked a lot more like the 2006 champions than the team that started the year 0-3.
LAS VEGAS 3 PITTSBURGH 7
If scoring is not your thing, then a rain-drenched Heinz Field held the game for you. Both Las Vegas and Pittsburgh struggled to get much going at all. The Maulers amassed only 179 total yards of offense against the tough Las Vegas defense and the elements. The Thunder did not fare much better, gaining only 221 in a game that saw a combined 23 punts. Twenty Three Punts!!!! It would come down to one final drive, and Pittsburgh got it. Cody Pickett hit Travis Taylor for the only TD of the day with only 45 seconds later, much to the delight of the very few, very wet fans who were still in the stands when this one concluded.
SEATTLE 35 HOUSTON 24
Houston’s struggles continued as they drop another game at home. Seattle would fall down 14-0 after the first quarter, but would go on to score 28 unanswered to take command. Byron Leftwich would make up for an early pick-six thrown by tossing 4 touchdowns, all 4 scores in that run. David Boston would finish with 138 yards and 2 scores. Houston, playing without Roy Williams, would struggle to keep up, though newly promoted Koren Robinson had a good game with 6 catches for 100 yards and a score.
ST. LOUIS 23 OAKLAND 26
The Knights are another snakebit team, as they fell to 1-4 in a hard fought game out in Oakland. A late Greg Jennings TD catch put Oakland up 26-16 with 12 minutes left to play, but while Luke McCown would get one score late, it was not enough to catch up with the Invaders, who move to 3-2 and a 3-way tie behind Seattle in the Pacific.
JACKSONVILLE 30 ATLANTA 22
Saturday’s ESPN Special saw the Bulls take on division rival Atlanta. Jacksonville got an early lead and never let Atlanta get back on top. Two touchdowns from Rashaun Woods and 151 yards from a very dynamic Antowain Smith kept Atlanta at arm’s length all night. It did not help that Atlanta QB David Garrard had to leave the game at the half due to a minor injury. Rookie Tyler Thigpen, in his first action as a pro, would go 19 of 28 in the second half, keeping the game close with 2 TD passes, but Atlanta just never got close enough.
PHILADELPHIA 30 WASHINGTON 20
Sunday opened with a wet field, but the skies cleared in time for the Stars to face the Federals. The main beneficiary of the clear skies appeared to be the Star secondary, who came away with three picks of Henry Burris. And while Charles Woodson’s pick-6 was the most exciting interception of the day, it was not enough to pull Washington out of a 27-6 hole as Philadelphia moves to 4-1 on the year.
LOS ANGELES 24 ORLANDO 40
They say flying from the Pacific to the East Coast is tough on a team, well that appears to be the case for the Express this week, though we should also give credit to a very motivated 0-4 Orlando club. The Renegades came out of the gate hot and just got more and more confident as the game progressed. Drew Brees had his best game in blue and black, throwing for 350 yards and 3 scores, while newly arrived wideout Justin McCaerins made some new friends in Florida with his 60 yard, 1 TD day as Orlando lands their first win of the season.
BALTIMORE 13 NASHVILLE 13 OVERTIME
The first 4pm game of the day became the longest game of the day as Baltimore and Nashville slogged through an extra 15-minute overtime only to end in a tie that satisfied neither team. After going up 13-0 on a Marty Booker TD catch, Baltimore slowly bled points until Musa Smith’s TD run for Nashville tied the game up midway through the 4th. In a game that just seemed to lack precision all day, neither team could connect in overtime, with Matt Stover missing on a 38-yard kick in the only real scoring chance in overtime. A tie and both teams start over next week.
DENVER 19 TEXAS 13
The Outlaws drop to 1-4 as Denver, the only team with a winning record in the Southwest, gets just enough to move to 3-2. Texas led 13-9 into the 4th, but a Kassim Osgood TD reception put Denver up for good. Denver would outgain Texas 360-202, but could never build much advantage from it. Texas actually had the ball with a chance to win the game late, but a fumble by R. J. Redmond on 4th and 2 meant a turnover on downs and Denver took the victory formation to win the game.
ARIZONA 14 TAMPA BAY 34
Hopes are beginning to dim for the 1-4 Wranglers, who look like a shell of the team that won the Southwest last year. It did not help that Jake Plummer was sidelined with a possible concussion. Andrew Walter would come in, but by then the die was cast. Willis McGahee added 3 more scores to his league leading total of 9 scores in 5 weeks and the Jeremy Shockey would lead all receivers with 111 yards as the Bandits move to 3-2, a game behind Jacksonville.
What is Wrong with Arizona?
We have seen this movie before. The Wranglers have a very good season, and we expect more the next year, and then they fall flat on their faces. This was the pattern that eventually got Art Shell fired, good years followed by major disappointments. The same seems to be happening to Jim Fassel. The club went 10-4 in 2004, Fassel’s first year, then fell to 3-11 in 2005, but that was the year that Jake Plummer missed most of the season, so we expected a bounce back, and we got one. They went 10-4 again last year and many thought the corner had been turned, but here we are at 1-4 after 5 weeks of the 2007 season. So, what can we say?
Well, let’s say the obvious thing first. This club has to figure out how to run the ball. The Wranglers are averaging a pathetic 49.4 yards per game this season. They have two rushers with 94 yards (Galloway and Jake Plummer, yes, Plummer again). Rookie Antonio Pittman is averaging 1.6 yards per carry, and former Arizona Wildcat Chris Henry has all of 2 carries on the season. What is so hard about developing a run game that the Wranglers cannot do it?
So, what if Arizona could run? They can’t, but what if? Well, they also have the 25th rated scoring defense and the 26th rated defense for yards allowed. Being able to run the ball and sustain drives would help with that, but it won’t fix it all. When we look at the defense, it is pretty easy to find problems. They are last in the league with only 7 sacks in their first 5 games. They also have only 1 interception as a team, and they allow 124 yards per game rushing. Those are a lot of issues. But why? Why did they have a solid defense last year and such a horrible one again, just like in 2005? If we had the answer to that, we would likely be hired by the Wranglers at this point. But someone on Fassel’s staff had better figure it out and soon.
And with Houston?
The numbers on Arizona are pretty obvious, while Houston’s 1-4 start seems a bit of a tougher nut to crack. They are having trouble giving up too many big plays, but they are getting pressure on quarterbacks, with Kavika Pittman again a one-man wrecking crew, leading the league with 8 sacks all on his own. They also struggle to run the ball, but Kevin Faulk has had 117 yards against the Wranglers and 94 this week at LA, so it is improving. What we see when we look at Houston is a team that cannot close.
They lost 15-9 to the Gold, 20-17 to the Wranglers, 24-23 to LA, and only really lost badly this past week to Seattle. This could be a 3-2 team instead of a 1-4 squad. That may bring hope to some, but it brings a lot of frustration as well. Now, with Roy Williams out, just 5 weeks into the year, and in a year when Antonio Freeman jumped to the NFL, the Gamblers need to find more firepower on offense. They cannot find themselves in so many tight games and not come away with victories in any of them. So, what is our solution? Put Michael Sims-Walker into the starting lineup, not as a slot option, but as a 3-down receiver. As nice as Ike Hilliard and Koren Robinson are at getting open 8 yards downfield, this team needs to threaten clubs downfield, and that is where their rookie can be so effective. Sure, they won’t connect on every attempt, but it seems like they are wasting his straight line speed in the slot. Add some deep ball danger and just maybe they open up some run lanes for Faulk and Bell. Maybe they hit on a few long passes, and maybe they start to turn close losses into wins.
And What is Going Right for Memphis?
While questions of “what went wrong” are big in Houston and Phoenix, the Showboats are happy to answer questions about what is going right. The easy answer is Brett Favre, but the former Stallion QB is not blazing his way through the record book like he did earlier in his career. He is currently 10th in passing yards, and 8th in touchdowns, tied with Jake Delhomme. So what is working if it is not Favre chucking the ball all over the field?
How about balance? Favre has 165 pass attempts, but Cadillac Wiliams, Maurice Williams and Lionel Gates combine for 137 rush attempts. It is not all Favre all the time. Yes, having a USFL legend at QB absolutely makes it easier to run the ball. Teams have to be worried that Favre is going to let one loose to Lee Evans or rookie Sidney Rice, but he hasn’t been. Evans is averaging only 14.8 yards per reception, Rice only has 2 catches so far. No, the secret is the threat of the deep ball, a threat that has allowed Williams to average 3.9 yards per carry, and Maurice Smith an even better 5.7. If you want to beat Memphis, believe it or not, you may just want to stop fearing Favre and start playing more to stop the run and the short passing game.
And for Philadelphia?
The Stars are another surprising 4-1 club, but one whose formula is not that surprising. The Stars are both Top 10 in rushing offense and Top 10 in yards allowed. They control the ball, the clock, and the number of opportunities their opponents get. It makes sense. They have Ahman Green, a 3-time rushing leader, averaging 4.1 yards per carry (his backup, Michael Robinson is at 4.9). They have a ball control passing game, with 3 different players having caught 18 or more passes this year, including TE Roland Williams, along with Toomer and Smith. They also incorporate a lot of receivers into their multi-level attack. Ahman Green has 171 yards receiving, and both Dallas Clark and Roddy White are seeing targets every week as well.
On defense, Philadelphia is strong up the middle, with SS Reggie Tongue behind rookie LB Paul Posluszny and DTs Kendrick Clancy and Seth Payne. They also can pressure the QB with Regan Upshaw and Robert Mathis coming off the edge. They could use a shut down corner, especially noticeable when Antonio Cromartie got dinged up, but overall this is a defense that forces you to take your time, avoid mistakes, and score slowly. That keeps them in games and lets them wear you down over time. A good formula, and one that is working for Coach Harbaugh and the Stars.
No new IR placements, which is always a good thing to see. It does not mean however that the week went by without any injuries to speak of. Several players could miss significant time though are not likely out for the remaining 9 weeks. Among the more significant injuries we have Chicago’s rookie DE Victor Abiami, who will miss 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury, New Orleans tackle Mark Tauscher (2-4 weeks, hamstring), Atlanta QB David Garrard (1-2 weeks, shoulder), Oakland CB Deon Grant (1-2 weeks, hand), and Arizona QB Jake Plummer (1-2 weeks, groin). That makes 2 starting QB’s who are likely out at least until the midway point of the season.
Others out this week (Doubtful or Questionable) include Baltimore TE Antonio Gates (hamstring), Nashville HB Frank Gore (back), NJ DE Tamba Hali (foot), Birmingham WR Joe Horn (nerve), Boston OT Marco Colombo (neck), Philly CB Anthony Parker (foot), and Texas TE David Thomas (knee).
Forbes ID’s USFL Finances
Forbes Magazine this week published an interesting study of USFL finances. As they have done with the NFL, they listed the most valuable and least valuable franchises, factoring in their stadium situation, ownership, ticket sales, and revenue streams within each community. While there were no huge surprises, with USFL markets often paralleling their NFL counterparts and larger markets leading to higher individual financial advantages, there were a few interesting aspects to the report.
With numbers taken from 2005, it is not surprising that the 2004 USFL Champion Generals topped the list as the most valuable franchise, sitting at just under $1B in value. This is significantly less than the value assessed to either the Jets or Giants, who both top $2B in value, but for a league that was only 23 years old at the time, a one billion dollar assessment is nothing to sneeze at. In part New Jersey benefits from the greater NYC metro area as a resource for sponsorships and partnerships, and in part the plans for a new stadium set to open in 2010 benefitted New Jersey quite a bit.
Others in the Top 10 included Tampa Bay ($950M), Seattle ($915M), Denver ($880M), Philadelphia ($865M), Michigan ($802M), Houston ($787M), New Orleans ($755M), Chicago ($688M) and Arizona ($645M). In nearly every case these are well-funded teams, with solid stadium arrangements, strong fan bases and a rich pool of corporate sponsors and partners. While Atlanta and St. Louis were not included in the study, it can be assumed that they both start off strong due both to their stadium deals and the relatively stable finances of their ownership groups. To no one’s surprise the smaller markets were among the lowest valued, along with teams like Las Vegas and Boston whose stadium situations are tenuous at best. What may surprise some is that Los Angeles landed at 18th, sixth from the bottom, despite the huge market and corporate presence. LA has a strong stadium agreement with Farmers Insurance Field, which they share with the NFL Raiders, but the issue, as it always has been in LA, is attendance and gameday revenue. The others in the Bottom 6 include Memphis, Washington, Oakland, Las Vegas, and Boston.
So, what can these “lower value” franchises do to improve their standing? Well, each case is its own, but there seems to be a pretty clear answer for each club.
Los Angeles: Find a way to expand the fanbase, improve attendance, and somehow tap into some of the success the Raiders have had in becoming a “must see” event each Sunday.
Memphis: The market is the issue here. Sharing Tennessee with the Nashville Knights is not helping either club, as Nashville barely missed this list at 7th. Memphis is not a strong corporate market, and has one of the lowest per capita income numbers in the league. Yes, they have created connections with Fed Ex, but what other regional partners can they better mine to get a greater exposure, all while fending off Nashville as a competitor?
Washington: The Feds have two main issues, the first is that their ownership remains one of the least capitalized of any USFL team, so perhaps they need to consider expanding their ownership group to bring in more big money minority owners. The second is the rapidly declining viability of RFK Stadium as a home for the club. Washington is in discussions with the local MLS club, DC United, to try to build something within the city, but with the Redskins still vehemently opposed to sharing their stadium, for now Washington is stuck in a pretty bad home.
Las Vegas and Boston: Stadium is the main issue with both clubs. The capacity of both Sam Boyd and BC’s Alumni Staduim is just not there, and both stadia lack amenities which make them destination spots. If Las Vegas could get a stadium built, the city itself is primed to be a key market for the league and a significant money maker. Same in Boston, where a better stadium situation could dramatically improve the finances of a club that has a lot of other things playing in its favor. Competition, rather than cooperation with Robert Kraft and the Patriots has proven a drag on the team, more than the league could have anticipated.
While the league as a whole is looking strong, and the revenue sharing built into its structure keeps even the lower value teams from struggling to bring in revenue, more assistance for clubs on the lower end, whether through expanded corporate sponsorship or assistance with stadium development, could go a long way to spanning the gap between the top and the bottom.
Musical Franchises: The 1987 USFL Expansion
By the 1986 season the USFL was flush with funds from the antitrust suit against the NFL, and was feeling pretty good about its future. The 1984 expansion had strengthened the league, with very solid franchises in Jacksonville, Houston, Memphis, and Pittsburgh, and the spirit within the league offices was one of growth and opportunity. No wonder that in this situation there was a lot of interest in another round of expansion, and a lot of ownership bidding groups ready to throw their hat in the ring. Groups from as far afield as Seattle, Miami, Minneapolis, and San Diego were all bidding on a chance to get a piece of what seemed a hot commodity. For the 1986 season the league had approved two franchises to relocate, one due to stadium issues and the other for general financial and attendance concerns. The Chicago Blitz would move to Baltimore, where they were enthusiastically welcomed by a city still angered by the midnight departure of the NFL Colts. The Breakers would find a new home and a new owner in the Big Easy, a move that would radically improve their bottom line and their attendance after several rough years in Boston’s tiny Nickerson Field and Harvard Stadium.
However, the departure from two large markets into decidedly smaller ones was not sitting well with either ABC or ESPN, who counted on big market franchises to boost ratings. The USFL would have to replace at least one, if not both of the lost markets to avoid a major squabble about market share and ratings with the networks. The solution was to add 4 expansion teams in 1987 and ensure that one would be placed in Chicago to replace the departing Blitz. The other three cities would be mid- to large markets that would expand the national scope of the league. Early favorites were Dallas, Seattle, and Miami. But, the whims of fate, and the politics of stadium leases would force the league in a very different direction.
The Chicago Machine, awarded to Blackhawks majority owner Bill Wirtz, would prove to be the easiest of the 4 expansion bids. Wirtz would get a solid deal to put his team in Soldier Field, and would build his franchise around Head Coach Joe Bugel, a no-nonsense football guy who had come out of an O-line background and would create a team with a blue collar attitude.
The second franchise awarded was a Texas team, a natural rival for Houston, but it would not be Dallas. Clint Manges, a oil man born in Oklahoma but made rich in south Texas, who would land a franchise, and after agreeing to foot the bill to upgrade Alamo Stadium in San Antonio, the Alamo City would be Texas’s second USFL city instead of Dallas.
San Diego appeared to be next as the league approved William Tatham, a Fresno-based real estate developer and banker, to operate franchise in the California city. Problem was, Tatham did not have a deal with San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium. Over the course of the fall of 1986, he would abandon the plans for San Diego, explore options as far-ranging as Portland and Honolulu, before time ran out and he was forced to take the best deal he could, which ended up placing his team in the very “not desirable” market of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The smallest market in the league and a 2nd tier college stadium would be home to the short-lived Oklahoma Outlaws.
The fourth and final proposal came from Florida real estate magnate Woody Weiser, and the plan was to create a team (rumored to be called the “Spirit of Miami”) in the Miami Orange Bowl. Miami even had a coach lined up, former University of Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger was on board as a part owner and the club’s first coach. Problem was, once again, the franchise was awarded before a stadium deal was locked up. The Orange Bowl balked, many suspecting that this was due to intense pressure from the NFL and Dolphins’ owner Joe Robbie. The Spirit of Miami would need to find another home.
The franchise would settle on Orlando, but in doing so they lost the support of Weiser, who sold off his controlling share to one of the club’s minority owners, Donald Dizney, who had also had dealings with the Bandits before signing on for this new club. Dizney would build up the team in Orlando, to be called the Renegades, and managed to keep Schnellenberger on as coach. Orlando would prove to be a stable location and a good venue for the USFL, though we suspect that Miami still feels like a lost opportunity.
So, not the 4 cities the league had imagined, but landing Chicago had made the networks accept the smaller markets of San Antonio and Orlando. They were not pleased by Oklahoma, but it turned out they would not need to worry about it for long. During the inaugural 1987 season for these 4 clubs, issues continued to arise for both Oklahoma and San Antonio. In Oklahoma it was stadium and financing, while in San Antonio the issue appeared to be that Clint Manges had completely bamboozled the league with his financial reporting. Players were not getting paid, vendors were filing suits to get funds from the club, and the league would have to step in and find a solution.
What the league proposed, and what was eventually accepted with some trepidation and back room dealing, was a major reconfiguration involving both franchises and one of the unapproved bids from the 1986 expansion process. Clint Manges would sell off his ownership of the San Antonio Gunslingers to William Tatham, who would relocate the Outlaws to San Antonio, a city already in the planning for a new domed stadium. Tulsa would be out, but the league still needed a 20th franchise, so the league reached out to one of the early 1986 bidders, and offered a franchise to Phil Knight of the rapidly growing Nike sporting goods interest to bring a club to Portland, Oregon. Not a huge market, but having a presence in the Pacific Northwest, even if it was not Seattle, would go over well with ABC and ESPN. Knight agreed, but demanded a fair chance to sign players rather than an expansion draft. The deal was cut that the rosters of the Outlaws and Gunslingers would form a roster pool and the new Portland Thunder and Texas Outlaws would draw their players from this pool.
Texas would land the bigger talent pool from this plan, including QB Doug Williams and LB Brian Bosworth. Portland was expected to start their first season with Rick Neuheisel at QB, but injuries would lead Neuheisel to retire before ever playing for Portland ,who would go with Kerwin Bell at QB, with former Oakland QB Fred Besana also signed on. In 1988 all 4 teams would find stable homes, and the 1987 expansion could finally be considered complete. It would only take 4 years for one of the 1987 clubs to appear in a championship, with Orlando appearing in Summer Bowl 1991. The first winner would take longer as once again it was Orlando in 2001 who hoisted the trophy. Texas, Portland (now Las Vegas) and Chicago have yet to taste victory in the USFL championship, though both the Thunder and Machine have made appearances in the game. But, with the 1987 expansion, as chaotic as it was, the USFL reached 20 franchises, and was well on their way to being seen as a major league, no longer an upstart or fledgling operation.
Putt Choate: Have Gun Will Travel.
One of the early faces of the 1987 expansion was linebacker Putt Choate, who had made a name for himself as a member of the Denver Gold from 1983 until the 1987 expansion. Choate, a product of SMU, had been offered a brief cup of coffee with the Atlanta Falcons in 1979, but found success in Red Miller’s Denver Gold defense, where he led the team with 91 tackles in the inaugural year of the league. He would remain with Denver through 2006, appearing in the first USFL Championship, and having his best year in 1986, with 103 tackles. And yet, when the expansion draft was conducted, Choate requested that he be placed in the pool, having hoped to return to his native Texas with the San Antonio Gunslingers.
Choate would get his wish, selected by San Antonio in the early rounds of the expansion draft. He would become the face of the Gunslingers, along with former Arizona QB Rick Neuheisel, in the club’s lone season. Choate would improve his personal best with 107 tackles, but would have his hopes for local fame and fortune thwarted by the deal that merged the roster pool of Oklahoma and San Antonio when the Gunslingers were dissolved, the Oklahoma Outlaws were relocated, and the Portland Thunder were signed on as the league’s 20th franchise.
Choate again had hoped to remain in San Antonio, after all, he was the club’s top defensive player. The problem was, the new owner of the relocated Outlaws had a MLB in mind already. University of Oklahoma All-American Brian “the Boz” Bosworth, was a member of the Outlaws and one of the players who William Tatham was eager to retain as his club relocated to San Antonio. Along with Doug Williams, Bosworth would be coming to San Antonio. As part of the expansion deal, that meant that several of the top Gunslingers would be assigned to the new Portland franchise. Putt Choate would find himself in that small group of assigned players before the reallocation even became public.
Choate was locked into his USFL contract for one more year, so off he went to Portland. He would have a solid year with the Thunder, racking up another 97 tackles, but was miserable in Portland. He walked away from contract negotiations, hoping he might catch on with another USFL team as a free agent. Unfortunately neither of the Texas clubs, nor his former club in Denver, were in the market for a middle linebacker over 30. Choate had brief try outs with the New Orleans Breakers and Arizona Wranglers, but ended up unsigned. He would go to camp with the Houston Oilers, but again fail to make the squad. Disheartened, he returned to Texas and waited by the phone. He would eventually be signed by the Green Bay Packers, where he would play for one year before hanging up the cleats and forming what would become Choate USA, a landscape architecture firm in Dallas that has now expanded across Texas and Louisiana.
While his dream of playing pro football in Texas was short-lived, Putt Choate is still fondly remembered in both San Antonio and Denver. He is remembered as having a non-stop motor, an eye for the ball, and a heart for the game, an early star in the first years of the USFL.
(IRL: After, playing every game of the 3-year USFL, and one season in Green Bay, Putt Choate did go on to found Choate USA, as you can see on the company’s website-- http://www2.choateusa.com. He is also a member of the Texas High School Football and SMU Halls of Fame.)
Heading into Week 6 and there are a lot of teams that are hoping that they have put the pieces together and are ready to make a run. We have some great divisional games on tap (highlighted in blue text) and a lot of nationally broadcast games as we hope to leave a rainy April behind and enter the warmer weeks of May and June.
FRI @ 8pm ATLANTA (1-4) @ MEMPHIS (4-1) NBC
SAT @ 12pm ST. LOUIS (1-4) @ PITTSBURGH (2-3) FOX
SAT @ 12pm SEATTLE (5-0) @ BALTIMORE (2-2-1) ABC
SAT @ 12pm BIRMINGHAM (2-3 @ NEW ORLEANS (0-5) ABC
SAT @ 4pm NASHVILLE (3-1-1) @ HOUSTON (1-4) ABC
SAT @ 4pm JACKSONVILLE (4-1) @ OAKLAND (3-2) FOX
SAT @ 8pm LAS VEGAS (3-2) @ LOS ANGELES (3-2) ESPN
SUN @ 12pm TAMPA BAY (3-2) @ ORLANDO (1-4) ABC
SUN @ 12pm WASHINGTON (2-3) @ BOSTON (5-0) FOX
SUN @ 12pm NEW JERSEY (2-3) @ PHILADELPHIA (4-1) FOX
SUN @ 4pm DENVER (3-2) @ CHICAGO (2-3) ABC
SUN @ 4pm TEXAS (1-4) @ ARIZONA (1-4) FOX
SUN @ 8pm OHIO (4-1) @ MICHIGAN (2-3) ESPN
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