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New York Times, April 15, 1985 The United States Football League have pulled off what has to be considered a resounding victory in United States District Court in Manhattan yesterday when a jury found that the National Football League had violated antitrust law and awarded the USFL with $225 million in damages. Attorneys for the U.S.F.L., which had sought as much as $1.69 billion in damages, succeeded in proving that the N.F.L. had a monopoly power ''to control prices or exclude competition'' in the ''relevant market'' of professional football in the United States. It was for that violation that the jury of five women and one man unanimously awarded $225 million, which is trebled in antitrust cases, to provide the upstart spring football league with a total winfall of $675,000,000. While there seemed to apparently be some confusion among the jurors over the instructions given them by Judge Peter K. Leisure, who told them they could award $1 in damages if they could not distinguish the amount of the U.S.F.L.'s losses attributed to its own poor management and the amount caused by the N.F.L.'s monopolistic practices, the jury came back with a very different interpretation of events, finding that the NFL had used illicit tactics to minimize the potential financial success of the spring league. One of the jurors, Miriam F. Sanchez, said in an interview after the trial that the jury was split over the question of whether to award damages, but then agreed to award the hefty amount of $225 million in the belief that the NFL had clearly tried to act as a monopoly by limiting access to stadiums, sponsors and TV revenue. The verdict answered serious questions as to how long the four-year-old U.S.F.L. can continue as the influx of cash to the league is sure to provide more than enough to help the USFL continue at least for the next 5 years. Throughout the case, Harry L. Usher, the league's associate commissioner, said the league’s retention of a spring schedule hinged upon their ability to have access to suitable stadiums, and to attract both sponsorships and television revenue. Mr. Usher said outside the courtroom that the future of the league ''in a practical and legal'' sense would be discussed at a meeting of the owners next Wednesday in New York. ''We will evaluate the ruling at that meeting,'' he said, adding that among the matters to be discussed would be ownership support in some of the weaker markets and potential expansion in 1987. For the N.F.L., the verdict means it will not be business as usual, with its 67th season scheduled to begin in September. The league will have to restructure its financial model to not only provide the award to the USFL but also to reduce potential further allegations of monopolistic tendencies. This likely will impact ongoing NFL discussions with major television networks. The jury found that the N.F.L. violated Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act by having and ''willfully acquiring or maintaining a monopoly,'' in that it could control prices or exclude competition, the U.S.F.L. was able to prove five other charges of violating the act, including those that dealt with the major television networks, ABC, NBC and CBS -the crux of the U.S.F.L.'s case against 27 of the 28 N.F.L. teams and Commissioner Pete Rozelle. The jury did not find Mr. Rozelle personally liable. The Los Angeles Raiders were not a defendant in the case. “I am deeply troubled by the overall result,'' Mr. Rozelle said. ''I am in shock.'' The verdict, which was reached at 3:55 P.M., came after more than 6 weeks of testimony and more than 31 hours of deliberations over five days. Upon hearing the jury's decision, the attorneys for the USFL quietly congratulated one another. One said to reporters, ''My reaction is that the jury was very, very astute in that it saw through the case, a tough case with a lot of financial data''. Mr. Myerson, who had called the case his ''toughest'' in 25 years of litigation, said he was ''tremendously pleased”, with the outcome, ''more satisfied because the jury believed our case, that the N.F.L. definitely violated the law.'' ''But it was of equal importance,'' he added, ''that they insure that their behavior not continue by awarding substantial damages.'' Mr. Myerson had said during deliberations that a damage award of $100 million, before trebling, would have been sufficient, but the jury felt that the NFL had been deliberate in its actions and awarded more than double this amount. The U.S.F.L. had also sought injunctive relief from the court, which would prevent the N.F.L. from having its games televised on all three major networks. Judge Leisure, however, did not rule on the request and asked the attorneys for each side to appear before him today with any post-trial motions. The jury's decision on the television issue upheld the U.S.F.L.'s major contention in the case, that by virtue of having its games - including the Super Bowl, which is rotated - on all three networks, the N.F.L. was able to control the networks. Specifically, the U.S.F.L. had tried to prove that the N.F.L. had ''pressured'' the networks not to give the U.S.F.L. a contract for a fourth season after it had played three seasons in the spring. On another charge, the jury found that the N.F.L. existed as a monopoly power and maintained it, and that the league, and specifically Mr. Rozelle, took any overt action to maintain it. Among the jury's other findings were these: The N.F.L. participated in a ''contract, combination or conspiracy to exclude competition,'' and that the contract, combination or conspiracy constitute an unreasonable restraint of trade. The N.F.L.'s five-year contracts with each of the networks that run from 1982 through this year did constitute an unreasonable restraint of trade. While a national television contract with one of the networks is essential to the ability of a major professional football league to compete and that the benefits of such a contract cannot be duplicated, the N.F.L. demonstrated ''ability to deny actual or potential competitors'' from access to a contract with one of the networks. The N.F.L. had knowledge of the U.S.F.L.'s contracts with ABC and ESPN for the spring seasons of 1983, 1984 and 1985, the N.F.L. and improperly and intentionally induced both networks to breach the contract. In the stunning defeat, the N.F.L. attorneys were just not able to convince the jury that the U.S.F.L.'s financial difficulties developed as a result of mismanagement and, in part, a ''merger strategy,'' designed to take U.S.F.L. teams out of major market cities and into smaller areas that the N.F.L. might find attractive for merger possibilities. The league’s decision to remain in the Spring and remain in markets such as Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Houston and Pittsburgh, seemed to influence the jury that the USFL was not seeking to merge with the NFL, one of the NFL claims. They were also unable to argue successfully that Leon Hess, the owner of the Jets, did not mislead New York city and state officials into thinking the Jets would return to the city in 1989 in a proposed domed stadium, as a way of keeping the U.S.F.L. Generals, who are owned by Donald J. Trump, out of the city. The Jets have played in Giants Stadium in New Jersey since 1984; the Generals have played their three seasons there but have not yet committed for the 1986 season. The case, after several weeks, ended when Patrick Bowes, the court clerk, announced in courtroom 318 that the jury had a verdict. During the next 30 minutes or so, the room was abuzz with anticipation, as the attorneys for each side collected and sat impatiently at their respective tables, awaiting the appearance of Judge Leisure and the jurors. By the time Patricia McCabe, the foreman, stood to read the results off the 30-page verdict sheet, which included the answers to 61 questions that formulated the findings, the room was packed with spectators. So, what is next for these two leagues. Certainly the damage to the NFL is great, as is the boon to the USFL. While some NFL owners, most notably Los Angeles Raiders’ owner Al Davis, have shown some willingness to work with the new league, there is certain to remain a lot of animosity between the two rivals. And with the USFL now flush with NFL cash, just how they plan to benefit from their sudden and surprising good fortune remains to be determined.

Philly falls from the unbeatens, Washington wins its 2nd in a row, and all 4 Central teams sweep the 4 Southern Division teams, including a very unexpected mauling in Tampa. SCORES LA 41 BOS 20 Boston held to 13 offensive points as LA give Breakers 3rd straight loss. OAK 14 NJ 23 Generals are not dead yet, shocking Oakland with ball control plan. ARZ 24 PHI 17 The Wranglers knock Philadelphia from the ranks of the unbeaten. DEN 23 WSH 32 Two in a row for Feds as Collier tosses for 3 scores. MGN 42 BIR 20 Michigan shows no mercy against Stallions as Hebert hits on 5 TD passes. HOU 32 MEM 31 Fred Besana subs for Kelly and leads furious comeback for the win. CHI 27 JAX 24 Tim Spencer with a rare 100 yard game as Chicago outlasts the Bulls. GAME OF THE WEEK Pittsburgh Maulers 41 Tampa Bay Bandits 37 A wild one that no one saw coming as the usually conservative Maulers let loose, built up a huge lead and then held on to beat Tampa Bay in Tampa. The first half was owned by the surprisingly potent Maulers, who went up 34-14 on two Blackledge TD tosses, a 64 yard interception return by Ron Osborne, a Rozier TD run, and 2 Vitello field goals. Tampa fought back in the second half, as John Reaves threw for 3 scores (a total of 4 in the game). Reaves hit his TE Lewis Gilbert first, then little used TE Kenneth Arroyo, and finally the always dangerous Eric Truvillion. The Bandits D also contributed to the comeback with a safety as they tackled Mike Rozier in the endzone. With 4 minutes left in the game, the Bandits led by 3, but the dormant Pittsburgh offense had one more drive in them, and when Blackledge hit Robert Jones with to score with 54 seconds left in the game, the Maulers retook the lead at 41-37. Needing a TD to win, Tampa moved down field but when Eric Truvillion could not get out of bounds on a 2nd and 8 catch, the clock ran out and the Maulers found themselves the victors. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK It surprises no one to see Bobby Hebert win a performance of the week title. He has been tearing up the USFL for 3 years and may be playing his best ball right now. Against the shockingly bad Birmingham Stallions, Hebert played the role of gunslinger to a tee. He was not particularly efficient, completing only 54% of his throws, but he found deep balls repeatedly, and his 5 TD’s prove it. His TD tosses were for 15, 21, 62, 50 and 39 yards. Trailing 17-7 at the half, Hebert lit into the Stallions in the second half, throwing for 4 scores and leading the Panthers on a 35-7 run to blow past Birmingham and score an easy win. It was not easy for Hebert, who was sacked 6 times and harassed throughout by the Stallion D-Line, but he came through again and again for Michigan, who now, for the second year in a row, are the last undefeated team standing. NEWS & NOTES With the case against the NFL in the hands of the jury, all eyes are on New York, but with nothing to report, we thought we would talk about another pressing issue for the league, television coverage. While we anticipate that the NFL case will impact options for television coverage for the league, it is distressing that so far only ESPN has begun to negotiate in earnest. The slow roll of ABC has to be a troubling sign for the league, as viewership has been solid all three seasons. With the NFL already on all three major networks, and deals being cut by MLB and the NBA it might be difficult for the USFL to get the type of revenue generating contract that they seek. More on this to come, particularly after the NFL verdict comes in. INJURIES Some significant injuries hit the league this week. Oakland’s best CB, Derrick Martin, is likely lost for the season with a neck injury. Philly will be down two starting o-linemen as both G Rory Culver and T Raymond Soto are out at least 6 weeks. Arizona will be without LB Jim Fahnhorst for at least a month, and Arizona QB Rick Neuheisel continues to have injury issues, expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a sprain to his throwing wrist. Houston will miss returner and WR Clarence Verdin with a concussion, as they hope Jim Kelly can return to action after a pinched nerve kept him out this week. LOOKING AHEAD Week 7 is the first of 4 straight weeks when one entire division will be on their bye. The plan was designed to limit byes to the center of the schedule and to a minimal number of weeks. Week 7 sees all four Southern Division teams on the bye as the Pacific plays in division and the Atlantic takes on the Central. Among the highlight games this week is LA @ Oakland, Arizona @ Denver, New Jersey @ Chicago, and Philadelphia facing off against Michigan.

Philadelphia and Michigan remain undefeated, while a scorching day from Craig James gives the Feds their first win. SCORES WSH 42 NJ 13 Washington blows out the Generals for their first win of the season. CHI 26 PIT 16 Vince Evans throws for 338 as the Blitz move to 4-1. HOU 20 MGN 23 Houston puts a scare into Michigan but come up just short. MEM 21 ARZ 38 Neuheisel continues to impress with 366 yard day against Memphis. BIR 10 OAK 27 Two teams who seem to have swapped fortunes as Invaders roll. JAX 25 DEN 27 Williams’ 2 interceptions help Denver squeak out a win at home. TBY 20 LA 24 LA proves they are legit as they outpace the Bandits for a home win. GAME OF THE WEEK Philadelphia Stars 16 Boston Breakers 13 In the ABC Game of the Week, a game Boston had to have, the Breakers cannot hold as Philly scores in the final 2 minutes to steal a win. In a game dominated by both defenses, with neither team gaining more than 250 total yards, it was a 4th quarter breakdown that cost Boston a much-needed win and gave Philadelphia a commanding 2 game lead in the division. Defense dominated as both Boston and Philadelphia limited the opposition’s run game, and took the ball away to stunt drives. Boston’s pass rush was fierce, sacking Chuck Fusina 5 times and forcing an atypical errant throw for an interception. Philly was equally dominant on defense, holding Buford Jordan to 34 yards on the day and intercepting the unsteady Tony Eason 3 times. At the half the score was only 10-6 Boston. Boston had gotten the only TD of the half, a 32 yard Eason to Franz TD on a rare busted coverage. The two teams traded field goals in the 2nd half, and Boston fans had to feel good about their 13-9 edge as the Stars had not been able to generate much at all on offense. But, with only minutes left, the Boston D tired and the Stars took advantage. Getting the ball back on their own 18 with 5:23 left in the game, the Stars, with a lot of help from a tired and careless Boston D, marched down the field, scoring the game winner with 1:50 left on the clock. The drive was assisted by 5 Boston penalties, including a series of 4 straight plays in which Boston was called for unnecessary roughness twice, roughing the passer, and unsportsmanlike conduct. It was a complete meltdown of discipline and focus, as these 4 penalties moved the ball from the 50 to the Boston 11 yard line. Fans may have been yelling for the ref’s head, but it was clear that the Boston defense was simply out of control and overwrought. Getting the ball back with nearly 2 minutes to go, needing only a field goal to tie, the Breaker fans, a strong crowd of 29,300, pushed for a final drive, but QB Tony Eason, who had been harassed by the Stars all day, was not up to the task. After being sacked on 3rd and 8 on his own 26, Eason missed Charlie Smith on 4th down and the ball went back to the Stars for a series of victory formations to end the game. With the win, Philly moves to an impressive 5-0 start, while Boston, now having lost 2 straight, falls 2 games back with a tough matchup against a hot LA Express team on the West Coast next week. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK There were a lot of strong contenders this week, including defensive gems turned in by Oakland FS William Liles (2 Int, 1 a Pick-6), Arizona’s DE Calvin Clark (Safety and forced fumble) and a 4 tackle, 2 sack day from Chicago standout Junior Ah You, but in helping the Washington Federals finally get in the W column, halfback Craig James has to be the star of the week. He had his best game in 3 years on Sunday, scoring 3 times and combining for 245 scrimmage yards (163 on the ground, 82 more in the air). Washington rode the former SMU Pony Express star all day, and utterly dominated the New Jersey Generals for their first win, and a division win at that. NEWS & NOTES We are only 5 weeks into the season, but the heat is beginning to get turned on several coaches. Washington’s Lee Corso may have saved his job for now with an impressive win against the Generals, but the Feds’ 0-4 start was not what anyone expected. If they cannot string together some strong performances, Corso may be in trouble. Houston’s Jack Pardee, or at the very least OC Mouse Davis may be in trouble as well. The Gamblers did well last year to make 7-9, but a 1-4 start this year, combined with the regular beatings that QB Jim Kelly has taken in the no-TE offense often used by Houston, has fans antsy about their star. The fact that Oakland reject Fred Besana has had to come in to the game in 4 of Houston’s 5 games is not a good sign for Kelly’s long term health. Memphis and Birmingham are also 1-4, and while we expect that Rollie Dotsch is not going anywhere, Pepper Johnson may need to improve on last year’s 5-win season if he hopes to retain his position. All this said, the coach who may be in the most danger for a mid-year removal is clearly New Jersey’s Walt Michaels. Not only is owner Donald Trump dissatisfied with the Generals’ 1-4 start, he is reportedly furious with the league vote to retain a spring season, and seems to blame Michaels for not forcefully pushing the issue while Trump was tied up in court. Doug Flutie, other than one breakout game, has looked uncomfortable in Michaels’s offense, and to make matters worse, even Herschel Walker has not looked as dominant as in past years. The Generals have failed to score more than 20 points in 4 of 5 games and are currently last in scoring in the league. Pair this with a defense that has given up nearly 30 points a game and things are looking mighty tough for Michaels. The Generals have their bye in Week Nine, but have 3 matchups against teams with winning records (OAK, CHI, ARZ) before that and we are not sure Michaels can last that long unless he can find a way to make Flutie reprise his performance against Memphis or adjust the offense to better use Walker. The seat is getting awfully hot in New Jersey. INJURIES That Philly-Boston game was not just a defensive battle, it was a battle of attrition, as both teams lost top defenders for at least a few weeks. Philly’s DE William Fuller broke a collarbone in the 3rd quarter, and Boston’s tackles leader, LB Ben Needham appears to have broken his wrist in the game. In Washington, league interception leader Mark Kelso suffered a mild concussion and may be kept out for a week to rest. While in Houston, post-game reports that Jim Kelly suffered a pinched nerve might impact his ability to play next week. Kelly has been running for his life in the spread style offense of the Gamblers, and this time his injuries may actually cost him a start. LOOKING AHEAD It’s East v. West in Week 6 as the Pacific and Atlantic teams face off while the Southern and Central teams also battle. LA heads to Boston where they hope the Breakers fall for a 3rd straight week, while Oakland gets to torture Walt Michaels and the floundering Generals. The best East-West matchup may be Arizona at Philadelphia, where the vaunted Stars defense has to contend with a red hot Rick Neuheisel. In the Central-South clashes, the best game would normally appear to be Michigan at Birmingham, but the Stallions have been a shell of themselves this year. We might have to tune in to see if Doug Williams and the Bulls can upend the surprising Chicago Blitz. In other games, Denver is at Washington, Pittsburgh has a tough game at Tampa Bay, and two 1-4 teams try to get on track as Houston travels to Memphis.

SCORES BOS 7 MGN 31 Michigan dominates in all 3 phases against overmatched Breakers. NJ 14 HOU 33 Gamblers go on 24-0 scoring run in 2nd half to blow past NJ. PHI 24 CHI 12 Fusina, Bryant and Fitzkee shine as Stars knock Blitz from unbeatens. WSH 21 PIT 39 John Jefferson catches 6 for 130 as Maulers keep Feds winless. JAX 24 ARZ 35 Three turnovers in 2nd half cost Bulls the game in Tempe. TBY 32 DEN 10 Reaves hits Collinsworth for 2 scores as Bandits roll over Gold. MEM 21 OAK 16 Memphis D picks off Brian Sipe twice to lock up first win. GAME OF THE WEEK Birmingham Stallions 24 LA Express 31 Steve Young and TE Ricky Ellis come up big for LA in late surge to beat the Stallions. The Express held off a feisty Stallions team and never trailed in this week 4 clash in which Steve Young threw for 3 scores and HB Kevin Mack scored the winning TD to send Birmingham to an uncharacteristic 1-3 record. In a game played in front of LA's largest crowd in 2 years (29,850), the Express impressed. LA began the scoring on their opening drive as Young hit Eric Martin on a 38 yard scoring pass. They added to their lead on their next drive as Tony Zendejas hit on a 45 yard field goal. But, not to be outdone, Cliff Stoudt led Birmingham down the field, eventually finding Jim Smith on a fade to put up 7 of their own. In the 2nd quarter, LA expanded their 10-7 lead up to 24-7 with scores from Jo-Jo Townsell and Mark Boyer before Birmingham notched a field goal with time running out in the half. 24-10 LA at the half. In the second half it looked like the Birmingham comeback was assured. The Stallions used their formidable run game to grind down the clock while scoring runs from Joe Cribbs and FB Ken Talton tied up the game. But, as the 3rd quarter wound down, LA answered with a 11 play drive, ending with a Kevin Mack dive from the 1 to take the 31-24 score. The final quarter would be a battle of two weary opponents, each trying to put enough together to take home the win. Both QB’s threw 4th quarter interceptions to end drives, but neither team was able to reach the red zone of their opponent, and the 31-24 score held. The win moves LA into a 3-way tie atop the Pacific Division at 2-2, while Birmingham now finds itself at 1-3, already 2 games behind Tampa Bay. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While there were several players providing offensive fireworks, we have to give this week’s award to a defensive performance for the ages. LB Paul Plurowski has labored in relative obscurity within the Tampa Bay defense for 2 seasons plus, but this week he reminded everyone that the Bandits are more than an explosive offense, they have defensive playmakers as well. The Tampa D harassed Denver’s Bob Gagliano for 4 quarters, sacking him twice, picking him off twice, and keeping him to under 50% completion rate for the game. Plurowski was a huge force for the Tampa D as he recorded both Tampa Bay sacks, one for a safety in the 3rd quarter. He also snagged one of the 2 Gagliano interceptions, added 2 tackles for loss against Denver backs, and recorded 8 total tackles. He was a force on nearly every play. So here is one for the unheralded blue-collar defenders who are essential to any winning team. Plurowski does not sell as many jerseys as Reaves, Truvillion or Gary Anderson, but he should. NEWS & NOTES As we wait for news out of the courts in New York in the USFL-NFL suit, and as we prepare for the midseason USFL Owners meeting. Let’s take a moment to talk about expansion. The USFL has already pointed to 1987 as the earliest proposed expansion date. With ownership in question in Chicago and Boston, and with attendance issues in several other cities, there is no guarantee that expansion in ’87 is a done deal, but that is not stopping potential ownership groups from preparing. There are strong rumors that the USFL might again expand in the south (as they did when they added Jacksonville, Houston, and Memphis). There are groups already pitching for potential expansion in Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans and San Antonio. Meanwhile the recent overnight exodus of the NFL’s Baltimore Colts creates a vacuum that the USFL might try to fill. Other ownership groups are forming to try to bring USFL football to cities across the country, including San Diego, Portland, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Whether any of these potential franchises will even have a chance to add to a growing USFL may depend heavily on whether or not the USFL can shore up their weaker current franchises, and, perhaps even more, what happens in their lawsuit against the NFL. A loss and they could be financially strapped, while a win could bring significant damages to the league, funds which could bolster their 16 franchises and make room to expand to 18 or even 20 teams in 1987. INJURIES For the second year in a row, New Jersey SS Gary Barbaro faces a serious injury. This time around a quad muscle injury may keep him out for a month or more. Wideouts also had a rough week as both Oakland’s Gordon Banks and Philly’s Tom Donovan could miss multiple weeks. Tampa will be without LB James Harrell with turf toe for 1-2 weeks, and Chicago LB Ben Apuna suffered a concussion which may cause him to miss a week for the Blitz. The Bandits are 2-0 with Jimmie Jordan at QB, but there are rumors that John Reaves is looking to come back next week, though his ankle is still not looking 100%. Jim Kelly is probable to return next week after once again being banged around in Houston’s win over New Jersey. LOOKING AHEAD Week 5 is a mixed week with the Atlantic and Central playing divisional games while the Pacific and Southern Divisions face off. Boston will try to bounce back after their first loss at home against the Stars, who hope to take a 2 game lead with a win. New Jersey and Washington battle for relevance as neither wants to fall further behind in the Atlantic. In the Central, Chicago will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Maulers, while Houston has to try to win their 2nd in a visit to Michigan. In one of the better matchups of the week, Tampa will fly out west to face the Express in Angel Stadium, while Birmingham will try to right the ship at Oakland. Memphis also visits the Wranglers and Denver hosts the up and down Jacksonville Bulls.

SCORES MEM 17 NJ 41 The Generals explode for 5 TD’s. Doug Flutie throws for 377 and 4 scores. JAX 17 PHI 34 Kelvin Bryant’s 124 yards and 2 scores powers Philly to the win. TBY 35 WSH 25 Backup Jimmie Jordan throws for 4 TD’s with 2 to Truvillion for the W. ARZ 13 CHI 38 Chicago gets 3rd win behind Evans and Spencer in the “Swap Battle”. DEN 37 PIT 27 Denver gets their first win behind a 4 TD day from Bob Gagliano. LA 17 MGN 20 LA is game, but a late Hebert to Holloway TD sinks their upset hopes. OAK 45 HOU 26 Oakland looks dangerous as Sipe finds Ellard twice. GAME OF THE WEEK BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 24 BOSTON BREAKERS 25 Boston is starting to get some believers after their third straight win, a 1 point squeaker against the Stallions, but it was not easy. A small crowd of only 18,224 came to see the Breakers and Stallions battle to the end in a very entertaining game. On a day when Boston’s Buford Jordan outshone 1984 Offensive POY Joe Cribbs (by 126 yards to only 34 for Cribbs), the Breakers and Stallions flipped scores 4 times in the second half. Boston built up a 13-0 lead in the first half, but Birmingham used two drives bookending halftime to erase the lead. Cliff Stoudt hit Lonnie Parker with an 11 yard TD pass to end the first half, and Birmingham used the opening drive of the second to take the lead on a 1 yard Cribbs TD run. Boston would retake the lead only 4 minutes later as 2nd year QB Tony Eason hit Nolan Franz with a beautiful slant & go for 36 yards. The Breakers went for 2 and failed, giving them a 19-14 lead as the 4th quarter began. Birmingham would again retake the lead in the 4th, scoring first on a Norwood 37 yarder to pull within 2 and then, at the end of a 9 play drive, HB Michael Haddix punched it in from the 1 to put Birmingham up 24-19. Boston had enough time for one more drive, and Eason led them into Stallion territory as the clock wound down. After the 2 minute warning, the Breakers tried to run the ball to burn some clock, but after a botched pitch play to Jordan left them with a 3rd and 8, the Breakers went for the score. Slot receiver Charlie Smith got a questionable pick from Frank Lockett, allowing him to get wide open on an out route. Eason found him and 34 yards later, Smith was in the end zone with the winning score. Boston would again go for 2 and again fail, but the ensuing Stallion drive went nowhere and Boston was able to wind down the clock in the victory formation for their third win to open the year. For a team many predicted to finish last in the Atlantic Division, Boston seems to be getting all the breaks and may end up a contender by season’s end. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK After 2 weeks of absolutely putrid offensive production, the New Jersey Generals exploded for 41 points, and the play of rookie QB Doug Flutie was at the center of the scoring flurry. Flutie, who looked very flustered in his opening matches against Jacksonville and Philadelphia, came alive in the home opener for the Generals, connecting on 36 of 44 passes, for 377 yards and 4 scores. Flutie found 2nd year wideout Clarence Collins for 2 scores, and spread the ball around to 8 different receivers on the day, including 5 tosses to HB Herschel Walker and 121 yards on 5 receptions to NFL transfer Johnnie “Lam” Jones. Now the question is whether this game was a turning point for the former Heisman Winner. Next week New Jersey heads to winless Houston, so Flutie will again have a chance to shine against what looks to be a weaker defense. NEWS & NOTES Attendance has been the concern early in the season, as after 3 weeks the USFL average is hovering just above 31,000, significantly below the 1984 average. In part this is expected as early season games around the league tend to be lower due to inclement weather, however, poor opening game showings in Boston (18,224), Memphis (17,402 in a downpour), Chicago (17,232), Denver (21,244 in the snow), Oakland (20,440) and LA (18,343) are bad signs for a league that just recommitted to spring football. Star power does seem to matter as New Jersey had a good crowd for Doug Flutie’s home debut (42,122), and the south remains a strong region as the current league leaders in attendance are Birmingham, Jacksonville and Tampa (along with NJ after 1 game.) With ownership question in Boston and Chicago, the low opening game attendance number do not make the potential sale of the franchise an easy one. INJURIES A rough week for offensive linemen around the league, as Tampa likely loses Guard Johnathan Martel for the year. Philly’s Rory Culver may also be out indefinitely with a hip injury, and Memphis tackle Norman Randall will be out at least 2 months with a torn quad. LOOKING AHEAD Week 4 is another interdivisional week, with some games that may just separate the contenders from the pretenders. The week has two battles of unbeatens as Boston travels to Michigan and Philly heads to Chicago to take on the Blitz. On the other side of the league, winless Washington will try to record their first W against 1-2 Pittsburgh, while LA and Birmingham (both 1-2) try to get back to .500. In other action, Doug Flutie faces Jim Kelly as New Jersey plays the Gamblers, the Bulls head to Arizona, Tampa flies out to Denver, and Memphis visits Oakland.

SCORES WSH 20 BOS 24 Boston D contains Craig James and Eason hits Franz for game winner. NJ 10 PHI 29 Bryant rushes for 166 as Stars cruise past struggling Generals. TBY 37 BIR 24 Jimmie Jordan relieves injured Reaves and blows past the Stallions. MEM 28 JAX 31 Huge game from Walter Lewis is not enough as Bulls edge Showboats. HOU 10 CHI 27 Surprising Chicago wins its second behind impressive Vince Evans day. PIT 24 MGN 38 Hebert throws for 5 scores to move the Panthers to 2-0. DEN 21 LA 28 Young connects with Townsell for 3 scores to fend off the Gold. GAME OF THE WEEK OAKLAND INVADERS 31 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 28 The “new look” Invaders did what last year’s edition could not, pull out a tough win against a division foe. Chalk this one up to the new acquisitions in Oakland as both transplants, Brian Sipe and Albert Bentley come up big in Arizona. Sipe threw for 256 and 2 scores, including the game winner to Henry Ellard with 1:19 left in the game, while Bentley, playing for the still rehabbing Arthur Whittington, ran 18 times for 124 against the beleaguered Wrangler D. Arizona was game throughout, as Rick Neuheisel was efficient and their new transplant, RB Mike Pruitt had a respectable 84 yards on 15 carries, but they just could not shut down the renewed Oakland offense. Trailing 25-13 at half, Oakland owned the 2nd half, outscoring Arizona 17-3 to take the 3 point win. Sipe hit Ellard twice for scores in the half while the Oakland defense harassed and chased Neuheisel out of his comfort zone. While neither team fared well on third down (Oakland 1 of 14 and Arizona 2 of 13) the Invaders made enough big plays, including a Bentley 65 yard scoring run in the 2nd, to win a close one, something they have been hard-pressed to do in their first two seasons. The game pushes both teams to 1-1 in the early stages of the season. PERFORMER OF THE WEEK It is rare that the best performance of the week goes to a player on the losing side of the scoreboard, but we have to acknowledge the absolutely jaw-dropping performance of Memphis QB Walter Lewis this week. While Lewis’s passing stats (20-31 for 229 and 2 scores) are solid, they are nothing to write home about, but when you consider that between scrambles and designed QB runs, he added another 130 yards rushing to his day, you have to give it up to the former Crimson Tide star. Memphis had a total of 386 yards of offense in their 31-28 shootout with Jacksonville, and Lewis accounted for 359 of it, as well as all 4 scores. He sliced through an unprepared Bulls defense for a 25 yard TD run in the 1st and then outdid that in the 2nd quarter with an absolute highlight reel of a run, an 81 yarder on a bootleg left that just left the Jacksonville crowd stunned. Catch the replay if you can, because this was a thing of beauty. Despite these incredible efforts, Memphis was down 31-14 at the end of 3, and Lewis started finding receivers as the Showboats climbed back to within 3 on two Lewis scoring tosses, one to Mel Gray and the other to 2nd year wideout Willie Gault. It was too little, too late for the Showboats, but it was a game for the ages for Lewis. NEWS & NOTES As the NFL made its case in defense of the USFL anti-trust suit in a New York courtroom this week, the USFL was still playing offense, signing long-term deals with Champion Athletic for league uniforms and merchandise, and landing Miller Brewery as a major sponsor. The USFL continues to find willing partners in the corporate world, particularly those companies which are locked out of NFL deals by exclusive contracts between the NFL and other partners. While this may be a win in the short term for the USFL, one has to wonder if the ability for the league to sign such big name sponsors actually weakens their case in court, as one of the key aspects of the trial is the need to prove that the NFL’s monopoly on the football market makes such economic windfalls nearly impossible for the new league. INJURIES As expected, with more games comes more risk, and week 2 saw a few key injuries that could impact the coming weeks for several USFL teams. Tampa Bay will be without former USFL MVP John Reaves for at least 2 weeks as he sustained an ankle injury early in the game against Birmingham. Tampa will also lose backup wideout Michael Espinoza, possibly for the rest of the season, with what looks to be a significant fracture in his femur. NJ second year wideout Danny Knight will miss several weeks with a knee injury, while Chicago CB Eddie Ray Walker is expected to miss at least a week, perhaps more with a shoulder injury. LOOKING AHEAD Back out of division for week 3, but still some interesting matchups in the season’s third week. Two desperate teams meet in the Meadowlands as the 0-2 Generals (whose new QB seems to be struggling with the pro game) face off against the 0-2 Showboats (whose QB is lighting things up). In Philadelphia, the 2-0 Bulls hope to avoid a repeat of last year when a 2-0 start was followed by a long losing streak. Philadelphia has looked very impressive behind the running of Kelvin Bryant, so this could be a tough one for the Bulls. Birmingham, still smarting after their loss to Tampa Bay, heads up to Boston, who are a surprising 2-0 despite being outgained in both games this year. Washington will try to right themselves after an 0-2 start, but face the dangerous Bandits at home. Arizona heads to Chicago, where the Blitz, and their QB Vince Evans have given the windy city hope for the team’s first winning season. Denver is in Pittsburgh, LA has a tough one in Michigan, and the Invaders hope to win 2 in a row as they head to Houston to face the winless Gamblers.

Snow in Denver, a torrential downpour in Memphis, cold winds and hard fields, it's football weather as the USFL opens its third season. We got to see new talent (Doug Flutie, George Adams, Eric Martin) and new faces in new places (Brian Sipe in Oakland, Cris Collinsworth in Tampa) and old standards like Hebert throwing deep, Walker hitting the line, and John Corker making some fierce tackles. Football is back, and we are ready for it. SCORES BOS 26 TBY 24 Despite getting outgained 350-181, Breakers win on 4 Tampa turnovers. NJ 6 JAX 28 Rough debut for Flutie as Bulls roll over one-dimensional Generals. PHI 14 MEM 9 Kelvin Bryant slogs through a monsoon to give Philadelphia the win. WSH 28 BIR 33 Cliff Stoudt’s 338 yards passing helps the Stallions edge Washington. CHI 25 OAK 12 Evans and Sipe look good, but Chicago holds Oakland out of endzone. PIT 16 LA 10 Pittsburgh D comes up big with final drive interception to snag the win. MGN 17 DEN 3 Tough sledding in the snow as Michigan grinds out win in Denver. GAME OF THE WEEK HOUSTON GAMBLERS 24 ARIZONA WRANGLERS 28 The Gamblers got an unlucky roll of the dice as a 3rd quarter injury to Jim Kelly helps Arizona pull back into the game and pull off the upset. In a back and forth affair, one in which both quarterbacks were showing their stuff, it was a sack midway through the third quarter that determined the outcome. Leading 17-6 after a Kelly to Sanders 42 yard pass, the Gamblers regained possession only to have Arizona’s Stan White ring Kelly’s bell on a 2nd down sack. Kelly was visibly groggy after the play, leading Houston to rely on their newly acquired backup, former Oakland QB Fred Besana, for most of the rest of the game. With Kelly out, the Gambler offense lost its rhythm, giving Arizona QB Rick Neuheisel time to catch up and take the lead. The Wranglers scored 17 unanswered points to go up 21-17, with TD passes from Neuheisel to Buggs and Johnson. Down by 4 Besana tried to rally the Gamblers, and on one drive the pieces fell into place, allowing the Gamblers to regain the lead at 24-21 with 4:07 left, as Besana hit Gerald McNeil on a drag route from the 3 yard line. But, 4 minutes is a long time in the USFL, and with that time, Neuheisel was able to work through a clearly gassed Houston defense. With just over a minute left, the plucky Wrangler QB hit Trumaine Johnson for his second score of the game and Arizona retook the lead. Kelly was clearly visible trying to convince Coach Pardee to let him back into the game, but it was Fred Besana’s game to win or lose, and as had happened so many times in Oakland, Besana could not muster the big play when it was needed. On a 4th and 7 from their own 46 yard line, Besana’s pass to Ricky Sanders was off target, ending the drive and providing the 33,400 fans who came out for Arizona’s home opener with a reason to cheer on the home team. PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK While Rick Neuheisel’s offensive performance was strong, and Kelvin Bryant found a way to lead Philadelphia to victory despite playing in a constant deluge in Memphis, we have to give the game ball this week to Jacksonville Free Safety Buster Homer. Homer pulled off a statement game with 6 tackles, a sack of the elusive Doug Flutie, and a pick 6 interception. Homer’s score came as Flutie clearly did not see the safety lingering in center field as he tried to hit TE Sam Bowers. Homer charged on the ball, leaping in front of Bowers and then winding his way 22 yards into the endzone. The score gave Jacksonville a 14-0 edge in the 2nd quarter, and New Jersey would never truly challenge that margin as they fell 28-9. NEWS & NOTES While there was plenty of excitement on the field in the league’s opening weekend of play, perhaps the biggest bit of USFL news this week came within the courts, as attorneys for the USFL made their opening arguments in the antitrust case against the NFL. They laid out evidence of tampering wherein the NFL attempted to pressure municipally-owned and privately-owned stadiums to refuse to do business with the USFL. They also began to lay out a case regarding television contract manipulation, a second key plank in their argument that the NFL is using monopolistic tactics to stifle the growth and profitability of the USFL. The NFL is expected to counter late next week, hoping to stave off a verdict that could cost the senior league tens, perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars. Can the USFL pull off the upset, or will the heavy favorite ride to victory in the biggest game of the year? INJURIES Even with a full offseason to rest, recover, and build muscle, USFL players are still only human, and football is a violent game. Week one was not without its injuries, and while most do not look to cause significant missed playing time for those impacted, at least one injury, the concussion suffered by Houston QB Jim Kelly, impacted games. Kelly is expected to be ready to roll next week, but his departure from the game this week clearly impacted the Gamblers. Players expected to miss next week’s games include Michigan HB Cleo Miller (Hip), New Jersey Center Kent Hull (Knee), and Philadelphia LB John Bunting (pinched nerve). Miller’s is perhaps the most serious, as he is expected to miss up to 4 weeks. All others plan to be back in action in week 3. LOOKING AHEAD A huge week early in the season as all 16 USFL teams will be playing their first divisional games in Week 2. Boston will host Washington in a game pitting two squads who hope to challenge Philadelphia this year, while Philly will host the New Jersey Generals. Tampa and Birmingham renew one of the league’s best rivalries, while 1984 expansion squads clash as Memphis heads to the Gator Bowl to face the Bulls. Houston will hope to rebound as they head to Chicago, while Pittsburgh is off to the Silver Dome to face Michigan. Out west, Oakland will try to get on the winning track at Arizona while LA and Denver replay their Divisional playoff game from last July at Angel Stadium.