What is going wrong with the Seattle Dragons. From 13-1 last year to an 0-3 start this year. Our game of the week saw the Dragons melt down in the final quarter in the Vegas heat, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And, while we are at it, what is going right for the Michigan Panthers? The Panthers beat a tough Denver team to stay unbeaten at 3-0. They are joined by Philly, Washington, and Memphis as the 4 remaining unbeatens after another week of close games, dynamic action, and surprising results. All of it right here on This is the USFL, Week Three, 2008.
SEATTLE DRAGONS 21 LAS VEGAS THUNDER 24
It’s a game of inches. That is what the old axiom says. Extra effort or the slightest mistake can turn the tide of a game. The Seattle Dragons certainly learned that this week as they once again fell short in a game that most expected them to win. Twice they held a lead and twice they let it slip away. Despite outgaining their opponent by 132 yards, and despite winning the ball control game, the Dragons could not salt this one away, and that gave Las Vegas the break they needed to come back on their division rivals.
The game began very much to Seattle’s liking, with the Dragons scoring the first 10 points of the match. They got the only points of the first half on a Dave Rayner field goal, and then added 7 when Corey Dillon ran for the score early in the 2nd. But, Seattle has had issues holding leads in all 3 games this season, including this one.
Just 2 minutes after scoring their first touchdown, the Dragons gave one up, failing to wrap up HB Marshawn Lynch, and allowing him to build up a head of steam. Lynch broke the initial tackles at the line, and once he did so, it was pretty easy pickings for him to dash the remaining 26 yards and put the Thunder on the board.
The Thunder were still down, and they would be down another 3 at the half, but a 13-7 deficit did not produce any sense of concern for Head Coach Jerry Glanville, who expressed confidence at the half that his team would come out ready to battle in the second half. That boast was backed up by his defense in the 2nd series of the half. After a short drive by the offense, Las Vegas had kicked the ball back to Seattle. It was 1st and 10 and Seattle tried to get fancy. They tossed the ball from Leftwich to Sproles, but as Sproles went wide, he tossed it back towards Leftwich. The ball was off target, and Leftwich had not been abandoned by Thunder DE Erasmus James. The backward lateral was a live ball, and James dove, scooped, and rolled back to his feet. Leftwich halfheartedly tried to bring him down, and Sproles tried to sprint back into the play, but it was too late. James took the ball into the endzone and suddenly it was Las Vegas up 14-13.
Seattle would rebound in the 4th, with Leftwich hitting David Boston (Who else?) from 10 yards out to go up by 5. The Dragons went for 2 and Sproles used his agility to worm his way into the endzone to give the Dragons a 21-14 lead with 7:28 left to play. But this game was far from over. On their next possession, Las Vegas was in an “all or nothing” mindset. When they failed on a 3rd and 3 from their own 31, Coach Glanville kept the offense on the field, demanding they make the play and get the first down. They did, thanks to McNair connecting with Amani Toomer on a rub route. That kept the drive going, and 4 minutes later, they were in the endzone, McNair finding Matthew Hatchette for the go ahead score.
With 1:55 left on the clock, Seattle would have a chance to come back, but they would have to do so against a fired up Thunder defense. On 1st and 10 Leftwich tried to connect with Jeramy Stevens, but A.J. Hawk was there to break it up. On 2nd, Leftwich missed McCants high. On 3rd it was CB Will Allen who made the play, getting his hands between David Boston and the ball. Fourth and 10 from their own 25, and Coach Lewis had no choice but to punt. He gave Las Vegas the ball back with 44 seconds left in a tie game.
Las Vegas would not settle for overtime. On 1st and 10 from their own 44, they went for a deep out route and McNair connected with Hatchette for his 5th and final catch of the day. Two plays later, McNair found Kahlil Hill and suddenly Las Vegas was in range for rookie kicker Tyler Mehlihaff. Glanville’s team would take one more shot, trying to get just a bit closer, but they would not connect, so the rookie would come out onto the field with a chance to win the game, but secure in the knowledge that a miss would only send the game to overtime, not lose it for Las Vegas.
Mehlihaff lined up from 50 yards out and hit a straight shot through the uprights that would have been good from 60. Glanville celebrated with his coaches (one of whom he had berated on the sideline only a week earlier) and he and Lewis exchanged some pleasantries at midfield, but there was nothing pleasant about Seattle dropping to 0-3, a position this club simply did not anticipate coming into the year. They have New Orleans and Birmingham up next, but even though they will llikely be favored in both games, it seems clear the Dragons have to start treating every game like a must win affair. For Las Vegas, the win pulls them into a 3-way tie for first with the Invaders and Express but they also now sit at 2-1 in Division after three straight divisional games. They will have a 4th next week in Portland.
MEMPHIS 32 JACKSONVILLE 16
A big win against a quality opponent for the defending champs, as they double up the Bulls in Jacksonville. Brett Favre threw for 282 and 2 scores while Cadillac Williams rushed for 92 in the win. The defense also came through, sacking Jake Delhomme 5 times and keeping the Bulls’ run game under 100 total yards. Up only 16-9 at the half, Memphis got a huge play, a 35-yard Favre to Evans TD to take command only seconds into the 2nd half, on their way to a 16-point victory.
WASHINGTON 19 NEW JERSEY 10
The Federals move to a surprising 3-0 with a road win in New Jersey. The Feds D looks to be back in form as they limit New Jersey to only 192 total yards, including only 79 rushing yards on the day. With the Generals’ D focused on Deuce McCallister, QB Kordell Stewart led the way, completing 24 of 34 passes for 208 yards and a key 42-yard TD toss to former Blitz wideout Eddie Kennison.
ST. LOUIS 16 OHIO 30
The Glory struggled early against St. Louis, but came on strong in the 2nd half, scoring 20 of the game’s final 23 points to pull away from their division foe. Kerry Collins threw for 240 yards and 2 scores, both to TE Stephen Alexander, as St. Louis blanketed Galloway and Moss all game long. St. Louis receiver Taylor Jacobs continued to impress with 144 yards on the day, but it was not enough for the Skyhawks to stay on pace with Ohio.
ORLANDO 27 TAMPA BAY 34
Orlando drops to 1-2 as they suffer a tough loss against the surprising Tampa Bay Bandits. Daunte Culpepper threw 3 TDs, including two to Chris Doering, as Tampa Bay shocked the Renegades despite 7 sacks of the Bandit QB. Drew Brees threw for 256 and 3 TDs in defeat, but it was Willis McGahee, with 126 on the ground that made the difference, allowing Tampa Bay to run down the clock at the game’s conclusion to preserve the win.
ATLANTA 21 CHICAGO 24
The Fire played the Machine tough, but just could not get one more drive to tie the game in the final minutes. Darren McFadden had his breakout week against a usually staunch Chicago run defense, rushing for 122 and a score, but Chicago got a pick-six from Al Harris, safety from DE Anthony Weaver, and a late Quinn to Aaron Shea TD toss to pull ahead and hold on for the home W.
DENVER 14 MICHIGAN 17
A good old fashioned smashmouth football game in Detroit as the Gold and the Panthers slugged it out for 60 minutes. Denver’s “scatback’, Mewelde Moore gashed Michigan for 101 yards on 19 carries, while Michigan countered with a 3-back attack that gained 99 yards on the ground. The deciding score was a Matt Prater field goal in the third as both teams battled in a war of attrition for 4 quarters.
PHILADELPHIA 33 BALTIMORE 17
The Stars felt none too happy to hear so much about Baltimore’s ascent, and they let them know about it on the field as the Stars dominated the game against the homestanding Blitz. Philadelphia outgained Baltimore by over 100 yards and controlled the clock for nearly 38 minutes, with Marcus Robinson surprising the Blitz by going over 100 yards on the ground and scoring 2 touchdowns to boot. Ron Dayne was held under 80 on the day and Ben Roethlisberger was only able to complete 15 of 30 passes as the Philadelphia defense used multiple zone schemes to keep the QB off balance.
BIRMINGHAM 17 NEW ORLEANS 44
An offensive explosion greeted the Breaker faithful in New Orleans’s home opener. Rookie Matt Forte had his first 100-yard game, gaining 119, while Eli Manning threw for 3 scores on the day in a blowout of the Stallions. On the opening drive Manning hit Dwayne Bowe on a 60-yard strike for 7 and the Breakers never looked back from there. Doucet, Forte, Cooley, and Fred Jackson all got scores on the day as New Orleans earned their first win of the season in a big way.
BOSTON 26 CHARLOTTE 32
A stunner in Charlotte as the expansion Monarchs scored the game’s final 10 points to upend the heavily favored Boston Cannons. A late D. J. Hackett TD catch put the Monarchs up with only 3:03 left to play, and a turnover on Boston’s frenzied final drive allowed kicker Brandon Cuoto to push the lead to 6 as Charlotte fans celebrated their franchise’s first win. Hackett, brought over from the NFL, would have 103 yards and 2 scores, while former CFL halfback Robert Edwards rushed for 90 yards in the surprisingly strong showing for Charlotte’s offense.
PITTSBURGH 28 HOUSTON 23
The Gamblers drop their second consecutive home game as Pittsburgh puts on the defensive pressure. Cody Pickett had one of his best games as a starter, completing 19 of 25 and tossing three touchdowns for the Maulers. Add in 100 yards form HB DeShaun Foster and you have a road upset and a 2nd consecutive win for the Maulers and coach Ron Rivera.
NASHVILLE 0 LOS ANGELES 29
Just an ugly game for Jay Cutler, as he is sacked 5 times and picked off in the team’s only red zone venture. LA dominated on defense, thanks to consistent pressure from Keneche Udeze and blitzing rookie LB Keith Rivers, both of whom finished the day with 2 sacks apiece. QB Jeff Lewis of LA avoided turnovers, and HB Ladell Betts scored twice on goalline runs to give LA a rare shutout victory and move them to 2-1.
OAKLAND 13 PORTLAND 10
Another good outing for the Portland Stags, but this time they could not secure the win as Oakland gets a late Mike Hollis field goal to edge the homestanding Stags. Ricky Williams only rushed for 79 yards as the Portland D keyed on the big back, but relief back Jurius Norwood added 56, including a 26-yard scamper that put Hollis in position for the game winner. Portland got a TD on a 1-yard Chris Perry run, but could not get another as they were denied on a 4th and 2 from the Oakland 8 yard line, trying to go ahead by 7. Oakland moves to 2-1, while Portland drops to 1-2.
TEXAS 16 ARIZONA 27
The battle of winless SW teams goes to the Wranglers as they get 118 yards and a score from Sedrick Irvin. Larry Fitzgerald added 7 on a 58-yard toss from Jake Plummer, and the Wrangler defense limited Texas to only 2 field goals in the second half as Arizona gets their first notch in the win column.
Sleepless in Seattle, Winless Too
What is happening to the Seattle Dragons? How have they slipped to 3-0? Wasn’t this a 13-win team last year? Those questions and many more are being tossed around sports radio in the Emerald City this season as the defending Pacific Division Champion find themselves 0-3 and in last place, behind even expansion Portland (who shocked the Dragons in Week 2.)
The answers are likely not what Seattle wants to hear, but the issues appear to be real. After 3 games, the dragons are 25th in scoring at only 15 points a game, due in large part to poor third down play. They are also 21st in scoring defense, giving up nearly 23 points a game. That is not a horrible number if your offense is humming along, as Seattle did last year, but when the offense is out of rhythm, it can be an insurmountable total. If you looking for quick answers, they are pretty clear to find.
Byron Leftwich is completing barely 56% of his passes, largely due to defenses being able to lock down David Boston. Corey Dillon seems to have clearly lost a step or two, averaging only 3.6 yards per carry and finding it difficult to get through the holes his line blocks before they close up again. The two top candidates to be the #2 receiver, Darnerian McCants and Rashied Davis, each have only 6 receptions over 3 games. That is just not enough to keep pressure off of David Boston.
On defense, John Abraham is not getting to the QB, largely due to lines shifting away from Travis LaBoy without facing any penalty for doing so. Seattle started blitzing Godfrey Miles this game, to some success, but that takes one more man out of pass coverage for the Dragons. The corners are also struggling. Ray Mickens has had 32 balls thrown his way, and 20 have been completed. Not a good percentage for a starting corner. Marcus Truffant sees far fewer throws his way (only 20 this season), but he too has given up some plays, 15 receptions in total, a very high percentage for the All-USFL corner.
In other words, Seattle has some pretty glaring issues to deal with, and very little time to get them sorted out. You lose 4 or 5 to open the season and it is very near impossible to come back into contention, even in a very balanced Pacific Division and even with a 16-game season on tap.
Forte & McFadden Have Their Days
We have seen this happening over the first few weeks of the season, each week a different rookie HB has their break out game. In Week 1 it was Rashard Mendenhall with a 102-yard debut. He tapered off last week, but bounced back in Week 3 with 122 on the ground against the expansion Monarchs. In Week 2 it was Portland’s Jonathan Stewart, whose 118-yard showing helped the Stags stun the Seattle Dragons. Well, this week, in addition to Mendenhall’s big day, we had two more rookies show their stuff in Week 3 action.
Matt Forte was a big part of the offensive show New Orleans put on in their home opener. Forte’s numbers have been growing each week, from 31 yards in Week 1, to 62 in Week 2, and his first 100-yard game in Week 3, rushing for 119 and a score against the Stallions. Yes, we noticed the pattern too, each week basically doubling production. Should we expect 240 yards in Week 4? Probably not, but it does seem clear that Forte is headed in the right direction, and that helps the Breakers as a team to improve as well.
The other big day was had by Atlanta’s Darren McFadden, the first back taken in the Open Draft this year. The former Razorback has also shown steady growth, from a disappointing 29 yards in Week 1, to a reasonable 55-yard performance in Week 2, and now a 122 yard, 1 TD day against a pretty good run defense in the Chicago Machine. McFadden’s big day helped Atlanta stay close with Chicago all game long, but in the end it was the Machine who were able to get the win.
So, with three backs breaking through to the 100-yard plateau, who might be next? Well, we know Felix Jones in Birmingham is likely out 1-2 weeks with an injury, so that leaves two likely candidates to have their Century Mark Debut, New Jersey’s Ray Rice and Orlando’s Jacob Hester. Both players are currently in HB duos, but that is largely expected to fade as they pick up the pro game. Rice is expected to be a leadback, not a rotational back. Hester may be more of a rotational player all year, as Orlando is quite happy to give carries to Najeh Davenport, especially after the veteran backup gained 121 yards in his season debut. He has not been able to gain more than 35 yards in the two games since, so there is concern that his big opening week had more to do with the opponent’s (St. Louis) shaky defense. If that continues to be the pattern, expect to see more of Jacob Hester out as he gets more touches.
Rivers and Campbell Making the Case for a Defensive ROTY in Early Season
Two players not waiting around for a chance to get snaps, but making a case early for possible Rookie of the Year honors are both on defense. Orlando found themselves a real weapon on defense with DE Calais Campbell, currently tied with Mike Rucker with the league lead at 5 sacks. The other is LA’s rookie LB out of USC, Keith Rivers. Rivers has amassed 19 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 picks in his first three pro games. Both Rivers and Campbell look like they need no adjustment time at all as they step right in and make an impact for the ‘Gades and the Express.
We should also mention that Washington DE Chris Long has also been very strong, with 2 sacks and 2 safeties in his first three games. We also should mention some honorable mentions when looking at rookies who are stepping in on defense. Charlotte’s Jerrod Mayo, who has amassed 18 tackles in his first 3 games, Express CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, who has 16 tackles and earned his first pro interception in the season opener, and one last name, cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who has been locking down the nickel position for Seattle and could be moved up if veteran Ray Mickens continues to struggle.
Panthers & Glory Penalized by the League for Cap Violations
League Officials in New York came down on two Central Division teams, citing both the Panthers and the Glory for salary cap violations. It appears that both entered Week 1 with a total roster compensation above the league maximum. The violation for both requires a $200,000 payment to the league office, essentially a reduction in the team’s shared revenue payout. Michigan sits at $303,000 above the cap, while Ohio is $288,000 over the limit. Both teams will have until Week 5 to either restructure contracts, cut players, or pay significant additional penalties. Failure to reach the required cap by Week 5 would mean no less than a $1M fine by the clubs. Expect them to try to reach their goal by reducing the cap impact of several high-end players.
For Michigan the biggest contracts they might try to reschedule are those of two 2008 free agents, DT Jevon Kearse ($4.7M this year) and DT Leonard Renfro ($3.3M), though they could also look at CB Deltha O’Neal and LB Shawne Merriman, both of whom are over $3M apiece. For Ohio, the Randy Moss deal, estimated at just over $5.1 million per year, is the clear culprit, but Moss seems an unlikely place to cut, so we anticipate they will look at several other veterans, including LT Jacob Rogers, TE Stephen Alexander, and CB Ashton Youboty, each of whom are scheduled to make over $3M this year. Ohio is also carrying a full practice squad, including two veterans who may be potential losses if they prefer to reduce the squad instead of negotiating with some top players about their salary structure.
As a final note, and considering that teams typically want to have at least $1M-$2M in cap space for mid-season free agent signings due to injury, right now there are 3 teams below $1M, with Houston joining the Panthers and Glory. The only other team below $2 million in reserve cap space are the 0-3 Dragons, who may want to free up a bit more to make midseason trade offers. At the other end of the spectrum we have Portland with nearly $20 million unspent. Charlotte and Portland both have a one year waiver on reaching the league minimum of 85% of the cap, due to their nature as expansion clubs, but while Charlotte actually spent quite freely on NFL and USFL free agents, Portland was quite a bit more frugal, making them the “richest” potential trade partner this season. Following Portland are the Atlanta Fire and St. Louis Skyhawks, an indication that the process of moving from expansion club to a club with high cost talent can take several seasons.
Three weeks in and still no players on IR, which is great, but that does not mean we have avoided all serious medical concerns. This past week we saw Texas lose 21-year-old DE Chris Harrington for up to 3 months with a broken wrist. They are not putting him on IR at present, but that could change following the surgery he will have this week to remove two bone chips from the wrist.
Birmingham got bad news for their struggling offense as veteran WR Joe Horn will miss at least 4-6 weeks with a possible fracture in his femur. That can be a nasty injury as the pain can linger well into the healing process. Others who could miss up to 4-6 weeks include Chicago guard Sean Mahan (MCL) and Arizona CB Asante Samuel (dislocated shoulder). In the 1-2 week range we find NJ Wideout Mark Clayton (eye), Tampa Bay DE Derrick Burgess (elbow), Memphis fullback Theron Wilson (groin), New Orleans wideout Early Doucet (hamstring) and Atlanta center Jim Pyne.
Others who might play but are questionable to doubtful for Week 4 include Generals DE Shaun Ellis, Birmingham rookie HB Felix Jones, Chicago SSSammy Knight, Washington G Chad Ward, St. Louis OT Ross Verba, and Philadelphia WR Reche Campbell.
USFL Announces 10 Semi-Finalists for HOF Class of 2008
The USFL league office in New York this week released the 10 semi-finalists for the 2008 Hall of Fame class, and for the first time in a long time there appears to be an even split between first year nominees and returnees hoping to get in on their 2nd or 3rd attempt. It is an impressive group, and while we know that only five of the ten semi-finalists can earn a gold jacket this year, they are all players who impacted the game and helped to make the USFL what it is today. We start our brief introduction to each player with the five returning nominees.
WR Raynard Brown (PIT 87-97, NOR 98-02)
Brown, in his second year of eligibility, was a go to receiver for both the Maulers and the Breakers over his 15 year career, amassing more than 1100 receptions and nearly 16,000 yards. Brown was named to two All-USFL teams and won himself a ring in 1995 with the Maulers.
LB Pat Swilling (MEM 1991, HOU 1992-2002)
One of the mainstays’s of the Houston Gambler defenses that helped the club win league titles in both 1992 and 1996, Pat Swilling was the man you did not want to meet in the open field. A clinician of a tackler, with a bit of a mean streak, Swilling had no problem running through or over the ballcarrier to make the play. In his second year of eligibility, Swilling retired in 2002 with 44 sacks, 8 picks and 905 tackles.
CB Bruce Pickens (DEN 91-02)
Another of the class of 2002 retirees who is hoping that their second year of eligibility is the golden year. Pickens was a mainstay of the Denver Gold defense for over a decade, retiring in 2002 with 990 tackles, 44 picks, 26 forced fumbles and 12 sacks. Not afraid to take on running backs, Pickens was alsoa ball hawk in coverage, and a big part of the defense that got Denver to three straight Summer Bowls between 1999-2001 and a title with the 2000 squad.
DT Chester McGlockton (TBY 92-94, ATL 95-98, LA 99-02)
The odd man out in the DT class last year that saw brothers Michael Dean and William Perry both make the Hall. McGlockton was a fierce presence in the middle of the line for three teams, amassing 295 tackles and 35 sacks at the DT position.
DE John Bosa (PIT 87-93, TEX 94-02)
Defensive End John Bosa not only showed incredible longevity for an edge rusher, playing 16 seasons in the USFL with the Maulers and Outlaws, he was also a consistent threat to get to the QB, amassing 167 sacks in his long career. Never selected to an All-USFL team, Bosa’s accomplishments are more about consistent excellence than any highlighted years of dominance.
And now, the five members of the retirement class of 2003 who have made it to the HOF semi-finals in their first year of eligibility.
LB Broderick Thomas (ARZ 89-03)
The face of the Wrangler defense for over a decade, Broderick Thomas could do it all. A tackling machine (1,454 career tackles), who could also rush the passer (73 sacks as a blitzer), and play coverage as well (18 picks), Thomas was a player you had to gameplan to avoid or face some pretty dire consequences. An 8-time All-USFL selection, Thomas has to be considered a favorite to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
SS Bennie Blades (MEM 88-95, BAL 96-00, ARZ 01-03)
An absolute terror in the center of the field, Blades held down the fort for three different clubs in his long USFL career. A 10-time All-USFL selection at strong safety, Blades retired with over 1,200 tackles (1,256 to be exact), 54 sacks, and 20 picks. If selected, Blades would be the 4th safety to make the Hall from the pass-happy USFL, joining William Cesare, Donald Dykes, and Frederick Wilder.
DT John Randle (BAL 90-03)
Another in a long line of aggressive, penetrating defensive tackles, Randall was lighter, smaller, and more athletic than most of the gigantic man-mountains we usually picture at the position. Randle currently sits 2nd in both tackles (743) and sacks (102) by a defensive tackle, trailing only the legendary Jerome Brown.
Will Shields (TBY 93-98, NJ 99-03)
A five time All-USFL selection at guard, Will Shields split his time in the league between the Bandits and Generals, earning a championship ring with the astounding offense of the 1998 Tampa Bay squad. Shields played in 163 games, starting in 157 of them and missing only 2 starts once named a starter in Tampa Bay. In his 11 years he allowed only 38 sacks, a monumental accomplishment for a player on teams that often relied on the pass.
LB Marvcus Patton (DEN 90-03)
The second Gold defender from the 90’s to make the semifinalist list, Marvcus Patton would join squad-mate Kurt Gouveia in the hall if selected. Patton played 14 seasons with the Gold, amassing 1,064 tackles, 29 sacks, 9 picks and 3 All-USFL nominations. He, like Gouveia and Pickens, was an integral part of the 3-season run of Summer Bowls and the 2000 league title for the Gold.
With such an illustrious group it is hard to say which 4 will make the hall again. We do anticipate that for the second consecutive year we will see at least 3 of the 5 slots go to defenders, but with names like Thomas, Randle, Blades, Pickens, and Swilling, that should be expected. Can Shields or Brown bust through that group to represent the offenses? We shall see sometime between Weeks 10-14, the usual period for announcing the final class.
Week Two of our Mount Rushmore Project brings us two teams with very different histories. Philadelphia fans had to choose from players who helped bring three titles to the City of Brotherly Love, while Arizona Wrangler fans had perhaps a tougher task of deciding which players from 25 seasons of frustrating close calls stood out. For both, however, as with our Week 1 teams (New Jersey and Oakland), a pattern seems to emerge, with the top choice or choices (the Washington and Lincoln as we call them) being slam dunk selections named by all or almost all, with the third “Jefferson” pick being a bit more open for debate, and the 4th “Teddy Roosevelt” pick being an all out war of words among fans. That pattern we saw last week certainly held true with the Star and Wrangler fanbases as well.
PHILADELPHIA STARS
It took Stars fans no time at all to settle on their Washington and Lincoln picks, with halfback Kelvin Bryant and quarterback Chuck Fusina each represented in over 90% of all ballots and being largely unquestioned in all the online commentary. Winning two titles in three years will do that. These two stars are inseparable in most people’s minds, representing the faces of the franchise when it first took the field in 1983 and leading Philadelphia to an early claim as the USFL Team of the 80’s.
In fact, so strong is the love in Philly for the Stars of the 1980’s that all four of their representatives on Mount Rushmore hail from that era, though they also extend well into the nineties in some cases. Bryant, for example, came to the Stars as a rookie fresh out of UNC in 1983, and his career spanned 12 seasons until he retired in 1994. Over that time the big back gained over 15,000 yards and scored 113 touchdowns on the way to titles in 1985, 1987, and 1994.
Chuck Fusina was already a veteran of several NFL seasons when he arrived with the Stars in 1983. The former Nittany Lion would play 9 more years, well into his 30’s in Philly and he too would help guide the Stars franchise to multiple titles before retiring in 1992. Known as a field general and shrewd tactician, what Fusina lacked in physical gifts he made up for with smart play and a calm demeanor.
The third member of the Stars’ Mount Rushmore also began with Philly in 1983, a top college talent called too short by NFL scouts. Sam Mills played middle linebacker for the Stars from 83 through 88, captaining the defense through two title runs and racking up 517 tackles in 6 seasons. Mills would eventually move to the NFL along with Head Coach Jim Mora Sr, but would always be remembered first and foremost as a Philly Star.
The final Star to make the mountain was a topic of considerable debate. Some wanted DE William Fuller, others argued for wideout Mike Quick or 1994 title-winning QB Chuck Long, but in the end it was the Mighty Foot that took the honors. Kicker David Trout, the first kicker in USFL history to connect from 60 yards out, is the fourth and final member of the Hall of Fame. Trout, who served as the Stars’ placekicker form 1983 all the way until his retirement in 1995, had a lifetime total of 373 field goals, including 41 from beyond 50 yards. Many a game was won by the last second heroics and mental focus of David Trout, a fact that fans brought up time and again in nominating the special teamer to the group of four.
ARIZONA WRANGLERS
For the Wranglers, unlike Philadelphia, there was no “Golden Age” or championship run that would define the selections. In fact, many fans were upset that contemporary players were not eligible since Jake Plummer has so clearly defined the franchise for the past decade. But, as with all 24 teams, the final tally is one that includes a couple of pretty unanimous picks as well as debate at the tail end.
Linebacker Broderick Thomas was a pretty easy and pretty consistent choice for the Wrangler Nation. Thomas, who patrolled the middle of the field, terrorizing receivers and backs alike, for 15 seasons, from 1989 all the way to 2003, was the face of the franchise and the most feared Wrangler for over a decade. Thomas retired with over 1,400 tackles and 70 sacks, and will forever be remembered and cherished by Wrangler fans for his role in bringing Arizona to the league title game in 1990, only his 2nd year in the league. A dominant defender, Thomas was awarded All-USFL status 8 times and will be eligible for Hall of Fame consideration this season. Wrangler fans would certainly make him a first ballot inductee.
The second selection, the “Lincoln”, was a founding member of the roster that would become the Wranglers in 1984. After the infamous “franchise swap” between Chicago and Arizona in the 1983-1984 offseason, Trumaine Johnson moved from Chicago to Arizona, where he would play for 11 seasons. Despite the prolific passing game of Jake Plummer, it is still Johnson, from the earlier days of the franchise, who holds the team record for career completions with 1,122, receiving yards with 14,166, and receiving touchdowns with 109. The selection of this 1999 Hall of Fame inductee was another easy decision by Wrangler Nation.
The third and fourth selections were part of a three way debate, but only two could get in. Fans were split between three Arizona defenders, with DT Al Noga, FS Martin Bayless, and SS David Fulcher all having arguments in favor. Fulcher’s claim to fame was the pick-six, which he executed 6 times in his career, but with Martin Bayless holding the team record for both interceptions (42) and INT return yards, Bayless got the nod over his teammate and roommate, Fulcher. Bayless played 13 seasons with the Wranglers before a controversial signing sent him to rival LA for the final two seasons of his career. The consummate ballhawk, Bayless was the Wrangler defensive MVP twice and was nominated to the All-USFL team in 1989 and 2000.
With Bayless winning the battle of safeties, that left the final spot for the big man, defensive end Al Noga. Noga played 11 seasons on the line for the Wranglers, racking up 106 career sacks and becoming a fan favorite due to his affable personality and willingness to spend time with fans, be it after the game or just around town. While never among the league’s elite in sack totals, Noga still had 8 of 11 seasons with double digit sacks, and was a big reason teams could not double team Broderick Thomas when he blitzed. Noga may never make the USFL Hall of Fame, but his name is already on the Wrangler Circle of Honor.
Two teams with very rich histories and very memorable superstar players. Next week we will continue with our next two teams, the Bandits and the Gold. We all expect to see Eric Truvillion top the list for Tampa Bay, but will Gary Anderson, John Reaves, Troy Aikman, or Winston Moss be joining him. For Denver, the team built on “no superstars”, just who will make the cut? Kurt Gouveia seems a good place to start, but how about wideout Odessa Turner, Corner Bruce Pickens, LB Marvcus Patton, QB Mark Brunell, or DE Leslie O’Neill. Cutting that pool of Gold legends down to 4 will not be easy.
Week Four closes out the first quarter of the season. Lots of clubs at 2-1 hoping to go out 3-1, and lots of teams at 1-2 hoping to end the season’s first month at .500. Will we keep 4 unbeatens? Will Seattle finally get a win. We will have to wait and see. Here is this week’s lineup, with national broadcasts in Bold and all divisional games in blue, as always.
FRIDAY @ 8pm Ohio (2-1) @ Denver (2-1) NBC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Washington (3-0) @ Orlando (1-2) ABC
SATURDAY @ 12pm Nashville (1-2) @ Philadelphia (3-0) FOX
SATURDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (0-3) @ Baltimore (2-1) FOX
SATURDAY @ 4pm Arizona (1-2) @ St. Louis (0-3) ABC
SATURDAY @ 4pm New Orleans (1-2) @ Seattle (0-3) ABC
SATURDAY @ 8pm Houston (1-2) @ Texas (0-3) ESPN
SUNDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (1-2) @ Memphis (3-0) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm Michigan (3-0) @ Jacksonville (2-1) ABC
SUNDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (1-2) @ Boston (1-2) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm Las Vegas (2-1) @ Portland (1-2) ABC
SUNDAY @ 4pm Tampa Bay (2-1) @ Atlanta (2-1) FOX
SUNDAY @ 4pm Chicago (2-1) @ Pittsburgh (2-1) FOX
SUNDAY @ 8pm Los Angeles (2-1) @ Oakland (2-1) ESPN