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We look at why 1991 may be the year of the QB controversy. We wonder if Portland, Oakland, and Pittsburgh are for real, and just what is wrong in Memphis, Denver and Baltimore. It's week three of the season and some fanbases are already overreacting. We will try not to as we review the week that was in the USFL. PHI 21 NJ 31 It is exactly what Doug Flutie did not want to see. Forced to leave the game with an injury, new backup Chris Miller comes in and plays exceptionally well (3 TD’s and 63% completion rate) to lead the Generals over their biggest rival. It helped that the defense picked off Chuck Fusina twice, but it was a late Miller to Lam Jones TD that sealed the deal for New Jersey, once again potentially placing Flutie in a QB battle. TBY 6 BIR 17 Playing without Troy Aikman, the Bandits were ineffective against Birmingham’s defense, and the combo of Joe Cribbs and Brent Fullwood did just enough to give the Stallions a much-needed home victory. Cliff Stoudt was on target, hitting on 20 of 28 passes to lead Birmingham to the victory, while Oliver Luck was only able to hit on 48% of his attempts. MEM 22 JAX 36 Something is wrong in Memphis and Coach Tobin had better soon figure it out. Jacksonville scored on 8 of 10 possessions in the game, and while 5 of those were field goals, it still was enough to outpace a sluggish Showboat offense. Mike Kelley was picked off twice, and Eric Bienemy only touched the ball 4 times as the Memphis offense was ineffective and inefficient against Jacksonville’s defense. MGN 9 CHI 10 Michigan gained 405 yards on the day, but gave back 110 in penalties as the Machine held their division rival out of the endzone for most of the game. It would all come down to a final touchdown for Michigan, which thy got on a Trudeau to Smiley TD pass, but when Brad Daluiso missed the extra point, the game was lost. Chicago got the win largely on penalties and pressure on Trudeau, who was sacked 7 times, including 2 each from LB Gary Reasons and DE Ray Agnew. TEX 21 HOU 27 Houston gets their first win of the year, defeating their in-state rival, thanks largely to 29 touches by Thurman Thomas (24 carries, 5 receptions) including 2 Thomas touchdowns. The Houston D focused on Reggie Cobb, holding him to under 1 yard per carry thanks to a combination of line stunts and run blitzes. That strategy paid off as the Outlaws were forced into a one-dimensional attack. LA 10 ARZ 35 Arizona found holes in the LA defense, as Darryl Clack had a career best 135 yards rushing to power the Wrangler offense. Robbie Bosco also went 19 for 26 for 26 and three scores as the Wranglers earned their first win of the season against the visiting Express. POR 24 DEN 13 Despite pressure to keep Kerwin Bell under center, Coach Erickson kept his word that David Archer was the starter. He played adequately (16 of 26 for 140 yards) but HB Robert Drummond was the surprise story, rushing for 156 yards on only 15 carries. Add in another 48 from backup Terrance Flagler and it was Portland’s biggest rushing day in their short history. Denver’s offense sputtered and the defense looked disorganized in the loss. NOR 19 PIT 31 Pittsburgh’s oft-maligned defense came up big, corralling the Breaker run game and providing opportunities for short drives for QB Jeff Hostetler. Hostetler responded with a 3-touchdown day and Mike Rozier added 156 yards rushing and a score as the Maulers moved to a surprising 3-0 by downing the heavily favored Breakers. OAK 16 ORL 13 Oakland too has surprised a lot of USFL fans by jumping out to a 3-0 start, and by winning a cross-country road game against a tough Orlando squad. The low-scoring affair was highlighted by two key takeaways for the Oakland D, which lost its best player, CB Tory Nixon to injury mid-way through the first half. LB Ken Harvey was the star, with 10 tackles and a timely interception in the red zone, preventing a game altering score. Washington Federals 39 Baltimore Blitz 33 It took overtime, but the Washington Federals got the win over their rivals, thanks to a Majkowski to Mathis TD pass. Washington would finish with 444 yards of offense against the Baltimore defense, including a 335-yard day from Majkowski, but the Blitz stayed competitive throughout, getting a TD run from QB Vince Evans and two from Tim Spencer. They tied the game with only 27 seconds to play, sending the game into overtime, before bowing to the Federals in the extra period. The experiment of using FB Barry Word as a workhorse runner appears to be working for the Federals, as the UVa grad had 22 carries for 79 yards. His inside run game has freed up Majkowski on play action, and the Majik Man threw 51 passes in the game, including 5 TD’s. Mathis caught two, and the venerable Joey Walters nabbed 9 balls for 109 yards and a score of his own. For Baltimore, four field goals, along with the three rushing touchdowns, helped them keep pace with the Federals. Questions about the Blitz offense seem to have been answered as the team gained a respectable 329 yards against a tough Federals front, but now fans have to wonder what is wrong with their defense. With the loss, Baltimore drops to 0-3 and we expect to see some changes coming as Coach Schottenheimer, a controversial figure in league circles, is unlikely to survive another 10-loss season as head man for the Blitz. In a week that saw three different rushers gain over 130 yards (Rozier, Drummond, Clack), and in which Don Majkowski threw for 5 scores, it seems a bit odd to give the POTW award to a defender, but we are going to do that. Portland’s quick 3-0 start has a lot to do with new offensive schemes, but the Thunder have always had issues on defense, issues which Coach Erickson seems to be addressing through a rotation scheme on both the D-line and within the LB group. One player who has not been rotated out in situational play is linebacker Billy Ray Smith, and this week we got to see why. Smith helped Portland shut down Bob Gagliano and the Denver offense with 11 tackles, a key interception, and a forced fumble. He seemed to always be in the backfield on run plays and always effective in coverage against the pass. If this is a sign of a new Portland Thunder defense, then fans in the Pacific Northwest might just be looking at a playoff season. Of course, we saw Portland have a fast start last year, and it all fizzled away, so despite the efforts of Billy Ray and others, we might hold off on anointing the Thunder this year, at least for a little while. Is it us or is this potentially the year of the QB Controversy? We have Doug Flutie looking over his shoulder at Chris Miller in New Jersey. We have Kerwin Bell playing lights out football only to be replaced by David Archer in Portland. In Denver fans are beginning to call for Bob Gagliano to be pulled in favor of Billy Joe Tolliver, and in Baltimore, some are wondering if the ageless Vince Evans should give way to Eric Kramer. About the only place we don’t see controversy is in Tampa where once again an injury to Troy Aikman is demonstrating to everyone why Oliver Luck is not the answer. Cliff Stoudt must also be feeling pressure as he knows that many in Birmingham are hoping to see what rookie Brett Favre can do, while in Pittsburgh, Jeff Hostetler, not Alan Risher, is getting praise for leading the Maulers to their current 3-0 record. In Oakland, the preseason decision by Coach Vermeil to swap Jeff Kemp for 3-year starter Gale Gilbert has been a success, but should things turn south, there will again be a chance for the debate to reheat. We don’t expect entrenched starters like Jack Trudeau, Don Majkowski, Reggie Collier, or Troy Aikman to be going anywhere, but it seems that this year there is a lot of potential competition for starts among league QB’s and it will take a lot of intestinal fortitude for coaches to pick one man and stick with him, even if things head south. Life as a USFL QB is not without its dangers, and this year, one of those is the need to keep looking in the rear-view mirror to see who is on your tail. We mentioned it earlier, but the last thing Doug Flutie needed was an injury to allow Chris Miller to shine. Flutie could be out as long as 4 weeks after a partial tear in the MCL of his left knee. And he is certainly not the only player to get bad news this week. Among the worst injuries we saw was a ruptured Achilles to Oakland CB Tory Nixon, one likely to keep him out the entire regular season. Baltimore DT Joe Klecko also suffered a likely season-ending injury as x-rays confirm that his hip injury is a fracture to the hip socket. Washington rookie wideout Herman Moore will miss at least 2-4 weeks with a broken bone in his left forearm, while Philly CB Lorenzo Lynch is expected to be out at least 2 weeks nursing a tear in his hamstring. Denver will be without HB Barry Foster for a week or two, along with injuries to DT Mike Taliferro and guard O’Neill Glenn as the Gold have one of the longest injury lists in the league. Coming back this week after a short absence or a game removal in Week 3 we find Troy Aikman, Jamie Morris, Robert Blackmon, Hassan Jones, Ben Apuna and Brian Blades. A lot of folks in Tampa will be happy to see Aikman back after a poor day from Oliver Luck led to the first Bandits loss. Week Four is highlighted by a game between Philly and Tampa Bay, in Tampa. Another big game is Michigan heading to Portland to face the undefeated Thunder. New Orleans is in Arizona and Houston will test the Oakland Invaders out by the bay. The Surprising Pittsburgh Maulers head to Birmingham in the Battle of the Steel Cities, while Chicago is in LA, with both teams hoping to even their records. In other action, Baltimore is in Memphis, New Jersey, with Chris Miller at the helm, will be in Orlando, Washington is in Jacksonville, and Texas heads up to Mile High to face the Denver Gold.

Week Two of the USFL did not disappoint, with an overtime thriller in Texas. a shutout in DC, a nail biter in the Windy City, and one of the most explosive offensive displays ever seen in Houston. ORL 27 BAL 10 Reggie Collier completes 21 of 27 pass attempts for 271 yards and 3 scores as Orlando upends Baltimore. The Blitz offense has just not found its stride again as Vince Evans scrambled for more yards than any Blitz halfback gained. Orlando’s John Jefferson picked up where he left off last year, catching 7 balls for 130 yards to pace the Renegades to a comfortable win. TBY 24 NJ 16 Despite 141 yards rushing from Herschel Walker, and knocking Troy Aikman out of the game early in the 1st quarter, the Generals cannot get the win. Oliver Luck played well in relief, tossing two scores. Tampa’s defense wrangled and contained Doug Flutie, and New Jersey was miserable on third down conversions as they fall to 0-2 on the new season. BIR 9 PHI 27 The Stars’ season is starting off strong as their defense dominates the Stallions, holding Birmingham to only 163 total yards. Chuck Fusina looked spry, avoiding the Birmingham pass rush, and finding Mike Quick for two scores. Kelvin Bryant was contained (69 yards on 21 carries) but Philly got a spark from little-used Vai Sikahema, who gained 29 yards on only 4 carries, including a key 3rd and 4 conversion that went for 12 on their first TD drive. JAX 21 PIT 38 Coach Bugel has to be over the moon about the performance of his offense, working with backup QB Jeff Hostetler. Hoss only threw for 161 yards, but when combined with 123 yards and 3 scores from Mike Rozier the Mauler O produced 38 points to pull away from the Bulls 28-0 in just the first quarter. Jacksonville put up a fight, but the early explosion by Pittsburgh was just too much to overcome. MEM 0 WSH 24 The Federals defense overwhelmed Memphis to power Washington to a rare USFL shutout. The potent Federals D-line was on fire against the Showboats, sacking Mike Kelley 5 times, forcing him to run on 14 occasions (with little success) and garnering an extremely rare 2 safeties. Joe Phillips nabbed 2 sacks to lead the team. Meanwhile the combo of Barry Word and Kevin Harmon gained 123 yards on the day to power the Washington offense. OAK 30 CHI 27 The decision to name Jeff Kemp the starter has paid off for Coach Vermeil, as the former LA Ram again led a potent Oakland offense. Richard Williams gained 85 yards rushing and 2 scores, while Henry Ellard just missed 100 yards but also contributed a score as Oakland came back in the final minutes to flip the scoreboard and steal the win from the luckless Chicago Machine. ARZ 20 MGN 34 Arizona’s season is starting off rough, with another tough loss to a playoff team. In a game that saw a combined 813 yards of offense, both teams put up big numbers and scoring was not hard to find. Michigan took the early lead, with 3 Jack Trudeau TD passes in the first half, as they led 28-3, but the second half saw Arizona fight back. In the end Michigan did just enough to keep a steady lead over the Wranglers, as Vince Workman rushed for 98 yards and Dereck Holloway gained 121 on 7 catches, 2 for scores. DEN 7 NOR 32 Denver’s offense gained only 125 total yards to New Orleans’s 439 in a game that was never in doubt for the Breakers. It was 24-0 at the half before a Bruce Pickens Int return gave Denver its only points on the day. Bob Gagliano looked horrible, completing only 33.3% of his passes (8/24) and Barry Foster could only garner 35 yards rushing as New Orleans utterly dominated the Gold. LA 27 TEX 33 OT The New Look LA Express were game, but in the end it was Texas who again thrilled the home crowd with a late game-tying FG and another in overtime to take the win. Kelly Stouffer looks like he is back to possible MVP form, throwing for 3 scores and 342 yards, and 2nd year back Reggie Cobb is not having a sophomore slump, gaining 145 on the ground. For LA, they had to be happy to see a run game work against the Outlaws, as Darrell Thompson shared carries with Buford Jordan, both finishing with an identical 11 carries for 85 yards and a 7.7 average. PORTLAND THUNDER 37 HOUSTON GAMBLERS 34 It may only be week 2 of the USFL season, but we may have witnessed the game of the year already. A combined 961 yards of offense (521 for Portland and 440 for Houston), with two offensive performances that will go down in the record books. Portland’s Kerwin Bell, who may be starting a QB controversy in the Pacific NW with his play these past two weeks, threw for an eye-popping 456 yards and 4 TDs on a 37 of 48 day. Not to be outdone, Houston’s Thurman Thomas broke huge run after huge run, finishing the day with 260 yards on only 15 carries. Thomas’s first carry of the day was a 40-yard scamper, which he followed throughout the game with 5 carries of over 30 yards, including a 46-yard TD. Jim Kelly added 3 TD passes to help Houston keep pace with the Thunder, who did it all through the air thanks to Kerwin Bell’s apparent leap in both vision and accuracy over past years. David Archer was the starter when the season started, but there is no way Coach Erickson can take Bell out after the two weeks he has had. He not only leads the USFL in QBR but has 8 touchdown tosses in only 2 weeks of action. They say players should never lose a job due to injury, but the way Bell is playing, we don’t expect Archer to get the starting gig back next week. The game was an offensive fireworks show throughout, with 7 lead changes, 7 total TD tosses, and big plays in every quarter and from a wide range of players. Aside from Thurman Thomas’s 46-yard TD, the Gamblers also got a 36 yard TD catch from Ernie Jones and scores from Ricky Proehl and Clarence Verdin. Portland got a 30-yard score from Webster Slaughter, a 20 yarder from TE Clint Didier, and an acrobatic catch for a score from Adrian Cooper. It was a game that defensive-minded fans must have hated, but for the rest of us this was a gem, showcasing brilliant offensive schemes, individual talent, and perfect timing. Tied at 34 with only 1:33 left, Portland was the proverbial “last to touch the ball” as they drove down the field, setting up Al Del Greco for the winning field goal as the clock ticked down. It was a game we hated to see end as both teams played amazingly entertaining games. Now, for both defensive coordinators, the final result may not make them feel secure in their jobs, but if you are on the offensive side of the ball, you were overjoyed with what you got this week. The AP gave their Offensive POTW to Kerwin Bell, and we cannot argue with that after he recorded the 2nd highest passing total in league history (trailing only a 475-yard performance by Bobby Hebert in 1983 against the Feds.) But, since the AP celebrated Bell’s day, we are going to highlight the 15 carries of Thurman Thomas. No need to embellish this, let’s just give you the 15 carries and you will see how amazing this day was: 48, 44, 2, 40, 7, 36, 2, 5, 2, 20, 12, 15, 14, 13, 1. Three forty-yard runs in his first 4 touches, that is just stunning. You know the guy who got the tackle on that 2-yard run will brag about that all week. Thomas was so gassed by these amazing runs that the Gamblers had FB Tim Manoa run the ball 9 times, more carries than he had in 1989 and 1990 combined playing for Baltimore. Manoa appears to have been an outstanding signing for Houston as he frequently took out a key linebacker to free Thomas on those long runs, but let’s be clear that this was simply a brilliant demonstration of just how good the former OK State Cowboy is. Thomas now leads the USFL in rushing, and while he will have challengers for the rushing title, this game will stand out as one of his true career highlights. Falling only 2 yards short of Joe Cribbs’s 1986 game against Memphis, this rushing performance is one to remember. USA Today did a fan poll to see which coaches are believed to be on the hotseat this year. While this is in no way scientific, coaches who the fans listed as “at risk” should likely take note. Of course, there were some who were untouchable, such as Tampa’s Steve Spurrier or Michigan’s Jim Stanley, and teams who performed better than expected last season got an obvious pass, so Arizona’s Ted Tollner, Washington’s Sam Rutigliano, and Philadelphia’s Jack Bicknell can breathe a bit easier. Those in the most danger, according to the USA Today fan poll include Pittsburgh’s Ted Marchibroda, Chicago’s Joe Bugel, Jacksonville’s Galen Hall, and Birmingham’s Carl Reese. Surprisingly in the pack considered “On the Hot Seat” was Oakland’s Dick Vermeil. Oakland made the playoffs last year, but apparently fans believe that Vermeil needs to show more than an 8-8 record to hold his job. Good news for the Invaders coach is that his squad has started the season hot and sits atop the Pacific at 2-0, so maybe that seat is just a bit cooler now. We would tend to agree that this is a make-or-break year for Joe Bugel, whose Chicago Machine had improved each season since coming into the league in 1987 before plateauing at 7-9 last year. The Machine need to break out of their “close but no cigar” tendency, get over .500 and into the playoffs for Bugel to argue that he has them on track. That is a tough call for the Machine as they have strong competition from New Orleans, Texas, Houston, and Michigan in what is perhaps the best division in the entire league. For Carl Reese the good feelings about Birmingham’s 12-4 season 2 years ago are wearing off. If he cannot rally the Stallions to a playoff run, this may be the end of his tenure with the Stallions, which means that it will be another coach who may benefit from Birmingham’s decision to spend some big money to sign the QB of the future in Southern Mississippi’s Brett Favre. Pittsburgh brought in Ted Marchibroda with hopes of giving life to their offense, and he has done that. The offense has been better for the Maulers in his three seasons with the team, and his 8-8 and 7-9 seasons are the two best in Mauler team history, but that is not saying much. The problem has been defense, where the Maulers have just never developed into the type of no-nonsense D that fans in the Steel City respect and demand. The Maulers have started off strong this year, sitting at 2-0 and with both their scoring offense and defense listed as Top 10 squads, but they will need to keep up that early success for Marchibroda to make the case that he has this team ready for prime time. Finally, Galen Hall has to realize after three straight 6-10 seasons that his time is running short unless he can turn the ship around. Fans have not fully turned on the Bulls yet, but an 0-2 start is turning up the heat for team owner Fred Bullard to make a move. The Bulls brought in a new starting QB this year in former General Timm Rosenbach, and they also snagged HB Jamie Morris from Chicago to boost the run game, so the desire to win is there, but if the ability to win does not soon match that desire, Galen Hall could be a midseason casualty of his own making. While once again we would say that this was a good week for the USFL on the injury front, don’t say that to Denver SS Patrick Gannon or New Jersey LB Terry Wooden, both suffered knee injuries that will likely cost them the season. But the overall picture is very good. There are 5 players who we expect to miss 1-2 weeks with injuries (including Chicago DT Dan Hampton, Pittsburgh QB Alan Risher, and Federals DE Charles Haley) but all other players are listed as doubtful or better, meaning a 1-week absence is all we can expect. Likely not playing next week are Mauler LB Eric Kumerow (knee), Denver WR Odessa Turner (knee), Tampa TE Chris Kelley (hamstring), Portland DT Mike Golic (nerve pain), Breakers CB Gene Atkins (hand), Houston HB Keith Woodside (neck) and, most notably, Tampa Bay QB Troy Aikman, who was knocked out of this week’s game in the 1st quarter and is questionable for next week with an ankle injury, as one of his linemen rolled onto his ankle during a TD toss to Eric Truvillion. We are back to division play in Week 3 and with several teams starting at 0-2 there is some pressure to get this week right. Of course, the 2-0 teams have no desire to help that cause. In the East we have two such battles, and battles with key rivalries involved as well. Washington is in Baltimore, where the Blitz’s struggling offense now has to face that brutal Federals D-line (though without Charles Haley). Philly takes their 2-0 record to the 0-2 Generals, who in no way feel that their record is a reflection of their talent. In the South it is 2-0 Tampa Bay facing a rowdy Legion Field crowd as they try to knock Birmingham to 0-3 without Troy Aikman on the field. Memphis and Jacksonville both come into this week’s game at the Gator Bowl at 0-2, so someone is going to be digging themselves a huge hole with a 3rd loss this week. In Chicago, the 0-2 Machine need to prove they can finish a game as they have a tough task, facing the 2-0 Panthers. Texas takes their 2-0 record into their rivalry game in Houston. In Tempe, the Wranglers will try to shake off an 0-2 start as they host the 1-1 LA Express. Denver will try to do the same as they invite the 2-0 Portland Thunder into the thin air of Mile High Stadium. We have two inter-divisional games, with both featuring matchups of 2-0 teams. The Breakers will be at Three Rivers in a major test for the upstart Pittsburgh Maulers, while the 2-0 Oakland Invaders head across the nation to face the Orlando Renegades at the Citrus Bowl.

A new season is upon us, full of excitement, full of potential, and 20 teams that all think they are better than the year before. There will be time for harsh realizations later, for now it is all about optimism and the chance to start over. Week one is here, and Season 9 is about to kick off. Are you ready for some USFL Football? (And just a quick website note. I have updated the TEAMS page with new historical records and links to both present (1991) and past uniforms for each team. Enjoy) NJ 17 PIT 21 Pittsburgh’s defense comes up big against the Generals, holding the New Jersey offense to only 10 points to help backup Jeff Hostetler bring the Maulers back after starter Alan Risher is knocked out of the game. Hostetler responds with a late TD to rookie Mike Pritchard (his only catch of the day) to knock off a division rival in front of an appreciative home crowd. PHI 20 WSH 13 Philadelphia comes back from a 13-0 deficit to knock off the defending Champs. TD receptions by Mike Quick and Quinn Early highlight the Philly comeback as the defense shuts out Washington in the second half. Washington shifted Barry Word to Halfback for most of the game, as he rushed for 59 yards on 16 carries. JAX 20 ORL 24 Timm Rosenbach is sacked 6 times by an aggressive Renegade defense but comes close to bringing the Bulls back in the 4th quarter. The Renegades get 3 TD’s from Reggie Collier, including 8 catches and 2 scores from John Jefferson. MEM 24 TBY 30 OT Aikman finds HB Todd Bell for an overtime TD to edge the Showboats in the season opener. Both QB’s throw for three scores each in a back and forth game, but Aikman’s 418 yards include a lateTD to Chris Kelley to tie the game and a game-winning drive to open the extra period. CHI 24 NOR 30 A late Frederick Wilder pick-6 proves to be the game winner for the Breakers, who win despite going 0 for 11 on third down, thanks in part to 3 Chuck Long turnovers. In an otherwise even game, a 4-0 turnover margin for New Orleans helps them hold off a plucky Chicago squad. HOU 12 MGN 13 A late TD from Vince Workman is the difference in a game that saw only 6 field goals until the game’s final minute. Both offenses struggled to finish drives as neither team is able to mount an effective ground game against the solid defense of their opponents. ARZ 14 OAK 30 In his first game as the starting QB, Jeff Kemp leads the Invaders to a solid win over the Conference Champion. The Oakland defense gets the assist as they corral 2 turnovers and limit 3rd downs to 3 of 11 for the Invaders. A late Tory Nixon interception helps seal the deal for the homestanding Invaders. DEN 19 LA 25 OT In the week’s second overtime game, the rookies shine in overtime, with McGwire hitting Rocket Ismael for the winning score as time in the extra period ticks down. McGwire finishes the day with 243 yards and 2 scores, and newly acquired HB Buford Jordan rushes 18 times for 68 yards to help LA get the season off on the right foot. BAL 13 POR 35 The Thunder overpower the Blitz at home as an effective Kerwin Bell replaces David Archer after a 1st quarter blow to the head. Cris Carter has a huge game with 139 yards receiving and a score for Portland, one of 4 TD’s thrown by Bell on the day. Baltimore looks sloppy, with 13 penalties for 113 yards on the day. Birmingham Stallions 27 Texas Outlaws 30 Kelly Stouffer outduels Cliff Stoudt and sets up Nick Mike-Myer for a game winning field goal with 3 seconds on the clock to give Texas fans in San Marcos a thrilling victory. In a game which Texas led throughout, Cliff Stoudt found Ernest Givens with only 1:14 left to play to tie the game, only to see their hopes for overtime fade away as the Outlaws mount a frantic final minute drive to snatch victory on the walk-away field goal. In a game which saw Carlos Carson catch 8 balls for a whopping 187 yards, none were bigger than a 38 yard reception on a 3rd and 17 with only 22 seconds left. Stouffer escaped the grasp of Kevin Greene and flung a desperation pass to Carson, who outlept two defenders to bring the ball in and put Texas in range for the gamewinning kick. The kick was frantic as the offense and kick teams had to scramble to get on the field and get lined up as the clock ticked down, but the 42-yarder sailed true, sending the Texas crowd of just over 24k into a frenzy. Birmingham had trailed most of the game, despite a solid dual threat game from Joe Cribbs. Cribbs finished with 79 yards rushing along with 4 receptions for 61 yards and a TD on the day. For Texas one of the stars of the game was rookie CB Merton Hanks, who picked off Cliff Stoudt, sacked him on a corner blitz, and kept fellow rookie Lawrence Dawsey to only 2 receptions on the day. Troy Aikman’s 418 yards edges Carlo Carson’s 187 yard day to take the first POTW award and powers the Bandits to a key early win against rival Memphis. Aikman found 9 different receivers on the day, but his clear favorites were the two wideouts Truvillion and Collinsworth, with the former gaining 137 yards and a score on 6 receptions and the latter hauling in 5 balls for 110 yards. Rookie Ben Coates also proved he was an effective receiver, snagging 4 balls for 67 yards. Aikman threw the ball 45 times as lead back Lars Tate was unable to get anything going, gaining only 1 yard on his 13 carries. Aikman’s 280 yards and 3 scores in the 2nd half and overtime were the difference after being largely contained by Memphis’s defense in the first half of the game. For the first time in years the USFL’s opening weekend avoids any major weather concerns, as unseasonable warmth across much of the country allows the league its highest opening week attendance yet. Leading the way were large crowds in Washington to greet the new champions, as well as the usual strong attendance in Florida and in the domes in New Orleans and Michigan. Portland and Texas, which have the two smallest stadiums in the league, bring up the rear but both boast sellouts in their smaller venues. Even LA rebounds from their worst attendance year with a solid crowd of nearly 35,000 to greet the new look Express of McGwire and Ismael. Despite seeing both Alan Risher and David Archer knocked out of games in the opening weekend, the week was a relatively injury-free affair, with only a handful of injuries that will keep players out for a week or more. Pittsburgh will likely have to start Jeff Hostetler for 1-2 weeks as Risher recovers, while Portland lists David Archer as doubtful, meaning Kerwin Bell will likely get 1 start before he returns. Other injuries likely to cost a player a week of action were a shoulder injury for Washington DE Charles Haley, knee swelling for Pittsburgh LB Eric Kumerow, a sprained knee for Denver wideout Odessa Turner, and an elbow injury for Michigan TE Butch Rolle. The two divisions in each conference face off as the South and Pacific travel to face squads from the Atlantic and Central Divisions. Orlando will be in Baltimore, Tampa tests New Jersey, Birmingham is in Philadelphia, Jacksonville travels to Pittsburgh, and the Memphis Showboats will try to bounce back as they face the Defending Champs in Washington. In the Western Conference it will be Oakland in Chicago, Portland in Houston, Arizona faces the tough Michigan Defense, Denver is in the Big Easy to face the Breakers, and LA travels to San Marcos to face the Outlaws.

USA TODAY, March 2, 1991 Season nine of the USFL kicks off in just over one week and it may be one of the most open-ended seasons in league history. After a stunning rise from basement to penthouse, the Washington Federals enter the season as league champions, but still do not seem to be getting a lot of respect. After an offseason in which retirements were the biggest story there are questions about continuity, with the Central Division possibly up for grabs after seismic shocks in Michigan and New Orleans. Can anyone rise up in the Pacific? Will someone oust Washington from their perch in the Atlantic? Which Southern team can separate from a very competitive pack? Is there another surprise team in the works this year? So much to discuss, so many hopes on the line for this season. Let’s get started with our team reviews and then hear from experts across the USFL world to see what people think about the upcoming season. EASTERN DIVISION WASHINGTON FEDERALS (11-5, Atlantic & League Champions) What’s New?: The league champions focused on resigning their stars, including Wr Joey Walters, LB Dante Jones and FS Mark Kelso. The biggest addition was a swing for the fences that landed as Washington was able to sign UVa wideout Herman Moore from their protected territorial draft. Moore is expected to become an immediate starter opposite Walters, moving Duane Gunn to the slot. Strength: The D-Line is one of the best in football with Dexter Manley and Charles Haley outside and Jerome Brown inside. Washington will likely continue to pressure with a 3-4 alignment and blitzes from either Jones or Zavala. Weakness: The run game was just not there last year. Neither Kevin Harmon or Alfred Jenkins getting it done. Coach Rutigliana has been experimenting with putting FB Barry Word at the top of the I and signed a 2nd fullback to make that possible. So do not be shocked if Word’s carries increase significantly this year. What we expect: Washington just edged Philadelphia for the division title with a late season home victory. It will almost certainly be a down to the wire finish again. PHILADELPHIA STARS (10-6, 2nd in Atlantic) What’s New? After the retirement of DT Jumpy Gaethers Philly may have to adjust their defense and count on LB’s Andre Collins and Danny Lockett to provide more in run support. The biggest addition for the Stars is likely not to be a factor this year, as Philadelphia inked QB Browning Nagle of Louisville to be the heir apparent for the oldest QB in the league, but Fusina still has the fire so expect him to start this year once again. Strengths: Offensive continuity is key for Philly. With Fusina, Kelvin Bryant, Mike Quick and Quinn Early the core of the Stars offense has been solid for years and remains dependable if not explosive each week. Weaknesses: The D-Line is beatable, and with the second DT position being given to untested rookie Leon Lett of tiny Emporia State, there is a lot of concern that this line will need the LB’s to hold up against some of the better running teams, including New Jersey and Pittsburgh in their own division. What we expect: Last year proved that Coach Bicknell could take the talent left him by Jim Mora and build a solid record. This year he will almost certainly try to put his own stamp on the team. Just what that means is unsure, but expect Philadelphia to do what they always do, outlast and out-discipline their opponents. NEW JERSEY GENERALS (8-8, 3rd in Atlantic) What’s New?: The feud between Flutie and Timm Rosenbach is over, but bringing in Chris Miller from Jacksonville hardly gives Flutie a sense of security. We expect that despite winning a title only 1 year ago, that Flutie is feeling pressure and with most of the rookie signings on defense, he does not have a lot of new weapons at his disposal. Strengths: As it always has been, the offense is predicated on teams overcompensating for Herschel Walker’s talent, allowing Flutie to find open receivers on play action or open lanes on the bootleg. Flutie ran more last year than ever before, including some 100-yard games when Walker wasn’t even playing. Don’t count on a repeat of that, but do expect Coach Perkins to include some scripted QB runs once again. Weaknesses: The defense has been shuffled from top to bottom. Phil Hansen, a rookie from North Dakota will now line up opposite Gary Jeter, LB Todd Bell moves inside, and CB Kirby Jackson has locked up the 2nd CB slot, but so much movement means a lot of unknowns for a defense that has looked shaky more often than it has looked scary. What we expect: This Generals squad is only 1 year removed from a championship season, and they have the talent to return to form in 1991. The defense needs to return to form after a rough year, and Doug Flutie has to once again prove himself after the Generals traded away the unhappy Timm Rosenbach, but brought in a 2nd potential starter who will challenge Flutie if the former BC Eagle does not play well. PITTSBURGH MAULERS (7-9, 4th in Atlantic) What’s New: Pittsburgh hopes they found a perfect bookend receiver to line up opposite Raynard Brown. Rookie Mike Pritchard comes to the Steel City with a lot of hype, but can he help revive Alan Risher’s pass game? Strengths: It is easy to say Mike Rozier, but we also need to recognize that the Mauler O-line is one of the best run-game lines in football. Tackles Lance Smith and Randy Dixon are athletic bulldozers and center Thomas Ponder is one of the best pulling linemen in the game. They may slip up a bit on the passrush, but in the run game they are Rozier’s best friends. Weaknesses: The defense has always been an issue for the Maulers. This year’s squad still looks a bit shaky. The interior D-line with tackles Tony Siragusa and rookie Moe Gardner looks susceptible to a strong inside run game, which means more tackles will have to be made by MLB Eric Kumerow. We like Quintin Jones as the #1 corner, but the rest of the defensive backfield is mediocre on a good day, and that spells trouble in the pass-happy USFL. What we expect: Every year seems to be the year people expect more from Pittsburgh, and every year they get a lot of the same thing, erratic offense and sieve-like defense. We really don’t see enough has changed on the roster to expect more this year. BALTIMORE BLITZ (6-10, 5th in Atlantic) What’s New?: Baltimore added depth with some free agents like HB Rodney Carter, WR Clarkston Hines and TE Donnie Dee, but none of these additions will dramatically improve a roster that went 6-10 last year. The best new addition may be rookie FS Joe King from Oklahoma State, who should start week 1. Strengths: The interior D-line is one of the best in football with former NY Jet Joe Klecko backed up by a solid young intimidator in John Randle. Combine that with a solid LB crew led by veterans Ben Apuna and Ed Brady, and bolstered by the hard hitting Bryce Paup and savvy Sam Norris, and this will be a tough team to run against. Weaknesses: Where will the pass rush come from ? As good as the interior D-line is, we are just not impressed by the combo of Mike Piel and Charles Buchanon at DE. Coach Schottenheimer has to find a way to pressure quarterbacks without exposing his DB’s in one-on-one coverage but the D-line and Linebackers both seem better suited to hold up the run game than the passing game. What we expect: The arrival of Marty Schottenheimer was met with great enthusiasm in Baltimore, but if he cannot get more out of this veteran team in his 3rd year a housecleaning may be in order. Marty’s key will be ensuring that a roster overhaul does not include a front office overhaul as well. SOUTHERN DIVISION TAMPA BAY BANDITS (10-6, Southern Champion) What’s New?: Not much from a team that came within 1 game of a title. Despite a late trade that sent Brett Perriman and Mark Sclereth to Houston to acquire G Chris Thatcher (and WR Reggie Thornton) , the Bandits will again depend on Aikman throwing to Truvillion, Collinsworth, and Gillespie. The run game was not improved as Tampa could not sign their top HB candidates in the draft. The biggest addition for the offense was a rookie tight end, Ben Coates, who will likely be on the field very little as Tampa rarely uses 2 TE formations. Strengths: It’s that passing game. Even without a run game to keep defenses honest, Troy Aikman has torn most defenses to threads with accurate throws and effective deep balls. His receiving corps remains one of the league’s best, but is dynamic passing enough? Weaknesses: The run game is the obvious answer, and yet Tampa will once again feature Lars Tate and Speedy Neal at tailback. That combo did not work last year, and we are not sure they can gear up the run game this year. What we expect: Tampa will be right in the thick of it all year in this competitive division, but without a run game, we worry that they will be overtaken by more balanced squads. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (9-7, 2nd in South) What’s New?: Memphis lost the venerable Mel Gray to a well-deserved retirement. So, did they sign a stud rookie wideout? Nope. They did not even sign a rookie receiver in the later rounds. They did sign another aging vet, former Gold and Renegade wideout Vic James, but after 2 years languishing on the Renegade bench, we are not sure what he has to offer. And just before the opening of camp they made a move to get a true speedster, trading Buford Jordan to the LA Express to bring a disgruntled Jo-Jo Townsell to Memphis. Expect Townsell to play in the slot for the Showboats. Strengths: We all know about Reggie White on defense, the defending league MVP, but Memphis also has a sneaky good halfback rotation, one which may have gotten even better in the offseason by signing former Colorado Buffalo Eric Bienemy. The rookie is an excellent 3rd down option, proficient in the pass game, something that will compliment well Greg Boone, much as Greg Anderson did in his Tampa days. Fans are not happy that the Showboats traded Buford Jordan, a local favorite, but Bienemy looks to have much more breakaway big play potential, and the Showboats still have Spencer Tillman on the bench in case of emergency. Weaknesses: It has to be the receiving corps. Third year TE Keith Jackson is primed to become a top target for Mike Kelley, and he may have to be with a wideout corps led by Bobby Joe Edmunds, Robb Thomas and the veteran James. Once Townsell gets up to speed (literally and figuratively) he could also be a major player, if he still has some of the magic he showed in his early years in LA. Kelley will absolutely miss Mel Gray, who has led the league in receptions too often to count, but expect him to turn his eyes on Jackson if Townsell’s speed and Vic James’s savvy do not prove effective. What we expect: Memphis will rely on the run game and defense to win games. Not exactly what the USFL is known for, but it is a formula that can work. They simply need to avoid the late season swoon that has wilted the Showboats down the stretch the last couple of seasons. ORLANDO RENEGADES (8-8, 3rd in South) What’s New?: For a team with a very solid offense, the Renegades seem to have opted to double down on it to make it even better. Orlando added two receivers (Rob Carpenter and Shawn Jefferson) to a squad that was already packed with playmakers. They also added security behind Curtis Bledsoe, signing Pitt pounder Curvin Richards to spell their lead back. Strengths: We are often so mystified by the Orlando offense that we forget to praise the defense. This is a top 10 group with talent at all three levels. Veteran DE Ray Childress and dynamic DT Tracy Rocker are a deadly combo, and then Rueben Davis swoops in to fill out the line. Linebacker Winston Moss is playing as well as anyone even if he is not getting the recognition, and a secondary led by CB Melvin Jenkins and FS Tim McDonalds is more than capable of turning a QB error into 6 points. Weaknesses: Despite all this talent, Orlando simply cannot reach their potential. Back to back 8-8 seasons have to be frustrating for everyone from Coach Schnellenberger to the entire roster and the fans as well. Orlando never seems to put together a string of games where both the offense and the defense play their best. If they did, they would be a dangerous team. What we expect: We are still not sure how Orlando only won 8 games last year. This is a team with dynamic playmakers, a top level quarterback and a top 10 defense. They should be stringing together 10-12 win seasons and yet they seem stuck at 8-8 and a wild card. If they don’t jump ahead of either Memphis or Tampa this year, the blame may fall squarely on Howard Schnellenberger. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (7-9, 4th in South) What’s New?: We may not see it right away, but it looks like Birmingham is about to have a generational shift. With Cliff Stoudt, Joe Cribbs, and even wideout Ernest Givens getting on in years, the 1990 draft for the Stallions looked like a revolution about to happen. They first signed Auburn HB James Joseph to back up Cribbs, then Seminole wideout Lawrence Dawsey to compete with Clarence Collins and maybe even Givens in the receiver group, and then, with considerable fanfare, they used their Territorial Draft pick and a bundle of cash to sign young gunslinger Brett Favre from Southern Mississippi to back up Stoudt. Favre is a hot commodity, but also a raw talent. A year behind Stoudt and he may be ready to take the mantle. Strengths: Just like Pittsburgh, the Stallions’ offensive line is built to dominate. A better pass protecting group than in their rival steel city to the north, this group can do it all. Richmond Webb has developed into perhaps the best LT in the game, while Chuck Pitcock brings fire to the center position and Emory Yates is a very capable RT to balance the line. If they could teach TE Shannon Sharpe to block, this group would be unstoppable, but Sharpe is so valuable in the pass game they may never ask him to block again. Weaknesses: While there are some individual talents on defense, like LB Kevin Greene or CB Anthony Blaylock, the entire defense is not particularly impressive. It is too easy for offenses to take Greene or Blaylock out of a gameplan and then there is not a lot to fill in behind them. For a team that likes to win ugly, you need more on defense to make that formula work. What we expect: Coach Reese had a magical first season, riding a wave of comradery and well wishes after the passing of Rollie Dotsch, but two years later the spirit of solidarity is waning and fans want to return to the glory days of division titles and playoff appearances. If the Stallions hover around 5-7 wins again, that will not bode well for Reese, despite those who wish him well. JACKSONVILLE BULLS (6-10, 5th in South) What’s New?: What is not new? Coach Hall clearly felt that change was needed to move the Bulls out of a rut of 6-win seasons, and after starting the year at 0-8, even getting six wins was a bit of a miracle. Out is Chris Miller and in is disgruntled New Jersey backup Timm Rosenbach. Out is the 1-back system that simply did not work for veteran James Wilder, and in is a dual back approach with Wilder and former Chicago Machine lead back Jamie Morris. Add in several rookies who could end the year starting on defense, including LBs Mo Lewis and James Goode and you have a very different team. Strengths: Timm Rosenbach could not ask for a much better receiving corps than Hassan Jones, Brian Blades, Weegie Thompson and Lawyer Tillman. The TE position is not quite so flashy, but with a lot of 3-4 WR sets, Rosenbach could put up big numbers with this group of wideouts. Weaknesses: They say wars are won in the trenches and unfortunately both the O-line and D-line for Jacksonville seem subpar. They have a quality LB group, and the safety combo of LeRoy Butler and Mark Carrier are murder on inaccurate QB’s but without a good trench game (on either side of the ball), it is tough to win a lot of games. What we expect: We will have to see if swapping Miller for Rosenbach makes the kind of difference that Coach Hall hopes. The team seems to be improving in some areas, but unless they can get better protection from the offensive line, and more pressure from the defensive line, it could easily be another last place finish for the Bulls. CENTRAL DIVISION NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (13-3, Central Champions) What’s New?: The retirement of Nolan Franz and Marcus Marek remove both top end players and veteran presence from the Breakers roster. Fortunately there is a lot of depth on this roster and a lot of other veterans who can step up to help guide the franchise. The LB corps has talent to fill in for Marek’s departure, but at wideout, the Breakers opted to try to sign some talent to help fill the huge hole from Nolan Franz’s departure. Charlie Smith, Herman Fontenot and Floyd Turner will all likely move up the depth chart, but do not be surprised if good-looking rookie wideout Michael Jackson gets some playing time with the starters as well. Strengths: This is a pretty solid roster from top to bottom, but the addition of rookie Erric Pegram to the backfield means that even if Hilliard or Dupree need a spell, there is depth there. FB Greg Paterra is an underrated contributor, simply because he rarely touches the ball, but he is pivotal to one of the best rushing duos in this league (or any other right now). Weaknesses: While there are not a lot of holes in the Breaker roster, their two offensive tackles are not particularly solid, impacting both the run game and pass protection. Rookie Eduardo Vega may take over RT immediately, but is still raw. Veteran John Wojciechowski will man the QB’s blind side, but has been shown to be vulnerable to speed rushes, so watch out when the Breakers play some of the teams with quick ends. What we expect: The Breakers remain the prohibitive favorite to win the Central Division, even after losing two veteran leaders. The question for New Orleans is still the same, can they win the big game and finally get their hands on a USFL Championship? Past history says no, but no one can pinpoint why. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (9-7, 2nd in Central) What’s New?: Michigan, like New Orleans, had two huge roster departures in HB John Williams and John Corker. They are hoping that former Buckeye Vince Workman is ready to step up after a year behind Williams. They have brought in Lydel Carr and still have Stanford Jennings behind Workman to help if he needs a respite from what is typically a heavy workload for the Panthers’ lead back. The answers are harder to come by for the LB group. Scott Stephen will likely slide into Corker’s role, though OLB Hardy Nickerson will likely end up as the defensive team captain and play manager. There is a lot of cohesiveness here, but John Corker was a special talent whose absence will certainly be felt. Strengths: The Panther O-line is still the strength of their offensive squad and should help Workman produce well, which, in turn, helps Jack Trudeau find open receivers. LT Jeff Wright and RT Arnoldo Gardner are at the top of their game, and the inside is well-stocked with Ray Brown and Ron Hallstrom at guard and Hubert Hicks coming into his own as a starting center. Weaknesses: We are still not sold on Derek Holloway, Danny Knight and Jonathan Smiley as a receiver trio. Holloway is a top level talent, but his production has clearly taken a dip after the departure of Anthony Carter pushed each team’s top CB over Holloway. It was honestly surprising that Michigan did not draft a wideout this year, opting instead to focus on defense with picks such as LBs Dixon Edwards and Terry Crews, SS Tony Covington, and DT Pio Sagapolutele. What we expect: Coach Staley knows what he has and knows how to get the most out of them. They will be in the thick of things all year long and should see the playoffs again this year. For some reason our staff had them slide to 4th in the division, but I just do not see how that will happen. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (8-8, 3rd in Central) What’s New?: The Gamblers waited until the last minute to make a major move, and they may have sacrificed a starter to do it (Guard Chris Thatcher) but bringing in wideout Brett Perriman from Tampa could prove essential to a resurgence in QB Jim Kelly. Clarence Verdin has just not proven to be a true #1 receiver, while Perriman has flashed some serious talent in Tampa. When Ricky Sanders left the Gamblers for the NFL, Kelly’s production slipped, his interception rate skyrocketed, and the team simply did not have the same killer instinct. Houston fans hope Perriman helps restore Kelly’s swagger. Strengths: The left side of the Gamblers line is a halfback’s greatest gift. Tackle Howard Ballard is a beast, and LG John Rienstra and C Mark Tracy are able to provide huge holes for Thurman Thomas. Thomas, of course, is a major talent as well, so as the Gamblers get a new RG in shape, expect them to rely heavily on left-leaning plays behind this trio of blockers. Weaknesses: The defensive line, anchored by DT Michael Dean Perry is not the most athletic, and does not have the ability to pressure from the edges the way Houston would like. That leads to the Gamblers using players like LB Johnny Holand or safety Donald Dykes on blitzes. It is a high risk, high reward gambit by Coach Willsey, but without blitzes it is unlikely that the Houston D-line gets to the QB often enough to disrupt any but the weakest offenses. What we expect: Houston fans want to believe that their minimal moves this offseason, including the signing of rookies William Thomas (LB) and Michael Sinclair (DE) will be enough to turn the corner on a team that had a good run but has fallen off. If they are not, we could once again be seeing a coaching change in the Space City, as Willsey has simply not wowed anyone in Houston. TEXAS OUTLAWS (8-8, 4th in Central) What’s New?: The question on everyone’s mind this offseason was “How is Stouffer doing?”. The good news is that he is back in form and ready to make a run at an MVP trophy again. Texas did not change much on the offense that took over a lot of games last year. Reggie Cobb was dynamic as a rookie and we expect a spectacular sophomore season from him. The combo of Carlos Carson, Eric Metcalf and Dokie Williams is one of the scariest receiving groups in the league. Now, can the defense step up and keep the Outlaws in front from whistle to whistle? Strengths: It has to be this receiving corps. Several teams inquired about Dokie Williams in the offseason, but Texas was not hearing it. They want to go 3-4 deep with wideouts and they have the ability to do that with this group. Expect two 1,000 receivers and 25 TD combined from Metcalf and Carson, the Texas 2-Step. Weaknesses: If you want to understand why Brian Bosworth leads the league in tackles so often, first recognize that he is good, but then recognize that the Outlaws D-line is not. Bosworth spends too much time stopping 5-yard runs from turning to 10-yard runs, when a better line would keep the backs from ever getting 5 yards out. Unless they can get better production from the line, expect Texas to be in a lot of shootouts again this year. What we expect: It is all about offense with the Outlaws. That can push them to the playoffs, or cause them to fall short again. We look at the offense and see 11-12 wins, but then we look at the defense and think 4-6 wins, so 8-8 seems right again. Sorry Outlaw fans, but where’s the beef? CHICAGO MACHINE (7-9, 5th in Central) What’s New?: Chicago has had a slow steady improvement since coming into the league in 1987, but this has to be the year when they break through if Coach Bugel wants to stay on another year. There is talent all across this roster, and most of it is young talent. The youngest is new starting HB Ricky Watters of Notre Dame. After trading away the declining production of Jamie Morris, Chicago hopes to get a dual threat in Watters, who has great hands and the ability to make people miss. Strengths: It does not get the hype of the Texas Outlaw or Tampa Bay Bandit wideut groups, but Chicago’s combo of young talent in Michael Haynes, Wendell Davis, and reggie Langhorne is a top flight group. Add in the sneaky quicks of TE Wessley Walls and we can see how Chuck Long can be at or near the top in passing yards, as he was last year. Weaknesses: While the linebacking corps of Mark Mumford, Darryl Talley, Gary Reasons and now Fred Smalls (coming in the Jamie Morris trade) has talent, they will need to coalesce quickly. The Chicago defense has been hit or miss the last 2 years, playing lights out some games, and not showing up in others. That has to stop if the Machine want to make a dent in this tough division. What we expect: Our writers like Chicago as a team that can make a leap this year. Fans seem to agree, as the Machine have had their best season ticket sale season yet, and while there is not a lot of glitz on this squad, there is the type of steady improvement that often precedes a jump in results. PACIFIC DIVISION ARIZONA WRANGLERS (10-6, Pacific & Western Conf. Champions) What’s New?: Arizona is taking a gamble that their Summer Bowl run last year means they have the pieces they need. There was not a more “stand pat” position taken by any team in the league compared to Arizona. Even their draft seemed more about depth and possible future growth than immediate improvement. We like LB Mike Stonebreaker, but he is not going to start over Brian Noble or Broderick Thomas. The only rookie likely to see significant playtime (barring injuries) is punter Jeff Rouen. Strengths: Consistency is clearly a strong suit for the defending Pacific champion. This is a team who knows who they are and what they do well. The RB duo of James and Clack works well together, Robbie Bosco rarely makes bad mistakes, and in Lipps and Trumaine Johnson, the weapons are there for a balanced attack. Their defense still could be better, but is complementary to the offense when playing well. Weaknesses: As we saw in the playoffs last year, the Wranglers can win in a variety of ways, but as Washington showed us in the Summer Bowl, they are not so talented that they can overcome a very good team when they don’t play their best. What we expect: Arizona is hard to gauge. They could easily go 10-6 again or could slip to 6-10. They do not excel at anything, but are also not horrible anywhere either. In a noticeably weak Pacific Division that may be good enough to get them a bye and a home game in the playoffs. OAKLAND INVADERS (8-8, 2nd in Pacific) What’s New?: Fans wondered all season if Coach Vermeil would make a switch and just this week he made it official. Longsuffering Jeff Kemp would get his shot to be the starter for the Invaders. Gale Gilbert has had several up and down seasons, and Kemp has always been there to mop up when called on. Well, this year, he will get his shot to show what he can do. Strengths: The back end of the defense is the strength of the Invaders. There have been some shifts, but the Invaders get great coverage options from CB’s Tory Nixon and Bo Eason, safeties Marcus Quinn and Robert Sparkman, and linebacker help from Ken Harvey and Ron Rivera. Add in top rookie pickup, CB Aeneas Williams, and this could be a defense that frustrates a lot of quarterbacks. Weaknesses: We are still trying to figure out how good Richard Williams is, because he never seems to have a strong line in front of him. That is the case again this year. They have good games and games where you wonder how any of these guys are starters. That issue, more than anything else, is what seems to hold the Invader offense back. What we expect: Another enigmatic team that could win the division or slip to a 4-6 win season. We like the rookie class, which, in addition to Aeneas Williams, includes plucky receiver Ed McCaffrey from Stanford, Texas TE Kerry Cash, and a small college gem in HB Fred McAfee from tiny Mississippi College. How much play time these three will get may be the difference in the final results for the Invaders’ season. PORTLAND THUNDER (6-10, 3rd in Pacific) What’s New?: Not enough seems to be the common answer. Portland started strong but faded down the stretch last year, and we don’t see how they have fixed what was once again one of the worst defenses in football. Dennis Erickson has some talent there in the form of DT Roland Putzier, LB Cedric Figaro, and especially former San Diego Charger, CB Gill Byrd, but it is simply not enough. The only rookie who looks to get a lot of action is DT Esera Tuaolo. The Thunder traded away too many draft picks to sign offensive talent, but the offense is not enough to turn them into a winning squad. Strengths: The passing game took a huge leap forward last year when David Archer was healthy. If he can stay off the injury list this year, he has great weapons in wideouts Cris Carter, Webster Slaughter, Aubrey Matthews and Hart Lee Dykes. Add in the reliable outlet of TE Clint Didier and the Thunder could be a yardage leader in the passing game this year. Weaknesses: Where to start with that defense? To paraphrase former Buccaneers HC John McKay, they don’t block, but they make up for it by not tackling. What we expect: We like the spirit Coach Erickson brought to the Thunder, but if they want to do more than play spoiler and steal a few wins, they need to figure out a better use of their defensive talent. Their best shot may be to focus on pass rush and then work to build a lead in each game and defend the pass to prevent comebacks. That may be a lot to ask, but it may be their best option at this point. DENVER GOLD (5-11, 4th in Pacific) What’s New?: Can you win the MVP for not playing? If that were an option, QB Bob Gagliano may have won it last year. His absence took the 1989 Division Champ and dropped them down to a 5-win team. But that cannot be the only issue, can it? No, the Denver squad has seen a slow attrition of talent over time. With Coach Davis frustrated with ownership, he left, and Denver now places their trust in former NY Jet head man, Joe Walton. Walton will bring a no-nonsense style to Denver, so don’t expect fireworks. Expect this to be a team that plays hard, rarely hurts themselves, and wins close games. Strengths: Balance on offense is what Denver does well. Bill Brooks and Mark Carrier are not going to blow the roof off a defense, but they, along with Jay Novacek at TE, can sustain drives and keep Denver in games. Add in a 2-back rotation of hard-hitting Barry Foster and elusive Timmy Smith and Denver should be able to grind out a lot of wins. Weaknesses: There is talent on both sides of the ball, and both offense and defense are capable of keeping Denver in games, but the Gold seem to lack the ability to put teams away. Rarely do they simply overpower a team, and they have let quite a few games come down to the wire, with only a mediocre record of closing those games out. What we expect: We think Denver is better than their 1990 record shows, but just how much better is up for debate. They could reassume the division, or linger in the middle of the pack. What they absolutely know is that they need to protect Bob Gagliano to have a shot this year. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS (4-12, 5th in Pacific) What’s New?: What isn’t new? New head coach in Jack Elway, new starting QB in rookie Dan McGwire of San Diego State, new potential superstar in Notre Dame WR Raghib “Rocket” Ismael. The only thing that essentially stayed the same is the defense, which was solid but asked to do too much last year. A lot depends on if Jack Elway’s instincts about McGwire are correct. He sees him as a less mobile, but equally effective passer as his son, John. Others wonder whether he has what it takes to read complex defenses and avoid the passrush. We shall see. At the very least LA fans cannot say that they don’t have high profile offensive starters any more. Rocket Ismael should be on every billboard in the city by mid-summer. Strengths: LA has a very solid defense, battened down by veterans like DT Jerry Ball, DE Blaise Winter, LB Chip Banks and perhaps the best corner in the league, Raphel Cherry. They don’t have the huge pass rush of a Memphis or Washington, or the run-stuffing ability of Philadelphia, but they are capable of holding a team below 20 points almost at will. Now, if the offense could score 21 a game, they would be on to something. Weaknesses: LA has talent at receiver, potential at QB, a decent line to block for them, but who is running the ball? Draft pick Darrell Thompson has not worked out as planned, Tim Richardson will get you 2 yards whether you need 2 or 4, and Mel Farr is just not explosive enough to scare defenses. Enter Buford Jordan, brought over from Memphis in the Townsell trade. Jordan has his moments, but is he able to tote the full load for LA? It has been a long time since he was a lead back. What we expect: Growing pains, decent defense, but offensive struggles. It is tough to come into the USFL as a rookie QB and excel. It is even harder when your main target is likely to be a fellow rookie. Add in a weak run game and LA could be in for another long season, but at least one with some star power. PREDICTIONS Rather than simply provide you with the official USA TODAY projections, we thought we would add some other voices to the mix. We asked broadcasters, writers and former players and coaches to tell us what they expect out of this season, the spring league’s 9th. Keith Jackson, ABC Broadcaster: “I don’t see Washington repeating a title run. The USFL is too balanced for that and there is just too much talent out there. If you ask me to pick a favorite I will have to say New Jersey. Coach Perkins is a heck of a coach and he won’t let the Generals slump again this year, and even after 8 seasons, Herschel Walker can still get it done. He is a hoss!!!” Mike Lee: ESPN Broadcaster: “The secret to the USFL has been and still is quarterback play, so if you ask me to pick a favorite, I want to know about the quarterback position. In my mind there is no better player at that position right now than Tampa Bay’s Troy Aikman. He came close last year, and with that experience in his pocket I think he and Coach Spurrier will be ready this year to go all the way.” Lee Corso: Former USFL Coach, Now ESPN Broadcaster: “Not so fast, Mike. While Aikman has all the skills needed, there is a guy in Texas who showed he can get it done at an elite level. If Kelly Stouffer did not get hurt last year there is no way Texas finishes 8-8. With Carson and Metcalf to throw to, who is going to stop these Outlaws. I see Texas taking it.” Hub Arkush: Pro Football Weekly: “Sure, QB play is big, but defense still wins titles. We saw that with Philly, Michigan, Houston and now with Washington’s dominant D-line. That line is still there, and with even a marginal offense Washington is going to be tough. I am going to predict a repeat, and I know I will be mocked for that but I have Washington over Chicago in the Summer Bowl.” Gordon Forbes: USA Today NFL Columnist: “I love Hub, but you knew he would pick Chicago to be in the championship. Bit of a homer pick, there, Hub. I like both Chicago and Washington, but not enough to make that pick. I think Houston rebounds and takes the Central. Can they go all the way? It all depends on Jim Kelly. He has so much talent but he has to rein in his gunslinger mentality. Let Thurman Thomas drive the bus, and this Houston team can rebound.” Rick Neuheisel, Former USFL QB, Now coaching at UCLA: “Wow, everyone is discounting Arizona, and after the season they had last year, I don’t think you can do that. Sure, as a former Wrangler my heart is with the Coppertops, but I still think they are a solid pick. They had no major losses this offseason and they added some good talent on defense, so I am going to stick with the runners up last year and pick Arizona to go one step further this year and take it all.” Official USA TODAY Sportswriters Pool Projection: We polled the entire sports department at USA TODAY and while there were a lot of opinions, here is where the consensus lay: ATLANTIC: 1-Philadelphia 2-Washington 3-New Jersey 4-Baltimore 5-Pittsburgh SOUTHERN: 1-Tampa 2-Orlando 3-Memphis 4-Birmingham 5-Jacksonville CENTRAL: 1-Texas 2-New Orleans 3-Chicago 4-Michigan 5-Houston PACIFIC: 1-Arizona 2-Denver 3-Oakland 4-Portland 5-Los Angeles SUMMER BOWL 1991: Tampa Bay over Texas

Sporting News, December 8, 1990 In what may be the last USFL draft held without alterations from the NFL-USFL arbitration the league’s 20 franchises will try to fill roster gaps, upgrade positions, offset retirements, and hope to find some immediate impact playmakers. As has been the case for its first 8 seasons, we should expect that about half of the USFL picks will decline offers and hold out for an NFL selection, so while we will list many options available to USFL franchises this year, know going in that there will be several players who will decline to meet with USFL personnel staff and more still that will postpone a decision until the NFL draft in April. With that being the reality, USFL scouts, GM’s and coaches need to choose wisely, scouting not only talent but attitude and openness to the spring league. In our preview we will comment only when it is already established that a player is looking towards the NFL draft and may be unpersuadable. EASTERN CONFERENCE BALTIMORE BLITZ DRAFT NEEDS: LB, HB, DE, DT, S TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Recognizing that outside of Maryland, the regional schools are not going to produce much talent, Baltimore opted to select two distant schools among their territorial picks, Ok State and Minnesota may produce some good quality for them. From Maryland the top prospect is QB Scott Zolak, but that is a position of strength for Baltimore, so expect them to look perhaps at T Clarence Jones or G O’Neill Glenn. Minnesota’s best fit might be DT Mike Sunvold and OK State could give them a WR in Curtis Mayfield, or they could go for safety Joe King. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: With Tim Spencer simply not producing as a lead back for Baltimore, they may want to take a shot at a top-level halfback. There is no one in that category in their territorial schools, so they may have to spend a high open draft pick to sign one. They have been eyeing both ASU’s Leonard Russell and LSU’s Harvey Williams, but both of those are potential T-draft signees by the Wranglers and Breakers. If HB is not an option in the first round, they could try to fill one of their many defensive needs. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS DRAFT NEEDS: DE, CB, WR, HB, C, G TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: With Auburn and Alabama in their state, the Stallions always have good talent in their T-Draft. This year DT is a very talented pool from those schools, but not a high need for the Stallions. They may take a shot at Auburn HB James Joseph for depth, or look at Alabama S Efrum Thomas, but the Stallions also chose Southern Miss as their 3rd school, and that, in our minds, can only mean one thing, they are going to take a shot at signing QB Brett Favre. With both Cliff Stoudt and Bob Lane getting long in the tooth, signing a physically talented but not-ready-for-prime-time talent like Favre as an eventual replacement may be a very shrewd move. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Birmingham needs to add some more speed to their WR corps. Ernest Givens is getting double covered on every play and it impedes the Stallions offense, so expect Birmingham to look for a wideout early, since there are no good prospects for them in the T-Draft. Alvin Harper from Tennessee or Mike Pritchard may be good options if one escapes the T-Draft. Otherwise, look at someone like UTEP’s Reggie Barrett or Grambling’s Jake Reed. JACKSONVILLE BULLS DRAFT NEEDS: LB, T, G, CB, HB TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: After trading for Jamie Morris, Jacksonville may skip HB in the draft and focus on defense. With Georgia, FSU, and NC State as territorial schools, the Bulls have some good talent to look at. We like the look of Georgia’s Mo Lewis or FSU’s Anthony Moss at LB. They could also look at NC State DE Mike Jones or CB Joe Johnson. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Even if we assume that Jacksonville can get 1-2 solid defenders in the T-draft, they may take a shot on a high round defender in the Open Draft. Their other high need is to add quality to their O-line, so a bookend tackle like either Charlie McRae or Antone Davis, both from Tennessee, could be a choice and the Showboats likely won’t use 2 T-draft picks to acquire both. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS DRAFT NEEDS: DT, DE, TE, QB, HB TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Memphis saw what having a stud at DT did to free up Manley and Haley in Washington, and they would love to do the same for league MVP Reggie White, so expect them to take a shot or two on DT’s. But, their schools, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri, do not provide much there, so look for them to use the T-Draft for other positions. Tennessee is graduating three mid-range halfbacks, and Memphis could take a shot on one of them. They don’t need immediate help there, but having someone in hand in case either Dupree or Jordan go down is smart. TE is the only other position with a viable candidate, Mizzou’s Tim Bruton. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Here is where Memphis will go for their DT desires. This is a deep draft in that position, but so many of the top talents are at T-draft protected schools, so it is all about who falls through the cracks and is available in the Open Draft. One possible candidate is Wake Forest’s Eric Swann, another is Louisville’s Ted Washington. NEW JERSEY GENERALS DRAFT NEEDS: DE, DT, G, C, P TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Once again being a Northeastern team has its disadvantages. Having Rutgers, Syracuse and BC as territorial schools was seen as such a disadvantage that the league allows NJ a fourth non-regional school, and they have once again picked Oklahoma. That is one of their best options this year as the Sooners hae several talented players, but the one NJ should focus on would be DT Scott Evans, who would fit well within their scheme. They may also take a shot at TE Adrian Cooper from the Sooners and could look at Syracuse center John Flannery, although not a position of immediate need. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Just like Memphis, the Generals are going to have to wait and watch as teams work through the T-Draft, because so many of the best D-linemen (Russell Maryland, Huey Richardson, Bobby Wilson, Kelvin Pritchett, etc.) are leaving schools on another team’s protected list. ORLANDO RENEGADES DRAFT NEEDS: CB, HB, WR, G TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: After selecting U. of Miami and UNC, the Renegades surprised many by choosing UCF as their third territorial school. That means they are coveting either safety Raymond Irvin or WR Shawn Jefferson, maybe both. With Miami on board, they are in the driver’s seat if anyone wants a guaranteed shot at Russell Maryland, Randall Hill or Heisman Winner Craig Erickson. Don’t expect Orlando to go after Maryland, because the big man seems a prime candidate to wait for the NFL, and Orlando does not see DT as a high need. They may let someone else swing for the fences on that pick. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: We know that Orlando is going to sign multiple draftees in two key positions ,WR and CB, but they may also go for a mid-round HB to help spell Curtis Bledsoe. Cornerback is a deep position in this year’s draft, so do not be surprised if the Renegades spread CB picks throughout their draft. PHILADELPHIA STARS DRAFT NEEDS: OL, DT, DE, QB TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Like the other Northeast teams, the Stars went well beyond their region with their protected schools, adding both Louisville and Iowa to their usual pick of Penn State. Iowa seems an odd pick, as their best position this year is HB, which Philly does not need, but Louisville could produce some solid options, including a possible heir apparent for the oldest QB in football, Chuck Fusina. Browning Nagle has impressed scouts and we would not be surprised if Philly nabbed him with a T-Draft pick to groom him behind Fusina. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Philadelphia has solid talent all across their roster, but they need depth on both the O-line and D-line. Replacing retired DT Jumpy Geathers is likely their #1 priority and may be the target of their #1 pick. If not, if they go O-line, there are some quality DT prospects, perhaps a bit raw, in the later rounds. PITTSBURGH MAULERS DRAFT NEEDS: DT, DE, LB, CB, WR TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: The Maulers once again sound like a broken record. Great HB, solid QB, but they just cannot get a consistent defense behind them. DT is their top need, and in Pitt’s Mark Gunn they have a good shot at signing at least one solid candidate there. I expect they will try to sign at least 2 DTs. Their other top school is Ohio State, but this year looks weak in Buckeyes, with WR being the best position. The Maulers likely will take a shot at either Jeff Graham or Bobby Olive, but will either sign with the team? Seems unlikely. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: It is hard to figure the Maulers’ strategy here. Go for smaller school talent who are more likely to sign before the NFL draft or take a shot on big names and hope they can convince them to sign? If this were LA or NY it would be easier, but for many the thought of signing for the Maulers and giving up a chance with the Steelers is still a tall order. TAMPA BAY BANDITS DRAFT NEEDS: TE, C, K, DE, DT TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Having the rights to all Gator grads, the Bandits could take a shot at DE Huey Richardson, LB Godfrey Miles, or WR Ernie Mills. Tampa also has the Clemson players, so expect either CB Dexter Davis or DT Vance Howard to be a target. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: While not a top selection, the Bandits clearly need to upgrade at kicker. Benny Ricardo has just not been consistent enough. Georgia’s John Kasay, FSU’s Richie Andrews, or Cal’s Robbie Keen each have potential to be a more accurate option at the position. WASHINGTON FEDERALS DRAFT NEEDS: S, G, WR, DT TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: League champions rarely have profound needs, but Washington has a shot at a major upgrade in one key area in their T-Draft. UVa’s Herman Moore has expressed openness to signing with the USFL, and certainly being selected by the defending league champion with a QB who is another Wahoo in Don Majkowski would be attractive to Moore. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Safety is the deepest need for Washington, so expect them to look for one early in the draft. The top safeties on the board include UCLA’s Eric Turner, Texas’s Stanley Richard, and Indiana’s Mike Dumas. WESTERN CONFERENCE ARIZONA WRANGLERS DRAFT NEEDS: LB, DT, WR, TE, P TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: The U. of Arizona has some good talent to contribute to the Wranglers this year. We love DT Paul Glonek as a potential Wrangler, and CB Reggie Johnson is certainly worth a look. The big question is if the Wranglers, with a solid combo at HB with Lionel James and Darryl Clack will take a flyer on the top HB in the draft, Sun Devil Leonard Russel. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: The Wranglers would love to add more options for Robbie Bosco and TE Terry Orr is clearly losing a step, so TE might be a priority. They also need to sign a punter after a mediocre season on special teams last year, but that is a final round pick if we have ever seen one. CHICAGO MACHINE DRAFT NEEDS: HB, LB, G, CB, QB TERRITORIAL DRAFT OPTIONS: When Chicago traded away Jamie Morris we all knew what they were thinking. Morris’s production had been fading since his rookie season and one of the most versatile backs in football is prime for a Chicago T-Draft signing. Expect Ricky Watters to be wooed heavily by Coach Bugel and the Machine. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Chicago needs to shore up its LB corps, so early picks in this position seem likely. Expect 2-3 choices across both drafts. They may also use a mid-round pick to sign a suitable backup to Chuck Long as Reggie Slack has not yet been able to lock up the #2 position in Chicago. DENVER GOLD DRAFT NEEDS: G, S, CB TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Guard and DB are the two obvious areas of need for the Gold, though new coach Joe Walton may also want to add some offensive support for Bob Gagliano. As usual the combo of Colorado, BYU and Nebraska offers options. If CB is a priority (which it should be) then Denver should take a serious look at either Nebraska CB Bruce Pickens or BYU CB Brian Mitchell. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Expect Denver to use multiple picks to find a guard who is game ready. They cannot afford to develop over time, and a miscue at the position would be rough, so we expect several guards to be picked in hopes that one shines in camp. Ed King of Auburn is the highest rated guard, but we are not sure that Denver will have a shot at him unless Birmingham passes in the T-Draft. HOUSTON GAMBLERS DRAFT NEEDS: DE, LB, G, TE, K TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Texas A&M is the best of Houston’s pipeline schools, and there is some good talent there, including TE Dennis Ransom, LB William Thomas, S Larry Horton, and C Mike Arthur. The best player from either U. of Houston or TCU is LB Reggie Burnette of the Cougars. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Houston, like Tampa, will want to sign a kicker, as Dave Jacobs’ retirement leaves them without a solid option at the position. And while Keith McKeller did well at TE for Houston, they will almost certainly use an early pick to find a more athletic option at the position. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS DRAFT NEEDS: QB, WR, HB, G, DL TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: More than anything else, the Express need to draft for box office cache. They lost a lot of fans last year with their no-name offense, and after releasing QB Walter Lewis they either have to turn the offense over to Rodney Peete or sign a rookie. Expect LA to select both USC’s Todd Marinovich and SDSU’s Dan McGwire, hoping that one of them will forego the NFL draft and sign with the team. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: QB is one key position, but LA needs to add a talented and marketable HB or WR this year to win back fans. Looking at both positions, the two best candidates to bring both excitement and production in their first year are halfback Eric Bienemy of Colorado and wideout Rocket Ismael of Notre Dame. Don’t be surprised if LA uses early picks on both (assuming Denver and Chicago don’t use T-Draft picks on them.) MICHIGAN PANTHERS DRAFT NEEDS: LB, DE, S, QB, K TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: The retirements of John Williams and John Corker will transform the look of the Panthers this year. They need to pick up some LB help and having Michigan State protected means they have a shot at two very good LB options in Dixon Edwards and Carlos Jenkins. They also have swapped out Central Michigan for Western this year, which makes us think that they want to use the T-Draft to potentially sign the very energetic Bronco LB Terry Crews. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: No one is sure if Michigan’s signing of Lydell Carr from the Renegades, paired with Vince Workman means the Panthers are set at HB or if they will take a shot at one in the Open Draft. We are gambling that they don’t and will focus instead on other needs such as Defensive End or Safety. The best DE who is not at a T-Draft protected college is Wisconsin’s Don Davey, who won’t be much of a pass rusher but provides excellent run coverage. Another possible target, perhaps in the 2nd or 3rd round would be UT-Chattanooga’s Tony Hill, who offers more pass rush upside. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS DRAFT NEEDS: WR, T, DT, CB, P TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: It is unlikely that the Breakers will find a replacement for the retired Nolan Franz in the draft, and while they do have some options with their three protected schools, LSU wideout Slip Watkins and LA Tech’s Bobby Slaughter are not considered top tie. Expect New Orleans to possibly take a shot at a wideout in the open spot, and to focus on other position needs here. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Wideout should be a priority here if some of the top prospects like Miami’s Randall Hill, Colorado’s Mike Pritchard, or Tennessee’s Alvin Harper are unchosen in the T-Draft, expect New Orleans to test the waters. OAKLAND INVADERS DRAFT NEEDS: G, T, TE, HB, WR, CB TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: There really isn’t a position where Oakland could not upgrade. Looking at their protected schools (Stanford, Cal, and Fresno St.) we like the possibility of them signing several players, including Stanford wideout Ed McCaffrey, who has the look and feel of a USFL signee looking for a shot, and Oakland would be a good fit. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: The Invaders have a wide open table in front of them. They could go defense, such as a CB or DT, or they could strengthen their O-line early in the draft. We expect that somewhere in the draft they will also try to upgrade their backup HB position as Paul Palmer has had injury issues which have been problematic for the Invaders. PORTLAND THUNDER DRAFT NEEDS: TE, T, C, DT, CB, S, HB TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Portland has to hit on some T-Draft picks because they traded away so many picks in last year’s trade frenzy that their Open Draft will be a short one. The best prospects out of their 3 schools (Oregon, Oregon State, Washington) are safety Charles Mincey of Washington, DT Esera Tuaolo of Oregon State, and tackle Pellom McDaniels, also of the Beavers. They could go after Oregon QB Bill Musgrave, but with David Archer in camp, the need is just not there. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Withonly 5 picks in the open draft due to last year’s trades, Portland still has a lot of needs. Expect them to try to strengthen their run game by signing a possible contributor at right tackle, and to add depth to their TE corps, which was pretty poor behind starter Clint Didier. TEXAS OUTLAWS DRAFT NEEDS: DB, OL, TERRITORIAL DRAFT TALENT: Whether it is Safety or Corner, Texas clearly needs help in the defensive backfield. They could get some from their protected schools. Baylor safety Charles Bell looks like a solid option, as does Texas’s Stanley Richard (if he will sign with the USFL). The O-line is another area of need, so perhaps Longhorn tackle Stan Thomas is a pick. OPEN DRAFT OPTIONS: Don’t expect any offensive skills players here. Texas needs to shore up the line in front of Kelly Stouffer and find a way to keep other teams from burning that secondary, so those two areas will likely occupy all the top rounds for the Outlaws.

November 20, 1990 It took over 14 months to complete, and there will almost certainly be detractors on both sides who are upset by the final terms, but the NFL and USFL have come to a first-of-its-kind agreement between two professional sports leagues. Unlike earlier talks between the NFL and AFL, this is not a merger, but an agreement between two leagues which will remain independent but which will attempt not to engage in a full-on war over personnel and players. The agreement itself is complex and lengthy (over 700 pages) but we have boiled it down to its essentials for you. TRANSFER WINDOWS The two leagues have agreed to create two transfer windows, one during each league’s offseason and one which crosses into the preseason/camp season of each league. Only during these two 30 day periods can teams from one league negotiate with and sign players from the other league. The two periods correspond roughly to the months of January and July, with the first period extending to the 2nd week of February and the second to the 2nd week of August to fully allow those franchises who progress in each league’s playoff season to still have the option of signing players in a short window immediately following the Super Bowl or Summer Bowl. Leagues may allow internal free agency within a larger window, but cannot attempt to negotiate contracts with players whose last contract was with the other league outside of the two window. The transfer window will also be applied to coaches, scouts, GM’s and other player personnel within both leagues, with the sole exception that any staff members who have been unemployed for 6 months become true free agents, able to sign at any time. The expectation for this, of course, is that the USFL will largely sign players and coaches in the July-August window, while the NFL will look primarily at the February-March window. It is fully anticipated that this will lead to a lot of players in both leagues waiting until the final weeks before preseason play before agreeing in full to a new contract, in hope of obtaining a bid from the rival league during the window. TRANSFER FEE In addition to limiting the timing of of inter-league transfers, the two leagues agreed to a transfer fee system similar to what we see in European football (soccer). Even though the leagues may only negotiate with players whose contracts are either expired or will expire prior to the next window, it is agreed that when a player jumps from one league to the other, the receiving franchise must remit to the franchise of origin for the player a transfer fee equivalent to 10% of the transferring player’s first year under their new contract. RESTRICTED FREE AGENCY The creation of both transfer windows and transfer fees was not enough for both leagues, so a form of restricted free agency, or right of first refusal, was also included within the deal. This clause applies only to players ending their rookie contract with their NFL or USFL franchise. For these players the franchise which held the rookie contract has the right to match the terms of the new bidder from the rival league. In a win for the two unions, the original idea of having the matched bid automatically trump the rival bid has not made it into the final agreement. Instead, the player will have two equal bids and will have the final word on which of the two to accept. This arrangement exists only for this one group of players, those concluding their rookie contract. For all others, and here we mean veteran players, the free agency is absolute, and while any team in either league can make a bid during the free agency period or transfer window, the player can accept any bid, with no matching from their team of origin. UNDERCLASSMEN AND THE COLLEGIATE DRAFT Having dealt with veteran players and player personnel staff through the transfer window clauses, the remaining group, collegiate players, were the focus of a five way negotiation between both leagues, both player unions, and the NCAA, invited in as a means of avoiding the implementation of bans on school visits, scouting, and other amenities which the universities threatened to pull from both leagues. This was rumored to be the most difficult element of the agreement as there were so many parties in the room, with very diverse aims. The NCAA conceded on the signing of student athletes after completion of their junior year, a position they all but had to accept as they have no legal recourse to prevent students from withdrawing from the universities. In trade for this concession, the NFL and USFL agreed to alter their scouting, evaluation and draft timetables. The USFL, the biggest concern for NCAA members, agreed to reschedule their draft to the first week of February. The NFL, still concerned about the ability of the USFL to sign players before the NFL had a say, would also reschedule their draft from April to the 2nd week of February, putting only 2 weeks between the two drafts and providing players and teams the opportunity to review both draft results before signing with either league. The resulting agreement might mean the signing of several high profile juniors each year, but it allows the NCAA to complete the Bowl Season without players scrambling to sign with agents and without the USFL signing players before the big January 1 bowls were played. Both the NFL and USFL Draft would be reduced to 9 rounds, with the USFL opting to retain 2 rounds of Territorial Picks and 7 rounds of Open Picks. The USFL will also reduce the number of territorial schools to 2 for each franchise, essentially diminishing the T-Draft to a point where only those who have all but guaranteed they will sign with their USFL team will be drafted. This will put far greater weight on the Open Draft within the USFL. The NFL will retain its purely open draft format, but with only 9 rounds, there will be a far greater pool of undrafted rookie free agents for both leagues. SCHEDULING The creation of the two transfer windows, along with the alterations to both the NFL and USFL drafts all but required adjustments to the two league schedules. Alteration of the USFL schedule was already on the table for the spring league as they have often had concerns about harsh weather during the opening weeks of the season. The new USFL schedule will begin on the fourth weekend in March, rather than the 2nd, which will push their Championship to the first weekend of August. This essentially handicaps the ability for teams in the Championship Game to sign NFL talent, although, with one full week of window left, those teams would be able to send player personnel to negotiate contracts and could have all but the signatures in place until the day after the Championship game. A similar situation exists with the NFL, which will now move the start of its season to the first weekend after Labor Day, typically the 2nd week of September. This means that the regular season will now end (in most years) on either Christmas Weekend or in the dates between Christmas and New Year. The Super Bowl would now be scheduled for the first weekend in February, although the league could decide to reduce the gap between their Conference Championships and the Super Bowl to 1 week from 2, and this would allow for a late January (or very early February) Super Bowl in most years. The shift most likely benefits the USFL in that their opening weeks, now towards the end of March are less likely to face intense cold or blizzard conditions in most locations, while the NFL will now have to expect some bad weather games truly impacting the final weeks of the year, although having a season finale during the heart of the Christmas season essentially guarantees that the weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year are dominated by NFL football. OUR THOUGHTS The main aspects of this agreement will shape the 1991 NFL Season and the 1992 USFL season as the first Transfer Window will be the July 1991 window. The first drafts impacted will be the 1992 USFL and NFL drafts, now both scheduled for February 1992. Looking at the deal as a whole there is a lot for USFL fans to be excited about. First off, we should not expect a repeat of the Jim Mora situation, although a coach could still resign just prior to the Transfer Window, but what we should not see are coaches resigning because they have already been in touch with teams outside of the window. The Transfer Fee may prove a deterrent for inter-league movement even more than the Transfer Windows themselves, though we anticipate that what we will see is a lot of backloaded contracts with lower pay in the first season directly reducing the transfer fee. Why pay a player $1M each year, when you can pay $500K in their first year and add the remaining $500K to the remaining years to avoid paying double the transfer fee? Perhaps the most problematic shift, primarily impacting the USFL, is the delay of the rookie draft until February. This gives the league approximately 6 weeks to sign players, get them into camp, introduce them to the playbook and gameplans, hope they can get some reps in the league’s 2 game preseason and then play for real at the end of March. What we might expect to see are more rookies entering their team’s starting lineups midseason, after they get up to speed. This may be less dramatic for positions like HB and CB which are more instinctive and can be rushed into games, but for the quarterbacks, linemen, and linebackers, this may have to be the way players are acclimated to the pro game. We may miss the “Wild West” nature of the battles between the two leagues, but fans who have watched USFL stars like Steve Young, Bobby Hebert, Anthony Carter or Craig James suddenly snatched from their teams, the idea of both a limited transfer window and a financial disincentive, along with the right of first refusal for young stars, has to be seen as a positive. Just the fact that the NFL was once again forced to essentially treat the USFL as an equal, or at least a true competitor, and not dismiss it as a 2nd tier imitation, is music to the ears of USFL owners, officials, and fans. With this agreement in place, we may just see a stabilization of relationships, and while true cooperation may still be a long ways off, in small ways the two leagues are finding their ground, both expecting to be around for a long time.

USA Today, Sept. 3, 1990 The USFL’s annual owner’s meeting concluded today and the topic on everyone’s mind is the ongoing arbitration between the spring league and its fall rival, the NFL. While most expect that the arbitration process will continue into the fall, there do seem to be some general agreements in place which will impact both leagues. We will discuss this along with other league matters of note over the past month. NFL-USFL ARBITRATION MEETINGS We begin with the main concern of the NFL-USFL arbitration, player and coach signings. The timing of the two leagues’ seasons has produced over the past 8 years a very uncomfortable series of signings (poachings if you believe some voices in both camps). With the USFL season ending in late June and playoffs extending into July, it is not uncommon for USFL teams to sign NFL Free Agents just as the fall league’s teams begin training camp, and well after that league’s main free agency period, making it difficult for teams to sign replacements for players who jump leagues. A similar situation exists each spring as NFL teams open their free agency period, with some USFL players holding out in hopes of getting a better offer from an NFL team. A similar situation has occurred with coaching hires, with the most egregious cases being the USFL’s Baltimore Blitz signing of Coach Marty Schottenheimer away from the Cleveland Browns just as the NFL preseason was set to begin, and then, the following year, the disputed tampering with Philadelphia Stars head coach Jim Mora, signing with the New Orleans Saints only days after a surprise resignation from the Stars, with mounting evidence that Saints staff had been in contact with both Mora and his agent during the USFL season. The concern about inter-league signings seems to have produced an agreement in broad terms around the idea of a “transfer window” similar to the format used in European soccer in which set time periods are designated for teams to communicate with agents and players and for signings to occur. Timing of these periods seems to be the biggest sticking point, as neither league is particularly enamored of the idea of players switching leagues at any point during the camps, preseason or season of their own league. Speaking under the agreement that names would not be disclosed, one of the USFL owners who is part of the arbitration team has stated that he believes an agreement on both transfer windows and on modifications to the draft will be ready for each league to vote on within the month, but that there are sure to be folks on both sides who are unhappy with the proposal currently under consideration. The Collegiate draft has been another sticking point, with the NFL frustrated by the USFL’s ability to sign players in January, 3 months before their own draft in April. The NCAA has also chimed in on the draft issue, as they have grown increasingly frustrated with the USFL’s recruitment of top collegiate players in December, as Bowl Season is still in play. It has been confirmed that the NCAA has proposed a compromise position which would require the USFL to defer its draft until mid-January in return for the NCAA adjusting eligibility rules to allow seniors to sign with agents in the period between the regular season (typically ending around Thanksgiving) and the College Bowls without losing eligibility. The issue of Juniors and other underclassmen signing remains a bone of contention, and one which the NCAA is unlikely to negotiate. If, however, the NFL and USFL can agree on a draft system which allows both league’s equal opportunities to sign NCAA players, that may go a long way in minimizing the tensions between the two leagues. Expect some movement on the arbitration front within the next 2 months as all parties have expressed a desire to complete the process prior to the end of the year. Any agreement is likely to take effect no sooner than the summer of 1991 as the USFL will be well past its free agency window, and will once again hold their collegiate draft in December, so any agreement will likely impact the time leading up to the 1991 Fall NFL season and the 1992 Spring USFL season. USFL OWNERSHIP ISSUES As reported earlier this season, it is well known that representatives of a group hoping to bring professional football to St. Louis after the departure of the NFL Cardinals has been in ongoing talks with parties in both the NFL and USFL. This month we learned that the Pittsburgh Maulers are out of that conversation. Owner Ed DeBartolo Sr. who has been plagued by issues of conflict of interest as his family also owns the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, has counteracted the St. Louis group and assured that the Maulers will remain in the Steel City by agreeing to sell the majority share of the Maulers to Pittsburgh Associates, the private-public consortium of businesses led by former Pittsburgh mayor Richard Caliguiri (who stepped down in 1988) which also has the controlling stake in the Pittsburgh Pirates MLB team. Debartolo will remain a minority owner and is likely to have a significant voice in team personnel and management, but the move reduces the issues surrounding the DeBartolo family’s ties to the NFL and also provides a solid bedrock of local corporate support for the Maulers. The joining of the Pirates and Maulers leadership under the umbrella of Pittsburgh Assoc. may also help to alleviate tensions between the two clubs over the use and care for Three Rivers Stadium, which houses both clubs over the course of the spring and summer. The partial sale of the Maulers means that James Orthwein and his St. Louis consortium will likely be focusing their attention on the potential sale of the New England Patriots of the NFL or the uncertain situation of the LA Express in the USFL. Orthwein has made significant headway with the current owner of the Patriots Victor Kiam, but concerns about obtaining a lease to Foxboro Stadium, which is owned by a rival bidder for the club, Robert Kraft. Kraft’s ownership of the most viable stadium in the Boston area could be a major stumbling block for a potential purchase of the franchise, although that would be greatly diminished if Orthwein was able to get approval of the NFL to relocate the franchise to St. Louis immediately, an unlikely but not impossible situation. If the New England sale runs afowl, there is significant potential for Orthwein to renew talks with the LA Express, who seem open to the idea of a sale. The concern with that sale, of course, is the impact a loss of the U.S.’s 2nd largest TV market would have on the USFL’s contract with ABC and ESPN. Having weathered the storm of losing Chicago when the Blitz bolted for Baltimore in 1986, the USFL would again find itself having to make concessions to their television partners or, at the very least once again guaranteeing a return to the LA market within a short time frame. And while the past year in Los Angeles has been rough for the franchise, with fans turning against current ownership for their inability to resign top players like QB Steve Young and HB Christian Okoye, the league’s revenue sharing has certainly kept the unrest from turning into financial exigency. If Orthwein is again stymied in his attempt to relocate an existing pro football franchise, the next option may be to push one or both leagues to consider expansion. The USFL has postponed expansion considerations until after the resolution of their arbitration with the NFL, and it is almost certain that the NFL holds a similar position, but it is not unreasonable to expect that one or both leagues may look to expand in the near future. The NFL has sat at 28 teams since the introduction of the Buccaneers and Seahawks in 1976, while the younger USFL, which started with only 12 franchises, expanded to 16 in only its second year of existence, and again to 20 teams in 1987. A third expansion to either 22 teams, or perhaps more likely 24 franchises at some point in the upcoming decade seems plausible as it is well known that there are ownership bidders out there waiting for the opportunity. In addition to the well-known St. Louis bid, other groups have coalesced with hopes of bringing USFL football to town in locations as diverse as Seattle (a 1987 bidder), Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Columbus (OH), San Diego, and even a group in Tulsa who are hoping to entice the Outlaws back to the Sooner state. Speaking of the Outlaws, it should be noted that the franchise has announced that it is extending its lease in San Marcos at Texas State University’s Bobcat stadium for another two years due to delays in the construction of San Antonio’s AlamoDome. The dome, now slated to open in time for a 1993 USFL season, has suffered some significant delays as shortages in steel and labor force over the past year have put the stadium construction almost 12 months behind schedule. The Outlaws will continue to play 7 games per year in Bobcat Stadium and have announced that their annual game played in another Texas stadium will continue, with 1991 scheduled for Fouts Field at the University of North Texas in Denton and 1992 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the campus of SMU in Dallas. OTHER LEAGUE MEETING NEWS Here are just a few of the other items which have come out of this week’s meetings in New York: USFL Films to work with Fox Network to broadcast Friday Night “This is the USFL” nationally. The longstanding “This is the USFL” recap show produced by USFL Films will be hitting a broader audience as it has signed an agreement to join the fledgling Fox Network as a regular Friday night feature. FOX, which has been expanding its sports base, will broadcast an expanded 1 hour version of the show each Friday at 8pm Eastern Time. It is rumored that FOX has been interested in a potential Monday or Friday night USFL broadcast as part of its goal to become a 7-day-per week entertainment destination. The introduction of a full recap, interview, and highlights show may be a step in this direction. The USFL has to date avoided Monday Night broadcasts in favor of a Saturday-Sunday combination in hopes of avoiding the obvious parallel with the NFL product. However, with Friday night a viable option, something the NFL avoids due to conflicts with high school football in the fall, the USFL may be open to adding a third evening game to its schedule. With the ABC/ESPN contract due for renegotiation in 1992, timing may be right for a third venue for USFL football, and it appears that FOX is hoping to build the USFL into its budding sports division. The Competition Committee recommended only one rule change for the upcoming season, involving the Unsportsmanlike Conduct violation. After a few games this year got chippy, the league has voted to approve what they are calling a 3-strike policy. Under the new guidelines if a player is called for unsportsmanlike conduct twice within a game, they are required to leave the field of play and are disqualified for the remainder of the game. Additionally if over a span of 3 weeks a player (in any combination of games over that period) is charged three times with unsportsmanlike conduct, they will face a 2-game suspension and a fine to equal one game check. That is a hefty price to pay for what is usually a pretty rare penalty to be called. We should note that unlike the NFL where the unsportsmanlike penalty can be called for excessive celebration or taunting, in the USFL the primary uses of the call are for physical altercations between players, namely biting or the throwing of punches, or for the extremely rare situation where players come off the bench to participate in a scuffle on the field. Finally, the USFL has announced the next two locations for its newly-dubbed Summer Bowl. As they have done in the past, the league will alternate between Western Conference and Eastern Conference locations. With the last 3 championship games having been played in prime time, during the cooler part of the evening, there are fewer concerns about location, although the Phoenix area is still likely to be snubbed as their late afternoon temperatures in July can be an unbearable 100+ degrees. The league announced this week that following Summer Bowl 1991 at the LA Coliseum, the 1992 edition of the league’s championship would be played at the home of the current champions, at Washington D.C.’s. RFK Stadium. The 1993 edition of the game will return indoors for the first time since the 1989 Silverdome game, as it will be hosted by the city of New Orleans and its SuperDome. TEAM MARKETING & DESIGN And, just in case you thought we had forgotten, we do have one more uniform reveal for you. Russell Athletic this week revealed a modest redux of the uniforms of the Oakland Invaders. Much to the hopes of the Invader faithful, the logo, colors and uniform design are not significantly altered from the yellow and sky blue designs that fans have grown to embrace. The most noteworthy adjustments are a reordering of stripes, to create consistency, with the helmet stripe now running from white to navy to sky blue from outside to inside. This Is paralleled on the blue jersey with a yellow-navy-white pattern and on the white jersey with a yellow-navy-sky blue pattern. Oakland’s design has also joined with two recent trends, the use of three-color numbers and the presence of the helmet logo at some other location on the uniform. In Oakland’s case the familiar lightning bearer logo will be found on the hip of both the yellow and white pants. The team has announced a plan to alternate the pant-jersey combos to include an all-white look, white over yellow, blue over yellow and blue over white. Finally, the jersey will feature the team’s name “Invaders” embroidered over the front numbers in 1” lettering, not as notable as some NCAA teams, but another feature that fans can find on their replica jerseys as they tout their loyalty to the East Bay’s pro team.

Sporting News, August 5, 1990 Ongoing negotiations between the NFL and USFL have led to one of the quietest USFL offseasons in memory. With one of the initial agreements being a temporary moratorium on inter-league signings, with both leagues agreeing to sign no players who played the prior season in the other league, the USFL offseason has been primarily a story of second tier players moving within the league. Yes, we have 2 new coaching hires, and yes, there were a couple of big trades, but so far this offseason has largely been one of small signings and players most people don’t know shifting around the league. THE COACHES Following the signing of former NY Jets Head Coach Joe Walton to lead the Denver Gold, the two other USFL franchises with openings at the Head Coach position quickly signed their new chiefs in hopes of avoiding a delay and a possible slide in the offseason. The LA Express followed the predictions and have signed former Stanford University Head Coach Jack Elway to lead the beleaguered franchise. Elway, a California native with no pro experience, has coached at both San Jose State and Stanford, and now takes over a team with significant offensive concerns and a fan base that is not in a forgiving mood. His first order of business will likely be trying to inject some life into the offense, a group that set franchise records for futility in 1989. Expect immediate changes at quarterback, where veteran QB Walter Lewis was ineffective, and was pulled from several games in favor of untested former USC signal caller Rodney Peete. When the best QB performance of the season was led by longtime backup Frank Seurer, you know something has to change. Do not be surprised if either Lewis or Peete are let go this offseason. The good news for LA is that within their 2 territorial schools they have two of the top QB prospects in this year’s draft pool. USC’s Todd Marinovich and San Diego State’s Dan McGwire could both be protected picks for the Express. If they can sign one of those two, they may just win back some of their disgruntled fanbase. The last open position, that of the Texas Outlaws, was also filled this week, and in a bit of a surprise the Outlaws did not bring on the flamboyant “maverick” Jerry Glanville, instead going with the somewhat stoic former Arizona Cardinals head man, Gene Stallings. Stallings, who led Texas A&M from 1965-1991 is certainly a veteran of both the pro and college game, but his stint in Arizona was not exactly stellar, leading the Cardinals through 4 losing seasons and never finishing higher than 3rd in the NFC East. Viewed as the hire of a local celebrity, known to the fans, rather than a younger, more innovative coach, this move may push Texas towards a more old school formula. With Reggie Cobb and Kelly Stouffer leading the offense, the team could still find success, but Stallings will be expected to turn around a defense which finished in the bottom 5 of the league in pretty much every category, and a team that saw an 8-4 season turn into 8-8 with a final month to forget about. RETIREMENTS The 1990-199 offseason’s biggest moves may be its retirements, with several USFL stars hanging up their cleats after productive careers. With the league about to enter its 9th season, some of the early stars of the fledgling spring league, who were there to watch the league grow and establish itself in the American sports scene, have reached the end of their careers and announced that they are leaving the game. Perhaps the retirements with the biggest impact are the two big names leaving the Michigan Panthers. The first of these is halfback John Williams. Williams retires with 2 USFL Championship rings, 8,281 yards, and 53 touchdowns to his name. The Panther back has rushed for 1,000 + yards six times in his 8 years in the league and finished 1990 as the 5th ranked back in rushing yards. Never getting the acclaim of backs such as Herschel Walker or Kelvin Bryant, Williams retires ranked 6th all time in the USFL rushing recordbook. Michigan will also be celebrating the career of LB John Corker. Corker, who came to the Panthers from the Houston Oilers, played all 8 seasons in one of the toughest linebacker corps in the league. He finishes his career with 782 tackles, 25 sacks, 9 interceptions and a reputation as one of the grittiest players in the league. Another team with two legends retiring this year are the New Orleans Breakers, who say goodbye to both Nolan Franz and Marcus Marek. Franz came into the league with the Boston Breakers and has led the team in receiving all 8 seasons of his USFL career, finishing with 9,305 yards on 559 receptions. He burst onto the scene in 1983 with the league, when he caught 92 balls and 12 TDs. Other than an injury-plagued 1985 season, Franz has been over 900 yards receiving every season and has had double digit TD’s 6 times in his career. Marcus Marek has been the rock at the center of the Breaker defense since coming into the league from Ohio State in 1983. He retires with 862 tackles, 19 sacks, 11 interceptions and six All-USFL nominations to his name. Mel Gray, Memphis’s all-time leading receiver and one of the oldest players in the league, has also decided the time is now to hang them up. Gray retires with 8,924 yards and an astounding 764 receptions in 8 years, having caught more than 100 balls in 6 of his seven seasons. Gray was one of the first NFL signings by the expansion Memphis Showboats in 1984, and has proven to be a master of possession receptions, averaging only 11.7 yards per catch, but always being open on a key third down. Denver’s all-time interception leader, David Martin retires with 31 picks in his pocket. Named Defensive Player of the Year in 1984, Martin was a ballhawking man-on-man specialist for Denver. Other retirements of note include Philadelphia DT Jumpy Gaethers (43 sacks in 8 years), Pittsburgh WR Danny Buggs (48 career TDs for the Maulers and Bandits), longtime Denver Gold and now Texas Outlaw DT Laval Short (32 sacks, 9 forced fumbles), and former Detroit Lion QB Rusty Hilger, who came to the Chicago Machine anticipating a starting role but was never able to beat out the younger Chuck Long for the job. Houston, Michigan, and Memphis are going to be looking for new kickers as Tony Franklin, Dave Jacobs and Ali Haji-Sheikh have also opted to retire this offseason. Apparently, the lure of the golf course was too great. THE TRADE WIRE Two big trades made news this past month. One expected and one catching everyone by surprise. We start with a trade most expected to be in the works. After a strong 959-yard rookie season with the Machine, HB Jamie Morris has failed to provide the spark needed for the Machine run game, rushing for only 536 yards in ’89 and 631 last year. Chicago had been seeking a trade partner for Morris and found one in Jacksonville, who had been unsatisfied with the production from veteran James Wilder (802 yards and a 3.5 YPC average). It appears that the Bulls are looking at the success of rushing duos in New Orleans, Memphis and Arizona and is ready to pair Morris with Wilder. They send LB Fred Smalls and a 6th round pick in the 1992 draft to Chicago for Jamie Morris. Chicago will almost certainly be looking for a lead back in this year’s draft, with several strong candidates available, including Leonard Russell (ASU), Harvey Williams (LSU), and Eric Bienemy (Colorado), though the inside track may be for Chicago to use their territorial rights to Notre Dame to approach Golden Domer Ricky Watters. The other big trade, and the one that no one saw coming was a QB swap. Jacksonville head coach Galen Hall bought himself a reprieve after an 0-8 start by winning 6 of 8 games, but the development of QB Chris Miller has simply not panned out for the Bulls. Meanwhile in New Jersey, the competition between starter Doug Flutie and backup Timm Rosenbach has divided the team. Rosenbach has had enough success subbing for the veteran Flutie that some have started to question whether the veteran’s unorthodox style is a hinderance to the Generals offense. Rosenbach has openly pushed for a legitimate chance to start. Well, it would seem that Coach Perkins has had enough. The Generals trade Rosenbach to the Bulls, sending along a 1992 3rd rounder as well to obtain Chris Miller. Miller, whose more dynamic style is more akin to Flutie’s would be expected to back up the former Heisman winner, with a chance to start should Flutie’s performance in 1991 prove uneven, while Rosenbach is now the presumptive starter in Jacksonville, with only veteran Tony Eason to compete with in the Bulls QB battle. It is certainly unusual to see a 3,000 yard passer traded to become a backup, but Miller has not found success in the wins-loses column in Jacksonville, and he may have a legitimate chance to replace Flutie in New Jersey, while the outspoken Rosenbach gets what he has been demanding, a chance to prove himself as a starter with the Bulls. FREE AGENCY As we stated earlier, this offseason is defined by the lack of inter-league signing due to the moratorium created as part of the two league’s ongoing arbitration process, and by the movement primarily of second tier players. That is not to say that some of the moves may not make an impact, just that it is not exactly front page news when a backup guard changes teams. Looking at the moves made this offseason, here are the player relocations that will likely have the greatest impact on their teams. WR Vic James, who had three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons for Denver early in his career, is leaving Orlando and signing with the Memphis Showboats, who apparently just love wideouts in their 30’s. James had career lows with Orlando last year, appearing in only 2 games and making only 1 reception. FB Tim Manoa to Houston. The Gamblers nab one of the premier fullbacks in the game, hoping to help Thurman Thomas do even more by signing the former Blitz roadgrater. HB Lydell Carr signed by Michigan. The former Renegade did not get a lot of carries in Orlando, but Michigan, hoping to restock the backfield after the retirement of John Williams hopes he has juice in those legs. QB Brent Pease, who ended up 3rd on the depth chart in Michigan, is hoping to move up a notch in Orlando, where he can compete to back up Reggie Collier, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. G Jeff Zimmerman moves from Tampa Bay to New Orleans. Another improvement for the Breakers run game and a possible concern for Tampa’s already weak run game. WR Steve Tasker has not caught on as a receiver in LA, but has been a shining star on special teams. Texas, which already had Carlos Carson and Eric Metcalf at wideout will likely limit Tasker’s role to kick coverage as well. LB Glen Davila, a longtime member of the Blitz defense, is headed to the other coast, signing with Portland. DE John Cade, who appeared in 11 games for the league champion Federals last year will now shoot for a starting position in Jacksonville. QB Jason Garrett, let go by Pittsburgh, signed on as the 3rd QB in New Jersey. The Princeton grad will likely see more clipboard time than playing time for the Generals. G Harry Grimminger shifts from New Orleans to Oakland. The veteran who started 11 games for the Breakers in 1985 has been a backup for several years but hopes to get into the starting 11 for the Invaders. TE Abraham Davis from Philadelphia to Tampa Bay. Tampa continues to seek out a consistent dual option at the position as both their run and pass games hope to improve in 1991. CHAMPION REVEALS UPDATES TO TWO TEAMS Champion Athletics, which is the uniform supplier for 4 of the 20 USFL squads, has announced updates for the Arizona Wranglers and New Orleans Breakers. Both clubs had very successful 1990 campaigns, but fell short of a title, New Orleans losing to the Wranglers in the Conference Title Game, while Arizona came up just short against Washington in Summer Bowl 1990. The Wranglers look changes only slightly from their familiar copper helmet and flame-bedecked copper pants. The jersey is really the only adjustment, with a new number font which has a “flame” effect built in and some shifts in the sleeve cuff and collar striping, the changes are likely to be noticed only by the most attentive of fans. The other addition is a small “State of Football” patch which features the flag of Arizona within a silhouette of the state itself. This decal appears at the rear of the helmet and will also be used on marketing products for the team. The Breakers’ new look is a bit more of a departure, although once again the main components of the longstanding Ocean Blue, Navy and Grey Sky uniforms remain. The helmet remains the same, with the crashing waves extending along both sides and meeting in the back. The new “Crescent City” decal on the back is small enough to go unnoticed at any distance, but ties the franchise to the city. The biggest adjustment is with the striping, both on the pants and the sleeves. Gone are the straight line stripes typical of 1980’s design, and in their place are wave-like stripes meant to evoke the team’s names. The stripes vary in width along their length, giving the illusion of rising and ebbing waves. On the sleeves the two gulls found in the team logo also make an appearance, tying the uniform to the logo more closely. So no major departures for Champion Athletic with these redesigns. We shall see if Russell Athletic does anything more radical with their upcoming reveal of the new look for the Oakland Invaders. We hope nothing too drastic, as Oakland’s Air Force inspired look is one of our favorites in the league.

In a game that had a little of everything, the Washington Federals edged the Arizona Wranglers 16-13 to take home their first league title. Led by QB Don Majkowski and a high pressure defense, the Federals limited the Wranglers to 299 total yards and only one touchdown. Arizona, for their part, played an equally tough defense, forcing Washington to go for field goals instead of touchdowns, but a late Ray Wershing kick would be the difference in a game decided by field position. The MVP trophy was, appropriately, shared by the two bookend defensive edge rushers Dexter Manley and Charles Haley, who combined for 3 sacks and countless pressures on Arizona QB Robbie Bosco during the game. It was a very evenly matched game from the beginning, as attested to by the final stats for the game. Arizona QB Robbie Bosco finished the day 23 of 36 (63.9%) for 219 yards a TD and an interception. Don Majkowski was 25-38 (65.8%) for 241 a TD and an INT. The two backs for Arizona, Clack and James, split carries and combined for 80 total yards, while Alfred Jackson and Kevin Harmon for Washington also split carries and rushed for a total of 107. Trumaine Johnson had 6 catches for 67 to lead the Wranglers, Washington’s Joey Walters 5 for 65 (and a score). It truly was a game between two very equal opponents. The game began with both teams feeling each other out, testing what would work and what types of schemes each defense was working. Arizona would get on the board first, scoring on a Mick Luckhurst field goal with 1:17 remaining in the 2nd. Washington would answer back on their very next drive, assisted by two Arizona penalties as they took the ball from their own 24 into Arizona territory, before stalling on the Wrangler 11 yard line, where Ray Wershing equaled the score with a 28-yarder. The teams traded short drives and punts for most of the 2nd quarter before a final drive by Washington got Wershing into range to kick another short field goal and put Washington up 6-3 at the half. The second half began with Arizona looking to move the ball, an dthey did quite well, down to the Washington 41, but then two consecutive sacks, one each by Haley and then Manley, pushed the Wranglers back and created a 4th and 21. Arizona was forced to punt again. Washington would take the punt, receiving the ball at their own 12, and would have their best drive of the day. Here again Arizona penalties would loom large, as both Dan Saleaumua and Dallas Hickman would get called for violations, an unnecessary roughness on an Alfred Jenkins run and a roughing the passer on a Majkowski pass. After the two penalties, Washington found itself on the Arizona 5, and only needed one play to hit paydirt. Majkowski hit Joey Walters on a well designed rub play that found him open inside the one, and with a dive over the endline, Washington’s lead was now 13-3. Arizona would respond with a drive of their own, but when Brandon Zavala broke up a 3rd and 11 pass from Bosco to Smith, it forced Arizona to go for 3. The successful field goal by Luckhurst made it a 7-point game. Arizona would have its best moment of the game on the next drive, as Majkowski tried to hit Barry Word on a swing pass. Word bobbled the ball up into the air and Arizona strong safety snagged it and fell to the ground, giving Arizona the ball on the Washington 36. Robbie Bosco wasted no time and found Trumaine Johnson on a slant & go, fooling the corner. Johnson caught Bosco’s pass in stride, and just like that it was all tied up a 13. For the first half of the fourth quarter the two defenses dominated. Both QB’s were forced out of the pocket, and as neither is a real dual threat, several key 3rd down passes simply did not find their targets. The winning drive would be a short one, only 6 plays after an Alfred Jenkins punt return to the 32. Majkowski got good protection on the key drive and hit on three big passes on consecutive plays. The first was a 10 yarder to TE Travis McNeal, followed by an out route for 13 to Walters and then another TE reception, this time from Mike Jones for 27 before Broderick Thomas could bring him down. Washington was now at the Arizona 17, and looked to be ready to go up by 7, but Jacob McNeal sacked Majkowski on first and 10. With the 2-minute warning break it seems Coach Rutigliano decided that now was not the time to press their luck. The Federals came out of the break with a 3 yard run by the fullback, Barry Word, followed by a screen to Terrance Mathis which was incomplete. On 4th and 12 Ray Wershing connected from 38 yards out and Washington took a late 16-13 lead with 1:31 left on the clock. Arizona would get the ball on their own 14 after the Vince Buck return was cut short by an errant foot out of bounds. On their first play from scrimmage in the 2-minute drill, Bosco hit Curtis Duncan on a huge 37 yard corner pattern. But, his next three passes would fall incomplete as Manley and Haley harassed and hurried Bosco on each down, with Manley just barely missing a sack on third down as Bosco desperately heaved the ball as he was being wrapped up. Arizona would have to go for it on 4th and 10. With pressure coming from Haley, Bosco was forced to dump the ball off to his outlet, Lionel James. James juked the first man, but LB Brandon Zavala swooped in and caught James on his planted knee, sending James toppling over after a gain of only 4. Washington would take over on their own 48, and after a Kevin Harmon run to force Arizona to burn their final time out, it was two kneel downs and victory was in hand for the Federals. It was a well-played, tight game between two evenly matched teams, both with standout defensive performances, gutsy calls, and solid line play all around. It was almost a shame that someone had to lose this game, but in the end the once laughable Washington Federals raised high the USFL trophy and were declared Champions. For Arizona a surprising season with many highlights ended with tears as the Wrangler player and their fans had to console themselves with a very good year and a very well-played final. For Federals fans this would be a day to remember. Coach Rutigliano received the congratulatory phone call from President Bush, and a champagne shower from his players. Manley and Haley very deservedly were named Co-MVP’s, and a franchise once thought of as one of the USFL’s weakest had proven the pundits wrong and were now undeniably the best team in the spring league.