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Midway through the USFL season and a lot has not gone as anticipated, to say the least. Seattle and Orlando started off horribly, but appear to have found their mojo once again. But both Boston and Jacksonville, picked by many to win their divisions, are flirting with the basement instead. Oakland has had a brilliant first half, losing only once in 8 games, while the Philadelphia Stars have been consistently good enough to get the W each and every week. As we review the latest results from Week 8, we will also look at the stories of the first half of the season and make some recommendations for the second half as we look at all 28 clubs and where they stand. But, first, let’s start with the results from this week, including a massive comeback by the Gamblers, spurred by 2 minutes of frantic action. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 30 BOSTON CANNONS 27 Call it one of the greatest comebacks in league history, or one of the biggest collapses, both are equally true. How did Houston come back from a 21-point deficit in one quarter? Well, they outscored Boston 24 points in 3 drives and a defensive game-changer, that is how. This one was all Boston for three quarters, until it wasn’t. The Cannons came out firing in the first quarter and by the midway point of the 2nd it was already 21-0 Boston. Everything was working. Jerrico Cothery caught a Bledsoe TD on the Cannon’s opening drive. The next two drives for the Cannons ended with TD runs, first from Tony Hunt and then from rookie Rashard Mendenhall. It was utter domination, and even when Houston could get on the board it was only thanks to the right foot of Dan Carpenter. Houston got their first points as time wound down in the 2nd and a pretty dejected looking group went into the locker rooms down 21-3 at the half. Boston had racked up 280 yards in 30 minutes, and Houston had failed on all 5 third down attempts. Things were not looking good. But, Wade Phillips took stock at the half, made some adjustments, and asked the team to dig deep. The third quarter was quite a bit quieter for both clubs, with Houston adding 3 more points, but Boston also content to kick field goals, two in the period to build up their 27-6 lead. Houston fans were not in a good mood, but they got a break on a Boston Pass Interference call and just as the 4th quarter began, Houston was in scoring range. It took them 4 more plays after the PI, but when Shaun Alexander dove in from the 1, it at least gave Houston life. Only 9 seconds later they would get the moment that they needed. After a touchback, Boston took over on the 20 with Bledsoe in the shotgun. Bledsoe was hoping to go deep to Ochocinco, but he never saw Zak DeOssie coming. DeOssie crashed into Bledsoe and the ball flew out of his hand, back 7 yards. A mad scramble ensued, someone kicked the ball, and it rolled into the endzone, with players from both teams in hot pursuit. HB Kevin Faulk managed to get to the ball, but he was touched down by CB Jimmy Knox before he could get to his feet. It was a safety, not the 7 points Houston fans were hoping for, but still a huge play that brought the crowd to their feet and seemed to inspire the Gamblers. Houston would take the ensuing kick and in only 3 plays they would put a shock into the Cannons. After a short pass to Vernon Davis and a shorter run by Alexander on 2nd down, Houston went to the shotgun, and Boston blitzed. It was a perfect time to call a screen, and Kevin Faulk was the perfect back to receive Matt Hasselbeck’s pass. He juked, spinned, and then outran the secondary, 50 yards to paydirt. In a matter of less than 2 minutes the Gamblers had scored 3 times and turned 27-6 into 27-22. Boston could not recover. They went too conservative on their next possession, trying to slow the game down and take the now-boisterous Gambler crowd out of the game. It did not work. Three plays, barely any yardage, and the Cannons were kicking back to the red hot Gamblers. Houston would make them pay for the quick turnaround. The Gamblers took 12 plays to score, but that also killed much of the final quarter. On a 2nd and goal from the 3, Hasselbeck found Vernon Davis, and with a 2-point play to Ike Hilliard, the Gamblers were now on top by 3 and Boston was done. For the Gamblers, it was a triumphant win, a spark that could impact their season moving forward. For Boston it was their third loss in the past 4 games, and now, at 3-5, they have a huge mountain to climb in the second half if they want to get anywhere near the expectations everyone had for them in the preseason. It was the worst loss of the 5 Boston has suffered, and could well produce a hangover as the Cannons head to Baltimore next week, hoping to get closer to .500 and avoid dropping to the basement in the division. With the win, Houston earned a share of1st place with Denver, and could well be on their way to a division title. SEATTLE 33 NASHVILLE 21 The Dragons appear to have found their groove as they even their record at 4-4 with their fourth consecutive win. Much like Orlando last year, it appears that the Dragons needed time to find their rhythm, but now appear to be making all the right moves. Byron Leftwich won OPOTW with his 3 TD performance as Nashville simply was not able to get any pressure on him With Nate Burleson proving his worth to his new team (4 catches for 127 yards and a TD) and David Boston seeing fewer double teams, the Dragons appear to have found a winning formula. ORLANDO 17 CHARLOTTE 13 The Renegades win their 3rd in a row to also even their record. It was not easy, but an early Pick-Six from Lito Sheppard, and a Justin McCaerins TD catch helped the Renegades outpace the Monarchs in Charlotte. The Orlando D made life tough for Chris Weinke all game, sacking the immobile QB five times in addition to the forced throw that resulted in the interception return for a TD. Jacob Hester got the start at HB for the ‘Gades and looked very good, rushing for 96 yards on only 16 carries, with one 41-yard scamper making up the lion’s share of that total. LOS ANGELES 13 MEMPHIS 20 Memphis got back to their winning ways after a 2-game losing streak. They struggled at first with the LA Express, but were able to get a key score form Lee Evans late in the game to take the W. Favre was limited to 203 yards by a pretty good Express defense, but the Express are just not strong enough on offense to do much, even with Keyshawn Johnson returning for limited action (22 snaps) in this game. BALTIMORE 15 WASHINGTON 27 The Feds also snap a 2-game losing streak with a big win in their biggest rivalry game. Baltimore got out to an early lead but got burnt by a former player as Eddie Kennison took a simiple slant and ran it 59 yards for a score as the 2nd quarter concluded, putting the Feds up for good. A 2-yard Stewart bootleg run and a Bob Sanders pick-6 for Washington helped them pull away and improve their record to 6-2. DENVER 17 TEXAS 20 The Outlaws played one of their most complete games of the year and despite giving up 121 on the ground to Mewelde Moore (who is looking more and more like Denver’s main back), were able to hang on and defeat the Denver Gold. Texas got TD runs by Duckett (2 yards) and Troy Davis (34 yards), but needed a Rian Lindell field goal in the final minute to secure the W. Denver got 2 Leinart TD passes, but just had no time to respond to the late Outlaw field goal. OAKLAND 27 ARIZONA 10 Another week, another ugly loss for the Wranglers. Ricky Williams rushed for 112, Norwood for another 72, and Oakland had a 20-3 lead at the half. Jake Plummer could do nothing to get back in it and Arizona fell once again. They had chances, especially after Joey Harrington left the game with a nerve pinch. His replacement, Ingle Martin, was also knocked out of the game, so it was emergency QB Billy Volek to the rescue. Volek went 0 for 4 throwing, but the run game for Oakland killed time. The defense did the rest. MICHIGAN 20 CHICAGO 17 A hard hitting game and a late Michigan score send Chicago to defeat for the first time since Week 1. The Panther star of the week was Hines Ward, who caught both Panther TDs, including the 8-yard toss in the 4th that would give them the W over the Machine. What was even more impressive is that Michigan, using a HB platoon of Fargas, Washington and rookie Mike Hart, gained 173 against one of the best run defenses in football. Even Michael Turner’s 106 rushing could not compare with Michigan’s success. NEW ORLEANS 13 TAMPA BAY 21 If it weren’t for Houston’s rally, we might be calling Tampa Bay’s game the comeback of the year. Not quite as dramatic, Tampa Bay was contained for 3 quarters, with New Orleans building up a 13-7 lead after 3 quarters, but the 4th quarter belonged to the Bandits. Chris Doering caught a 34-yard scoring toss from Culpepper to give Tampa Bay a slim lead, and when Donnie Avery fumbled away a first down catch, it put Tampa in position to lock in the W, which they did with a 7-drive capped with a LaBrandon Toefield TD run. NEW JERSEY 13 ATLANTA 23 The Fire get their first win since Week 2 by knocking off New Jersey in front of a marginal crowd of maybe 19,000 in the Georgia Dome. Tyler Thigpen, in his second start, avoided turnovers and let Darren McFadden to do the heavy lifting. McFadden responded with 138 yards on the ground to fuel the Fire offense. In a game that saw mostly field goals (5 in total), a Rod Smart TD run, paired with a Thigpen to Marcus Robinson TD toss, was enough to upend the moribund Generals. PHILADELPHIA 33 BIRMINGHAM 3 Speaking of moribund, someone might want to get a mirror to see if the Stallions are still breathing after the beat down Philadelphia gave them. The Stars outgained the hapless Stallions 404-168 as rookie Steve Slaton rushed for 113 and a TD and Kurt Warner went 19 for 26 with 2 TDs. Former CFL QB Dave Dickenson was probably wishing he was in Ottawa after 5 sacks and a pick ruined his day in the hot Alabama sun. PITTSBURGH 10 LAS VEGAS 30 Tony Banks had a good first outing replacing the injured Steve McNair, throwing for 191 yards and 2 scores as the Thunder handled the Maulers with relative ease. It was 14-10 Las Vegas at the half, but the second half saw 4 consecutive Thunder scoring drives, with Banks hitting Hatchette for a 29-yard TD as the highlight. The Las Vegas defense held Cody Pickett to 119 yards passing and the Maulers failed on two 4th down attempts, as they could not find a play that worked consistently. JACKSONVILLE 17 PORTLAND 20 It just keeps getting worse for the Bulls as a long flight, a rainy day, and a game Stags team sent them to their sixth straight defeat. Early TDs from Bubba Franks and Koren Robinson put the Bulls in an immediate hole, and Portland did enough to keep the punchless Bulls from coming back on them,, despite Jake Delhomme attempting 49 passes in the game. OHIO 30 ST. LOUIS 22 Ohio wins their 4th in a row but come nowhere near covering the 13 point spread as the Skyhawks give them a fight. Two Galloway TDs helped give the Glory the W, but Jeff Blake, despite 3 picks in the game, proved again why Coach Williams likes him, throwing for 2 scores and rushing for a 71-yard TD on a busted play. Randy Moss had 4 catches for 126 yards, but was held out of the endzone for Ohio. Best & Worst of the first 8 Weeks Halftime of a season that has produced quite a few surprises. We start our midseason review with a list of the best and worst of the season’s first half. What was the best performance, the best game, the worst outing, and the biggest upset? Let’s see what our full time USFL staff of experts selected. BEST GAME: While we know folks from different fanbases will have their own favorites, our crew pretty quickly settled on Week 6’s matchup between the Memphis Showboats and the Las Vegas Thunder as the most entertaining game of the season so far. The 30-27 affair came down to the final seconds, with Brett Favre equalizing the game with only 1:25 left to play, only to watch Steve McNair orchestrate a final drive to provide a shot for rookie Taylor Mehlihaff a shot at a 50-yarder for the win. Mehlihaff connected and the Thunder took the win in a thriller. WORST GAME: New Jersey has given us two real stinkers this year, both shutout losses and both in the division, but when we look at the stats, the 23-0 debacle against the Boston Cannons has to be the worst. In a game that saw New Jersey gain only 6 first downs all game, go 1 for 14 on third down, and hold the ball for only 19:10 out of a 60 minute game, there was little to enjoy, unless, of course, you are a die-hard Bostonian who loves sticking it to the NY tri-state area. BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE: We are going to give this one to Ron Dayne and his 154-yard, 3 TD game against Boston. Dayne’s ground attack was the key to Baltimore upsetting the Cannons in Boston. The big back averaged 8.6 yards every time he touched the ball, with the highlight a punishing run that went for 63 yards largely due to the Cannons’ inability to get Dayne down to the ground despite multiple hits. WORST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE: We could just give this to the Generals, or to Kevin Kolb for that Boston game in which he went 7 of 31 for a total of 73 yards, but we already highlighted how bad that game was. No, we will go with more of a shocker, Brian Griese, the 2007 Offensive POTY, has had a somewhat less-successful season in 2008, but his numbers are still generally pretty good. But that was absolutely not the case Week 6 against Texas, when the Panther QB went 13 of 32, for 142 yards and a whopping 4 picks in one game. It was a huge game for Texas, and a huge letdown for a Michigan squad that had been playing well. Fortunately Griese bounced back in Week 7 with 2 TDs and a win over St. Louis, but that Texas game has to feel like a winnable game that just got away. BEST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE: Not a name we call out often, but Ohio LB Glenn Cadrez got the job done against the Pittsburgh Maulers in Week 5. In one game he had a whole season, recording 12 tackles, 2 defended passes, a sack, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pick-six. Not a bad day at all for a linebacker. WORST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE: We are not going to single out any one player, mostly because defensive players can be scary (and vindictive), so we don’t want to call anyone out, but we are going to point at the entire Birmingham Stallion defense and ask how they ever gave up 44 points to a New Orleans team that is barely averaging 20 per game and has rookies at both the HB and 2 of 3 starting WR positions? You would expect turnovers to be the reason for such a lopsided loss (44-17), but Birmingham only committed one. The defense, on the other hand, gave up 155 yards rushing, 239 passing, and another 83 on penalties. No way to win a game to be sure. BEST UNDERDOG STORY: While we could easily point to both Charlotte and Portland for their strong first 8 games in league history, we are going to give this one to the Washington Federals, who most picked to finish 4th if not dead last in the NE Division. A 6-2 record in the first half of the season was certainly not on anyone’s radar, and, of course, this story is also in part a comeback story for Kordell Stewart, who returned from a season-long injury in 2007 and is playing better than ever. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: It has to be the Jacksonville Bulls. Expected to compete with Orlando for the Southern Division, and winners of their opening two games, the wheels have simply fallen off the bus for the Bulls as they have now lost 6 straight and are very much at risk of being mathematically eliminated very early. For a team that has the talent that Jacksonville has, this is a huge letdown. The Biggest Surprises of 2008 We mentioned earlier that this has been a season of surprises. What do we mean? Well, here is our bullpen’s list of the biggest surprises no one saw coming this year. That Portland and Charlotte would be significantly better in their first season than St. Louis and Atlanta are in their 3rd. The whole point for expansion teams is to build over time, and yet it seems like no one told any of the 4 recent expansion teams. Both Charlotte and Portland are exceeding expectations for a first year club, while the 1-7 Skyhawks and 2-6 Fire seem to be regressing. Where is the Fire club that went 7-7 as a new entry back in 2006? And how is St. Louis still so thin on talent in their 3rd season? The rookie rushers of 2008. We expected some good things, but we have gotten more than we could have hoped for. Not only is Rashard Mendenhall of Boston in the Top 5 for yards, but he is joined in the Top 20 by Philadelphia’s Steve Slaton (591 yards), Atlanta’s Darren McFadden (563 yards) and Portland’s Jonathan Stewart (513). Add to this group Breaker HB Mat Forte, with two 100-yard games to date, and Orlando’s Jacob Hester, who got his first start this week and rushed for 96, and you have quite a grouping of quality backs in one year. Of the big-name backs taken, only Felix Jones in Birmingham and Mike Hart in Michigan have yet to really bust out, and Hart was not really expected to get many touches anyway. So, all in all, this has been a very good year for rookie rushers, though we know that the 2nd half of the season is when the legs will start to feel heavy. It happens every year with the transition from fall college football to spring pro football. Hatchette and Hackett. Two receivers with eerily similar names have found themselves near the top of the receiving yards rankngs, both quite a surprise. Matt Hatchette has been a decent, if not All-Star #1 receiver for several years, but Las Vegas was never in a position to propel him to the top of the rankings. So far this year, they have found ways to get him the ball. As for D. J. Hackett, playing for an expansion club in Charlotte, where he was expected to be the #2 to Curtis Conway, he was not expected to step up this way, But, when Conway announced his retirement in camp, Hackett was the choice to move to #1 and he has responded with over 650 yards in 8 games. The comeback story of Kordell Stewart. Look, it is not like we did not expect Stewart to come in and play well for Washington, it is just that even when he was healthy the past 2-3 years, the Feds still did not do much. This year he not only returned to action but Coach Payton is finding ways to maximize his skill set and produce problems for defenses. Stewart is not a classic drop back thrower, and Payton has recognized that and built a gameplan around misdirection, and the threat of the run. That has helped McCallister, Stewart, and this Feds team as a whole. The shaky play of several preseason favorites. Pick your team, Boston? Orlando? Seattle? Jacksonville? There are a lot of 4-4, 3-5, and even 2-6 clubs who everyone expected to be 7-1 or 6-2 at this point. And while it looks like Seattle, and maybe Orlando, have figured out how to right the ships, it appears that we either grossly overestimated what Boston and Jacksonville could do this year, or they are crumbling under the pressure. Whatever the reality, it seems we are not going to see either Drew Bledsoe or Jake Delhomme in the postseason this year, and we cannot yet feel positive about Drew Brees or Byron Leftwich. Coaches Who Should Be Worried Right Now For every rising club like the Stars and Bandits, there is another club that is falling far short of fan expectations, and in many cases, owner expectations as well. We already know that Arizona’s Jim Fassel is already on thin ice after a brutal 1-7 start, but who else is on the potential hot seat right now. We see 3 coaches whose teams are not helping their job security prospects. A 3-5 start is not the kind of rebound that Mike Nolan needed in New Orleans. The goal was to prove that the Coach of the Year award from a surprise success in 2006 was the norm, not the disappointing 2007 campaign. Right now the Breakers look a lot more like that 2007 group than the road warriors from the year before. Unless Nolan can get the club to overperform in the second half, getting at least to 8-8, but better to get to 9-7 (requiring a 6-2 second half), it could be tough for Nolan to make the case that he has this team headed in the right direction. Ron Rivera was already on thin ice in Pittsburgh after a disappointing 6-8 campaign in 2007 (following a disastrous 2-12 year in 2006). He needs to show growth this year, and particularly, he needs to show that Cody Pickett is growing into a viable starter. So far that has not happened, and, with the club also sitting at 3-5, in a very tough division with 3 verifiable Summer Bowl contenders, it is looking pretty unlikely that the Maulers can reach .500 and that could mean the end for Rivera. Tom Coughlin in Baltimore has the Blitz at 4-4, which is not horrible, but it is also not great. With the Blitz not having made the playoffs since 2000, something more was expected this year. We all still believe that if the Blitz make the postseason, Coughlin is safe, but if they cannot get over the hump and show some potential for future progress, the disciplinarian may well find himself disciplined. Five Rookies Who Need to Show Us More We all know the rookies who are lighting things up this year, but there are others who we are still hoping to see more from. This is not abnormal. Every year there are rooks who need time to adjust and earn a spot on the field, but who come through in the final weeks and earn themselves a bigger role in their sophomore campaigns. So, who are the 5 rookies we think need to step it up in weeks 9-16? 5) Felix Jones—HB (BIR): Jones has been sharing carries with Marion Barber for the first 8 weeks, earning his first true start this week. But with so many rookie backs putting up strong numbers, Jones has yet to show that he deserved to be a first round pick. He is averaging 3.6 yards per carry and has only 2 touchdowns so far. What we want to see from Coach Austin and the Stallions is a commitment to put the ball in Jones’s hands 20-25 times a day, and what we want to see from Jones is an ability to turn a 3-yard gain into a 20-yarder from time to time. 4) James Hardy—WR (CHI): With Curtis Conway gone to expansion Charlotte, Hardy had the red carpet rolled out to him to be the #2 receiver. So far he has 24 catches for 290 ayrds, not horrible, but not starting wideout numbers, at least not in a Marty Mornhinweg offense. He has been losing snaps to unknown backup Arnold Brown, and that is not a good look for a high draft pick. 3) Dan Connor-LB (PHI): Very little has gone wrong for Philadelphia this year, but they do have to be somewhat disappointed in local star, Penn State LB Dan Connor, who signed on to become a force in the middle, and to date has only 4 tackles. Admitedly, Connor has not gotten a lot of snaps as the #2 MLB. Paul Posluszny simply does not take plays off, and in a 4-3, that means there is not a lot of opportunity for a 2nd MLB, but we do expect to see Coach Harbaugh rest Poz a bit down the stretch, so when he does, it is up to Connor to show that he belongs on the field on a more regular basis. 2) Brian Kehl-LB (LV): A BYU product graded as a first round pick by both USFL and NFL Scouts, so far Kehl has been a bust. He has not seen a single snap on the field. Not one. And while Las Vegas picked Kehl up in the territorial draft, so he was not technically a high draft pick a lot was expected of the former Cougar. Currently he sits behind Brady Poppinga as a backup to either Shawn Barber or Joey Porter on the outside. Why he is not subbing for either or for MLB Orlando Huff on run downs is still a mystery, but the clear message is that he is just not showing enough in practice. 1) Ray Rice-HB (NJ): We ran through our list of halfbacks above, and we mentioned Jones as a disappointment, but he comes nowhere close to Ray Rice in that department. Rice was handed the reigns and offered a shot to be the heir apparent to the retired Curtis Enis. What has New Jersey gotten? How about 2.5 yards per carry. That is not going to keep you in the lineup for long, that is for sure. Now, we understand, New Jersey has lots of issues, but when you have no run game, it can make a lot of other problems much worse. Rice needs to show something or he should expect New Jersey to go in a different direction in 2009. Baltimore and Memphis fall prey to the injury bug this week, with Blitz safety David Trujillo and Memphis tackle Anthony Clement both placed on the IR after suffering major injuries this week. They are joined on IR by Arizona safety Brian Dawkins, who was injured last week but was reevaluated this week as swelling in his injured back worsened. He is expected to be fine, but the medical team recommended his season be suspended. The only other injuries of note were the right foot of Portland strong safety Terreal Bierria (a bad week for safeties this week) and the big toe of Orlando guard Damion Cook. Expect both to be out around 2 weeks. Expect these players to be back in action after being upgraded to Probable on today’s injury list: NSH CB Lenny Walls, HOU LB Keith Brooking, CHA DE Julius Peppers, NSH WR Derrick Mason, NOR CB Billy Austin, ARZ HB Sedrick Irvin, PHI FS Anthony Dorsett, ORL OT Jonas Jennings, OHI C Richie Incognito, and MEM FB Theron Wilson. EASTERN CONFERENCE PHILADELPHIA STARS CURRENT GRADE: A+ (8-0, First in NE) HIGHLIGHTS: Pretty much everything. The defense is the best in the league (both in yardage and scoring) and the offense is 3rd, which is a huge surprise. Perhaps the biggest surprise success has been the run game, a combination of two young players, Michael Robinson and rookie Steve Slaton, both exceeding expectations. Slaton is on pace for 1,000 yards, and Robinson is not far behind. If the Stars can keep feeding the ball to these two, they will be tough to beat. ISSUES OF CONCERN: As good as the Stars have been, we are surprised to see Kurt Warner with fewer than 2,000 yards (only 1,709) and only an 8-5 TD-INT ratio. Clearly Philly does not need Warner to be Brett Favre in order to win, but improving the TD-INT ratio at a minimum should be a goal. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A to A+, 13 to 14 wins. We don’t see a 16-0 season as possible here, but the top seed in the East should be the target. TAMPA BAY BANDITS CURRENT GRADE: A+ (7-1, First in SE) HIGHLIGHTS: Before the season we noted that Tampa Bay’s receiving corps could be the worst in the league after the departure of Randy Moss. Guess it is time we ate some crow. Tampa has the 8th best passing offense, and while that may not sound like much, it is truly impressive when we look at who they have catching the ball. Chris Doering has stepped up big time, with over 581 yards and 8 TDs this year. Karl Williams, best known as a kick returner, has over 550 yardsas well, and they are getting contributions from others like Roscoe Parrish and Davone Bess as well. ISSUES OF CONCERN: While the defense is looking solid at #4 in scoring D, they Bandits do give up a lot of passing yards. Their pass rush is not as dynamic as Coach Spurrier would like, forcing the club to blitz quite a bit. That is fine now, but come playoff time, that could provide an opening for a team to exploit a thinner coverage on the back end. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A, 11 to 13 wins is very possible, and with 5 of their final 8 games in the division, Tampa Bay could wrap up a bye week pretty soon. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS CURRENT GRADE: A (6-2, First in Southern) HIGHLIGHTS: The #1 passing game in the USFL is a clear and obvious highlight for the Showboats. Brett Favre is a serious MVP candidate with 14 TDs and leading the league with over 2,300 yards passing. Lee Evans has come on as a premier receiver, on pace for a 1,300 yard season, and Robert Ferguson remains one of the best possession receivers in the game. 2nd year receiver Sidney Rice has also developed into a major threat in the slot. All good on this front. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The defense gives up a lot of yards, a lot of first downs, and a lot of time of possession. A shrewd club with the ability to run the ball and eat clock can limit Memphis’s offensive capabilities. Ranked 24th in yards allowed, the Showboats have to do better on 3rd down, as their 2-game losing streat against Las Vegas and Seattle demonstrated recently. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A-, 10-11 wins and the Southern Title. We see the Memphis defense as a significant flaw in the champion’s defense title run. There are a lot of teams out there who can take advantage of that, so unless the Showboats want to win every game as a shootout, they need to find a way to shut down drives. WASHINGTON FEDERALS CURRENT GRADE: A (6-2, 2nd in NE) HIGHLIGHTS: If grades were curved against expectations, Washington would be our top team. No one saw this level of success coming. We all knew they could run the ball, and that their defense would likely be Top 10, but it is the return of Kordell Stewart, and the Federal passing game, that has made this unexpected success possible. ISSUES OF CONCERN: As good as the Federals have been on defense (6th in scoring), they are not creating a lot of turnovers. That means the offense is typically facing longer drives and longer odds to score. It has not been an issue yet, but you know Coach Payton would like to see the D creating more short fields and momentum-shifting plays. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: B+, 9-10 wins. Recent losses to both Philadelphia and Houston seem to indicate how you go about beating the Federals. If other teams can copy the ball-control model of those two games, they might find success against a Feds team that many are still not totally sold on. ORLANDO RENEGADES CURRENT GRADE: B- (4-4, 2nd in SE) HIGHLIGHTS: Pass defense, particularly the pass rush, has been the highlight of the season for the Renegades. The team ranks #1 in passing yards allowed, at 163 a game. That is tremendous, and a big part of that has been the immediate impact of rookie Calais Campbell. Orlando is just not a team you want to come back against, because they will just pin their ears back and go after your QB. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The ‘Gades are only 4-4 for a reason, and that reason is their rushing game. Yes, rookie Jacob Hester had 100 yards this week, but that was against expansion Charlotte. The combo of Hester and Najeh Davenport has not been atrocious, but it has not been enough to keep pressure off of Drew Brees, one big reason the passing attack is ranked only 17th right now. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: B+, 8-9 Wins. We think Orlando can improve in the 2nd half. Three straight wins, all games where they allowed fewer than 14 points, seem to indicate that defense will be the reason. BALTIMORE BLITZ CURRENT GRADE: B (4-4, 3rd in the NE) HIGHLIGHTS: The arrival of Tory Holt has helped add some danger to the Blitz passing attack. It is now a Top 10 unit, averaging over 230 yards a game, and Holt is the leader of the pack with 45 receptions and over 600 yards. ISSUES OF CONCERN: Inconsistency is the biggest bugaboo for Baltimore. They have been up and down all season long, and while nearly all their losses are close games, they need to find a way to win those. Their pass rush was shaky, so they made a big trade for Jared Allen, who they hope can add some real menace to their front four. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: B+, 8-10 Wins. We are big believers in the Allen trade. If he can create more pressure, allowing the Blitz to drop 7 into coverage, their 24th ranked pass defense can get a lot better, and that may make all the difference in a team that has been in nearly every game they have lost. NASHVILLE KNIGHTS CURRENT GRADE: C+ (3-5, 2nd in South) HIGHLIGHTS: In an inconsistent and disappointing first half to the season, the one constant highlight is HB Frank Gore. Gore’s 619 yards put him on pace to hit 1,200 yards again this year. He is the one dependable feature of the Knights’ offense, and should be a candidate for All-USFL again. ISSUES OF CONCERN: As much as we want to point the finger at Jay Cutler and his 1:1 TD-INT ratio, the truth is that the big letdown this year has been the defense. Nashville is ranked 22nd in scoring D and 21st in yardage allowed. That is not typical Knights football, and it cannot be making Coach Johnson happy. The issues on defense make the trade of Jared Allen a real headscratcher for the Knights, but more problematic is a secondary that has been prone to mistiming runs on receivers, leading to a lot of missed picks and long gains instead. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: C (7 or 8 wins at most). We just don’t see a way for Nashville to turn this around this year. 6-10 or 7-9 is very possible for this squad, and that is not what anyone associated with the Knights wanted for this year. CHARLOTTE MONARCHS CURRENT GRADE: A- (3-5 and 3rd in SE) HIGHLIGHTS: Yes, the Monarchs have a losing record right now, but wins over Boston, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh are solid results for a first-year expansion club. Statistically they are not great, midrange or worse in most areas, but Jim Mora Jr.’s group is finding ways to win. They appear to have a solid comeback story in HB Robert Edwards and D. J. Hackett has impressed at wideout. When Curtis Conway retired in camp, there was fear for the receiving corps, but Hackett, brought over from the NFL Seahawks, has been a quality option for QB Chris Weinke. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The Monarchs have all the usual issues that expansion teams have, a line not used to playing together, a lack of quality depth, a need for a few more gamechanging players, but overall they are exceeding expectations. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A- , 6-7 wins. If Charlotte can equal Atlanta’s 7-7 inaugural season from 2 years ago, that would be a major accomplishment, and one that could actually have them in the playoff hunt. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS CURRENT GRADE: B- (3-5, third in South) HIGHLIGHTS: As much as fans want to criticize Eli Manning’s leadership style or demeanor, you cannot argue with an 11-4 TD-INT ratio or with a rating in the 90’s. New Orleans is not an elite team, but Manning is not the reason, at least not this year. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The young receiving corps is doing better than expected, but they still are struggling to make yards after the catch, which is forcing the team to sustain long drives in order to score. They need more big plays from Bowe, Doucet, and Avery, and a lot of that may depend on more aggressive playcalling from the sidelines. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: B, 7-8 Wins. We suspect New Orleans will edge Nashville for 2nd in the division, and could be in competition for a Wild Card. That would be a good outcome for this club. BOSTON CANNONS CURRENT GRADE: D (3-5, 4th in NE Division) HIGHLIGHTS: It has to be Rashard Mendenhall. The rookie leader in rushing yards, on pace for a possible 1,400 yard season, the Illinois product has been all that Coach Fox could have asked for a year after losing Tiki Barber. ISSUES OF CONCERN: Everything else. Boston was expected to be an elite team for Drew Bledsoe’s farewell tour, geared to challenge for a Summer Bowl berth. Instead we have a 3-win team at the midway point and a team that is losing games to teams that, on paper, should not be able to compete with them. Losing to expansion Charlotte was embarrassing, but to lose 2 weeks ago to the moribund New Jersey Generals, that is shameful. This is a team that has all the talent you could want, but it is not playing good football right now. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: C, 7-8 wins. We just cannot imagine Coach Fox will allow this to continue. Boston will surge in the second half of the year, and could still eke out a playoff spot if they get serious. ATLANTA FIRE CURRENT GRADE: C- (2-6, 4th in SE Division) HIGHLIGHTS: Another rookie as the highlight, with Darren McFadden proving to have been a good choice with the Fire’s 1st round pick. McFadden should finish with 1,000 yards and is the one highlight in a pretty dismal 3rd campaign in Atlanta. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The passing game is a shambles. The recent trade for Kelly Holcomb may finally be a sign that Coach Gruden has realized that David Garrard is not the man. He is now starting Tyler Thigpen, and that did produce a win this past week, but we don’t think they have either the QB or the receivers to win this year. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: C-. 5-6 wins. The Fire seem to be getting worse each year. 10 losses is a real possibility this season. NEW JERSEY GENERALS CURRENT GRADE: D (2-6, 5th in NE Division) HIGHLIGHTS: Finding something that is going right in New Jersey is tough. They have already been shut out twice this season and are only averaging 9.9 points per game. If there is one player who is showing up each week it would have to be DE Reynaldo Wynn, whose 6 sacks is at least on pace for a decent 10+ final result. ISSUES OF CONCERN: Name it. Run game? Defense? QB Play? We could point to any one of them. The only reason we did not give New Jersey an F this year is that we did not expect them to be very good, so they have not failed in meeting that expectation. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: D. 3-4 wins. The Generals have some attainable games on the schedule, and could pull off another upset as they did against Boston. If they get more than 5 wins, we have to upgrade them, but for now a D seems generous. JACKSONVILLE BULLS CURRENT GRADE: F (2-6, 5th in SE Division) HIGHLIGHTS: The offense is still putting up yards, so we cannot entirely fault them. We wish they scored more than 18 points a game, but they are putting up nearly 350 yards each week. That ought to be good enough to win more games. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The entire defense minus Mike Vrabel. Vrabel appears to be the only player on D who is playing up to his talent. Lavar Arrington has become mostly invisible, the D-line is not getting the job done (Ifeanyi leads the team with only 3 sacks) and the secondary is giving up big play after big play. A total disaster for a team that was expected to be a contender. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: F. 3-5 wins. Unless the entire defense suddenly figures out what their issues are, we just don’t see the Bulls being able to turn this dumpster fire of a season into something a little less horrific. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS CURRENT GRADE: F (1-7, 5th in South) HIGHLIGHTS: If there is one positive in this season for Birmingham it may be that the ownership and coaching staff have finally come to the conclusion that Jason Campbell is not the answer at QB. Fans have been saying it for a long time. Problem is, CFL import Dave Dickenson also does not appear to be the answer. If it were not for the fact that nothing else is working either, we would say the Stallions were a lock to go for a QB in the draft. ISSUES OF CONCERN: This team is dead last in scoring defense, yards allowed, 27th in yards for, and 26th in scoring. The list of concerns is endless. First off they need a major talent infusion at nearly every position. The Stallions look and feel more like an expansion club than either of the actual expansion teams. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: F. 2-3 wins would be the most we could see coming. A 1-win season could very easily happen. WESTERN CONFERENCE OAKLAND INVADERS CURRENT GRADE: A+ (7-1, First in Pacific) HIGHLIGHTS: A lot has gone right for the Invaders this year, but we want to celebrate a defense that is allowing only 14 points per game. For us, the key to that success is a defense that is putting on a clinic on tackling. The Invaders, led by LB’s Dan Morgan and Roosevelt Colvin, are just not allowing players to break free, or find angles. They swarm to the ball, and they bring the ballcarrier down. That is a good thing to be known for. ISSUES OF CONCERN: While Burress, Jennings, and Alex Bannister are proving to be a solid 1-2-3 receiver option, the TE position is just not working for the Invader offense. Yes, both Dreesen and Dudley are being asked to run block a lot more, but when your lead TE has only 97 yards receiving at midseason, you need an upgrade. They have 2 weeks before the trade deadline comes around, so perhaps there is a move to be made. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A. 11-13 Wins and a top seed in the West seem very attainable, even playing in a very tough division. MICHIGAN PANTHERS CURRENT GRADE: A (6-2, First in the Central Division) HIGHLIGHTS: If I told you in the preseason that the Michigan Panthers would be the #1 rushing offense in the league, you would have laughed me out of the room. But that is where we are. Michigan’s 3-man rotation of Justin Fargas, Leon Washington, and rookie Mike Hart is averaging 146 yards a game. That is a huge improvement over past years, and it is propelling Michigan to surprising success. ISSUES OF CONCERN: While there are some concerns with Brian Griese’s dropoff in production, the honest concern is that they are looking at Ohio in the rear-view mirror, and they are getting nervous. There is still a sense in Michigan that the Panthers just don’t believe they are as good as Ohio, and that they will atsome point crack. They beat the Glory in Week 1 and face them again in Week 11. A win in that 2nd game could be the best thing for Michigan’s sense of self. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A, 10-13 wins and quite possibly a bye in the playoffs, if, and only if, they can hold off the Glory. HOUSTON GAMBLERS CURRENT GRADE: A- (5-3, 1st in the SW Division) HIGHLIGHTS: The Gamblers have found balance, thanks in large part to the arrival of Shaun Alexander to boost the run game. They don’t beat themselves, and they are in nearly every game, as was evident this week when they overcame a 27-6 deficit in the final quarter against Boston. ISSUES OF CONCERN: We are concerned that the offense has lost some of its explosiveness by attaining greater balance. Matt Hasselbeck is just not taking the risks in the passing game that he did in the past, and that is actually hurting the Gamblers. They rank 23rd in passing yards, which seems like a fixable problem, but one they have to acknowledge first. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A. 10-12 wins. We still see Houston as the frontrunner in the division, but they have to find more explosiveness if they want to compete with Ohio, Michigan, or Oakland in the playoffs. OHIO GLORY CURRENT GRADE: A- (6-2, 2nd in Central) HIGHLIGHTS: Four straight wins have calmed the nerves of Ohio fans who were not ready to be 2-2 after 4 weeks. The biggest reason is, drum roll, yup, the #1 rated offense in the league. Are you surprised? Kerry Collins is back in MVP form, leading the league in TD throws, Eddie George looks 24 again, and the combo of Galloway and Moss is beginning to dominate the way Ohio fans hoped it would. ISSUES OF CONCERN: Another explosive offense paired with a defense that has trouble against the run. The pass rush is there, which is good when you have a lead, but again the Glory could be susceptible to a team shortening the game and limiting possessions by using the run game against them. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A. 11-14 wins is possible. We could easily envision Ohio overtaking the Panthers and earning a bye in the playoffs. They are on a 4-game win streak, but with matchups against Tampa Bay, Chicago (2x), Michigan, Oakland, and Seattle on the docket, they do not have an easy path forward. CHICAGO MACHINE CURRENT GRADE: A (6-2, 3rd in Central) HIGHLIGHTS: If you want to know how the Machine plan to defend their Western Conference title and reach the Summer Bowl again, all you have to do is look at the defense. The Machine are #2 in scoring D and #1 against the run. They have a dominant DE in Anthony Weaver and one of the best MLB’s in the game in Brian Urlacher. Their only losses were against Michigan and Tampa Bay, so they are not playing down to their competition. They face Ohio twice in the 2nd half, so that could be huge for them. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The offense needs to be able to take some pressure off of that defense. Brady Quinn is suffering from a bit of a sophomore slump, putting up barely 1,100 yards in his first 8 games this year, and the loss of Curtis Conway has definitely left a hole in the receiving corps, one rookie James Hardy has not stepped into yet. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A-. 10-12 wins. We are worried that the offensive issues will make it a struggle when Chicago faces Ohio, Michigan, and Houston in the 2nd half of the season. The difference between 1st and 3rd in the Central could be as slim as a tiebreaker, so Chicago cannot afford to lose focus. LAS VEGAS THUNDER CURRENT GRADE: B+ (5-3, 2nd in Pacific) HIGHLIGHTS: The best thing we have seen this season from the Thunder is a greater balance between offense and defense. Yes, the defense has slipped a bit from last year, but still allows fewer than 18 points per game, while the offense is markedly improved, at least until the injury to Steve McNair. Whether they can continue their better production without him is perhaps their biggest issue right now. ISSUES OF CONCERN: We just said it. McNair is down for at least 6 weeks. Can the Thunder score enough points with Tony Banks at QB? Will they bring in a Dilfer or George to help if Banks struggles? It is a huge issue, because there is very little room for mistakes with both Portland and Seattle just 1 game behind them. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: B. 7-9 wins. We think Las Vegas will struggle to win another 5 games. If they can just break even, winning 4 of 8, they should be in playoff contention. We will learn a lot in the next 2 weeks when they play Seattle and LA back to back. DENVER GOLD CURRENT GRADE: A- (5-3, 2nd in SW Division) HIGHLIGHTS: The absolute surprise this year is that Coach Jauron has officially made Mewelde Moore the primary back and limited Cedric Benson to a role as a short yardage guy. And it is working! Moore, in his last 2 games, has rushed for 94 and 121 yards. Now, that was against Arizona and Texas, so we are a bit dubious, but if he can average even 80 yards a game, add in 20-30 from Benson, and you have a run game that can keep pressure off Matt Leinart. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The defense is solid, so nothing there, which makes Matt Leinart the biggest concern. His QB Rating has bounced back from a truly bad 2007 (from 77.3 up to 92.3), and his 14-5 TD-Pick ratio is looking really good, but there is still a lot of concern that he is one bad game away from crumbling. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A-, 9-11 wins, and a possible shot at the Division Title. Denver has 2 games left against the Gamblers. A sweep and they likely take the division, a split and we shall have to see how the tiebreakers fall. PORTLAND STAGS CURRENT GRADE: A (4-4, 3rd in Pacific) HIGHLIGHTS: Normally a 4-4 record would not get you an A grade, but for a first year expansion club, that is a phenomenal result. Add to that the fact this club has beaten some quality teams (Seattle, Michigan, and LA) and there is a lot to be excited about. Perhaps the best thing we see is a team ranked #7 in both yardage and points allowed. That is a great start for a franchise. ISSUES OF CONCERN: A. J. Feeley has struggled to get the passing game going, ranked 25th in the league. His conservative approach (or is it Coach Brooks’s conservative approach) means that he rarely stretches the defense. We are not saying Brooks should look at another option, at least not this year, but what needs to happen is that Feeley has to take some shots downfield to Koren Robinson, Roddy White or Andre Davis to open up the run game. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A-/B+, 6-9 wins. If they get to 7-7 or 8-6, they deserve an A, but if they slip a bit, which is entirely possible, a 6-10 season is still a solid B+ in our books. SEATTLE DRAGONS CURRENT GRADE: B (4-4, 4th in Pacific) HIGHLIGHTS: Basically the last 4 games, where Seattle has looked like Seattle. They have looked good against both Houston and Memphis, which is not easy to do, and they finally have their offense moving the ball consistently. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The Dragons need to do better at getting the ball into the hands of Darren Sproles. For as much as we love Corey Dillon, he should not be carrying the ball 20+ times a game at this point. Sproles is a difference maker and we are just not seeing enough opportunities in the passing game for him to help open things up for the Dragons. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: A-, 9-11 wins and a possible shot at Oakland for the division. We are going to forget the 0-4 start and say that this club could win 5-7 games in the second half. That could be enough to catch up to Oakland, especially if they can avenge their Week 1 loss when they face the Invaders again in Week 15. PITTSBURGH MAULERS CURRENT GRADE: B- (3-5, 4th in Central) HIGHLIGHTS: The Maulers have two things going for them on defense, a very solid gameplan against the run, allowing only 87 yards per game, and the ability to rush the passer with only their front four. Kyle Vanden Bosch continues to be their best defender, and CB Patrick Surtain is doing a lot to eliminate each opponent’s #1 receiver. ISSUES OF CONCERN: Cody Pickett is just not developing into the player Pittsburgh thought they were getting when they traded for him. In his few games in Seattle he held a QB Rating of over 115, but in his2 seasons in Pittsburgh (1.5 seasons really), he is closer to 80.0. That is just not good enough. He makes too many poor throws or poor decisions, evident in his 22 game TD-INT ratio of 19-22. A negative ratio is not going to keep you starting games. The Maulers are unlikely to bench Pickett for Quincy Carter, but if he cannot start making better decisions, this could be an offseason position of interest for the Maulers. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: C+, 6-7 Wins. We don’t see the Maulers winning more than 4 more games, not with Oakland, Michigan (2x), Chicago, Ohio, and Orlando on the schedule. They will be lucky to get 3 wins (Atlanta, St. Louis and a split with Michigan) to finish at 6-10. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS CURRENT GRADE: C- (3-5, 5th in Pacific) HIGHLIGHTS: Rookie defenders Keith Rivers and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie have been stellar. A lot of good vibes about the future of this defense with these two added to the other top players LA has amassed on that side of the ball. Their rankings are not great, but that has more to do with having absolutely no offense to balance out games. ISSUES OF CONCERN: No one knew how good Seneca Wallace was until he went down. Neither Jeff Lewis or Jeff Garcia have been able to generate any type of offense since taking over for the injured QB. The goal right now has to be to try to win at least 1 more game before Wallace comes back (possibly Week 10) and then hope his is ready to roll and help LA finish strong. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: C, 6-9 wins. If Wallace can come back with 6 weeks left, and if he can win 3 or more games in that 6-game run, the Express could make a late run, but that feels like a lot of ifs for a team that has looked hapless without him. TEXAS OUTLAWS CURRENT GRADE: D, 2-6, 3rd in SW Division) HIGHLIGHTS: The offense has definitely been better this year. T. J. Duckett continues to produce good games week in and week out and rookie QB Joe Flacco seems to be adjusting well to the pro game. Their Week 6 and Week 8 wins against Michigan and Denver were good signs of potential success to come. ISSUES OF CONCERN: The defense is still struggling to make stops, especially against the run, where they are giving up nearly 150 yards per game. If you cannot stop the run, you cannot prevent the play action pass, and if both of those are working against you, it is very hard to get wins. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: C, 5-7 wins. We think Texas could have a better second half, possibly going 4-4, which would be a nice way to finish off a year that started 0-5. ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS CURRENT GRADE: F (1-6, 5th in Central) HIGHLIGHTS: We had to look long and hard to find something Coach Williams can be happy about. We could just praise WR Taylor Jacobs again, but that record is played to death. So, we looked over the roster and we decided to at least throw some positivity at someone different, and that someone is LB Wali Rainier. The 6 year vet is contributing against both the run and the pass, with 70 tackles, 2 sacks and a pick this year. If he had more help around him, he could be an All-USFL darkhorse, but as it stands we at least recognize that he is a player to build around. ISSUES OF CONCERN: We are not seeing the kind of clear direction from Coach Williams that Skyhawk fans wanted. Blake has not been the answer at QB, despite his occasional dual threat potential. Throwing 13 picks to 7 touchdowns is not any way to hold down the starting job. Even worse, it seems Coach Williams cannot pick a HB and stick with him. He has started (and given dominant carries) to 3 different backs, and the only rusher on the team with more than 3.4 yards per carry is Larry Johnson, who was 3rd on the depth chart until this week. Will Williams stick with the Penn State product or is the seemingly pointless rotation going to continue? PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: F. 2-3 wins. We just don’t see this team suddenly finding their way and winning more games. They may get lucky in a couple of games on their schedule, or they could end up with the #1 pick in the draft. Either way, in their 3rd year we have to call this an F. ARIZONA WRANGLERS CURRENT GRADE: F. (1-7, 4th in SW Division) HIGHLIGHTS: The new stadium is nice, no sweltering heat. There we said something positive. We dare you to find anything else positive to say about this club this year. Sorry, Wrangler fans, you deserve better. ISSUES OF CONCERN: Name it. 26th in points allowed, 27th in yards allowed, 19th in scoring, and 27th in rushing despite bringing in a consistent 1,000 yard rusher in Sedrick Irvin. This absolutely feels like a club that needs a fresh start, and you know it is bad when your local hero QB is asking to be traded, as Jake Plummer has been the past few weeks. Will they let their golden boy go? Maybe they should, just to signal a whole new direction. PREDICTED FINAL GRADE: F. 1-3 wins. We do not see a single game on their remaining schedule that they should win. They have only 1 game against a team with a losing record (Week 10 @ Texas) and we think the Outlaws are likely to take that one, so a 1-15 season is very possible. A good reason to clean house. We have worked our way through the original 12 franchises in our Mt. Rushmore polling, so that brings us to the class of 1984, just one year into the league’ existence, when they added 4 clubs. Today it will be two of the more successful clubs in the league, with the current defending USFL Champion Memphis Showboats and the 3-time champion Houston Gamblers. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS I don’t even have to tell you who won the most votes as a Showboat superstar from the past. No player in the league is more synonymous with his team than the Minister of Defense, Reggie White. White dominated the line of scrimmage for 16 years, racking up a jaw-dropping 259 sacks, 12 All-USFL Team nominations, 1984 Rookie of the Year, 1990 MVP, and 1992 Defensive Player of the Year. His final season in 1999 was an exclamation point with the Showboats winning their first league title. Sadly White passed away far too soon in 2004, a victim of a cardiac arrhythmia. He was a giant among men in the USFL, and in the community, an obvious choice for the Mountain. The second highest votegetter was another longstanding leader on the Showboat squads, quarterback Heath Shuler. Chosen from the University of Tennessee in the T-Draft of 1994, he would become the full-time starter mid-way through his sophomore campaign. Shuler would go on to lead the Showboat offense for 12 seasons before a tragic car accident caused him to miss most of the 2006 season and to retire at the end of the year. It was a sad end to what had been an illustrious career. Shuler led Memphis to the title in 1999 with a 4,900 yard, 42 touchdown season, his best as a pro. He retired with more than 41,000 yards passing and over 300 career touchdowns. Shuler will be eligible for USFL Hall of Fame nomination in 2011, and we fully expect him to make the hall, but for now he is enshrined in our (informal) Mt. Rushmore. Third up was one of the best tight ends in league history, and a fixture in the Showboat passing offense for more than a decade. Adrian Cooper was not a highly touted rookie, picked in the 3rd round by Memphis in the 1991 Draft, he did not become a regular starter until 4 years later. Once he stepped into the starting role, his impact was immediate. In 1995 he caught 76 balls for over 800 yards and 5 TDs. He would only go up from there. When he retired after the 2005 campaign he had racked up over 900 catches, nearly 12,000 yards, and 99 career touchdowns at the Tight End position. He is in the conversation with Keith Jackson and Shannon Sharpe as the best at his position in league history. And in fourth place, an NFL signee who would go on to rack up some huge numbers in the USFL, wideout Mel Gray. Gray came to the USFL a savvy veteran, having already played 11 seasons in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals. He would play 7 more with the Showboats, and from the start his production was off the charts. He had 100 receptions for 1,230 yards in 1984, followed by 121 for 1,553 the following year. His 143 receptions in 1987 remains 2nd all time (to Jeff Campbell of Michigan in 1998) and Gray retired with 6 seasons over 100 catches, an absolutely amazing stat and one that absolutely places him among the elite not just for the Showboats, but for the league as a whole. HOUSTON GAMBLERS Another club with some pretty obvious superstars to add to the mountain. We start with the man who is still the face of the franchise, appearing often at games and team events and a big presence in the city of Houston, Quarterback Jim Kelly. The orchestrator of Mouse Davis’s Run & Shoot offense, and the team leader for three title runs, Kelly is a legend for the Gamblers. Kelly was voted league MVP three times, including twice in seasons when he did not win the title. He retired in 1996 with over 53,000 passing yards and 412 touchdowns. Along with Reggie White, another indisputable Best of the Best in the USFL. And you almost never talk about Kelly without also talking about the 1988 Rookie of the Year and 9-time All-USFL running back, Thurman Thomas. Thomas was the piece the Run & Shoot needed to get over the hump and win a title. He came on the scene from Oklahoma State in 1988, rushing for 1,331 yards and 9 TDs as a rookie, and helped Houston win the USFL title his first year. He would go on to lead the team in rushing for a decade, rushing for 11,503 yards and 86 touchdowns, while also becoming one of the most prolific receiving backs in football history. But Houston’s success was not entirely predicated on its offense. The Gamblers quickly became known as a team that could shut down opponents as well. A big piece in Houston’s early defensive strength was linebacker Kiki DeAyala, a 2001 Hall of Fame inductee, the Gamblers’ first. DeAyala was an original Gambler, coming to the team in 1984. He would play 12 seasons on the Gambler defense, winning two titles and being named All-USFL 3 times. Finally, a player from slightly later in the Gambler’s history. While the early Gamblers teams were led by the Mouseketeers (Ricky Sanders, Clarence Verdin, Gerald McNeil, and Richard Johnson), the acknowledged best receiver in Houston history did not arrive until 1995. Antonio Freeman, signed as a rookie out of Virginia Tech, caught 73 passes for 1,266 yards in his freshman season. He would go on to lead the Gamblers in receiving for over a decade, retiring in 2006 with over 15,500 yards, 1,011 catches, and 104 career touchdowns. Week Nine and the 2nd half of the USFL season kicks off with a good one in Memphis as the rival Knghts come in from Nashville for a short but very meaningful road trip. On Saturday the highlight is the ESPN Saturday Night game with the Thunder and Dragons clashing in Seattle. Portland and LA are also going head to head in the Pacific Division on Saturday, while Boston clings to its playoff dreams in a tough road game in Baltimore. On Sunday, our game of the day has to be the FOX national broadcast of the Bandits at the Glory. Three losses between these two clubs means we are in for some high quality football there. Orlando at New Orleans should be another interesting matchup, and despite their records, any game between the Texas Outlaws and Houston Gamblers is usually really entertaining. FRIDAY @ 8pm Nashville (3-5) @ Memphis (6-2) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Chicago (6-2) @ Charlotte (3-5) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Boston (3-5) @ Baltimore (4-4) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (8-0 @ Jacksonville (2-6) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Portland (4-4) @ Los Angeles (3-5) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm New Jersey (2-6) @ Denver (5-3) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Las Vegas (5-3) @ Seattle (4-4) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Orlando (4-4) @ New Orleans (3-5) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (1-7) @ Washington (6-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Tampa Bay (7-1) @ Ohio (6-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Arizona (1-7) @ Michigan (6-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Atlanta (2-6) @ St. Louis (1-7) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (2-6) @ Houston (5-3) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Oakland (7-1) @ Pittsburgh (3-5) ESPN

Seven weeks into the season and Philadelphia remains the league's only unbeaten. Of course, with Tampa Bay, Oakland, and Chicago all at 6-1, it hardly means the Stars can rest on their laurels, but this is a better start than any pundits could have picked for Coach Harbaugh's team. On the other end of the spectrum we have Arizona, St. Louis, Texas, Birmingham, and Atlanta, all sitting at one lone win. That is a lot of teams down at the bottom that are in need of some answers. Will those answers come with a midseason coaching change? That is the rumor in Phoenix, where the calls for Jim Fassel to be let go are getting louder. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 25 SEATTLE DRAGONS 29 What a game at Qwest Field this week as the Sunday Night primetime closer was all we could have asked for, a down to the wire game, and we even got to see a league record field goal along the way. Seattle is definitely back after winning their third in a row, and taking out the defending league champs as well. The game saw Byron Leftwich give his best performance of the season, connecting on several deep balls on his way to 315 yards on the day. Corey Dillon only rushed for 77 yards, but had two scores, while David Boston, Nate Burleson, and Darnerien McCants all came up big when Leftwich dialed their numbers. Meanwhile, Brett Favre suffered 5 sacks and a pick, but thought he might have the game won in the final minutes thanks to a league record 63-yard field goal by Jeff Hall. But it was not enough, as we will see. The game did not start off well for Memphis as a bobbled punt after Seattle’s first drive put the ball on the 2 yard line. On 1st and 10 from the 2, the Showboats tried to fake out Seattle, but DE Kenyon Coleman was having none of it, and got to Favre before the play action pass left his hand. Two points up from the start, and Seattle would add 3 more on the short-field possession that followed the safety. The first quarter would end with Seattle up 5-0 and once again with the ball. The Dragons would expand the lead to 12 on a drive that spanned the final minutes of the first and into the 2nd quarter. Corey Dillon had his best run of the game, breaking free of three tacklers and rushing 27 yards to the end zone to put Seattle up by 2 scores. Memphis was staggering, but Favre calmed down the offense, or pumped them up, hard to say which. Regardless, Memphis had their first solid drive of the game, going 63 yards in 11 plays, and capping it off with a David Martin TD from Favre to drop the Dragon lead to 5. Seattle would drive again, and put those lost points right back up on the board as Dillon scored his second TD of the day, this time a 7-yarder on a well-designed sweep. When Brett Favre threw a pick on the next drive, an ill-advised throw into traffic, Seattle had dreams of going up 26-7, but they could only muster a 44-yard field goal off the turnover, so it was a 22-7 lead with 25 seconds in the half. With fans beginning to filter out for halftime snack runs, Brett Favre shocked the crowd and the TV audience by connecting with Sidney Rice on a beautiful deep ball, producing a 71-yard TD with only 11 seconds left in the half. The game was down to an 8-point differential. In the third quarter Memphis would wipe out that deficit, using up nearly 8 minutes on a long, methodical drive before Cadillac Williams plunged into the end zone from the 2. With the conversion (a pass from Favre to Martin), the Showboats had tied the score. The next 18 minutes of action saw both teams struggle to get past midfield. Memphis’s defense had stiffened, and Seattle’s had held their own as well. But, in the final minutes of the game, with neither team moving the ball well, Memphis coach Jim Haslett faced a 4th and 3 from the 46. Trusting in his defense to deal with Seattle if he missed, he sent Jeff Hall out to the 46 yard line to attempt the 63-yard kick. The wind was in his favor, and Hall has a strong leg, but most Seattle fans expected a runback as Troy Walters was back in the end zone to return a missed kick. Hall did not miss. The ball had just enough to get over the crossbar and we had the first ever USFL field goal of more than 60 yards, setting up Jeff Hall as the all-time record holder for longest field goal. That kick, right outside of the 2-minute warning, had Memphis breathing a sigh of relief. They kicked off to the Dragons, expecting to play some prevent defense with 2 minutes left and hopefully eke out a tough road win. Those hopes lasted only 1 play. With the ball on their own 20 after a touchback, Seattle got lucky. Darnerien McCants, who had been demoted from the #2 spot when Nate Burleson was acquired by trade, came in as the slot, and Leftwich, on 1st and 10, caught him with a quick slant. But as McCants turned to go upfield, both the safety Coy Wire and corner Mark Donahue closed in to lay hits on McCants. The two ended up laying pretty good hits on each other, and McCants remained upright and with a lot of field in front of him. The Dragon wideout sprinted down the field with a 10-yard advantage on any Memphis defender. It was a 1-play, 80-yard drive, putting Seattle up 4 with just under 2 minutes to play. Favre and the Showboats were stunned, and their usually smooth offense looked completely out of synch when they came on the field for a 2-minute drill. A false start put them at 1st and 15 on the 19, and, after a short gain on the replay down, on 2nd down John Abraham got to Favre for a loss of 6, making it 3rd and 14. Memphis played a 3-deep zone, forcing Favre underneath, and even with a catch by Martin, it was 4th and 9. Favre tried to connect with Robert Ferguson but the Seattle D was there. Turnover on downs and a win for the homestanding Dragons, their 3rd in a row, and the second loss in a row for a Memphis squad that started their title defense 5-0. LAS VEGAS 6 CHICAGO 10 Friday night’s weekend opener was not one for offense junkies or fantasy players, but for those who love slobberknocker football, it was a thing of beauty. Chicago was outgained by the Thunder 352-137, but they just kept making big plays on defense. The Machine sacked Steve McNair 3 times, picked him off once, eventually knocked him out of the game, and stuffed the Thunder on a 4th and goal that preserved the win for the home team. CHARLOTTE 33 PITTSBURGH 27 Strong games from Chris Weinke (34 of 46, 278 yards and 2 TDs) and Robert Edwards (119 yards on 34 bone-crunching carries) help the Monarchs topple the Maulers in Pittsburgh. The Monarch D picked off Cody Pickett twice, including a game-saving pick in the final minute to move Charlotte to 3-4 in their inaugural campaign. ATLANTA 3 ORLANDO 24 The Renegades have now won 3 in a row as their defense shows Atlanta, and first-time starter Tyler Thigpen, no mercy. Thigpen threw for only 104 yards, and was harassed by Orlando’s pass rush all game long. The entire Atlanta offense mustered only 154 yards against Orlando, who were content to control the ball with Drew Brees going 21 of 28 with 2 scores on the day. BALTIMORE 17 TAMPA BAY 20 The Bandits take a 20-10 lead into the 4th and hold off a late Blitz rally as Martin Grammatica’s game-ending 48-yard attempt sails to the right. Chris Doering’s 113 yards and 1 TD was matched by Blitz WR Tory Holt, who gained 129 and had 2 scores, but a TD from Willis McGahee helped Tampa Bay build their lead, and then it was just holding on for dear life at the end. BIRMINGHAM 16 OAKLAND 24 A great crowd of over 48,000 in Oakland to watch the Invaders take care of business against Birmingham on a beautiful NoCal summer day. Ricky Williams and Jurius Norwood combined for 175 yards and all 3 Oakland touchdowns on the day, while the Invader D held Birmingham at bay despite a solid game from Dave Dickenson. LOS ANGELES 6 PORTLAND 20 Apparently switching to Jeff Garcia at QB was not the solution for LA, as Garcia looked rusty and the LA offense simply could not sustain drives. Portland got3 scores from its run game (2 from Chris Perry) and newly-promoted WR Andre Davis made the most of his first start in Portland with 5 catches for 95 yards as the Stags keep pace with Charlotte in the expansion club race to the best record. DENVER 31 ARIZONA 10 An absolutely dominant performance by Denver over their archrivals. Arizona had only 10 first downs and was 1 of 8 on third down against Denver’s D. Without Sedrick Irvin, they had nothing in the run game, and Denver contained Plummer throughout. Meanwhile the Denver offense put up 407 yards, including 137 on the ground, with Mewelde Moore getting more carries and more yards than Cedric Benson (94 to 41). Matt Leinart went 23 of 33 and threw 3 TDs in one of his better games this year as Denver moves to 5-2. BOSTON 13 NEW JERSEY 16 What is going on in Boston? Drew Bledsoe was sacked 4 times and completed on 12 passes against a Generals defense that has hardly been world-beaters this year. Kevin Kolb was back under center after Kris Kershaw suffered an injury midway through the 2nd quarter, and Kolb led new jersey on all 4 scoring drives to come back from 13-0 down to steal a 16-13 win at home. NEW ORLEANS 19 NASHVILLE 24 This one easily could have been our game of the week as the two Southern foes went toe to toe all game. The key play was a 59-yard pick six from Terrell Buckley that put Nashville up by 15 early in the 4th. Both defenses frustrated the run game, but Jay Cutler’s 2 TD day was better than Eli’s 1 TD- 1 Pick 6 day, so Nashville comes out on top, evening their record with New Orleans, now both sitting 2 games behind Memphis. JACKSONVILLE 10 PHILADELPHIA 27 The Bulls drop another one, their 5th in a row, as Philadelphia’s D just smothers the Bull offense. HB Michael Robinson continues to impress, scoring twice on the day, but later falling to an injury, while Steve Slaton hit big on a 62-yard run for a score that helped Philly pull away in the 3rd. Turnovers and missed opportunities meant that Jacksonville converted only 3 of 11 third downs. TEXAS 23 OHIO 38 Ohio moves to 5-2 and looks like they are firing on all cylinders as they dismantle the Outlaw defense. Kerry Collins threw for 4 touchdowns and Eddie George had a dominant 144 yards on the ground as Ohio blew past Texas despite a strong 189 yard day from T. J. Duckett. TE Stephen Alexander, who had no catches last week, got plenty of chances this week, catching 4 passes with 3 being red zone scores, as Collins makes sure his safety valve feels valued. WASHINGTON 13 HOUSTON 23 Washington stumbles again as they cannot get the run game going against a stacked front from Houston. Meanwhile, former Stallion HB Shaun Alexander has his best game in Gambler black, rushing for 135 yards and a score as Houston grinds out the win against the Feds. ST. LOUIS 10 MICHIGAN 33 The Panthers get back on the right foot against a Skyhawks team that is still trying to figure itself out. The Skyhawks started Larry Johnson at HB, and he did gain 100 yards on 12 carries, so that was good, but Jeff Blake struggled, going 13 of 30 for only 177 as Michigan put the clamps on the passing game. The Panthers had their own strong run game with Justin Fargas racing to 165 yards on 20 carries and Leon Washington adding another 72 as the Panthers limited Brian Griese to only 20 pass attempts. Atlanta Surprises Many with QB Switch & Trade within Division. The Atlanta Fire, sitting at 1-5 and following two consecutive weeks in which the offense could not get more than field goals on the board, had to try something. Coach Gruden decided the thing to do was to give Tyler Thigpen a chance to start, benching David Garrard for Week 7’s matchup at Orlando. Did the move work, well a 24-3 defeat seems to indicate that it did not. Thigpen completed 16 of 23 passes, a very respectable 69.6%, but they added up to only 104 yards. He was also sacked 4 times and gave up a costly pick. Needless to say, Gruden did not have the immediate boost he was looking for. Thigpen will start again, but this week’s game sent another message to Gruden, you don’t have your QB yet. The Fire moved quickly to try to do something about that as well, on Tuesday they executed a trade with a division rival, a very rare thing to see. Atlanta sent the Charlotte Monarchs safety Michael Waite, a 3rd round pick and rookie QB John David Booty, and in return they bring in former NFL QB Kelly Holcombe and safety DaJuan Morgan. Neither Booty or Holcombe had seen any snaps this year, but by taking Holcombe off of Charlotte’s hands for the more affordable Booty, the Fire help Charlotte free up some cap space, and gain a mid-round draft pick, while Atlanta hopes they might get some stability at QB with Holcombe as well as an upgrade at safety. Will this move work? We will have to wait and see. LA Gives Jeff Garcia the Ball. The Los Angeles Express also made a move at QB this week, giving veteran acquisition Jeff Garcia a chance to start against Portland. Garcia was a bit rusty to be sure, and just like in Atlanta, the Express were again unable to put a TD on the board as they fell to Portland 20-6. Garcia certainly worked out the arm, throwing 47 passes, of which he completed 26 for 224 yards. But, just as with Thigpen in Atlanta, the Express just could not sustain offense. It did not help that Keyshawn Johnson was ruled out with his stress fracture in the right foot, meaning that Garcia had to work with Brandon Lloyd and Dez White as his primary receivers. He ended up throwing more balls (11 receptions) to TE L.J. Smith and slot receiver Tab Perry than to the combo of White and Lloyd (8 combined catches. Seneca Wallace is still at least 3 weeks away from returning to action, possibly as many as 5-6 games, so the Garcia/Lewis backup plan is going to have to find a way to keep LA competitive. They now sit at 3-4, tied with Portland and Seattle for third (or fifth, depending how you look at it.), but with Seattle winning 3 in a row, and looking a lot more like their 2007 selves, and even Portland playing solid football, especially on defense, the Express cannot afford to muddle through for the next month, hoping Wallace can return in prime form. They need to find a way to generate offense to stay competitive. St. Louis Just Cannot Pick a Back and Run with Him. We understand that it is Doug Williams’s first year as a USFL head coach, and that he is just getting to know his roster, but the halfback rotation in St. Louis does not seem to be helping anyone, much less Williams’ plans for an open offense. When you look at the breakdown of carries for the Skyhawks, you have Bush with 57, Rhodes with 65, QB Jeff Blake with 54 (mostly self-preservation scrambles) and Larry Johnson with 16, and yet, this week Johnson got the start and earned 100 yards with his solid day. So does Williams stick with Johnson, or does he go back to rotating backs almost endlessly? Fans seem to think that none of the three are worth handing the ball to 20+ times a game, and yet they too are frustrated by the revolving door of backs Williams is using. With Jeff Blake throwing 10 picks to only 5 TDs this season, the Skyhawks clearly need a solid run game to have any chance at winning games, and right now there is more confusion than production coming out of the constant rotation of backs. Maybe Larry Johnson made a statement this week against Michigan, despite the lopsided loss, but is it a statement that Williams is going to heed? Bulls Lose 5th in a Row, But What’s the Problem? What has happened to the Jacksonville Bulls? One of the favorites to win the Southeastern Division, Jacksonvillestarted the year off right with 2 wins, but has since lost 5 in a row to drop to the bottom half of the division. Yes, they have faced some tough foes including 7-0 Philadelphia, 6-1 Tampa Bay, 5-2 Memphis and 5-2 Michigan, but at the same time, these are games a good team needs to win to be considered a legitimate playoff contender. The fact that Jacksonville lost three of those games by double digits (32-16 to Memphis, 27-17 to Tampa Bay, and 27-10 to Philly) along with a 22-6 collapse against New Orleans, does not bode well. So what do the numbers tell us? Well, the Bulls defense certainly is getting a lot of negative attention. Ranked 24th in points allowed is a bad sign to be sure, but when we look at the yardage, they do not look like a team that has lost 5 in a row, sitting mid-rankings against both the run and the pass. On offense, they have Top 10 rankings in passing, rushing, and total yards, but they are only scoring 19 points a game, which is not enough when the D gives up nearly 25. It certainly does not help that the Bulls are currently dead last in the league in turnover differential, having committed 11 turnovers while gaining only 8 takeaways. Too many mistakes, to be sure. They are also near the top of the league in another negative stat, penalties. So, mistakes, sloppiness, and an inability to turn yards into points seems to be the formula that has led to 5 consecutive losses. The good news for Jacksonville? They have several games against teams with losing records on the horizon, starting with a trip to Portland this week, with other games against Orlando (2x), Charlotte (2x), and Atlanta (2x), all division foes sitting at 3-4 or worse. So the meatiest part of the schedule is over. If Jacksonville can get on track, they still have a shot at a strong second half. Fassel Feeling the Heat in Arizona Arizona may not have lost 5 in a row, but sitting at 1-6 cannot be seen as anything but a major issue for Coach Jim Fassel. Fassel barely survived his club’s 2-12 season last year, mostly due to a 10-4 mark the year before, but this year is looking a lot like 2007, and you don’t survive two of those kinds of seasons in a row. Arizona is just not playing well in any phase of the game. They rank 19th in points scored, and are even worse on defense, allowing 25.3 points per game, good enough for 26th in the 28 team league. Every single defensive statistic worth measuring is 20th or worse, and only Jake Plummer helps the offense avoid the same fate. Plummer is no spring chicken, with rumors swirling that he may want out of Arizona after this year, and is not against using retirement as a bargaining chip. It does not get easier for the Wranglers either. They face 6-1 Oakland this week, and have Michigan (5-2), Washington (5-2), Houston (5-3), Denver (5-2), Las Vegas (4-3), and Chicago (6-1) still to go. It seems almost guaranteed that this will be another 10+ loss team, and that means Fassel may not be long for the big chair. Listen to local sports radio in the Valley of the Sun, and his ouster is the main programming note. The fact that the club traded players for picks last week is not a good sign that they are pushing to improve right now, but that they are already thinking about 2009, another bad sign for the current leadership. Keep an eye on this club, as we could be looking at a mid-year firing unless they show some signs of life and soon. Bad news for the Las Vegas Thunder as they seek a playoff spot. Quarterback Steve McNair’s injury this week has been diagnosed as a tear of the abdominal wall, which means a minimum of 6 weeks, perhaps 8-10 before he can return. That is essentially the rest of the season. So now the Thunder have to decide if they shut him down for the year by putting him on IR, going with Tony Banks at QB, or if they keep him on the active roster and hope he can come back in time for a late season return and possible playoff appearance. No decision yet, but we do know that the Thunder have been looking for a veteran free agent to sign, and have spoken with agents representing both Trent Dilfer and Jeff George, hoping to land one of the two longstanding veterans who are currently available. Orlando has a more clear-cut decision after free safety Kevin Williams went down with a season-ending neck injury. He is now on IR and the Renegades have signed Lionel Spurlock to back up new starter Matt Ware. Texas CB Aaron Ross is also expected to be placed on IR this week due to a broken foot. No word yet on whether the Outlaws will sign someone to fill his spot on the roster or promote someone from the practice squad. Texas is also dealing with an injury to HB R. J. Redmond, but the backup to Duckett is expected back in about 2-3 weeks. Philadelphia could be without lead back Michael Robinson, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in this week’s win, and could miss 1-2 weeks as he recovers. Houston LB Keith Brooking is expected to be out 1-2 weeks after suffering a sprained ankle and New Jersey QB Kris Kershaw could be in a similar situation after leaving this week’s game with a stress fracture in his foot. Arizona HB Sedrick Irvin could play, but is listed as Doubtful for this week, while Darren McFadden is listed as probable after leaving the game last week with a hip pointer. Another player who appears to have gotten good news is Ohio center Richie Incognito, who at first appeared to suffer a neck injury, but was diagnosed with a moderate concussion. He is listed as probable for this week’s game. Plaxico Burress is also listed as probable despite a hyper extended knee in the game last week. Mid-Season Award Nominees We know that midseason is not official until next week, but with so much to talk about at the midway point, we thought we would get a jump on things and make our case for the top candidates in each of the major league awards. We start with Most Valuable Player, which we all know tends to be a QB-dominated award. So, who are the QB’s in contention this year? Well, right now it is likely a 2-man race, with Kerry Collins and Brett Favre both back in prime form this season. Drew Brees has an outside chance as well if Orlando can continue on their winning ways. But could another player, a non-QB actually sneak in, improbable but we are keeping an eye on Ricky Williams in Oakland, who is helping the run-first Invaders off to their best start in years. If Williams cannot sneak into the MVP vote, he still has a strong shot at Offensive Player of the Year. Alongside Ohio’s Eddie George, Washington’s Deuce McCallister, and Boston’s Chad Ochocinco, Williams seems a good candidate. Boston needs to get back in the chase in the NE Division if Ochocinco’s individual numbers are going to help him with the OPOTY award, while McCallister is a bit overshadowed by Kordell Stewart’s outstanding play, despite being the current leader in rushing yards. On defense, the candidates are many. Mike Rucker is leading the league with 10 sacks, but his club is floundering, so that leaves the door open for others like Tampa Bay LB Kevin Mitchell, who, once again is among the league leaders in tackles, as he is almost every year. Could he garner the DPOTY as almost a lifetime achievement award? Could rookie Calais Campbell pull off an almost unprecedented feat for a 1st year player? If Orlando keeps winning and if he keeps racking up sacks it is entirely possible. Right now the Rookie of the Year award does feel like a race between Boston HB Rashard Mendenhall, back in the Top 5 after a very strong Week 7 performance, and Campbell, who is just continuing to impress as he racks up sacks each and every week. LA has two potential darkhorses in LB Keith Rivers and CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, but if the LA offense keeps costing them games, that could cancel out the individual achievements of either, assuming they don’t split the vote anyway. Coach of the Year is also a 2-man race right now with Jim Harbaugh of the unbeaten Philadelphia Stars and the Ole Ball Coach, Steve Spurier in Tampa Bay looking like the top candidates by a country mile over Dennis Green or Sean Payton. However, if Payton can somehow get his Federals even with the Stars, there is an argument to be made that he has done more with less than any other coach. Finally, while there is no official award for Comeback Player of the Year (Get on this, USFL!!), Kordell Stewart’ remarkable season, not only statistically his best year, but what he is doing for the resurgent Federals team is worthy of recognition. Stewart is currently only 15th in passing yards, but his 13 touchdowns is tied for 4th and his leadership has helped Washington surprise all the pundits and build up a solid 5-2 record so far this year. Worthy of some attention in a year when many clubs are underperforming and there are few feel-good stories outside of the expected frontrunners. Tampa Bay follows Denver in Revealing New Look Apparently Denver’s announcement last week of their new look for 2009 has spurred the Tampa Bay Bandits to reveal their look earlier than expected. Of course, their eagerness may be tied to their surprising 6-1 record and the likelihood that they will wear a new design as early as this July for the playoffs. The Bandits revealed a third logo to go along with their primary (the Dark Rider) and their secondary monogram (the TB with cowboy hat). The new logo is a headshot of the rider, complete with his trademark hat and face-covering kerchief. The new Bandit secondary logo will appear on the jersey sleeves and is expected to be widely used throughout team promotion as an option along with the primary logo which has been largely unchanged (with some minor revisions) since 1983. The new uniform is noteworthy in its use of a minimalist style. For the first time the silver helmet of the Bandits will sport no stripes whatsoever. A slightly larger “Rider” logo will be on each side, and for the first time the facemask will be black, not silver/grey, part of a trend towards more black in the overall look of the club. This stripeless helmet matches the rest of the uniform, where striping has been minimized. The pants have no stripes at all, with both silver and black sets sporting only the monogram logo on each hip. The jerseys have no sleeve stripes, only color-offset cuffs in black. The new secondary is on the sleeves, and the most prominent change is to the number font, which now utilizes both piping on the exterior and a thin color insert or stripe on the interior of the numbers. Fans have already dubbed these numbers “Alarm Clock” style, as the inset stripes have angular cuts which do resemble the digital numbers of an alarm clock. All in all it is a look that retains much of what the Bandits have always had, perhaps with a bit more black than in the past, but certainly a look that still evokes the Bandit Ball philosophy and the team’s rich history. Our selection of 4 legendary players from each USFL Club (prior to the current expansion) marches on with the Washington Federals, a club that has won two titles and has always had a reputation for defensive playmakers. We will also visit their archrivals, the Baltimore Blitz, who began their USFL journey in Chicago before relocating in the late 80’s to the Chesapeake region. The Blitz have yet to win a league title, but they to have built up a reputation for scrappy defense. Will defenders dominate both clubs’ Mt. Rushmore lists? Let’s see. WASHINGTON FEDERALS We barely needed to ask in order to find out who the #1 pick of the Federals fanbase would be. Perhaps one of the greatest defensive tackles to ever play the game, Jerome Brown was a nearly unanimous selection. The 2007 Hall of Famer played all 17 highlight reel seasons in the USFL with the Feds. A dominant presence against the run, and equally devastating as an interior pass rusher, Brown retired in 2002 with 119 sacks, tops in league history among defensive tackles. He was a 12-time All-USFL selection and helped Washington wrangle titles in both 1990 and 1997. Second among voters was a popular line mate of Brown’s, Defensive End Dexter Manley. Manley came over to the Feds after two somewhat uneventful seasons in Houston. Once lined up next to Brown, Manley exploded, becoming one of the most dangerous edge rushers in the league. He retired with 164 sacks, including one season with 23 and 8 consecutive seasons with 10 or more. Manley and Brown were like fire and ice, two very different players who complemented each other, and created nightmares for offensive coordinators and quarterbacks alike. Speaking of quarterbacks, we had a feeling that Washington fans would nominate the Majik Man, and they did in droves. The QB who brought Washington their first USFL title has remained a popular figure in the DC area after 11 seasons with the Federals. He continues to be connected with the club, working with a local news channel as their Federals’ expert and sports contributor. As a player, Don Majkowski had respectable, if not HOF numbers, putting up 25,590 yards passing, with 201 TDs to 106 picks, but it was his indomitable spirit and his ability to pull wins out of thin air that has made him something of a folk hero around the DC area. We wondered if 3 of 4 positions on Federal Mount Rushmore would be defenders, but in the final days of voting, fan energy shifted towards another worthy offensive player, wideout Joey Walters. Walters spent 13 seasons with the Feds, beginning with those first few rough years when the Federals were not exactly world beaters. Walters still holds the club records for career catches (1,066), touchdowns (91) and Yards (15,402), though he was challenged by Herman Moore in most categories. Walters was no around for the 1997 league title, but was a big part of the 1990 championship. He was voted to 6 All-USFL teams over his long and storied career in Kelly and Black. BALTIMORE BLITZ The Baltimore Blitz have not yet found themselves a path to a John Bassett trophy, but as one of the founding 12 of the USFL, the Blitz certainly have plenty of star power over the years. And while some of their best players are not yet eligible because they are still in the league, there are certainly some big names to choose from. We are not surprised at all that the fans selected linebacker Sam Norris as their all-time favorite Blitz player. The 12 year veteran who played with the Blitz from 1984 to 1994, after 1 year in Arizona, was a tackling machine, topping 100 tackles 5 times in 6 years. The 2000 Hall of Fame enshrine retired in 1994 with over 1,100 tackles, including 206 behind the line of scrimmage. A six-time All-USFL player, and an 8-year team captain, Norris remains one of Baltimore’s favorite football legends. The second vote getter is another defender, the “Mean Man in the Middle” DT John Randle, was as competitive and outrageous as it gets. With his face often all-but-covered in eyeblack, Randle was intimidating and ferocious for his entire 14 year career in Baltimore. A 13-time All-USFL nominee and a finalist for the Hall of Fame this season, you knew Baltimore would stand up for Randle when asked for a Top 4 All-Time Blitz players. Third in the fan vote was the only offensive player to make the mountain, wideout Jackie Flowers. Flowers, like Norris, was another of the players involved in the Arizona-Chicago roster/franchise swap in the 1983-1984 offseason. In both Chicago and then Baltimore, Flowers was a menace to defenders, able to go deep seemingly effortlessly while also unafraid to go over the middle. He retired in 1992 and was selected for the Hall of Fame five years later as a first-ballot entrant in 1997. Flowers helped the then Chicago Blitz reach the League Title Game in 1985, the closest the franchise has ever come to a league title in 25 years. A lot of mystery about the 4th member of the Blitz Mt. Rushmore. Would it be a QB? And if so, who? Chris Miller holds nearly every Blitz passing record, but is still largely a figure of criticism among Blitz faithful. LB Ben Apuna was another star of early Blitz defenses, but would the fans really vote in two linebackers? Kicker Luis Zendejas was with the team for 14 seasons, but, really? A kicker? Well, it turns out the fans in Baltimore went back and forth, with 4 different players ranked 4th at different points in the ballot, but by the end of the voting period it was cornerback Donnell Woolford who won out. Woolford, a 3-time All-USFL selection holds the club record for tackles (1,274) and interceptiions (54), so he is certainly a big part of the storied defensive history of the club, but while he is a big name in Baltimore, he is also likely one of the players that fans from across the country might not easily remember. No matter, Baltimoreans remember him, and respect him enough to make him the “Teddy Roosevelt” in their Mount Rushmore. Week Eight, the midway point of the 16-week season and a lot of teams are getting nervous that they are not where they expected to be. Seattle is coming on strong, Orland seems to be finding their way, but Boston and Nashville are not where they expected to be. LA is dealing with their QB issues, and Arizona is a dumpster fire right now. That should make this week’s games start to feel like a pressure cooker for many teams. FRIDAY @ 8pm Seattle (3-4) @ Nashville (3-4) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Orlando (3-4) @ Charlotte (3-4) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Los Angeles (3-4) @ Memphis (5-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm Baltimore (4-3) @ Washington (4-3) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Denver (5-2) @ Texas (1-6) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Oakland (6-1) @ Arizona (1-6) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Michigan (5-2) @ Chicago (6-1) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm New Orleans (3-4) @ Tampa Bay (6-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (2-5) @ Atlanta (1-6) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (7-0) @ Birmingham (1-6) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Pittsburgh (3-4) @ Las Vegas (4-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Jacksonville (2-5) @ Portland (3-4) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Ohio (5-2) @ St. Louis (1-6) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Houston (4-3) @ Boston (3-4) ESPN

A huge win for the Las Vegas Thunder as they knock off the previously unbeaten Memphis Showboats at home in the desert. Seattle wins their 2nd in a row, and both Boston and Ohio seem to be gearing up as midseason approaches. The biggest off-field story is a trade that brings an elite passrusher to the Baltimore Blitz as they get serious about a run in the Northeast. Chicago and Oakland are trying to pull away in their divisions, but it looks like there will be several contenders in both as Michigan, Ohio, Las Vegas, and even Seattle are not giving up yet. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 27 LAS VEGAS THUNDER 30 Las Vegas needed a signature win, and nothing could be more signature than facing the undefeated defending champions for a Sunday Night prime time game. Fans across the nation who stayed up late to watch this one got their money’s worth as it came down to the final seconds before it was decided. Along the way the Thunder defense proved it could contain Brett Favre and the potent Memphis offense, while Steve McNair and the Thunder offense looked a lot more polished than they have in previous games. McNair completed 18 of 26 throws for 213 yards, while Marshawn Lynch rushed for 93 yards and two scores on the day. For the Showboats, the run game was working, with Williams, Maurice Smith and Lionel gates rotating to keep Las Vegas off balance, with the combination of the three gaining 159 on the ground. And while Favre threw for a very respectable 275 on the day, he missed on 15 of his 37 throws, including a pick that helped set up a Thunder touchdown. Las Vegas started strong with the ESPN crew on hand at Sam Boyd, taking the opening kickoff down the field in only 6 plays before Marshawn Lynch scored his first of 2 touchdowns on the day. Memphis responded on their first drive, with Maurice Smith getting a score of his own, and the race was on. In the second quarter, the Showboats took an early lead when Favre got Memphis down to the 1 and Maurice Smith did the rest. But Memphis’s lead would be short lived. Just 2 minutes later Las Vegas would equalize the score again when McNair found Matthew Hatchette in one-on-one coverage and connected with his favorite target for a 38-yard touchdown pass. Following a quick three-and-out from a Memphis team trying to pick up the tempo, Las Vegas was able to get the ball in range for their rookie kicker, and Taylor Mehlihaff gave the Thunder a 17-14 lead at the half. The third quarter saw Memphis equalize on a Jeff hall kick, but after a good defensive stance of their own, Las Vegas caught a good bounce as Favre threw a pass to Pierre Garcon, only to have the ball glance off his fingertips and into the waiting hands of Antonio Winfield. The Thunder DB returned the pick 23 yards, setting up a short drive that ended with Lynch diving over the right guard and in. Las Vegas finished the 3rd up 24-17. Memphis drew the score closer on their first drive of the final period, Hall connecting for a 46-yard kick to pull within 4, but Las Vegas got a 3-pointer of their own 4 minutes later and were back up by 7, 27-20. Brett Favre would have to lead a closing drive. He had 4:23 left to make something happen, and perhaps in this case he should have used more of it to get the ‘Boats to a tie score. He used only 3 minutes to even the score, hitting Sidney Rice for the game-tying score. And while Las Vegas is hardly known as a fast break offense, when you have 1:25 left, with 2 time outs, and you only need a field goal, it does not take the ’02 Glory offense to get something done. Las Vegas came out in a 3-receiver set, but continued to run with Lynch as well. The lead back for the Thunder had 3 carries on the drive, forcing Memphis to respecf the chance of the run, and with that, McNair was able to get favorable looks, connecting with Matthew Hatchette twice. A Memphis penalty for neutral zone infraction helped move the ball from the 38 to the 33 with only seconds left, and from that distance Taylor Mehlihaff had a clear line for a game-winning kick. The rookie put the ball up and 50 yards later it was through the uprights and the Memphis Showboats were unbeaten no longer. With the win, Las Vegas remains only 1 game behind division-leading Oakland, while Memphis, despite their first blemish, still has a commanding lead over the Southern Division at 5-1. NEW JERSEY 7 BALTIMORE 13 Kris Kershaw gets his first start for New Jersey, and struggles to only 14 completions in 41 attempts. Baltimore dominated the clock (35:48 to 24:12), thanks in large part to Ron Dayne’s 29 carry, 124 yard day. The only touchdown for Baltimore was a Roethlisberger pass to Reidel Anthony in the 1st quarter. New Jersey was within 3 at 7-10 after a Mark Clayton TD in the third, but could not get any closer. TAMPA BAY 27 JACKSONVILLE 17 The Bandits send their in-state rival to a 4th consecutive defeat, thanks to a big game from receiver Karl Williams (113 yards) and good running from both McGahee and LaBrandon Toefield. Jake Delhomme threw TDs to Woods and Hayes but could not keep pace with the Bandits as Jacksonville outgained Tampa Bay but failed to score 3 times inside the red zone. OHIO 21 ATLANTA 3 Collins hit Randy Moss twice and Santonio Holmes for a third TD as he moved to the top spot as the league’s best passer. He got a lot of help form the defense and from Eddie George, who had a combined 175 yards of offense. Atlanta struggled on 3rd down, converting only 3 of 15 attempts. ARIZONA 17 BOSTON 30 Boston evens their record thanks to a big day from rookie HB Rashard Mendenhall, whose 134 yards on only 21 carries powered the Cannon Offense. Chad Ochocinco also found plenty of room in the secondary, catching 6 balls for 123 yards and a score. Boston’s Jason Babin also had a big day, sacking Jake Plummer twice, two of 5 sacks on the day against Plummer. NASHVILLE 13 BIRMINGHAM 23 The Stallions switch quarterbacks and earn their first win, knocking off a division rival along the way. Former CFL QB Dave Dickenson went 22 of 34 for 181 yards and a score, and that balance helped Felix Jones rush for 72 yards as well. Birmingham’s D also helped out as Clarence Love returned a poor Cutler pass for 6 points. Cutler went 18 of 37 but that pick was a costly one. PITTSBURGH 24 ST. LOUIS 20 A pretty good game in St. Louis as the Maulers edged the Skyhawks at the end to return to .500 on the season. Cody Pickett went 25 of 39 and threw for 2 scores in victory. Jeff Blake connected with Taylor Jacobs for six, but also threw 2 picks including one to set up the Maulers’ game-winning drive. PHILADELPHIA 16 WASHINGTON 13 The battle of unbeatens in the Northeast went to overtime to decide a victor as Washington evened the score at the end of regulation, but was unable to respond when Philadelphia scored on their opening drive of overtime. Stewart and Warner both had strong games, but it was the defenses that dominated this game, keeping both teams under 300 yards of offense. CHARLOTTE 9 ORLANDO 10 A tough win, but a win nonetheless for Orlando, as they outlast Charlotte in a game marred by intermittent rain stoppages due lightning in the area. The only touchdown of the day was a Jacob Hester 1-yard run, otherwise it was Nugent vs. Pelfrey for all the scores. OAKLAND 24 NEW ORLEANS 17 The Invaders stay hot, moving to 5-1 thanks to a late TD from Harrington to TE Joel Dreesen with 4:24 left in the game. Harrington threw for 2 scores in the game and Ricky Williams added a third as the Invaders survived a 116-yard, 1 TD day from rookie HB Matt Forte. New Orleans had a shot late to tie the game, but from the 33-yard line, the hail mary fell incomplete as time ran out. SEATTLE 23 HOUSTON 20 The Dragons win their 2nd in a row, as new acquisition Nate Burleson has a great first game, catching 4 balls for 78 yards and a 3rd quarter TD. Byron Leftwich had his best game of the season, throwing for 310 yards and 2 scores. Houston used 3 QB’s in the game as Matt Hasselbeck got knocked out of action in the third, and only 1 drive later Luke McCown was also bounced, leaving 3rd QB Brock Huard to finish the game for the Gamblers. PORTLAND 3 DENVER 10 A hailstorm interrupted the 4th quarter, extending the game an extra 45 minutes, but Denver’s 10-3 lead held throughout the delayed final period as the Gold defense held Portland to only 251 total yards. Peerless Price and Keary Colbert (in for the injured Boldin) combined for 187 yards receiving, with Price getting the lone TD of the day. Portland’s Jonathan Stewart played well, averaging 4.1 yards per carry on his way to 86 on the day. MICHIGAN 7 TEXAS 36 A huge game for the Texas defense and a nightmare for Brian Griese as the Outlaws pick the Michigan QB off 4 times and sack him another 5 times. Lawyer Milloy, the veteran safety, was a thorn in Griese’s side all day, picking off two balls, while secondary teammate Ike Taylor ran back another Griese flub for 36 yards and a score. Add in 123 yards from TD Duckett and TD runs from both Troy Davis and R. J. Redmond and you get a dominant win by the formerly winless Outlaws. CHICAGO 30 LOS ANGELES 3 Utter domination by the Machine as LA could do nothing right at home. Michael Turner ran for 108 and a score, and despite 3 picks, Brady Quinn added another 2 scores as Chicago survived the QB mistakes thanks to a defense that limited LA to only 233 total yards and only 7 first downs all game. Urlacher was classic Urlacher with 11 tackles and a forced fumble as Chicago moves to 5-1, alone atop the Central Division. More Trades As Teams Try to Improve Mid-Year Two more significant trades as teams in the middle of the pack try to make a push to get into clear postseason form. Baltimore and New Orleans fit squarely in the mid-range across the league standings, and both have tried to address weaknesses this week. Baltimore made the boldest move, sending next year's first round draft pick as well as a 4th rounder in 2010 and backup DE Gary Stills to the Nashville Knights for edge rusher Jared Allen. Allen formed a 1-2 combo with Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, but the Knights have been open to dealing the high motor DE and found a price they liked on offer from the Blitz. Baltimore, who rank 24th this season with only 10 team sacks, certainly would like the boost in pressure that Allen will bring, as well as the rah-rah spirit he brings to every game. Expect Allen to start at LE, switching over from the right now that he is the clear #1 DE for the Blitz. Chuckie Nwokorie will switch over to the RE position, though, knowing Coach Coughlin, expect a lot of shifting on the line. As for Nashville, they bump up 5th year reservist Jimmy Wilkinson into the RE spot opposite KGB. The other move of note this week saw the New Orleans Breakers try to shore up their run game for rookie Matt Forte, making a deal with Arizona to bring young FB Ira Johnson and blocking TE Matt Cushing over to New Orleans in exchange for a 4th rounder and TE Bob Slowikowski. Johnson had looked very strong in camp and the preseason for Arizona but could not beat out LeRon McClain for the lone FB position on the roster. The 22-year old rookie gets an instant upgrade, from Arizona's practice squad to a real shot at starting within a week or two. New Orleans had been disappointed in Thomas Tapeh's performance, so the arrival of Johnson will either motivate a change or cause Tapeh to be cut. As for the TE positoin, both Slowikowski and Cushing are better blockers than receivers, but Cushing is viewed as both more physical with incoming edge rushers and a better route runner as well. Expect Cushing to act as TE2 behind Chris Cooley, coming out on more short yardage and 2 TE formations. Slowikowski will do likewise in Arizona, where he sits behind Kevin Everett on the depth chart. Collins Finding His Stride It may have taken longer than most Glory fans had hoped, but it seems that Ohio has begun to find their sea legs. They have won their last two games in convincing fashion, and while the Maulers and Fire may not be the most stout of opponents, they are no slouches either. Perhaps more importantly, it appears that Kerry Collins is returning to his usual MVP-style form. After a few rough weeks, the past two have seen Collins throw 5 TDs to only 1 pick, and improve his completion percentage as well, helping him move up the rankings. He now sits as the top rated passer in the league, and when he occupies that position, it is usually bad news for anyone trying to slow down the Glory offense. And Collins is not the only one whose production has gone up the past 2 games. Eddie George had his two best games of the year in weeks 5 and 6, rushing for 85 yards and 2 scores a week ago, and 106 yards this week. Both Joey Galloway and Randy Moss have also started to connect on deep routes in the past two weeks. Perhaps most interesting is the development of Santonio Holmes, as the young receiver has had two of his best games as a pro these past two weeks, with his first 100-yard game against Pittsburgh. No, the Glory are not the 40-point-per-game juggernaut that some predicted when Moss signed on, but hey could be a team that continues to improve and by playoff time they may just be finding that extra gear, and that is a premise that worries a lot of folks, especially defensive coordinators, around the league. Mendenhall, Campbell, and Rivers early ROTY Frontrunners It is always good to see rookies succeeding early on, and this year we have three who seem to be making a quick adjustment to the pro game. Halfback Rashard Mendenhall has fit right in with the Cannons, as he just had his third 100-yard game in his first six. This week’s 134 against Arizona was his best game to date, and it seems clear that Coach Fox is happy to be able to balance the offense and keep defenders from keying on Drew Bledsoe and his less than agile style of play. In Orlando, four straight losses provided a very unwanted surprise, but despite struggling to a 2-4 record after 6 weeks, there are no complaints about rookie Calais Campbell. The speedy big man has had at least one sack in every game this season, including two against division-leading Tampa Bay. He is consistently drawing double teams, and that has allowed Chauncey Davis to start getting free on the other side. Davis is now only 2 sacks behind Campbell with 6, giving Orlando one of the best 1-2 attacks in the league right now. If they could get their offense to contribute, they could easily have a run like last year’s, when 7 straight wins propelled them to the division title. Finally, we cannot say enough about the season that Keith Rivers is having with the Express. The USC grad is making his home-town team very happy. Leading a talented LB corps with 37 tackles, he also has been a solid blitzer and a good coverage option as well, with 4 sacks and 2 picks this season. LA has issues, as we have said before, but the LB group is not one of them. Other rookies are also looking like they have the right stuff, including a slowly-developing Joe Flacco in Texas, who had his best game of the year this week with the win over the Panthers. In Portland, former Oregon Duck Jonathan Stewart has 467 yards, on pace for a 1,000 yard season. In Charlotte, their top rookie pick, Jerrod Mayo, has 33 tackles and 2 sacks as he starts to take on more responsibility for the Monarchs. Finally, the top corners taken in the draft, LA’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Seattle’s Leodis McKelvin are both showing some skill. McKelvin has had 12 passes thrown his way, but only 1 in 3 is getting to the receiver, a very solid catch ratio. Rodgers-Cromartie already has 2 picks and 34 tackles, but he is also seeing a lot more action, with 54 passes thrown his way. That is the difference between a nickel corner and a starter as DRC is often matched up against a team’s top speed guy. Oakland Wins 4th In a Row With Underrated D The Invaders are looking very solid at 5-1, and this is due in large part to their 5th ranked defense. They may give up some yardage (12th in the league in yards allowed) but they are proving tough to score against, allowing only 14.2 points per game, well below the 23.2 points they score on average each week. Part of their success is the ability to control the clock with Ricky Williams, but a lot also comes from their defensive philosophy of keeping everything short and in front of them, counting on teams to make mistakes as drives drag on. Be it a penalty, a poor throw, a bobbled ball, or just ineffective 3rd down calls, a lot of drives are stalling before they get to the endzone. Oakland has not allowed more than 17 points all season, and with their next two games against 1-5 clubs, they may very well have a strangle hold on what was thought to be a tight division by Week 10. The Invaders don’t match up against a team that currently has a winning record until a Week 2 clash in Memphis. In fact, only that game, and a season finale at home against Ohio are against teams currently over .500. That has to be a welcome site for Coach Green as well as for defensive captains Roosevelt Colvin and Joe Salave’a. If the Invaders can just win the games they are favored in, and avoid slip ups in the division, they could well be on their way to their first division title since 1994, 15 years ago. Chicago Has Sights Set on Summer Bowl 2008 The Chicago Machine were clearly not happy getting so close to Glory last year but falling just short against the Showboats. They are off to a great start at 5-1 and boast the best run defense in the league, while also currently second in scoring D. After their season opening loss in Tampa Bay, the Machine have been solid, if not always overwhelming against their next 5 foes. They have played in some tight games to be sure (16-15 vs. Pittsburgh, for example), but that is part of the style of this club. Keep the score low, keep the clock moving, and pull it out when it is needed. And they are doing it as a team effort. The LB corps has combined for 106 tackle so far, with Brian Urlacher’s 51 leading the way. They also have been solid putting pressure on the QB across the lineup. While Anthony Weaver remains the team leader with 7 sacks, the Machine have 5 players with 2 or more sacks and 12 total players with at least one. That depth and balance makes them hard to prep for, as LA learned this week when the Machine shut down Jeff Lewis and the Express attack on their way to a 30-3 victory. Michigan and a surging Ohio Glory squad are still going to make Chicago work for a division title, but this Machine club seems focused and they have their eyes on the prize, a prize they could almost touch last year. A few key injuries to defenses across the league this week. Michigan is likely to miss their best corner for the next 4 weeks or longer as Deltha O’Neil suffered a painful groin injury this week. In Oakland the concern is for SS Pearson Prioleau, who came up hopping with a hamstring injury while chasing down Donnie Avery of the Breakers this week. The Breakers did not escape that game unscathed either. CB Billy Austin suffered a concussion and team doctors have ruled him out for this week’s game in Nashville. But not all the dings and bruises are on the defensive side. Arizona tailback Sedrick Irvin is doubtful for this week thanks to a nasty dislocation of his right elbow this past week. No ligament or tendon damage, but the arm is still swollen, making ball protection nearly impossible for the back. The Express are likely to face Portland this week without Keyshawn Johnson in the lineup as a stress fracture in his foot needs time to set before Johnson can truly push off or make good cuts. Expect him back in Week 8. In Oakland, Plaxico Burress is listed as questionable thanks to a knee that is retaining fluid, while the Baltimore Blitz have Marty Booker also listed as questionable thanks to a pinched nerve in his back, between the scapulae. USFL Stars Cash In on their Q Rating While a financial crisis hardly seems a good time to expand one’s financial portfolio through spokesperson deals, that does not seem to be impacting life in the USFL, at least not for its biggest stars. It is hard to turn on a tv this spring without seeing USFL players at every commercial break. Whether it is Brett Favre spoofing his “Something about Mary” film for a new Wendy’s Ad or Marshawn Lynch with new Mountain Dew Beast Mode, the USFL’s biggest names are expanding their notoriety and making quite a decent amount of side cash as well. So which is our favorite? We do love the “Something About Wendy’s” campaign, and the new Ford F-Series commercial that has a Ford truck in a tug of war with Houston’s duo of Kavika Pittman and Osi Umenyiura is certainly fun, but our favorite has to be Marshawn Lynch’s other big spot. Not only does he have a Mountain Dew ad out now, but he is apparently the face of Skittles. His spots showing him sneaking the fruit candy on the sideline, in the ice tank, in the water cooler, and finally sharing a few with Steve McNair during a huddle midgame is just hilarious. It does not hurt that Lynch sports gold teeth with tiny colorful skittle “gems” when he smiles wide and tells McNair to taste the rainbow. Just hilarious stuff. Someone might want to get Lynch’s writers to some of the other USFL stars, because for every brilliant spot there are some clunkers too. Kerry Collins may be a 3-time MVP, but he is not great in front of a camera. His attempts to be the USFL’s aw-shucks version of Peyton Manning falls flat, and no one really believes he drives a Toyota, do they? Another tough one is Brian Urlacher’s spots for Old Spice. I am sure it is a fine product, but no one wants to see Urlacher rolling it on his head before he dons his helmet. Does his head smell? Is that a thing? But, bad taste aside, it is good to see USFL stars on the small screen, pitching everything from official USFL sponsorship partners to local community organizations. Most of the country has not seen the ads in New Orleans that the Breakers have put together, but they are legitimately cool, helping to rebuild the 9th ward. Denver reveals new look to debut in 2009 We finish our league news this week with the first club to reveal their Reebok redesigns for 2009. Week 6 does seem a bit early, and perhaps the Denver Gold are going to hurt sales of their current look with the early reveal, but it is nice to see the look while there is still hope that the club will make the postseason and don them for the traditional playoff preview. So what did Denver do this year, with Reebok’s help? Nothing too radical. The primary logo stays the same, and why would they want to change that beauty? They did add another secondary, a rondel with two crossed pickaxes and the classic Denver Gold starburst. It is fine, but don’t expect to see it on the uniform any time soon. Clearly it is for marketing materials more than on field looks. Speaking of the uniform, there are several notable changes. The first thing you will certainly spot is the new striping on the helmets. Instead of a single gold stripe, the helmets now feature two partial starbursts, one at each bumper, with a longer “ray” of gold reaching toward the crown while shorter rays extend out at various angles. This feature uses both shades of gold that the club has adopted for the past decade. The jerseys are very similar to their current look, with two notable exceptions. The first are the sleeves on the white jersey, which are now black and capped by the familiar shoulder “swishes” of gold. The second is the number font, which is a bit more traditional, but also contains a bevel effect, again using the two tones of gold. Gold numbers on both sets allow for the effect to be used both on the home black jerseys and the road whites. The pants and socks are essentially the same as in past years, so the main changes are really the helmet and the white jersey. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS Selecting the best of the best for the New Orleans Breakers is an interesting question. The perennial bridesmaids have had a lot of talent over the years, but without any titles, some of their best players fall into the category of “underrated” which makes consensus picks a lot harder. So what did the Breaker Armada say about their favorites for the Breaker Mt. Rushmore? Believe it or not, the top pointgetter for the Breakers was not a QB, not a wideout or halfback, not even a flashy DE, but a kicker. But, when that kicker is Hall of Famer Tim Mazzetti, you can understand why. Mazzetti played 12 years with the Breakers (83-94) and was as much a personality as a clutch kicker. But, don’t let his reputation for fun in the Big Easy distract you from his numbers, Mazzetti, the Kicking Bartender, holds every single kicking record for the Breakers, including a lifetime 91.9% conversion rate on field goals, of which he kicked 367. Second among Breaker voters was a toss up between former OU halfback Marcus DuPree and wideout Nolan Franz, so they both get in. DuPree came out of OU early, signed on to transfer to Southern Miss, but then jumped to the USFL in 1984. Once in New Orleans, DuPree quickly became the main man for the Breaker offense, rushing for over 1,000 yards in 5 of his 11 seasons. Injuries eventually cost him his final years, but DuPree still holds team records for carries, yards, rushing TDs and longest run, a 97 yarder in 1988 that still brings goosebumps when you watch it. Franz played only 8 seasons for the Breakers (83-90) but in his career with the Breakers he went over 1,200 yards receiving 4 times, and still holds the team records for yardage and TDs. Only TE Dan Ross is ahead of him on receptions as well. Franz’s 1,636 yards in the club’s first season (as Boston) still stands as the best by a receiver in team history, with 92 receptions, 1,636 yards and 12 touchdowns. The final member of the Mt. Rushmore in New Orleans is cornerback Gene Atkins. Atkins was a takeaway machine, still holding team records for forced fumbles (26), recoveries (13), and interceptions (45). The former Florida A&M Rattler also had two 100-tackle seasons, a huge number for a corner, even in the pass happy USFL. NASHVILLE KNIGHTS So, here is the thing you need to remember about the Knights. Since no arrangement was made to transfer records when the LA Express returned to the USFL in 1995, the Knights retain all team records from their time in LA as well as their time as the St. Louis and now Nashville Knights. That makes for an interesting combination of eras, one reflected in our Mt. Rushmore for Knights (and early Express players). Some tough votes for Knight fans in part because most team passing records are held by Todd Collins, who never got a lot of love from Knight fans, despite a lot of success with the team. It was also tough for some fans to vote for Ahman Green after he left the team to play for Philadelphia. That said, enough fans did vote for the all time franchise leader in rushing attempts, yards, and TD’s for Ahman Green to make the Top 4 and the mountain. Green rushed for over 8,900 yards as a Knight before moving on. Add in 72 touchdowns, and you can understand why Green made the group of four in Nashville. The second player named was also something of a “you have to put him in” pick, WR Bert Emmanuel came over from Orlando after three 1,000 yard seasons for the Renegades. Don’t expect him to make the Renegade Mount Rushmore, but his 6 1,000 yard seasons for the Knights, including an amazing 2001 campaign that saw him catch 113 passes for 1,403 yards and 15 touchdowns, certainly make him worthy of this honor. CB Raphel Cherry played his entire career for the LA Express, retiring just before the team relocated to the Midwest, and yet Knights fans recognize his quality and voted him in as one of the team’s greats. The Hall of Famer retired with over 1,060 tackles and 38 picks, including 6 run back for scores. He has one of the best target-to-catch ratio’s in league history, and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996, the USFL’s second class of gold jackets. Finally, the fans in Nashville debated a lot, voted over a wide array of players, but eventually the 4th highest vote tally went to another defensive stalwart, strong safety Rodney Harrison. Harrison, who played 12 seasons with the club, in both St. Louis and Nashville, was a defensive captain for 9 of those years, and retired as the all-time leader in tackles for a lot of very good Knight defenses. He only had 9 picks in his career, but spent most of his time near the line of scrimmage, which explains his 47 QB sacks and his 1,378 tackles for the franchise. Week 7 includes some very intriguing divisional games, including the Breakers in Nashville, Los Angeles trying to get back on track in Portland, Orlando hosting Atlanta, and Michigan hoping they can get back on track at home against the 1-win Skyhawks, but the biggest game of the week has to be a battle of two surprising clubs as 4-2 Baltimore visits 5-1 Tampa Bay. No one expected the Bandits to be atop the SE Division after 6 weeks, and they are doing it by being more balanced than ever. Here is the full schedule, national games in bold font, divisional games in blue. FRIDAY @ 8pm Las Vegas (4-2) @ Chicago (5-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (2-4) @ Pittsburgh (3-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Atlanta (1-5) @ Orlando (2-4) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Baltimore (4-2) @ Tampa Bay (5-1) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Birmingham (1-5) @ Oakland (5-1) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Los Angeles (3-3) @ Portland (2-4) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Denver (4-2) @ Arizona (1-5) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Boston (3-3) @ New Jersey ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm New Orleans (3-3) @ Nashville (2-4) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (2-4) @ Philadelphia (6-0) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (1-5) @ Ohio (4-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Washington (5-1) @ Houston (3-3) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm St. Louis (1-5) @ Michigan (4-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Memphis (5-1) @ Seattle (2-4) ESPN

Seattle gets their first win, Michigan their first loss, while Washington, Philadelphia, and Memphis keep rolling. Week 5 also gave us a battle for the Pacific Division in Las Vegas, and both Charlotte and Portland getting win #2 as USFL franchises. Two teams emerged from the weekend feeling they had to change things up at quarterback, while the LA Express decide to try a bit of an outside option to shore up their QB position, and the midseason trades have begun. A full week and a full report for Week 5 of the USFL. OAKLAND INVADERS 22 LAS VEGAS THUNDER 16 OVERTIME ESPN’s Saturday Night Special becomes our game of the week as we get a duel of potential contenders in the Pacific Division with Oakland visiting Las Vegas to face the Thunder. Both came into the game at 3-1, both looking to take over sole possession of first place in what could be a very tight race for a division title. And while Las Vegas makes its name on a smothering defense, it is actually Oakland who is higher ranked, with the 3rd best scoring defense in the league, a defense that would prove very effective, limiting the Thunder’s main weapon, 2nd year halfback Marshawn Lynch, to only 1.9 yards per carry and 56 yards total. It would be up to QB Steve McNair to generate offense for the Thunder if they would hold court at home. McNair did his part early, leading the Thunder to a score on their first drive, a 10-play herky jerky drive, aided by 2 Invader penalties, that ended with McNair finding Jason Dunn in the endzone for 6. The Thunder would add a field goal early in the 2nd to take a 10-0 lead, but just as they started to feel good about their position, Oakland would start to find offensive success themselves. The success came in the form of a 31-yard toss from Harrington to Alex Bannister, first thought to be a scoring play, but ruled on review as a long gain to the 1-yard line. After a false start moved Oakland back to the 6, and a Williams run gained only a yard, Harrington found Plaxico Burress on a fade route and the Invaders were on the board. They too would later add a field goal, and at the half the game was knotted up at 10. It would stay that way through a scoreless third quarter before scoring resumed in the 4th. The fourth quarter must have been a frustrating one for fans on the East Coast, for whom the game was dragging later and later into the night. Oakland kicked a 33-yard field goal, followed by Las Vegas hitting on a 29-yarder (product of a penalty on what looked like a 3rd down scoring play, but pushed Las Vegas back). Then, at the 5-minute mark, Oakland again settled for a field goal, this time 54-yards from Mike Hollis. But 5 minutes is an eternity in the USFL, and Las Vegas managed to disappoint fans hoping to switch over to Saturday Night Live, by equalizing the score at 16 with just 18 seconds to play. It was overtime football in this one. Las Vegas won the toss and took possession first, intent on putting this game to bed. Matthew Hatchette, who had been burning the Invaders all night to the tune of 128 yards on 10 receptions, got his last 2 on the opening drive, but when an end zone toss to Kahlil Hill was bobbled, it forced Las Vegas to either go for it on 4th and 3 or try for a 52-yard field goal. Knowing that a field goal would not end the game, Coach Glanville opted to go for the first down. He faked the ball to Lynch, hoping that the Invaders would overcommit. They did not. McNair was forced out of the pocket and his throw to Dunn was off target. Oakland would get the ball on downs, with their shot to end the game with a score. The Invaders took their time, mixing runs by Ricky Williams and Jerious Norwood with short passes to Rickey Dudley, DeShaun Jackson, and Burress, they too thought they had a TD on the board, but a Jackson catch and run was deemed out of bounds on the 1 yard line. They could have set up for the PAT-like field goal for the win, but opted instead to run the ball in. Norwood took the run at the 1 and plunged in for the game winner. Oakland would escape Las Vegas with the win and the division lead. The Thunder would drop to 3-2 and, by weekend’s conclusion, a tie for 2nd with the Express. ORLANDO 15 CHICAGO 23 With Brady Quinn still nursing an injury it was up to Chicago’s defense and backup Kyle Orton to try to keep pace with the Panthers. Orton did his part, going 14 of 23 and avoiding turnovers, while the defense did its as well, holding Orlando to 235 total yards and only 7 points through 58 minutes of action. Chicago got TDs from Michael Turner and Reno Mahe to take a 23-7 lead into the 2-minute warning, and even a late drive by Drew Brees proved pointless as the Machine take this one to move to 4-1. PHILADELPHIA 26 NEW JERSEY 14 A comfortable win for the Stars, but at least New Jersey got on the board this time, something they have failed to do in 2 divisional games this year. Marcus Robinson (84) and Steve Slaton (78) combined for 162 yards on the day as Philadelphia remained unblemished at 5-0. SEATTLE 26 BIRMINGHAM 3 A bad day for the winless Stallions as the 0-4 Dragons easily take their first win of the season. Corey Dillon rushed for a season-best 153m David Boston caught 4 for 146, including a 77-yarder, and Byron Leftwich connected with both Jeramey Stevens and Boston for scores as Seattle dominated this game. Felix Jones got the start at HB for Birmingham, but only averaged 2.3 yards per carry. JACKSONVILLE 6 NEW ORLEANS 22 The Bulls drop their third in a row as New Orleans shows some defensive fortitude. With Antowain Smith dinged up, Travis Minor and Lorenzo Booker struggled to fill his shoes. Meanwhile Matt Forte rushed for 62 yards and Eli Manning connected with rookie Donnie Avery for a key score as the Breakers move to 3-2 on the season. HOUSTON 27 ARIZONA 14 The Gamblers stake a claim on first place in the Southwest after holding off the Wranglers in Glendale. A solid 82 yards from Shaun Alexander, paired with TDs from Kevin Faulk, Roy Williams, and Ike Hilliard were enough to give Houston a comfortable 13-point victory against their division foe. PORTLAND 27 MICHIGAN 17 Another big upset for the Stags and a trap game that sprung on Michigan as the Panthers looked unprepared for a fight on Saturday. Portland got a combined 120 yards from James Stewart and Chris Perry, and, up only 20-17 in the final seconds, got a pick six from DB Terrance Kiel to lock up the win, knocking the Panthers from the unbeatens list. ATLANTA 6 CHARLOTTE 12 The Monarchs also pick up their second win of the season as they hold off the Fire, shutting down David Garrard and the Fire offense despite a combined 105 from McFadden and Smart for Atlanta. D. J. Hackett joined the league leaders in receiving yards thanks to his 151-yard day against the Fire defense. DE Fred Perry also recorded the first safety in franchise history as Charlotte moves to 2-3 and 2nd place in the Southeast. DENVER 14 WASHINGTON 24 The Feds stay unbeaten and on pace with Philadelphia by knocking off the Gold at RFK. An ineffective Matt Leinart was pulled in the 4th for Derreck Anderson, but it was too little too late as Kordell Stewart put up 3 scores and Deuce McCallister helped run down the clock with his 116 yards on 24 carries. Two Denver fumbles certainly did not help their cause, and neither did the 24:05-35:55 time of possession difference. ST. LOUIS 0 TAMPA BAY 13 The Bandits win one with defense as they shut out the Skyhawks at Raymond James. This game could have been a lot worse, but 3 picks by Daunte Culpepper kept the Hawks in the game. St. Louis simply could not get into range, with the only scoring chance being a 48-yard attempt by Rob Bironas, which hooked to the left. Tampa’s big weapon was McGahee, who rushed for 104. PITTSBURGH 16 OHIO 38 The Glory seemed to find the offensive formula at home against Pittsburgh, with Kerry Collins throwing for 2 scores and Eddie George rushing for 85 yards and 2 scores against the Mauler D. Three Cody Pickett picks certainly helped the Ohio cause, as they pulled away despite the early success of HB DeShaun Foster, who would end the day with 138 yards in defeat. TEXAS 24 LOS ANGELES 27 The Outlaws played LA tough all game long, but fell at the end when HB Ladell Betts got the winning score with just under 2 minutes left to play. Betts only had 6 carries on the day, while Maurice Jones-Drew did most of the work with 30 carries for 115 yards. QB Jeff Lewis was not asked to do much, but did throw for 2 score, one each to Lloyd and Johnson. For Texas, Joe Flacco went 26 of 36 for 277 and 3 scores, but he could not get the Outlaws into position to tie or win the game in the final minutes. BALTIMORE 20 MEMPHIS 22 A very good late afternoon game in Memphis as Baltimore gave the ‘Boats all they could handle. A pick six by Ken Lucas and a Big Ben to Tory Holt TD had Baltimore up 20-13 at one point, but the Showboats fought back, scoring 3 field goals in the final period to slowly catch and then overtake Baltimore for their 5th win in 5 games. BOSTON 24 NASHVILLE 30 Another great game to end the week on Sunday Night as the Knights score the final 13 points in the game to come back from a 24-17 deficit and take the win. Jay Cutler looked like he found the zone, throwing for 3 touchdowns and 246 yards, while the defense held Drew Bledsoe to only 148 through the air. Stewart Revives Washington TD Machine The past two seasons there has been a lot of discontent with the offensive production of the Washington Federals. In 2006 the Federals set a league record, and not the kind you want to set, by scoring only 11 touchdowns in 14 games, the fewest in a season ever by a team. In 2007, with Stewart injured and out of action most of the season, they did not fare much better, increasing their total to 16 total scores. This year, 5 games in, they already have 14 touchdowns on the board. They are averaging 25 points per game, good enough for 4th in the league, and a big reason for that is the rebound season that Kordell Stewart is having. After returning from an injury that many thought could trigger a retirement decision. Stewart is putting up his best numbers in years. In particular his past two games have been outstanding, with a 4-touchdown day in Week 4, and a 3-TD outing this week. He currently sits with a QB Rating of 104, the first time he has been over 100 since 1998 (101.3 after 16 weeks). He has 10 TDs already to only 2 picks, and is on pace for well over 3,000 yards this season, a total he has not reached since 2003. Compared to 2006, when he completed only 53.5% of his throws, his current 67.6% clip is a vast improvement. While a lot of the kudos have to go to Stewart for his work ethic and recovery focus, we should also look at Coach Sean Payton, who has implemented a quick drop, quick read, system that has Stewart running less, and getting rid of the ball quicker. We also have to acknowledge that acquiring former Blitz wideout Eddie Kennison to line up opposite Deion Branch has been a boost for the Federals’ passing game, as has been the dual TE formation that makes use of Heath Miller and Kellen Davis on the inside. Finally, the dominance of Deuce McCallister, the league’s leading rusher, has meant that Stewart is seeing fewer blitzes, and more open receivers as teams load the box. All of these point to success for Stewart and a 5-0 start for the Feds. Manning in Make or Break Season We knew it going into the 2008 season, patience was growing thin for QB Eli Manning. Unlike his older brother in the NFL, the younger Manning had spent most of his USFL career struggling. He had shown promise in his sophomore campaign, finishing the year with 3,239 yards and a 17-11 TD-INT ratio, but had backslid since then, with his QB Rating dropping from 91.1 to 87.6 in 2006 and 74.3 last season. This year, a contract year for the young QB, would be essential if he hoped to salvage his career and hold onto his position as the Breakers’ starter. Manning has responded well, improving in almost every category as he has led New Orleans to a 3-2 start. His completion percentage has jumped from 56.7% to 68.7%. His TD-INT ratio is a strong 8-3 after 5 games, and he is on pace for 3,500 yards. More importantly, his teammates are rallying behind him, supporting him in front of fans and the media. Never a fiery leader, Manning’s demeaner is often one of the most critiqued aspects of his game, but this season his fellow Breakers are going out of their way to talk about his leadership. And it is leadership that is much needed as both the starting halfback (Matt Forte) and all three starting receivers (Bowe, Doucet, and Avery) are either rookies or in their 2nd year. There is just not a lot of veteran presence on the offense, and so Manning has had to step up and take control of the offense. Perhaps that is what he needed all along. Whatever the reason, the Breakers are looking solid (7th in the league in scoring) and Manning is playing well, when he needed to. Trades & Signings start as teams reassess. Five weeks in and teams are starting to get antsy about their issues, many of which have become evident over the season’s first month. And that anxiety quickly turns to roster moves as teams try to address obvious concerns. We saw this with three notable trades this week, but also with a bit of a surprise free agent signing. We start with the trades. To say that New Jersey’s defense has lacked fortitude would be an understatement. The 1-4 Generals rank 24th in yards allowed, and one of the major issues has been the interior of the D-line, which has not been containing opposing rushers or taking on double teams to free up the DE’s. New Jersey addressed that issue this week by sending two draft picks to the Orlando Renegades to acquire DT Ian Scott. Scott had been in rotation with Kenny Smith alongside Pat Williams, and was apparently seen as expendable by a Renegades team that is feeling good about their defensive front. Orlando receives a pair of 3rd round picks for the 5-year veteran, one in each of the next two drafts. Scott is expected to take on the startin role in New Jersey’s 3-4, moving Martin Chase and John Thornton to backup roles instead of rotation roles. Will this be enough to see a difference in the Generals’ defense? That could be a stretch, but we do know that Scott is a blocking magnet, so it may help free up Shaun Ellis and Tamba Hali outside to do more on passing downs to pressure opposing QB’s. Seattle, stunned to be sitting at 1-4, decided to make a move to try to find a better solution at the #2 receiver position. They reached out to the Michigan Panthers, who have one of the deepest WR rooms in the league, and made a deal to bring veteran Nate Burleson to the Pacific Northwest. Burleson, who had been stuck deep in the depth chart behind Hines Ward, Laverneus Coles, Antwan Randle-El, and even rookie Mario Manningham, had only 2 catches this season. In Seattle, he will likely rotate with Darnerian McCants, but could work his way into the steady #2 slot. For their receiver, the Panthers receive a 2nd round pick next year. In a somewhat rare 1-for-1 player swap, Texas acquired some LB help in the form of Chris Draft, while the Birmingham Stallions hope they too found themselves a receiver, one to help out while Joe Horn recovers from an injury. Draft was sent from Birmingham to Texas in exchange for wideout Dedrick Ward, who saw immediate action with the Stallions this week, catching 3 balls for 27 yards only 2 days after arriving in town. Finally, in a move likely prompted by concerns about Jeff Lewis’s health and season-long viability, the LA Express added a 4th QB to their roster. With Seneca Wallace sidelined at least another 5-8 weeks, but not on IR, and only former Alabama QB Brodie Croyle, and undrafted rookie Robert Long on the roster behind Lewis, the Express reached out to a former starter for the club, Jeff Garcia, to come back and lend a hand. Garcia, who last played in the USFL for the Seattle Dragons (3 games in 2004) after several years in Baltimore, has been kicking around the NFL, with short stints in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, but has been out of either league since the end of the 2006 season, making him a true free agent. Garcia arrived in town just in time to stand on the sideline (in sweats) as Jeff Lewis helped LA defeat the Texas Outlaws at Farmers Insurance Field. Lewis is 2-2 since jumping in for the injured Wallace, but now LA may have a QB controversy on their hands. If Garcia does well in adapting to Hue Jackson’s offense, and if Lewis struggles for consistency, there is a chance that Jackson will swap his starter, something that was not expected with the inexperienced backups already in place. The immediate impact of the move was to send Robert Long to the practice squad, which seems a good option at this time. Once Garcia is up to speed with the offense, it is possible that Croyle will also be demoted to the practice squad, where the 22-year-old could serve as the 3rd “emergency” QB, able to play in games if both Lewis and Garcia are pulled. There is still hope that by Week 10 or 11 Seneca Wallace could be ready to play, but it is equally possible that if his recovery is slowed, and if either Lewis or Garcia look solid, Wallace could be added to IR and allowed to rest and recover without a timeline for 2008. Benching QB’s a Last Option, But One Taken It is never a good sign when a team feels it has to try something new at QB, but this week two clubs did just that, with New Jersey announcing that Kris Kershaw would get the start in Week 6 against Baltimore, while the Stallions and coach Kent Austin, made a move that fans in Alabama have been calling for over several years, benching Jason Campbell and giving newly-arrived CFL QB Dave Dickenson a chance to prove he can play the 4-down, 100-yard version of the game. The moves are big indicators that both Kevin Kolb and Jason Campbell have simply not done what was expected of them. Both were highly valued draft picks, but both have struggled. Kolb spent most of 2007 on the bench, but when he was given the opportunity to start the final 3 games, he looked very promising, throwing for nearly 500 yards and producing 3 touchdowns, but, after 5 games this season he has only 2 scoring tosses and 4 picks, and the Generals have been shut out twice. Kolb may get another opportunity to start, but for now it looks like Kris Kershaw will get his chance to impress. Kershaw spent 3 years in Nashville and then another 6 in Houston, always as a backup. Over those 9 seasons he has appeared in a grand total of 22 games, starting 9. He has completed 52% of his throws for 2,179 yards, 9 TDs and 9 picks. In Birmingham there have been vocal calls for Jason Campbell to be replaced for the past 3 seasons. After a promising rookie season, Campbell has struggled to show growth. His numbers in Dennis Franchione’s final season were not horrible (2,249 yards, 16-9 TD-INT ratio) but by that point he had lost the faith of the fans, and this year, with a new head coach in town, and a new QB coach along with him, Campbell is once again struggling. Birmingham is 0-5 and a change was needed. Birmingham’s Kent Austin came to the Stallions from the CFL, and with him came Dave Dickenson, the former starter for the BC Lions, where he threw for 3,032 yards and 22 TDs in 2006 before an injury shortened his 2007 season. Dickenson will get the chance to show he can play the U.S. game, something he has not done since joining the CFL in 2003 after short stints as a 3rd team QB in the NFL with Detroit, Miami, and Seattle. Of course both New Jersey and Birmingham have issues well beyond the QB position, but flailing teams often go for the easiest and most obvious change of direction, and that is a QB change. Will this change in personnel produce a change in fortunes? Only time will tell. Texas just cannot catch a break. Not only did they get bad news on the stadium front (see below), but they have now added a 2nd player to the IR, when most teams have yet to suffer one serious injury. In addition to DE Chris Harrington (added last week), they lost CB Aaron Ross this week to a broken foot. Ross was the only player moved to IR this week as the USFL’s string of good luck continues. That said, he was not the only injury. Oakland will be without guard Logan Mankins 4-6 weeks after he strained his knee in the win at Las Vegas. Seattle will be without DE Travis Laboy for the same length of time after he went down with a torn bicep. Birmingham got confirmation that Joe Horn will miss at least another 2 weeks, while Washington OT Mike Williams could be back as soon as Week 7. Denver WR Anquon Boldin suffered a sprained wrist this week, an injury that could take 1-2 weeks of rehab before he is back on the field. Arizona will be without CB Asante Samuel for 1-2 weeks as well with his dislocated shoulder. Philadelphia FS Anthony Dorsett will also miss a game or two with a fractured jaw. In LA the big concern was for the foot of Keyshawn Johnson, but while x-rays showed a stress fracture, it is small and is expected to keep Keyshawn out of action only for a week or 2. Another top wideout, Robert Ferguson of Memphis, is doubtful this week after getting a case of turf toe. Early Doucet remains doubtful for New Orleans, while Atlanta will miss Jim Pyne, who is taking this week to deal with a death in the family. Expected back in action this week are Antowain Smith (knee), Joey Galloway (eye), TE Ben Hartsook (knee), OT Marvel Smith (neck), Seattle DT Brandon Noble (hamstring), and Wrangler HB Sedrick Irvin (hamstring). Outlaws To Hit the Road in 2009 The Texas Outlaws got a bit of a good news, bad news scenario this week when the City of San Antonio approved plans for a major renovation of the Alamo Dome in 2009. The good news is that the city approved several of the changes and additions requested by the Outlaws, one of the facility’s main tenants. The improvements will include enlarged locker room areas, team meeting rooms, improved lighting, and a new end zone scoreboard. The renovation will also drop total capacity from 64,000 to just over 59,000, but in the process will increase the number of luxury suites, allowing tenants like the Outlaws to increase revenue even when they are not able to sell out the facility (A quick note: Texas has not had a sellout in the Alamo yet, but they have topped 50,000 on several occasions.) The bad new is that the current calendar of events for the Alamodome requires that the renovation begin in January of 2009, and that it will last well into the summer of 2009, meaning that the Outlaws will almost certainly need to find an alternative home for the 2009 season. That is not exactly a surprise to the franchise, but they had hoped for an earlier start date so that the impact might be limited to only the short USFL preseason and perhaps just a couple of home dates in the early weeks of the 2009 season. That is now off the table and the Outlaws will need to find an alternative home for the season, much as the Breakers did in 2006, though without the trauma of a major disaster as the cause. The options for Texas are multiple. They could return to the Alamo Bowl, their original home in the city, but there are two major concerns there. The first is capacity as the Bowl can really only hold somewhere in the realm of 31,000 at maximum capacity, well below the USFL average and the expectation for full participation in the shared revenue plan of the league. The second is that almost no noteworthy repairs or renovations have been undertaken since the team left the stadium in the early 90’s. It was not in great shape even back then, so one can only imagine that it would be in worse shape now. The next closest option is in San Marcos, where Bobcat Stadium, on the campus of Texas State U., could put the Outlaws within a reasonable drive from San Antonio. Bobcat Stadium is again a smaller venue, so there would still be significant financial impact were the club to move there. If they go a bit further afield, they could look at Memorial Stadium in Austin. Size there is certainly not going to be a problem, as the Longhorn facility can hold over 100,000 fans. That, in itself, may be its own problem, as, just with the Coliseum in LA, a mostly empty stadium produces very undesirable optics for the club and the league. The final option is to simply select another city within Texas, one of the beauties of using a state vs. city name for the club. Houston would certainly be out of the question, as it is home to the rival Gamblers, but Texas has no shortage of cities or football stadiums. We could imagine Austin as one option, Dallas or Fort Worth as another, perhaps even a location like Lubbock or Waco (home to Texas Tech and Baylor, respectively), or a smaller venue, more USFL-ready like that of North Texas in Denton, or perhaps A&M in College Station. We don’t expect the Outlaws to resort to barnstorming or to using a stadium outside of Texas as the Breakers did, so don’t get your hopes up Virginia Beach or Salt Lake City. The Outlaws will almost certainly remain in the Lone Star State, but just where remains to be seen at this point. USFL & USFLPA Talks Stall Just as the USFL and NFL begin talks to determine if and in what form their agreement on player and personnel transfer will continue, the USFL broke off talks for a new collective bargaining agreement with the players. Impacted by the current financial crisis and concern for the potential impact on revenue, the league is seeking a hiatus in talks until July, hoping to have a better sense of both the financial status of the league, but also the state of the NFL negotiations. The USFLPA had hoped to get a CBA in place before the USFL playoffs, as many players will become free agents at the end of June when their teams complete the regular season. Delaying talks on a CBA means that there is no free agency process in place, and no understanding of how the salary cap might be impacted by the agreement. The situation could turn ugly if the two sides are far apart on the cap’s link to a percentage of overall revenue. Ownership, of course, wants to tie cap increases, as well as minimum salary ranges, to profitability, while the union is focused on overall revenue. The delay will certainly complicate at least the early stages of the offseason, particularly free agency, and with the NFL-USFL Transfer Window also an unsettled matter team GM’s may have to scramble to adjust plans as they plan for the 2008-2009 offseason. In speaking with several GM’s around the league, they still feel that this offseason will be less chaotic than in 2007-2008 simply because there will not be an expansion process to navigate, but several did mention that having a CBA as well as a revised deal with the NFL sooner would certainly be preferred. Fred Bullard & Warner Jr. victims of Bank Investigations & Shuttering The current financial crisis or “Great Recession” as people are beginning to call it has hit home with the USFL. Two current owners, Fred Bullard of Jacksonville and Marvin Warner Jr of Birmingham are both under investigation for their role in real estate speculation and banking irregularities. They are just two of a large number of investment bankers being questioned about the sub-prime lending and mortgage packaging issues which appear to be at the core of the burst bubble which has produced major financial declines both nationally and globally. The investigation is a concern for both franchises and for the league as a whole, as any freezing of the assets of either Bullard or Warner could profoundly impact league operations, not to mention the ability of the Bulls and Stallions to function smoothly. Of course, both owners have separated their personal accounts from the businesses that are the two USFL franchises, but it is also well known that the two entities are often linked in ways which would make operations more complex for one if the other is compromised. In addition to the obvious concern about league ownership and its ties to both real estate speculation and investment banking (two fields well represented among the 28 different ownership groups), issues surrounding liquidity and access to credit are impacting the league nationwide. While this is not the USFL of 1984, where funds were sparce and teams often delayed payments to vendors or even players, the financial crisis is forcing the league to reevaluate how it directs funds, the timing of shared income payouts to teams, and the overall financial health of the league. With everyone form major sponsors to the TV networks, stadium authorities, as well as the private businesses of many owners under greater pressure and greater scrutiny, not to mention the financial impact on fans, the USFL is concerned that a prolonged recession could very easily produce major issues for both individual franchises and for the league as a structuring organization. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS A really interesting result from our poll among the Stallion faithful. One of the biggest surprises so far as fan votes split on their choice for a receiver to make the team’s Mount Rushmore, essentially costing either Ernest Givens and Lawrence Dawsey a spot on the mountain. Both are clearly deserving of recognition, but fans simply could not be swayed one way or another, leaving both with fewer votes than either deserved. Sorry guys, but with neither receiver getting into the Top 4 in vote tallies, we cannot add either very talented receiver to the Stallion Mt. Rushmore. So who did make the cut? The first name will be a surprise to absolutely no one. Halfback Joe Cribbs came to the Stallions for their 1984 season after a somewhat lengthy court battle over his contract with the NFL Bills. Once on the field, Cribbs was electric. The former Auburn back began his USFL career by racking up over 1,700 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first year. He would go on to total over 12,500 yards and 83 career touchdowns before retiring in 1992. One of the first elite NFL players to join the USFL, Cribbs was an immediate superstar in his home state of Alabama. He would rush for over 1,000 yards 7 times in his career, and was an All-USFL player 7 times as well. He never won a title, after appearing in the League Championship in 1984. The year after his retirement, Brett Favre would lead the Stallions to a title. One of the leaders for the Stallions in that 1993 title year is our second Mt. Rushmore candidate. LB Kevin Greene played with the Stallions from 1985 through 1997, before a short stint in New Jersey. He would retire with 1,261 tackles, 44 sacks and 19 interceptions. Known as a fierce edge blitzer as well as a thumper in the run game, Greene led the Stallions in tackles 7 times and earned All-USFL honors 6 times. With Brett Favre ineligible to be nominated due to his ongoing USFL career, it is no surprise that the Stallion Nation would add their first big name QB to the mountain. Cliff Stoudt was the starter for the Stallions from 1984 through the 1991 season, and then served as backup to Brett Favre from 1992 until he was signed by Atlanta in the 1995 Expansion Draft. A consummate professional, Stoudt had a career QB Rating of 88.0, with 215 career touchdowns and more than 35,000 yards passing. Finally, the beneficiary of the two outstanding receivers knocking each other out is LT Richmond Webb. We don’t expect a lot of offensive linemen to make their team’s Top 4 All Time, but Webb is certainly a deserving candidate. Webb came to the Stallions in the 1990 draft and locked down the left tackle position for 15 seasons, retiring after the 2004 campaign. A monster of a man, with incredible hand skills, Webb was just tough to get around, through, or by. Brett Favre suffered a lot of sacks in his Birmingham career, but when you look back at the tape, it was almost never due to a break down on Webb’s assignment. MICHIGAN PANTHERS The Panther Posse, as the fans like to call themselves, were unabashedly focused on their early heydays in the 80’s when picking their favorites for the Michigan Mt. Rushmore. While Michigan certainly had some good talent in the 90’s and 2000’s, including names like Jack Trudeau, Doug Flutie, even Joe Montana for a short stint, the fans still look to those early 1980’s years as the glory years for Michigan, and all 4 candidates came from that era. We suspect, based on who was not nominated, that they could build a second mountain with 4 more players just from the 80’s if we let them. The first name that appears on the Panther fans’ list is not a surprise (as most top vote-getters are not). One of the first “homegrown” heroes of the USFL, QB Bobby Hebert came out of little Northwestern State and took the league by storm almost immediately as an athletic, fearless gunslinger in what would become a staple of USFL style. Hebert would play for the Panthers for only 4 seasons before the siren call of the NFL beckoned. He would later return to the spring with Oakland and Philly, but will always be first and foremost the QB of the Panther teams that won the league title in both 1984 and 1986. And while many of his career records have been topped by quarterbacks with longer careers in Pontiac and Detroit, it should be noted that Hebert still holds the record for TDs in a season with 41. The second player ranked by the fans for the Panther’s Top 4 is a speedy receiver who left defenders in the dust and became a touchdown-scoring sensation. But wait, before you all jump on the Anthony Carter bandwagon, it is not Carter, who again had a shorter stay in Michigan and left for the NFL. It is Dereck Holloway, who stayed with the club from 1983 until his retirement in 1993. It is Holloway, not Carter who holds most of the Panther career receiving records, including career receiving yards and career receiving touchdowns. As much as fans like to praise former Wolverine Carter, it is Holloway who stayed with the club for the long haul and built up a solid fanbase. The third Panther from the 80’s to make the roster of four is still a name spoken in Michigan in hushed tones. John Corker was the ultimate enforcer for the Panthers, a player who punished backs and receivers alike, was unafraid to take on big interior linemen, and fast enough to be an effective blitzer. Corker played 8 seasons in Pontiac, recording 100 or more tackles in 5 of those seasons and, of course, lifting the championship trophy twice. Finally, no fan nostalgia for the 1980’s Panthers would be complete without Ronnie Paggett, the “Human Steamroller”. Paggett played DE for the Panthers from 1983 through 1993 season, 11 years of terrorizing opposing QBs. The former Louisiana Tech star (What is it with the Panthers and players from the Bayou State?) retired with 154 sacks, which remains the Panther career record. He also still holds the record for sacks in a single season for Michigan with 21 (1987) and in a single game (3). No surprise that he joins John Corker as defenders on a very balanced Mt. Rushmore for the Panthers. Week six and we still have 3 unbeatens, but with Philly facing the Feds at RFK, one of those unbeatens is going to come away from this weekend with a blemish. That game, a Saturday Nighter, highlights a schedule that has divisional intrigue and some pretty good inter-divisional games as well. FRIDAY @ 8pm Generals (1-4) @ Blitz (3-2) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Bandits (4-1) @ Bulls (2-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Glory (3-2) @ Fire (1-4) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm Wranglers (1-4) @ Cannons (2-3) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Knights (2-3) @ Stallions (0-5) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Maulers (2-3) @ Skyhawks (1-4) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Stars (5-0) @ Federals (5-0) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Monarchs (2-3) @ Renegades (1-4) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Invaders (4-1) @ Breakers (3-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm Dragons (1-4) @ Gamblers (3-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Stags (2-3) @ Gold (3-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Panthers (4-1) @ Outlaws (0-5) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Showboats (5-0) @ Thunder (3-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Machine (4-1) @ Express (3-2) ESPN

Four teams remain unbeaten at the one-quarter mark of the season. Three remain winless. But the biggest story is who those teams are. Washington, picked by many to bring up the rear in the NE Division sits at 4-0 along with Philadelphia, while Seattle, a heavy favorite to compete for the Western Conference title, sits at 0-4, stunned by yet another game that got away from them. This story tops our headlines, but we also saw monster performances by St. Louis’s Taylor Jacobs, Memphis’s Robert Ferguson, and Oakland’s Joey Harrington in a week that saw 8 games won by less than 1 touchdown. ARIZONA WRANGLERS 28 ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 31 The Skyhawks need four weeks to do it, but they get one in the win column after a dramatic finish to a give and take game against the Wranglers. The story of the game was Jeff Blake, who made up for 3 picks with two TD passes and an 88-yard TD run that even Jake Plummer had to admire. Blake, with that run, and just a few others, became St. Louis’s lead rusher for the year, but also led them to their first win of the season. This matchup of 1-2 vs. 0-3 was one of the most entertaining games of the week, and , thanks to a quirk in scheduling with ABC at the 4pm slot, was broadcast nationally for those who wanted to tune in. It started as it finished, with scoring a seeming inevitability. The points started with Arizona getting on the board with their first drive of the game, as Nick Folk put them up 3-0 at the 9-minute mark. St. Louis responded with a TD drive, led by two nice catches by top receiver Taylor Jacobs. The drive concluded with Bryant Johnson scoring on an 11-yard play. St. Louis would then cap off the 1st period with a field goal of their own to start Quarter Two with a 10-3 lead. Arizona would score again in the second, but again it would be 3 points only. Held at the 7 yard line, Coach Fassel opted to go for 3 instead of a low-percentage 3rd and goal play from 7 yards out. Up 10-6, St. Louis ran down nearly eight and a half minutes on their next drive, mixing runs by Bush and Rhodes with Blake play action passes until Michael Bush capped off the drive with a 1-yard TD run to expand the lead to 17-6. That is how it went to the half, with St. Louis hoping to double up by taking the first possession of the 3rd for a score as well . They would not have to wait long. After a penalty on the kickoff put the ball on the St. Louis 12 yard line, they got instant offense on their 1st and 10 play. Jeff Blake, after faking the ball to Michael Bush, dropped back to look for a receiver, but Arizona had called a blitz. Feeling instant pressure, Blake left the pocket and made the decision to run for yards. What he got was an 88-yard sprint through the Wrangler defense. The blitz meant that there was no linebacker to stop Blake early on, and when he made it to the third level, WR Bryant Johnson put a hit on SS Clifton Black that freed up Blake to angle towards the sideline and keep running. CB Jimmy Williams made a poorly-timed dive for Blake’s legs, missing the QB completely, and then it was just gliding the final 20 yards in for the score. A huge play that put St. Louis up 24-6 early in the 3rd. But something about that play lit a fire under the Wranglers. Arizona would go on to score on their next 5 possessions of the second half. Three of those were field goals once again, but wedged in between was a 28-yard TD pass from Plummer to Fitzgerald, and, finally, with only 1:44 left on the clock, Plummer found TE Kevin Everett from 5 yards out to put Arizona up 28-24. It was a huge defensive collapse for the Skyhawks, aided by 2 Jeff Blake picks in the final 22 minutes of action. Arizona hadscored 22 points with no response from the Skyhawks, and now, with just 1:44 left, St. Louis trailed by 4, needing a touchdown. Blake, who had been taking on the goat (scape, not Greatest Of All Time) persona over much of the second half after his explosive run, would need to find some big play energy to help avoid a 4th straight St. Louis loss. It helped that he had Taylor Jacobs on the outside. Of the 6 plays that comprised the Skyhawk’s game-winning drive, 4 of them went to Jacobs. One incompletion to TE Fred Baxter, and the winning TD toss to Bryant Johnson, his second score of the day, were not Blake to Jacobs tosses. With just 17 seconds left on the clock, Blake found Johnson on a crossing route, and St. Louis pulled ahead for good. It was a signature win for Blake, who still needs to clean up some decision making, but whose athleticism and spirit were on display. St. Louis had their first win and their fans had a game to remember. OHIO 20 DENVER 30 For all the predictions of a dominant year from Ohio, they are not yet feeling that way, dropping their 2nd game in 4 tries as they fall short in Denver. The Gold kept pace all day thanks in large part to 147 yards rushing, a stat that helps explain their 33-27 minute advantage in possession. A defense that picked off Kerry Collins 3 time is also a big factor in the Gold’s win. WASHINGTON 31 ORLANDO 10 The Federals remain white hot, particularly QB Kordell Stewart, who comes back from a season-ending injury in 2007 to look like a man on the mission. The Washington QB went 12 of 14 for 4 touchdowns in a dominant performance against Orlando. The Renegades slip to 1-3 as their run game is unable to help out Drew Brees, who went 30 for 36 but could connect on only 1 TD pass. NASHVILLE 14 PHILADELPHIA 19 The Stars don’t look dominant in any phase of the game, but they just keep winning. In this one, 111 yards from rookie HB Steve Slaton was the big surprise that the Knights could not adjust to in time. Jay Cutler struggled again, completing only 7 passes all game as Philadelphia’s defense held the Knights to only 3 of 14 on third down. BIRMINGHAM 12 BALTIMORE 38 The Blitz rebound from last week’s tough loss by dominating the Stallions at M&T Bank Stadium. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 273 and 3 scores as Baltimore kept the pressure on the two unbeaten teams in the Northeast. The Stallion run game was hamstrung with rookie Felix Jones out of action. Marion Barber rushed for only 38 yards despite being the primary ballcarrier all game. NEW ORLEANS 17 SEATTLE 16 Another good outing for the Breakers and another bizarre loss for the Dragons. Seattle went up 16-14 on a Dave Rayner field goal with 7 minutes left to play, but once again failed to hold the lead. Eli Manning, who was 17 of 23 for 187 and 2 TDs on the day, led the final drive that ended with David Green kicking the game winner as New Orleans reaches the ¼ mark at 2-2, while Seattle is a stunning 0-4. HOUSTON 13 TEXAS 10 The Outlaws are also mired at 0-4 after losing a tough one to in-state rival Houston. Both defenses played well, or perhaps both offenses played poorly in this one. The game was 6-3 Houston until the 4th period when both clubs scored their only touchdowns. Texas had a chance to send the game to overtime, but failed on a 4th and 4 play before they could reach field goal range. CHARLOTTE 30 MEMPHIS 34 The Monarchs had Memphis on the ropes in this tighter-than-anticipated matchup. Robert Edwards rushed for 104 and Chris Weinke added 233 in the air, but in the end Brett Favre found Cadillac Williams for the game winner in the game’s final minute. Favre finished with 361 yards and 3 scores, with both Lee Evans and Robert Ferguson over 100 yards apiece. MICHIGAN 24 JACKSONVILLE 22 The Panthers stay unbeaten by the slimmest margin. After falling behind 24-6 in the 3rd, Jacksonville came alive to score three times in their final four possessions. A late Jason Whitten touchdown got them within two, but the Bulls could not connect on the 2-point PAT and Michigan was able to hold on and avoid overtime. NEW JERSEY 0 BOSTON 23 The Generals are embarrassed again as they are shut out for the 2nd time by a division foe this season. Boston limited the offensively-inept Generals to a measly 126 total yards, while racking up over 360 themselves. Jason Elam was the story in this one, setting a USFL record with 7 field goals on the day. That and a safety were all the points Boston needed in this bizarre game. LAS VEGAS 24 PORTLAND 14 The Thunder sit at 3-1 after knocking off the Stags in Portland. The Thunder D picked off Portland QB A. J. Feeley 3 times, and Marshawn Lynch rushed for 92 yards and 2 scores to power the Thunder in this one. The Stags handed the ball to rookie HB Jonathan Stewart 32 times, but at 2.3 yards a clip, it was not a winning strategy. TAMPA BAY 23 ATLANTA 22 Tampa moves to 3-1, but it was not easy in Atlanta as the Fire scored twice in the 4th to go from 17-9 to 17-22. The Bandits would win the game in the final minute when Jeremy Shockey took a Culpepper pass 67 yards for a score, straight-arming Atlanta safety John Howell in the process. Willis McGahee rushed for 109 and a score as well as Tampa stands atop the Southeastern Division after ¼ of the season. CHICAGO 16 PITTSBURGH 15 The Maulers played Chicago tough in this battle of defensive-minded clubs, but two Michael Turner scores in the second half, including a 30 yard TD catch from backup Kyle Orton (who got the start for a dinged up Brady Quinn) were enough to give Chicago the one-point victory. Bill Grammatica was called on to attempt a 60-yarder for Pittsburgh at the final whistle, but the kick did not have the distance and Chicago escaped with the win. LOS ANGELES 13 OAKLAND 42 Jeff Lewis threw two picks and no back for LA gained more than 2.5 yards per carry as Oakland dominated this California Derby. Joey Harrington would throw for 3 scores and backup HB Jurius Norwood would score twice as Oakland went from a 13-7 deficit at the half to a dominant 42-13 win on Sunday night. Washington, Philadelphia, Michigan and Memphis Flying High While many predicted good things for the defending champion Memphis Showboats this year, and are likely not surprised at all to see them sitting at 4-0, few expected them to be joined in the small group of undefeated teams at this juncture by Michigan, Philadelphia, and Washington. So, just what has gone right for each club to find them unbeaten a quarter of the way through the season? For Memphis the answer is pretty simple. Brett Favre is putting up MVP numbers and he is getting a lot of help from his top 2 receivers, Robert Ferguson and Lee Evans. Favre currently leads the league with 1,271 yards passing and 9 touchdowns (tied with Brian Griese in that category). His receivers rank #1 and #5 in yards after a big Week 4 game that saw both go over 120 yards on the day. In other words, Memphis is doing what they did last year to win the league title. They are scoring points (#1 scoring offense at 29.8 PPG) and they are doing enough on defense to avoid losing shootouts. We saw this coming, so this is not a surprise. Philadelphia was a playoff team last year, and many predicted good things, though a 4-0 start was not seen as likely. How have they done it, two reasons stand out. They currently hold the #1 scoring defense, allowing a measley 11 points per game in their first 4 games. They have the 2nd ranked pass defense, giving up only 166 yards per game, and they are solid against the run as well. All of this is good for the Stars’ prospects moving forward. What is even better is that their offense, which was a question mark coming into the season, is currently 7th in scoring and 12th in yards, both respectable positions. Despite losing Ahman Green to an unexpected retirement, Philadelphia has managed to put together the #6 rushing attack with the unheralded combo of Michael Robinson and West Virginia rookie Steve Slaton. A strong defense paired with a running attack sound very much like winning football for the Stars. Michigan began the year with an 11-point victory in Ohio, and that game has springboarded them to success throughout. Despite a tough schedule that also included Houston, Denver, and Jacksonville in their first 4 games, the Panthers have managed to hold Top 10 rankings in points, yardage, passing, rushing, points allowed, yards allowed, and passing yards. That is an impressive array of strong points. The offseason additions of Leonard Renfro and Jevon Kearse have made their front 3 more formidable, which has, in turn freed up their outstanding linebacking group of Merriman, Katzenmoyer, Thurman and DeMarcus Ware. On offense, Brian Griese is tied with Brett Favre with 9 TDs in 4 games, and is third behind only Favre and Brees in QB Rating. But what is most surprising is that Michigan, with the combination of Justin Fargas and Leon Washington, is currently third in rushing behind only Jacksonville and Washington, averaging 127.2 yards per game. If the Panthers can stay balanced on offense, with their new found defensive might up front, they could easily be a top seed in the West. Finally, there is Washington, who have suffered 2 consecutive 4-10 seasons, and who had a lot of questions with Kordell Stewart coming back from season-ending injury last year. What has happened right for the Feds? Well, first off, Kordell Stewart is playing lights out football. He may not be in the Top 5, but his QB Rating of 100.7 is the best of his career, and he is doing something that has not been happening much in DC the past two seasons, getting the ball into the end zone. Washington is 4th in scoring at 25.5 points per game and they are not doing it all off the foot of Doug Pelfrey. Add to this a defense that is 3rd in yards allowed (235 per game) and 4th in scoring (only 14.2 points per game) and the Federals have their fans comparing this squad to the 1997 squad that brought them their last title. Good times to be sure to be a fan of the Boats, Stars, Cats, or Feds. But not good times everywhere. Orlando, Seattle, and Ohio are puzzlingly in trouble after 1 Quarter The Orlando Renegades, Seattle Dragons, and Ohio Glory were picked by most to be among the elites for 2008, and yet, after three weeks none of the three are over .500, they are a combined 3-9, and Seattle has yet to win a single game. What is going on with these three? Ohio is at least at .500, but after a bad loss in the home opener, they won two games before falling in Denver. The defense has been a problem, ranked 22nd in the league at 21.8 points allowed per game, and 24th in passing yards allowed. In other words, teams can pass on them, and that passing is leading to scoring. But what is perhaps more surprising is that the Ohio offense, which everyone was talking about in the offseason, has yet to really find its way. The team is averaging a respectable 22.5 points per game, good enough for 12th, but not good enough when you basically give up that many each week as well. Kerry Collins is only completing 55.2% of his passes, and is being criticized for going for the bomb way too often, which is understandable when you have Moss and Galloway out wide, but he is missing on far too many of those throws. Eddie George is averaging less than 3.5 yards per carry, which is another factor in Ohio’s offensive woes. They could still turn that around, and likely we will see Coach Luginbill try to shorten routes just to get Collins on track, but the defense may be a problem they cannot resolve this year. For 1-3 Orlando, the issue has been twofold, the run game, without Sedrick Irvin, has imploded, leaving a lot of responsibility for offensive production on the shoulders of Drew Brees. Brees has good numbers, but the Renegades are struggling to put points up, averaging only 18.5 per game. Meanwhile, on defense, opponents have been able to find room against the Renegades. Orlando is giving up 115 yards per game, including 93 to McCallister this week, 126 to McGahee the week before, and a combined 134 to Eddie George and Kevin Smith of Ohio in Week 2. Rookie Calais Campbell has been a shooting star for Orlando, but they need more against the run and they need to find a back who can get them 70-80 yards per game, because right now relying on Najeh Davenport and rookie Jacob Hester is not getting it done. And that leaves Seattle. The winless Dragons have been letting games slip away, which is not surprising when you give up nearly 123 yards per game on the ground. They also have been one of the lowest scoring teams in the league, at only 15.2 points per game (24th of 28 teams). That is a shock. Byron Leftwich is only completing about 54% of his throws, and still has not found a viable second receiver beyond David Boston. Corey Dillon seems to be slowing down, averaging only 3.1 yards per carry, and the team just seems sluggish when they have the ball. And yet, despite a winless record, Seattle has not been out of any game. They led late in the last two against Las Vegas and New Orleans, but gave up late drives to lose both. They have lost their 4 games by 14 (@ Oakland), 5 (Portland), 3 (LV), and 1 (New Orleans), so they are close. If they could just get more energy on offense and not fade down the stretch on defense, they could turn this around. This week they are in Birmingham, where the Stallions are also 0-4. If they cannot get a win here, they could have more problems than we know. Turner & Austin Struggle to build a new culture We mentioned Birmingham at 0-4 for new head coach Kent Austin. In Texas the Outlaws are also 0-4 at the start of Coach Norv Turner’s 2nd season. In both cities, the problems are numerous, but one of the biggest is the culture in place with both teams. Birmingham seems mired in a nostalgia for the past, the glory days of Favre, while Texas has bought into the narrative that they will find a way to lose, having suffered through countless seasons that start strong and fade fast down the stretch. Changing the mindset of both teams is firmly the #1 task that Austin and Turner must address. In Texas there is hope in new QB Joe Flacco, who has had some moments, and has yet to throw an interception. In Birmingham the QB situation is a constant knock on the team and the fanbase is getting antsy. This is Jason Campbell’s 4th year at the helm, and his numbers are just not good enough. We did see improvement in 2007, when his QB Rating jumped from an average of 63.5 in his first 2 seasons to a solid 91.7. He also had a much better TD-INT ratio of 16-5 in 2007, but this year, through four starts, he is reverting back to bad habits. He is dumping off the ball much too often, missing open receivers, and his TD-INT ratio has also dipped back to mediocrity. But, QB is not the only area of concern for these two teams. Texas is not getting the production they count on from T. J. Duckett, with the club averaging only 88 yards a game and their big back stuck at just over 75 per game. If they could get back to 2007 numbers in the run game they would be in better shape. Of course, when you have the 25th ranked defense (both in yardage and points allowed) even a run game will not get it all done. The defense has been looking better after 2 straight weeks of allowing 30+ points. This week, against Houston they looked very much up to the task, so there is hope there as well. For Birmingham it is a very similar refrain. The Stallions are dead last in rushing with an average of only 59 yards per game (Joe Cribbs must not be happy at this point). Marion Barber is struggling just to get mediocre numbers at 2.8 yards per carry. Rookie Felix Jones is a bit better at 3.7 yards per carry, but he was forced to the sideline this week and could miss more action. And, as with Texas, the defense is not pulling their weight either, dead last in scoring, allowing over 36 points per game, and dead last in yards, with teams averaging over 400 yards a game against the Stallions, despite the efforts of Mike Rucker on the edge. No run game, a shaky QB, and a truly awful defense is not a formula Coach Austin can count on for many wins. He would be wise to purge house, make some trades, and try to shake things up if he wants more than a cup of coffee as a USFL head coach. We knew it would happen eventually, Week 4 and we have our first IR placements. Oakland was forced to put guard Logan Mankins on the list after a severe groin tear (something no man wants to suffer) required surgery this week. In Texas CB Aaron Ross was also put on the IR after breaking a bone in his right foot. The Outlaws will also be missing DE Chris Harrington for at least 8 weeks, so things are not looking very bright (even with the stars at night, deep in the heart of Texas). Birmingham got word this week that veteran WR Joe Horn will very likely be out 6-7 weeks after reevaluation of his broken leg. Washington could be without LT Mike Williams for 2-4 weeks with a groin issue of his own, while Arizona will be without CB Asante Samuel and Philly without safety Anthony Dorsett, both with shoulder issues. Finally, New Orleans is hoping to have promising rookie wideout Early Doucet back in Week 6, but there is a chance his hamstring issues could linger beyond that. Among those listed as Doubtful or Questionable this week we have Bulls’ HB Antowain Smith (knee), Atlanta center Jim Pyne (ankle), Memphis guard Dan Santucci (back), Chicago QB Brady Quinn (neck), Las Vegas CB Will Allen (wrist) New Jersey DE Shaun Ellis (neck) and Philadelphia receiver Reche Caldwell (concussion). Four games down, enough of a sample to see who is coming up big for their teams this year, who can be relied on week in and week out, and who is outpacing expectations. In other words, who is each club’s Most Valuable Player. We know that every year the league-wide award tends to be a battle of the league’s most prolific quarterbacks, but in a team-by-team analysis it is clear that many times the most valuable player on a roster may be from almost any position. Here is our first-quarter way too early MVP for each team, just to get a sense of who is playing their best ball already this year. Arizona: WR Larry Fitzgerald The Wranglers have a lot of issues, but receiver is not one of them as the combo of Larry Fitzgerald and Santana Moss continues to be a highlight for the Copper Kids. Of the two, it is Fitzgerald who is making bigger plays and finding himself open more frequently. Fitzgerald has 4 scores in 4 games andis averaging17 yards per catch for the Wranglers. Atlanta: WE Josh Reed Another receiver as veteran Josh Reed is having a career year through four games. Reed is tied for 5th in the league with 24 receptions, and 4th overall with 385 yards. Still only 1 TD, but he is clearly a valuable commodity for an Atlanta Fire team that is still trying to determine if they are comfortable with their QB play or not. Baltimore: QB Ben Roethlisberger The Blitz are a team that is definitely not questioning their QB play. With the arrival of Tory Holt juicing up the Blitz attack, Ben Roethlisberger appears to be living up to the potential we have only seen in flashes before. He has 7 TDs and is already over 1,000 yards, on pace for a 4,000 yard season. And the good news is that it is not all Holt, though his presence has been a huge lift. Holt has 283 yards, but TE Antonio Gates has 232 and flanker Marty Booker is at 256. If they could just get speedy Ted Ginn into the offense more, they could have a real dynamic passing attack. Birmingham: DE Mike Rucker This one is a no brainer. Rucker seems to be the only defender on the Stallions who understands what his role is. He leads the team and the league with 7 sacks in 4 games, and yet the Stallions still have the worst defense in the league. Someone get this man some help. Boston: WR Chad Ochocinco While rookie HB Rashard Mendenhall has been a pleasant surprise, there is no doubt that Boston is Chad Ochocinco’s town right now. His 448 yards and 6 touchdowns are monster numbers after only 4 games. Number 85 is the core of the Boston offense, and despite double teams, he is still getting the job done. Charlotte: WR D. J. Hackett A lot of players are making names for themselves in Charlotte, but none more than former NFL wideout D. J. Hackett, who leads the team with 335 yards receiving on 26 catches. He immediately became Chris Weinke’s favorite target in camp and that rapport is holding over to the regular season. Chicago: LB Brian Urlacher When isn’t Urlacher making big plays? To be honest, he was a bit off last year, despite still racking up big tackle totals. He seems hungrier and more aggressive this year, already adding a sack and forced fumble to his 36 tackles on the season. Chicago lives and dies by its LB corps, and based on Urlacher’s play, they should go far this year. Denver: LB Kendrell Bell Denver is off to a good start at 3-1, and they are a hard team to sift through and find one player who is going above and beyond their very-effective ‘team first” mentality. We picked Bell because he leads the team in tackles, but also has 2 sacks and a forced fumble. But we could make a case for about 4-5 different players on defense for the Gold, a good sign that a team-focus is working in Denver. Houston: LB Keith Brooking One more linebacker to talk up as Houston’s MVP is Keith Brooking. Hedoes not have the most tackles on the team (that is Shaun Williams), or the most sacks (Kavicka Pittman), but what Brooking has is a range of accomplishments, including 21 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 5 pass defenses, and some of the best hits of the early season. Jacksonville: WR Rashaun Woods Ask fans to name an undervalued player in the league and you will hear Rashaun Woods’s name come up quite a bit, especially around the Bulls. Woods has been a highlight reel for the Bulls once again this year, with 5 touchdowns already. Jacksonville has great offensive balance, so it is hard for teams to double up on Woods, a fact that keeps a smile on the receiver’s face all game long. Las Vegas: HB Marshawn Lynch We looked over the Thunder defense, but in the end we had to go for the obvious choice, halfback Marshawn Lynch. Despite only averaging 3.2 yards per carry, Lynch’s 110 touches in only 4 games means he can find himself among the league rushing leaders, and with 5 TDs those yards are being used to transform into points. Los Angeles: LB Keith Rivers One of two rookies to be listed as a team’s MVP, but so much deserved. Rivers not only leads the team in tackles, but has 4 sacks and 2 picks in his first 4 games. He fit right in opposite Tatupu and Ayodole and has been in immediate difference maker for an Express team whose offense has needed all the help they can get. Memphis: QB Brett Favre No shock here, Favre leads the league with 1,271 yards passing, 9 TD passes, and a QB rating of 127.9. While we know Favre well enough to expect that the trifecta will not hold all season, his presence has made Memphis what they are today, league champions. Michigan: QB Brian Griese Another QB who has transformed his club. Griese has had a revival of epic proportions in Michigan. His yardage this year is not astronomical (thanks in part to a better run game), but his 9 TDs ties Favre for the lead and he has the Panthers undefeated after 4 games. Nashville: HB Frank Gore With Jay Cutler still clearly not right after dealing with a major injury last year, Frank Gore has once again become the focal point of the Knights’ offense. He currently stands 5th in the league with 327 yards, but he is the whole show for Nashville right now. New Jersey: LB Donterrious Thomas Not a lot has gone well for New Jersey this year, but after playing in only 9 games last season due to injury, Thomas has come back in better shape than ever, and currently leads the Generals with 35 tackles. New Orleans: DT John Thornton We thought of splitting this award with QB Eli Manning, but it is so rare that a defensive tackle gets any recognition that we did not want him to have to share the honor. Thornton currently leads the Breakers with 31 tackles, and how often do DT’s lead in that category? He also has two sacks on the young season, helping boost the front line’s potential threat to QBs. Oakland: SS Pearson Prioleau A bit of an unsung hero most years, Prioleau has helped to hold down the Oakland Invader secondary since becoming the regular starter in 2003. This season he is second on the team with 29 tackles, and has been used as much as a nickel corner as in a standard SS role. Ohio: WR Joey Galloway For all the talk of how dominant Randy Moss would be in Ohio’s offense, it is still Galloway who leads the club in targets, catches, and yardage. The Glory have not exploded as many felt they would, which explains the 2-2 start, yet Galloway still remains one of the league’s most dangerous receivers. Orlando: DE Calais Campbell Our second rookie, and this one was a no brainer. Campbell sits only 1 sack behind league leader Mike Rucker of Birmingham, and his non-stop engine has helped to solidify Orlando’s defense and make the pass rush truly dangerous. In addition to Campbell’s 6 sacks, the Renegades have added 10 more thanks to offenses having to account for Campbell on every down. Philadelphia: WR Charles Lee Lots of potential candidates for the 4-0 Stars, but we go with a receiver who was supposed to be a spot player, but who stepped up in a big way when Reche Caldwell went down. He currently leads the team in receiving yards, after a huge 113 yard day this week. Pittsburgh: CB Patrick Surtain Surtain is tied for the league lead with 3 picks, but also third on the team with 22 tackles, and not afraid to take on halfbacks as well as wideouts. Surtain has become the lead member of a very good DB group that includes SS Sean Taylor, FS Scott Shields and fellow DB Dre Bly. Portland: LB Mike Maslowski One of Portland’s first signings, the former Blitz LB has found a home in the Pacific Northwest, and a leadership role within the Stag defense. Working with Channing Crowder and Ben Leber, Maslowski locks down a LB group that is a big reason the Stags are currently 7th in the league in yards allowed. Seattle: LB Godfrey Miles It has been a horror show of a start for the Dragons, but don’t lay any of that on Miles. The Seattle LB has done all anyone can ask, 2nd on the team with 27 tackles, but also adding 3 forced fumbles and 2 sacks. In coverage he has given up receptions on only 4 of 16 passes thrown his way, and despite Seattle’s miserable start, Miles remains an elite player. St. Louis: WR Taylor Jacobs The run game is still flailing, the QB situation still unstable, and Taylor Jacobs is still one of the league’s most dynamic receivers. Currently 3rd in the league with 398 yards receiving, Jacobs is still drawing double coverage on most passing plays. Tampa Bay: WR Chris Doering The Bandits are a surprising 3-1 and Daunte Culpepper is having a bounce-back year with 7 TDs in 4 games, 5 of them to Doering. Always an unsung “possession guy” in Tampa Bay, this year Doering has stepped up, averaging 22.3 yards per catch and showing the way in a receiving corps most were ready to write off when Moss left. Texas: SS Lawyer Molloy The one consistent performer on what has to be honestly called a pretty bad defense, Molloy leads the club in tackles and has 2 picks, helping Texas overcome its many other shortcomings. If he could just get some help on defense, maybe the Outlaws could win a game here and there. Washington: FS Ed Reed It would be easy to praise Kordell Stewart for his return to good form, but Washington has always been a defense-first team, and this year it is Ed Reed leading that defense. The safety leads the league with 3 picks (tied with 2 others) and has also been a monster in run defense. Where goes Reed, there goes the Federal Defense. Two teams with some tough calls to make as we look at the Mount Rushmore, the 4 best players of the past, for the Tampa Bay Bandits and the Denver Gold. TAMPA BAY BANDITS A lot of history with this team, and a lot of very good players. Just as a reminder the selections must be players who have retired from football, so Randy Moss, Daunte Culpepper, or Willis McGahee are not eligible. So who is? Let’s see who the fans picked. A tough call at QB right off the bat as old timers lean towards John Reaves, but the younger fans are all over that Troy Aikman action. Aikman wins out, both statistically and in the overall assessment of the fans. His 1998 season alone could have gotten him onto the mountain. A league record (still standing) 54 touchdown passes in a 16-game season. Nearly 5,700 yards, and a league title. That is a one way ticket to legendary status. When you realize it was just the best year in what was a pretty stellar 12-season career for the UCLA product in Tampa Bay, it is easy to see how Troy got onto the mountain with ease. The next selection is also something of a slam dunk. Wide Receiver Eric Truvillion was, believe it or not, undrafted by the NFL in 1982, but when the USFL came around the next spring he wasted no time proving the stodgy fall league wrong. Truvillion finished the 1983 season with 1,700 yards receiving on only 49 catches, a stunning 28.9 yard average, oh, and 18 touchdowns to boot. He would beat that last total in ’84, with 19 TDs, and then blow it out of the water with a 25 TD season in his, and the league’s third season. Even after 25 USFL seasons, Truvillion still holds the top 3 season records for yardage by a receiver (85, 86 and 12), three seasons in which he toyed with 2,000 yards. He also still holds the receiving TD record with that 25 TD season in 1985. No doubt he belongs front and center in this Mount Rushmore. Third up is a halfback, a position the Bandits have quietly had success with over many years. Currently it is McGahee, originally it was Gary Anderson, but our man fell right in the middle. The Florida Gator who spent 9 years toting the rock for the Bandits, Errict Rhett. Rhett was always seen as a secondary weapon to the pass game, but what a weapon! He had three 1,000 yard seasons, but also put up a statement season in 2000 with 18 touchdowns and 1,342 yards. He may not be the first halfback you think of when you look back on the history of the USFL, but for the Bandits he is still one of the greats. Finally, when a man holds the club record for both interceptions and forced fumbles, you have to respect the impact he had for your team. That man is CB Eric Allen, who played with Tampa Bay from 1988 until 1998, finishing his career in Chicago. Twenty-two forced fumbles and thirty-two picks are the legacy of this ballhawking DB, and one of the better defenders ever to lace them up for the Bandits. DENVER GOLD The Gold are a team that has always been built on the team concept, more than on acquiring big name stars, but with the success the franchise has had over the years, it does not take much to find players who deserve a spot on Denver’s Mount Rushmore. The favorite son of the Gold is no surprise on this list. LB Kurt Gouveia sat at the heart of the Denver D from his arrival in 1986 through his retirement in 2001. Retiring with over 1,300 tackles, 60 forced fumbles, 42 picks, and nearly 900 tackles for loss, Gouveia was the heart and soul of Denver’s underestimated defense and their team as a whole for nearly 2 decades. If Gouveia was the team’s heart, QB Mark Brunell was its brain. The left-handed passer came to Denver in 1993, but did not get his first start until the 1994 season. Once under center, he would rarely leave that spot until his retirement in 2005. Brunell was consistent and confident week in and week out. He had 8 seasons with 3,000 or more yards, and hit the 20 TD mark in 7 consecutive years for a Gold offense that was never a big play group, but would wear foes down over 60 minutes. Brunell only made 1 All-USFL team in his career, but in the Mile High City he is looked at with almost the same reverence as NFL Hall of Famer John Elway. The third pick is a true homer pick. David Martin was a 4-time All USFL player, but he was also a man who lived and breathed Denver. He stayed in town each offseason, working with kids and community organizations, while training each offseason in the tough Colorado winters to be the best he could on the field. At his best he was an elite cornerback, and while Bruce Pickens has more career picks than the 8-season starter Martin, it is Martin who still has the club record for interception return yardage. Finally, the Gold fans looked at the long history of the club with a forgiving eye, naming troubled HB Rashaan Salaam as the fourth member of the Mountain. Salaam certainly had his highlights for Denver. In 7 seasons he rushed for 1,000 or more yards 5 times and was a pivotal player in the 1999-2001 run that saw the Gold make three consecutive Summer Bowls, winning the middle one in 2000, I large part due to Salaam’s 1,492 yards. Yes, he had issues, and yes, he was essentially shunned by the team after a major incident with law enforcement, but with time comes healing, and it seems the fans in Denver remember the good years more than the bad nights. NEXT WEEK Week five and we are already sensing some desperation in places like Seattle, Orlando, Texas and Nashville. Meanwhile fans in Michigan, Washington, and Philly are beginning to believe in their teams. Will we see preseason favorite start to play like it, or will the unusual start to the season continue into the second 4 games. Here are the games that kick off the next segment of the season. FRIDAY @ 8pm Orlando (1-3) @ Chicago (3-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Philadelphia (4-0) @ New Jersey (1-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Seattle (0-4) @ Birmingham (0-4) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Jacksonville (2-2) @ New Orleans (2-2) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Houston (2-2) @ Arizona (1-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm Portland (1-3) @ Michigan (4-0) FOX SATURDAY @ 8pm Oakland (3-1) @ Las Vegas (3-1) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Atlanta (1-3) @ Charlotte (1-3) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Denver (3-1) @ Washington (4-0) FOX SUNDAY @ 12pm St. Louis (1-3) @ Tampa Bay (3-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Pittsburgh (2-2) @ Ohio (2-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Texas (0-4) @ Los Angeles (2-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Baltimore (3-1) @ Memphis (4-0) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Boston (2-2) @ Nashville (1-3) ESPN

What is going wrong with the Seattle Dragons. From 13-1 last year to an 0-3 start this year. Our game of the week saw the Dragons melt down in the final quarter in the Vegas heat, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And, while we are at it, what is going right for the Michigan Panthers? The Panthers beat a tough Denver team to stay unbeaten at 3-0. They are joined by Philly, Washington, and Memphis as the 4 remaining unbeatens after another week of close games, dynamic action, and surprising results. All of it right here on This is the USFL, Week Three, 2008. SEATTLE DRAGONS 21 LAS VEGAS THUNDER 24 It’s a game of inches. That is what the old axiom says. Extra effort or the slightest mistake can turn the tide of a game. The Seattle Dragons certainly learned that this week as they once again fell short in a game that most expected them to win. Twice they held a lead and twice they let it slip away. Despite outgaining their opponent by 132 yards, and despite winning the ball control game, the Dragons could not salt this one away, and that gave Las Vegas the break they needed to come back on their division rivals. The game began very much to Seattle’s liking, with the Dragons scoring the first 10 points of the match. They got the only points of the first half on a Dave Rayner field goal, and then added 7 when Corey Dillon ran for the score early in the 2nd. But, Seattle has had issues holding leads in all 3 games this season, including this one. Just 2 minutes after scoring their first touchdown, the Dragons gave one up, failing to wrap up HB Marshawn Lynch, and allowing him to build up a head of steam. Lynch broke the initial tackles at the line, and once he did so, it was pretty easy pickings for him to dash the remaining 26 yards and put the Thunder on the board. The Thunder were still down, and they would be down another 3 at the half, but a 13-7 deficit did not produce any sense of concern for Head Coach Jerry Glanville, who expressed confidence at the half that his team would come out ready to battle in the second half. That boast was backed up by his defense in the 2nd series of the half. After a short drive by the offense, Las Vegas had kicked the ball back to Seattle. It was 1st and 10 and Seattle tried to get fancy. They tossed the ball from Leftwich to Sproles, but as Sproles went wide, he tossed it back towards Leftwich. The ball was off target, and Leftwich had not been abandoned by Thunder DE Erasmus James. The backward lateral was a live ball, and James dove, scooped, and rolled back to his feet. Leftwich halfheartedly tried to bring him down, and Sproles tried to sprint back into the play, but it was too late. James took the ball into the endzone and suddenly it was Las Vegas up 14-13. Seattle would rebound in the 4th, with Leftwich hitting David Boston (Who else?) from 10 yards out to go up by 5. The Dragons went for 2 and Sproles used his agility to worm his way into the endzone to give the Dragons a 21-14 lead with 7:28 left to play. But this game was far from over. On their next possession, Las Vegas was in an “all or nothing” mindset. When they failed on a 3rd and 3 from their own 31, Coach Glanville kept the offense on the field, demanding they make the play and get the first down. They did, thanks to McNair connecting with Amani Toomer on a rub route. That kept the drive going, and 4 minutes later, they were in the endzone, McNair finding Matthew Hatchette for the go ahead score. With 1:55 left on the clock, Seattle would have a chance to come back, but they would have to do so against a fired up Thunder defense. On 1st and 10 Leftwich tried to connect with Jeramy Stevens, but A.J. Hawk was there to break it up. On 2nd, Leftwich missed McCants high. On 3rd it was CB Will Allen who made the play, getting his hands between David Boston and the ball. Fourth and 10 from their own 25, and Coach Lewis had no choice but to punt. He gave Las Vegas the ball back with 44 seconds left in a tie game. Las Vegas would not settle for overtime. On 1st and 10 from their own 44, they went for a deep out route and McNair connected with Hatchette for his 5th and final catch of the day. Two plays later, McNair found Kahlil Hill and suddenly Las Vegas was in range for rookie kicker Tyler Mehlihaff. Glanville’s team would take one more shot, trying to get just a bit closer, but they would not connect, so the rookie would come out onto the field with a chance to win the game, but secure in the knowledge that a miss would only send the game to overtime, not lose it for Las Vegas. Mehlihaff lined up from 50 yards out and hit a straight shot through the uprights that would have been good from 60. Glanville celebrated with his coaches (one of whom he had berated on the sideline only a week earlier) and he and Lewis exchanged some pleasantries at midfield, but there was nothing pleasant about Seattle dropping to 0-3, a position this club simply did not anticipate coming into the year. They have New Orleans and Birmingham up next, but even though they will llikely be favored in both games, it seems clear the Dragons have to start treating every game like a must win affair. For Las Vegas, the win pulls them into a 3-way tie for first with the Invaders and Express but they also now sit at 2-1 in Division after three straight divisional games. They will have a 4th next week in Portland. MEMPHIS 32 JACKSONVILLE 16 A big win against a quality opponent for the defending champs, as they double up the Bulls in Jacksonville. Brett Favre threw for 282 and 2 scores while Cadillac Williams rushed for 92 in the win. The defense also came through, sacking Jake Delhomme 5 times and keeping the Bulls’ run game under 100 total yards. Up only 16-9 at the half, Memphis got a huge play, a 35-yard Favre to Evans TD to take command only seconds into the 2nd half, on their way to a 16-point victory. WASHINGTON 19 NEW JERSEY 10 The Federals move to a surprising 3-0 with a road win in New Jersey. The Feds D looks to be back in form as they limit New Jersey to only 192 total yards, including only 79 rushing yards on the day. With the Generals’ D focused on Deuce McCallister, QB Kordell Stewart led the way, completing 24 of 34 passes for 208 yards and a key 42-yard TD toss to former Blitz wideout Eddie Kennison. ST. LOUIS 16 OHIO 30 The Glory struggled early against St. Louis, but came on strong in the 2nd half, scoring 20 of the game’s final 23 points to pull away from their division foe. Kerry Collins threw for 240 yards and 2 scores, both to TE Stephen Alexander, as St. Louis blanketed Galloway and Moss all game long. St. Louis receiver Taylor Jacobs continued to impress with 144 yards on the day, but it was not enough for the Skyhawks to stay on pace with Ohio. ORLANDO 27 TAMPA BAY 34 Orlando drops to 1-2 as they suffer a tough loss against the surprising Tampa Bay Bandits. Daunte Culpepper threw 3 TDs, including two to Chris Doering, as Tampa Bay shocked the Renegades despite 7 sacks of the Bandit QB. Drew Brees threw for 256 and 3 TDs in defeat, but it was Willis McGahee, with 126 on the ground that made the difference, allowing Tampa Bay to run down the clock at the game’s conclusion to preserve the win. ATLANTA 21 CHICAGO 24 The Fire played the Machine tough, but just could not get one more drive to tie the game in the final minutes. Darren McFadden had his breakout week against a usually staunch Chicago run defense, rushing for 122 and a score, but Chicago got a pick-six from Al Harris, safety from DE Anthony Weaver, and a late Quinn to Aaron Shea TD toss to pull ahead and hold on for the home W. DENVER 14 MICHIGAN 17 A good old fashioned smashmouth football game in Detroit as the Gold and the Panthers slugged it out for 60 minutes. Denver’s “scatback’, Mewelde Moore gashed Michigan for 101 yards on 19 carries, while Michigan countered with a 3-back attack that gained 99 yards on the ground. The deciding score was a Matt Prater field goal in the third as both teams battled in a war of attrition for 4 quarters. PHILADELPHIA 33 BALTIMORE 17 The Stars felt none too happy to hear so much about Baltimore’s ascent, and they let them know about it on the field as the Stars dominated the game against the homestanding Blitz. Philadelphia outgained Baltimore by over 100 yards and controlled the clock for nearly 38 minutes, with Marcus Robinson surprising the Blitz by going over 100 yards on the ground and scoring 2 touchdowns to boot. Ron Dayne was held under 80 on the day and Ben Roethlisberger was only able to complete 15 of 30 passes as the Philadelphia defense used multiple zone schemes to keep the QB off balance. BIRMINGHAM 17 NEW ORLEANS 44 An offensive explosion greeted the Breaker faithful in New Orleans’s home opener. Rookie Matt Forte had his first 100-yard game, gaining 119, while Eli Manning threw for 3 scores on the day in a blowout of the Stallions. On the opening drive Manning hit Dwayne Bowe on a 60-yard strike for 7 and the Breakers never looked back from there. Doucet, Forte, Cooley, and Fred Jackson all got scores on the day as New Orleans earned their first win of the season in a big way. BOSTON 26 CHARLOTTE 32 A stunner in Charlotte as the expansion Monarchs scored the game’s final 10 points to upend the heavily favored Boston Cannons. A late D. J. Hackett TD catch put the Monarchs up with only 3:03 left to play, and a turnover on Boston’s frenzied final drive allowed kicker Brandon Cuoto to push the lead to 6 as Charlotte fans celebrated their franchise’s first win. Hackett, brought over from the NFL, would have 103 yards and 2 scores, while former CFL halfback Robert Edwards rushed for 90 yards in the surprisingly strong showing for Charlotte’s offense. PITTSBURGH 28 HOUSTON 23 The Gamblers drop their second consecutive home game as Pittsburgh puts on the defensive pressure. Cody Pickett had one of his best games as a starter, completing 19 of 25 and tossing three touchdowns for the Maulers. Add in 100 yards form HB DeShaun Foster and you have a road upset and a 2nd consecutive win for the Maulers and coach Ron Rivera. NASHVILLE 0 LOS ANGELES 29 Just an ugly game for Jay Cutler, as he is sacked 5 times and picked off in the team’s only red zone venture. LA dominated on defense, thanks to consistent pressure from Keneche Udeze and blitzing rookie LB Keith Rivers, both of whom finished the day with 2 sacks apiece. QB Jeff Lewis of LA avoided turnovers, and HB Ladell Betts scored twice on goalline runs to give LA a rare shutout victory and move them to 2-1. OAKLAND 13 PORTLAND 10 Another good outing for the Portland Stags, but this time they could not secure the win as Oakland gets a late Mike Hollis field goal to edge the homestanding Stags. Ricky Williams only rushed for 79 yards as the Portland D keyed on the big back, but relief back Jurius Norwood added 56, including a 26-yard scamper that put Hollis in position for the game winner. Portland got a TD on a 1-yard Chris Perry run, but could not get another as they were denied on a 4th and 2 from the Oakland 8 yard line, trying to go ahead by 7. Oakland moves to 2-1, while Portland drops to 1-2. TEXAS 16 ARIZONA 27 The battle of winless SW teams goes to the Wranglers as they get 118 yards and a score from Sedrick Irvin. Larry Fitzgerald added 7 on a 58-yard toss from Jake Plummer, and the Wrangler defense limited Texas to only 2 field goals in the second half as Arizona gets their first notch in the win column. Sleepless in Seattle, Winless Too What is happening to the Seattle Dragons? How have they slipped to 3-0? Wasn’t this a 13-win team last year? Those questions and many more are being tossed around sports radio in the Emerald City this season as the defending Pacific Division Champion find themselves 0-3 and in last place, behind even expansion Portland (who shocked the Dragons in Week 2.) The answers are likely not what Seattle wants to hear, but the issues appear to be real. After 3 games, the dragons are 25th in scoring at only 15 points a game, due in large part to poor third down play. They are also 21st in scoring defense, giving up nearly 23 points a game. That is not a horrible number if your offense is humming along, as Seattle did last year, but when the offense is out of rhythm, it can be an insurmountable total. If you looking for quick answers, they are pretty clear to find. Byron Leftwich is completing barely 56% of his passes, largely due to defenses being able to lock down David Boston. Corey Dillon seems to have clearly lost a step or two, averaging only 3.6 yards per carry and finding it difficult to get through the holes his line blocks before they close up again. The two top candidates to be the #2 receiver, Darnerian McCants and Rashied Davis, each have only 6 receptions over 3 games. That is just not enough to keep pressure off of David Boston. On defense, John Abraham is not getting to the QB, largely due to lines shifting away from Travis LaBoy without facing any penalty for doing so. Seattle started blitzing Godfrey Miles this game, to some success, but that takes one more man out of pass coverage for the Dragons. The corners are also struggling. Ray Mickens has had 32 balls thrown his way, and 20 have been completed. Not a good percentage for a starting corner. Marcus Truffant sees far fewer throws his way (only 20 this season), but he too has given up some plays, 15 receptions in total, a very high percentage for the All-USFL corner. In other words, Seattle has some pretty glaring issues to deal with, and very little time to get them sorted out. You lose 4 or 5 to open the season and it is very near impossible to come back into contention, even in a very balanced Pacific Division and even with a 16-game season on tap. Forte & McFadden Have Their Days We have seen this happening over the first few weeks of the season, each week a different rookie HB has their break out game. In Week 1 it was Rashard Mendenhall with a 102-yard debut. He tapered off last week, but bounced back in Week 3 with 122 on the ground against the expansion Monarchs. In Week 2 it was Portland’s Jonathan Stewart, whose 118-yard showing helped the Stags stun the Seattle Dragons. Well, this week, in addition to Mendenhall’s big day, we had two more rookies show their stuff in Week 3 action. Matt Forte was a big part of the offensive show New Orleans put on in their home opener. Forte’s numbers have been growing each week, from 31 yards in Week 1, to 62 in Week 2, and his first 100-yard game in Week 3, rushing for 119 and a score against the Stallions. Yes, we noticed the pattern too, each week basically doubling production. Should we expect 240 yards in Week 4? Probably not, but it does seem clear that Forte is headed in the right direction, and that helps the Breakers as a team to improve as well. The other big day was had by Atlanta’s Darren McFadden, the first back taken in the Open Draft this year. The former Razorback has also shown steady growth, from a disappointing 29 yards in Week 1, to a reasonable 55-yard performance in Week 2, and now a 122 yard, 1 TD day against a pretty good run defense in the Chicago Machine. McFadden’s big day helped Atlanta stay close with Chicago all game long, but in the end it was the Machine who were able to get the win. So, with three backs breaking through to the 100-yard plateau, who might be next? Well, we know Felix Jones in Birmingham is likely out 1-2 weeks with an injury, so that leaves two likely candidates to have their Century Mark Debut, New Jersey’s Ray Rice and Orlando’s Jacob Hester. Both players are currently in HB duos, but that is largely expected to fade as they pick up the pro game. Rice is expected to be a leadback, not a rotational back. Hester may be more of a rotational player all year, as Orlando is quite happy to give carries to Najeh Davenport, especially after the veteran backup gained 121 yards in his season debut. He has not been able to gain more than 35 yards in the two games since, so there is concern that his big opening week had more to do with the opponent’s (St. Louis) shaky defense. If that continues to be the pattern, expect to see more of Jacob Hester out as he gets more touches. Rivers and Campbell Making the Case for a Defensive ROTY in Early Season Two players not waiting around for a chance to get snaps, but making a case early for possible Rookie of the Year honors are both on defense. Orlando found themselves a real weapon on defense with DE Calais Campbell, currently tied with Mike Rucker with the league lead at 5 sacks. The other is LA’s rookie LB out of USC, Keith Rivers. Rivers has amassed 19 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 picks in his first three pro games. Both Rivers and Campbell look like they need no adjustment time at all as they step right in and make an impact for the ‘Gades and the Express. We should also mention that Washington DE Chris Long has also been very strong, with 2 sacks and 2 safeties in his first three games. We also should mention some honorable mentions when looking at rookies who are stepping in on defense. Charlotte’s Jerrod Mayo, who has amassed 18 tackles in his first 3 games, Express CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, who has 16 tackles and earned his first pro interception in the season opener, and one last name, cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who has been locking down the nickel position for Seattle and could be moved up if veteran Ray Mickens continues to struggle. Panthers & Glory Penalized by the League for Cap Violations League Officials in New York came down on two Central Division teams, citing both the Panthers and the Glory for salary cap violations. It appears that both entered Week 1 with a total roster compensation above the league maximum. The violation for both requires a $200,000 payment to the league office, essentially a reduction in the team’s shared revenue payout. Michigan sits at $303,000 above the cap, while Ohio is $288,000 over the limit. Both teams will have until Week 5 to either restructure contracts, cut players, or pay significant additional penalties. Failure to reach the required cap by Week 5 would mean no less than a $1M fine by the clubs. Expect them to try to reach their goal by reducing the cap impact of several high-end players. For Michigan the biggest contracts they might try to reschedule are those of two 2008 free agents, DT Jevon Kearse ($4.7M this year) and DT Leonard Renfro ($3.3M), though they could also look at CB Deltha O’Neal and LB Shawne Merriman, both of whom are over $3M apiece. For Ohio, the Randy Moss deal, estimated at just over $5.1 million per year, is the clear culprit, but Moss seems an unlikely place to cut, so we anticipate they will look at several other veterans, including LT Jacob Rogers, TE Stephen Alexander, and CB Ashton Youboty, each of whom are scheduled to make over $3M this year. Ohio is also carrying a full practice squad, including two veterans who may be potential losses if they prefer to reduce the squad instead of negotiating with some top players about their salary structure. As a final note, and considering that teams typically want to have at least $1M-$2M in cap space for mid-season free agent signings due to injury, right now there are 3 teams below $1M, with Houston joining the Panthers and Glory. The only other team below $2 million in reserve cap space are the 0-3 Dragons, who may want to free up a bit more to make midseason trade offers. At the other end of the spectrum we have Portland with nearly $20 million unspent. Charlotte and Portland both have a one year waiver on reaching the league minimum of 85% of the cap, due to their nature as expansion clubs, but while Charlotte actually spent quite freely on NFL and USFL free agents, Portland was quite a bit more frugal, making them the “richest” potential trade partner this season. Following Portland are the Atlanta Fire and St. Louis Skyhawks, an indication that the process of moving from expansion club to a club with high cost talent can take several seasons. Three weeks in and still no players on IR, which is great, but that does not mean we have avoided all serious medical concerns. This past week we saw Texas lose 21-year-old DE Chris Harrington for up to 3 months with a broken wrist. They are not putting him on IR at present, but that could change following the surgery he will have this week to remove two bone chips from the wrist. Birmingham got bad news for their struggling offense as veteran WR Joe Horn will miss at least 4-6 weeks with a possible fracture in his femur. That can be a nasty injury as the pain can linger well into the healing process. Others who could miss up to 4-6 weeks include Chicago guard Sean Mahan (MCL) and Arizona CB Asante Samuel (dislocated shoulder). In the 1-2 week range we find NJ Wideout Mark Clayton (eye), Tampa Bay DE Derrick Burgess (elbow), Memphis fullback Theron Wilson (groin), New Orleans wideout Early Doucet (hamstring) and Atlanta center Jim Pyne. Others who might play but are questionable to doubtful for Week 4 include Generals DE Shaun Ellis, Birmingham rookie HB Felix Jones, Chicago SSSammy Knight, Washington G Chad Ward, St. Louis OT Ross Verba, and Philadelphia WR Reche Campbell. USFL Announces 10 Semi-Finalists for HOF Class of 2008 The USFL league office in New York this week released the 10 semi-finalists for the 2008 Hall of Fame class, and for the first time in a long time there appears to be an even split between first year nominees and returnees hoping to get in on their 2nd or 3rd attempt. It is an impressive group, and while we know that only five of the ten semi-finalists can earn a gold jacket this year, they are all players who impacted the game and helped to make the USFL what it is today. We start our brief introduction to each player with the five returning nominees. WR Raynard Brown (PIT 87-97, NOR 98-02) Brown, in his second year of eligibility, was a go to receiver for both the Maulers and the Breakers over his 15 year career, amassing more than 1100 receptions and nearly 16,000 yards. Brown was named to two All-USFL teams and won himself a ring in 1995 with the Maulers. LB Pat Swilling (MEM 1991, HOU 1992-2002) One of the mainstays’s of the Houston Gambler defenses that helped the club win league titles in both 1992 and 1996, Pat Swilling was the man you did not want to meet in the open field. A clinician of a tackler, with a bit of a mean streak, Swilling had no problem running through or over the ballcarrier to make the play. In his second year of eligibility, Swilling retired in 2002 with 44 sacks, 8 picks and 905 tackles. CB Bruce Pickens (DEN 91-02) Another of the class of 2002 retirees who is hoping that their second year of eligibility is the golden year. Pickens was a mainstay of the Denver Gold defense for over a decade, retiring in 2002 with 990 tackles, 44 picks, 26 forced fumbles and 12 sacks. Not afraid to take on running backs, Pickens was alsoa ball hawk in coverage, and a big part of the defense that got Denver to three straight Summer Bowls between 1999-2001 and a title with the 2000 squad. DT Chester McGlockton (TBY 92-94, ATL 95-98, LA 99-02) The odd man out in the DT class last year that saw brothers Michael Dean and William Perry both make the Hall. McGlockton was a fierce presence in the middle of the line for three teams, amassing 295 tackles and 35 sacks at the DT position. DE John Bosa (PIT 87-93, TEX 94-02) Defensive End John Bosa not only showed incredible longevity for an edge rusher, playing 16 seasons in the USFL with the Maulers and Outlaws, he was also a consistent threat to get to the QB, amassing 167 sacks in his long career. Never selected to an All-USFL team, Bosa’s accomplishments are more about consistent excellence than any highlighted years of dominance. And now, the five members of the retirement class of 2003 who have made it to the HOF semi-finals in their first year of eligibility. LB Broderick Thomas (ARZ 89-03) The face of the Wrangler defense for over a decade, Broderick Thomas could do it all. A tackling machine (1,454 career tackles), who could also rush the passer (73 sacks as a blitzer), and play coverage as well (18 picks), Thomas was a player you had to gameplan to avoid or face some pretty dire consequences. An 8-time All-USFL selection, Thomas has to be considered a favorite to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer. SS Bennie Blades (MEM 88-95, BAL 96-00, ARZ 01-03) An absolute terror in the center of the field, Blades held down the fort for three different clubs in his long USFL career. A 10-time All-USFL selection at strong safety, Blades retired with over 1,200 tackles (1,256 to be exact), 54 sacks, and 20 picks. If selected, Blades would be the 4th safety to make the Hall from the pass-happy USFL, joining William Cesare, Donald Dykes, and Frederick Wilder. DT John Randle (BAL 90-03) Another in a long line of aggressive, penetrating defensive tackles, Randall was lighter, smaller, and more athletic than most of the gigantic man-mountains we usually picture at the position. Randle currently sits 2nd in both tackles (743) and sacks (102) by a defensive tackle, trailing only the legendary Jerome Brown. Will Shields (TBY 93-98, NJ 99-03) A five time All-USFL selection at guard, Will Shields split his time in the league between the Bandits and Generals, earning a championship ring with the astounding offense of the 1998 Tampa Bay squad. Shields played in 163 games, starting in 157 of them and missing only 2 starts once named a starter in Tampa Bay. In his 11 years he allowed only 38 sacks, a monumental accomplishment for a player on teams that often relied on the pass. LB Marvcus Patton (DEN 90-03) The second Gold defender from the 90’s to make the semifinalist list, Marvcus Patton would join squad-mate Kurt Gouveia in the hall if selected. Patton played 14 seasons with the Gold, amassing 1,064 tackles, 29 sacks, 9 picks and 3 All-USFL nominations. He, like Gouveia and Pickens, was an integral part of the 3-season run of Summer Bowls and the 2000 league title for the Gold. With such an illustrious group it is hard to say which 4 will make the hall again. We do anticipate that for the second consecutive year we will see at least 3 of the 5 slots go to defenders, but with names like Thomas, Randle, Blades, Pickens, and Swilling, that should be expected. Can Shields or Brown bust through that group to represent the offenses? We shall see sometime between Weeks 10-14, the usual period for announcing the final class. Week Two of our Mount Rushmore Project brings us two teams with very different histories. Philadelphia fans had to choose from players who helped bring three titles to the City of Brotherly Love, while Arizona Wrangler fans had perhaps a tougher task of deciding which players from 25 seasons of frustrating close calls stood out. For both, however, as with our Week 1 teams (New Jersey and Oakland), a pattern seems to emerge, with the top choice or choices (the Washington and Lincoln as we call them) being slam dunk selections named by all or almost all, with the third “Jefferson” pick being a bit more open for debate, and the 4th “Teddy Roosevelt” pick being an all out war of words among fans. That pattern we saw last week certainly held true with the Star and Wrangler fanbases as well. PHILADELPHIA STARS It took Stars fans no time at all to settle on their Washington and Lincoln picks, with halfback Kelvin Bryant and quarterback Chuck Fusina each represented in over 90% of all ballots and being largely unquestioned in all the online commentary. Winning two titles in three years will do that. These two stars are inseparable in most people’s minds, representing the faces of the franchise when it first took the field in 1983 and leading Philadelphia to an early claim as the USFL Team of the 80’s. In fact, so strong is the love in Philly for the Stars of the 1980’s that all four of their representatives on Mount Rushmore hail from that era, though they also extend well into the nineties in some cases. Bryant, for example, came to the Stars as a rookie fresh out of UNC in 1983, and his career spanned 12 seasons until he retired in 1994. Over that time the big back gained over 15,000 yards and scored 113 touchdowns on the way to titles in 1985, 1987, and 1994. Chuck Fusina was already a veteran of several NFL seasons when he arrived with the Stars in 1983. The former Nittany Lion would play 9 more years, well into his 30’s in Philly and he too would help guide the Stars franchise to multiple titles before retiring in 1992. Known as a field general and shrewd tactician, what Fusina lacked in physical gifts he made up for with smart play and a calm demeanor. The third member of the Stars’ Mount Rushmore also began with Philly in 1983, a top college talent called too short by NFL scouts. Sam Mills played middle linebacker for the Stars from 83 through 88, captaining the defense through two title runs and racking up 517 tackles in 6 seasons. Mills would eventually move to the NFL along with Head Coach Jim Mora Sr, but would always be remembered first and foremost as a Philly Star. The final Star to make the mountain was a topic of considerable debate. Some wanted DE William Fuller, others argued for wideout Mike Quick or 1994 title-winning QB Chuck Long, but in the end it was the Mighty Foot that took the honors. Kicker David Trout, the first kicker in USFL history to connect from 60 yards out, is the fourth and final member of the Hall of Fame. Trout, who served as the Stars’ placekicker form 1983 all the way until his retirement in 1995, had a lifetime total of 373 field goals, including 41 from beyond 50 yards. Many a game was won by the last second heroics and mental focus of David Trout, a fact that fans brought up time and again in nominating the special teamer to the group of four. ARIZONA WRANGLERS For the Wranglers, unlike Philadelphia, there was no “Golden Age” or championship run that would define the selections. In fact, many fans were upset that contemporary players were not eligible since Jake Plummer has so clearly defined the franchise for the past decade. But, as with all 24 teams, the final tally is one that includes a couple of pretty unanimous picks as well as debate at the tail end. Linebacker Broderick Thomas was a pretty easy and pretty consistent choice for the Wrangler Nation. Thomas, who patrolled the middle of the field, terrorizing receivers and backs alike, for 15 seasons, from 1989 all the way to 2003, was the face of the franchise and the most feared Wrangler for over a decade. Thomas retired with over 1,400 tackles and 70 sacks, and will forever be remembered and cherished by Wrangler fans for his role in bringing Arizona to the league title game in 1990, only his 2nd year in the league. A dominant defender, Thomas was awarded All-USFL status 8 times and will be eligible for Hall of Fame consideration this season. Wrangler fans would certainly make him a first ballot inductee. The second selection, the “Lincoln”, was a founding member of the roster that would become the Wranglers in 1984. After the infamous “franchise swap” between Chicago and Arizona in the 1983-1984 offseason, Trumaine Johnson moved from Chicago to Arizona, where he would play for 11 seasons. Despite the prolific passing game of Jake Plummer, it is still Johnson, from the earlier days of the franchise, who holds the team record for career completions with 1,122, receiving yards with 14,166, and receiving touchdowns with 109. The selection of this 1999 Hall of Fame inductee was another easy decision by Wrangler Nation. The third and fourth selections were part of a three way debate, but only two could get in. Fans were split between three Arizona defenders, with DT Al Noga, FS Martin Bayless, and SS David Fulcher all having arguments in favor. Fulcher’s claim to fame was the pick-six, which he executed 6 times in his career, but with Martin Bayless holding the team record for both interceptions (42) and INT return yards, Bayless got the nod over his teammate and roommate, Fulcher. Bayless played 13 seasons with the Wranglers before a controversial signing sent him to rival LA for the final two seasons of his career. The consummate ballhawk, Bayless was the Wrangler defensive MVP twice and was nominated to the All-USFL team in 1989 and 2000. With Bayless winning the battle of safeties, that left the final spot for the big man, defensive end Al Noga. Noga played 11 seasons on the line for the Wranglers, racking up 106 career sacks and becoming a fan favorite due to his affable personality and willingness to spend time with fans, be it after the game or just around town. While never among the league’s elite in sack totals, Noga still had 8 of 11 seasons with double digit sacks, and was a big reason teams could not double team Broderick Thomas when he blitzed. Noga may never make the USFL Hall of Fame, but his name is already on the Wrangler Circle of Honor. Two teams with very rich histories and very memorable superstar players. Next week we will continue with our next two teams, the Bandits and the Gold. We all expect to see Eric Truvillion top the list for Tampa Bay, but will Gary Anderson, John Reaves, Troy Aikman, or Winston Moss be joining him. For Denver, the team built on “no superstars”, just who will make the cut? Kurt Gouveia seems a good place to start, but how about wideout Odessa Turner, Corner Bruce Pickens, LB Marvcus Patton, QB Mark Brunell, or DE Leslie O’Neill. Cutting that pool of Gold legends down to 4 will not be easy. Week Four closes out the first quarter of the season. Lots of clubs at 2-1 hoping to go out 3-1, and lots of teams at 1-2 hoping to end the season’s first month at .500. Will we keep 4 unbeatens? Will Seattle finally get a win. We will have to wait and see. Here is this week’s lineup, with national broadcasts in Bold and all divisional games in blue, as always. FRIDAY @ 8pm Ohio (2-1) @ Denver (2-1) NBC SATURDAY @ 12pm Washington (3-0) @ Orlando (1-2) ABC SATURDAY @ 12pm Nashville (1-2) @ Philadelphia (3-0) FOX SATURDAY @ 12pm Birmingham (0-3) @ Baltimore (2-1) FOX SATURDAY @ 4pm Arizona (1-2) @ St. Louis (0-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 4pm New Orleans (1-2) @ Seattle (0-3) ABC SATURDAY @ 8pm Houston (1-2) @ Texas (0-3) ESPN SUNDAY @ 12pm Charlotte (1-2) @ Memphis (3-0) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm Michigan (3-0) @ Jacksonville (2-1) ABC SUNDAY @ 12pm New Jersey (1-2) @ Boston (1-2) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Las Vegas (2-1) @ Portland (1-2) ABC SUNDAY @ 4pm Tampa Bay (2-1) @ Atlanta (2-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 4pm Chicago (2-1) @ Pittsburgh (2-1) FOX SUNDAY @ 8pm Los Angeles (2-1) @ Oakland (2-1) ESPN