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USA TODAY, July 10, 1986 The best of plans are laid waste by circumstance. That is the message the USFL is learning as its anticipated 4-team expansion is not going the way the league had planned. While the franchises in Chicago and San Antonio seem to have all their ducks in a row, the proposed Miami and San Diego expansion franchises are finding that starting a new sports enterprise is anything but straightforward. Both are, after weeks of negotiations, now seeking alternative venues for their new ventures, with the Orange Bowl and San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium now seemingly out of the picture. The Miami venture, headed by owner “Woody” Weisner and recently signed Head Coach and General Manager Howard Schnellenberger are expected to announce that the franchise will be calling Orlando home for the foreseeable future. Negotiations with the Orange Bowl proved to be fruitless. With Miami opening a new stadium for the Dolphins NFL franchise, many expected the Orange Bowl to be readily available for the USFL, but apparently the University of Miami balked at the idea of sharing the stadium, even with a spring league, and their resistance ended up dooming the proposed Miami USFL franchise. In Orlando, Weisner finds a market and a stadium very much open to housing a USFL franchise. The city, which has been seeking to gain the cache and allure of Miami or Tampa within the sports world, has embraced the idea of a USFL franchise as its first foray into professional sports. The Citrus Bowl is readily available and makes a good venue for a USFL squad. While Tampa Bay Bandits owner John Bassett continues to protest the placement of a new team so close to his base, it seems very likely that within a matter of days, the USFL and the Citrus Bowl will announce the presence of a new Orlando franchise. San Diego is a messier issue.With pressure from both the NFL Chargers, the MLB Padres and San Diego State University, it seems the USFL has no other option in San Diego. League officials are openly questioning how the proposed expansion team’s owner, William Tatham convinced so many in the league that San Diego was a viable option when it was clear that the stadium was a major concern. So now the homeless franchise has only a few months to scout and negotiate a new home. With the other three expansion teams solidly placed in the Central and Southern regions, the league is likely going to restrict Mr. Tatham to options which could fit into the Pacific Division. It is anticipated that Orlando will play in the Southern divisions, Chicago clearly in the Central, and San Antonio ideally in the Central with Houston. Pittsburgh is expected to shift from the Central to the Eastern, which leaves only the Pacific Division with a 4-team format at present. Sources around the Tatham ownership group have indicated that the team is in discussions in several cities, including Honolulu, Sacramento, Seattle, and even Tulsa, Oklahoma, as potential relocation sites for the franchise. With so little time, and so much in the air, we anticipate that whichever city is able to house the franchise will be approved by the league, as league officials and owners would rather deal with a poorly placed team than attempt to run a 19-team season by delaying the addition of a 20th franchise. And, just to show that even the most solid of the 4 expansion teams is not without it's issues, the Michigan Panthers this week filed a formal complaint with the league office that the new identity of the Chicago machine, with burgundy red and sky blue as two of the team's primary colors, was a direct infringement on the Michigan identity, which also uses these same two colors. The complaint is not likely to go anywhere, but it does raise a question as to why a franchise which would be perfectly set up to be a natural rival to the Panthers would opt to select a look that so closely parallels that of Michigan's. Whether or not the complaint leads to legal action, or whether the USFL opts to address this issue is very much in doubt, but it is a curious sign of the lack of leaguewide coordination that this would come up with a franchise that otherwise seems to be the most prepared of the new entrants. So here we are, in Chicago we have a team already signing players, with an NFL experienced coach in Joe Bugel, and a deal to play in Soldier Field. In San Antonio, we have what seems to be a weaker setup, with a team playing in a 20,000 seat HS football arena, Alamo Stadium, and with a head coach whose claim to fame is NAIA level football. In Florida we have a team that hopes to have found a home, but at least has a football mind at the helm in Schnellenberger, and out west we have a team scrambling to find a home, and no word on football personnel as of yet. Hardly the smooth expansion we saw in 1984 when Pittsburgh, Memphis, Jacksonville and Houston joined the league.

SCORES With so many important games this week, let’s do a brief recap of each rather than focusing on one game of the week. We will go division by division for maximum impact. ATLANTIC BLT 7 PHI 37 As expected, the Blitz rested many of their starters while Philadelphia played theirs in hopes of locking up the #3 seed. The resulting lopsided win for the Stars places them as the #3 seed and now a trip to Jacksonville is in the works. WSH 49 NJ 17 With Philly expected to beat a resting Blitz team, Washington’s playoff hopes depended on a win in New Jersey and a loss by Tampa Bay. Washington did their part, though New Jersey also helped by opting to rest Doug Flutie and give Vince Ferragamo his first start in the USFL. The resulting score reflects the effort differential between the two clubs as Washington dominated from the start. While their offense was only marginally successful without Craig James, the defense came up big against the Generals, scoring 20 points with two pick-sixes of Ferragamo, a safety and a fumble return by J.D. Fuller. Washington would then have to watch the scoreboard to see what happened withTampa. SOUTHERN BIR 27 JAX 28 The Bulls also rested several starters, including QB Doug Williams, WR Gary Clark and HB George Adams, but their backups were still able to eke out a win over the Birmingham Stallions, despite Joe Cribbs’ 170 yards rushing. The Bulls scored the go ahead score in the waning seconds as backup QB Ed Luther hit Perry Kemp for the winning score, sending Birmingham’s slim playoff hopes crashing down. TBY 21 MEM 16 Tampa, playing without an injured John Reaves, was still not going to let their playoff hopes slip away. Backup Jimmie Jordan connected on all three Bandit scores and HB Gary Anderson had a solid game as the Bandits secured a wildcard by beating Memphis. The Showboats finish their injury-plagued year with their 3rd string QB, and a sad 2-14 which guarantees them the first pick in the draft. HOU 37 PIT 28 In a game between two teams that were a combined 2-9 at one point, the Gamblers won their 5th straight to finish at 7-9 for a third consecutive season. Whether the late surge, and the sudden realization that a fast-pace offense turned Jim Kelly loose, is enough to save Jack Pardee’s job will have to be seen. He survived Black Monday, but may face tough questions later this offseason. NOR 30 MGN 15 Michigan played their starters, minus an ailing John Williams, as they tried to get back in rhythm after 2 straight losses. In stead they again found their offense floundering as New Orleans locked up a 9-7 season with a 5 point win in the SilverDome. So, after starting the year 13-0, Michigan has lost three straight and has to figure out what is going wrong in time for a playoff game next week. PACIFIC ARZ 30 LA 10 The Wranglers needed to beat LA for a 3rd straight win and have Denver lose to edge their way into the playoffs on a tiebreaker at 8-8. They easily dispatched the unspirited Express as Rick Neuheisel found Trumaine Johnson for 117 yards and 2 scores. But, would they get the help they needed to wriggle their way into the playoffs? OAK 17 DEN 12 Denver could not get it done against the Division Champ Invaders, and with a tiebreaker disadvantage to the Wranglers, find themselves out of the playoffs after being 8-3 at one point this season. The 5-game season ending losing streak was primarily an offensive productivity issue as Bob Gagliano and the Gold offense finished they year with 5 straight games scoring below 20 points. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK We are going to give this one to perhaps the league’s best backup QB, Jimmie Jordan of the Tampa Bay Bandits. In a year when John Reaves was able to stay on the field up until the season’s final week, Jordan stepped up when called and provide Tampa with a win in a game they had to have. He accounted for all three Tampa Bay scores, finding Truvillion and Gillespie for TD’s and bouncing Tampa into the playoffs. He may have to repeat that performance next week if John Reaves, the league’s second rated passer, is unable to go next week. NEWS & NOTES Before we talk playoffs (below), we have to acknowledge that the offseason kicked off in earnest with another Black Monday Massacre. As is typical in football, the Monday after the final regular season games is a day when disappointing teams put the onus on their poor seasons on the coach, often either firing their head coach or removing the coordinators in hopes of reviving the team with new coaches. This year was no different as 3 Head Coaches were let go on Monday, along with some coordinators, as teams looked to move on. Here are the changes of note from the non-playoff teams this Black Monday Los Angeles: After a strong start to the year, the Express lost 9 of 11 to finish in last in the division only one year after winning their 2nd Division Title. The collapse, in a year where injuries were not an issue, was too much for ownership, who released founding head coach Hugh Campbell from his duties on Black Monday. A coaching search will begin in earnest as this offseason is not a good one for an open position. Pittsburgh: Not surprisingly, after a 3rd straight 10-loss season, the Maulers have parted ways with coach Joe Pendry. And after a year when the team finished last in points allowed and 2nd from last in points scored, don’t expect the new Head Coach to be an internal hire. Expect a major house cleaning. Washington: The Federals, despite winning 4 of their last 5 to finish 8-8, finished their 4th straight year outside of the playoffs. But not all was bad news as the Federals finished the year with the #2 scoring offense in the league. That combination, combined with the fact that many in the organization felt that it was OC Sam Rutigliano, and not HC Lee Corso who was contributing the most to the team’s success, led to the predictable move of releasing Corso from his position and immediately promoting the former Cleveland Browns head man to the top spot as Head Coach. Houston: Despite yet another 7-9 season, it appears that coach Jack Pardee will be sticking around for another year, perhaps saved by the 5-game win streak and newly revamped offense which seemed to change Houston’s fate at the end of the season. Many had Pardee heading out the door, but unless a late coaching change is made, it looks like he will get another year to get the Gamblers over the hump. Birmingham: A late playoff run and an improvement over the disastrous 1985 campaign also seem to have saved Rollie Dotsch’s position for another year. Birmingham released their OC George Dyer on Monday but seem content with Dotsch. We will likely see some changes on offense as the success of Joe Cribbs has not been translating into success for the Stallions. Is QB Cliff Stoudt in danger here? INJURIES Looking ahead to the playoffs, here are the injuries which could impact matchups: PHI @ JAX Stars: C Blair Bush (out), WR Gerard Phelan (out), LB Sam Mills (Probable) Bulls: WR Dennis Breach (Out), LB Vaughan Johnson (Out), SS Aaron Mitchell (Doubtful), TBY @ BLT Bandits: DE Theodore Brooks (out), QB John Reaves (Doubtful), LB Jeffery Noel (Doubtful) Blitz: FS Tommy Wilcox (out), E Rulon Jones (out), CB Leslie Frazier (Questionable) ARZ & MGN Wranglers: C Morris Vaughan (out), WR Wamon Buggs (Probable), TE Rosendo Howe (Probable) Panthers: T Arnoldo Gardner (out), C Hubert Hicks (out), G Ron Hallstrom (Doubtful) NOR @ OAK Breakers: G Harry Grimminger (out), T Brian Marvin (Probable) Invaders: CB Tory Nixon (out), HB Albert Bentley (Questionable) PLAYOFF PREVIEW Well, here we are. 17 weeks of USFL action completed and only 8 teams remain. As we noted above, it is the "usual suspects" back to battle again as this year's playoff teams feature frequent playoff participants in Michigan, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. Baltimore and New Orleans are new cities, but the Blitz and Breakers have been here before. The only newcomers are the Oakland Invaders, who have steadily risen in the Pacific Division since hiring Dick Vermeil as their coach. Let's kick the postseason off as we look at the 4 games to determine who goes to the Conference Championships. Stars (9-7) @ Bulls (11-5) Vegas: Bulls by 3 It’s a battle of tortoise and hare in this one. Philadelphia is known for a ball control offense and sturdy D, while Jacksonville likes to air it out and outpace their opponents. The advantage in experience definitely goes to the defending champions, who have been in the playoffs all 4 USFL seasons and who have veteran leadership on both sides of the ball. Jacksonville will test the Philly defensive backfield with league reception leader Gary Clark, but they will need to get George Adams the ball also if they want to compete with the balanced Philly offense. Expect Philly to rely on Kelvin Bryant to draw a crowd, allowing Chuck Fusina to use play action for the occasional big hit. We like Philly in this one, despite the Vegas line, simply based on experience and calm under pressure. Bandits (9-7) @ Blitz (12-4) Vegas: Blitz by 8 Baltimore has been atop the conference since the very beginning of the season, and we see them coming out on top on this one. No doubt that Tampa is a tough out. They have experienced leaders and some serious offensive firepower, but Baltimore can match scores with almost anyone and they have a clearly superior defense to Tampa. And, lest we forget, it is not the cool, calm John Reaves under center for the Bandits, but the more-freewheeling Jimmie Jordan. We expect Junior Ah You and the Baltimore D to take advantage of Jordan’s more erratic nature. We also expect the Baltimore offense, led by Vince Evans, to find a way to get the ball into the gamechanging hands of Jackie Flowers. We think the Blitz will cover the spread in front of a raucous Baltimore crowd. Wranglers (8-8) @ Panthers (13-3) Vegas: Panthers by 7 The Wranglers barely squeeked into the playoffs with help from Oakland, and their reward is to face the Panthers. Now, the question is, will they face the Panthers who cruised to a 13-0 record, or the seemingly lost squad that finished the year 0-3. We are not sure what has happened to the Panthers’ confidence or swagger, but we see Arizona as a good team to rediscover it. Rick Neuheisel is dangerous, but across the board the Panthers are a better team. We expect the Panthers to win big. Breakers (9-7) @ Invaders (10-6) Vegas: Invaders by 5 I like the Breakers. Solidly coached, low profile team that just seems to make the playoffs each year. But, that is where it always seems to end. The Breakers have yet to win a playoff game, and we don’t see Oakland as a team they are likely to break that dubious streak again. Brian Sipe has been playing lights out football all year, and the balance they show with the run game is tough to gameplan against. We are still not sold on QB Tony Eason for New Orleans, and while Marcus Dupree has had a great year since being traded from Memphis, he is still young and inexperienced compared to Arthur Whittington for Oakland. We like the Invaders to get the W and face Michigan next week.

SCORES NJ 10 BLT 27 Evans to Flowers for 2 scores and Baltimore wins at home. MEM 24 BIR 28 Stallions keep playoff hopes alive with tough 4 point win. JAX 34 TBY 27 Bulls clinch the South with a huge road win at Tampa Bay. PIT 28 NOR 24 Alan Risher finds his groove against the Breakers. MGN 13 HOU 20 Gamblers stun the Panthers as Michigan loses 2nd straight. DEN 17 ARZ 27 Neuheisel’s 3 scores lead to Gold’s 4th loss in a row. LA 20 OAK 27 Invaders take over 1st place with a big home win over LA. GAME OF THE WEEK Philadelphia Stars 33 Washington Federals 27 If Washington misses the playoffs they will have to point to one key factor, their inability to win division games. The Feds fall to 0-5 in the division, vs. 7-3 outside the Atlantic. In their most important game ever at RFK, the Federals fell just short of a key victory which would have put them in the driver’s seat for their first ever playoff spot. Philly’s win all but guaranteed them a playoff spot, as they were able to hold off a late Washington comeback to take home the W. It was a game of swings, as a 14-13 Philadelphia lead at the half blew up in the 3rd quarter as Philly scored on 4 straight possessions. It started with a safety as Curtis Bledsoe could not escape the endzone, then Fusina found Folsom wide open on a blown coverage for a 56 yard score. After a 3-and-out by Washington, the Stars boosted the lead on a Johnnie Hector plunge from the 1, and then David Trout hit on a 44 yarder to give the Stars a commanding 33-13 lead. In the 4th Washington fought back, scoring twice in the first 4 minutes of the quarter, a Curtis Bledsoe touchdown, followed 3 plays later by a Brendan Zavala pick-six. But, now down only 6, the Federals would never challenge again. Philly used the legs of Kelvin Bryant, who finished the day with 125 yards, to slow the game down and milk the clock. Washington QB Reggie Collier watched and waited but never got his shot for a game-winning drive and the Stars finished the game and quite possibly the Federals playoff hopes. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Alan Risher staked his claim to be the Mauler’s long term quarterback solution this Sunday. In an otherwise meaningless game for the Maulers, Risher did more than manage a game and hand off to Rozier, he was surgical in the pass game, completing 73% of his passes and finding both John Jefferson and Danny Buggs for two scores each on the way to a 28-24 win. Playing on a 1-year contract after being cut by the NFL Buccaneers, Risher is trying to unseat top draft pick Todd Blackledge and secure himself a long term deal in Pittsburgh. The former Arizona Wrangler demonstrated the same penchant for playmaking and escapability that he had shown the Arizona fans before taking a shot at the NFL. And while the Maulers’ season has been a lost cause since an 0-7 start, finding a QB like Risher may be just the thing to provide some hope for the hard luck Maulers. PLAYOFF PICTURE One week left and here is what we know. Baltimore and Michigan are the #1 seeds in each conference. Jacksonville is the #2 seed in the East. Oakland is in. LA is now out of contention. And the clinching scenarios are complex. Here are the best shots for those teams not locked into a slot: JOCKEYING FOR POSITION New Orleans: They are in, but #3 vs. #4 depends on a win this week or loss by Denver. Oakland: Win and they win the division. Lose @ Denver and they are a wildcard. IN CONTROL OF THEIR DESTINY Philadelphia: Win and they are in as the #3 seed. Still have good odds with a loss. Denver: Win at home v. Oakland and they take the division. A loss plus an Arizona win and they are out. Tampa Bay: Win and they are in. Lose and they could be bumped by a Federals win. NEED SOME HELP Arizona: Their best hope is a win and for Oakland to take out Denver. They would be the #4 seed. Washington: Win + TBY/BIR losses and they are the #4 seed. They cannot leapfrog Philly for #3. Birmingham: A win over Jacksonville and a Tampa loss and they are 2nd in the division. Add a Philly loss and Birmingham could slip in as the #4 seed. NEWS & NOTES With only one week left, and a lot of playoff impact games in week 17 to boost attendance, the league has to be pleased with the advances in gameday attendance this season. 1986 looks to be the best year yet for attendance, after 1985 saw a significant slip (30,738) from 1984 (35,918). Current year attendance average leaguewide stands at 36,830 and only 3 teams --Memphis, Pittsburgh, and Washington-- have been unable to pull their average above 30,000 a game. The relocation of Boston and Chicago to New Orleans and Baltimore is a big reason for the boost as both teams have found solid fanbases in their new homes and now lead the league in attendance. Baltimore tops the league at 47,955, with New Orleans at 46,380, just ahead of Jacksonville (45k), and Denver (44k). With 9 teams at or above 38k per game, the league seems solidly on their way to financial viability. Pair this with a strong TV contract and growing local and national sponsorships and we could see a financially profitable league as soon as 1988. A lot will depend on the success of the 4 expansion franchises, and the ability to avoid teams at the bottom of the standings from losing fans if they cannot improve year to year, but it looks like the long-term viability of the league may be getting more and more secure each season. INJURIES Week 17 will see some teams resting players and others hoping to win without some key starters. Craig James is still questionable for the Feds. Birmingham may be without SS William Cesare after a foot injury. Denver will miss DE Larry White, and New Orleans is hoping that a mask worn by Marcus Dupree will allow him to play more snaps in this vital week. Tampa is still without John Reaves, and will depend on Jimmie Jordan, while Memphis, who are simply wrapping up a lost season, will do so without their top 2 quarterbacks, as Damon Allen is out with a broken arm. LOOKING AHEAD For many teams, it all comes down to this week. Philly may have an easier path to the playoffs as Baltimore is expected to rest some starters. Jacksonville may do the same, which helps Birmingham and potentially hurts Tampa. The Bandits have what should be an easy game against the shorthanded Showboats. Michigan, after 2 tough losses, is unlikely to rest Hebert against New Orleans as they need to get their rhythm back before the playoffs. In the Pacific division the game of the year is Oakland at Denver. The Gold win the division with a home victory, and if the Wranglers can win at LA, Denver would be out of the playoffs altogether with a loss. The only game without playoff implications is in Pittsburgh, where the Gamblers will try to win their 5th straight to once again finish the year at 7-9 (a dubious streak) while the Maulers are hoping to snag one more win to finish 5-4 after an 0-7 start.

SCORES MEM 27 BLT 37 Blitz overcome 21-0 deficit to overtake the Showboats. BIR 27 NJ 24 Cribbs is too much for Generals D, with 130 rushing. TBY 16 PHI 24 Stars rounding into playoff form with big win vs. Tampa. JAX 23 WSH 38 Big day from Craig James squash Bulls and get Feds to .500. DEN 10 NOR 31 Crump comes off the bench for 86 yards and a score in Breakers win. ARZ 29 PIT 12 Maulers are just what Arizona needed to snap 7 game losing streak. LA 24 HOU 27 Houston win 3rd straight as LA blow a chance to gain on Denver. GAME OF THE WEEK Oakland Invaders 31 Michigan Panthers 6 Has the mystique of the Panthers been figured out? Last week the Blitz held Michigan to 12 points in a tough 12-11 loss, but this week the Invaders used much the same formula to take down the unbeaten Panthers in brutal fashion. Oakland combined a suffocating 2 deep zone defense with second half offensive fireworks to take down the Panthers in dramatic fashion. For the second week in a row the vaunted Panthers passing game struggled to sustain drives, going 4 for 14 on third down, and this time around, the Panthers D failed them as Oakland was able to score on 4 consecutive drives in the second half to blow past Michigan. At the half it looked like a repeat of last week’s game between the Panthers and the Blitz, with a 6-3 score and neither team moving the ball effectively, but then the dam broke. Oakland began the half with a long 73 yard drive that ended when a swing pass out to Henry Ellard got the Invaders the final 2 yards they needed and put them on top to stay at 10-6. On their next drive, the Invaders again drove the field, this time with TE Raymond Chester catching the scoring pass. After a Michigan fumble, and only 28 second after the Chester score, Henry Ellard caught his second scoring pass of the day and Oakland had a commanding 24-6 lead. Michigan would press, and fail on 3rd down, leading to yet another long Oakland drive, this one 67 yards, ending in a Whittington dive over the top for the final score of 31-6. The loss was complete for Michigan, as every aspect of their gameplan failed against the white hot Invaders. Bobby Hebert was held to 237 yards passing, no scores and an interception, while HB John Williams was able to gain only 64 yards on 19 carries. Meanwhile, Brian Sipe completed 65% of his passes and threw for three scores, and the combination of Whittington (98) and Bentley (31) produced 129 yards rushing. Gary Plummer, the veteran Invaders LB, was the defensive star, with 9 tackles. Tory Nixon and Will Lyles combined for the game’s big play, the fumble and recovery that allowed Oakland to score a quick and decisive backbreaking TD only seconds after their second score of the day. Perhaps Michigan came out flat after clinching the #1 seed in the Western Conference, or call it a case of a team that was just hungrier, but many are now concerned that the Panthers’ formula has been revealed and the once unbeatable Michigan squad may now be due for a comeuppance as the playoffs draw near. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Despite Craig James winning Offensive Player of the Week, we want to give this weeks POTW to the entire Washington run game. Not only did James rumble for 154 yards and 2 scores, but backup Curtis Bledsoe also scrambled for another 103 yards and 2 scores of his own after James left the game with a knee concern. We knew that with Vaughan Johnson out of the Bulls LB corps, run defense would be a concern, but no one, not even the Washington coaching staff, could have expected such dominance on the ground. Kudos to the team’s offensive line for opening massive holes all day, to OC Sam Rutigliano for recognizing a weakness and exploiting it, and to both James and Bledsoe for shedding tackles and finding cutback lanes that shredded Jacksonville on the way to an important victory for the Feds. The win moves Washington to 7-7 and gives them a legitimate shot at the franchise’s first playoff berth in team history. If this is the way they can run the ball, they will be a team that no one will want to face these last 2 weeks, and maybe in the playoffs. PLAYOFF PICTURE With two weeks of divisional play to come, here is the big picture. Michigan, Baltimore and Jacksonville are in. Denver, Tampa, New Orleans and Philadelphia control their own destiny. Washington and Oakland can also stamp their tickets with a 2-0 finish. And while Birmingham, LA and Arizona are still technically alive, they are on life support. NEWS & NOTES Things are getting heated in Jacksonville where Doug Williams this week publicly requested a trade from the embattled Bulls. Despite leading the team to another playoff berth, Williams expressed frustration with the contract negotiation tactics of Bulls management, stating that he felt disrespected by their lowball tactics and threatening to return to the NFL unless Jacksonville could find a new USFL home for him. With 4 expansion teams coming into the league next year, there is a good opportunity for Jacksonville to get top value for Williams, as all 4 new teams will be desperate to lock down the game’s most vital position in their first year. The Bulls could come away with multiple #1 picks (in the Open and Territorial Draft) if they opt to move Williams. It is rare for a Top 5 QB to be on the market, but with a toxic relationship between Williams and ownership in Jacksonville, getting good trade value for the QB may be the best option in front of Fred Bullard, Lindy Infante and the Bulls personnel team. INJURIES With the final playoff push on the horizon for many USFL teams, this Is a bad time to lose key players even for just a week. LA lost two contributors in backup TE Cap Boso and DE Larry Roberts. Philly lost their starting center, Blair Bush for at least 2 weeks with a knee injury. Oakland will be without CB Tory Nixon at least until the first week of playoffs after suffering a foot injury vs. Michigan. Craig James, who had such a great game vs. Jacksonville may also miss the next week, or more, with fluid on his knee. Tampa may be the hardest hit, as QB John Reaves suffered an abdominal injury, perhaps a hernia, this week and could miss the remaining regular season. That is a lot of playoff implicating injuries to deal with, but this is why depth is a factor each and every season. LOOKING AHEAD Here we go. Final two weeks, all divisional games. The stakes are way up, so the action should be especially fierce as teams fight for their playoff lives. In Week 16 we have huge matchups between Philly and Washington in RFK, Jacksonville @ Tampa Bay, Denver @ Arizona and LA in Oakland. Each of these games has major playoff implications. Meanwhile other playoff teams and contenders hope to snag an easy win against lesser competition as Baltimore heads to New Jersey, Michigan to Houston, New Orleans faces Pittsburgh in the Super Dome and Birmingham hosts 2-win Memphis.

SCORES NJ 23 HOU 24 Houston wins its second in a row, edging the Generals by 1. PHI 24 NOR 20 Stars slow down a Breakers offense without its top wideout. WSH 20 PIT 14 Craig James’s 115 yard day gives the Federals the edge. BIR 14 LA 7 Both offenses have trouble finding a groove as Stallions get the W. JAX 24 ARZ 21 Rick Neuheisel’s return not enough as Wranglers lose 7th straight. TBY 20 DEN 13 Eric Truvillion finds just enough space to upend Denver at Mile High. MEM 10 OAK 49 Sipe and Whittington run wild against ineffective Memphis defense. GAME OF THE WEEK Baltimore Blitz 11 Michigan Panthers 12 This was not the game we were promised, but it was still a USFL classic. Both teams had defensive schemes perfectly matched to take away the other’s top weapons. Hebert was only able to connect for 180 yards, while Baltimore’s Spencer was limited to 49 yards on the ground in this defensive slugfest. The Blitz slowed the game way down, converting on 10 of 17 third downs to keep long slow drives moving, but failed to reach the endzone, settling for 3 fieldgoals and a safety for their scoring. Michigan was unable to get the big play downfield, and found themselves down 11-3 at the end of three quarters. But, in the 4th, the Blitz defense began to tire and Michigan did just enough to pull out the win. When the two stars of the game are Michigan LB John Corker and Baltimore backer Sam Norris, the league’s two leading tacklers, you know this is a smashmouth affair, and it certainly was. If not for a blown coverage, which let Michigan’s little used rookie WR Johnny Holloway score to start the 4th quarter, the game may have ended without a touchdown. Holloway’s score, coupled with a late Novo Bojovic field goal were enough for Michigan to pull ahead of Baltimore in a classic game of field position, hard hits, and playoff potential. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK Oakland did just about everything right in their game against Memphis. On offense both Whittington and Sipe were on fire, but the big moment in the game came from FS William Liles, who had a season-defining game. In addition to his 70 yard pick-six at the end of the game (an add-on score that did not really impact the final outcome) Liles had a monster play in the 2nd to crush any hopes Memphis had of sticking with the Invaders. The Showboats were driving, and had reached the Invader 17 when Damon Allen hit Roy Delarosa on what looked like a possible scoring play, but as Delarosa dove towards the endzone, ball out in front of him. Liles swatted the ball out of his hands. It rolled back to the 5, where Liles picked it up and raced down the field. He would have scored if not for the speed of Memphis’s Willie Gault, who shouldered him out of bounds at the Memphis 7. The 89 yard fumble return shifted the tide of the game, and the following score, putting Oakland up 21-3, all but ended any chance that Memphis had. It was a top level play in a top level game for Liles. PLAYOFF PICTURE OK, here is what we know with 3 weeks left to play. Michigan is Central Division champ and the #1 seed in the West. Baltimore is the Atlantic Division Champ. Jacksonville is guaranteed a playoff spot. Denver needs 1 win to clinch a spot as well. Tampa can do the same with a win and losses by Philly and Washington. Pittsburgh, Houston, and Memphis are out. Other than that it is a total cluster as many teams linger on for potential playoff spots. As we have come to expect in the USFL, a lot will come down to the final two weeks of intra-divisional play as the cluster of teams in the 6-8 win range will battle it out to the final whistle. NEWS & NOTES As expected, USFL teams have begun extending or resigning players on contract years in hopes of staving off an NFL raiding of their rosters. Some of the biggest names (Walker, Hebert, James, Rozier, Mills) but many USFL stars have already opted to remain with the league (assuming as well that they will be protected in the USFL Expansion draft and remain with their teams). Some of the names signed this week include: Pittsburgh HB Mike Rozier (4 year deal) Michigan LB John Corker (3 year extension) Michigan DE Ronnie Paggett (2 year deal) Arizona LB Stan White (2 year deal) Baltimore LB Ben Apuna (3 year deal) Baltimore WR Jackie Flowers (4 year deal) New Orleans LB Marcus Marek (3 year deal) Philadelphia TE Steve Folsom (2 year deal) Philadelphia QB Chuck Fusina (3 year deal) Tampa Bay WR Eric Truvillion (4 year extension) Memphis LB Eddie Simmons (5 year deal) LA HB Tony Boddie (2 year extension) Houston WR Ricky Sanders (3 year deal) Denver DT Laval Short (2 year extension) That still leaves some big names in negotiations, and we anticipate that several will wait out the process to see what the NFL has to offer. A busy time for GM’s across the league as they have to weight the salary cap, the impending USFL expansion draft, and the anticipated heavy NFL interest this offseason. INJURIES Marcus Dupree had to leave New Orleans’ game this week with what appears to be a broken nose after receiving an elbow to the face. He may have to miss this week’s game but is expected back for Week 15. New Orleans should have Nolan Franz back after he was sorely missed this past week. Jim Kelly, during his second straight high-octane game, jammed his finger but is expected to play this week. Overall a good week around the league’s recovery rooms. LOOKING AHEAD In the season’s last inter-division week we have the Atlantic hosting the Southern Division and the Central hosting the Pacific. Several games have playoff implications as well. Birmingham and New Jersey, both 5-8, need to win to stay in the Wild Card race. Philly has a tough game, hosting Tampa. Denver and New Orleans also both need the win. Jacksonville is hoping to hold its lead with a win over the Federals while Arizona is looking at Pittsburgh as its best chance to break a 7 game losing streak. Baltimore hosts Memphis, the Invaders travel to Michigan, and the LA Express hope to return to .500 with a win at Houston.

SCORES BIR 13 BLT 20 Spencer’s 109 yard day powers Baltimore to the home win. MEM 9 NJ 30 Walker busts loose for 143 yards on the ground for the Generals. JAX 24 PHI 18 Williams leads Bulls to big road win in Philadelphia. ARZ 21 NOR 36 Breakers solidify playoff shot with 15 point win over Wranglers. DEN 16 PIT 19 Gold caught napping by opportunistic Maulers. LA 16 MGN 26 LA offense cannot keep pace against undefeated Panthers. HOU 41 OAK 18 Jim Kelly has career day as Gamblers upset Invaders. GAME OF THE WEEK Tampa Bay Bandits 21 Washington Federals 24 In a game that the Bandits dominated at the half, 21-10, Federals demonstrate their moxie by dominating the second half to pull of the upset. In a see-saw game, Washington started the game well but had a rough 2nd quarter before putting the pressure on Tampa in the second half. The Federals had a solid opening drive, ending in a Nick Mike-Myer field goal, but Tampa came right back and finished the 2nd quarter with a Reaves to Collinsworth score to flip the score and take the lead 7-3. Washington opened the 2nd quarter with a scoring drive that ended when FB Barry Word plunged in from a yard out. The rest of the quarter would belong to Tampa as Reaves found Collinsworth again to go up 14-10, and then, just before the half, added another scoring toss to TE Mike Tice to build up the 11-point lead. The faithful at RFK had seen this script before. But the Federals came out to start the second half resolved to fight through. The combo of Charles Haley and Dexter Manley pressured John Reaves and forced an uncharacteristic interception right into the hands of 2nd year CB Lester Lyles. Collier and the offense capitalized as the QB found Webster Slaughter for a score to pull within 21-17. The defense would again come up big in the 4th quarter as LB Bradley Swearingen blindsided Reaves with a blitz, causing the ball to pop out, recovered by Swearingen at midfield. With 3:44 to go, Collier had a chance for a game winning drive and the Federals fans came alive. Collier moved the ball down to the 21 on a pair of Craig James runs, a swing pass to Word, and a scramble for 7 yards. On 2nd and 10 from the 21, wideout Webster Slaughter found a hole in the zone and Collier found him before the safety could come over in support. Washington took the lead back at 24-21, a lead they would hold for the remaining 1:44 to win the game. The win ,coupled with Philly’s loss to Jacksonville, suddenly put Washington right back in the thick of the hunt for the final wildcard spot in the East. The loss knocked Tampa Bay out of a tie for first in the Southern Division as the Bandits now find themselves a game behind Jacksonville. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK No one has doubted the talent or the toughness of Houston QB Jim Kelly in his 3 years in the league. He has taken more hits than any other quarterback, and while his team has not won a lot of games, he has clearly been the most talented player on the team. This week, against Oakland, the rest of the team stepped up and gave Kelly the type of game fans had been waiting for. Kelly threw for 394 yards against the Oakland defense, and added 5 scoring tosses to help Houston blow out the Invaders, 41-18. Kelly found 4 different receivers for scores: Gerald McNeil, Todd Fowler, Ricky Sanders and Clarence Verdin. Some kudos must go to the oft-criticized Houston line, which did not give up a sack for the first time in over 2 years. More kudos to Kelly and the coaching staff for implementing a quick call, limited huddle offense. The quicker pace, and greater autonomy for Kelly to call plays resulted in a tired Oakland defense, a confident Kelly, and a scoring barrage from a team that has had issues all year with underperformance. If Kelly can convince Coach Pardee to retain the quick-pace offense, the Gamblers may have found a formula to keep Kelly upright and allow his talents to shine. PLAYOFF PICTURE Here is where we stand with 4 weeks left in the season. Baltimore has clinched the Atlantic title, but still must worry about Jacksonville (2 games behind) catching them for the #1 seed. Out West, Michigan has no such concerns as they have clinched both their division and the top seed. Their mission now is to try to do something not seen since the 1972 NFL Dolphins, go undefeated. They play the Blitz this week in the toughest game on their schedule. A win now may propel them to history. In the South, Jacksonville takes a 1 game lead over Tampa Bay, meaning that the title is theirs to grab. They face the Bandits Week 16 in what may be a winner-take-all matchup. In the Pacific, Denver still maintains a 2 game lead, thanks to losses by both Oakland and LA. Those losses also mean that New Orleans has a game up on both Pacific teams for the first Wild Card spot and the easier matchup against a likely Denver Gold squad. Back East, Tampa trails the Bulls but has a 2-game lead on 3 Atlantic Division teams for a Wild Card. The three Atlantic Teams, Philly, New Jersey, and Washington are all essentially fighting for the 4th and final spot in the conference. Washington is at a distinct disadvantage due to an 0-4 division record, while the Generals and Stars sit at 2-2. INJURIES Good news for Arizona, stuck in a 6 game losing streak, as QB Rick Neuheisel has come off the injury list and is expected to start. Backup Robbie Bosco looked good but was unable to get the Wranglers into the win column in his 3 starts. On the down side, Baltimore will be without DE Rulon Jones for the rest of the season as he tore his ACL and will undergo surgery. This will make it easier for teams to double team league sack leader Junior Ah You. New Orleans QB Tony Eason had to leave last week’s game against the Wranglers with a concussion, but is expected to be back this week after a very solid performance by backup Matt Robinson. LOOKING AHEAD All eyes will be on the Baltimore-Michigan showdown as many expect the Blitz to be the only potential obstacle on Michigan’s road to an undefeated season. The USFL schedule-makers were shrewd to make this the Saturday Night game, typically the highest rated each week. In other games of interest, Philly has a tough matchup at New Orleans, Tampa Bay must face both the altitude and the Gold defense out in Denver, Jacksonville will head out to Arizona, and Washington is in Pittsburgh.

USA Today, June 6, 1986 This has been a big week for USFL expansion news as two franchises are well on their way, revealing both their new Head Coaches and their team identities, while two others seem to be encountering some significant issues related to stadium rental, issues which may force one or both to consider relocation before a single game is played. Let's dive into all four franchise situations with the league's newest coaching hires and the two newest team identities. CHICAGO—Chicago’s Union Club: The Chicago expansion franchise headed by Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz announced both their team identity and first head coach. Next Season the USFL will welcome the Chicago Machine to the Windy City. The team, whose name pays tribute to both the city’s long history of industrial innovation while also making a sly comment about the Chicago political “machine”, will play at Soldier Field beginning next March. At a press event which was followed by a fan rally at Soldier Field, the Machine revealed their logo, uniforms, and their new Head Coach, former Washington Redskins Offensive Coordinator Joe Bugel. Bugel, who has served as the OC for the Redskins since 1981 has built a reputation for his development of linemen and his devotion to a power running game. His offense has frequently been a top 10 unit in the NFL, and he is expected to bring a smashmouth style to the newly-formed Machine. Rumors had been circling that the Machine ownership had sought to speak with Bears’ defensive guru Buddy Ryan, but as the Bears ownership was hesitant to permit discussion with the coach still under contract, Wirtz and his management group quickly settled on the well-regarded Bugel. The Machine’s look is a basic one that incorporates elements of Chicago nostalgia, including a color scheme that borrows a deep maroon from the University of Chicago, sky blue from the city flag, and a medium metallic grey from, to quote the team reps present “the machinery and muscle that helped build the Second City”. The main logo will be a stylized M with gear notches along its side. The helmet will be deep maroon with the grey M logo on each side and a series of grey and sky blue stripes (pictured above). The uniforms will be predominantly maroon and grey, with a limited amount of sky blue (below). The team will begin building its coaching staff and roster over the upcoming months, with Free Agency beginning in late July, an expansion draft in November, and the league’s territorial and open collegiate drafts in December. Expect Coach Bugel to emphasize line strength on both offense and defense, and to seek out a power runner like Washington’s John Riggins. SAN ANTONIO—A public ceremony was held at San Antonio’s Alamo Stadium introduced the city to their USFL team, the San Antonio Gunslingers, and their new head coach, former Texas A&I coach Gil Steinke. Steinke comes to the USFL with no professional coaching experience, though he was an NFL player for 3 seasons in Philadelphia in the 1940’s. Steinke had served as the A&I coach in the NAIA for 22 years, from 1954 to 1976, and has served as their AD for another 6 years. The selection of Steinke, while certainly a local legend, is a bit of a headscratcher as there is expected to be a lot of space between leading NAIA players and a professional football team. Many expected San Antonio to go with former Longhorn Head Coach Darryl Royal. But, while Steinke will not be well-known outside of central Texas, his record at Texas A&I was impressive, including six NAIA titles, and 3 in a row in the 1970’s. As for the identity, San Antonio went with an Old West theme in the choice of “Gunslingers” as the team name, but more modern with the color scheme of Kelly green, royal blue, and silver. The Gunslingers logo (seen here) was designed by local cartoonist Bob Dale and portrays a squint-eyed and mustachioed Texas gunslinger ready to draw, enclosed within a silver circle reminiscent of a sheriff or marshal’s badge. The Gunslinger’s uniform will feature a green helmet with silver, blue and white stripes, a royal jersey with paired green and white stripes and silver pants with royal and Kelly stripes (see below). San Antonio will play their first season in Alamo Stadium, the league’s smallest stadium. It has a permanent capacity of just over 20,000, but ownership expects to use temporary bleachers in the open end of the stadium to allow for a capacity of up to 25,000. This is viewed as a short-term situation as San Antonio is in the process of developing a domed stadium within the city which is anticipated to open by 1990. And so, despite the concerns about another Nickerson Field (Boston Breakers) limiting the possible ticket revenue for the Gunslingers, the ownership is confident that they can be successful in the Alamo City. MIAMI—Reporting out of New York indicates that the plans for the Miami expansion franchise to obtain a lease for the Orange Bowl are in dire conditions. Negotiations have broken down and internal squabbling within the ownership group could lead to a hasty relocation or a postponement of the franchise joining the USFL. While lead owner Woody Weisner remains adamant that a deal will be possible with the Orange Bowl, minority owner Donald Dizney has offered the option of relocation to Orlando as a viable alternative plan for the Miami franchise. This certainly will not please John Bassett, owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits, as he balked at the idea of a third Florida franchise when Miami was the city chosen, and certainly would be opposed to a team even closer to his Tampa-St. Petersburg fan base. But, unless Mr. Weisner can pull a last-minute agreement to use the Orange Bowl in 1987 out of thin air, the Orlando option may be the only viable plan for the franchise, as certainly the USFL does not wish to see a delay in expansion or the prospect of scheduling for a 19 franchise league. SAN DIEGO—Another stadium issue may be a problem for the San Diego expansion franchise as well. There is still no signed contract for the use of Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, and rumors have the team seeking potential alternatives if an agreement cannot be reached. Lead owner Ted Tatham has repeatedly said that he selected San Diego for his proposal because it is an ideal football city, but even he must recognize that the options in San Diego are very limited, so unless he can reach agreement with Jack Murphy Stadium, the question of relocation has to be considered. And, of course, the timetable is tight, with teams needing to set up local operations and ticket sales well before the March 1987 kickoff.

SCORES LA 30 BLT 17 LA’S defense comes up big in Baltimore to snap the Express losing streak. OAK 24 NJ 17 Invaders edge Generals on two 4th quarter TD’s from Sipe to Duper. ARZ 17 PHI 22 Philly comes back to win in 4th quarter on two clutch Trout kicks. DEN 34 WSH 27 Gagliano throws for 331 and 4 scores as Gold move to 8-3. MGN 20 BIR 9 Stallions D holds tough, but offense cannot generate points in loss. NOR 17 JAX 6 Williams frustrated all day as Breakers D keeps Bulls out of the endzone. PIT 21 TBY 35 Risher injury helps Tampa ease past Pittsburgh at home. GAME OF THE WEEK Houston Gamblers 25 Memphis Showboats 27 In a game between two teams playing for pride, the Showboats edge the Gamblers on a failed 2 point conversion as time runs out. Houston came back in the final minute of the game with Jim Kelly hitting Victor Hicks with the potential tying score with only 26 seconds on the clock. But, needing 2 to tie, Kelly missed Gerald McNeil in the corner of the endzone and Houston lost by 2, giving Memphis their second win of the year. The Showboats returned Damon Allen under center and the backup to Walter Lewis played well. Allen went 16 for 32 for 169 yards, threw one score to Willie Gault, but made no mistakes, helping Memphis control the clock for a good part of the first half. At the half the score was 16-14 Houston on two Steve Howell runs and a Jacobs FG (missed PAT for Jacobs as well). In the second half, Memphis would score on 2 field goals of their own, to take the lead 20-19. When, with 5:25 left in the game Memphis ended a long drive with a Buford Jordan TD, it seemed that the game was all but over. But, Houston did not quit and, down 8, they marched the ball down the field and scored in the final minute to pull within 2. But, a fingertip grab was not in the offing on the attempted 2-pointer, and Houston now finds themselves right in the hunt for the worst record in the league. Memphis has their second win in the last month, and heads off to New Jersey next week to try to get a third. PERFORMER OF THE WEEK This week we will celebrate a team effort as the New Orleans defense deserves a lot of kudos for shutting down the usually dynamic Jacksonville offense in the Gator Bowl. The Breakers gave up only 229 yards to the Bulls, picked off Doug Williams three times, and held HB George Adams to only 43 yards rushing. Jacksonville did not convert even one of their 9 third down opportunities and held the ball for only 26 minutes in the game. CB Andrew Kitchens shadowed Gary Clark all day, while the linebacking corps filled gaps and pressured Doug Williams on the way to a full team victory. With the win, New Orleans placed themselves in prime Wild Card contention, a game over 500 and even with Oakland and Los Angeles. While the offense has new life with HB Marcus Dupree and an improved Tony Eason, it has been the defense which has led the way and likely will as the Breakers seek to nail down a playoff spot. PLAYOFF PICTURE With 5 weeks left, no team has guaranteed themselves a division title, but both Baltimore and Michigan have locked up playoff spots. Denver has built up a 2 game lead in the division, but has some tough games ahead, while Tampa and Jacksonville look good to both make the playoffs but again it may come down to the season’s final week to determine who will win the division. Birmingham, Washington and New Jersey hurt their chances with losses this week, as Philadelphia pulled a game ahead for the final playoff spot in the East. Oakland, LA and New Orleans seem to be fighting for the two Wild Card Spots, with 5-straight losses by Arizona putting them a game off the pace and desperately in need of a turn around game. NEWS & NOTES Everyone is talking QB’s in the USFL this week. Whether it is the discord that is brewing in Jacksonville between beleaguered QB Doug Williams and management, the prolonged injury to Arizona’s Rick Neuheisel, the potential NFL poaching of Michigan’s Bobby Hebert, or the injury to Alan Risher in Pittsburgh, it is all about the QB. There is also concern for Jim Kelly, who is just floundering on a Houston team that cannot seem to pull it together, and with Reggie Collier now hurt, Washington may be in a tough spot as well. Other than Bob Gagliano in Denver, Brian Sipe in Oakland, Steve Young in LA and John Reaves in Tampa it seems like every team has doubts at QB. Some doubt the ability of their QB to stay healthy, some worry that their star QB will be lost to free agency, and some are still waiting for their supposed franchise player to start playing like a truly elite signal caller. So it goes in a league where the passing game often equates with wins. If that position is not secure, then the whole team is insecure. INJURIES We had a few scares this week as both Alan Risher and Reggie Collier were knocked out of their games. Neither Pittsburgh nor Washington can afford to lose them for long. Both are expected to be back within a week, perhaps two, so no major trauma there. The same cannot be said for Jacksonville defensive captain Vaughan Johnson, will is out for the rest of the year with a torn quad. Other injuries which will impact the end of the season include Houston TE Jimmie Giles, Breakers WR Nolan Franz, and Bulls LB Charles Bratton. LOOKING AHEAD The league’s 13th week feels a bit like a palette cleanser before the divisional rivalry games of weeks 14, 16 and 17. The only matchup of teams with winning records is 6-5 LA facing 11-0 Michigan in the Silver Dome. Otherwise each game is a bit of a one sided affair, with the possible exception of 5-6 Arizona at 6-5 New Orleans. Oakland is in Houston, Denver at Pittsburgh, Tampa in Washington and Jacksonville at Philly. Memphis will go for their third win of the year against 4-7 New Jersey, while the 9-2 Baltimore Blitz host the hard luck 4-7 Birmingham Stallions.