Perhaps not a classic road movie, but you cannot deny that the trip that Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock make is in many ways a classic comedy trope. Sure, zombies is a new twist, but at its heart this is a mismatched buddy movie, with a lot of quality kills, some great laughs, and some well-earned twinkies.
Jacksonville gets a W, Portland take their first L, and a lot of teams near the top of the standings feasted on others not as fortunate. It was a week that saw no new records, and hardly any huge numbers, but it was a week that had plenty of close shaves, last second heroics, and strong, contested games. We will cover how the Bulls avoided a 21st consecutive loss. How Portland fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, and just how two teams have decided to make a change at the most important position on the field. All right here, so don’t go anywhere.
Bulls Snap 20-Game Losing Streak
“It was a full team effort, and it won’t be the last.” That was the quote from Jacksonville Head Coach Jack Del Rio after the Bulls snapped a 20-game losing streak that extended all the way back to Week 1 of the 2014 season. It was not a pretty win, to be sure, but it was a win, something the Bulls have gone more than a complete season without seeing. The star of the game was former LA Express cornerback Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, whose pick-six midway through the 4th quarter proved to be the game winner. DRC arrived in Jacksonville last winter, just in time to suffer through the first 0-16 season in 23 years, since the 1991 Baltimore Blitz, and the first winless season since the 2003 Michigan Panthers set the record for futility with an 0-14 record.
“We’re just sick of losing, so we fought with all we could” said the POTG about the team effort that included 4 sacks of Atlanta QB Kyle Orton, limiting Steven Jackson to 78 yards, and Robert Griffin III connecting with WR Sinorice Moss to get on the board first. The Fire may have come into this game a bit overconfident, after all, they had swept the Bulls in 2014 (as everyone had). Of course, sitting at 1-4 now, with a 4-game losing streak, Atlanta is not exactly playing their best ball either. The Bulls may have caught them at a good time, lacking confidence and coordination on both sides of the ball. Jacksonville’s defense is actually ranked quite a bit higher than that of the Fire, and while neither are ripping through the league, the Bulls’ D showed up all game against their divisional foe.
Atlanta was held to 5 of 14 on third down, 0 for 1 on fourth down and only had 4 drives that even crossed the Jacksonville 40, producing 1 TD, 1 FG, a missed field goal, and a punt. The Bulls were not a heck of a lot better, converting only 4 of 13 on third down and 0 for 2 on fourth down. They barely won the time of possession battle, but did win the takeaway battle with a 2-1 advantage. And oh, what a second turnover it was. Midway through the fourth and Atlanta trying to do something to break a 10-10 tie. Orton was pressured by new Bull and former Star MLB Sean Lee, coming on a blitz. Orton was flushed out to his left, tried to get the ball to Matt Jones, but instead found Rogers-Cromartie. The corner caught the ball in stride and began a long diagonal run from the left to the right of the stadium, catching blocks from fellow defenders and shaking off a pretty poor tackle attempt from Atlanta WR Demaryius Thomas. The play covered 45 yards from the pick to the endzone, but probably an even 100 when you look at the angles, cuts, and shifts throughout the run.
Even after Rogers-Cromartie put Jacksonville in the rare position of defending a lead late in a game, there was still uncertainty among the fans, fans who are too used to losing to recognize when their team has the advantage. Atlanta had time for another game-tying drive, but they just did not have the spark to do it. On a 2nd and 5 that produced a first down, a holding call negated the play and created a 2nd and 15. Atlanta would not recover and Jacksonville would finish the game with their offense on the field. There was no Gator Ade bath for Del Rio, no tearing down goalposts, but there was relief, a sense that the team could now focus on building itself a better future, no longer fearing the potential for even more losses and a possible league record. They were now just one of several 1-4 teams, and were in better shape than several, including the Fire, who now sit on a losing streak of their own.
TEXAS OUTLAWS 23 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 27
The battles between these two SW Division heavyweights have been a consistent source of both entertaining football and high-tension clashes. With both teams sitting at 2-2, and both chasing 3-1 Dallas, there was not room to slip up. This was a divisional game that both clubs wanted badly, a possible springboard to first place and a division title. After all, the division champion of the Southwest had represented the Western Conference in the past two title games, with Texas barely losing the title on a last second play in 2014, and Arizona bringing home their first league title in 2013.
And so the two prepared for this Week 5 game with the intensity we typically see 10 weeks later in Week 15. The stars were all on hand, Flacco, Johnson, Colston, and Wynn for the Outlaws, Carr, Gore, Fitzgerald and CB Joe Haden for the Wranglers. No major injuries for either club, a weather-controlled environment at University of Phoenix Stadium and a huge Saturday Night audience on ESPN and the ESPN Football Network to watch each club take the field.
What the large TV audience, as well as the 53,427 at the stadium saw in the first quarter was a Texas squad that looked ready to take it to the homestanding Wranglers. After a quick possession from the homestanding Wranglers, Texas got the ball on their own 19 and proceeded to move the ball methodically over 9 plays, capping off the drive with a Julius Thomas TD catch. One of the newest Outlaws, after a deal with San Diego brought him to San Antonio, Thomas snagged a low ball from Flacco, rolling into the endzone before being touched by Arizona’s Polamalu.
Texas would then get a break as kick returner KaDeem Carey flubbed the kickoff, had to retreat into the endzone and barely avoided the safety by getting the ball out to the 2. But, the respite from giving up 2 points would not last. On the first play of the drive for the pushed-back Wranglers, DE Chris Canty shook off his block and found QB David Carr in the endzone, producing the safety and putting Texas up by 2 scores. The advantage would grow even more before the quarter ended. After another stunted Arizona drive, Joe Flacco hit Marques Colston on a deep ball that saw the corner get tangled with the receiver, sending the former to the turf and leaving the latter free to race to the ball, bring it in, and high step into the endzone to give Texas a 16-0 lead after only 15 minutes of action.
But anyone familiar with this matchup could tell you that even with that lead, Texas should not expect a cakewalk the rest of the way. They would have been right to say that. Arizona took the score as a challenge, and on the ensuing possession put together their first successful drive. It was a 13-play affair that ended with David Carr finding Frank Gore on a perfectly executed screen play. The short pass turned into an 18-yard romp to the endzone to put Arizona on the board and to signal that this game was not over.
Texas responded to the Arizona drive with one of their own. When Felix Jones rumbled into the endzone, their lead was back up to 16 and the small contingent of Outlaw fans inside the dome celebrated, but the half was not over. There were 91 seconds left, and that proved to be enough time for David Carr to move the Wranglers into position to give Elliott Parson a shot at a 43-yard kick. The league’s leading scorer put the ball between the uprights and Texas’s lead was down to 13 at the half.
Texas would not score again. The Wranglers would add the final 17 points of the game, all in the 4th quarter as Texas suddenly looked out of synch, perhaps letting up on the pressure a little too soon, or just getting a bit too conservative. Whatever the reason, they started to have miscues and sloppy play while Arizona seemed to grow more confident with each possession. The final quarter began with Arizona knocking on the door at the 10. Texas managed to hold them out of the endzone, but a 29-yard Parson field goal brought the lead down to 10.
Just 2 seconds later, after a touchback on the kick. Joe Flacco would force a throw, trying to get Texas’s offense jump started. The throw to Colston was a mistake. As they had all game, Arizona had bracketed the league’s leading receiver, and this time that double coverage was in the right place to take advantage. Nate Allen stayed to the inside of Colston, with his safety behind the receiver. That positioning allowed Allen to step in front of the pass and return it untouched the 34 yards to the endzone. Arizona was now down only 3 and the rowdy Saturday Night crowd in the stadium was now in full voice.
Texas failed to make a first down on their next possession and Arizona took over on their 22. Carr was patient on the drive, using short passes to Graham, Tyree, and Bryant to produce three first downs. A roughing the passer call against Burfict got the ball to the 10, and from there it was Frank Gore who did the rest, taking a pitch to the right and dodging the tackle attempt by Moulton before making a bee line to the pylon. Arizona had its first lead of the day, and that is the way the score would stay, with Texas needing a touchdown and unable to get into range even for a Hail Mary. Arizona won the day and moved to 3-2, just one game behind the division leading Dallas Roughnecks.
OAKLAND 20 LOS ANGELES 17
Another rough outing for Aaron Murray, as the LA quarterback completes only 18 of 43 passes against the Oakland D. meanwhile, Joey Harrington goes 17 of 19 and throws for 2 TDs, helped by a run game that produced 117 yards to LA’s 89. Coach Reid was elusive when asked about Murray’s status as the starter, but at 0-5, things are looking pretty bleak for LA right now. Oakland, on the other hand, moves to 4-1 and seems to be in very good form on both sides of the ball, despite the injury to Keenan Allen.
POTG: Invader WR Pierre Garçon: 5 Rec, 104 Yds, 1 TD
MEMPHIS 28 WASHINGTON 21
The battle of 2-2 clubs goes to the visitor as Memphis shows signs that they may be a challenger this year, playing solidly on defense (thanks in part to SS Idrees Basheer’s pick-6) and on offense, where Todd Gurley averaged 4.7 yards on the day. But, this was not a standard 28 points for Memphis. It was composed not of 4 TDs but 1 offensive score (Anthony Allen 3-yd run), 1 defensive score (Basheer), 4 field goals and a safety as Dan Williams forced a holding call in the endzone to give the Showboats the 2-point play.
POTG: Showboat SS Idrees Basheer: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
SEATTLE 27 NEW ORLEANS 31
The Breakers are not blowing teams out, but they are finding ways to win each week as they now hit 5-0. This week it was all about Drew Brees throwing for 298 and 4 scores as New Orleans edged the Dragons. Early Doucet again eclipsed 100 with an 8-catch, 105-yard, 1 TD game. Jeremy Hill contributed 72 on the ground, and while Byron Leftwich connected twice with TE Dennis Pitta, it was not enough as New Orleans scored the game’s final 14 points to get win number 5.
POTG: Breaker QB Drew Brees: 27/38, 298 Yds, 4 TD
BALTIMORE 26 ST. LOUIS 18
The Skyhawks were hoping to catch Baltimore on a bad week, but this was a must-win for the Blitz so that they would avoid slipping below .500 and they came out on fire. Big Ben connected on 13 of 17 passing in a modest day, but still hit WR Brian Hartline with 2 scoring tosses. The St. Louis defense played solidly but the offense struggled, with Josh Freeman completing only 19 of 32 passing an Eddie Lacy held to 87 yards on the day. Going 0 for 3 on fourth down plays did not help the Skyhawks either, as 2 of those drives ended up giving Baltimore a short field and led to 10 Blitz points.
POTG: Blitz WR Brian Hartline: 4 Rec, 117 Yds, 2 TD
TAMPA BAY 7 LAS VEGAS 31
The Vipers may be a team with a lot of problems when on the road, but get them in Wynn Arena and they are transformed. Las Vegas played its most complete game of the season in front of 47,213 at the Arena as they dismantled the Bandits. Cody Pickett threw for 3 scores and the defense roughed up Mark Sanchez to get the Vipers their 2nd home win in 2 tries.
POTG: Viper CB Duane Starks: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD.
MICHIGAN 20 OHIO 17 OVERTIME
It may not be Michigan-Ohio State, but the USFL version of the great rivalry sure has a way of producing some fun games. This one saw Ohio get the equalizer in the final minute to send the game to overtime, but a blocked punt in overtime gave Michigan the ball in Ohio territory and it was only a matter of getting Matt Prater to put the ball between the uprights, which he did for the Panther win.
POTG: Panther LB Sean Porter: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Blocked Punt
ATLANTA 10 JACKSONVILLE 17
We wondered if this would be the game and it was. Atlanta looked flat, perhaps overconfident in the matchup. Jacksonville was focused, committing only 3 penalties all day, controlling the ball with Cadillac Williams and rookie Matt Jones, and getting the 4th quarter winner to finally snap the 20 game losing streak.
POTG: Jacksonville CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie: 7 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD
HOUSTON 31 NEW JERSEY 16
New Jersey has been much improved this year, but they ran into a buzzsaw in the Houston Gamblers. Matt Hasselbeck throws for over 370 and both Carlos Hyde and Ben Tate find the endzone in a big road win for the unbeaten Gamblers. Houston was down 9-0 at the half, but exploded for 31 points before the Generals got back on the board again.
POTG: Gambler QB Matt Hasselbeck: 19/33, 374 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int
BIRMINGHAM 28 PHILADELPHIA 17
Matt Gutierrez returned, but the Star defense was simply overrun by Cam Newton in this game. The dual threat QB rumbled for 109 yards rushing, including a ridiculous 82-yard TD run, as well as 241 passing yards and touchdown tosses to Inman and Cooper as Birmingham keeps Philly winless.
POTG: Stallion QB Cam Newton: 20/28, 241 Yds, 2 TD, 0 Int, 9 Att, 109 Yds, 1 TD
DALLAS 20 DENVER 14
A nice rebound win for the Roughnecks as they go into Denver and throttle the Gold’s offense, limiting Denver to 1 of 10 on third down. C. J. Spiller had his best game in several years, busting loose for several big runs on his way to a 149-yard day. Rookie Kevin White played well for Denver (5 for 107 and a score), but otherwise the Gold were just not doing enough to move the ball and put points on the board.
POTG: Roughneck HB C. J. Spiller: 14 Att, 149 Yds, 1 TD
PITTSBURGH 27 CHICAGO 24
A much tighter game than many expected, but Chicago drops to 0-5 after the Maulers build a 27-17 lead late and hold on to win by 3. Andy Dalton had a solid game with 293 yards passing and 3 TDs, while Chicago got good games from Doug Martin (109 Yds & 1 TD) and Aaron Dobson (9 for 114 and a score), but it again was not enough, leading Coach Schiano to make a move for Week 6.
POTG: Pittsburgh TE Jimmie Graham: 6 Rec, 117 Yds, 2 TD
PORTLAND 14 SAN DIEGO 24
We warned you that Portland’s 4-0 start may be an illusion due to having 4 home games. They hit the road in a divisional clash with the Thunder and fall flat as San Diego races to a 17-0 lead and then holds the Stags at bay the rest of the game. The D held Jonathan Stewart to only 3.2 yards per carry and that put Portland in more 3rd-and-long situations than Fitzpatrick could solve.
POTG: Thunder CB Justin Gilbert: 4 Tck, 2 P Def, 1 Int
ORLANDO 10 CHARLOTTE 19
The Monarchs declare they are not done yet as they hold Orlando to 10 and do just enough on offense to get the home win. The combo of McFadden and Taiwan Jones combined for 135 yards and Brandon Wheedon found Luke Wilson on a short TD toss to help Charlotte get a desperately needed win.
POTG: Charlotte LB Rolando McClain: 11 Tck, 1 FF
Coach Schiano Turns to Trevor Siemian
Going 0-5 to start a year tends to cause coaches to look for answers, and when that coach was on the hot seat already even as the season began, well the moves start to get even more desperate. That is the general sense as Coach Greg Schiano announced on Tuesday that rookie Trevor Siemian would get the Week 6 start. Brady Quinn has not produced a win, but his numbers are not the kind of horror show you expect for a multi-year starter to get pulled. Yes, a 54.3% completion rate is not good, but he has thrown for over 1,000 yards and has a 4:3 TD:INT rate. Of course, hidden in that number is the fact that he has produced only 4 passing touchdowns in 5 games. That is perhaps the stat that most impacted Coach Schiano’s decision.
So, we will get our first look at a rookie starter at QB in Week 6, and it is not Marcus Mariota. Siemian will get his first start not wearing Northwestern purple. He has some talent, but we should also remember that as the starter for the Wildcats, he had a marginal TD:INT rate of 27-24 record. His Wildcat teams did have success, going 10-3 in 2012 and wining the Gator Bowl, then in 2013 they struggled to a 5-7 finish, and in Siemian’s senior year they repeated that 5-7 mark. So, what can we expect in the USFL from the QB?
Well, expect Chicago to try to protect Siemian with a lot of run calls to Martin and Forte, a lot of short crossing, slant and hook patterns, and a conservative approach in general. That may itself preclude Siemian from producing big numbers and if the Machine defense cannot tighten up it may also make it hard for Chicago to find that first win. They do have a favorable matchup this week as they travel to face another offensively-challenged team, the equally 0-5 LA Express, but LA is also throwing a twist at them with their QB decision.
Murray Benched, Tebow To Get First LA Start
Just like Schiano in Chicago, Coach Reid in LA is getting an urgent sense that something needs to change. Aaron Murray is struggling, completing only 50.7% of his passes and sitting with a miserable 60.2 QB Rating. So, he will do what many thought he would not dare, he is benching Murray and going with the oft-erratic, sometimes electric Tim Tebow at quarterback for their home game against the Maulers.
In 5 years as the starter in Jacksonville, Tebow threw for over 15,000 yards, but also threw 74 picks, leading the league over that period. His lifetime 74.4 QB Rating is not exactly ideal, but it is better than Murray’s current numbers, and, at the very least, with Tebow there is the threat of the run to force defenses to adjust to a dual threat. Will the gambit work? We will see. A win over Chicago is unlikely to convince anyone, so we will look at Week 7 and the Express’s road game in San Diego as the true test of whether or not Reid is making the right call.
Atlanta Struggling to Find Answers
No quarterback switch in Atlanta where recently resigned Kyle Orton is not going to give way to Brad Gradkowski (we think), but something has to happen for a Fire team that has lost 4 in a row since winning their opener against Charlotte. The offense has been sputtering, currently ranked 20th in scoring despite being 9th best in yardage. In other words, they are moving the ball, but not finishing. The defense may be even more of a concern. It was expected to be the key to the team’s success when many (including us) picked them to win the SE Division, but they currently rank 23rd in the league, allowing 24.8 points per game.
Some are calling for rookie Mario Edwards Jr. to replace C. J. Mosely at DE. Others are asking the Fire to trade for help in the secondary, especially at safety where the combo of Tyvon Branch and Earl Thomas has been erratic at best. They hit hard, but they are letting too many receivers get open in the middle of the field. Still others are unimpressed with NFL Import Nick Fairley, who eats up space but is not exactly making a big impact with a high tackle count. Lots of question, lots of concern, but no answers yet. That sounds very much like what we expect of a 1-4 team, but this was a team we all thought would compete, so something is just not right. The question is what can be done to fix it.
Newton At His Best Against Stars
The story going into Sunday’s game in Philly was about a quarterback, Matt Gutierrez. All the hopes of Star fans were that the return of their starter would spark the offense, keep the D off the field, and allow the Stars to end their horrific season start at 0-4. But the true story was the QB on the other side as Cam Newton had his best game of the year, and looked very dangerous as both a passer and a rusher.
Newton sliced up the Philly D, completing 20 of 28 passes, avoiding the pick and connecting with both Dontrelle Inman and rookie phenom Amari Cooper for scores. He threw to 9 different receivers on the day and looked fully in command of the offense. Oh, and I guess we should also mention that he was the game’s leading rusher with 9 runs for 109 yards, including a lights-out 82-yard TD run that simply deflated the Philly D. It was a pretty routine 2nd and 4 play, with Newton faking the ball to Yeldon before taking off around the corner. A stiff arm took care of the first tackler, and then Newton got a good block from Inman and he was off to the races. It was a statement play in what could be a statement game for the oft-criticized “erratic” Newton.
We are not going to complain about a week that saw no new names added to injured reserve, but the Michigan Panthers may not be feeling so generous as they are now looking at a Week 6 clash with Washington in which they are likely to be without three defensive starters: FS Kenny Phillips, CB Drayton Florence and DE Justin Tuck. None of the injuries are major concerns, but they could make this week a challenge for the usually staunch Michigan D. Dallas will go into the week, and possibly Week 7 as well without one of Johnny Manziel’s favorite targets, wideout Tim Wright. Similarly, Denver will be without Golden Tate this week and possibly through Week 8 after he injured his groin. Here is the full list of players new to the weekly injury reports:
OUT
LB A. J. Hawk LV Finger 1-2 Weeks
WR Tim Wright DAL Knee 1-2 Weeks
TE Zach Miller OHI Shoulder 1-2 Weeks
WR Golden Tate DEN Groin 1-2 Weeks
FS Kenny Phillips MGN Hand 1-2 Weeks
DOUBTFUL
HB Maurice Jones-Drew NJ Hip
G Sean Locklear CHA Knee
WR Tandon Doss BIR Concussion
QUESTIONABLE
DT Ellis Wyms BAL Hip
FS Corey White BIR Patella
CB Drayton Florence MGN Neck
DE Justin Tuck MGN Knee
Talking About Single Game Records
Andy Dalton’s capture of the USFL record for passing yards in a game has caused quite a stir, not only among Mauler fans but across the nation as many are just now beginning to pay attention to the Mauler QB. It has also raised a lot of interest in similar records. So, to spark a bit of conversation and discussion, we reviewed the record books and selected what we consider to be the 8 most noteworthy single game records, some quite new, some reaching back to the very first season of the spring league back in 1983. Which do you believe will be the next to fall?
Passing Yards: 582 2015: Andy Dalton (PIT) v. Ohio Glory
This is the record just broken and the one which started discussion of single game records. In one game, Andy Dalton threw for more yards than most quarterbacks achieve in 2, or even 3 games. It was a record that had stood for 16 years before the momentous game two weeks ago. How long will this record last.
Passing TDs: 6 1983: Fred Besana (OAK) v. Chicago Blitz
Not the most famous name among USFL quarterbacks. Not even a member of the Hall of Fame, but it was Fred Besana, the inaugural quarterback of the Oakland Invaders, who set and still holds the records for TD passes in a game. Against the Chicago Blitz in the inaugural season, Besana threw 6 touchdowns, a record that has not been tied or broken in over 30 years. We have seen quite a few players reach 5 touchdowns, including Dalton in his record-setting game, but to reach 6, much less 7 to break the record. That seems a far off fantasy for most.
Rushing Yards: 262 1986: Joe Cribbs (BIR) v. Memphis Showboats
We had a 200-yard rusher this season with Maurice Jones-Drew’s huge game against Atlanta. And we have seen others in the past few years as well, but to date no one has been able to match the 262 yards that Joe Cribbs, USFL Hall of Fame back for the Stallions, put up in 1986, his 3rd season in the league after coming over from the NFL Buffalo Bills. Who is in line to break it? We have seen plenty of backs who were talented, with chances, but it has not happened yet.
Rushing TDs: 5 1983: Cornelius Quarles (BIR) v. Arizona Wranglers
If I told you a Stallion held the record for rushing touchdowns, your immediate guess would be Cribbs, but it was not. It was a largely unknown back, one who starred for the Stallions only in their first season before taking a back seat to Joe Cribbs, but in the1983 season, while everyone was watching Hershel Walker, Cornelius Quarles not only rushed for 1,409 yards, second only to Walker, but also set a single game record that remains intact 33 seasons later. With 5 touchdowns in a game against Arizona, Quarles has etched his name into the annals of the USFL.
Receiving Yards: 238 2014: Marques Colston (TEX) v. Nashville Knights
Yes, another very recent record as Marques Colston, who already has a 200-yard game this season, set the all time record last year with 238 yards against the Knights. Ask anyone who they think can beat this record and the answer is pretty obvious, Colston himself.
Receiving TDs: 4 1984: Louis Lipps (ARZ) v. Pittsburgh Maulers
Back again to the early years of the USFL and a name only recently recognized as one of the early USFL greats. Louis Lipps, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a legacy pick last year, still holds the record for receiving touchdowns in a single game with 4. While the long history of the USFL has certainly produced its share of worthy contenders, including a range of current players, no one has yet to surpass the record.
Sacks: 6 2014: Calais Campbell (ORL) v. Tampa Bay Bandits
You just knew this would be Campbell. The Orlando sack master may only be 9th on the all-time career sack list, but it feels like just a matter of time before he is sitting atop the mountain. When you look at seasons, Campbell holds the top two totals of all time (34 in 2009, 33 in 2014) and appears twice more in the top 10. So it is no surprise at all to see that it is Orlando’s Campbell who holds the single game record, set only last season, with 6 sacks.
Tackles: 19 2006: Brian Urlacher (CHI) v. Memphis Showboats
This was one that caught some of our bullpen by surprise. Names like Bosworth, Mitchell, Noris, Farrior, and Vrabel were thrown around, but it is 4-time season tackle champion Brian Urlacher who owns this record with 19 tackles in a single game in 2006. It will take a 20-tackle game to oust him from that throne, and few have ever even surpassed 15 in a game, so it will certainly be a feat to see this record go down.
Blitz Sale Not What Anyone Expected
It appears that winning the club’s first title in over 30 seasons was just the thing that Louis Thalheimer needed to force a rethink of his sale of the franchise he has owned since 1987. Thalheimer and his family have been working on finding a potential owner for the better part of 6 months, but now it appears that he is hoping for a partner rather than a full buy out. The latest news out of the search for a taker has the Thalheimers now asking for someone to buy a 45% share of the franchise, with the option to purchase an additional 10% within a 10-year window.
Thalheimer has long stated that he wanted local ownership, and that this would limit his potential pool of investors. With cities like Miami, Boston, Minneapolis, and now Nashville hoping to get franchise purchasing opportunities, a commitment to keeping the Blitz in Baltimore would be significantly limiting. There are rumors that Thalheimer has met with Mitchell Rales, co-founder of the Danather Corporation and a prominent figure in Washington D.C. and Maryland circles. The Sales brothers, Mitchell and Steven, certainly have the funds to purchase the club outright, but the question of whether a minority share would be attractive is now apparently on the table.
It is easy to understand. After nearly 30 years of futility, the Blitz now sit as USFL champions, and with that comes greater exposure, and greater profitability. The team did increase ticket prices this year by roughly 10% and new corporate partnerships between the Blitz and local companies such as Johns Hopkins Medical Centers and Fitchco have helped to increase the value of the Blitz in the past few months. It is estimated that the overall value of the franchise, even with no changes to their stadium deal at M&T Bank Stadium increased by nearly $70M due to the championship and the expectation that the team was still well within range to acquire a second title in the next few years. So, it is a seller’s market to be sure, with buyers likely having to chip in more than they would have even only 1 year ago. Will that deter the sale, push someone to jump in as a minority owner, or encourage Thalheimer to make a deal now, while the value is as high as it has been in years?
Adidas Reveals 2016 Charlotte Monarchs
The first of the 2015 Adidas redesigns has been released as the Charlotte Monarchs try to build some excitement around a disappointing 2-3 start. The new look for Charlotte is not a huge departure, though the unique chest striping is now absent. The team maintains two main motifs, an “interrupted” stripe on the helmet and pants, and a 3-stripe carry over from their past look. The helmets remain largely the same, the exception of the new center stripe in Crown Gold and white. A similar pattern of a longer single stripe interrupted and restarted in a new color is found on the pant sets as well. All three pant sets, gold, white, and teal, feature this striping, and in each case the upper quarter of the leg/hip is in Regal Purple. That stripe aligns with a 1 ½ inch purple stripe on the side panels of both the teal and white jerseys.
The jerseys also feature angled sleeve stripes in a 3-color pattern, and a use of the team’s secondary monogram logo on the collar. Otherwise, the look is pretty traditional, with a rounded block number font, always with 2 piping colors, white and purple on the home jersey and purple with gold on the white numbers of the teal jersey. No new logos were released with the new look, though the wordmark is slightly simplified.
The season is past the “amuse bouche” and appetizer phase, and we are into the meat and potatoes of the year. That means games that are getting intense as teams fight for wins, to get and stay above .500, to break losing streaks, or to lay claim to a division. We have some good one’s this week, including some nice divisional clashes like Baltimore @ New Jersey, Dallas @ Texas, San Diego @ Seattle, and Birmingham @ Memphis. We also have the “Toilet Bowl” between the 0-5 Chicago Machine and the 0-5 LA Express, both teams starting new QBs this week in an attempt to not hit 0-6. We have cross conference matchups that offer a lot of interesting stories, starting Friday with Michigan at Washington, continuing Saturday with Houston @ Tampa Bay and New Orleans @ Oakland (perhaps the best game of the week), and then on Sunday with Denver @ Orlando and Las Vegas visiting a struggling Atlanta Fire club. It wraps up on Sunday Night with the Glory taking on the Skyhawks in a key Central Division clash. A good week to sit back with some buddies, some brews, and maybe a plate or two of nachos for a springtime week of USFL football.
Friday @ 8pm ET MICHIGAN (4-1) @ WASHINGTON (2-3) NBC
Saturday @ 12pm ET HOUSTON (5-0) @ TAMPA BAY (1-4) ABC
Saturday @ 12pm ET BALTIMORE (3-2) @ NEW JERSEY (3-2) FOX
Saturday @ 4pm ET DALLAS (4-1) @ TEXAS (2-3) ABC
Saturday @ 4pm ET NEW ORLEANS (5-0) @ OAKLAND (4-1) FOX
Saturday @ 7pm ET PHILADELPHIA (0-5) @ CHARLOTTE (2-3) NBC
Saturday @ 9pm ET SAN DIEGO (2-3) @ SEATTLE (2-3) ESPN/EFN
Sunday @ 12pm ET BIRMINGHAM (3-2) @ MEMPHIS (3-2) ABC
Sunday @ 12pm ET JACKSONVILLE (1-4) @ PITTSBURGH (4-1)` FOX Regional
Sunday @ 12pm ET DENVER (2-3) @ ORLANDO (3-2) FOX Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET CHICAGO (0-5) @ LOS ANGELES (0-5) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET LAS VEGAS (2-3) @ ATLANTA (1-4) ABC Regional
Sunday @ 4pm ET PORTLAND (4-1) @ ARIZONA (3-2) FOX
Sunday @ 8pm ET OHIO (2-3) @ ST. LOUIS (3-2) ESPN/EFN
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