Philadelphia drops their second in a row as Baltimore downs a Stars team missing two of their key offensive weapons. Tampa Bay and Texas move to a league best 8-1 record with hard-fought wins in tough road games, and Michigan impresses with a 4th straight victory, taking a win at Invesco Field from the Denver Gold. It was also a good week for several 4-4 clubs, including Arizona, Las Vegas, Orlando, Washington, and Charlotte as they moved into positive territory with wins in Week 9. On the flipside, several other 4-4 clubs fell to 4-5 with lackluster performances, including a poor outing across the board from the Generals and Stallions. We will recap all the action and follow up on big news out of Las Vegas as the still-to-be-identified USFL franchise that is relocating to Sin City works with local promoters to provide fans with input into the team’s identity. All this, plus concerns that Coach Mike Nolan may have already lost the lockerroom of the 0-9 Jacksonville Bulls.
TEXAS OUTLAWS 30 PORTLAND STAGS 25
One of the signs of a good team in any sport is the ability to pull out games when you are not playing your best. That was the case for the Texas Outlaws this week as they struggled at Portland. Texas had been among the league’s elite teams all season, but the Portland Stags were playing them tough and forced the Outlaws out of their usual game plan, but Texas found a way to pull out the game when the pressure was on, calling up the perfect play to get the big play that had eluded them all game.
Portland had again given the reins of the offense back to Ryan Fitzpatrick, having sat Matt McGloin after some rough games, and Fitzpatrick looked very solid, going 30 for 37 on the day and throwing for 3 touchdowns. The Portland defense also came up big in the game, sacking Joe Flacco 4 times, including an opening drive safety that put Portland up early. The Stags would double down on the defensive play, scoring the game’s first touchdown on the ensuing possession when Fitzpatrick found Jordan Cameron for a short TD toss to take a 9-0 early lead.
The Portland defense continued to play the Outlaws tough, stacking the box against Chris Johnson and using 2-deep zone to avoid big plays from the Texas passing game. Joe Flacco would be able to rack up some big yardage (393 yards in total), but would be held to shorter plays and forced to complete long drives to move the ball. The Stags were counting on Texas mistakes, and the Outlaws, frustrated by the strategy provided them in the form of drive killing penalties.
Texas would get on the board before the first quarter ended, with Felix Jones scoring on a swing pass from Flacco to pull within 2. They would take the lead briefly in the 2nd after another stalled drive allowed for a Kai Forbath field goal put them up 10-9. But on the very next drive, Portland again found paydirt, as again it was the connection between Fitzpatrick and Jordan, this time on a 40-yard TD toss to the tight end. Portland would go for 2, but fail on the attempt, putting them up 15-10 with just over 5 minutes left to play in the half. Texas would counter, taking the halftime lead 17-15 thanks to a 14-play drive that ended with a short toss from Flacco to Chastin West.
Texas had the lead, but was clearly not playing their best ball. Portland had found a way to frustrate the big play offense of the Outlaws and shutting down Chris Johnson in the run game (8 carries for only 22 yards in the first half.) In the second half, the frustration would continue. Texas would be held scoreless in the 3rd quarter, and when Portland got a third Fitzpatrick TD, they would take the lead, sitting at 22-17 after three.
In the fourth, Texas had a bit more success, two drives producing two Forbath field goals and a slim 23-22 lead. But when Portland again retook the lead with 1:34 left, thanks to a Mason Crosby kick, Texas would need to do more than dink and dunk their way down the field. They would need to find a way to get a big play, one that had eluded them all day.
The strategy of the Stags, to play 2-deep zone while stacking the box, would shift in the final minutes of the game, with the run game now all but abandoned by Texas. They would modify their coverage to ensure that Joe Flacco’s favorite target, Marques Colston, could not burn them. Doubling the primary target with a safety meant that either Brandon Marshall or Marquise Goodwin would have to make a play against single coverage with a high safety.
With the ball on their own 25 and following a missed toss to TE Chris Cooley on first down, Texas would do what true contenders always seem to do, they would dial up the perfect play to beat the coverage Portland was showing. They put all three wideouts to one side, stacking Colston behind Marshall and Goodwin. This forced the deep safety to play a little closer to the line, and when the receivers split their routes, both the strong and free safeties followed the pair of Marshall and Colston towards the middle of the field in stacked routes. That left Goodwin in single coverage down the sideline. The speedster got a step on the corner and Flacco had the time needed to loft up a deep ball. Colston sped under the ball, brought it in without breaking stride and had a clear path to the endzone. The big play that had been unavailable all game long became possible in the final minute of action and Texas got what they needed, a 75-yard touchdown in the final minute to pull out the 30-25 victory. It was exactly the type of tenacity and ingenuity that you would expect from an 8-1 squad, proving that they could pull out victories even in games where they had appeared frustrated all game long.
TAMPA BAY 24 ATLANTA 10
The Bandits continue to impress with another solid divisional win, and again it is the defense that is stepping up and proving that this is not a one-dimensional team. LB Devon Kennard had 2 sacks, and the D held Atlanta to only 13 first downs and 232 total yards. The Fire run game was stymied at every turn, with Steven Jackson limited to only 46 total yards. Meanwhile, Rex Burkhead, starting in place of Jahvid Best, rushed for 111 on 19 carries and Vincent Jackson went over 100 yards again as the Bandits rolled.
POTG: Bandit HB Rex Burkhead, 19 Att, 111 Yds, 1 TD
PITTSBURGH 28 NEW JERSEY 16
Real concern about the Generals as they lose a home game where they were favored by 7 points. The Generals came out flat, and the Maulers took advantage. Ronnie Brown rushed for 94 and a score, Adam Thielen caught 5 for 120 and a TD, and LB Paul Posluszny scored on a pick-6 as the Maulers simply plugged along in all phases of the game.
POTG: Mauler LB Paul Posluszny: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
MEMPHIS 10 ORLANDO 23
Eli Manning surprisingly returned to action this week, despite being listed as Doubtful on the injury report. He may wish he hadn’t after being sacked 4 times by the Renegades and completing only 18 of 35 pass attempts. Orlando dominated on defense, holding Memphis to a total of 207 yards on the day. Russell Wilson completed 27 of 36 passing and rushed for 30 yards as well as Orlando moves to 5-4.
POTG: Orlando QB Russell Wilson: 27/36, 335 Yds, 1 TD, 0 Int, 5 Att, 30 Yds
MICHIGAN 28 DENVER 21
The Panthers win their 4th in a row with an impressive outing at Invesco Field. Kirk Cousins threw for 3 scores in one of his most complete games of the season, while LeVeon Bell added 89 yards rushing and a TD for the visiting Panthers. The Panther D also showed up big, limiting DeMarco Murray to only 1.5 YPC on a 19-yard day.
POTG: Michigan QB Kirk Cousins: 30/42, 284 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
BIRMINGHAM 24 NEW ORLEANS 33
The Breakers build a 2-game lead in the division with a home victory over 2nd place Birmingham. Early Doucet had a big game, with 10 receptions for 118 yards and 2 scores, while Drew Brees impressed, throwing for 3 scores on the day. Birmingham gave up on the run entirely, with Cam Newton’s 10 rushes leading all Birmingham backs.
POTG: Breaker WR Early Doucet: 10 Rec, 118 Yds, 2 TD
LOS ANGELES 24 OAKLAND 27
The Express needed this one, and put pressure on Joey Harrington, producing 4 interceptions for the LA defense, but it was too much Ryan Williams as the Oakland back gained 124 yards on the ground and kept the Invaders in the game until a late Pierre Garçon TD gave the win to the homestanding Invaders.
POTG: Oakland HB Ryan Williams: 22 Att, 124 Yds, 1 TD
BALTIMORE 20 PHILADELPHIA 7
Playing without Stevie Johnson or Travis Kelce, the Stars offense was no match for a motivated Baltimore defense as Baltimore put up the first 20 points of the game before a late garbage time touchdown finally put Philly on the board. Baltimore outgained the Stars by nearly 120 yards, and produced 3 takeaways (all Asomugha picks of Gutierrez) to dominate the game on both sides of the ball, handing the Stars their 2nd consecutive loss and taking over 1st place (on a tiebreaker) from their divisional rivals.
POTG: Blitz CB Nnambi Asomugha: 5 Tck, 3 Int
WASHINGTON 27 NASHVILLE 24
Cody Pickett kept Nashville in this one, with a 3-TD day, but in the end it was too much David Garrard for the Knights to counter. Garrard threw for 344 yards and 3 scores, all but putting to rest any talk of Joe Webb stepping in. Garrard’s 4th quarter 81-yard TD toss to Kellen Davis put the Feds up by 10 and that was enough of a cushion as they held on for the road win to move to 5-4 and remain in the NE Division playoff picture.
POTG: Feds QB David Garrard: 18/21, 344 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
CHARLOTTE 48 JACKSONVILLE 10
Things are getting ugly in Jacksonville as a bad loss was paired with visual conflicts on the Jacksonville sideline as the Bulls just could do nothing right in this game. Jacksonville gave up 121 yards rushing to Fred Jackson, who also caught 2 balls for 37 yards and a 3rd TD. They also gave up 3 turnovers and failed on 8 of their 13 third down tries. It was 21-7 at the half, and got worse as the game continued as Charlotte improved to 5-4 while Jacksonville dropped to 0-9.
POTG: Monarch HB Fred Jackson: 21 Att, 121 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Rec, 37 Yds, 1 TD
LAS VEGAS 23 SEATTLE 18
A much needed divisional win for the Thunder as Jake Plummer impresses with 372 yards passing and 3 TDs. Las Vegas outgained Seattle 429-267 and shut down both Seattle 2-point PAT attempts on their way to the win. LB A. J. Hawk also had a strong game for the Thunder with 12 tackles in a run-stuffing showcase.
POTG: Thunder QB Jake Plummer: 17/22, 372 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int
OHIO 24 DALLAS 21
Johnny Manziel had a solid game and had the Roughnecks up after 3 quarters, but a 10-0 Ohio run in the 4th gave the visitors the win and sent Dallas to 1-8. Chris Weinke, who struggled against Dallas’s zones, found Justin Blackmon with the game-tying TD midway through the 4th and then drove the Glory into field goal range for David Green to get the W at the end of regulation in a heartbreaker for the Dallas fans at the Cotton Bowl.
POTG: Dallas FS Will Allen: 4 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.
HOUSTON 10 ARIZONA 13
A defensive slugfest between two SW Division contenders. Both teams were held under 250 yards of total offense and the two combined for only 7 of 27 third down conversions as the defenses dominated. David Carr was sacked 7 times by Houston’s aggressive blitz schemes, while Arizona held Carlos Hyde to only 1.5 yards per rush, stacking the box to make the Gamblers one dimensional. It was a strategy that worked for the Wranglers, who got the only points of the second half, a lone Elliott Parson field goal to snag the win.
POTG: Arizona DT Glenn Dorsey: 9 Tck, 4 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR.
CHICAGO 16 ST. LOUIS 19
Another defensive showdown decided by a 4th quarter field goal as St. Louis sends Chicago to a 5th straight loss. Both teams were able to move the ball between the 30’s but touchdowns were hard to come by in this one. St. Louis had one Freeman to Jordy Nelson TD toss and Chicago one Matt Forte TD run, but otherwise it was a day for the kickers, with St. Louis’s Rob Bironas getting the lone points, and the game-winning points in the 4th quarter.
POTG: St. Louis DE Olivier Vernon: 5 Tck, 1 Sck
Blitz sign Dereck Anderson for injured Young
Baltimore got the big win they wanted from their game in Philadelphia this week, while also answering the question of how they would replace number 2 QB Vince Young after the quarterbacks’ fluke injury in during Week 8 practice. On Tuesday, Coach Caldwell, who is gaining momentum for Coach of the Year, announced that 3rd stringer Tyrod Taylor would be given the backup position, while signing veteran Dereck Anderson to serve as the emergency quarterback. Anderson, who was on the roster of Orlando in 2013 and Boston in 2012, has last taken a pro snap in 2011 with the Ohio Glory. He was signed to a one year deal off of free agency. Baltimore certainly hopes that his streak of non-starts will continue as they have been flying with Ben Roethlisberger at the helm. Big Ben is currently the top-rated QB in the league, with a 118 QB Rating, more than 2,500 yards passing and a 21:6 TD:INT ratio.
Orlando Makes Deal to Add HB After Murray Injury
With Latavius Murray placed on the Injured Reserve List after suffering a fractured tibia in Week 8 action, the Orlando Renegades acted quickly to find a replacement and add a 2nd back to their rotation. Knowshon Moreno remains the primary back for the Renegades, but Murray had a significant role in the offense, often coming in on third downs as well as spelling Moreno. While Moreno has 109 carries in 9 weeks, Murray’s 78 touches in his 8 games were a big part of the plan for the Orlando offense.
The Renegades made a move to add another back, sending 2 draft picks (a 4th and a 7th rounder) to Oakland to acquire the talents of Joique Bell. Bell, whose role in Oakland has been largely special teams and some 3rd down plays, will likely take on a traditional 3rd down back roll for the Renegades, while Tim Hightower, the 3rd back in Orlando, will likely be the player to come in for more 1st and 2nd downs when Moreno needs a breather. For Oakland, the departure of Bell opens room for the team to expand the role of Donald Brown, acquired from the NFL and used as the number 2 back, but now also likely to have a role in the kick and punt return teams.
Is Bulls HC Mike Nolan a Candidate for 1 and Done?
With the Bulls not only sitting at 0 for 9 but also seemingly having a lot of dissent within the team, the odds that Mike Nolan will not last for a 2nd season in Duvall County seem to be growing each week. Nolan, who had quite a bit of success with the New Orleans Breakers, was seen as an answer for a Bulls team that simply was too inconsistent on offense to compete in the very tough SE Division. Expected to be a calming influence on the often erratic Tim Tebow, Nolan was viewed as an offensive-minded coach who could start to get better production from the Bulls squad. Instead, what we have witnessed in 2014 is a Bulls offense that is among the worst in league history. The Bulls are currently ranked dead last in the league in both scoring and offensive production. They average only 67.6 yards per game on the ground, and barely 11 points per game.
This week’s loss, a brutal 38-point beat down by division rival Charlotte, was just the last in a series of lopsided losses for the Bulls. In their 9-game losing streak, Jacksonville has scored over 20 points only 2 times, but has lost by 10 or more points 8 times, including a pair of 33-3 beat downs in Weeks 4 and 5.
We should probably also mention that with their 28th ranked offense, the Bulls also put on the field the 28th ranked scoring defense. They are the only team in the league allowing over 30 points per game, and there seems to be no respite in sight. Week 10 brings the 8-1 Bandits to town, followed by trips to Nashville and Atlanta, part of a run that will have them facing 4 straight teams with winning records. It is hard to look at any game on the Bulls’ schedule and see them as favored to win. Perhaps the Week 11 game at Nashville is their best chance, but that is hardly an easy game for a team that is just not playing well in any phase of the game.
So, how much of this is Nolan’s fault? Certainly there is blame to be passed around, from the GM’s office to the players on the field. The team has failed to find top talent in several drafts, highlighted by the miss on HB C. J. Spiller, a top draft target now playing as a backup in Dallas. Tim Tebow has been unable to develop the accuracy needed of a pro quarterback, sitting with 6 TD passes and 11 picks on the season after leading the league in picks over the past 3 seasons with a combined 54 interceptions in the three years prior to Nolan’s arrival. The run game has been no better, with the combo of Lamar Miller, rookie Kiero Small, and CFL import Kory Sheets producing one of the least effective backfields in the league.
Jacksonville has a lot of issues, a lot of blame to go around, and a lot of holes to fill if they want to rebuild the franchise, but that often starts at the Head Coach position, and it very well may be that Mike Nolan is not the man to do this job. The team is not improving week to week, and Nolan has not been able to maximize what talent he does have, so the odds are looking very good that the Coach that took New Orleans to the playoffs 4 times in the past 5 years, will be again out of work.
Manning Returns to Action in a Game Time Decision
It was not promoted, not expected, and not planned for, but after a solid week of practice and no noticeable issue with his injured arm, Eli Manning was given the start by the Memphis Showboats when they faced off against the Renegades in Orlando. The veteran QB and former Renegade trotted out to the field after the opening kickoff, and after an initial moment of disbelief from the Orlando crowd, a nice round of applause greeted Manning. The feeling of positivity did not extend to the Orlando coaching staff, who scrambled to revise their defensive plans with a much more capable QB on the field for the opposition. Manning started strong, completing 4 of his first 5 passes on his way to a more uneven performance overall, finishing the day only 18 of 35 for 156 yards. But, the first quarter was very much Manning and Orlando making adjustments as Memphis built up a 10-0 lead before the Renegades adjusted and fought their way back with 23 unanswered points.
Coach Childress would not address the sudden decision to start Manning, stating only that Manning was cleared by physicians, had a good week of practice, and was the starter for the Showboats when healthy. The 23-10 loss was Memphis’s 7th of the year, dropping them 5 games under .500 with only 7 games to play, but for Showboat fans the return of Eli under center is a positive step for a club that had far higher hopes this season than their current 2-7 record provides.
What is Wrong in New Jersey?
That is the question being faced by 1st year head coach Norv Turner. Most, including our preseason pundits, predicted a rebound season for the Generals, returning to a 2012 form that saw them win 12 games, but what we are seeing instead is much of what mired their 2013 season down. Despite the return of a healthy Sam Bradford, and the arrival of an electrifying rookie target in Odell Beckham Jr. the Generals now sit at 4-5, and do not seem to have found an identity under Turner.
New Jersey currently has middle of the pack numbers across the board, 12th in scoring, 17th in total yards, 13th in scorind defense and 10th in yardage allowed. All numbers which align with a 4-5 record, but are not the numbers that the team’s roster seems to call for. In an offense that has talent at QB with Bradford, HB with Maurice Jones-Drew, and at wideout with both Beckham and veteran Doug Baldwin, the expectation was that New Jersey would be a potential threat to the Philadelphia Stars in the division. Instead we are seeing Baltimore take on that role while New Jersey struggles to stay at .500.
The defense also boasts its share of talent, with DE Aaron Kampman currently second only to Calais Campbell in the sack race with 14 on the year, and with a LB group that includes NFL import Chase Blackburn and former Charlotte defensive star Rey Maualaga. The secondary has had some issues, despite solid play from corner Nate Clements, but overall the defense has simply not gelled. With both the offense and the D looking somewhat out of synch, the question falls on head coach Norv Turner as to why the team is just not clicking or coming together 9 games into a season that started with high expectations.
A bad week for concussions across the league, with key offensive players like QB’s Kyle Orton and Josh Freeman along with Baltimore HB Anthony Dixon all in questionable status to play this week. It was also a bad week for Orlando as they have two players who will be out multiple weeks, WR Jeremy Maclin and DE Arthur Moats are both expected to miss significant time in the next few weeks. Las Vegas will also be without 2 players at least for 1 week, perhaps longer as CB Tyrone bell and LB Kyle Van Noy are both needing time to come back from injuries in last week’s victory. Here is the full roster of newly listed injuries across the league.
OUT
G Paul Fanaika CHI Hamstring IR
WR Jeremy Maclin ORL Abdomen 6-8 Weeks
DE Arthur Moats ORL Knee 2-4 Weeks
DE Datone Jones OHI Neck 2-4 Weeks
CB Tyrone Bell LV Abdomen 2-4 Weeks
DT Khedric Gholston CHI Back 1-2 Weeks
LB Kyle Van Noy LV Leg 1-2 Weeks
LB Jonathan Moulton TEX Groin 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
LB Joe Odom OAK Thigh
OT Taylor Lewan JAX Concussion
CB Desmond Truffant SEA Concussion
CB Joe Haden ARZ Knee
FS Clyde Adams TEX Back
WR Tavon Austin PIT Wrist
QUESTIONABLE
HB Anthony Dixon BAL Concussion
QB Kyle Orton ATL Concussion
DT Akiem Hicks DAL Toe
LB Sean Porter MGN Knee
CB Eric Wright OAK Groin
LB Patrick Willis ATL Ribs
LB Steve Tulloch HOU Wrist
QB Josh Freeman STL Concussion
DT Dan Klecko PIT Pinched Nerve
OT Riley Rieff BIR Groin
Las Vegas Identity Contest
A big announcement from the yet-to-be-disclosed Las Vegas relocation franchise, as newly added minority owner Steve Wynn and the USFL main office in New York has launched the anticipated “Choose Your Team” contest for the mystery-shrouded franchise. Despite as-of-today successful efforts to keep the identity of the USFL franchise which has been partially sold and which will relocate to the new Wynn Arena in 2015 secret, the league is moving forward with preparations for the team’s first season with a new home and a new identity. We may still be weeks away from an official announcement of which USFL club is moving to Sin City, and several months away from season tickets becoming available, but what is known is that the franchise will take on a new identity, one designed to align with the new location in the western desert of Nevada.
This week, Wynn Properties, along with the USFL team in NYC has opened a fan contest to name and brand the new franchise. The league, partnering with Adidas has revealed three potential identities, all sharing the same sky blue, silver, and black color scheme, and all tying to the regional identity of the city, while avoiding any reference to the gambling industry which remains a touchy subject between the market and all pro sports leagues. Fans will be able to vote on their favorite of the three optional identities with both an online poll (linked here) and local voting sites throughout the city. Fans will be asked to identify their home town, with added weight given to all votes which cite a Nevada address in the final tally. So, what are the three choices. Let’s run them down as we give you a look at the full design sheets provided by Adidas with team logos, helmets and uniforms to be considered.
OPTION 1: Las Vegas Locomotives
The Locomotives, or “Locos” as the train-inspired logo clearly presents as the preferred nickname, seeks to work on two levels, tying the team to the city’s early history as a railroad hub between the West Coast and the Plains States, while also making reference to “craziness”, in the “loco” moniker, a reference to the city’s reputation as a wild destination for gamblers, entertainment options, and a party atmosphere. The primary logo, depicting the shortened team name, evokes a cowcatcher at the front of a locomotive train, complete with an angled font and small black diamond-shaped “bolts”. The team will have two secondary logos, one the letter “V” also depicted as a cow-catcher, paired with the iconic 8-pointed star from the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. The final logo is a simplified wordmark of “Locos” with a series of “bubbles” spelling out “Las Vegas” and another version of the 8-pointed Las Vegas Star.
True of all three brands, the team will brandish a silver helmet with white facemask. In the case of the Locos, the primary logo is on each side, along with a central stripe that features two white and black “rails” surrounding a blue center stripe with offset metallic silver highlight. This same striping motif is found on the pant set, which uses a more organic ‘swoop” design rather than straight line stripes. The home jersey will be “Deseret blue”, a version of sky blue, with silver shoulder yokes, interrupted by a series of thin stripes that align at the shoulder-sleeve seem. These stripes form a point on the chest of the jersey. The number font is a traditional block font, but with an inlaid silver section at the base of each number along with the diamond “bolt” about 1/3 of the way up the number. The white jersey features the same elements, but with Deseret blue numbers containing the silver and black embellishments. The team will have 3 pant sets, silver, being the primary, with a blue and white set also available.
OPTION 2: Las Vegas Posse
We all expected at least one “Wild West” reference among the team designs and the Posse gives us just that. Referencing the add hoc group of deputized citizens turned lawmen that helped marshals and sheriffs deal with outlaw gangs, the Posse uses classic symbols of the old West’s iconography. The primary logo and wordmark features a western serifed font surrounding the image of five horseman in silhouette against what could be a rising or setting sun, with the semicircular element shifting from blue to silver behind the impromptu group of riders. This logo, while appearing at the base of the helmet, is not the primary helmet logo. That is reserved for the iconic six-pointed “tin star” used by sheriffs and their deputized men to differentiate them from the unruly outlaws and desperados they were pursuing. The silver, white and black star is highlighted in Deseret blue and contains a monogram LV as well as the full team name around its inner circle. The LV monogram will also appear as a tertiary logo for the club.
The Posse helmet is the only one of the three designs that does not feature a center stripe, but instead has the two tin stars on either side and a text-free version of the 5 riders at the base, just above the rear bumper. The uniform features the same combination of Deseret Blue body with silver shoulder and sleeves as the Locos design, also separated at the shoulder seam with a series of thin stripes, though, unlike the other design, it does not extend on the chest. The sleeves will feature the tertiary monogram logo.
The unique features of the Posse jersey are the western number font and the addition of another tin star on the chest, just as would be worn by a deputized posse. The Posse jerseys are also the only ones to feature a side panel which extends from the waist to the mid-chest. On the Blue jersey this is a thick white stripe with a thin black piping on the back, while on the white jersey the main stripe is blue.
The pant sets for the Posse are both silver, but clearly are also designed to pair with a particular jersey, as one set features a thick white stripe (as does the blue jersey) while the other has a thick blue stripe to match the white jersey. Both sets will use blue socks with thin silver, white and black stripes.
OPTION 3: Las Vegas Vipers
An animal reference for the final design option as the Vipers use the legendary rattlesnakes of the Mojave Desert. The primary logo is a viper’s head, with two prominent fangs and piercing eyes. The Snake’s head is Deseret blue, contained by a thick black outline. The team uses this logo in combination with its angular wordmark, but also has a secondary monogram logo featuring an angular “V” with two fangs at the upper inside angles. A final tertiary logo depics a black shield, crossed by a blue and white chevron, both interrupted by two silver fangs piercing from above. This tertiary logo is used in print materials but is not in use in the team’s uniform.
The team helmet uses the same metallic silver shell and white facemask as the other two designs, with the viper-head logo on each side and a thin black stripe flanked by two thicker angled “fang” stripes in Deseret Blue, forming points just above the front bumper. The Vipers jersey is the only one of the three not to feature a silver shoulder yoke. In its place we have thick black stripes at the mid-sleeve which form into fangs across the chest. Beneath this stripe are thinner blue and silver stripes, and, on the blue jersey, a white panel finishes the sleeve up to the shoulder. The number font is far more angular than either of the other designs and features a unique treatment, designed to replicate snake skin, with three different tones of silver in the main number, outlined in either black and blue (white jersey) or black and white (blue jersey).
The “snakeskin” effect is found once again on the pants, contained in the wide central stripe, and surrounded by two thin outer stripes. It this brand is selected, the team will have three pant sets, white, silver, and blue, with the corresponding center stripes of snakeskin pattern in black, silver, and blue.
So, there you have it, three choices for the newest USFL franchise and Las Vegas’s newest transplant. We are still awaiting word as to which unfortunate market will lose their club to Las Vegas in 2015, but we anticipate that news will come out before the new brand is officially announced in one month’s time. Until then, fans from across the nation can have a say in the newest franchise identity in the spring league by voting at this site:
Is Las Vegas USFL Color Scheme an NFL concession?
After the release of the three identity choices for the new tenant of the Wynn Arena in Las Vegas, a lot of discussion around sports radio was less about the options available to Las Vegas fans, and more about what the color scheme might be saying about the city’s attempt to add an NFL club to the new stadium’s tenant list. With rumors running wild that both the Los Angeles Raiders and San Diego Chargers are in serious negotiations to possibly uproot to Las Vegas, it has not gone unnoticed that all three designs available for the USFL franchise in the city feature colors prominent in the two NFL counterparts.
The Raiders would be well at home with the silver and black elements of the Posse, Loco, and Viper designs, while San Diego’s powder blue and the proposed “Deseret Blue” of all three designs are so similar as to be almost imperceptible. What does this mean? It may mean nothing, or it may mean that the USFL, Wynn Properties, and Las Vegas are trying to set up a situation in which the stadium could be decked out in the dominant colors of not only 1 franchise but both a USFL and NFL franchise. With the seating for the stadium not yet installed, a shift either towards the sky blue of the Chargers or a black scheme for the Raiders could be a very clear indication of the NFL club likely to join the USFL team in the new facility. Either way, the USFL club would also be well placed to align its color scheme to the interior of the facility. With an expected timeline of December for a final decision on whether or not an NFL team will join the USFL Las Vegas club in 2015, interested parties, and fanbases, in LA and San Diego are very much aware that something as simple as the color scheme of the stadium seats and walkways could indicate whether they are going to retain or lose their local club.
Orlando Ownership to meet with Native American group.
And we are not done with logo or branding-based news quite yet. Last season we reported that local Native American groups had formed an organization to protest the use of tomahawk symbols in the design of the Orlando Renegades brand. Well, it seems that while many in Orlando and Florida in general are dismissive of the efforts to push for a change in team design, there is enough concern among team leadership that the franchise has sought to meet with the lead group in the protests, Native Peoples of Florida, to discuss their concerns and address the interests of Florida’s many Native nations.
As we reported last year, the claims of the NPF group are not that there is offense taken at the name of the franchise, as there has been with several college and high school teams as well as the NFL Washington Redskins, but that the use of tomahawk imagery in the Renegades logo, much like similar use by the Atlanta Braves and the Wahoo Indian of the Cleveland Indians MLB club, is viewed as problematic. With pressure being felt across the nation for schools in particular to move away from Native American imagery, particularly in references to the native peoples as violent or savage through the use of war cries, tomahawk chops, and weapon imagery, it is not surprising that the Renegades are included within the larger cultural movement away from this type of imagery. Just how the Orlando Renegades franchise will address the concerns, or to what extend the NPF group is representative of the Native peoples of Florida, including the Seminole nation which not only supports but endorses the use of native imagery at Florida State University, is uncertain, but that the ownership is interested in ongoing conversations shows that there has been pressure felt, and a desire to find a resolution does exist.
USFL’s Top Rivalries: Number 8: The War on I-4.
While the Florida Derby began with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville in 1984, over the years, it was the third Sunshine State team, Orlando, that has become the primary rival for the Bandits. Yes, Jacksonville has 3 more years of history with the Bandits, with Orlando arriving in 1987, the geographical proximity of Orlando and Tampa Bay, separated by only 84 miles and the fact that Orlando has been a better club and more competitive rival for Tampa Bay than the hard luck Bulls have led to the Bandit-Renegade rivalry being the best of the three-way Florida Derby. The “War on I-4” has been played 55 times over the past 28 years, with Tampa Bay winning 33 and Orlando 22 games. The two have actually never met in the playoffs, but they have certainly had playoff intensity in many of their regular season games.
When we look back at the players who have made names for themselves in this rivalry, it sounds like a laundry list of Hall of Famers, mostly because it is. How about John Reaves, Eric Truvillion, Troy Aikman, and William “The Refrigerator” Perry for Tampa Bay and John Jefferson, Chris Doleman, LeRoy Butler, and Pat Williams for the Renegades. Throw in coaching legends like Steve Spurrier and Howard Schnellenberger, and George O’Leary and you have a rivalry that is among the most talked about and most debated in any league.
One of the great elements of this rivalry is the fact that with the two teams so close to each other, the stadiums in both cities often become home to large contingents of visiting team fans. That creates some stress for stadium security, to be sure, but it also has produced some great traditions of taunting cheers, rowdy songs, and general energy at the two annual games between these clubs. Tampa Bay took the first game of the series this year, beating Orlando 31-24 in Week 6, but the two will face off once again in the final week of the season, a game that could determine Orlando’s playoff life or whether the Bandits capture home field advantage in the East.
Week 10 will bring us our first official playoff picture, and as we look ahead at the week’s schedule, what we see are a lot of games where the teams at the top of the standings have a chance to solidify their positions as they face weaker opponents. No less than 6 matchups feature teams with 6 or more wins facing a club with a losing record, including the 8-1 Bandits looking to lay some more hurt on the winless Jacksonville Bulls. Other seeming mismatches include Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, Texas at Chicago, and Baltimore at New Jersey. But our Spidey sense tells us that at least one, if not more, of these games could be a trap and that there is a very real chance for an upset.
Among the more evenly matched games, we have an intriguing one between Atlanta and Ohio in Columbus, with both teams still very much in playoff position. Denver and Arizona, both at 5-4, also have a very intriguing matchup on Sunday, with the winner getting the upper hand on a possible Wild Card spot out of the SW Division, where both trail the Outlaws and Gamblers. Finally, the Sunday night showdown between Orlando and Birmingham could be a real indicator as to whether or not either team is a serious contender for a playoff spot. Birmingham, sitting at 4-5, very much needs a win to keep pace with the pack of Wild Card contenders, having already fallen 2 games behind New Orleans in their division.
FRI @ 8pm ET Philadelphia (7-2) @ Pittsburgh (3-6) NBC
SAT @ 12pm ET St. Louis (4-5) @ Charlotte (5-4) ABC
SAT @ 12pm ET Nashville (2-7) @ New Orleans (6-3) FOX
SAT @ 4pm ET Texas (8-1) @ Chicago (3-6) ABC
SAT @ 4pm ET Oakland (6-3) @ Seattle (3-6) FOX
SAT @ 7pm ET Atlanta (5-4) @ Ohio (6-3) NBC
SAT @ 9pm ET Las Vegas (5-4) @ Los Angeles (3-6) ESPN/EFN
SUN @ 12pm ET Washington (5-4) @ Memphis (2-7) ABC
SUN @ 12pm ET Tampa Bay (8-1) @ Jacksonville (0-9) FOX Regional
SUN @ 12pm ET Baltimore (7-2) @ New Jersey (4-5) FOX Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Denver (5-4) @ Arizona (5-4) ABC
SUN @ 4pm ET Portland (3-6) @ Houston (6-3) ABC Regional
SUN @ 4pm ET Dallas (1-8) @ Michigan (5-4) FOX Regional
SUN @ 8pm ET Orlando (5-4) @ Birmingham (4-5) ESPN/EFN
The name Renegades is suitably generic enough to just drop the native stuff and turn into a more general outlaw/bad guy brand. An FSU-type deal would be cool too. Maybe even go the GS Warriors route and focus the branding on the city instead of the name? A lot of possibilities here.