Week Two did not disappoint as we saw some nailbiters, a great play for a final minute comeback, some significant upsets, and some emerging stars. Surprisingly we exit Week 2 with St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Nashville all winless, while Birmingham, Arizona, New Jersey, and Las Vegas start off the year 2-0. It was not all good news however, as New Jersey lost their star QB for what looks like the full regular season. Let’s get right to the action of the week, starting with a back and forth game between the Bandits and the surprising Birmingham Stallions.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS 23 BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 27
Another tough loss for the Bandits and another impressive win for the Birmingham Stallions as Cam Newton leads B’ham on a final drive to victory to edge the Bandits and remain unbeaten. It was a game full of stars, with Tampa’s Willis McGahee making a play on POTW with 137 yards rushing and another 28 in the air, oh, and 2 scores as well. But, with Cam Newton again hitting up both Randy Moss and Terrell Owens for over 100 yards apiece, this game went to the homestanding Stallions.
With nearly 800 yards of total offense, and only 1 turnover, this was a game for the offenses. It began with the first of McGahee’s 2 scores, a 2-yard swing pass from Culpepper that got the Bandits on the board first and was the only scoring play of the first quarter. Kaeding shanked the PAT, but Tampa still took a 6-0 lead into the 2nd. Early in the 2nd Tampa extended to a 13-0 lead, thanks to a Culpepper to Jackson 24-yard TD pass. Jackson had completely faked out the corner with a perfect out & up route and Culpepper hit him on the back shoulder with a great throw under pressure.
Birmingham would recover, capping off a 73-yard, 13-play drive with a 10-yard toss from Newton to Randy Moss. In what would be a very exciting 2nd quarter, Tampa Bay responded as McGahee again found paydirt, this time on a perfectly executed draw that went for 16 and for 6. But, with 3:41 left in the quarter, it was too much time to rest easy. Birmingham again moved the ball effectively and when Newton found Dontrelle Inman alone against a slower safety, he made the Bandits pay, hitting the young receiver for a 35-yard score on a seam play that perfectly busted the Bandit defense.
With the score 20-14 Tampa Bay at the half, Birmingham coach Mike Shanahan tried to emphasize composure on defense and motion on offense. The defensive pep talk worked as the Stallions held Tampa Bay scoreless in the third, but the Stallion offense also struggled, with Newton taking 3 of his 5 sacks in the period, and producing the only pick of the game, a pass whose trajectory was altered by DE Jason Pierre-Paul. The Stallions managed to add a field goal in the period, despite the Protection issues, and went into the 4th down only 3, at 20-17.
In the 4th, Tampa Bay had some success on their first drive, but a costly holding penalty kept them from being able to cash in on a redzone possession. They added 3 to their lead but would not score again in the game. Birmingham would respond with a mid-period field goal of their own, again bringing the deficit back to 3, and, after a time-killing possession by the Bandits, the Stallions got the ball back with only 1:06 left and only 1 time out still in their possession. The Bandits would need their defense to step up for just over a minute to preserve a 3-point win. To say they didn’t pull that off would be an understatement.
Coach Shula is certain to catch flak for how he handled the 2-minute drill in the game’s final minute. It would take Birmingham only 1 play to turn the game on its head. Shula’s defense opted not to go for a deep shell prevent, but to pressure Newton and play man behind the rush. That was a huge mistake. Cam Newton evaded the initial pressure, and as he surveyed the field, it was clear that Terrell Owens had gotten more than a step on his closest defender. Newton let the deep ball go, and Owens ran under it. The safety tried to trip Owens up with a diving tackle, but Owens stepped past the attempt and cruise down the sideline for a 93-yard score with 1:06 still left on the clock.
The Bandits were deflated, the crowd jubilant, and the Stallions now on top 27-23. That score would hold as Tampa Bay could not get into the endzone despite moving the ball well in the final minute. The Bandits fell to 0-2, and a raucous and very happy Birmingham crowd celebrated as their Stallions moved to 2-0 on one of the most unexpected big plays of the week.
ST. LOUIS 24 MICHIGAN 28
A second straight high scoring affair and a second straight loss to start the year for the 2012 league champions. St. Louis gets 112 yards from rookie back Eddie Lacy, but a costly pick-6 thrown by Josh Freeman in the 3rd quarter helps the Panthers build up a 28-21 lead that they would not relinquish. Dre Kirkpatrick did the damage with the 20-yard return, but Michigan also racked up nearly 400 yards of offense, including 272 yards on 18 of 29 passing by 1st year starter Kirk Cousins. Add in 88 yards on only 8 carries by Michigan back Mike Hart and you have an upset that sends the Skyhawks to an unexpected 0-2 start in their title defense.
ORLANDO 13 JACKSONVILLE 30
The Bulls forced 4 turnovers, including 2 picks of Russell Wilson and C. J. Spiller rattled off 96 yards on only 10 carries as Orlando was sideswiped by an effective inside-outside running game. Knowshon Moreno, who had a huge Week 1, was held to only 29 yards on 19 carries as Jacksonville’s D homed in on the run game and shut it down. Add in 2 TDs to Rashaun Woods and 7 penalties by a sloppy Orlando club and you get a comfortable win for the Bulls at home.
LAS VEGAS 27 MEMPHIS 20
Eli Manning threw three picks to the Thunder defense, and Jake Plummer connected twice with T. J. Houshmandzadeh for scores as Las Vegas continued to block out the off-field distractions and play a complete game. The score would have been worse had it not been for a 105-yard kickoff return by Memphis’s Antwaun Molden. Jake Plummer found Housh twice, but also threw 5 times to Chad Johnson for 125 yards in a game where Marshawn Lynch was sidelined, and Vegas focused on the passing game.
DENVER 6 CHICAGO 24
Two weeks in and the Denver Gold have yet to score a touchdown, held to only 2 field goals by Chicago as they drop to 0-2. The Machine limited Denver to only 69 yards rushing and a total of 230 yards. Doug Martin had a huge game for the Machine, with 121 yards and a TD on 23 carries. Ben Tate also scored as Chicago equalized their record at 1-1 with a convincing home victory over a Denver team that looks like they are sleepwalking.
ARIZONA 14 OAKLAND 11
Another defensive gem for the Wranglers as they hold Oakland to only 184 total yards, including only 31 yards rushing on the day. Two TDs from Carr to Larry Fitzgerald, both of over 60 yards, were all the Wranglers needed to pull this one out. Frank Gore again had a huge carry total with 28 totes of the rock, leading to 102 rushing yards. Oakland played most of the second half with Pat White at QB after Joey Harrington caught a finger in his eye, forcing him out.
ATLANTA 10 NEW JERSEY 16
A costly win for the Generals as Sam Bradford appears to be lost for the year after suffering a fully separated bicep in his throwing arm during a 3rd quarter drive. Tied at 10, New Jersey got what they needed from fill-in Bryan Hoyer, as the backup connected with Doug Baldwin for the game winning score. The Defense did the rest, holding Atlanta down in the final quarter after giving up 144 yards ot the run game in the first three quarters. Rookie Marcus Lattimore rushed for 84 in the game, with J. J. Arrington adding another 66 yards, but in the final period the Fire just could not get the ball into range for a score and New Jersey left for home with a W, but one that could cost them much more.
HOUSTON 13 TEXAS 20
The Texas Tussle volume 1 goes to the Outlaws as they get a Flacco to Parrish TD to pull ahead for good in the 4th quarter. Both Joe Flacco and Matt Hasselbeck were limited in their ability to move the ball, while Arian Foster proved the difference for the Outlaws, outgaining Houston’s Michael Turner 132-38. Texas’s defense also did its part, holding Houston without a converted 3rd down all day (0 for 11).
BALTIMORE 19 NASHVILLE 16
The Peyton Manning experiment continues to struggle for Nashville as they can only put up 1 TD and three field goals against a solid Baltimore defensive effort. Ron Dayne led the way for the Blitz on offense with 154 rushing yards on 21 carries, a very strong 7.4 yards per carry. Ben Roethlisberger also connected with Darrius Heyward-Bey for a 54-yard touchdown to help the Blitz even their record at 1-1, while Nashville starts off slow with an 0-2 mark.
DALLAS 30 CHARLOTTE 28
The Roughnecks continue to impress with their tenacity, this time on the road against the Eastern Conference Champions. Dallas trailed by 4 in the 4th quarter but got two late Haushka field goals to pull out the road upset against Charlotte. The Monarchs racked up 406 yards of offense, including 307 yards passing from Jake Delhomme, but two Roughneck interceptions helped keep Dallas in range. The offensive star for the Roughnecks was 2nd year receiver Justin Blackmon, who had 129 yards and a TD on only 4 receptions.
LOS ANGELES 21 OHIO 31
Los Angeles has major defensive woes as they give up 420 yards of production to the Ohio Glory, who get 104 yards from Isaiah Pead, and 298 yards passing from Chris Weinke. The game would have been much worse but for 3 LA interceptions of Weinke which kept them in contention for most of the game. Rashad Jennings rushed for 2 scores and Weinke found Lee Smith and Zach Miller for scores as the Glory even their mark at 1-1 after 2 weeks. Coach Andy Reid has to be frustrated with LA’s 0-2 start as his defense continues to be a major concern.
NEW ORLEANS 3 PITTSBURGH 20
The Maulers held New Orleans in check all game, allowing a first quarter field goal but then shutting out Drew Brees and the Breaker offense the rest of the way. Quincy Carter accounted for both Pittsburgh TD’s rushing for the game’s first and then finding rookie Adam Thielen for the second as the Maulers even their record with a home victory.
SEATTLE 28 PORTLAND 10
The Dragon offense comes to life with 148 yards rushing from former Showboat Cadillac Williams. Williams averaged 5.8 yards per carry and added 2 touchdowns to help the Dragons upend the Stags in Portland. The Stags had some big plays but could not convert them into points as the lone TD came well after the game had slipped away.
PHILADELPHIA 27 WASHINGTON 10
The Stars make a statement in DC by shutting down the Washington offense and picking off David Garrard twice. Matt Gutierrez was efficient, completing 21 of 34 passes for 237 yards and three TDs, while Steve Slaton had his first 100-yard game of the season, averaging 5 yards per carry over 22 touches. DE Alan Hargrove produced 2 sacks and was a constant presence in the Federal backfield as Philadelphia moves to 2-0 and sends the Feds to their first defeat of the year on Sunday Night Football.
Sam Bradford Likely Lost for Season
Bad news for the unbeaten Generals as the medical team has weighed in on Sam Bradford’s bicep injury. It is, as feared, a complete separation, with the muscle having rolled up towards the shoulder. It will require surgery, which is expected to happen within the week, and it will also require a long recovery period, estimated at between 12-16 weeks. Even in the shortest timeframe, Bradford would be questionable at best for a Wild Card playoff game. While Coach Edwards and the Generals have yet to move Bradford to the IR, the expectation is that the decision will be made post-surgery, and is likely to be a lost season for the 2012 All-USFL quarterback.
The loss of Bradford is a major blow to a franchise expected to compete for a division title in the very competitive Northeast Division. The Generals turned to former Michigan State and NE Patriot QB Bryan Hoyer in this weekend’s game, and it is assumed that Hoyer will be the starter moving forward. Veteran journeyman Jeff Blake was the emergency QB this week and will now move up to the the backup role. New Jersey has also activated rookie free agent signee Jake Joyner from the practice squad to be the new 3rd option. Joyner, the Troy product, has yet to see any snaps in live game action, including the preseason.
How Hoyer handles the position may help determine if New Jersey goes shopping for another option. Right now, the free agent pool is limited to journeymen and lifelong backups like Seneca Wallace, Dan Orlovsky, Rhett Bomar and Dennis Dixon. There is a former General available in 35-year-old Kris Kershaw, but if the Generals decide they need someone who can do better than Hoyer in the short term, they may find themselves looking to make a trade. Former Pittsburgh starter Cody Pickett is now a 2nd teamer in Nashville and could be a possible target, as could Orlando’s Chad Henne, or possibly even Vince Young from Ohio if the Glory feel that Chris Weinke is solidly entrenched as the #1. For right now at least, it is Bryan Hoyer’s opportunity to show that he can be an effective starter in the USFL after a season on the bench for the Generals.
Cam Newton Silencing Doubters in Third Season
Ok, perhaps we are overreacting after only 2 weeks, but the show that Cam Newton has put on with the Stallions this year, not only leading them to a 2-0 start, but throwing for nearly 600 yards and 7 touchdowns in his first two games, certainly seems like a shift in the young quarterback’s trajectory. Newton sits at a 107.2 QB rating after these first two weeks, light years ahead of his 2012 rating of 67.3 and significantly higher than his 84.8 rating in his solid rookie year. Birmingham currently finds itself ranked 5th in both scoring and passing yards, averaging 27.5 points and 286 yards per game. Both Terrell Owens and Randy Moss seem happy with the playcalls and the game plan through the first two weeks, and why not, the two have combined for 345 yards and 3 scores.
It is a long season and we have seen Birmingham start fast before only to fade in the heat of the summer, but this quick start has gotten fans in the Yellowhammer State excited about their only pro sports team. The Stallions are on the road this week, but reports are that their next home game, against division foe New Orleans, could be the highest attendance game in nearly 5 years, with pre-game sales cranking up after this week’s win against the Bandits.
Lacy Comes Up Big But Skyhawks Fall Again
The Skyhawks must be a bit stunned, sitting at 0-2 after ending 2012 with a 12-game winning streak and a league title, but don’t tell us it is the departure of Antowain Smith that has produced the two losses. Rookie Eddie Lacy has started the year strong out of the gate. After a decent opening outing that saw him gain 59 yards against Houston, Lacy had himself a very strong game in this week’s loss to Michigan, rushing for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries. That, if anything, is a very Antowain-style game for the former Alabama Crimson Tide back.
The issue in St. Louis does not appear to be the offense at all. The club is first in the league in yards per game after 2 weeks, with an average of 409 yards per outing. They rank fifth in rushing and 6th in passing, but when we look at the defense, well, there we might have some questions. It appears that while we were all concerned about the departure of Antowain Smith, it was Richard Seymour’s retirement that had the bigger effect. With Seymour retired the early results do not look good for the Skyhawk defense. They are giving up an average of 97.5 yards on the ground in their first 2 games, 20th in the league in that category. Against the pas sthey are even worse, ranked 26th with an average of 277 yards allowed per game. Rookie DT Sheldon Richardson is struggling to shake off blockers, and the ends, Adrian Clayborn and Olivier Vernon are not finding the QB, with only 1 sack between the two starters in these first two weeks.
There is certainly time for the defense to find its legs, but until they do, the offense is going to have to get more games like this week’s outing from Lacy, and more still from the passing game. St. Louis has a rough one this week, when they host a very good Washington Federal team, then it is off to Dallas, where home cooking in front of an enthusiastic DFW fanbase has the Roughnecks playing far better than anticipated over these same 2 weeks.
Early Defensive Excellence Propels Las Vegas and Wranglers to 2-0
No mystery when we look at how Las Vegas and Arizona have won their first two games. It is all about the defense with both squads. Las Vegas is allowing only 16.5 points per game, but even more impressive is that they have forced 8 turnovers in only 2 games. That is a pace that seems hard to keep up, but the Thunder are counting on a ballhawking secondary and a hard-hitting LB group to keep the pressure on opposing ballcarriers. CB Tyrone Bell is leading the league with 3 picks in 2 games, and he is not alone, with both A. J. Hawk and Mark Barron also snagging picks in the opening games.
Arizona is not living by takeaways, they are just playing shut down defense. The Desert Storm Defense is currently ranked 1st in scoring and in yards per game, giving up exactly 7 points between their first two games and an average of only 216 total yards per game, including a measly 43.5 yards per game rushing. At the center of Arizona’s newfound defensive success is a solid core of veterans, including LB Karlos Dansby, SS Troy Polamalu, CB Joe Haden, and DE Adam Carriker. The Wranglers already have 4 players with 12 or more tackles, and they have 3 different players with 2 sacks, including Carriker, his linemate Larry English, and CB Mike Mickens, who not only blitzes on passing downs, but is unafraid to take on backs in the run game.
The Arizona offense has not exactly caught fire, averaging only 15.5 points per game, but if the defense can keep teams at 14 points or fewer, as they have in both game so far, even a middling offense can do the job to produce more wins.
Express Defense a Major Concern for Reid
If Coach Tomsula in Arizona is pleased as punch with his defense, new LA Express head man, Andy Reid, must be stress-eating about his. The Express are dead last in yards allowed, giving up over 410 yards a week, and they seem to be almost equally vulnerable to the run and the pass. The LB group of Tatupu, Rivers, and Matthews, expected to be a strength of the club, seem to be out of position far too often. DE Keneche Udeze has two sacks this year but has also been overrun on far too many running plays. But the biggest issue may be the secondary, where the expected dominance of CB’s Marcus Truffant and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie has simply not emerged. The two have been hit for big plays by both Jake Locker (DAL) and Chris Weinke (OHI), not two QBs known for their big play capacity.
The Express faithful were excited by the offensive potential of the team with Reggie Bush expected to play as soon as this week, and with Andy Reid at the helm, but if they cannot get that defense to start shutting down the opposition, no degree of offensive fireworks may be enough to pull the Express out of the Pacific Division basement and make them competitive this year.
Sam Bradford’s bicep injury was certainly not the only blow to a USFL team this week, though it is likely the most impactful. Several other players, including Houston HB Michael Turner and Washington FS Ed Reed will be out in Week 3 and perhaps longer. Here is the full roundup of new faces on the Week 3 injury list:
OUT
QB Sam Bradford NJ Bicep 12-16 Weeks
OT Lamar Holmes BAL Skull 8-12 Weeks
OG Chester Pitts TEX Wrist 8-12 Weeks
HB Michael Turner HOU Abdomen 2-4 Weeks
LB Chris Claiborne DAL Foot 1-2 Weeks
FS Ed Reed WSH Foot 1-2 Weeks
TE Eddie Williams NSH Hamstring 1-2 Weeks
TE Brandon Pettigrew CHA Finger 1-2 Weeks
HB Ronnie Brown PIT Back 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
QB Andy Dalton PIT Nerve
WR Percy Harvin DAL Ankle
HB Marshawn Lynch LV Shoulder
QUESTIONABLE
LB Hannibal Navies DEN Toe
LB Angelo Crowell BAL Neck
DE Justin Smith OAK Foot
DT Amobi Okoye SEA Patella
New Faces Having an Impact
As we see each year, a new season brings a lot of new faces to teams across the league, whether through the draft, the NFL transfer window, or free agency, rosters in the USFL always shift year to year, and with that come new opportunities for players to find a good match for their skills or for teams to find the right piece to put in place to improve their club. With two weeks complete in the USFL season, we look particularly at some of the USFL free agents and traded players who now find themselves adapting to a new team and a new chance to prove themselves. Even as we wait for the last of the NFL imports to take the field, these USFL transfers have found success in the early going of the 2013 season.
QB Chris Weinke (Texas to Ohio)
The former Monarchs starter who has languished on the benches of of Seattle and Texas for the past two years was traded somewhat unceremoniously to Ohio for a 3rd round pick. Coach Andrus promised the former starter a chance to compete, and Weinke has taken full advantage of that chance. Weinke won the starting job over incumbent Vince Young through a strong camp and a solid performance in the preseason. In his first two regular season games he has led Ohio to two strong offensive outings, a 31-21 win over the LA Express and a 36-29 loss to his former club, Texas. He has thrown for nearly 600 yards in those two victories, and while his 4:5 ratio of touchdowns and picks is not ideal, his on-field leadership has helped Ohio to Top 5 rankings in both points and yardage. Weinke has quickly built rapport with Ohio’s outspoken number one receiver, Steve Smith, who has over 100 yards in each of the Glory’s first two games, and has also incorporated TE Zach Miller into the action as the team’s second receiver. The Glory hit the road for the first time this week, against an unbeaten Dallas squad, and Weinke will have a chance to show if he can take his early success on the road.
HB Frank Gore (Nashville to Arizona)
There was little doubt that Frank Gore would continue to be a workhorse and to have success with his move from the Knights to the Wranglers, but Arizona may want to pump the brakes a bit for the veteran back. Gore currently leads all rushers with 57 carries in only 2 games, a pace that would put him near the dreaded 400 carry total, a killer for any back, much less a 32-year old 8 year veteran. The results have been solid, with back-to-back 100 yard games, but the wear on the veteran back may be more than Arizona would like. They are loving the results, but perhaps should consider offering a few more carries each week to Stevan Ridley or Jonathan Dwyer, just to keep Gore healthy all season.
HB Cadillac Williams (Memphis to Seattle)
The former Showboat back has welcomed his move to the Pacific Northwest, and this week he showed Seattle fans why they should be happy to welcome him to the team with a 117 yard, 2 TD performance. Williams has stepped into the Dragon lineup as a catalyst for the offense, allowing Byron Leftwich the opportunity to work off of play action effectively. Another 8-year veteran, like Gore, Williams has found a newfound appreciation for the game in Seattle, where he has been provided with an offense that suits his skills, with FB Jerome Felton often leading the way and a passing game that helps keep defenses from stacking the line, something that was not the case the past few years in Memphis.
WR Vincent Jackson (Pittsburgh to Tampa Bay)
We all predicted that the Maulers’ lead receiver would only get better as a member of Coach Shula’s more aggressive offense in Tampa Bay and that has certainly shown itself to be true after the season’s first two weeks. Jackson is averaging 103 yards and 8 receptions a game over 2 weeks. He has scored a touchdown in both games, despite the Bandits difficulty getting in the win column, and it is clear that he has built immediate rapport with veteran Bandit QB Daunte Culpepper. His 10-catch, 134 yard performance in the season opener was a wake up call to the division that Tampa Bay had itself a true weapon.
TE Joe Toler (Birmingham to Seattle)
The unheralded signing, Toler was released by Birmingham after only 1 season, a season in which he appeared in only 4 games, never got a start, and was targeted only once. Seattle picked him up as backup to both Bennie Joppru and NFL signee Dennis Pitta. With Pitta still unable to go, Toler has seen the field in each of the Dragons’ first two games, and has surprisingly outperformed Joppru as both a blocker and as a receiver. Toler had 9 receptions in the season opener, impressing Coach Mitchell with his tenacity and ability to shake off linebackers in his routes. With Pitta expected to suit up this week, Toler has retained his role as TE2, moving the veteran Joppru to the dreaded, and rarely used, TE3 position. While he may not see as many opportunities to be a target for Byron Leftwich, he will certainly see a lot of action in Seattle’s heavy sets and 2 TE formations, something few anticipated when he was signed for the league minimum this offseason.
LB Rey Maualaga (Charlotte to New Jersey)
Many in the Carolinas were upset with the Monarchs for trading Maualaga after an All-USFL season, but the club felt they needed to boost their D-line and the deal for Jevon Kearse seemed the best way to do that. New Jersey benefited immediately from that deal, with both Maualaga and NFL veteran Chase Blackburn becoming immediate starters for the Generals this year. That move has paid early dividends for the Generals as Maualaga currently leads the team with 19 tackles in his first 2 games. The strong-side LB has helped energize the General LB group, and the entire defense has benefited, helping the club start the year at 2-0 and proving that the right player in the right place can have an immediate impact.
LB Antonio Pierce (Washington to New Orleans)
Another linebacker with immediate impact has been Antonio Pierce. Already considered a shoe-in for a Hall of Fame jacket some day, Pierce was not ready to hang up the cleats, signing a 2-year deal to join the Breakers, and New Orleans is seeing the benefit. Pierce was named a team captain by the defense during camp and after two weeks leads the team with 18 tackles from the MLB position. Add in a forced fumble in the season opening victory over Jacksonville and you have a veteran leader proving it on the field.
LB Zak DeOssie (Houston to Dallas)
The cross-state transplant is another case of a player getting a bigger role and having an immediate impact with his new team. DeOssie began his Dallas career this year with a 5 tackle performance in the season opener, and added a sack and two forced fumbles in this weeks upset win in Charlotte. The 7-year veteran of Wade Phillips’s system in Houston has brought toughness and tenacity to a LB group that was lacking both last year (in Boston). Lined up on the outside of 2nd year phenom Luke Kuechley has freed up DeOssie to bring the thunder, crashing into the line on run plays to allow Kuechley the ability to roam the second level of the defense and make plays across the field.
Las Vegas Finances to Be Major Topic of Owners’ Meeting
We are expecting the rubber to hit the road when the 28 USFL league owners meet this week in New York. Top of the agenda is the emerging crisis and apparent financial malfeasance of Thunder principal owner Phil Ruffin. There is every possibility that Ruffin and his ownership group will be ousted and that the league may have to take over the franchise until a new ownership group can be found. The State of Nevada is exploring charges, and the league seems to have found enough in the financial records to determine that Ruffin and his group have been cooking the books to look more stable than they are. That does not bode well for a Las Vegas franchise that is seemingly able to maintain focus on the field, where the Thunder moved to 2-0 this week. But, as well as the Thunder are playing each weekend, it seems almost daily that new information emerges about the practices and deceptions of the ownership.
If the owners do vote this week, expect them to appoint a conservator to oversee the operations of the franchise while the league handles the financial situation, the issues tied to stadium construction in Las Vegas and while an ad hoc search committee is formed to identify potential ownership options. One option, one that many suspect will be on the table, is for another current owner to opt to replace Ruffin in Las Vegas, giving up their current franchise for a possible low-ball price on the Thunder and with a new stadium set to go on-line in 2 years.
Another option the league could consider is to try to woo one of the ownership groups representing other markets on the Thunder franchise. That would depend on the ability to move the ownership group towards maintaining the club in Sin City, with major investment in the new stadium. That could be a tough sell, even for desperate ownership groups outside the city. What the league is desperate to avoid is a situation where the only viable ownership option leads to relocation, leaving the USFL on the hook for nearly $600M towards a new stadium with no franchise to occupy it.
We will know more by Tuesday, but we expect that the fallout from whatever is decided could take months to sort out, and all the while the Thunder players keep suiting up and, apparently, keep winning, despite the distraction.
St. Louis to have fans vote on helmet redesign
Long before they finished their stunning rise to a league championship, the St. Louis Skyhawks were slated for an Adidas uniform redesign for the 2014 season. That redesign is still on track, but when a team just recently grabs a league title there can be pressure not to change away from the look the team wore for that victory. Despite the fact that the Skyhawks have had the same look through several bad years after their 2006 expansion, there is still a feeling that you don’t want to drift too far from the look that won the title.
So, while the Skyhawks are still moving ahead with a uniform update as part of the Adidas deal with the USFL, they want to give the fans a say in at least one aspect of their uniform. The club has released four potential helmet designs, two each in Clear Sky Blue and in metallic silver. The blue is a touch lighter than the current version, while the silver plays into the metallic hue seen on their pant set and their logo. The designs are also divided by the two different logo options. On the one hand there is the current and initial helmet logo of the team, the hawk’s head with three streaking jets buzzing the Gateway Arch. The new design is a set of wings, large and emerging from the facemask, not dissimilar to the type of wrap around looks we see from the Atlanta Fire or Portland Stags. The silver, white and navy (midnight) blue wings extend from the facemask just past the midpoint of the helmet. Both designs also feature a new center stripe, a curved stripe which is thicker at the rear and front bumpers than at the crown, designed to mirror the arc of the Gateway arch. The blue helmets would retain their midnight blue facemask, while the silver helmet will be paired with the Clear Sky color on its facemask.
A fan poll has been created on the Skyhawks’ website to allow fans to vote on which of the four designs will be the 2014 look for the team. It is anticipated that Adidas will also roll out new jerseys and pants by the end of the 2013 season and we expect that whichever helmet is chosen will align with the look of that new uniform. For now all we have is the new helmet options, with fans having until Week 8 to vote on the designs and select the new lid for their league champion squad.
Only 4 divisional games on tap in Week 3, but that does not mean that there are not exciting matchups all across the schedule. Two of the league’s most aggressive defenses meet on Friday night when the Chicago Machine travel to Houston to take on the Gamblers. On Saturday we have some unexpected 0-2 vs. 2-0 matchups as Atlanta hosts Texas and Nashville travels to Las Vegas. Will we see 3-0 for the Outlaws and Thunder or will the Fire and the Knights find a way to notch their first victories. The late night game on ESPN will feature two Pacific clubs as Oakland visits Portland, both sitting at 1-1 after tough Week 2 losses.
On Sunday we see Memphis visit New Orleans in a Southern Division tilt, a battle of unbeatens as New Jersey, with Bobby Hoying now under center, travel to face the Stars in their annual rivalry, and we have 0-2 Tampa Bay hoping they can get their first win on Sunday Night Football as they head to Charlotte to face the Monarchs. The other game you are going to want to catch has two of the upstarts of the season facing off as Ohio heads down to Dallas to face the Roughnecks in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Friday @ 8pm Chicago (1-1) @ Houston (1-1) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm Texas (2-0) @ Atlanta (0-2) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm Pittsburgh (1-1) @ Orlando (1-1) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm Nashville (0-2) @ Las Vegas (2-0) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm Seattle (1-1) @ Denver (0-2) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm Washington (1-1) @ St. Louis (0-2) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm Oakland (1-1) @ Portland (1-1) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm Birmingham (2-0) @ Baltimore (1-1) ABC
Sunday @ 12pm Memphis (0-2) @ New Orleans (1-1) ABC
Sunday @ 12pm New Jersey (2-0) @ Philadelphia (2-0) FOX
Sunday @ 4pm Michigan (1-1) @ Los Angeles (0-2) ABC
Sunday @ 4pm Ohio (1-1) @ Dallas (2-0) FOX
Sunday @ 4pm Jacksonville (1-1) @ Arizona (2-0) FOX
Sunday @ 8pm Tampa Bay (0-2) @ Charlotte (1-1) ESPN/EFN
The sim you use demands a sacrifice of at least one good QB every season