It was another week of unexpected results and stellar performances. Ron Dayne helped Baltimore spoil Boston's home opener. Atlanta used 3 pick-sixes to hold off the expansion Monarchs, and the Portland Stags pulled a major upset in only their 2nd game as a franchise, knocking off their Cascade competition in Seattle. It was a week that saw Ohio rebound to take out Orlando, while Michigan, Philadelphia, Jacksonville and Memphis continue to impress. Washington has jumped out to a surprising 2-0 start, while LA stumbles without their starting QB available. In other words, it is a typical week in the often surprising, but always entertaining USFL.
PORTLAND STAGS 19 SEATTLE DRAGONS 14
A game as stunning as it was fun to watch as the Dragons, clear favorites in the Pacific Division fall at home to the expansion Portland Stags. Add in all the pressure of a regional rivalry about to take shape after a lengthy hiatus, and a Dragon team that now finds itself as the only winless team in the division and you have plenty of drama in this one.
The Stags came into this one a prohibitive 10-point underdog on the road in one of the tougher places to steal a win. Seattle had dropped their opener in Oakland, but that was a game that was expected to be close and it was no real shock that the Invaders had pulled off the win. This game, the home opener for the defending division champ, was supposed to be a quasi-bye week before facing the Thunder in Las Vegas in Week 3. An expansion club in their 2nd game against a proven winner, a clear advantage to Seattle, but it was also a perfect setup for a trap game. Seattle had very little film on the Stags, and Portland had all the incentive to make this game their Summer Bowl in what is expected to be a long and difficult year of development.
What we got was a fired up Portland squad against a Seattle team that was perhaps a bit too overconfident and cocky. Seattle got its in initial warning in the first half, when the Stags held the Dragons scoreless, disrupting Dragon drives with solid 3rd down defense (Seattle would go 2 of 12 on the day). Neither offense could do much and the Stags led at the half by the measly difference of 3-0.
In the third quarter it seemed Seattle had finally found their Starbucks and given themselves some caffeine. They scored twice in the quarter, a Rashied Davis TD catch from Leftwich and a Corey Dillon 9-yard run. Up 14-3, it seemed the Dragons were doing what they needed to so that they could add a W to their tally. But the 4th quarter started about as badly as a quarter can for Seattle. On a play that was wrong from the get go, QB Byron Leftwich and HB Darren Sproles collided in the endzone trying to set up a play action pass with Seattle backed up to their own 2 yard line. Both players went down, and Sproles was touched down by Portland DE Ebenezer Ekuban. Worse, Byron Leftwich was dinged up and would not return to the game.
Seattle was still up 14-5, so there was no panic at Qwest Field, at least not at first. Things got a bit dicier when, on the ensuing free kick, Portland started at their own 49 and seemed to build some momentum. It would take them 7 plays, but they would find the endzone with A. J. Feeley connecting with Craphonso Thorpe for a score that made the game a 2-point affair, 14-12 Seattle.
With only 2:58 left in the game, the advantage was still clearly Seattle’s. But the advantage would not last long. Seattle’s Rasheed Davis would make a short catch, get hit from both sides by Portland defenders, and cough up the ball. Portland recovered on their 48 and once again had only half a field to go to possibly take the lead, less if they could draw down the clock and kick a field goal. The strategy of drawing out the clock apparently did not occur to Stag head coach Rich Brooks. He called a play action pass on 1st down, sending TE Bubba Franks on a seam route while faking the ball to HB Jonathan Stewart. The call caught Seattle, its fans, and pretty much everyone watching on TV, by surprise. Franks caught the Feeley pass in stride and suddenly it was 18-14 Seattle. They would kick the extra point, and with just barely 1 minute left to play, Seattle was in real trouble. Seattle, with Tee Martin in at QB, simply could not respond. They failed on 3 straight passes and gave over possession with 22 seconds left. A. J. Feeley took a knee and the city of Portland celebrated as their new USFL club not only got the first win in franchise history, but won the opening matchup against the city’s archrival, Seattle. A bad day for the Dragons, a moment to celebrate for the Stags and for Portland, back in the USFL game after several years on the sidelines.
CHARLOTTE 20 ATLANTA 39
Charlotte QB Chris Weinke threw 4 TDs in this game, but unfortunately 3 of them were Atlanta TDs as Fire CBs Andre Woolfork (2) and Charles Woodson (1) each returned picks for scores to propel the Fire to a big home win. Weinke started the game well, connecting with TE Dan Campbell for a score, but the wheels came off the bus in the second half when, trailing 22-10, Wienke had to play catchup. The result was an even wider margin of victory for Atlanta.
BALTIMORE 24 BOSTON 22
A big win for the Blitz as they move to 2-0 and knock off the favored Cannons in Boston. Ron Dayne was simply unstoppable, rushing for 154 yards and 3 scores to propel the Blitz to the 2-point win. Drew Bledsoe threw for 2 scores as the Blitz did a decent job against rookie HB Rashard Mendenhall, holding him to only 64 yards on the day. TE Antonio Gates also played very well for the Blitz, racking up 115 yards to pace all Blitz receivers.
ARIZONA 16 NEW JERSEY 19 OT
A sloppy game for both clubs went to overtime, where New Jersey got a field goal with only 4 minutes left in the extra period to take the W. Once again backup James Jackson outshone rookie HB Ray Rice for New Jersey, while Arizona QB Jake Plummer struggled to connect on deep balls to Fitzgerald or Moss, overthrowing the speedy receivers several times. Plummer tied the game in the 4th with a TD to Kevin Everett but could not produce points in overtime.
NEW ORLEANS 13 PHILADELPHIA 20
The Breakers again play their favored opponent very tight, but again come up short. Steve Slaton scored for the Stars to give them a 20-10 lead, and the Breakers simply could not come all the way back. Matt Forte played well, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, but 2 picks from Eli Manning hurt the comeback attempt. Philadelphia moves to 2-0 after their first 2 home games.
LOS ANGELES 10 DENVER 28
Jeff Lewis struggled, throwing 2 picks and gaining only 168 through the thin air of Mile High as Denver scored the first 21 points of the game and then just held LA in check to finish out the game. Matt Leinart had a much better 2nd game, throwing for 3 scores as Denver got their 2nd win of the season.
MEMPHIS 27 BIRMINGHAM 17
Favre Bowl II in Birmingham went much the same way as last year’s clash, with the visiting Showboats getting the win. The loved-hated QB threw for 263 and 2 scores but was also sacked 8 times by an aggressive Stallion front 7. Jason Campbell did not fare much better, sacked 5 times by the ‘Boats. In the end the Showboats just had too much for Birmingham as they move to 2-0 and send the Stallions to 0-2.
TEXAS 20 WASHINGTON 31
Washington surprises many at 2-0, but they looked very good against Texas. Deuce McCallister’s 154 yards rushing paced the Washington offense, and the D managed to temporarily knock Texas QB Joe Flacco out of the game. Chris Simms played most of the second half, with Flacco returning briefly at the game’s conclusion. Ed Reed capped off a solid day with a game-ending pick in the endzone to stifle Texas’s 2-minute hopes for a miracle comeback.
TAMPA BAY 3 PITTSBURGH 7
Cold biting winds and freezing rain greeted the Bandits when they arrived in Pittsburgh, as the weather kept both fans and points away from Heinz Field. Both teams struggled to move the ball and keep warm at the same time as this game was almost as painful to watch as it was to play. The lone TD was a DeShaun Foster 1-yard run following a Labrandon Toefield fumble on the 6-yard line as Tampa simply could not function in the weather.
OHIO 17 ORLANDO 7
The Glory offense has not lived up to expectations, but the defense came up huge this week to help the Glory level their record at 1-1. Randy Moss did show up big, scoring both Glory TDs, but was also limited to only 4 receptions. Orlando’s Najeh Davenport could not repeat his Week 1 success, rushing for only 21 yards on 13 carries. The Renegades had some chances, but simply could not connect when a big play was needed, leading to Ohio getting the 10-point win.
LAS VEGAS 20 OAKLAND 14
Despite 144 yards from Ricky Williams, the Invaders could not get the W at home. Las Vegas also focused on the run game, with Marshawn Lynch carrying the ball an exhausting 31 times for 90 yards, but the surprise star was backup Earnest Graham, who used a 41-yard TD dash to build towards an even 100 yards on only 9 carries. Oakland had a chance to take the lead late, but Joey Harrington missed a wide-open Greg Jennings on a late deep ball and Las Vegas held on to earn the W.
CHICAGO 22 ST. LOUIS 7
The 2008 Skyhawks are looking a lot like the 2007 squad that won only 1 game. Against Chicago they mustered only 231 yards of offense as the run game was simply nonexistent. Chicago, on the other hand, got 117 yards and a score from Michael Turner to take control of the game. The defense did the rest, with Brian Urlacher leading all defenders with 8 tackles in the game.
MICHIGAN 17 HOUSTON 10
Panther fans have to be happy not only with a 2-0 start, but with the play of their rebuilt D-line, which harassed Matt Hasselbeck all game long. The run game was also working for the Panthers, with both Justin Fargas and Leon Washington going over 100 yards. Fargas gained 103 on 18 carries and Washington added 108 on 15 carries as Brian Griese was all but given the day off against a Houston run defense that could not find their way.
JACKSONVILLE 27 NASHVILLE 17
The Sunday nightcap game was a pretty good one with both teams showing their strengths. Frank Gore rushed for 123 for the Knights’ run-first offense, while Antowain Smith did one better, gaining 160 yards on only 22 carries for the Bulls. Good thing too because Jake Delhomme was not having a strong night, connecting only 7 of 26 passing for a miserable 26.9% completion rate. But, 4 turnovers by the homestanding Knights helped Jacksonville earn the win. Jake Cutler was the guilty party on all 4, with 3 picks and sack-fumble in the game.
Ron Dayne Outguns the Cannons
While this weekend’s 154-yard day was not a personal best for halfback Ron Dayne (He rushed for 203 against the Stars in 2004), this week’s huge game against Boston was certainly one of the most rewarding for the big back and for his team. Dayne has been a solid back, some would say elite since his arrival in the USFL back in 2000. But after rushing for 1,200+ yards in his first two campaigns, he has yet to recapture that pace, peaking at 1,192 in 2005. Still , he has been consistently among the league’s top rushers, while never getting much praise for his game.
Dayne’s style is more bulldozer than gazelle to be sure. He is a straight-line runner with a tendency to lower the shoulder and plow right into tacklers instead of juking around them. And while Dayne has been solid year in and year out, the Blitz as a whole have largely been viewed as a mediocre, middle of the pack squad. That too is understandable, with the team fluctuating between 6-9 wins ever since the new millennium began. But this game, and this season is a possible break out for the club. The team spent sizeable amounts of cash this offseason to sign speedy WR Tory Holt and veteran DT Sean Gilbert. They drafted two offensive tackles and two tight ends in hope of building up a more dominant run game, and if the game against Boston is any indication, these investments are ready to pay off right away.
Baltimore is now 2-0, winning both games on the road and in both cases using sound defense and the power running of Ron Dayne to get it done. Next week they open their home slate with the 2-0 Philadelphia Stars in town. As with this week’s win in Boston, a win against Philly could represent a sea change in the Northeast and the arrival of the Blitz as serious contenders. If that happens, you can believe that it will once again be on the shoulders of Ron Dayne and the pounding the Blitz give defense with their run game.
Atlanta’s Secondary Steps Up
After a tough 15-6 loss in their home opener Week 1, Atlanta exploded against Charlotte for 39, but before you praise Coach Gruden’s offense, best to check out the boxscore. Three of Atlanta’s four TDs on the day were from the secondary running back pick-sixes, not the Fire offense. Yes, Atlanta did have offensive success against the expansion Monarch defense, but they had to keep settling for field goals. It was the defensive scoring that gave them the 21 points needed to beat Charlotte by 19.
All three picks were impressive. The first was Andre Woolfork snagging a pass intended for Brandon Marshall, weaving through tacklers and diving into the end zone 51 yards later. The score put Atlanta up 22-10, starting an avalanche that would bury Chris Weinke and the Monarchs. On Charlotte’s 1st drive of the second half, Woolfork did it again. This time it was a pass intended for TE Dan Campbell, tipped into the air by LB Na’il Diggs, and snatched by Woolfork again. Just 24 yards and 4.3 seconds later, Woolfork was again posing with his teammates in the endzone.
Apparently jealous of all the attention Woolfork was getting, Atlanta’s star free agent signing, multiple-time All-USFL cornerback Charles Woodson got into the act only 2 minutes later. Woodson undercut a pass intended for Charlotte’s #1 receiver, D. J. Hackett and had a clear path to the endzone down the sideline. Woodson did a summersault into the end zone, untouched, to put Atlanta up by a dominating 36-10.
What was for Weinke, Coach Mora and the Monarchs, was a festival for the Atlanta defense and the Fire fans in the Georgia Dome. A pick-six can be a momentum-shifting play. Two is almost certainly a game-winning combo, but to snag three in one game is truly a rarity. If the combo of Woolfork, Woodson, and safeties John Howell and Marcus Washington can continue to ballhawk, the Fire defense could be a real problem for the rest of the SE Division. The Fire rank 6th in total defense after the first 2 weeks. Coach Gruden is hoping to rise even higher, and with games like the one this week they well could.
QB Slow Starts A Sign of Trouble?
As much as we want to celebrate the day defenses like Atlanta’s had, we should also recognize that no team gives up a lot of takeaways without making mistakes of their own. So far this season several teams have struggled with erratic production, too many turnovers, and poor decision making on the field. When that happens the question automatically becomes the quality of the QB. As we look around the league, and particularly at the QB rankings, there are several teams that may already have concerns.
New Jersey: Kevin Kolb won the starting job by going 3-0 at the tail end of a lost season last year in New Jersey. The hope would be that he, like Spence Fisher and Tom Brady before him, could step into a starting role and take it over. So far this year, that does not appear to be the case. Yes, the Generals got their first win this week, but currently Kolb ranks 3rd from last among USFL starters, with only Chris Weinke and the LA combo of Wallace & Lewis behind him. Two picks, no touchdowns, and a completion rate of 50% are all worrying signs for the 2nd year QB. So, could Kolb be in real trouble of a short leash and a quick exit from the starting position? While too early to say so now, the Generals did sign former Houston backup Kris Kershaw this offseason. Kershaw has never truly gotten the chance to start, backing up Matt Hasselbeck most of his career, but has played solid football when called upon. If Kolb cannot show growth in the position by midseason, we could see Coach Crenell try another direction.
As bad as Kolb has been, Charlotte has to be upset that NFL veteran Chris Weinke has been even worse. Weinke, who suffered a brutal 3-pick-six game this week. He now leads the league with 4 picks in 2 games, and with only 357 yards passing in those 2 games, Charlotte’s offense has struggled. Of course, the Monarchs are an expansion team, so we cannot expect their offense to come out of the gate in synch. Growing pains are a natural product of putting together a roster from scratch, but Weinke had better start showing better judgement and better vision if he hopes to hold off #2 QB Henry Burris. The former Thunder and Federals QB has had several opportunities to start in the USFL and he certainly would cherish another.
In St. Louis, first year coach Doug Williams went out of his way to bring in a new QB in Seattle backup and former Fire starter Jeff Blake. He sent Luke McCown to the bench and declared Blake the starter from day one. The former NFL starter in Cincinnati has repaid him by completing only 49% of his passes for only 372 yards (186 a game) while tossing two early picks. With an All-USFL receiver in Taylor Jacobs and depth with Sinorice Moss, Bryant Johnson, and rookie Jordy Nelson also in the receiving corps, Blake has the weapons he needs to succeed, but so far it has been more of the same for a Skyhawks club that went 1-13 last season.
Finally, we could not talk about disappointing starts for USFL quarterbacks without mentioning Jay Cutler in Nashville. Cutler was to be the new Golden Boy for the Knights, taking over when longtime starter Todd Collins left for the NFL. Cutler, the 3rd year QB out of Vanderbilt, has the arm, to be sure, but has struggled with injuries and inconsistency. Cutler missed 5 games last year to injury and threw only 7 TDs to 8 picks in the 9 games where he did see action. This year, in his first 2 starts, he has 1 TD to 3 picks, is completing only 50.8% of his passes and has led the Knights to only two touchdowns in 13 drives. This is not what Knight fans hoped for as they went into 2008. Yes, the Knights got a win against Atlanta in Week 1, largely due to the defense, but the game this week at home against Jacksonville was a big disappointment, and with Philly, Boston and Seattle on the first half schedule for the season, the schedule will not be getting any easier.
A very good start to the year in general as we are two weeks in and still have not seen a player added to the IR. Yes, week one saw QB Seneca Wallace and CB Antonio Cromartie out for significant time, but in Week 2 we can say that there was not a single injury expected to cost a player more than 2 weeks at the most.
Philadelphia was hit again as former Cannon WR Reche Caldwell will miss this week’s game and could miss their Week 4 match as he deals with back spasms. In Baltimore the concern was for CB Chris McCallister, but he too is expected back in a week or two after a fracture in his hand has time to reset. New Jersey will be without DE Greg Ellis after a concussion sent him to the sideline last week, but he is expected back by Week 4. Staying in the Northeast, Washington guard Chad Ward will be out this week with a hamstring pull, while in the Southeast, Atlanta has guard Rex Hadnot as questionable after suffering an injury to his big toe (likely a turf toe situation.)
Several starting players key to their teams are listed as probable after missing some of last week’s games. This includes QB Steve McNair in Las Vegas, Byron Leftwich in Seattle, and TE Greg Olsen for the Renegades. Most insiders believe all three will start this weekend, despite some lingering pain.
Financial Crisis a Concern for USFL Bottom Line
Stepping away from the field and into the murky waters of league finances may not be what the average sports fan would want us to do, but with the current “Great Recession” impacting businesses, households, and even large enterprises such as the USFL, it is undeniable that the underlying financial success of the league is a major story. The truth is that the league, like so many aspects of the U.S. economy, is feeling the impact of the recession. This is true on the macro level, with access to credit and borrowing more restricted and cash flow now a significant concern leaguewide, but also on the individual team level, with the crisis impacting ownership in disproportionate ways. The overall impact is just beginning to be felt across the league, and the prognosis is troubling. A recent study in Money magazine looked at several major professional sports leagues, including the USFL, and while the overall prognosis was positive, there were some significant challenges to be faced, with the USFL perhaps in a more precarious situation than several of the more established leagues such as the NFL, Major League Baseball, or the NBA.
There are three primary issues that concern USFL leadership and which were highlighted in the Money magazine article.
First, the impact of the recession on leaguewide operations is not immaterial. The league will encounter more difficulty with borrowing, whether that is to balance out cash flow between the slow trickle of funding that comes from ticket and merchandise sales or the large quarterly influx of funds through the various sponsorship and television contracts held by the league. The likelihood that the USFL will have some difficulties with irregular revenue and expenditure patterns is significant. That imbalance, particularly between the season and offseason periods will be exacerbated by the increased cost and reduced availability of both credit and loans to allow for short-term mediation of revenue delays in relation to expenditure. In layman’s terms, the ability of the league to obtain the funds needed to pay bills, salaries, and commitments such as stadium construction or renovation costs will be more irregular and likely come at a higher overall cost due to limited credit options.
Second, individual teams, and in particular, individual team owners may see significant financial losses during the crisis. We should remember that while the USFL is largely a self-sustaining entity, driven by television revenue, sponsorship deals and fan expenditures (ticket & merchandise sales), each club is owned by either a single primary investor or a small cadre of investors who have committed and regularly commit their own personal finances to the team’s ongoing budgetary needs. As with many other professional leagues, it is the ability of the team owners to invest funds that provides the capital for everything from stadium renovation to local marketing, even in some cases, staff and player compensation. Much of this is offset by the league’s revenue sharing plan, but not all of it.
When we consider how many league owners are engaged in the very financial sectors at the heart of the current economic crisis: real estate development, mortgage and real estate finance, speculative development and hedge fund management, as well as banking in general and investment banking in particular, it is not difficult to see why the personal finances of many USFL owners will be restricted, if not negatively impacted in significant ways. Now, we are not asking the average fan to weep for the plight of the multimillionaire and billionaire owners, but it should be acknowledged that one of the very real impacts of the current crisis could well be owners looking to reinvest in their own personal portfolios by seeking to sell off assets, and for nearly all their USFL franchise is considered an asset. The impact of having several USFL franchises up for sale at once cannot be understated. It increases instability, creates potential risk for the team and the league as a whole, and could produce greater franchise instability, as we have seen in the past when teams change hands. Relocation, or reallocation of resources is a very real possibility.
Finally, we should mention the average fan, the season ticket holder or just the casual USFL fan. The reality is that a prolonged recession will lead to greater unemployment, greater instability, and potential decline in personal finances, and, with housing at the center of the crisis, greater financial loss in the value of property and real estate. This, in turn, forces many families to reassess their expenditures, “tighten the belt” as it were, and cut down on discretionary spending. USFL tickets, merchandise, and season passes certainly fall into the category of discretionary spending, which is likely to take a significant hit as families are forced to alter their expenditures in necessities such as housing and face potential layoffs or extended unemployment. While the expectation is that this may only produce minimal impact for the 2008 season, where season tickets were already allotted and most families have already committed the costs for their USFL fandom, there is significant concern that the league could see further revenue issues not only from a reduction in corporate spending, but also very much a reduction in season and individual game ticket sales for 2009 as well as dips in all other ancillary expenditures (merchandise, and all other game day revenue streams).
The financial crisis we find ourselves in will have wide sweeping impacts across all sectors of the national, if not global economy, and the potential damage done not only to financial structures and industries but to families and communities will be felt by all sectors of the economy. Professional sports is not immune to this, and the USFL will have to be diligent in its financial modeling, its resource management, and its speculation on future projects to weather this storm without significant negative effects coming to pass. The fact that the USFL enters this period of economic uncertainty without a CBA in place with the USFLPA players union is not a good starting point, for either party. The position of the players very much hangs on the concept that league revenue continues to increase, something that may not prove true over the next few years. The ownership position is also weakened by any instability within the small group of investors that make up the league, as well as the difficulty with credit and capital-enhancing loans. Projects such as the new Meadowlands stadium, for example, will prove more costly, while the potential for very real reductions in advertisement and corporate partnership could put a strain on the talks between the league and the unions, at a time when neither can feel very secure about the future.
After the popularity of our “Looking Back” tributes during the USFL’s 25th season, we decided to continue the feature, but with a twist. Over three months this offseason we pitched to each USFL franchise’s fanbase the premise of selecting the club’s Mt. Rushmore.
We asked fans in each club’s season ticket pool as well as the facebook fan group for each club who they would nominate, from retired players only (no coaches, no current players) for 4 slots as the best of the best for their beloved team. The results were interesting, with several clear choices and many much-debated names. Over the course of the 2008 season, we will reveal the Mt Rushmore selections of each team, two at a time, one each from each conference. We will finish with a week dedicated to the very young teams of the 1995 expansion, the only Mt. Rushmore foursomes which are allowed to contain current players. We start this week with the New Jersey Generals and the Oakland Invaders, two clubs from the Original 12, each with their own easy slam dunk player and several debates.
New Jersey Generals
To say that Herschel Walker was a slam dunk, first ballot, Mt. Rushmore staple is an understatement. Like Washington on the original Mt. Rushmore, a Generals’ tribute to players would make no sense without Walker being there. Over the course of our research and fan feedback, we saw absolutely no one advocate for leaving Walker off the list. So we take him as a given.
The second name was almost as unanimous as Walker. Defensive End Phil Hansen set just about every record a DE could set and was the lone bright spot on a lot of mediocre General squads before winning his first title.
After these two obvious choices, it got a bit complicated. Some folks wanted to vote for Tom Brady, but since he is still an active player (though in the NFL not the USFL) we have ruled him out. That left QB Doug Flutie as the 3rd highest vote getter. A solid pick, Flutie played 11 seasons for the Generals and still holds several team records. He also led New Jersey to their first USFL Title in 1989. Flutie remains a very popular figure in the area despite leaving the club for the Michigan Panthers in 1996.
So, who is our fourth Rushmorian? The Teddy Roosevelt of the group? There was a lot of debate, a lot of names thrown around, even a surprising number of votes for a kicker with Roger Ruzek getting a lot of support, but in the end the choice was wide receiver Johnny “Lam” Jones. Jones came to New Jersey as a rookie in 1985 and played his entire career with the Generals, retiring after 11 seasons. In that time he caught 792 passes for over 13,000 yards and 86 touchdowns. Certainly strong numbers for consideration.
Oakland Invaders
With only 1 player currently in the USFL Hall of Fame, it was pretty clear who was going to be the top votegetter for the Invaders. Henry Ellard was everyone’s favorite to make the 4-man list and he certainly deserves that honor with a 15-year career by the Bay. Ellard was the Oakland offense for more than a decade, working with QBs from Fred Besana to Brian Sipe to Bobby Hebert. He racked up over 16,000 yards receiving and 122 touchdowns. Another “Washington” for the Mt. Rushmore.
Second place was another controversial vote. If you asked the Oakland fans we messed up by not allowing coaches to be considered as former Invader head coach and Hall of Famer Dick Vermeil was a very popular candidate. Without Vermeil as an option, the Invader fans struggled to make a clear #2 known. In the end, the final vote tally led us to name tight end Raymond Chester as the Lincoln to Ellard’s Washington. With 9 seasons in Oakland, Chester was one of the founding stars, arriving from the Raiders in 1983 when the club first took the field. He was a 5-time nominee to the USFL Hall of Fame, but never got the requisite leaguewide votes to make the Hall, but in this informal poll, he is one of the 4 for the Invaders.
A bit of a surprise at #3 with a kicker joining the group. Now, when that kicker is Kevin Shea, and when your kicker has as many game winning kicks as Shea does, it becomes understandable why fans revere the special teamer as much as they do. Shea could actually make the Mount with two teams, having played with Oakland from 1983 through 1991 but also with Memphis from 91 through 98. For now he is assured a spot on at least one mountain, voted on by the Invader Fans.
Once again we get to our Teddy Roosevelt, the 4th and most debated player. Several names were frequent mentions, including HB Albert Bentley, QB Brian Sipe, fan favorite Fred Besana, and LB Gary Plummer, but in the end it was cornerback Aeneas Williams who got the most votes. The ballhawking corner played 9 seasons with the Invaders before shorter stints in Arizona and LA (something about that Pacific Division). He was one of the best defenders on the squad for his entire career and with 7 defensive TDs, has certainly made some memories that Oakland fans cherish.
So, there you have it. Two teams down, 22 to go (We are not including the 4 new expansion clubs, of course). Next up is Philadelphia and Arizona, so start those debates now. Fusina or Hebert? Stouffer or Neuheisel? Landeta or Trout? Some tough choices with both clubs.
A great Week 3 lineup as we have seven teams, including Seattle, trying to avoid the dreaded 0-3 starts, while we have another 7 teams, including surprising Baltimore and Washington, going for 3-0 to start the year. Get those clickers (that is what old folks call the remote control) ready. Lots of action to tune in for this weekend.
FRIDAY @ 8pm Memphis (2-0) @ Jacksonville (2-0) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Washington (2-0) @ New Jersey (1-1) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm St. Louis (0-2) @ Ohio (1-1) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Orlando (1-1) @ Tampa Bay (1-1) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm Atlanta (1-1) @ Chicago (1-1) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm Denver (2-0) @ Michigan (2-0) FOX
SATURDAY @ 8pm Philadelphia (2-0) @ Baltimore (2-0) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (0-2) @ New Orleans (2-0) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm Boston (1-1) @ Charlotte (0-2) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm Pittsburgh (1-1) @ Houston (1-1) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm Nashville (1-1) @ Los Angeles (1-1) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm Oakland (1-1) @ Portland (1-1) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (0-2) @ Arizona (0-2) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm Seattle (0-2) @ Las Vegas (1-1) ESPN
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