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SCORES BAL 19 JAX 26 The Bulls are fighting their way back to relevance with a tough win against the Blitz. Baltimore’s Tim Spencer rushed for 68 but caught 3 balls for 103 yards and a score in the loss, but it was not enough. Chris Miller throws for 325 against the Blitz D and finds Hassan Jones for two scores, including the winning score in the 4th. NJ 20 MEM 31 The Liberty Bowl is proving a tough spot for visiting teams as the Generals found out this week. Walker runs for 110, but the combo of Boone and Jordan combine for 124. Mike Kelley adds 3 TD passes as the Showboats send the Generals to 4-4-1 and build their own record up to 6-3. PHI 0 ORL 21 This one was a shocker as the Renegade D shuts down and shuts out the Stars. Fusina is held to only 178 yards passing and a costly interception. Reggie Collier and Curtis Bledsoe both outperform expectations, with Bledsoe rushing for 101 yards and 2 scores. The win pulls Orlando up to 5-4 and sends Philly to a 3-6 record. PIT 31 TBY 33 A fun shootout that ended with Tampa Bay edging the Pittsburgh Maulers on a late Benny Ricardo field goal. Both teams moved the ball well, with Pittsburgh outgaining Tampa 467-374, but two turnovers and 7 penalties hurt the Maulers and gave Tampa what they needed to snag a 6th win on the season. WSH 24 BIR 26 Washington just cannot win the close ones, though, to be fair, this one was not as close as the final score indicates. Birmingham began the 4th with a 26-7 lead and got sloppy with the gam ein hand. Majkowski found Slaughter and Gunn for late scores and with two 2-point conversions the Feds made it look closer than it was. The big weapon for the Stallions? Who else? Joe Cribss with 28 carries for 166 yards. CHI 20 DEN 22 Chicago thought they had Denver on the ropes, but a 20-16 lead could not hold as Denver came from behind to throw a wrench in the Machine. Neither team could run the ball well, and Bob Gagliano simply had more options than Chuck Long. HOU 9 LA 7 This game may have set back pro football offenses 20 years. Absolutely nothing was working as both defenses had a field day in this one. The game had no turnovers, but 14 punts between the two teams. Houston used better field position in the 2nd half to get in field goal range for Doug Jacobs and salt away a game that neither team seemed interested in winning. NOR 25 POR 22 Give a hand to the kickers. In a game delayed twice due to thunderstorms, and played on a wet field the two kickers, Breaker Tim Mazzetti and Portland’s Al Del Greco combined for 8 field goals. Del Greco helped save Ed Luther when several drives fell short, kicking 5 field goals, while Mazzetti’s 3 kicks helped New Orleans take and keep the lead throughout the day. TEX 22 ARZ 19 In a game-time decision, Coach Tollner again went with Kelly Stouffer, but Stouffer struggled against the Outlaws defense, completing only 48% of his throws. Compare that to Doug Williams’s 3-6 yards and 3 scores and we have to wonder if Tollner made the right call, even if Bosco is not 100% back. GAME OF THE WEEK Michigan Panthers 27 Oakland Invaders 24 The Panthers led 20-10, gave up 14 in the 4th and then came back to stun the Invaders with a last-second TD from Trudeau to Butch Rolle to escape Oakland-Alameda Stadium with a win. Trudeau would end the day with a career high 448 yards passing as the Panthers gave up on the run early (they rushed for 25 yards total) and took advantage of a short-staffed Oakland secondary. The Invaders had a more balanced attack as a good day from Gale Gilbert (280 yards and 3 scores) was matched by Richard Williams’s 110 yards rushing. Gilbert was looking like the hero of the day late in the 4th as he hit Mark Duper on a 61 yard score to pull the Invaders back to within 3 at 20-17. Just 3 minutes later Gilbert found Ellard for another score and it looked like Oakland was going to walk away with a 24-20 comeback victory. But, as often happens, the Invaders left too much time on the clock, and a defense which had been unable to contain the Panther passing attack all day was in no shape to step up now. Trudeau was surgical as he marched the Panthers down the field, spiking the ball to save the team’s final time out. They took it with the ball on the 17 yard line, and Coach Stanley called the perfect play. Sending Holloday and Smiley both to the left side of the field, their slant routes, one at 5 yards and one at 10, drew the safeties away and left the field open for TE Butch Rolle. Rolle caught the ball at the 10 and had the option to go out of bounds with 5 seconds left at the 7, but he instead took the risk and finally dove across the endzone plane. The play took 5 minutes to review, but soon the Oakland crowd would learn what the officials saw, and what the TV crews caught beautifully, that Rolle had crossed the ball over as he fell to the ground. Michigan’s win moves them to 7-2, still ahead of the pack in the Central, while Oakland drops to 5-4, now 2 games behind Denver in the Pacific. Michigan will need to figure out how to build a stronger rushing attack, because there are not many foes who are going to struggle the way Oakland did with their defensive backfield, but for now they will take the win gladly. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Jack Trudeau is doing his best this year to help Michigan fans forget about their 2-time champion QB Bobby Hebert. Trudeau leads the league in QB Rating, has thrown for 2447 yards in only 9 games and has tossed 19 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. This week marked the second time he eclipsed the 400-yard mark in a game, and the 4th time he has been over 300 yards. While there are some who will point out that he has struggled against some of the league’s better D-lines (Philly, LA, New Orleans) and feasted against some of the worst defenses ( 400 yards v. Portland, 448 against a shorthanded Oakland squad), it is undeniable that he is well ahead of any prior year in TD’s, yardage, and QB Rating. The heroics this week, with a last second score to win the game, may be just the thing to make the Panther Posse finally believe and start looking to the future instead of the past. NEWS & NOTES Can we give some respect to Mouse Davis and the Denver Gold? This is a team that is almost never mentioned as an elite squad, and yet they now sit at 7-2, having knocked off both Houston and New Orleans. They have made the playoffs 4 times in the first 6 USFL seasons, winning the division twice, and yet, they are often overlooked when we discuss the powerhouses of the league. Sure, they lack the pinache of the 1983 Bandits or the Panther squads that won two titles. And they do not have the playoff success that we have seen from Philly or even Houston, but this team is always there. Their worst season (1985) saw them finish 7-9 and only 1 game out of a playoff spot. In ’87 they won 12 games. While their star QB Bob Gagliano is not Kelly, Hebert, Reaves or Williams, he is no slouch. This season he has thrown for more yards than Fusina, Mike Kelley or Cliff Stoudt. He has thrown 13 TD’s, more than Chris Miller, Robbie Bosco, Vince Evans or Reggie Collier. His QPR is higher than last year’s MVP Matt Robinson or Houston’s Jim Kelly. The same lack of respect seems to permeate the team. Few people list Harry Sydney as one of the league’s best rushers, but this year he is ahead of John Williams, Marcus Dupree, Christian Okoye or Kelvin Bryant. For his career he has rushed for 6,580 yards (more than Tim Spencer, George Adams, or Marcus Dupree) and has scored 38 times, again ahead of Dupree, Spencer, and even Arthur Whittington. The Gold defense has two former USFL Defensive Players of the Year lining up, last year’s POTY Kurt Gouveia at LB and 1984’s winner, CB David Martin. They routinely finish the year as a top 5 squad in both scoring and yards allowed, and yet, here we are, having to defend them. Seems about time that Denver got some respect. True, they have yet to return to the USFL Championship since their 1983 appearance, but this is a club that is always in the mix, always a tough out, and always getting the most out of their roster. INJURY REPORT Rather than simply run through the list of walking wounded this week, let’s talk about the teams that are currently most impacted by injuries. While some teams may have 1-2 players on their weekly injury report, others seem more like MASH units than lockerrooms. These squads have to make use of their practice squad, rookies, and even free agency to try to fill holes, not a good position to be in for any club. Birmingham has 5 players on their report this week, and in addition to Bob Barber (out for the year) there is concern about 2 cornerbacks and wideout Clarence Collins (knee). In Baltimore, aside from the obvious loss of Vince Evans for the year, there are 3 other players on the report, the most notable being DT Joe Klecko, whose broken collarbone likely will keep him out another month. Michigan is one of the hardest hit, with 8 players indicated, although it does appear that some of the key players may be ready to return as Carter, Paggett and backup QB Mark Hermann are all listed as probable. The big loss is John Williams, who could miss up to 2 months with a hip injury. Portland has three players out, including DE James Painter (up to 12 weeks with a broken foot) and left tackle Bruce Armstrong. While in Washington, their two biggest injuries, Jim Lachey and Dexter Manley are progressing well and could be back in action within 2 weeks. New Jersey is hoping two of their top defenders, Gary Barbaro and Kit Lathrop, will also be back in the same timespan, just in time for a playoff push. While in LA, their decimated offensive line is expecting 3 returning players, all listed as probable. Houston will be without Ricky Sanders and Ernie Jones at least one more week, as both are listed as doubtful, while Denver should get Mark Carrier back in action this week. Finally, Arizona is hoping that once again James Wilder can play through the pain as he was able to put in a full game last week despite being listed as questionable. This week he is probable to play and we expect he will be on the field. LOOKING AHEAD Week Ten sees some interesting inter-conference matchups as the Eastern Teams head to the Central Division and the Pacific Division hosts the 5 Southern squads. Our pick for game of the week is an easy one as the 7-2 Birmingham Stallions make a rare trip to Mile High to face the 7-2 Denver Gold. Two teams that pride themselves on hard-nosed, no-nonsense football should produce a heck of a game. Another game that intrigues us has the Memphis Showboats in Oakland to take on the Invaders. Tampa will be in Arizona to face the Wranglers, and we expect Robbie Bosco back to add some more drama. Jacksonville will be in LA and the Renegades are in Portland and hoping the rains hold off. Philadelphia faces a former rival as the Breakers (once of Boston, now New Orleans) play host. New Jersey has a tough matchup if they want to get over .500 as they face the Michigan Panthers at the SilverDome. Washington will be in Chicago and Baltimore will be in the dome in Houston. Finally, the Pittsburgh Maulers will be in San Marcos to take on the Texas Outlaws.

Sporting News, May 2, 1989 We have reached the midpoint of the 1989 USFL season and what we can say for sure is that there is a lot of balance in the league. Other than the tragic case of the 0-8 Portland Thunder, the league is seeing a balance of power that keeps every fanbase hopeful and every coach up late. Early season slumps from Birmingham and Philadelphia seem to be turning around. Teams like Tampa, Chicago, and Oakland, who were not expected to make a splash, are proving difficult outs, while others like LA, Houston, and New Orleans are not proving to be the juggernauts that many predicted. As we look through the league at the midway point, let’s put on the rosey glasses of optimism and the grey, smudged glasses of pessimism and see what we see for each team. BIRMINGHAM (6-2) ROSEY: Things are looking good as the Stallions brushed off an 0-2 start and have won 6 straight. The Stallions are doing it with defense, as they currently rank #1 in the league in both scoring defense and total yards. That is a good thing to hang your hat on. On offense they still have one of the most steady quarterback situations in the league and can depend on Joe Cribbs to get them 1,000 yards once again. Things are looking good in the Steel City of the South. GREY: The biggest concern for Birmingham is whether the season-ending injury to Bob Barber will make both their run defense and their pass rush less effective. It is hard to overstate the impact that Barber has on the Stallions D, and while Art Still is certainly a tough DE to block he will now be facing a lot more double teams as the other side of the Stallions line is no longer nearly the same type of concern. PREDICTION: We still see a lot to like here. We think they snag another 5 wins, to end up at 11-5. MICHIGAN (6-2) ROSEY: Jack Trudeau is having his best season as a Panther, the defense is Top 5 against the pass and in overall yards, and the Panthers can score points with Williams, Carter and Holloway still looking like vintage championship shape. GREY: That loss to New Orleans has absolutely created concern at the end of what otherwise was a very rosey first half of the year. The way New Orleans was able to pressure Trudeau (and the other quarterbacks who saw action) may have just given a formula to other teams. The Panthers still have to worry about a very tough division, with the Breakers, Gamblers, Outlaws, and even the Machine looking very competitive. PREDICTION: We think the Panthers will get pulled back to the pack but not enough to miss out on the post-season. Expect 10-6 as a reasonable result for the year. DENVER (6-2) ROSEY: The Gold are the Gold are the Gold. They play good defense, they wear teams down, they play in perhaps the weakest division in the league. What is there to worry about. Denver is Top 10 in both scoring and scoring defense. They rarely self-destruct, and they have a pretty manageable schedule. If they play their cards right they could clinch the division early and rest some players. GREY: Denver wins a lot of games against lesser opponents, which is fine for getting to the playoffs, but once there, what can we expect? The Gold have folded pretty early in almost every postseason since 1984, and that cannot be comforting to either ownership or the fans. PREDICTION: Denver very well may win the Pacific Division, but their 6 wins so far have not created a sense of destiny with this team. We still think they end up with 10 or 11 wins for the year, but wonder what they can do once the playoffs begin. NEW JERSEY (4-3-1) ROSEY: When you have one of the best running games in football, you will win games. That is the philosophy of New Jersey, and while they are not lighting up the league each week, it does seem to be working for them. Add in a pretty decent run defense and a quarterback who can rally the team when needed and the Generals have what it takes to win the Division and get a playoff bye. GREY: Not so fast. Yes, having Herschel Walker gives New Jersey an amazing weapon, but is this Generals team any different from those of past years, who fail to put the pieces together, never catch fire, and end up 8-8? Sure looks like it so far. This is a team that should be 6-2 or better, but they are still hovering around the. .500 mark. Someone needs to ask why. PREDICTION: Somehow, some way, we expect New Jersey to dip at the end of the year and while they might get a Wild Card, we still don’t see them being good enough often enough to be a major threat. 9-6-1 is almost destined at this point. MEMPHIS (5-3) ROSEY: The Showboats are right there with Birmingham and have another chance for a late-season run like the one that got them to the Championship last season. Their defense is one of the league’s best, they have a QB who can sling it, and they have been in a lot of close games that could have gone either way. GREY: This team lacks a killer instinct. They play close to the vest, rarely explode on offense, and rely too heavily on Reggie White and others on D to make the big play at the right time. That is not a reliable strategy. Yes, they could finish the year on an 8-win streak, or they could go 3-5 and finish at 8-8. PREDICTION: While maybe not an 8-game winstreak, we do think the Showboats have the talent to win 6 of 8 and finish the year at 11-5, which may just give them the division title. OAKLAND (5-3) ROSEY: Do not sleep on these Invaders. Oakland is Top 5 in scoring and scoring D, so they can blow you out of the water when they are on. Yes, they struggled when Gilbert was injured, but he is back now and he is looking like he is ready to be the face of the team. In Ellard and Duper he has great targets, and that D, led by Harvey and Rivera at LB just does not allow a lot of drives to build. GREY: There is a lot to like in Oakland, but it all hinges on Gilbert being a top flight QB. It’s his 3rd season starting, so maybe he has figured it all out, but he still shows signs that bother the Invader fanbase. With so much riding on his development, there are concerns here. PREDICTION: We like Oakland to ease into a Wild Card spot, and if Gilbert is truly maturing into his role, they could be a tough out once they get into the playoffs. TAMPA BAY (5-3) ROSEY: Steve Spurrier does not rebuild, he reloads. The moves this offseason that brough both Troy Aikman and Keith DeLong to the team were master strokes in player management. Aikman is paying immediate dividends, leading the league in passing yards after 8 weeks, while Tampa continues to win. Fans are ecstatic on Florida’s Gulf Coast. They expected 8-8 as a ceiling and now they are hoping for a trip to Michigan in July to play for a 2nd title. GREY: There is no doubt that this is not the Tampa Bay Bandits we expected this year. All credit to Spurrier and the front office for filling a glaring need, but this is still a defense that ranks in the bottom half of the league against the pass and in stopping opponents from scoring. They may need to win some shootouts to leap above the better defensive teams in Birmingham and Memphis. PREDICTION: We love the idea of Tampa Bay returning to the playoffs, and with the Atlantic Division in its usual morass of mediocrity, 3 playoff teams from the South seams very plausible. Let’s say 10-6 and a wildcard game for the reborn Bandits. HOUSTON (4-4) ROSEY: The Gamblers could not be playing worse than they already have. Their defense is too good, the bench too deep, the offense is leading the league with 28 points per game already. They will figure out what the issues are and they will be fine. Coach Pardee has taken them to two straight Championships. We trust in him. GREY: Why is this team 4-4? What happened to the explosiveness? To the soul-crushing defense? This is not the same team. Yes, their pass defense is #1 in the league, but they are still giving up 24 points a game. Jim Kelly leads the league in interceptions. Why is that? Too many questions. PREDICTION: We cannot imagine a scenario where Houston ends the season below .500. But, with the entire division at or above .500, they could still end up in last place at 8-8. That is a scary thought. We think they are better than this, and could reach 10 wins if they just avoid the letdowns. NEW ORLEANS (4-4) ROSEY: It was a rough start, but they have won 2 in a row, and that crushing of Michigan this week looked like the high-octane Breakers we saw last year. They have the #1 rushing offense, and they are Top 10 in most categories on both offense and defense. They are finding their rhythm just in time for a strong second half. GREY: Giving up 336 yards a game is not a sign of playoff defense. They got by last year because their offense was a juggernaut. This year it is more of a juggler-nut (I have no idea what that is, but it sounds less than stellar.) Unless they can outscore folks, they may be in trouble. PREDICTION: It is all about getting that offense to kick in on all cylinders. If they can do that, they could go on a run. We are going to predict that they do, and they go 6-2 the second half to finish with 10 wins. ORLANDO (4-4) ROSEY: The second best scoring defense in the league means we can keep our opponents down. Rueben Davis is still a beast. Collier and Bledsoe can get hot and help us keep pace with the division. GREY: Keep pace? We are in 4th place with Tampa, Memphis and Birmingham ahead of us. Just how many teams do you expect to get playoff bids from the same division? The offense is not consistent enough and the schedule moving forward is brutal. PREDICTION: Orlando has a 4 game run of Michigan, Tampa, Memphis and Birmingham in the 2nd half. They need to go 3-1 in those 4 games to have a chance. That is a tall order. We predict 8-8. ARIZONA (4-4) ROSEY: The defense, while not elite, has improved. When Robbie Bosco is back our offense can be explosive, and James Wilder is finally beginning to show some of the talent we were hoping for the last 2 years. GREY: Is it too little, too late? Is Bosco’s injury really the reason the offense has not caught fire? The Wranglers cannot play Portland every week. Trailing both Denver and Oakland, they need to win 3-4 in a row to build some steam. PREDICTION: We like a lot of the talent on this Wrangler team, we are just not sure that Coach Tollner has the pieces in place to do what he wants to do with them. We like 8-8 for Arizona. CHICAGO (4-4) ROSEY: We are not playing like an expansion team anymore! Chuck Long has not been consistent, but when he has been good, he has looked really good. The combo of Morris and Bentley is finding holes and getting good gains. The defense has had moments as well, and it looks like the division is not settled. GREY: Chicago can win on any given Sunday, but they still struggle against better teams. With a lot of good squads on the schedule they will need to figure out how to be more consistent. PREDICTION: This is a tough division to go 10-6 in, especially when your talent level is not where Houston, Michigan or New Orleans are. An 8-8 finish in Chicago would be a huge step in the right direction. TEXAS (4-4) ROSEY: The Outlaws can put up points in a hurry. Williams, Mitchell and Carson are a very dangerous trio to face. Texas may not be the best team in the division, but a top 3 finish is very viable. GREY: The offense does have talent, the defense has several solid players as well, but this is not a team that scares the opposition. The playcalling is too predictable on both sides of the ball, and the Outlaws simply do not execute well enough to outhustle the opposition. PREDICTION: As with the other 4-4 teams in the Central Division, it is all about winning divisional games to get ahead on tiebreakers. Texas is already in a hole at 1-3 in the division. If they cannot flip that script, even 8-8 will be tough. BALTIMORE (3-4-1) ROSEY: The Blitz D is playing very well. Ranked 3rd in scoring D. We have a solid, veteran corps, and we have one of the best football minds at head coach in Marty. GREY: The defense is bottom half in yards, passing, and rushing D. The offense just lost its leader in Vince Evans for the year. Tim Spencer is just not getting the yards he used to and there is not much more in the backfield to turn to. This looks and feels like a team that was overachieving in the first half, and may now start to slide. PREDICTION: Baltimore has some issues. Even if Eric Kramer can play at a solid level all year, the defense still needs help and the run game has all but vanished. We think another 3 wins would be a good result for Marty Schottenheimer this year. PHILADELPHIA (3-5) ROSEY: This is a team that lost their first 4 games and has now gone 3-1. They have found their stride, and have a lot of veterans who know how to win. This is the most likely 3-5 team to turn it around because they already have. GREY: That 0-4 start was not a fluke. It happened because the team is getting old, because there are problems with the defense, and because they lack hunger. PREDICTION: Of all the 3-5 teams, this is the one that other teams fear most. If they can keep up their 3-1 streak over the past month, they could find themselves over .500 by the season’s end despite their horrible start. WASHINGTON (3-5) ROSEY: Don Majkowski is proving he is a top flight QB, so the loss of Lomax is not a death blow to the team. They have a Top 5 offense and with Dexter Manley returning on the D-Line, their second half defense could be much improved. GREY: These are the Federals. Do I really need to say more? They will toy with the idea of being good, but then will self-destruct. It is what they do. PREDICTION: So much talent to get excited about, but it just does not seem like Sam Rutigliano is getting the most out of them. A lot of folks seem to want Washington to be good, but they themselves don’t seem to believe it. I expect a 4-4 finish and another 7-9 meh season on the books. PITTSBURGH (3-5) ROSEY: Yes, we have lost 3 in a row after a 3-2 start, but this team can rebound. Alan Risher is solid. Mike Rozier is a beast, and the defense is not as bad as the numbers seem to indicate. GREY: Numbers don’t lie. There is not a single defensive stat where the Maulers are in the top half of the league. They will need to outscore folks to win, and they have not proven they can do that. PREDICTION: We like Pittsburgh’s chances better than Washington’s, but not as much as Philly’s, so let’s put them right in the middle at 4-4. JACKSONVILLE (3-5) ROSEY: The defense is coming on, led by Reynosa, the league leader in sacks. The offense just needs to find a rhythm, because they have quality receivers and George Adams can be a star back when he rises to the occasion. GREY: One man on the D-line does not a defense make. Reynosa has been essentially flying solo this year. Yes, he gets sacks, but he doesn’t impact games. Teams still score on the Bulls, and the Bulls do not seem all that eager to score for themselves. That cannot be a good combo. PREDICTION: Of the 3-5 teams, the Bulls seem like the one that is lucky to have 3 wins. So, another 3 for the rest of the year, a 6-10 finish, feels right to us. LOS ANGELES (3-5) ROSEY: With Young, Martin, Townsell, and Okoye, this offense has to work, right? They cannot keep scoring below 14 points all season. That just doesn’t make any sense. GREY: What makes sense is that we oversold the LA defense this year. It is mediocre at best, even after Chip Banks returns from injury. And we clearly oversold the LA offense. Young and the crew have been there now for a solid 3 years and it just does not work. They may want to completely retool in the offseason. PREDICTION: The Express do feel like a team in store for a major roster overhaul. They don’t at all feel like the Championship squad that we predicted in our preseason preview. Our mistake, I guess. PORTLAND (0-8) ROSEY: The rainy season is almost done, and the football season will end along with it. GREY: Name it. The defense is record-setting bad. The offense just does not have enough to compensate. Kerwin Bell has been pulled, Ed Luther is now their best option. That says all you need to know. Expect Jack Patera to walk away or be shown the way out this offseason, along with the entire scouting department. PREDICTION: Will they get a win? Against anyone? Their best shot, maybe their only shot, is if Denver clinches the division and a bye and opts to rest their starters for the Week 16 matchup in Portland. This is a team that could legitimately go 0-16 unless they can pull off a big upset somewhere along the line. PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS We see New Jersey, Philly, Birmingham, Memphis and Tampa getting in from the East. Michigan, Houston, New Orleans, Denver and Oakland from the West. With our original Championship Game prediction shot down, we are going to revise and say it will be Birmingham vs. Michigan for the title. AWARD WINNERS MVP: A much closer race than most years. Trudeau is in the driver’s seat right now, but look out for Joe Cribbs or Walker if either club catches fire. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: This one is easy, it’s Aikman all day, every day. COACH OF THE YEAR: Can we give this to Jim Stanley, a 2-time league champion? Or to Spurrier? Those two seem the most likely candidates. That said, if Carl Reese can win a title with Birmingham after the tragic loss of Coach Dotsch, we are voting for him.

SCORES PIT 29 PHI 38 It was a shootout in Veterans Stadium as the Stars scored 21 in the first and then outlasted the Maulers’ comeback attempt. Alan Risher threw for 3 scores, and Rozier ran for 151, but that did not outpace Fusina’s 4 scores and Bryant’s 136 yards rushing as offense ruled the day in Philadelphia. JAX 13 BIR 19 Another early lead and slow comeback as Birmingham built up a 16-0 lead at the half and then held on as the Bulls tried to claw their way back. Joe Cribbs finished with 103 yards on the ground, but the Stallions’ only TD came on defense as Roman Lewis returned an errant Chris Miller pass 41 yards for the key score. ORL 24 MEM 10 Orlando was ready for the Showboats as they held Memphis to only 49 yards rushing. Collier found both John Jefferson and Mike Williams for scores in the 3rd to break open what had been a close game. With the win Orlando evens their record at 4-4, while Memphis drops a game behind the Stallions at 5-3. TEX 22 CHI 23 Albert Bentley scored his league-leading 7th TD as Chicago held on to defeat Texas in front of the largest Machine crowd ever at Soldier Field. Michael Haynes was the star of the day, catching 7 for 116, while rookie TE Wesley Walls caught 5 for 94. The result evens both teams up at 4-4. NOR 45 MGN 21 We knew the Breakers’ offense would eventually catch its rhythm, but we did not expect it would happen against the tough Panther D. Matt Robinson threw three first half touchdowns to spot New Orleans a 24-7 lead at the half. 3 more touchdowns by the Breakers in the final period closed out an impressive win. OAK 30 LA 9 Gale Gilbert returned to spark the Invaders and once again the Express offense was AWOL. Gilbert threw TD’s to both Duper and Ellard on the way to a 100.5 QBR for the day, while Steve Young was abysmal, throwing 4 interceptions against the Oakland defense. POR 16 ARZ 34 The Wranglers get healthy against the sad sack Portland Thunder, as James Wilder has his best day in the league, rushing for 141 and 2 scores. Kelly Stouffer remained at QB for the dinged up Robbie Bosco, and found both Trumaine Johnson and Louis Lipps for scores. Portland started Ed Luther again, but still no W on the Thunder season. HOU 14 WSH 17 Tough aggressive defense won the day for the Federals, despite giving up 454 total yards. Houston just could not punch it in and the Federals eke out the win on a Ray Wersching field goal. The loss moves Houston to a surprising 4-4, while Washington reaches midseason at 3-5. DEN 19 TBY 34 Another outstanding day for rookie QB Troy Aikman, as he throws for 351 yards and 4 scores against the usually stalwart Denver D. Add in 120 on the ground for Gary Anderson and you have the formula for a walk-away win by the Bandits. GAME OF THE WEEK New Jersey Generals 24 Baltimore Blitz 24 OVERTIME Eric Kramer gets his first start of the season and avoids the loss, but also does not get the win as Baltimore scores late to tie the game but neither team can get on the scoreboard in overtime. The game ends in a tie, and complicates the Atlantic Division by doing so. With Vince Evans out for the year with a torn ACL in his right knee, it will be up to Eric Kramer to lead the Blitz for the rest of the year. Kramer took the reins today and did fairly well, completing 53.3% of his passes for 250 yards and 2 scores, including the game tying toss to Jackie Flowers as time ran out. For the Generals it was a missed opportunity, as they took a 24-14 lead early in the 4th on a Brent Jones TD from Doug Flutie, but could not hold on defense as Baltimore stormed back. In overtime, both teams struggled to sustain drives as both defenses dug in their heels. The game ended with a desperation field goal attempt by Luis Zendejas from 57 yards out, but it failed to reach the goalposts and the game ended in a tie. The result keeps New Jersey atop the Atlantic at 4-3-1, while Baltimore is second at 3-4-1, just a half game ahead of all three other teams, all at 3-5. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While we could give the award to either Matt Robinson or Troy Aikman, both of whom threw 4 TD passes this week, we are going to recognize the team effort from the New Orleans D-line this week. In a game that the Breakers had to have against the division-leading Michigan Panthers, the offense certainly kicked into overdrive, but so did the defense. The DE combo of Jerry Reese and Daryl Wilkerson were on the Michigan QB’s all day, combining for 4 sacks (2 apiece) and 9 additional hurries. Add to this a total of 4 forced fumbles (again 2 each) and 2 fumble recoveries and the Breakers’ defense came up big, giving their O short fields and shutting down any thought of a Panthers comeback. The Breakers’ defense would end up with 7 takeaways on the day, including 3 interceptions, 1 on Trudea, 2 on Brett Pease. All three Michigan QB’s would see action as Coach Stanley did what he could after Trudeau went out in the 2nd quarter, but both Mark Herman and Pease were ineffective against the pass rush of the Breakers. NEWS & NOTES The USFL has chosen their man. Former Big 8 and Big 10 Commissioner Wayne Duke will replace Chet Simmons as Commissioner of the USFL beginning at the Summer League Meetings in August. Duke, who has spent the better part of his career in NCAA athletics is expected to act as arbiter in disputes between owners, as salesman to sponsors, as chief negotiator with television networks, and as spokesperson for the league. With ongoing tensions between the USFL and both the NFL and NCAA over player acquisition methods, scheduling, and the potential for the signing of underclassment, there is a lot on Mr. Duke’s plate to be sure. One of the key decisions to be guided by Mr. Duke is whether or not the time is right for the USFL to expand again. After the 1987 expansion the league cited 1990 as the soonest possible window for additional expansion endeavors, and in the time in-between, the USFL has seen steady growth in revenue and attendance. While the expansion clubs in Texas and Portland are somewhat limited by the size of their current stadiums, the league as a whole is seeing healthy attendance numbers as a rule, and television viewing continues to be above projections, although the 1988 Houston-Memphis Championship Game failed to reach viewership to equal 1987’s Philly-Houston matchup, overall both regular season and playoff viewership has been very solid. While there are certainly cities and ownership groups hoping to gain the new commissioner’s ear, there is also sentiment among many in ownership that the league still needs time to stabilize and strengthen its current 20-team structure. Due to scheduling, a new expansion would probably add another 4 teams, creating a 24-team league and requiring a new divisional structure. Some argue that while expansion is an inevitability, a delay may prove beneficial for the league as it continues to work on its relationships with the NFL, the NCAA, and even the CFL, which has been devastated by the player deficit with both NFL and USFL rosters absorbing talent. Mr. Duke is expected to attend the August League Meetings but has already started to be seen around league circles, attending Chicago’s game against the Texas Outlaws this week. Mr. Duke, who lives in Chicago, has not stated whether he will relocate to New York, where the league has maintained their central offices, or if he will work primarily out of Chicago. INJURY REPORT Some key players will be out for a while after a pretty rough week in the USFL. The biggest blow may be to the Birmingham Stallions, whose veteran DE Bob Barber will be out for the rest of the year after rupturing his achilles tendon. Barber, who has been a sack leader for Birmingham for 5 seasons, is done for the year, and that will put pressure on Art Still to take on double teams each week. Pittsburgh DE John Bosa will not miss the full season but is expected to be out possibly 6 weeks. Houston WR Ricky Sanders remains out, likely to miss the LA game, while Michigan has listed DE Ronnie Paggett as questionable. But it is not all bad news in Michigan as WR Anthony Carter and CB Keith Bostic are both expected to return to action this week. Also listed as probable are Memphis HB Buford Jordan, Denver wideout Mark Carrier, LA Linebacker Chip Banks, Philly back Kelvin Bryant, and Oakland QB Jeff Kemp. LOOKING AHEAD We kick off the second half of the season with inter-divisional play as a lot of teams jockey for position. Baltimore will try to reach .500 with a win at Jacksonville, while New Jersey hosts the tough Memphis Showboats. Philly is in Orlando and Pittsburgh is in Tampa Bay as its PA vs. FLA. The Federals have a tough task ahead of them in Legion Field against Birmingham, while Chicago heads out to Denver, looking to get a game over .500 with a win. Two teams having offensive issues meet when LA hosts the Houston Gamblers. Oakland matches up with Michigan in an intriguing game between two winning teams. New Orleans is in Portland with a chance to get right into the thick of the playoff hunt, while the Texas Outlaws and Arizona Wranglers, both 4-4 hope to start the second half of the season off right with a win in Tempe.

SCORES BIR 16 BAL 13 Baltimore’s sweet start has turned sour as the Blitz not only lose their 4th in a row, but also lose Vince Evans for the year. Evans suffered a torn ACL in the game against Birmingham and his season, perhaps his entire career, may have ended Sunday. Eric Kramer came in and played well (20 of 35 for 193 yards), but the Blitz fell short again as Birmingham kicked 3 field goals in the 4th quarter. JAX 28 NJ 21 Another 4th quarter collapse saw New Jersey lose a 21-13 lead in the most disastrous way possible. George Adams scored with 1:11 to go and with a 2-point conversion, Jacksonville tied the game. New Jersey tried to counter but on his 2nd play of their hurry-up drive, Doug Flutie did not see Bulls LB Paul McGown had dropped into coverage. McGown slid in front of the receiver, grabbed the errant pass, and returned it 27 yards for the winning score. MEM 17 PHI 12 The Stars were unable to find the endzone against the Memphis D, and Mike Kelley got help from his 2-headed HB combo of Boone and Jordan to do just enough to pull out the road victory. Philly’s Kelvin Bryant was the motor for the Stars, gaining 126 on 22 carries, but the Stars offense fizzled in the red zone, forcing them to rely on David Trout for all 12 points, which was not enough to counter two Mike Kelley TD passes. ORL 28 PIT 13 Orlando got a big day from Curtis Bledsoe (115 yds and a TD) to outpace the Maulers despite a solid 20 of 28 throwing for Alan Risher and 122 yards from Mike Rozier. Two key sacks from LB Winston Moss helped Orlando keep the pressure on Risher and keep Pittsburgh out of the endzone. ARZ 14 CHI 49 What happened to the Wranglers? Well, injuries seems to be the answer. Without Robbie Bosco or James Wilder, the Wrangler offense managed only 219 total yards (only 41 rushing) to Chicago’s 456. Albert Bentley rushed for only 36 yards for Chicago (2nd behind Jamie Morris’s 65) but scored 3 times against the Wranglers D. Add in three Wrangler TD’s and you get the biggest score in Chicago Machine history. DEN 30 HOU 27 Another classic between these Western Conference rivals, as Denver gets a late Bill Brooks TD and a game ending Brian Speelman FG in the 4th to upend the homestanding Gamblers. Harry Sydney had one of his best games in recent memory, rushing 21 times for 133 yards and the Gold D limited Thurman Thomas to only 99 combined yards from scrimmage as the two heavyweights engaged in a see-saw scoring battle. LA 18 MGN 21 The Express came up just short, as did kicker Scott Olivera on a last second field goal attempt to tie the game. Michigan, playing without the dinged up Anthony Carter, got contributions from TE Butch Rolle, HB Vince Workman and a final TD from John Williams to upend the Express. OAK 15 NOR 23 Injuries also held the Oakland Invaders back, as little-used 3rd QB Tim Koegel got the start with both Gilbert and Kemp unable to play. New Orleans took advantage, sacking the unsure Koegel 5 times and picking off two passes, including Joe Restic’s 43 yard pick-six, on their way to a 4-0 turnover victory and an 8-point win. POR 25 TEX 26 Portland started veteran Ed Luther and nearly pulled off the big win in El Paso as the Thunder fell to a Nick Mike-Myer field goal with only seconds left. Luther threw for 281 and 2 scores on the day, but it was not enough as Doug Williams (25 for 38 for 312 yards) rallied the Outlaws and moved the ball down to the 12 yard line to allow Mike-Myer to win the day for the home team, playing their annual game outside of San Marcos in front of 31,200 in El Paso’s Sun Bowl. GAME OF THE WEEK Tampa Bay Bandits 31 Washington Federals 30 Troy Aikman had a game MVP performance against the struggling Federals defense, leading the Bandits to the win with only seconds left. In a game that Washington led since the early moments, Tampa would not go away, and in the end it was Aikman to Collinsworth for the win. Washington started off the scoring on a Craig James 5 yard swing pass from Majkowski midway through the 1st. James, who had 102 on the ground, also caught 4 balls for 23 yards and this score. But, Tampa would answer, as Aikman led the Bandits down the field quickly, hitting Eric Truvillion for a game-tying score. As the first quarter ended, Washington once again used James, this time on the ground, to go up by 7 once again. The 2nd quarter began with a Ray Wersching field goal to boost the Federals’ lead to 17-7, but once again Tampa retaliated, this time with Lars Tate catching a screen pass from Aikman and scoring from 7 yards out. The Bandits would add three more points with a Benny Ricardo field goal to close out the half tied at 17. Washington would win the 3rd quarter, scoring twice, another Wersching field goal and a Majkowski to Slaughter 13 yard scoring toss. The Feds were once again up by 10 at 27-17. But, once again Tampa would be up for the challenge. Aikman found Gary Anderson on a simple swing pattern, but Anderson avoided the tackle and wove his way for 22 yards and the score to pull within 3. Washington would build the lead back up to 6 at 30-24 with another Ray Wersching field goal just before the 2-minute warning, but this left too much time on the clock for Tampa Bay and Troy Aikman. With 2 time outs left, and with Aikman using the sideline effectively, the Bandits were able to move the ball well into Feds territory, and with 29 seconds left on the clock, Aikman found Chris Collinsworth with just enough space in the endzone to thread the needle and put 6 on the board. With Ricardo’s extra point the Bandits took their first lead of the day and the Federals once again fell back into a familiar position of disappointment. There simply was not enough time left for Majkowski to show some magic and get the Feds into field goal range. Tampa won their 4th of the year and Washington fell to 2-5. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Troy Aikman is quickly putting his stamp on the Bandits and his bid in on the Rookie of the Year Award. The Class of 1989 overall is not yet proving to have much immediate impact, with the possible exceptions of Aikman,his teammate Keith DeLong (7 sacks) and Denver LB John Roper (also 7 sacks). Robert Drummond has been pedestrian for Portland, as has WR Hart Lee Dykes, and few others have had a chance to shine yet. Meanwhile, Aikman has thrown for over 1900 yards and 10 touchdowns and has Tampa poised to contend for the Southern Division crown. In a year when many expected Steve Spurrier to have to reinvent the Banditball philosophy, the move to trade with Los Angeles and acquire Aikman has proven to provide immediate results and help offset the loss of John Reaves to retirement. Aikman has been poised, accurate, and resourceful in helping Tampa build up a 4-3 record. If the Bandits D could find the same steadiness the Bandits could be right there with Memphis and Birmingham at 5-2. In this game, the rookie played like a savvy veteran, despite never having the lead all day, the Bandits hung in the game, Aikman took advantage of opportunities, and when the pressure was on to produce in the 2-minute drill, he was sharp, driving the Bandits to the winning score. Things are looking up in Tampa, and the front office has to be over the moon that their gambit to acquire Aikman is paying immediate dividends. NEWS & NOTES No more notable free agent signings this week, but potential danger in another sphere as it appears that NFL teams are openly reaching out to some of the USFL’s top coaches with potential offers. There were 7 Head Coach openings in the NFL after their version of Black Monday, and with several teams still seeking a coach, eyes have turned to the USFL. The 3-13 New Orleans Saints are one squad still hoping to sign a proven winner, while the 4-11-1 Chiefs and the 2-14 Dallas Cowboys are also in the hunt. The release of longtime Cowboy coach Tom Landry by new owner Jerry Jones has many upset in Dallas, and some are wondering if a move up the highway by Jack Pardee may be Jones’s best option to offset the fan ire. New Orleans has reportedly been in discussions with both Tampa’s Steve Spurrier and Philadelphia’s 2-time Championship coach Jim Mora, while Kansas City has made inquiries about Michigan head man Jim Stanley. One NFL team has already jumped on the USFL bandwagon, as the Buffalo Bills hired former Baltimore head man Marv Levy as their Assistant Head Coach for the 1988 season, made him interim coach when they fired Hank Bullough after a 2-7 start, and now have named Levy the full-time head coach of the Bills. While Spurrier, Pardee and Stanley are coming up on the end of their contracts, the mention of Mora in the group is troubling as the Philadelphia coach has a year left on his contract with the Stars. He could resign, but if he does so to join the NFL, there would almost certainly be claims of tampering from the spring league to their fall rivals. All this is happening at a time when it is well-known that the NFL is seeking to poach players from the deep pool of USFL free agents soon to become available. It is a tense time between the two leagues, one that could lead to significant offseason chaos for the 7-year old USFL. INJURY REPORT While Vince Evan’s ACL tear was certainly the news of the day around the league this past Sunday, his injury was not the only blow dealt to USFL squads. Pittsburgh DE John Bosa will miss at least 6 weeks with a back injury suffered in a dogpile this week, while Jacksonville guard Duval Love suffered a stress fracture in his right foot which could cost him a month. Houston wideout Ernie Jones has a hairline fracture to his collarbone, but could be back in 2-3 weeks, while fellow receiver Ricky Sanders could also miss this week after suffering a broken finger. Hard to catch those Jim Kelly fireballs with a gimpy finger. Expected back in action this week are Oakland QB Gale Gilbert, Philly CB Lorenzo Lynch, Memphis DT Curtis Maxey, Arizona HB James Wilder and QB Robbie Bosco. Also back after being pulled last week are New Jersey LB Chris Spielman, LA wideout Robb Thomas, and New Orleans HB Marcus Dupree. LOOKING AHEAD As we approach the midpoint of the season, we have a lot of key races in each division, and this week’s lineup of divisional games will go a long way to setting the tone for the second half. Baltimore, losers of 4 straight, still have a chance to remain in the hunt if they can knock off New Jersey (4-3) at home. Pittsburgh, likewise can even their record at 4-4, but must beat Philadelphia in Philadelphia to do it. A resurgent Jacksonville squad (3-4) has a chance to make a statement at Birmingham (5-2), and Orlando cand do the same if they can knock off Memphis in the Liberty Bowl. Texas and Chicago are hoping to stay relevant with a win this week in Soldier Field, while New Orleans, surprised to already be 3 games behind the Panthers, can edge closer if they can beat Michigan in the Silverdome. Oakland expects to get Gale Gilbert back, and just in time as they face the Express this week. Portland, still seeking their first win, heads to Arizona, where the Wranglers D will try to rebound from a horrid performance this week. In Intra-division matchups Houston hopes Washington’s bad luck continues as they visit RFK while Denver hopes to cool off Aikman and the Bandits when they match up at Tampa Stadium.

This was the week to root for the defenses. Of the 10 games played, only 1 saw the losing team score more than 20 points (Memphis at 21) and even winning teams squeeked by with 17, 19, 20, or 21 points as defense ruled the weekend. In what has been a trend all season, teams are winning by making their opponents one-dimensional, by forcing takeaways, or by simply limiting the opposition to field goals instead of touchdowns. SCORES WSH 30 PIT 17 Craig James and Kevin Harmon combine for 149 yards on the ground and two scores as the Federals get their second win of the year by knocking off the Maulers in Pittsburgh. The game was tied at 17 at the half, but a big second half from the Feds and 2 Alan Risher interceptions seal the Maulers’ fate. MEM 21 BIR 30 Birmingham gets a huge game from Cliff Stoudt to knock off the Showboats in a rowdy Legion Field. Stoudt hit 24 of 32 passes for 327 yards and 2 scores, including 110 yards to Ernest Givens. The Stallion D created three Showboat turnovers, including 2 interceptions of Mike Kelley on the day. TBY 20 ORL 24 With no run game to rely on, Troy Aikman struggled against the Renegades. Orlando held Gary Anderson to only 12 yards rushing, forcing the Bandits to be one-dimensional. Meanwhile Curtis Bledsoe had a respectable 77 yards on 18 carries and Reggie Collier found rookie TE Marv Cook for a key TD as the Renegades move to 2-4 and knock Tampa back to 3-3. NOR 13 HOU 19 Once again last year’s Breakers offense did not show up as the Houston D held the Breakers to 260 total yards and allowed only a late Robinson to Johnson TD when the game was out of reach. Five turnovers for New Orleans haunted them all game long. Matt Robinson was particularly flustered as he threw 4 interceptions in the game, three into the hands of veteran CB Domingo Bryant of Houston. TEX 10 MGN 17 The Panthers come up with 10 points in the final period to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Derek Holloway came up big when called on, scoring the lead-flipping TD with only 1:37 left in the game for the Panthers. OAK 14 DEN 27 Denver just keeps rolling along, this time thanks to 2 Harry Sydney touchdowns. Bob Gagliano also hit Bill Brooks with a key TD to pull away. The Denver D did the rest, holding backup Invader QB Jeff Kemp without a TD. The gam would have been even worse for Oakland had LB Ken Harvey not picked off an errant Gagliano pass and run it back for a score. POR 7 LA 31 Even with Steve Young knocked out of the game, the Thunder cannot muster enough offense to capitalize. Express rookie backup Rodney Peete threw for 172 and 2 scores to pace LA, while Kerwin Bell threw 3 more interceptions. Fans have to be wondering if and when Coach Patera will pull him in favor of the newly acquired Ed Luther. CHI 17 NJ 20 Herschel Walker put on a show on Sunday, rushing for 128 and a score, while also leading all receivers with 5 catches. Chicago was game, however, and kept the game close throughout. They simply could not get John Carney in range for a final attempt to tie the game as New Jersey emerged victorious for the 4th time this season. ARZ 26 JAX 16 The Wranglers win a costly game as Robbie Bosco was knocked out of the game and Kelly Stouffer came on in relief. Arizona built up a 26-0 lead after 3 and then eased up, allowing Jacksonville to crawl back in but never really threaten the Wranglers. Darryl Clack had a big game, rushing 23 times (to only 5 for James Wilder) and gaining 101 yards in the process. GAME OF THE WEEK Philadelphia Stars 21 Baltimore Blitz 19 Philly makes it two wins in a row with this nail-biter in Baltimore. Relying on the foot of David Trout, the Stars got only 1 offensive TD, a Steve Howell run in the 4th, while they scored on a safety and 4 field goals and limited Baltimore to 4 field goals as well. The final difference in the 2-point game was Tim Spencer’s slip and fall in the endzone which cost Baltimore a safety when the score was 12-3 Baltimore. That safety changed the momentum of the game, as Philly scored on 4 consecutive drives (3 FG and finally a TD). Baltimore would get their first touchdown with only seconds left in the game, but there was simply not enough time to get the ball back and try for a game winning field goal. The Stars did well on the ground even without Kelvin Bryant suited up. Backup Jamie Mueller rushed 27 times for 90 yards and Steve Howell chipped in another 11 carries for 58. For Baltimore, the ground game was simply not there as Tim Spencer only gained 21 yards on the day. The Blitz relied on Vince Evans and the passing game, but Philadelphia’s secondary is perhaps its strongest defensive squad, and Evans struggled to complete passes on key downs. The Blitz went 1 for 10 on third down and were forced to punt 5 times and kick field goals on 4 other drives. The win moves Philadlephia up to 2-4 and now in the thick of a balanced Atlantic Division. Baltimore, which began the year 3-0 have now lost three in a row and have fallen back to the pack, 1 game behind New Jersey. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While the AP defensive player of the week was Oakland’s Ken Harvey, we would have preferred to see Domingo Bryant of Houston get the award. Yes, Harvey ran back an INT for a score, but it was a single play in a game that the Invaders lost. Bryant cancelled out three New Orleans drives in a game that Houston won by a slim 19-13 margin. Without Bryant’s blanket coverage of Breaker wideout Nolan Franz, the game could have ended very differently. In a season where defenses seem to have the upper hand, at least in the first third of the schedule, Bryant’s performance helped Houston get a vital division win and keep pace with 5-1 Michigan. NEWS & NOTES As anticipated, word has clearly gotten around the USFL that the NFL is coming and teams had best tend to their free agents now, rather than wait for an open free agency season. Resignings have begun in earnest, and It seems that many USFL players are happy to get a raise, but stay put with their current teams. Recent contract extensions over the past week include several of the bigger free agent targets anticipated for this summer. Arizona locked up their best defender by locking Brian Noble in for another 4 years. Baltimore protected their future at QB by adding 3 more years to Eric Kramer’s contract. Birmingham made sure their defensive captain Bob Barber would retire a Stallion, adding 4 years to his contract. In Chicago they have a tough choice, with both Chuck Long and Steve Beurlein at the end of their contract. Long has been the starter for most of the franchise’s 3 seasons, and they rewarded that with a 4 year deal estimated to be worth $17M. In Denver they know where their bread is buttered. They locked in two of their best defenders by signing a new contract with DE Larry White and having Kurt Gouveia agree to a 3 year extension of his deal. Houston locked up Clarence Verdin for at least another 2 years, but now have to worry about Kelly, Sanders and DE Simon Fletcher. Jacksonville activated the extension clause in Chris Miller’s contract, but have to be concerned with both Hassan Jones and Gary Clark still unsigned beyond this year. LA continues to negotiate with Steve Young and Christian Okoye, but they have extended the contract of star CB Raphel Cherry for another 4 years. Memphis also quickly activated Greg Boone’s extension clause in his contract, giving them another 2 years with the former Bandit. Michigan star LB John Corker was happy to add another 3 years to his time in the Silver Dome, and was joined by HB John Williams who also resigned. Down in New Orleans the priority has been resigning Marcus Dupree, a fan favorite and the team’s leading rusher. $8M for 4 years seems to have done it. The Breakers also announced the extension of Nolan Franz’s contract, though terms were not revealed. There are rumors that New Jersey HB Herschel Walker has been approached by the Dallas Cowboys, which could be tempting, but at least the Generals know who their General will be, as they extended Doug Flutie for another 3 years. In Oakland, Ken Harvey agreed to the added years in his rookie contract rather than test the waters after only 2 years. In Orlando, Reggie Collier has extended (and has reported that the lack of NFL attention has been concerning for him and his agent.) Philadelphia had the longest list of top name free agents, and they have begun trying to resign those they could as soon as possible. Center Blair Bush was the first to add years to his deal, but he was quickly followed by QB Chuck Fusina and punter Sean Landeta. The big worry for the Stars has to be HB Kelvin Bryant, who is garnering NFL interest, as well as DE William Fuller. In Pittsburgh, two key signings were the combo of QB Alan Risher and WR Danny Bugg. While in Portland, LB Billy Ray Smith has agreed to give it 2 more years to try to build a solid D in the Rose City. Tampa WR Eric Truvillion, with a new QB in hand, has opted to remain with Tampa for another 3 years, while safety Roy Gee also resigned with the Bandits. Texas has activated the additional year in Brian Bosworth’s rookie contract as well. Finally, in DC, the Federals have resigned veteran wideout Joey Walters, DT Jerome Brown, and now can turn their attention to resigning both QB Don Majkowski, getting his first full year as a starter, and his safety net, TE Mark Bavaro. Of course, Craig James is also at the end of his contract, but Washington may have to make a tough choice on the older HB. LOOKING AHEAD Week Seven has the South and Atlantic again clashing, as do the Pacific and the Central. Birmingham will be in Baltimore, both hoping to keep pace in their divisions. Jacksonville travels to New Jersey and the Showboats are in Philadelphia. Pittsburgh will host the Renegades and 3-3 Tampa are at RFK to face the Federals. In the Western Conference Arizona travels to Chicago to face the Machine, while Denver has a huge game at Houston in what is becoming a great inter-divisional rivalry. LA has the unenviable task of trying to win in the Silverdome against the Panthers, while Oakland travels to New Orleans. Finally, Portland takes on their “evil twin” the other product of the 1988 reconfiguration of the Oklahoma Outlaws and San Antonio Gunslingers, when the Thunder head to San Marcos to play the Texas Outlaws.

SCORES BAL 13 PIT 18 Alan Risher is credited with a rare Pittsburgh 4th quarter comeback as he hits the breakout star of the Maulers, Raynard Brown with the game winning score with only 53 seconds left in the game to thrill the Mauler faithful and send Baltimore down to a second consecutive defeat. BIR 13 ORL 3 Orlando’s offense continues to struggle as Birmingham holds them to a field goal. Stallion rookie TE Walter Reaves only gets one catch on the day, but he makes it count with the game’s only touchdown. JAX 10 TBY 24 Troy Aikman does not find the endzone, but his 71% completion rate and 290 yards help power the Bandits to a win in the in-state rivalry. Eric Truvillion proves to be his favorite target, snagging 7 balls for 123 yards, including a 55-yarder that led to a Gary Anderson touchdown run. ARZ 13 DEN 27 Gagliano survives a 3 interception day as Bosco matches the dubious number. In a day for the defenses, Denver racks up 4 total takeaways and sacks Bosco 3 times as the Gold roll to a 4-1 record to start the season. Star of the Day is CB Vencie Glenn, who recorded two Bosco INT’s, including one run back for a score. OAK 33 POR 17 Gale Gilbert throws for 2 scores before being knocked out of the game on a late hit, allowing Jeff Kemp to finish out the game. Henry Ellard gains 104 and scores for Oakland as Portland’s defense once again proves ineffective. CHI 24 HOU 47 A 20-point first quarter by Houston puts Chicago in a hole they cannot dig out of. Kelly is pulled early after having his bell rung on a scramble, but Sean Salisbury locks up the game with two TD tosses to Ricky Sanders to help the Gamblers climb to 3-2 on the year. NOR 27 TEX 32 The Outlaws win a shootout, outgaining New Orleans 449-342 and getting a late game winner on a Williams to Carson bomb with only 33 seconds left as the Breakers’ defense once again breaks down. Carson finishes the day with 127 yards and 2 scores as the Outlaws move to 3-2 an knock New Orleans below .500 at 2-3. MGN 10 PHI 17 Score one for pride as the winless Stars stun the undefeated Panthers in Veterans Stadium. Neither team could run the ball so it was Chuck Fusina, finding Gerard Phelan and Alex Higdon on scoring tosses, who pulls the game out for the Stars. Michigan, despite racking up 435 yards of offense against the suspect Philly D simply could not find the endzone often enough and are limited to only 10 points, their lowest output of the season. LA 20 MEM 13 The league’s other undefeated team also falls in Week 5 as LA scores 10 points in the final quarter to knock off the Showboats. It was Young to Townsell for the killing blow as LA comes back for the win. Young threw for 2 scores and no picks, while Kelly flipped that script, throwing 2 picks and failing to find the endzone. GAME OF THE WEEK New Jersey Generals 38 Washington Federals 35 The Generals build up a huge lead and then nearly fritter it away, allowing Washington a 22-point 4th quarter. Doug Flutie owned the Federals for 3 quarters, throwing 5 scores on his way to a 29 yard day, but Don Majkowski showed that he had some magic too, leading Washington with three touchdown drives in the final quarter. It certainly looked good for New Jersey early as the Generals followed a 3-3 first quarter with two touchdown drives in the 2nd. In both drives, Flutie found TE Jeff Spek for short scoring tosses. After a Washington field goal made the score 17-6 at the half, Flutie had another strong quarter, throwing three touchdowns in the 3rd, one each to Herschel Walker, Scott Schwedes, and J.J. Birden. Trailing 38-13 after 3, the Federals looked to be dead in the water, but in classic Sam Rutigliano style, the Feds fought back to make it exciting, beginning with a Duane Gunn TD reception from Majkowski. After a 3-and-out, Washington again drove the ball and scored on a Craig James goalline plunge. Now, with little time left, Majkowski again drove the length of the field and found Travis McNeal for a score to bring the game within 3 points (after the 2 point PAT). New Jersey was looking spent, but with time dwindling and Washington without time outs left, the Generals only needed a single first down to salt away the game. They got it on a rumbling, tackle-defying run by Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie was able to take a knee and salt away the win. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While Flutie’s 5-TD game was very impressive, we are going to give the POTW to the much-maligned Philadelphia Stars defense. They have not been their usual selves this season, having lost three key leaders to retirement in LB Sam Mills, SS Scott Woerner and FS Elmo Gardiner. They have simply not found answers to stop the run and they have given up more points than the Stars offense can compensate for, leading to a horrific 0-4 start. But, this week, with their backs against the wall, they may have bent,, giving up 435 total yards, but they did not break, keeping Michigan to only 10 points. The defensive stars for the day were CB Chris Dishman, who held Anthony Carter in check, and DE William Fuller who harassed Jack Trudeau throughout the game. The high-pressure theme that Philly installed for this game worked like a charm as Jack Trudeau spent most of the game scrambling or succumbing to the Stars D-line and blitzers. Philly sacked Trudeau a frightening 9 times on the day, including 2 for DE Steve Bryan and one each by Fuller, Lorenzo Lynch, Eric McMillian, Glenn Howard, Ron Herron, Tony Simmons and Gary Balding. From that list you can see that the Stars opted to blitz early and often, bringing backers, safeties and corners into the fray to confuse and corral Trudeau. Yes, the blitzing scheme did lead to some big plays as Trudeau threw for 380 yards, but it also ended drives, caused errant throws, and stuffed the run. The Stars certainly do not want to give up the yardage they did this week, but the defense was successful in their most important task, keeping points off the scoreboard. NEWS & NOTES Did we not say that there would be some trades this year? Just one week after proposing some deals, we saw movement on the trade wire, though, admittedly it seems that teams are not looking at our suggestions are what we proposed. PORTLAND-MICHIGAN Portland tried to address two major issues by making a 4-player, 1 pick deal with the 4-1 Michigan Panthers. The two teams swapped backup quarterbacks, with a frustrated Ed Luther very possibly getting a chance to start in Portland while Brent Pease gets to back up Trudeau in Michigan. Portland also tried to address their issues at defensive end by trading HB Stanford Jennings and their 3rd round pick to Michigan for the stalwart Bob Otto. LOS ANGELES-PHILADELPHIA As predicted, the Express did trade Niko Noga, but not to Tampa for a HB. They traded him to the Philadelphia Stars for two picks, a 3rd rounder in 1989 and a 2nd rounder in 1990. The move helps strengthen a suddenly weaker Philly LB corps while giving LA two solid picks in upcoming drafts. The move also means that LA’s 1986 pick of Tommy Taylor will resume starting duties after being used as a “utility” reserve for the past 2 years. JACKONVILLE-ARIZONA In a move to shore up their run game and better protect Chris Miller, the Bulls acquired Arizona tackle Mark Shively, sending Arizona DE Jon Carter and a 5th round pick. Shively is expected to replace Paul O’Connor at right guard. ORLANDO-NEW JERSEY Orlando free safeties Stallworth and Burgos have been toasted all year long, so it is not a surprise that the Renegades made a move to upgrade the position. New Jersey sends them Tim McDonald, along with reserve wideout Nathan Bruce in exchange for CB Kirby Jackson and Orlando’s 3rd round pick in 1989. And in sad roster news, we must report that Washington did place QB Neil Lomax on injured reserve as tests at the Cleveland Clinic proved that Lomax’s hip concern does appear to be a degenerative condition. The Federals are going to hold on to Lomax through the season to continue evaluation, but it is likely that Lomax may be forced into an early retirement if his condition cannot be reversed. The IR move means that he will earn 70% of his salary for the year, and will retain his roster status, important for several reasons, not the least of which is access to team facilities and medical personnel. The Federals resigned Mike Hohensee to back up Don Majkowski, along with rookie Paul Singer. INJURY REPORT Not a lot to report this week, which is a good sign for most USFL squads. There were some scary moments, such as the Kelly concussion or Brian Bosworth coming out with a shoulder injury for Texas, but in the end it appears that major injuries were avoided, with both the Boz and Machine Gun Kelly expected back next week. Among those who may miss time we have Memphis DT Curtis Maxey (questionable), Denver WR Mark Carrier (doubtful), Oakland QB Gale Gilbert (Doubtful) and Portland tackle Bruce Armstrong (out 1-2 weeks, hamstring). Not good news for these clubs, but not devastating injury either. LOOKING AHEAD Week Six is another week of tense divisional rivalries. The Stars, fresh off their first win of the year, face an angry Baltimore Blitz squad, having lost their last 2. Washington, trying to shake off a 1-4 start are in Pittsburgh to face the tenacious Maulers. Memphis, smarting after their first loss of the year, have a big rivalry game against the Stallions at what will certainly be a raucous Legion Field. Tampa stays in state for another week, traveling just down the road to face the 1-4 Orlando Renegades. New Orleans faces off against Houston in the Astro Dome in a battle of two clubs who expected to be playing better ball this year. Texas travels to Michigan to test the Panthers. In the Pacific Division we have a great early season matchup of 4-1 clubs as surprising Oakland, playing without Gale Gilbert, will face the tough Denver Gold defense. Meanwhile, Portland, still looking for their first win, may give some playing time to their newly acquired QB as they face the Express in LA. Out of division it’s Second City vs. the Big Apple as Chicago heads to Giants Stadium to face the Generals, and in Jacksonville the Wranglers are in town as both clubs try to get to .500 with a win.