Week six saw a huge showdown in the desert as Arizona faced off against Texas, A clash for the top of the Pacific division between upstart Portland and the favored Oakland Invaders, a Northeastern Division classic between Washington and New Jersey, and a Southeastern Division showdown between Charlotte and Tampa Bay. In other words, this was a good week for rivals and bitter divisional foes to clash, and with early season stakes on the line in each game. Add to this some strong inter-divisoinal matchups, like those between Nashville and Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Birmingham, and New Orleans in Baltimore and you have yourself a very entertaining and hard-hitting weekend of football. That is what Week 6 brought us, but it also appears to have been a turning point week for several teams as the days after the week’s games saw the first trades of the regular season, a quarterback decision, and an injury that may well lead to a permanent change for another club. We will break it all down right here on This Week In the USFL, starting with the Game of the Week between last year’s league champion and this year’s last remaining unbeaten team.
TEXAS OUTLAWS 17 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 22
This was a game that the Arizona Wranglers absolutely had to have, not only because dropping to 2-3 with Texas rising to 5-0 would be an almost insurmountable gap, but from a confidence standpoint. The team that went15-1 last season needed to prove to themselves that they were still very much a contender, capable of winning the big games. They proved that this week, holding off the unbeaten Outlaws to pull themselves over .500 and within a game of Texas in the SW Division.
What is even more helpful for the psyche of the Wranglers is that they did it very much the way they had won those 15 games last year, with a solid defense and a ball control offense. They still struggled to run the ball, with Frank Gore struggling to only 2.8 yards per carry and 37 total yards, but David Carr was still able to use the threat of the run to connect with his receivers on play action in early downs. Carr survived 5 sacks by the Texas defense to throw for 322 yards and 2 scores. Joe Flacco had even more pressure as Arizona’s defense sacked the MVP candidate 8 times, including 2 from last year’s DPOTY, Adam Carriker.
Both defenses looked solid in this one, especially in a scoreless first quarter in which the only foray into the opposition’s side of the field was a fluke play that saw Texas’s CB trip himself in coverage, allowing Kassim Osgood to turn a 5-yard slant into a 28 yard completion. Neither team really threatened until the final drive of the quarter, which spilled over into the 2nd. On that dive, Joe Flacco managed to avoid the pressure and find both Jordan Shipley, his new go to escape valve, and Marques Colston with nice gains. He would then find Brandon Marshall for the scoring toss and Texas got the first points of the game. Arizona would answer in the final moments of the quarter with a long field goal by Elliott Parson and this pivotal Southwest Division match would go to the half with Texas up 7-3.
The third quarter saw Arizona play its best ball. The defense stifled every Texas possession, ending 2 of 3 with sacks on third and long. The offense would finally crack Texas’s zone coverages, with Carr finding Antonio Bryant on a beautifully orchestrated double move that freed him up for a 53-yard scoring throw that brought the 52,708 fans at University of Phoenix Stadium to their feet. On their next drive, Carr would just miss on a longball to Fitzgerald and would have to settle for a field goal, but the two drives had Arizona up 13-7 as the quarter wound down.
Texas would catch a break early in the 4th as a perfectly timed swat knocked the ball from rookie Ka’Deem Carey’s hands and the Outlaws recovered the ball at the Arizona 33. They could only advance the ball to the 19 before their drive stalled and Kai Forbath was called on to kick a 36-yarder to make the score 13-10. It was a 3-point addition that was quickly wiped out by a nice Arizona drive, one that included a 26-yard catch and run by Fitzgerald, and ending with Parson kicking to again extend Arizona’s lead to 6.
But the unbeaten Outlaws were not going to go down without a fight and with 7:47 left on the clock they had their backs against the wall. Keeping Chris Cooley in to block, providing Flacco with just a bit more time, the Outlaws finally seemed to get their passing game in gear, first with a 15 yard toss to Marquise Goodwin, and then with what could have been the back-breaker, a 42-yard touchdown toss from Flacco to Brandon Marshall against single coverage. Arizona’s blitz had backfired and Marshall was able to outmuscle the corner and take the ball into the endzone. Now down 17-16, Arizona had 5:48 to take back the game.
The Wranglers had two goals in their final drive, score at least a field goal to take the lead, and kill as much time as they could. With all three running backs having proven ineffective against Texas’s stacked defense, the Wranglers would have to rely on the passing game to do both. David Carr mixed up his targets, hitting TE Rob Gronkowski, HB Ka’Deem Carey, and slot receiver David Tyree with short passes to slowly move the chains, the Wranglers just kept converting, often on 2nd down, and with each play they milked the clock. Texas did not start using their time outs until after the 2-minute warning, and even with that, by the time Arizona entered the red zone, there was less than a minute left.
After a 1-yard run by Gore, his 13th carry of the day, for only 37 yards, Arizona opted to go for the kill shot. Carr faked the ball to Gore on 2nd down, rolled to his right and found Antonio Bryant, the game’s leading receiver with 112 yards, on a corner route and with a step on CB Cedric Griffin. Carr had targeted Griffin often in the game, with Michael Boulware the tougher corner to break. On this play, Griffin had fallen for a shoulder fake by Bryant and that gave the receiver the step he needed. He pulled in the ball, tapped his 2nd foot in play, and Arizona took a 22-17 lead with only 34 seconds left to play.
The time would prove inadequate for a Texas squad that needed a TD to regain the lead. They had barely enough time with no time outs to reach midfield, and on the final play of the game DE Larry English snagged Flacco’s legs and sent the QB down for the 8th time, ending the game on a sack. The win is huge for the Wranglers, who now pull within a game of Texas, but also for the Houston Gamblers, who would match the Outlaws at 4-1 with a win in their game later in the weekend. For Texas it was a sign that they would be in for a tough and protracted fight if they wanted to take the SW Division, perhaps the deepest division in the league right now.
CHARLOTTE 14 TAMPA BAY 17
The Bandits survive a divisional scare as Charlotte had a chance with time running out to win the game, but failed on a Hail Mary in the final seconds. Tampa used Jahvid Best and Rex Burkhead to produce 30 carries and 123 yards rushing, a bit out of character, but with Vincent Jackson still getting 6 catches for 85 yards and a score, they had the lead late, but Charlotte got a Taiwan Jones TD run with 2:24 left, held Tampa to a 3-and-out and went for the Hail Mary, only to have Antrell Rolle knock the ball down in the endzone to preserve the win and move the Bandits to 4-1.
POTG: Bandit WR Vincent Jackson: 6 rec, 85 Yds, 1 TD.
JACKSONVILLE 3 ORLANDO 33
In his worst game to date, Tim Tebow completed only 11 of 35 yards passing as Orlando dominated despite getting only 1 sack in the game against the elusive Bull QB. Russell Wilson threw for 2 scores and Knownshon Moreno returned to action with 112 yards and a score. The ‘Gades had 21 first downs to only 6 for the Bulls. The win moves Orlando to 3-2, and sets up a huge Florida Derby matchup with Tampa Bay this Friday night.
POTG: Renegades HB Knowshon Moreno: 21Att, 112 Yds, 1TD.
PHILADELPHIA 31 BIRMINGHAM 20
Birmingham got a mid-game pick-six from Antonio Cromartie, but otherwise were dominated by a Philadelphia offense that racked up 127 yards rushing and 17 first downs on the day. Slaton and Stacy combined for 108, with Stacy averaging an impressive 9.7 yards on his 6 touches. Throw in two picks of Cam Newton and a fumble by marion Barber and you have a comfortable Stars win on the road.
POTG: Stars CB Bradley Fletcher: 3 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF, 1 FR
PORTLAND 20 OAKLAND 23
The Stags show they are game, but a late David Buehler field goal gives the win to the homestanding Invaders. Oakland got 346 yards and 2 scores from Joey Harrington, with rookie Richard Rodgers and veteran Pierre Garçon each scoring. Portland’s Stewart was held to 78 yards rushing, but Matt McGloin went 27 of 37 with 2 scores to help Portland stay in this one until the final drive.
POTG: Invader QB Joey Harrington: 21/32, 346 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int.
ST. LOUIS 34 DALLAS 26
The Skyhawks win their 2nd in a row despite a huge day from HB Rashard Mendenhall, rushing for 134 yards and all three Dallas touchdowns. St. Louis got 2 TDs from William Bethea, 107 yards from Eddie Lacy, and two Freeman TD tosses to pull away late, going on a 24-4 3 run in the second half and picking off Johnny Manziel 3 times to earn the win.
POTG: Dallas HB Rashard Mendenhall: 24 Att, 134 Yds, 3 TDs.
NEW JERSEY 37 WASHINGTON 31
The Generals add to Washington’s woes, dropping the Feds to 2-3 with a dominant run game against the usually stingy Washington D. Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 161 yards on only 13 carries and backup Delone Carter did even better, rushing for an even 100 on only 8 carries as the Generals simply had the answer for Washington’s run defense. David Garrard threw for 407 yards and 3 scores, trying to keep Washington in the game, but they just could not catch the Generals.
POTG: NJ Halfbacks Maurice Jones-Drew and Delone Carter: 21 Att, 261Yds, 2 TD.
LOS ANGELES 10 SEATTLE 13
A light drizzle dampened spirits in Seattle, but the Dragon D did the rest, holding the Express down despite 4 Dragon turnovers. The Dragons picked off Mark Sanchez twice and held LA to 4 of 13 on third down as they improve to 3-2 with the divisional win. LA kicker Damon Duvall missed two field goals from inside the 40, either of which would have tied the game, and the Express drop to 1-4.
POTG: Dragon rookie LB Khalil Mack: 9 Tck, 1 Sck.
NASHVILLE 17 PITTSBURGH 20
A tough day for Knights fans as they lose to the Maulers and also lose Peyton Manning to injury. More on that later in our report, but as far as the game, Nashville outgained the Maulers but could not turn yards into points. TDs from both Gerhardt and Ronnie Brown gave Pittsburgh the lead late, but a final field goal attempt was shanked by Brett Maher, giving the Maulers the win and dropping Nashville to 1-4.
POTG: Mauler punter Steve Kemp: 8 Punts, 362 yds, 45.2 Ave, 3 inside 20.
NEW ORLEANS 28 BALTIMORE 23
With Ben Roethlisberger knocked from the game with an ankle injury, New Orleans escaped a battle of backups, with Quincy Carter going 18 of 29 for 179 yards and Baltimore QB Vince Young going 13 of 26 for 194 and 2 scores. The advantage for New Orleans was the run game, which had 101 yards between Hill and Tolbert. Despite a tough loss, Antonio Gates continued to shine for the Blitz, racking up 100 yards and 2 scores on 7 receptions in a losing cause.
POTG: Breaker LB Rocky McIntosh: 5 Tck, 2 Sck.
ATLANTA 41 MEMPHIS 9
Matt Cassel looked totally overwhelmed as the Fire just decimated the Showboats. Kyle Orton threw for 3 scores and backup Brad Gradkowski, playing most of the 4th quarter added another as Atlanta manhandled a Memphis squad that just could not get anything going on offense. Coach Childress seemed to indicate that Cassel may well face a challenge from Ryan Mallet as the team continues to wait for Eli Manning’s return to action.
POTG: Fire De Chris Kelsay: 6 Tck, 2 Sck, 1 FF.
MICHIGAN 10 OHIO 24
The Glory move to 3-2 with a nice rivalry win over Michigan. With Steve Smith unable to go, the Glory relied on their run game. Isaiah Pead rushed for 118 and 2 scores and 3rd down back Rashad Jennings added a 3rd score as the Glory dominate don the ground, limiting LeVeon Bell to only 42 yards on 20 carries. The lone bright spot for Michigan was a good game by NFL import Justin Tuck, who had 3 tackles, a sack and a fumble with recovery on the day.
POTG: Ohio HB Isaiah Pead: 21 Att, 118 Yds, 2 TD
CHICAGO 13 LAS VEGAS 16
With Jake Plummer sidelined, it was up to Kevin Kolb to keep Las Vegas winning. The Machine shut down Marshawn Lynch (37 yards on 17 attempts), the Thunder D kept them in the game, and Kolb had enough to get the W, throwing his lone TD to Lynch out of the backfield. Kolb finished 16 of 22 for 386 yards as the Machine stacked the box and dared him to throw. Both Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmanzadeh came up just short of 100 yards (96 and 93 respectively), but it was enough to get the Thunder another home victory in their soon-to-be former home.
POTG: Backup QB Kevin Kolb: 16/22, 386 Yds, 1 TD.
DENVER 10 HOUSTON 27
Houston moves into a tie for first place with the win at home and Texas’s loss. The Gamblers did their part with 3 Hasselbeck TDs (Williams, Evans, and Sims-Walker each with one). Hyde and Ben Tate combined for 110 yards as well, while the defense sacked Matt Leinart 7 times, including 2 from DE Jerry Hughes. Denver went only 2 of 15 on third down and only had the ball for slightly over 25 minutes in the game as Houston gets the big divisional win.
POTG: Houston QB Matt Hasselbeck: 24/35, 192 Yds, 3 TD, 1 Int.
Manning Out With Bulging Disc
It is an injury which for any other player would be frustrating but viewed as a short-term condition, but when the bulging disc is on the upper back of quarterback Peyton Manning, a player who has already returned from a spinal fusion procedure in his neck, and when that quarterback may have already been in the final year of his career, and was being viewed as having lost the chip on his shoulder (or the zip in his arm), the 2-4 week recovery time could just be the start of something much bigger.
The truth is that there were some already saying that Nashville coach Greg Roman should look to replace legendary QB Peyton Manning with former Mauler Cody Pickett. Mannings numbers were not horrible, 1,292 yards and over 70% completion rate, but his 3:4 TD:Int number, and Nashville’s 1-3 record were not looking good. But now, with Manning coming out of yet another loss, and with another potential issue with his back, though not directly related to the area of his fused neck vertebrae, the time may very well be right to see if Pickett can turn the Knights’ season around.
Manning took a tough hit as he released the ball on a mid-4th quarter drive, slowly worked his way to the sideline and was then carted off to the locker room in obvious pain. The team would reveal the diagnosis of a bulging disc, a painful but relatively treatable injury, later that day. For a quarterback in a different phase of his career, the injury would mean perhaps a month on the sideline, but for Manning, already dogged by claims that he just no longer had the physical necessities to be effective as a starter, and with the prior history of injury, the reality may well be that Nashville will move ahead with Pickett at the helm, and that this may actually be what is best for Manning as well.
A legend in the NFL, Peyton Manning came to the USFL to prove that his 2011 spinal fusion surgery would not be the end of his career. And while he has proven that he could come back from that procedure, his time in Nashville has not gone as planned. Caught on a team that was overdue for a generational refresh of the roster, Manning was unable to revive the team as a serious contender, with Nashville dropping from back-to-back 8-8 seasons down to 5-11 last year and now 1-4 in 2014. With the drop in team success there was also a clear difference in Manning’s game, with him now relying on his experience and knowledge of the game far more than on his arm strength and escapability. Now, with another back injury, and with the team struggling on offense (ranked 18th in yardage and 27th in scoring), the injury allows first year coach Greg Roman to see if Cody Pickett can do any better.
Nashville will go with Pickett for at least the next 2-4 weeks, with Curtin Painter as the backup. They signed undrafted 2013 Tennessee grad Tyler Bray as the emergency QB, but what everyone is expected to watch for is what happens if and when Manning is cleared to get back on the field. Will he regain his position or will Pickett prove he offers more to the Knights as the starter in Manning’s absence.
Nashville Trades for HB Help
The Knights are now at least in a short-term transition on offense with Pickett replacing Manning, but they did more to address their offensive woes this week. Having lost Ray Rice to suspension after the arrest for domestic abuse and the incriminating video of what appears to be him knocking his wife unconscious came out, the Knights have struggled with Montario Hardesty as their lead back. They addressed that concern this week, sending DE Cullen Jenkins and a 5th round pick to the Portland Stags for bruising back LeGarrett Blount and backup DE Brian Johnston. Blount will be expected to come into rotation with Hardesty as soon as this upcoming week, with hopes that he can provide better short yardage and goal line options to the Knights. The move also means that rookie DE Dee Brown moves into the starting lineup at right end on defense, while Portland hopes that adding Jenkins will help them improve what is already a pretty solid defensive squad. The Jenkins-Blount trade thus becomes the first of the regular season in the league, with 5 weeks remaining before the Week 10 trade deadline.
LA & Jacksonville Swap Star Quality Players
It appears that Nashville’s move may have opened the door for trading to begin, as two clubs desperately trying to turn their seasons around, Los Angeles and the winless Jacksonville Bulls, agreed on a deal that not only swaps players, but players with All-USFL qualifications. Jacksonville, with the worst defense in the league and arguably the worst secondary in particular, needed a potential shut down corner after being burnt by the long ball all season. Los Angeles, struggling on offense, needed a way to compensate for the loss of Keyshawn Johnson to retirement and take pressure off their somewhat underwhelming receiver group.
And so a trade was agreed upon that would provide the Bulls with a quality cornerback in Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, and would give Mark Sanchez and the Express a middle-of-the-field weapon that would force teams to shift zones and reduce the number of double coverage schemes against the outside receivers. The Bulls would send All-USFL tight end Jason Whitten to LA, along with nickel back Coty Sensabaugh. LA would send Rogers-Cromartie to the Bulls, promoting Jamar Taylor into the starting slot at corner opposite Marques Truffant. Along with DRC, LA would backfill Jacksonville’s TE position by sending Gavin Escobar to the Bulls.
A big trade with two big name players, but one designed to help each club deal with their biggest current issues, LA’s lack of offensive diversity and Jacksonville’s shaky defensive backfield. Will it be enough to help out the 1-4 Express and the 0-5 Bulls? Hard to say, but at least we can say that they are not standing pat, but trying to get better.
Bulls Add McPherson, Sign of Change?
Jacksonville used the trade to help the defense, but it was their free agent move that actually got the fans on Florida and Georgia sports radio talking. The Bulls signed former Boston/Dallas quarterback Adrian McPherson to a 1-year deal on Tuesday. McPherson who was the starter for the Cannons in 2010 and began 2011 in that roll, was supplanted by Jake Locker and let go this year by Dallas with the arrival of Johnny Manziel. He last saw significant action in 2012, when he started 6 games for the Cannons in their final season in Boston, thowing for 1,434 yards and 7 TDs (with 9 picks).
Why is this a big deal? Well because neither Josh McCown or Chase Daniel were seen as real threats to supplant Tim Tebow if Coach Nolan wanted to make a QB change. McPherson could be. After all, McPherson’s lifetime QB Rating is a relatively respectable 82.4 while Tebow now sits at 74.7 after 4 full seasons, and unlike Tebow, McPherson’s lifetime TD:INT ratio is solid at 50:29 is in far better shape than Tebow’s upside down 65:68 numbers. Whether this is a move by Nolan and the Bulls to stoke the competitive fires on their cult-favorite QB out of Florida or if it is Nolan actually looking for a new option at quarterback is unknown, but it is certainly a move that is intriguing on the surface.
Ryan Mallett To Start for Showboats
Another QB move is easier to interpret. After another rough game and another loss for the Memphis Showboats, Coach Childress has made a change at QB, announcing that former Arkansas star Ryan Mallett would get the start in Week 6. The Showboats are still hoping that Eli Manning’s return is eminent, but most have it at least 2 weeks off, and after falling to defeat in all 3 Matt Cassel starts, including 2 of 3 games where the team mustered only a single TD, Coach Childress had to make a move to try to salvage the season before Manning came back. And so, Mallett, the Showboats starter in 2011-2012 right out of college, will get a chance to show that he has matured and improved his game. Expected to have at least 2 games to show what he can do, this may be Mallett’s best chance to impress the Showboats, but perhaps more importantly, the free agent market. Mallett still has another year on his deal, but there is a chance he could be let go this year. Of course, if he can impress with his opportunity this season, perhaps he will get a new deal with Memphis afterall.
The injury to Peyton Manning may be grabbing the headlines, largely due to the unique nature of his health concerns and position on the team, but there was no shortage of other significant injuries this week, including two players sent to IR with season-ending injuries. Add to that several 2-4 week departures and even more who are week to week or day to day and it was a pretty bad week overall on the injury front.
OUT
G Josh Liberious PHI Neck IR
FB Greg Jones POR Back IR
G Chance Warmack ARZ ACL 2-4 Weeks
QB Peyton Manning NSH Back 2-4 Weeks
LB Sean Porter MGN Knee 2-4 Weeks
HB Maurice Jones-Drew NJ Turf Toe 1-2 Weeks
FS Larry Asante ORL Jaw 1-2 Weeks
SS Darren Sharper PHI Ankle 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
G Ben Sobieski NOR Wrist
DE Cliff Avril OAK Concussion
OT Geoff Schwartz WSH Neck
OT Reid Fragel OHI Hand
QUESTIONABLE
CB Cortland Finnegan ORL Concussion
OT Breno Giacomo NSH Hamstring
LB Mason Foster SEA Shoulder
SS Patrick Chung HOU Concussion
DT Mike Daniels STL Concussion
Ohio Governor Goes on Offensive
As fans and communities across the USFL fret over the potential that their team is on the trading block, potentially being sold off or assigned to be the new occupant of the Las Vegas domed stadium that the league largely financed, one governor is not standing pat. John Kasich of Ohio, up for a possible 2nd term this November, has promised full support to keep the Ohio Glory in Ohio. Citing the team as the most successful pro sports franchise in the state (a bit of a slap in the face to the Bengals and Browns), Kasich said it was the intention of his administration to make the case to the USFL that the Glory are just where they need to be, and that Ohio as a football market was vital to the league.
What is interesting about Kasich’s defense of the Glory, unlike that of so many other mayors and governors around the league, is that he seems ready to put his money where his mouth is. With the Glory still sharing the oversized Ohio Stadium in Columbus as their home venue, the goal for the team has been to obtain a more appropriate 55,000-60,000 seat stadium to be their home. They had been working with MLS club Columbus Crew to push for such a facility in Columbus, but have come up against roadblocks ranging from anti-taxation protests to NIMBY concerns, to just simple lack of funding.
What Governor Kasich, in a speech given on the stump this Wednesday, is proposing is not a new stadium for Columbus, but for a football-centered destination stadium and sports facilty to be built in Canton, Ohio, already home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Kasich’s proposal would propose a new 58,000 seat stadium to be built less than a half-mile from the Hall of Fame and current HS facility Fawcett Stadium. A facility which would include practice fields, a commercial park with restaurants, bars, and shops, and a stadium which, he proposes, would serve as the home for the Glory, but also as a second home for three regional college teams, the University of Akron, Kent State University, and Youngstown State University, with each team playing 2-3 games in the facility each fall along with Glory games all spring and summer. His proposed “Football City” project would be a centerpiece of his plan to revitalize the economy of Eatern Ohio, a region that includes Youngstown, Canton, Akron and a string of smaller cities reaching up to the Cleveland suburbs.
The proposal, of course, is nothing but words at this point, and could likely depend on Kasich being reelected. It also would move the team from Columbus about 2 hours east, but would allow the team to remain “Ohio’s team” and could be a nice tie-in for a regional identity that links the USFL and the Glory even more closely with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With Kerry Collins, the star QB of the Glory’s magical run in the early 2000’s being inducted into the Hall this October, you can expect a lot of talk about this plan from Kasich in the next few months. Of course, the USFL’s decision will come much sooner, but this proposal, if it is to be believed by the league and the current Glory ownership, could very well be a game changer when it comes to the Glory being on the potential list of Las Vegas transfers. A bold move by the governor, but one that will certainly garner him some votes from diehard Glory fans who do not want to even consider the possibility of the Las Vegas Glory in 2015.
Nashville Fan Group Seeks to Sway USFL Votes.
Fans in Nashville are not waiting for their politicians to make moves to protect their club. A group calling themselves “The Knights Watch” are circulating petitions throughout Nashville and the surrounding counties to try to encourage the city and the state to pressure the USFL and the stadium authority in Nashville to make a deal that would keep their USFL club in town. Nashville is considered a very strong contender for relocation to Las Vegas largely due to the impasse between Knights ownership and LP field. This fan group is trying to pressure the city to cut a deal with the stadium and the Knights to ensure that their club is not the one to be relocated to the new Las Vegas domed facility.
To date the group claims that they have over 40,000 signatures on their petition, with a total target of 250,000. The timing is tough for them, as they will need to quintuple that count before the league makes a decision in the coming weeks. That is not to say that Nashville is the prohibitive favorite to be relocated, but that the efforts through public pressure may not be timely if the goal is to get a deal on the table in time for the Knights to be taken out of the running.
Baltimore Blitz Up for Sale?
In another potentially troubling situation for fans, there are significant rumors running around Baltimore that lead owner Louis Thalheimer (71) is seeking to sell of his majority share of the Blitz. Thalheimer, who bought the Blitz from Chicago’s James Joseph in 1986 and move the club to Baltimore, has seen his role reduced over the years, stepping down as President in 2007 due to health concerns. With his health still a concern and with no heirs within his immediate family, Thalheimer is rumored to be looking to sell the franchise now, before there is a dispute over ownership if he should pass in the coming years.
The timing of the decision, if the stories are to be believed, is one that scares many Marylanders, as having a team for sale in a period when the league is pressing to find a franchise to place in Las Vegas, puts Baltimore potentially at ground zero for league attention. Thalheimer is a lifelong Baltimorean, so there is a sense that he does not want to put the team in jeopardy of abandoning the city, but at the same time, if the league is willing to help finance a sale, perhaps at a somewhat inflated value, to get a team to Las Vegas, then a deal could still be cut. Baltimore, as the 20th largest MSA (metropolitan statistical area) in the country is significantly larger than Las Vegas, but its proximity to both Washington and Philadelphia could mean that the television networks would not see the loss of a Baltimore franchise as a game changer when it comes to their agreements with the USFL.
And so, if the rumors are true, and if there is a chance that Thalheimer will allow the league to influence a possible sale, there could well be reason for concern in Baltimore. The Blitz have made their home in the Charm City since 1987, replacing the departed Colts in the hearts of the city since long before the arrival of the NFL Ravens. The loss of the Blitz would be a major blow for the city and its football-loving community. So the question now is whether Thalheimer stays true to his Baltimorean roots and protects the club from relocation or whether the league might very well get their wish of a willing seller for a club to fill the gap they find themselves with in the still unnamed Las Vegas dome.
USFL’S Top Rivalries: Number 11—Battle of the Dynasties
This is a unique rivalry in our list. It is not a divisional matchup, not even a regional rivalry, this one is based purely on bragging rights. You have the Houston Gamblers, who won league titles in ’88, ’92, ’95, and 2010 up against the Philadelphia Stars, who won titles in ’85, ’87, and ’91, and who have appeared in 4 more summer bowls. They both want to claim to be “The” dynasty of spring football, the greatest franchise in the USFL.
The arguments are pretty well practiced at this time. Houston fans will point to 7 Summer Bowl appearances, 4 rings over Philadelphia’s 3, and specifically they will point to the 2010 title, where they beat Philadelphia in the Summer Bowl 22-19. For Stars fans, that loss is a big one, but they rebound with their 3 titles their consistent victories in what is viewed as a generally tougher division.
It is a rivalry that does not see the teams meet every year. They won’t meet this year unless both reach the Summer Bowl. But when they do meet, the intensity is there. Everyone seems to recognize that these are two storied franchises with a lot of pride in their history and in their unique contributions to the game. Whether you tend to pull for the tradition of Kelly, Thomas, and Ricky Sanders or Chuck Fusina, Kelvin Bryant, and Sam Mills, this is a game that usually brings back memories, brings up some of the legends of the game, and gets both fanbases excited to once again show their stuff.
In the history of this rivalry, Houston does hold the edge, both in the regular season, with 10 victories to Philly’s 6, and in the playoffs, where their only meeting was that Gambler victory in Summer Bowl 2010.
Next week is an interesting one in that we drop to only 6 division games and 8 inter-division matchups. That means a bit of a respite for some teams from the divisional infighting, not that any team can take a week off. However, even without a majority of games being divisional rivalries, we do have a few worth noting, a few right off our list o the best rivalries in the league. We kick it off on Friday night with the War on I-4 as Tampa Bay heads up the highway to Orlando to face the Renegades. Orlando is only 1 game behind the Bandits, and a win for them would assure them a share of first place, while Tampa would like nothing more than to add some distance between themselves and the Renegades.
On Saturday we have three pretty well-established rivalry games and one new one. Not only do we have the Keystone Clash between the Maulers and Stars, but also rivalry games between LA and Las Vegas and Baltimore v. Washington in the Beltway Brawl. Add to these well-known rivalry games a new potential rivalry as Dallas heads down to Houston for a Texas in-state derby.
Only one divisional game on Sunday, with Memphis facing New Orleans. Drew Brees should be back in action for the Breakers while Ryan Mallett will get the start for the Showboats. Other games with some interesting storylines include New Jersey at Atlanta, Portland visiting Chicago, Oakland hosting Ohio, and the nightcap, the 3-2 Denver Gold heading to Seattle, where the Dragons are surprising many with their 3-2 record.
FRI @ 8pm ET Tampa Bay (4-1) @ Orlando (3-2) NBC
SAT @ 12pm ET Pittsburgh (2-3) @ Philadelphia (4-1) ABC
SAT @ 12pm ET Arizona (3-2) @ Birmingham (2-3) FOX
SAT @ 4pm ET Dallas (1-4) @ Houston (4-1) ABC
SAT @ 4pm ET Nashville (1-4) @ Texas (4-1) FOX
SAT @ 7pm ET Baltimore (3-2) @ Washington (2-3) NBC
SAT @ 9pm ET Los Angeles (1-4) @ Las Vegas (3-2) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12pm ET Memphis (1-4) @ New Orleans (3-2) ABC
SUN @ 12pm ET New Jersey (4-1) @ Atlanta (3-2) FOX Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Charlotte (2-3) @ Michigan (1-4) FOX Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Jacksonville (0-5) @ St. Louis (2-3) ABC Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Portland (2-3) @ Chicago (3-2) ABC Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Ohio (3-2) @ Oakland (3-2) FOX
SUN @ 8pm ET Denver (3-2) @ Seattle (3-2) ESPN/EFN
Is it really a slap in the face of the Bengals and Browns when Bengals have never won a championship and the Browns last championship was 1964... and let's not forget what's about to come into the future for the Browns.