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One quarter of the season down and we have some surprising situations across the league. We have 3 unbeaten teams and they are all in the same division. That should lead to some real battles as more divisional games get played. We have two surprise division leaders in 3-1 Los Angeles and 3-1 Memphis. We have real concern in Portland, where the transition to Akili Smith at QB has been anything but smooth, and in Chicago, where the miss on Donovan McNabb means Chicago is struggling to get production from the QB position. We could also say that 1-3 starts in Philly, Washington, Oakland, and Arizona are raising some eyebrows, but there are still 12 weeks left to play, so plenty of time for slow starters to get the wheels moving. Looking at the Week 4 games, we have some really interesting outcomes, so let’s get to the games. For the second week in a row the New Orleans Breakers pushed a game to overtime, but this week they could not come out on top as they fell to the Houston Gamblers, keeping the home squad unbeaten this season. It was a game that started slow and built to a dramatic finish. Houston and New Orleans struggled to move the ball in the first half, with both clubs having their share of unforced errors, costly penalties and missed opportunities. Houston’s defense focused on containing Ricky Williams and in the first half they were highly successful, holding him to only 7 carries and 17 yards. New Orleans allowed Faulk and Levins some room on the ground, but pressured Chuck Hartlieb on every passing down, producing 3 first half sacks and a costly pick that ended a Houston drive in field goal territory. Houston would go into the half with a slim 3-0 lead on a long Lindsey field goal early in the 2nd quarter. The halftime adjustments for both clubs seemed to pick up the offensive production, with New Orleans finding their first success as they turned the ball over to Jamie Martin and used Williams mostly as a play action decoy. Martin responded, going 5 for 6 on the Breaker’s opening drive in the half, a drive that ended with the QB finding Isaac Byrd for a short 4-yard TD pass to put the Breakers on top. Houston responded with their own drive, highlighted by a 20-yard draw play to rookie Kevin Faulk on 3rd and 6. They had to settle for another Lindsey fieldgoal, trailing 7-6 after 3 quarters. Houston’s best drive came early in the 4th, when the Gamblers strung together a screen to Levins, a nice gainer to Derrick Mason, and finally a 9-yard TD toss to Antonio Freeman. They would get the 2-point conversion on a well-designed FB fake and toss out to Faulk, a rookie who has been building a repertoire in the Houston offense as a reliable outside threat and 3rd down back. Houston leads 14-7. Setting up the drama of a late drive by the Breakers. After failed drives by both clubs, New Orleans got the ball back with just over 3:30 left to play. Abandoning the pretense of the run, Martin connected with Raynard Brown twice, mixed in with a short toss to Eric Pegram and another to TE David Lafleur. The drive got help from a deep ball pass interference call against Houston CB Allen Rossum. Two plays later Martin found Horace Copeland open in the endzone and with the PAT the Breakers sent the game to overtime. In overtime, the Houston pass rush shut down New Orleans on their first possession, with both Kavika Pittman and Michael Sinclair earning sacks on a short 5 play drive. The sack was Sinclair’s third of the day, pushing him into the league lead with 8 sacks in only 4 games. Houston got the ball back at their own 27, and 5 plays later set up Lindsey for a makeable, but not automatic, 49-yarder. Lindsey connected well and the ball went right down the middle, giving the homestanding Gamblers the win, their 4th in 4 games, and sending New Orleans to the buses at 1-3. TEX 19 CHI 7 Texas kept pace with Houston thanks to a win under bad conditions in Chicago. A windy day mixed with rain and sleet made this a tough game for all involved, including a brave 17,202 who came out to Soldier Field despite the weather and the pretty horrible play of the 0-4 Machine this season. Texas got TDs from Jeff Query and Reggie Cobb as both teams largely kept to the ground. Chicago got a combined 100 yards out of Duce Staley, Ricky Watters and Mario Bates, limiting Jeff Garcia’s role, but still struggled to produce much, gaining only 219 total yards on the day. After the game, Coach Mornihnweg would not commit to Garcia for Week 5, meaning that we may see Alex Van Pelt back under center. STL 38 MGN 17 It was a battle of unbeatens in Pontiac when the St. Louis Knights squared off against the Michigan Panthers. But, after an initial field goal for the home team, St. Louis would rattle off 31 unanswered points over the next 3 quarters, putting the game away as the 4th quarter began. Ahman Green was the star of the day for the Knights, rushing for 115 yards and 2 scores, though backup Chris Howard also found success, rushing for 60 yards and a score as well. Michigan struggled with St. Louis’s pressure D all day, with Flutie throwing 2 picks and Tyrone Wheatley limited to only 20 yards rushing as the Panthers fell to their division rival by 21 points in the end. POR 9 LA 21 On the other end of the spectrum from the 4-0 clubs we have the Portland Thunder who are clearly in a rebuilding year with rookie Akili Smith at QB. Smith had a pretty solid day in LA, throwing for 320 yards, but he also threw two costly drive-killing picks, while fellow rookie Cade McNown again playd a conservative game, protecting the ball and letting his run game dictate the flow of the action. LA got scores from both Antowain Smith and Michael Pittman to outpace the Thunder, moving their record to a surprising 3-1 early in the season, one win better than their entire 1998 campaign. ARZ 20 SEA 19 The Wranglers finally got a notch in the win column, upending Seattle in Seattle on a rainy Sunday afternoon. The Wranglers sacked Seattle QB Jon Kitna a whopping 8 times on a sloppy field at Husky Stadium, and Tim Lester showed up big in the muck, rushing for 91 yards, including a 53-yard TD run that included several defenders hydroplaning right past the runner. Jake Plummer struggled in the rain, throwing 3 picks, but the Wranglers held on and got the 1-point win thanks to a questionable decision by Coach Tiller to go for 2 and the win instead of kicking the ball and heading to overtime. DEN 28 OAK 14 The Gold seem to have found their stride, doubling up the Oakland Invaders thanks to an aggressive pass rush and a solid 2-TD day from Rashaan Salaam. It was not flashy, but Denver was solid on both sides of the ball, corralling the Oakland run game and harassing 2nd year QB Ryan Leaf with 5 sacks. Keith Jackson came up big for Denver, catching 8 balls for 63 yards and a score as well. NJ 26 JAX 20 The best game in the East this week came in Jacksonville, where the Bulls played the Generals tough. The defenses kept finding answers in the second half, with both clubs only able to produce field goals after the half. New Jersey got 4 to Jacksonville’s 1 and that was the difference as Coach Schottenheimer got his club to 3-1 thanks in large part to a defense that picked off Chris Chandler 3 times and limited Natrone Means to only 56 yards rushing. Curtis Enis looked solid, gaining 81 yards on only 12 carries as he split time with Lamont Warren due to a nagging hip pointer. BAL 39 BIR 27 Baltimore kept pace with New Jersey pulling off the always difficult road win in Birmingham. An early sack of Brett Favre helped turn the game as the plucky QB had to leave the game with pain in the elbow of his throwing arm. MRI’s did not reveal any lasting damage and Favre should start next week, but Danny Kannell struggled in his stead, connecting on only 10 of 32 passes. Meanwhile, Trent Green completed 79% of his throws, mostly short tosses, but got support from the big back duo of Derrick Fenner and Mike Cloud, both of whom ran in scores to help the Blitz stay atop the Atlantic and move the Stallions to 2-2 after their fast 2-0 start. PIT 27 MEM 17 The Maulers snuck up on Memphis in this one, perhaps a trap game as the Showboats looked ahead to a Week 5 matchup against Michigan. The Showboats seemed unprepared for a heavy dose of Terrell Davis, which seems surprising when it seems clear he is the key to Pittsburgh’s offense. Davis rushed for 157 yards, including a bruising 47 yard burst that set the tone for the game on Pittsburgh’s first drive. Charlie Batch benefited from the success of the run game, using play action to throw for 3 TD’s, all to top receiver Andre Rison. The Showboats seemed shocked by the energy of their opponent and were never able to match it. They drop to 3-1, which still leaves them atop the Southern Division, but certainly less secure in that position. PHI 17 TBY 33 Tampa Bay joins Memphis atop the South with a solid win over an overmatched Philadelphia Stars club. It was 27-3 until the 4th quarter as Troy Aikman picked apart the Star defense to the tune of 351 yards and 3 TDs. Randy Moss was held to only 2 catches, but that created room for Robert Brooks and Chris Doering to have big days. Add in 136 yards on only 5 catches for big TE Ben Coates and you have a pretty easy win for the homestanding Bandits. WSH 15 ORL 29 The Renegades evened their record at 2-2 with a nice win against the Federals in a rowdy Citrus Bowl. A crowd of just under 50,000 saw the Renegades get 4 TDs from Scott Mitchell (despite 3 picks on the day) and watched as their defense limited Barry Word to only 45 yards rushing, putting pressure on Kordell Stewart to carry the day. The combination of solid defense and time-killing offense by Orlando allowed them to come back from a 15-14 deficit and score the game’s final 15 points to take the win at home. OHI 16 ATL 24 The Fire got their first win of the year at the expense of the visiting Ohio Glory. Tiki Barber contributed 2 TD’s and the defense limited Eddie George to only 45 yards rushing as the Fire contained Ohio’s offense and avoided turnovers to keep the game in range all day. A late Lake Dawson TD from Jeff George gave them an 11-point lead and limited Ohio’s options. The loss drops Ohio to 2-2 in a very tight Atlantic Division. QB IS KEY If you want to quickly gauge the success or failure of clubs in the USFL, all you really need to do is look at the QBR. The top 5 QBs (Collins, Aikman, Stouffer, Shuler, Brunell) have a win-loss record of 16-4, with Denver’s 2-2 record being the only non-division leader. Conversely the lowest QB Ratings among starters with at least 100 pass attempts belong to Akili Smith (0-4 Portland), Jeff Garcia (0-4 Chicago) and Jeff George (1-3 Atlanta). Yes, there are certainly other factors that explain the disparity between these clubs, and yes, the 4th worst QBR belongs to the QB of 4-0 Houston (Chuck Hartlieb) but perhaps that is the exception that proves the rule. The key to the USFL has always been the passing game, and that seems to be the case this season to be sure. So what do the teams at the bottom of the standings do? Well, in Chicago we may see a change as there is certainly no deep connection to Garcia that keeps him in the starting lineup. In Portland the future is in Smith’s hands, but the club needs to do more to support the young signalcaller. The biggest issue might be in Atlanta, where highly touted Jeff George was signed in hopes of providing the Fire not only with a veteran NFL presence at the position, but a potential face of the franchise. He struggled in his first USFL season, but that is not unusual for players coming over from the NFL without an offseason to recover and heal. But 4 games into 1999 and we see a largely immobile QB with a strong arm but issues with decision making. He has 2 TDs to 4 picks in his first 4 games this season, and there are already voices in the Atlanta metro area calling for former Georgia QB Eric Zeier to get back under center. Coach Lewis does not seem ready to make that call yet, but if Atlanta continues to struggle in the passing game it may have to happen. AND WHAT OF THE RUN? It is an old cliché that the run game, paired with defense, was the key to victory. That may have been the case in the NFL, but it has never really panned out in the USFL. Yes, the league has had their share of great backs, but when you look at who has produced championships it has always seemed more tied to the passing game (and again defense) that does it. There are exceptions of course, such as Washington’s use of Barry Word 2 years ago. but when you look at the top rushers over the league’s first 15 seasons, you see that New Jersey did not win titles during Herschel Walker’s most dominant years, Portland has not turned Robert Drummond’s success into championship trophies, and Birmingham did not sniff a title during Joe Cribbs’ illustrious career. Titles have gone to Bobby Hebert, Jim Kelly, Troy Aikman, and Brett Favre in their best years, and that seems to be the path needed to get there more and more each year. When you look at the current rushing leaders you don’t always see frontrunners. Pittsburgh is 1-3 despite Terrell Davis’s league leading 354 yards rushing. Portland is 0-4 and Atlanta 1-3 despite having Drummond and Barber in the Top 5. Only St. Louis’s Ahman Green pairs a top 5 rushing season with a winning club, and we all know that most folks point squarely at the St. Louis defense for that. So, while HB is always a big name position in pro football, more and more the USFL is proving that the key to winning in this league is a dynamic passing game, and that a rusher, while a nice weapon in the arsenal, is not going to move you forward all by himself. Some tough losses this week around the league, led by Pittsburgh guard Rod Milstead with a hip injury that may extend well beyond the season. Milstead seemed to almost fold in half during a rushing play with Davis and had to be carted off with what we now know to be a significant fracture to the hip joint that could impact his entire future career. New Orleans also took a big hit with CB Walt Harris going down with a fracture in his tibia that could take the rest of the year to heal. St. Louis got some bad news with a knee injury to center John Jackson, one which could cost him as much as 2 months of action. In Atlanta the concern is for safety Charles Mincey, who could also miss 6-8 weeks. Tampa Bay will be without their dynamic wideout Randy Moss after he broke a finger in the game this week. Washington’s defense will likely feel the absence of DE Tony Brackens for the next 1-2 weeks as he is doubtful with a painful groin injury. And in Portland more bad news as C Jeff Uhlenake will likely miss action with a fractured cheekbone. We are taking some time to investigate the issue of paid v. donated tickets in the USFL and the impact on both club and shared revenue, and we hope to have a report soon, but in the meantime we wanted to offer something to our fans, so here is a topic that always leads to debate across the league: What are the best rivalries in the USFL? This is not an issue that will be answered definitively, since almost every fan base believes their club’s rivalry is the fiercest, and because rivalries adjust over time as clubs improve or fall behind, shifting the dynamics. Some rivalries are natural by-products of geography, some are built on controversy, and some on frequent playoff clashes. We have a little of all three in the rivalries we have selected. Here are our Top 5 USFL Rivalries for you to consider. 5) Birmingham & Memphis: The prime rule of real estate applies here. Location, Location, Location. With two diehard fanbases located within a comfortable drive of each other, and with natural rivalries having developed between the states and regions thanks to the SEC, this is a fierce rivalry between two clubs that like to take on the mantle of representing football in the South. It is not uncommon for there to be a visiting contingent of 15,000 or more fans at the rival’s home stadium each time these two division foes meet. While this rivalry has rarely produced playoff matchups, it is always a fun time (and a great tailgate feast) when these two meet. 4) Houston & Texas: Regional rivalries do dominate our list, but this one has added drama thanks to one man, Texas coach Jack Pardee. Famously the first coach of the expansion Gamblers in 1984, Pardee helped build a team that would go on to become one of the most storied in the league, though most of its success came when Ray Willsey took the helm. He bolted for the NFL, leaving the Gamblers somewhat sore, and then returned to the USFL not only with another club, but with the other club in the state. The two clubs, separated by less than 200 miles of I-10, would naturally develop a regional rivalry, but the bitterness over the Pardee departure from Houston has added extra bile to the games played in both the Astro Dome and the Alamodome. 3. Houston & Philadelphia: Our first non-divisional rivalry. This one is about bragging rights. Both Houston and Philadelphia like to picture themselves as the historical masters of the USFL, with both having won 3 titles over the league’s first 14 years. Philadelphia was the first to get their title in 1985 and they got their second ring at Houston’s expense, beating the Gamblers in the 1987 title game. Houston would earn their first title the next year and would then add a 2nd in 1992. Many expected the Gamblers to reach their 3rd title first, but they struggled, losing the 1993 and 1995 Summer Bowls to Eastern foes. It was Philly who snagged a third title first, thanks to a swarming defense and a career year for QB Chuck Long. The Stars added title #3 in 1994, inspiring a Houston revival that led to the Gamblers snagging their third 2 years later in 1996. The two clubs do not square off very often, but their fans tend to spend a lot of time calling the other overrated while defending their preferred 3-time champion. 2) New Jersey & Philadelphia: This one is an obvious one. Jersey and Philly, two fan bases known for passion and a certain love-to-hate-you ethos. We see it in the NFL with the Giants and Eagles, and that passion carried over to the USFL with the Stars and Generals. First it was all about the Walker-Bryant debate, then about championships (advantage Philly), and you throw in some controversial calls in big games, and some bitterness about everything from draft choices to quality of cheesesteak and you have a natural rivalry between two divisional foes that goes back as far as the American Revolution (the battle between Philly and NYC to be the nation’s capital before DC was ever imagined.) It’s not for the faint of heart as neither stadium can really claim to have a family-friendly zone when these two play, but if you love passion in football, this rivalry will get you what you crave. Honorable Mentions: Before we reveal what we believe to be the best rivalry at the current time in the USFL, there are a few others that deserve our attention. First up is the Cascade Curfuffle between the Portland Thunder and the Seattle Dragons. Portland and Seattle like to puff up their chests about many topics, and now with both having USFL clubs, the rivalry lives on the field. Another worth exploring is the divisional rivalry between Denver and Oakland. Again with carryover from the old AFL/NFL rivalry between the Raiders and Broncos, this rivalry also benefits from the regular battles between these two for the Pacific Division title. Other than a few incursions by Arizona, it has typically been these two fighting it out, and with Oakland still standing as the only Pacific Division club to ever win a league title, there is a bit of gloating and envy involved as well. Finally, one last honorable mention has to go to the once-vital rivalry between New Orleans and Michigan. This one has faded a bit as the clubs have not been as dominant as they once were, but this at one time was a huge rivalry, stoked in part by having a native Louisianan at the helm of the Panthers during their glory years and by the constant pain of Breaker fans as they were so good but could never get to the title game in the late 80’s and early 90’s. We could also mention the three-way Florida rivalry, but that three-way split makes it harder for any 2 teams to really dominate the ferocity that we see in other rivalries. But, speaking of Florida, we are now ready to talk about the best rivalry in the USFL, and yes, it involves that state heavily. 1) Tampa Bay & Birmingham: Plenty of rivalries to enjoy in the USFL, but if you want that perfect combination of two good teams with exciting players and big plays, regional animosity, parallels with college football competition, and just a real good time at any game, you have to go with the Bandits and the Stallions. Not only do you have a natural animosity as generations of Florida and Alabama football fans continue to battle for football supremacy at every level from HS to the SEC and now pro ball, but you have also had some of the greatest matchups in the battles between these two. Whether it was the early years of Reaves and Anderson vs. Stout and Cribbs, or the current offensive fireworks of Favre v. Aikman, this is just a fun rivalry that is nothing but serious animus between the diehard fans of both clubs. Unlike Memphis-Birmingham we don’t often see large sections of opposition fans at each home stadium, but that is because tickets are so hard to get when these two get together. So there you have it. Our opinion on the best rivalries in the league, sure to anger many, and while we would love to hear your take on how Ohio-Pittsburgh has meaning or how Chicago and St. Louis have natural animosity, we stand by these choices. The best way for you to determine if we are right is to pack up the family trickster and get yourself to each of these rivalry games when they fall into the season, or, if you are really lucky, when they clash in postseason play with everything on the line. Week 5 is a full interconference slate, with Pacific clubs heading east to play the Atlantic Division and Central Division clubs visiting the South. Among the intriguing interconference clashes we have 4-0 Houston in Birmingham, setting up a battle between an aggressive Gambler defense and the Stallions’ passing game. St. Louis is in Orlando in a game that could be a slogfest as rain is predicted for central Florida on Sunday. Texas, the other undefeated, perhaps has the toughest matchup as they also might face the elements in addition to the passing attack of the Tampa Bay Bandits. Tampa will be without Randy Moss, but they still have a wide range of weapons to throw at the Outlaws. On the other side of the coin, there are some matchups of underperformers that could help define the season for each, whether they rise above their early struggles or fall into a spiral. 0-4 Portland is at 1-3 Philadelphia, with neither able to afford another blow to their record. Likewise, 1-3 Oakland are at 1-3 Pittsburgh, with the prospect of dropping to 1-4 not in the plans for either club. 1-3 Washington has a tough matchup as they host the Denver Gold, while the two clubs atop the Atlantic feel they have good matchups as Baltimore hosts Arizona and New Jersey hosts the Seattle Dragons. The LA Express continue their tour of fellow 1995 expansion clubs with a visit to Ohio, a game that in the preseason few would have highlighted on the schedule, but one which now feels like a potentially solid watch. Rounding out the schedule for the week we have Michigan at Memphis in a battle of 3-1 clubs hoping to get to an impressive 4-1 start. We have 0-4 Chicago visiting the 1-3 Atlanta Fire in a game that few are likely to tune into, though Atlanta is trying to get a crowd for the game by doing a BOGO on tickets to Bobby Dowd. Finally, the 1-3 Breakers are in Jacksonville to face the 1-3 Bulls. One of these clubs could scratch their way to relevance with a win.

Week 3 in the USFL proved to be a week of burst bubbles as Ohio, Birmingham, Los Angeles, and Seattle all saw their unbeaten streaks end at 2 games. This leaves, Michigan, Memphis, Texas, and Houston as upstart 3-0 clubs, alongside St. Louis who is not sneaking up on anyone. On the flipside, we also saw Philadelphia, Jacksonville, New Orleans, and Oakland earn their first wins of the year. But that still leaves 5 clubs still searching for their first win of the year, with Arizona, Pittsburgh, and Portland all scratching their heads, while Chicago and Atlanta really cannot be too surprised by their situation. There is still hope for the 0-3 teams, and even the 3-0 clubs cannot get too cocky this early in the season, but what we are seeing so far is some clubs overachieving based on our preseason estimations while others have yet to gel and are dangerously close to becoming also-rans before they figure things out. However, even with the storylines not matching what we thought we would see, we are still seeing a lot of good football, so let’s dive right in with our game of the week, a gutwrenching overtime loss at home for the Portland Thunder. This was a wild one, a game where neither club, both sitting at 0-2, could afford to take another loss. It is also a game that saw the home favorite blow a 17-0 lead to a club not known for its comeback ability. This matchup also featured two of the most highly touted rookies to sign with the USFL, and the two that their clubs traded away a lot of draft capital to obtain. It was Ricky Williams for the Breakers against Akili Smith for the Thunder, but it was also Williams taking on the 2-time rushing champion, Robert Drummond in a battle of big backs, and a coming out party for a former Mauler who now steps in as the clear #1 receiver for the Breakers. We started off by teasing that Portland somehow blew a 17-0 lead, and that is absolutely what we all saw. They got on the board thanks to their run game, with both Robert Drummond and 3rd down back June Henley finding room on the ground and finding the endzone. New Orleans did get on the board with a field goal late in the first half, but then immediately boosted the Thunder when Jamie Martin threw a pick-six to CB Corey Sawyer. So, rather than 17-0, the half saw the score at 24-3, a 21 point deficit. But, as so often happens, the halftime adjustments led to a massive swing of momentum. New Orleans came out of the half invigorated and Martin began to atone for his earlier mistake. He hit Az-Zahir Hakeem with a short TD on the Breakers’ first drive and then brought New Orleans to within 7 by hitting Horace Copeland for a 2nd score in the 3rd quarter. From a 21 point lead, Portland now had only a 7 point margin. Despite his success in the 3rd, or perhaps because of it, Martin was not error free, and once again as the 4th quarter began, he made another huge mistake, tossing a second pick-6, this time to Portland’s newest defensive acquisition, FS Mike Dumas. The 43-yard return put Portland back up by 14 with only 8 minutes left in the game. Martin responded again, finding game-leading receiver Raynard Brown from 18 yards out to again pull within 7. Brown would finish the game with 138 yards on 10 receptions, but this one was by far his most important catch of the day. New Orleans lined up for a deep kick, but caught the Thunder daydreaming when Lin Elliott pooched the kick and it was recovered by backup HB Eric Pegram, one of Portland’s better special teams players. This flub by Portland gave New Orleans exactly what they needed to finish the game strong and send it to overtime. Martin used runs by Williams (72 yards on the day) to help position the offense for a final push, and with one more nice toss to Hakeem the game was tied. Portland, stunned by the late score, seemed content to let the game run out, handing the ball off to Robert Drummond on consecutive plays instead of going for a late field goal. That decision proved to be a huge error as New Orleans won the toss and never let Portland see the ball in overtime. The Breakers used short passes and the running of all 3 of their halfbacks to move the ball deep into Thunder territory. On a 1st and 10 they faked the ball to Ricky Williams, drawing all the defenders to the right of the line and out of position when the ball was flipped instead to James Bostic, who had an easy romp 8 yards into the endzone for the game winner. It was a humiliating loss for Coach Tobin and the Thunder, a huge win for Coach Ditka and the Breakers. With the defeat Portland falls to 0-3 and questions about the decline of a club that had recently had Summer Bowl aspirations were starting. Many felt that the transition to Akili Smith would require a retooling, after all his skillset and that of 1998 starter Jack Trudeau are very different, but it remains the defense (and in this game, the special teams) which seem to regularly let down the Thunder. For Big Mike one win is not enough to prove him right to go after Williams, and he will need to get Jamie Martin to avoid those big mistakes, but a win is a win and he will certainly take it. TEX 24 SEA 20 Our GOTW was hardly the only solid matchup of Pacific and Central clubs, as we had several good games on the weekend. Texas and Seattle both came into the weekend undefeated, so we knew someone was going to come away at 3-0. Thanks to 328 yards and 3 touchdowns from Kelly Stouffer, that someone was the Outlaws. Seattle was handicapped by yet another injury to Jon Kitna, leading to Brian Griese again getting the start. It was a rough one for him, despite Seattle hanging around all day. Griese completed only 41.7% of his passes and was sacked 6 times, including 2 from Texas’s dynamic LB Jevon Kirkland, the POTG thanks to his 2 sacks and 10 tackles. MGN 34 LA 31 Another matchup of unbeatens saw 2-0 Michigan head out to LA to play the 2-0 Express. Both clubs availed themselves nicely in this one, as the game went back and forth all day before a Winslow Oliver run put the Panthers up for good. In his third game as a pro, Cade McNown threw for 3 scores, but also 2 picks, while for Michigan the story was TE Butch Rolle’s 96 yards receiving. Known more as a TD-scoring red zone guy, Rolle proved invaluable as the Express double covered both Muhsin Muhammad and Jeff Campbell all day. Despite taking the loss, we had to give LA wideout Mike Pritchard our POTG because his 144 yards, 9 receptions and 2 scores helped LA stay in this game until the waning moments. STL 37 ARZ 31 The Wranglers, desperate to avoid 0-3, did their best against that St. Louis defense, and they found some holes, gaining 374 yards on the day, but the Knights found more in the Wrangler D, racking up almost 450 yards passing on one of Todd Collins’s best days under center. Collins would be POTG and POTW thanks to 448 yards passing and 5 TDs. While his favorite target was Bert Emmanuel (14 receptions on 16 targets, for 179 yards and a score), rookie TE Reggie Kelly also played a big part, catching 9 balls for 66 yards and a score. The leading rusher for Arizona was actually Jake Plummer, who ran for 121 yards on the day, most of it on an 89-yard TD run that caught St. Louis totally by surprise. It was not enough, however, as the visiting Knights got the 6 point win. HOU 24 DEN 23 Yet another beauty of a game in the Western Conference as the Gamblers came back from 14-3 down and got a late Hartlieb to Hart Lee Dykes TD to upend the homestanding Denver Gold. Houston was outgained by Denver and struggled on 3rd down all day (2 of 9), but found a way to win at the end to move to 3-0. Our POTG could have been Mark Brunell for Denver (41 of 56 for 377 yards and 3 scores) but with the Houston win we gave it to LB Allen Aldridge, who contributed 3 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. CHI 13 OAK 26 Our final game of interdivisional play saw winless Chicago again struggle to mount an offense as they faced the Oakland Invaders. They got a solid 84 yards rushing from Ricky Watters, but another underwhelming day from Jeff Garcia meant that Chicago would fall to 0-3 on the season. Oakland blended rushing from their top 2 backs, with Siran Stacy getting 41 yards on 14 carries, while Troy Davis found room outside, rushing for 65 yards on only 10 carries. That, plus 4 field goals by Oakland’s Joe Nedney in the 3rd quarter helped the Invaders double up the Machine and earn their first win of the year. PHI 27 WSH 24 In the East it was all about divisional matchups again, and this week we got some real grudge matches. Philadelphia needed a win after starting the year a surprising 0-2, but the Federals were not in a giving mood. Washington outgained Philadelphia 423-281, but only had a 7 point lead after 3 quarters. In the final quarter Bobby Hebert came alive, leading the Stars to two consecutive scoring drives, the final one ending with an Hebert to Stinnett TD with only 1:49 left on the clock. Washington had a chance to tie the game late, but the kick from Doug Pelfrey, a 48-yarder in a swirling wind, veered to the left and missed its target, giving Philadelphia reason to celebrate. Our POTG for this one should have been that wind, but we decided to keep it to a human winner, so we picked DE Regan Upshaw, who harassed Kordell Stewart all day, creating 2 sacks, a forced fumble and a recovery. OHI 29 NJ 39 The Glory hoped to move to 3-0 this week, but the Generals had other ideas. New Jersey got 3 TDs from their HB corps (2 from backup Lamont Warren) and the D sacked Kerry Collins 5 times to preserve a hard-fought win in the Meadowlands. A strong 2 sack day boosted POTG Phil Hansen’s total for the year to 5, so he now shares 1st place once again. Joey Galloway played big for Ohio, with 170 yards on 8 catches, but it was not enough for the Glory, who fall for the first time this year. BAL 21 PIT 17 Pittsburgh played the Blitz tough in Three Rivers, but in the end it was too much from Trent Green and the Blitz. Green hit Ferrell Edmunds with the go-ahead score late in the 4th to squash any Pittsburgh hopes of a home win. Pittsburgh had gotten a solid day from Charlie Batch and the offense, putting up 212 yards passing, but Baltimore made good use of their tight ends all day, with all 3 catching passes from Green and Kyle Brady leading all receivers with 7 receptions. Green would win POTG for his 273 yards passing and 2 scores, but honestly this could have been a game where we just recognize the O-line, because they kept Green’s jersey clean all day despite Pittsburgh’s best efforts. TBY 23 ORL 20 OT One of the bigger games of the week saw the Bandits hold off the Renegades to get a tough road win. Orlando actually outgained the usually prolific Tampa Bay offense, but in the end, there was just a bit too much from Tampa Bay. Orlando needed a field goal as time ran out to tie up the game, but in overtime they simply could not find a rhythm, while Tampa Bay got an early field goal from Vanderjagt and then stumped the Renegade offense to lock up the win. Our POTG in this one was HB Errict Rhett, who finished the day with 112 combined yards (12 for 78 rushing and 4 for 34 receiving) and 2 scores as the Bandits rebounded from their loss to Birmingham. BIR 17 MEM 32 The Stallions’ victory over Tampa last week must have left them hungover, because they did not look like the same team at all against the Showboats. Brett Favre threw two picks and suffered 4 sacks as the Memphis pressure seemed to overwhelm the Stallion line. Meanwhile Heath Shuler threw for 260 and 2 scores. The defense also added points as POTG, SS Alvin Walton, took back a Favre pick 74 yards for a high-stepping TD to open the 3rd quarter and put Memphis up 26-3. Birmingham would add two late scores, but this game was over after 3 quarters. Memphis moves to 3-0 and can lay claim to sole possession of first in the Southern Division. ATL 20 JAX 35 The most complete game of the young season for Chris Chandler and the Bulls as the veteran QB threw for 4 scores and 367 yards against an Atlanta secondary that simply did not have anyone locked down. Terrell Owens led all receivers with 9 catches for 127 but it was his teammate, Brian Blades, who got POTG for his 2-TD performance. Altanta had a good game from Tiki Barber (158 yards rushing), but were unable to control either the clock or the Bulls as Jacksonville pulled away in the second half. Collins Starting Strong While no one is surprised to see St. Louis jump out to a 3-0 start, what has caught some people by surprise is the success Todd Collins has had at QB this year. We have all gotten accustomed to the Knights being about defense and ball control and considering Collins a “game manager”, but after 3 weeks the former Michigan product is leading the league in all three major passing categories: QB Rating, Yards, and TD passes. Completing 69.9% of his passes is a huge reason he is atop our ratings list, but what has truly shocked folks is that he has more yards after 3 weeks than Aikman, Favre, Brunell, Shuler, or Kelly Stouffer. The emergence of Bert Emmanuel as a top flight receiver, along with what appears to be a very shrewd draft pick of TE Reggie Kelly are two huge reasons for Collins’s early success. Fans in St. Louis may now have even more reason to get on the Knights’ bandwagon. Not only able to win games, the Knights now can be entertaining as well. No Air in the Windy City On the opposite side of the spectrum we have Chicago, who simply cannot get much going in the air at all. They lost out on Donovan McNabb when he signed with the NFL Eagles instead, and after choosing to go with former LA Express QB Jeff Garcia as the season starter, the Machine have struggled through their first three games, averaging a paltry 10 points a game. But what is the solution? Do they stick with Garcia and hope some chemistry will develop? Do they go back to Alex Van Pelt, who had some big passing games but few wins for Chicago last year? Do they work a trade to try to bring in a potential starter, and at what cost? Could they even try to entice Chris Miller or Jack Trudeau out of retirement? Heck, why stop with USFL retirees? Why not reach out to Dan Marino or John Elway, both recent retirees from the NFL? Yeah, who are we kidding. Garcia or Van Pelt seem the short-term answer, though not one that is getting a lot of butts in seats or points on the scoreboard in Chicago. Small Wonder Not much has gone right in Oakland so far this season, as the Invaders, sitting at 1-2, have struggled on both offense and defense, but the one bright spot has been the emergence of backup HB and frequent 3rd down back Troy Davis as a big play weapon. Davis has 20 carries this year but has ammased 207 yards, a 10.4 yard per carry average. He has also been a valuable 3rd down outlet in the passing game. And while no one expects Davis to be a 20 carry per game back, or to pound the ball up the middle, defenses are going to have to take note of the diminutive 5’8” back out of Iowa State. Spinning, juking, and just getting lost in the mosh of the line seem to be providing Davis with opportunities to break into the secondary and create some big plays for the Invaders. It may not be the offense that Dan Reeves hoped to see this season, but it is a bright spot for a club looking to build something. Sackapalooza We have gotten used to the race for the league sack leader to be a bit of a bore, with New Jersey’s Phil Hansen being a dominant force over the past half-decade, but last year we saw Chris Doleman upend the status quo and outpace Hansen to not only a league sack title, but a tie with Hansen at 25 sacks for the season record in the USFL. Turn the calendar page to this year and what we are already seeing is a free-for-all, with no fewer than 4 players tied atop the sack list after 3 weeks. Yes, we have Hansen in his usual position, atop the board, but right there with him are Philadelphia’s Regan Upshaw, Houston’s Michael Sinclair, and an early Rookie of the Year candidate in Birmingham’s Michael Rucker. Rucker exploded into the scene with 3 sacks in his first pro game, but has added 2 more since then. Sinclair has always been an explosive player, but seems to have upped his repertoire of moves this year, and Upshaw has added some muscle to combine power moves with speed moves on the edge. And, lest we forget, last year’s title holder, Chris Doleman in Orlando, sits only 1 sack behind the leaders with 4 QB captures in 3 games. He could easily become a factor once again this season. If you love the big edge rushers, this season may be one of the best ever to watch them strut their stuff. Not great news for QB’s to be sure, but fun for the rest of us. A pretty light week on the injury list, something we always like to see. But, light does not mean that everyone came out unscathed. Memphis is going to be without CB James Fuller for up to 3 months thanks to an MCL-ACL injury that will require extensive rehab. In Jacksonville the big loss this week was RT Jon Runyan, who could miss anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks with a hip injury. Chicago will be without CB Alan Grant for at least 2 weeks with a wrist injury, while in LA, newly acquired former Green Bay Packer George Koonce left the game with a groin injury, a painful one by the look on his face, and is listed as doubtful this week. Also doubtful for Week 4 action are Washington DE Tony Brackens and, once again, Portland QB Bill Musgrave. Up Highway 1, Seattle should have QB Jon Kitna back after missing last week’s game. With Seattle suffering their first loss during Brian Griese’s 1-game stint, we expect Kitna to get the nod as soon as his health allows. There was not much news around the USFL’s New York main offices this week, and no trade action to speak of, so we thought we would take a look at the early lineup of potential Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees from the USFL this year. As always we expect a list of 8-10 semifinalists to come out mid-season, with the final vote occurring towards the late summer. We also expect a mix of first time ballot candidates along with some of the 2nd and 3rd year nominees who just missed the cut last season. Let’s start with likely returning nominees from the past two years, those who retired between 1990 and 1992. HB John Williams (MGN): Eight seasons with the Michigan Panthers (83-90) produced 6 1,000 yard seasons, a career average of 4.2 yards per carry, and 61 total touchdowns. A nominee since 1995, when the Hall first created its USFL wing, Williams came closest to induction in his 3rd eligible year, where he finished only 3 votes behind Craig James in voting, just missing out on a spot. This year would mark his last year of eligibility. C William Copley (BOS/NOR): A 10-year starter for the Breakers, Copley started 153 of a possible 154 games in his career. In all that time, 154 games, he allowed only 2 sacks. Center is a tough position to gauge, with few statistics kept that can help him make his case, but those two items should earn him a spot in Canton. This is his 3rd year of eligibility. FS Frederick Wilder (BIR/NOR): Wilder played 2 years in Birmingham before moving on to New Orleans, where he would play another 11 seasons. Wilder started an impressive 155 of 169 possible games, racking up 712 tackles and 32 interceptions in his 13-year career. A 6-time All-USFL selection, Wilder was one of many Breaker players to take part in a run of 9 consecutive playoff seasons, but, as with the entire Breakers franchise never earned a Summer Bowl title. DE Bob Barber (BIR): One of the early sack specialists in the USFL, Bob Barber started all 16 games his first year in Washington, amassing 13 sacks, but was dealt to Birmingham for the 1984 season. In Birmingham he earned another 91 sacks in 10 seasons. His high water mark was 1985, when he finished with 15 sacks. Barber, a 3-time All-USFL selection retired after the 1992 season, missing out on Birmingham’s only title by 1 year. And among first time nominees we expect to see some pretty impressive names: LB Ben Apuna (ARZ/CHI/BAL): A 12-year vet at LB, Apuna began his career with the Arizona Wranglers, before taking part in the roster swap that sent him, and nearly the entire Wrangler squad, to Chicago. He would remain with the Blitz through their seasons in Chicago and then on to Baltimore. In his 12 seasons, he won All-USFL accolades 5 times, always at his familiar MLB position. He retired in 1993 with 973 total tackles, including 129 recorded as tackles for loss, 19 sacks and 13 interceptions. LB Sam Norris (CHI/ARZ): Another member of the infamous roster swap, Norris was the lightning to Apuna’s Thunder with the Wranglers and the Blitz. He too retired in 1993, leaving the game after 189 games played, 163 starts, 1,174 tackles, 206 for a loss, and 29 sacks. A weak side backer for most of his career, Norris was outstanding against the run and forced 16 fumbles in his 12 year career. WR Eric Martin (LA/STL): Drafted by the LA Express in 1985, Martin would spend his entire career with the franchise, both as the Express and later the St. Louis Knights. In his 10-year career, he caught 689 passes for 9,561 yards and 54 touchdowns. His best year was 1988, when he had 84 receptions for 1,328 yards as a member of the Express. Despite his consistency and reliability, Martin was named to only 1 All-USFL team, in his best season, 1988. T Arnoldo Gardner (MGN/TEX): An original member of the Michigan Panthers, Gardner played 12 years at tackle, starting on the right before moving to the coveted LT position midway through his career. He played for both Panther championship squads, a total of 10 years in Pontiac, before signing with the Texas Outlaws in 1993. He started 173 of a possible 178 games over the span of his career. Considered a strong run blocker, Gardner did have some issue swith speed rushers, giving up 95 sacks over his career, a number which could cost him a shot at Canton. WR John Jefferson (PIT/ORL): One of the early USFL poachings from the NFL, former San Diego Charger John Jefferson came to the Pittsburgh Maulers in 1985, after playing 7 seasons already in the NFL with Air Coryell (1978-1994). He would play another 10 in the USFL, becoming one of the oldest players at his position by his retirement in 1994. Over his USFL career he caught 878 passes for 12,505 yards and 70 touchdowns. When paired with his NFL numbers Jefferson is one of the most prolific receivers in pro football history. He was a five time All-USFL selection, winning the honor in 5 consecutive years with the Orlando Renegades after leaving Pittsburgh after 3 USFL seasons. K Tim Mazzetti (BOS/NOR): The Kicking Bartender, Tim Mazzetti, was a mainstay on the Breakers roster from their early days in Boston through the playoff run of 9 straight years, retiring in 1994 as one of the most recognizable and well-renown kickers in league history. Over his 192 games he converted 99.6% of all PAT attempts (489 of 491) and 86.8% of all field goal attempts, including an impressive 226 of 237 kicks from less than 50 yards. His longest kick actually came in his final season, a whopping 59-yarder. His 1990 season produced a record which still stands for field goal attempts with 53, as well as the record for made field goals at 48. If a kicker from the league’s first 10 years is going to make it into the Hall, Mazzetti would be that kicker. But there is one player, and we think only one, who is a surefire first ballot entrant. If he does not get in in his first year of eligibility, we will be stunned to say the least. WR Trumaine Johnson (CHI/ARZ): One of the earliest stars of the USFL, Trumaine Johnson terrorized cornerbacks for 12 seasons, first as a member of the Chicago Blitz, before making the switch to the Arizona Wranglers. Johnson was named to a stunning 9 All-USFL squads in his 12-year career. He went over 1,000 yards receiving all 12 seasons of his career, including reaching 1,400 yards 7 times. He also had double digit touchdowns in 6 seasons. He retired with a per game average of 89.1 yards receiving and over 16,500 total receiving yards on 1,209 catches. Johnson may not have won the titles that Anthony Carter did, or grab the records that Eric Truvilion did in Tampa Bay, but for over a decade he was a player every defense had to scheme for, and a teammate every player wanted on his side. We would be shocked if Truvillion did not get universal approval to join his fellow USFL stars in the Hall of Fame this October. Week 4 gives us our first look at divisional action in the Western Conference, and that means some real desperation games. 0-3 Arizona has to find the will to win as they head up to Seattle to face a 2-1 Dragons club. Denver and Oakland are both 1-2 and would love to reach .500 with a win as they battle by the Bay. Portland is 0-3 and face an LA squad that still has plenty of doubters. In the Central we have perhaps the game of the week as the 3-0 Michigan Panthers face their toughest foe to date, the 3-0 defending conference champion Knights. This game could draw up to 60,000 in St. Louis. Texas takes their 3-0 start to Chicago, where Coach Mornhinweg has yet to find an offensive rhythm with the Machine. New Orleans, fresh after their first win of the year now heads to Houston, where the Gamblers are eyeing 4-0 despite Chuck Hartlieb ranking as one of the worst QB’s in the league in QB Rating. Back East it is Atlantic v. South and a lot of clubs at 2-1 or 1-2 hoping to get the ball rolling. Philly is in Tampa Bay with the tough task of slowing down Troy Aikman and that Bandit Ball offense. Washington is in Orlando in a game that is tough to call with both clubs an inconsistent 1-2. Baltimore and Birmingham face off in a battle of 2-1 clubs, one known for offense and the other for staunch D. The only 3-0 club left in the East, Memphis, is home to 0-3 Pittsburgh. Can the Showboats start the year with a perfect 4-0 quarter? Ohio is hoping to move to 3-1 but Atlanta will do all they can not to fall to 0-4 when the two meet in Bobby Dowd Stadium. The week ends up with New Jersey in Jacksonville to face the Bulls. A win by the Generals would keep them atop the Atlantic Division.

Only two weeks in and we already have some interesting storylines to follow. Whether it is the surprising 2-0 starts of Los Angeles, Ohio, and Seattle, or the equally shocking 0-2 starts for Arizona, Portland, Oakland, and Philadelphia, there is a lot of head scratching around the league. Add in an epic Southern clash between two of the best offenses in football, and an equally intriguing battle in St. Louis between the hard hitting defenses of the Knights and the Gold, and you have a heck of a second week in the USFL this season. Let’s get to it with that Bandit-Stallion showdown in Legion Field. The Saturday Night Game of the Week on ESPN was a beauty this week, with the league champion Bandits and their 2nd year phenom Randy Moss headed to Legion Field to play Brett Favre and the always dangerous Birmingham Stallions. Both clubs came into the game with big Week 1 performances in hand, and we all knew that with both clubs being offensive-minded franchises, it might come down to who had the ball last with a chance to score, and that is exactly what we got. What we did not expect was that it would be a back up QB who would get the job done and get the win for the Stallions. The game ran much the way we thought it would for about 55 minutes. Both clubs proved their offensive might, combining for oaver 700 yards passing between them, with Troy Aikman completing 39 of 57 passes for 291 yards and 2 scores, while Brett Favre one-upped him going 17 for 33 for 373 and 4 scored. But Favre was also sacked 6 times, and late in the 4th, one of those sacks got him sent to the lockerroom with a possible ankle injury, leading the way for a most unlikely hero in rarely used backup Danny Kanell. The game entered the 4th quarter with Birmingham holding a 22-18 lead thanks to two 3rd quarter TD passes from Favre, the first a 37-yarder to the speedy Lawrence Dawsey, and the second to his new lead TE, Walter Reeves. It had been 18-7 after Tampa Bay got a TD from Aikman to Marsh to start the second half, but now, with 1 quarter to play, Birmingham started off with a clearly-insufficient 4-point lead. That lead shrank almost immediately when Mike Vanderjagt connected on a short FG to bring Tampa Bay back to within one score. But, just as they had all day, Birmingham responded, with Favre hitting Dawsey for his second score of the day, a 20-yard corner-post that worked to perfection. Tampa responded in only 3 plays, with Aikman hitting Randy Moss for 1 of his 10 receptions on the day, and the only score, a 39 yard deep ball that had Moss leap over the defender to make an acrobatic catch for the score. Tampa went for two but failed, leaving them now 2 points behind the Stallions at 27-29. They would catch a break only 60 seconds later when Orpheus Roye recorded a sack of Favre, forcing a fumble on the play. CB Darien Gorden picked up the loose ball and Tampa Bay had a chance to go ahead. Birmingham’s defense held after the Tampa Bay drive got them all the way to the Stallion 7-yard line. On 3rd and goal, Aikman was forced to throw the ball away thanks to solid coverage and a charging Mike Rucker. Tampa put 3 on the board with 1:21 left on the clock, and with Favre having hobbled into the locker room, the small contingent of Bandit fans in the stadium were feeling pretty good. Danny Kanell barely ever sees the field thanks to the iron horse Favre, but he would have his shot here to make himself an instant hero. Coach Erhardt, knowing that Tampa Bay would be bringing pressure, called up a perfect call with an outside screen to Stephen Davis. Kanell dropped back and found Davis alone, with 2 blockers in front. The short dump off pass led Davis and the big back rumbled down field for a massive 63-yard gain, leaving Birmingham at the Tampa Bay 5 yard line with just under a minute to play and 2 timeouts. After having FB Mike Alstott crash into the line on first down, leading to a 1-yard gain, he turned back to Kanell. Kanell faked the ball to Davis, now back on the field after a 1-play respite, and bootlegged to his right. After initially setting up to block, TE Walter Reeves slipped past the backer and out into the flat, an easy target for Kanell. Birmingham went up 35-30, failing to convert on the 2-point conversion, but leaving Tampa Bay with only 23 seconds left on the clock. A squib kick and some prevent defense secured the win for the Stallions as teammates congratulated Kanell while still hoping that Favre had not suffered a major setback. The club got the good news 3 hours later that the exams and x-rays showed no lasting damage. Favre would likely be able to start next week, and the Stallions could celebrate the win over the Bandits to the fullest. ORL 27 JAX 23 The Southern Division gave us a good game on Sunday as well, with Jacksonville holding their own with Orlando through three quarters before giving up 13 points in the final period to let the game slip away. Chris Chandler threw 2 touchdowns, but a late pick, paired with a Robert Bailey 99-yard kickoff return, flipped the momentum to the Renegades, who finished the tame with two Charlie Bauman field goals to move from a 23-21 deficit to a 27-23 victory. POTG was Orlando CB Deon Figures, who had 8 tackles, 3 passes defended and the key pick in the 4th to swing the game towards Orlando, though certainly Bailey and his electric kick return deserve kudos as well. MEM 28 ATL 10 Memphis moved to 2-0 thanks to an explosive 21-point first quarter as Heath Shuler found Joe Horn twice and newly-acquired Bobby Olive in a huge quarter for the Tennessee grad. The game would calm down after the initial scoring outburst, as Memphis was content to hand the ball to Garrison Hearst (15 carries for 44 yards) and Moe Williams. Both Joe Horn and TE Adrian Cooper finished the game with over 100 yards receiving to lead the Showboats. Atlanta struggled as Memphis’s D held Tiki Barber to only 38 yards rushing and Jeff George completed only 57% of his throws on the day, including two picks in the first half. The player of the game was Memphis LB Joe Mott, his second POTG in two weeks, as he made 6 tackles, a sack and forced a fumble by George. WSH 20 NJ 12 Huge early games in the Atlantic, including this one, a defensive battle between the Federals and the Generals. Washington relied on Barry Word and his 95 yards rushing to outlast the Generals, who struggled to move the ball against that vaunted Federals’ front seven. Curtis Enis was bottled up, with only a 2.2 YPC average on 11 carries. The game’s final score was set at the half, with neither team scoring a point in the second half of the game. Washington CB Charles Woodson was named POTG for his 5 tickles, forced fumble, recovery of that fumble, and his late pick of Spence Fischer to preserve the 8 point lead. PHI 19 BAL 36 Philadelphia @ Baltimore was the other big matchup in the Atlantic, and it went solidly in Baltimore’s favor as they got big plays from both Derrick Fenner and Mike Cloud out of the backfield. Fenner had 4 rushing touchdowns and one through the air as well, despite rushing for only 54 yards, while Mike Cloud had a huge 48-yard run to help him finish the game with 127 yards rushing on only 9 carries. Charlie Garner had a solid game (137 yards on 15 carries) for Philadelphia, but the Stars simply could not put points on the board despite keeping largely even with Baltimore in yardage (414 to 423). Derrick Fenner was named player of the game for his 4 TD performance, a game Al Bundy would be proud of. PIT 20 OHI 23 The final game of the Atlantic divisional games saw Ohio move to 2-0 under Coach Al Luginbill, as the Glory upended the Pittsburgh Maulers in front of only 23,042 fans in expansive Ohio Stadium. Kerry Collins threw TDs to Joey Galloway and Derek Brown, but it took a Don Silvestri 47-yard kick with just over 4 minutes to play to give Ohio the home victory. Pittsburgh had a shot at a comeback, but opted to go for a 4th and 3 instead of giving kicker Scott Blanton a shot at a 54-yard kick. Ohio CB Vince Buck broke up the 4th down throw from Charlie Batch and the Ohio sideline breathed a sigh of relief as they moved to 2-0 with the win. Kerry Collins was named POTG for his 35 of 54 day. He threw for 351 against the Maulers to go with his 2 scoring tosses. DEN 17 STL 27 Sunday Night’s big game was the Denver Gold in St. Louis to take on the Knights. Denver would provide more offensive spark (342 total yards to St. Louis’s 251) but the big story was the 5 takeaways produced by the aggressive Knights’ defense, including 4 picks of a flustered Mark Brunell. St. Louis scored 17 points off those turnovers, the difference in the game to be sure. Rookie Reggie Kelly looked good at tight end, catching 3 balls, including 2 redzone touchdown passes. The POTG rightfully went to the defense, where it was split between DE Chad Bradtske (2 sacks on the day) and FS Isell Reese (2 picks). POR 0 TEX 29 Texas gets the shutout as an early injury to Portland QB Bill Musgrave forced an uprepared Akili Smith into action. The rookie QB completed only 6 of 19 passes against the Outlaws, and with Texas focused on Robert Drummond, Portland simply could not produce any steady offense. Texas split carries between Reggie Cobb and Rodney Thomas, with the duo combining for 94 yards and a score. We even got our first Tommy Maddox sighting in Outlaw green & blue, as Maddox mopped up the game in the 4th. The POTG was LB Garth Jax for the Outlaws. Jax produced a safety, dropping Smith in the endzone, but also added a forced fumble and 4 tackles on the day. OAK 23 MGN 42 Concern in Oakland and surprised joy in Michigan as the Invaders fall to 0-2 while the Panthers start off the season with two very solid wins. Tyrone Wheatley had a big game, rushing for 160 and 3 scores against an Invader defense that clearly has not found itself yet. Michigan also had some defensive issues as Oakland’s diminutive HB Troy Davis busted out for 135 yards on only 8 carries, including a 56-yard romp in the 2nd quarter. But, the Panther D proved successful in limiting Oakland scoring chances, while the offense proved it had depth and talent. Even when Doug Flutie went out of the game after getting poked in the eye, Elvis Grbac showed he had some talent, completing 7 of 16 and finding Cedrick Tillman for a score. Wheatley was the POTG for his dominant rushing performance. ARZ 21 HOU 23 Arizona fell to 0-2 as they struggled to move the ball on the ground against Houston. Darrell Thompson had a rough day, rushing for only 12 yards as Houston forced Jake Plummer as well, forcing 7 sacks and a lot of errant throws as Plummer found himself running from the pocket on almost every obvious passing down. Rookie Kevin Faulk had a solid game sharing carries with Dorsey Levins, the two combining for 110 on the ground. Wideout J.J. Stokes, a new acquisition for the Gamblers, had his first catch in black and crimson, a key TD late in the game that helped Houston pull out the win at home. DE Michael Sinclair was an easy choice for POTG with his 3-sack performance. SEA 23 NOR 20 Seattle also moves to 2-0 as fans actually booed the home town Breakers late in the game. Seattle did not look good early, with Jon Kitna falling to injury and Brian Griese throwing 4 picks in the game, including one to Breaker FS Darren Woodson, a pick 6 that put the Breakers up 20-16 midway through the final period. But, Griese redeemed himself 3 minutes later, finding rookie TD-maker David Boston on a 38-yard scoring toss to regain the lead and bring out the local boo birds. At least the Breaker fans had no reason to boo rookie HB Ricky Williams, whose 107 yards rushing were the highlight of the home team’s day. While it looked like Woodson, with the late pick-6 was a shoe-in for the POTG, the late score change led to Eric Metcalf (6 receptions for 122 yards) gaining the honor. LA 26 CHI 10 Before we get too excited about the LA Express’s 2-0 start, we should remember that the two clubs they have beaten were two of the league’s worst last year, 0-2 Atlanta and 0-2 Chicago. What fans should be excited by is the production coming from LA rookies, as both Cade McNown and Tory Holt helped contribute to the Express victory. In a game where Chicago focused on shutting down lanes for Antowain Smith (only 17 yards rushing), it was on McNown and the passing game to come through. The UCLA product went only 13 of 33 but did throw for 2 scores and again avoided interceptions as he led the Express to match their total win total for all of last year in only their first 2 games. POTG was given to LA free safety Martin Bayless as he recorded 7 tackles and a key sack on a 3rd down blitz that shut down a late Chicago drive. The big story after 2 weeks is the somewhat inverse listing of winless and undefeated teams. While there remains a lot of skepticism around the league that this quick start for Ohio or LA really means that either club has turned a corner, there is curiosity about just what might be different about these clubs this year. Likewise there are early concerns that teams like Oakland and Philadelphia have let themselves get complacent and that others have caught or surpassed them. Yes, this all falls into way-too-early panic, but that is what fanbases do. So what do the statistics tell us? Well, on the positive side, they show us that teams like Michigan, Houston, and even LA are among the league leaders in points, along with the expected 1-2 of Tampa Bay and Birmingham. Michigan is also third in yardage, just behind the Stallions and Bandits, a good sign that things might be in a good position for the Panthers. LA and Houston are not there yet, so this causes some concern that their early success has more to do with bad opposition and the unreliability of takeaways. if we look at defense as well we see some surprises. Texas leads the league, having only allowed 12 points in 2 games, but that includes a shutout of Portland after Bill Musgrave went down to injury. LA is second, and again we look at the fact that they have faced only Atlanta and Chicago as a likely reason. Memphis, sitting at 3rd, gets more respect, while Ohio also seems to be overperforming to come in 4th after 2 weeks, ahead of such expected defensive heavyweights as Baltimore, Washington, and St. Louis. Looking at defensive yardage totals, Houston has allowed an impressively low 48 yards rushing to lead all teams, with Texas and Orlando right behind them. The top passing defense after only 2 weeks is Texas. We expected the Outlaws to depend on run game and defense this year, as once again their receivers seem somewhat undervalued. Chicago is a surprise #2 in pass defense, but their offense seems to be the major issue, so perhaps if they can get into the win column it will ride on defense. Finally we look at turnovers and takeaways and we see the usual parallel with win-loss record. St. Louis, Memphis, LA, and Houston are all tied at +5 after 2 weeks, and they are all undefeated. Birmingham is a surprise last at -4, having forced only 1 turnover so far, while Brett Favre alone has accounted for 4 picks, yet the Stallions remain undefeated in large part due to Favre’s arm. Like we said, it is very very early. Too early to panic or to pat yourselves on the back. Let’s at least wait until the ¼ mark of the season after week 4 before we start anointing or vilifying anyone. After a relatively clean first week, we started to see some game and season-impacting injuries this week. The worst of the blows was to Memphis CB James Fuller, who broke his femur, a painful break that will take at least 4 months to heal and then start rehab. His season is tragically over after only 2 weeks. Atlanta will be losing FS Charles Mincy for perhaps 2 months as he also suffered a fracture, though not a full break. Others expected to miss multiple weeks include Jacksonville LB Jessie Armstead (hamstring), Memphis TE O.J. Santiago (thigh), Denver CB Todd McMillon (knee), and New Orleans wideout Darren Flutie (thigh). Portland QB Bill Musgrave is listed as doubtful for Week 3, so we may get to see a full game and a full week of prep for Akili Smith. Another QB unlikely to play is Jon Kitna in Seattle, after being listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. Both Brett Favre and Doug Flutie are expected to start this week after being pulled last week due to injury. Others listed as probable include Chicago CB Eric Allen (neck), Birmingham SS Darryl Williams (finger), and St. Louis wideout Bert Emmanuel (Concussion). Our first off-field story of the week focuses on the ownership of the Orlando Renegades. As you may recall, it was a little over a year ago when the ownership group led by private hospital magnate Donald Dizney, expanded the ownership group for the Renegades by selling a minority share to NY Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Dizney, who owns a 51% share of the Renegades after being a minority owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits, had shared ownership with a small group of Florida investors, including Woody Weiser, who had originally been the lead owner in a bid for the club when it was targeting Miami and not Orlando. Weiser remained a minority owner, but it now appears that Steinbrenner is seeking to purchase Weiser’s shares in the club. This move would provide Steinbrenner with 44% of the franchise, and he could opt to expand his role in the club. This is not going over well with Dizney, who sees Steinbrenner as a potential disruptive force in the USFL if his partnership were to turn to a significant ownership share in the club. Steinbrenner has long stated that he hopes to one day provide NYC with a second USFL franchise, but that his role in Orlando was not a stepping stone in this direction. Dizney now appears concerned that Steinbrenner is changing his tune and may very well be interested in relocating the Renegades to the nation’s largest market, perhaps hoping to earn extra revenue out of aging Yankee Stadium by adding a second spring tenant. It is important to remember that even if a deal were to move forward, and Steinbrenner were able to acquire the Weiser shares of the Renegades, Dizney would remain the majority owner, and could put an end to any future expansion of Steinbrenner’s role by bringing in additional owners and selling further shares of the club, diluting both Steinbrenner’s and his own percentage of the club. This would be viewed as something of a “poison pill” strategy, one Dizney seems unlikely to call into play. For now what we have is a millionaire trying to strongarm another millionaire and preserve his sense of authority. What we could end up with is a very messy legal and financial situation for a club that has not exactly been a model franchise to date. Before we finish our segment on off-field news, we have one more story, and it’s a bit of a strange story out of St. Louis, where the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has been looking at what it deems discrepancies between the advertised attendance at Knight games and the declared revenue of the club in USFL reporting. The paper has not made any specific claims regarding any potential fraud or malfeasance, but they point out that the revenue stated would require attendance far higher than that reported at the end of the 1998 USFL season. Now, we all know that inflated attendance numbers are nothing new for USFL clubs, as they often use ticket deals and giveaways to put more seats in the stands, but what would be unusual would be for a team to underreport attendance and/or overreport revenue. That helps them neither with the league or with the IRS, so the question would be why this might be occurring in the case of the Knights. With concerns already existing about the renewal of the Knights’ lease in the Gateway City along with the ongoing tensions between the ownership group, the NFL Rams, and the city regarding the dome and the concept of primary v. secondary tenancy, any issues surrounding the misreporting of ticket sales and/or revenue from on-site attendance, could turn discussions quite nasty. Week three doubles up on Eastern Conference divisional games, a rarity in the USFL schedule, but once again we will see clubs from the Atlantic and Southern Division going to battle within the divisions while the Central and Pacific clubs again face off. Looking at the Atlantic, we have a real challenge for the 2-0 Ohio Glory as they head into New Jersey to face the Generals. Philadelphia has a tough task ahead if they want their first win of the season, pull off a road win in Washington. Baltimore heads to Pittsburgh hoping they can win their 2nd in a row, but facing a desperate 0-2 Mauler squad. In the South, the game to watch is 2-0 Birmingham, fresh off their home win against Tampa Bay, as they head to Memphis to face the Showboats. Expect at least 55,000 as this game always draws fans of both teams in droves. Tampa Bay and Orlando face off in the Citrus Bowl as both clubs sit at 1-1 after 2 weeks. Finally, Atlanta is in Jacksonville in a battle of winless teams hoping to turn the season around after a rough start. It is matchups of surprise 2-0 clubs that highlights the inter-divisional games this week. 2-0 Michigan will likely be favored on the road as they face off against 2-0 Los Angeles in Farmers Insurance Field. Seattle, also a surprise at 2-0, host Texas, and are an early 1-point favorite at home. Houston is also 2-0 as they head up to Mile High to face the Denver Gold, always a tough place to play. St. Louis take their 2-0 record into Arizona, where the Wranglers can hardly afford to go 0-3 if they hope to have a shot at winning the Pacific Division. Other games include battles of 0-2 clubs as New Orleans will visit the Akili Smith led Portland Thunder, while Chicago is in Oakland, where the Invaders hope they can outclass the Machine and earn their first win.

The 17th season of the USFL has kicked off, and with the first week of the season there is always a lot of buzz, a lot of hope, and a lot of anticipation. We get our first true look at new faces in new places, at the rookies who have worked their way into the starting lineups, and the players who won the camp battles to earn starting roles. This season we had QB controversies in Seattle, Portland, and Chicago, we had rookies earning their first action in pro football, and we had the official start to Tampa Bay’s defense of the league title. It’s week one around the USFL and, as always, there was a lot to talk about. The best game of the week was in Denver, where it all came down to a 2-point conversion with no time left to determine if Denver would win their opener or the game would go to overtime. In a game that was close throughout the day, both Mark Brunell and Scott Mitchell looked like they were at midseason form, and both defenses did a solid job against the run to produce a close game. Denver got on the board first with Brunell finding his new target, former Express wideout Dedric Smith, for a 22-yard TD in the first. Orlando countered with Mitchell hitting Danta Whittaker from 23 yards out to even the score. An Orlando field goal gave them the 10-7 halftime advantage, but Denver opened the third with Brunell finding the always-reliable Keith Jackson for 6 to open the third. Another Orlando field goal mean that we went into the 4th with Denver up 14-13. In the final period, the Gold once again went up as Brunell hit Kevin Dyson for a short TD to go up by 8. After Orlando and Denver traded field goals, it was 24-16 at the 2-minute warning. Orlando would need a score and a 2-point conversion to send the game to overtime. They would get the score on a well-designed circle route by HB Terry Kirby, but when Scott Mitchell missed Keenan McCardell in the endzone on the PAT, Denver held to their 2-point lead and sat on the ball until time ran out. The stars of the game included Brunell, whose 26 of 34 day included 3 TDs and no picks, Jackson, who caught 7 balls for 63 yards and a score, and the game’s POTG, CB Bruce Pickens, whose day included a pick as well as 6 tackles and 3 passes defended. For Orlando, the big revelation was rookie wideout Donald Driver, who got the surprise start over Tamarick Vanover and finished the day with 7 receptions for 107 yards. Not a bad start for the late-round pick from Alcorn State. WSH 16 STL 17 We start our round up of the first week of league action with an enticing matchup of two of the league’s best defenses from 1998, with both the Federals and the Knights proving that even with some offseason shuffling, they would still prove to be difficult clubs to score against. The game was 10-7 St. Louis at the half, and the Knights would hold Washington to only 3 field goals in the second half, to pull off the 1-point win. POTG: Our first Player of the Game for the season goes to St. Louis CB Troy Vincent, who finished the day with 8 tackles and 4 passes defended. PHI 12 TEX 13 We had another 1-point game as the Outlaws managed to hold court in the AlamoDome and barely edge the visiting Stars. Reggie Cobb had 70 yards rushing and Kelly Stouffer hit his new NFL import TE Frank Wainright with the winning score with only 6 seconds to spare to thrill the Outlaw faithful in San Antonio. Philly struggled to run the ball, gaining only 40 yards on 16 rushes before putting the game in Bobby Hebert’s hands. Philly held a 12-0 lead at one point, but Kelly Stouffer cut the lead to 5 in the third and then thrilled the crowd with his last second TD toss. POTG: Despite the defensive nature of the game, we are going to give our game ball to Stouffer for his two late scores that won the game for the home team. Stouffer was sacked 6 times by the Stars but still completed 59% of his throws for 296 yards. BAL 17 HOU 41 After an early Blitz score, Houston’s newfangled offense kicked it into overtime, outpacing the Blitz 41-10, though we have to credit the defense and our Defensive Player of the Week, Pat Swilling for 2 of the 5 Houston TDs. Swilling, also the obvious POTG, was Trent Green’s worst nightmare, picking off 3 errant Green passes and returning 2 of them for scores. He also added a sack and a forced fumble as the Baltimore offense suffered through 5 turnovers in a sloppy performance. Rookie HB Kevin Faulk had a solid debut, rushing for 32 yards on 9 carries and scoring his first USFL touchdown as Houston rolled. PIT 19 MGN 24 A fun game in the SilverDome as Charlie Batch debuted as the Mauler QB, throwing for 205 yards and 2 scores as the Maulers made it a close one. New Mauler HB Terrell Davis rushed for 69 yards on 15 carries (a 4.6 YPC average) but in the end, the leadership of Doug Flutie helped Michigan pull out the W. Flutie threw for 334 on 34 of 48 passing, with Muhsin Muhammad his favorite target (10 receptions for 84 yards and a score). POTG: We give this one to LB Frank Stams of Michigan, who recorded 8 tackles and 2 sacks, including the game clinching sack on 4th and 7 as Pittsburgh attempted a last minute drive. OHI 18 CHI 7 The battle of two clubs with new head coaches goes to Ohio’s Al Luginbill, who got a solid game from the reworked Glory defense and solid if not flashy performances from the offensive trio of Collins, George, and Galloway. Chicago opted for Jeff Garcia at QB after a drawn out battle with Alex Van Pelt in camp. Garcia completed only 21 of 48 passes in the defeat. Rookie Jim Kleinsasser proved to be his best option, catching 4 of 5 balls thrown his way. Floyd Turner, another Chicago addition, caught only 4 of the 12 balls thrown to him, a disappointing first game for the new starterat wideout. POTG: La’Roi Glover. The Ohio DT opened the game with a safety as he wrapped up Ricky Watters in the endzone, and also added a sack later in the game. NJ 34 NOR 18 The Ricky Williams era in New Orleans began with an enthusiastic 42,505 in attendance in the Super Dome. They watched as Williams carried the ball 16 times, but only for 38 yards, though he did score on a nice 11-yard run. New Jersey had the better of the game, with Curtis Enis rushing for 68 yards and Lamont Warren adding another 24. Rookie Kevin Johnson led all General receivers with 5 catches for 56 yards. POTG: Brian Dawkins (NJ-FS). Dawkins put the game out of reach with a late pick 6 after New Orleans had closed to within 3, one of three picks the Generals produced against Jamie Martin. TBY 42 POR 27 If there was any doubt if Tampa Bay could start the season as hot as they ended last year, those are gone. The Bandit Ball offense remained just as explosive, with Troy Aikman throwing for 404 yards and 5 touchdowns against Portland in Portland. The marquee Saturday Night game was close through three quarters, at 28-20, but late TDs to Ben Coates (2 of his 3 on the day) helped the Bandits pull away. Both Coates (132) and Robert Brooks (125) went over 100 yards as the Bandits proved that double covering last year’s rookie of the year, Randy Moss, just meant that others would kill you instead. POTG was Coates, who had 132 yards on 6 receptions, including 3 red zone touchdowns for the Bandits. BIR 31 ARZ 24 A tough home opener for the Wranglers as Brett Favre and Jake Plummer both threw for 3 scores. Favre’s final toss, a 34-yarder to Lawrence Dawsey, proved to be the game winner as it put the Stallions up 31-17. Plummer found his new wideout, Carl Pickens for 2 scores on the day, but it was not enough as the visitors pulled off the win in Tempe. POTG goes to Dawsey, who, in addition to his game-winner, had a total of 155 yards receiving on 6 catches for the Stallions. MEM 29 OAK 14 Memphis showed signs of both a run game and a pressure defense as they used 3 backs to rush for 3 TDs against Oakland, while the new Showboat defense sacked Ryan Leaf 7 times on the day. Reggie White and LB Joe Mott each had 2 sacks as Memphis effectively blitzed and pressured Leaf all game. Mott was named POTG for his 2 sacks, 1 safety, 1 fumble recovery and 5 tackles as the Showboats held Oakland to only 2 field goals until a late TD and 2 point PAT. ATL 8 LA 33 New Express coach Galen Hall was all smiles after his club’s easy dispatching of the Fire in Farmers Insurance Field. While Cade McNown’s 14 of 34 day for 124 yards was hardly earth shaking, he protected the ball and Antowain Smith did the rest, rushing for 101 yards to lead the Express. The LA defense also had a very strong opening statement to the season, picking off Jeff George twice and holding the Atlanta offense to only 2 field goals (a late intentional safety was their only other score as LA used the unorthodox play to avoid a goalline punt). POTG: LA Linebacker Donta Jones was named POTG for his 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble and a blocked field goal. JAX 19 SEA 35 Coach Tiller stuck with Jon Kitna as his starter and it paid dividends, with Kitna completing an impressive 34 of 46 passes for 271 yards and 5 scores. The revelation of the day was just how good rookie WR David Boston could be as a redzone target. The speedster was expected to be a deep ball specialist, but Tiller used his size in the redzone, to the tune of 5 receptions, with 4 of them going for TDs. Boston only had 19 yards on the day, but scored on TDs of 1, 1, 5, 4, and 8 yards for the Dragons. Who needs to push Corey Dillon through the pile if you can just run a fade route to Boston? Boston was also named the POTG for his impressive debut. ROOKIES GET THEIR SHOT Let’s start by talking about the rookies who got a shot this week. With Portland’s Vince Tobin opting to start Bill Musgrave, it meant that only LA, with UCLA grad Cade McNown, started a rookie at QB. McNown had a solid “workmanlike” day (as outlined above) and got the W for the Express. Among the rushers, Ricky Williams did not light things up as the fans in New Orleans had hoped, finishing with only 38 yards, but that was still enough to top all rookie rushers, with Kevin Faulk the only other back with over 30 yards rushing on the day. It was at receiver where we saw some early signs of special play. Donald Driver of Orlando led all rookies with 102 yards, but he was not the only strong start among first year receivers. David Boston had that impressive 4-TD day, even if he only caught 5 for 18 yards. New Jersey’s Kevin Johnson caught 5 for 56, and STL Tight End Reggie Kelly helped his squad to a win with 5 catches for 54 yards. On the defensive side, the best first game performance was clearly had by Birmingham’s new edge rusher, Mike Rucker, who nabbed 3 sacks in his first pro game to take the league lead on week 1. If he is anything like we saw this year, Birmingham’s foes may be in for trouble this year. Another rookie defender looking good this week was Panther’s LB Andy Katzenmoyer who played 58 snaps and earned 4 tackles and a sack. In the secondary it was a solid start for Oakland FS Anuan Eduards, who contributed 6 tackles for the Invaders. In Jacksonville, hopes that Jevon Kearse would start fast were squashed as he finished his first game with only 1 tackle and no sacks. CHANGES IN LATITUDE, CHANGES IN ATTITUDE For new faces in new places, some of our top stories from the offseason remain interesting topics after week one. Terrell Davis had a solid day for Pittsburgh, while the man he replaced, Dorsey Levins, finished as the 3rd rusher on his own team, with both Mario Greer and rookie Kevin Faulk outgaining him. His replacement in New Orleans, rookie Ricky Williams also finished well behind Levins in yards. Arizona seems to have chosen wisely when they invested in former Texas wideout Carl Pickens. He finished Week 1 as the league’s leading receiver with 158 yards on the day. His replacement in Texas, Shawn Collins, fared pretty well also, catching 9 balls for 112 yards for the Outlaws. Jeff Query, the other Texas starter and the new acquisition from Tampa Bay, was also solid, catching 7 for 104. New Jersey is certainly happy with the acquisition of LB Paul McGown, who led the club with 11 tackles this week. While Pittsburgh got 8 tackles from their newest CB, Patrick Surtain. Ray Agnew had a solid day in his first game back in Chicago after a 3 year stint in Atlanta. His return to the Machine included his first sack for the Machine since 1995. And, of course, a new season also brings new kickers to clubs across the league. John Kasay earned a ring with Tampa after being picked up in the playoffs, but had to face his short-term former club as the new kicker of the Portland Thunder. The Thunder lost, but Kasay was solid, hitting on all 5 of his kicks. Rookie Kris Brown was also perfect (3 for 3) as he replaces longtime Bulls kicker Pete Stoyanovich. Finally, highly touted Baltimore rookie Martin Gramatica had some struggles, missing on 2 of his 3 field goal attempts, but connected on both PAT’s as the Blitz fell to Houston. We are only in Week 1 and the USFL is already talking about 2000, at least when it comes to team products. As you may recall from last summer’s announcements, the contract for all 24 league team uniforms as well as a wide range of sideline and fan gear has not been renewed with Nike, but has instead been bid on and won by Reebok. For the British shoe designer this is something of a major coup, as the sporting gear giants have not had prior football contracts aside from a few European clubs they used as pilot projects. Reebok’s bid was a big one, bringing in nearly 50% more revenue to the USFL than the final year of the Nike deal, while also granting Reebok access to a sports market in the USA far larger than the niche market of joggers, soccer players, and “sneakerheads” that it had previously held. We already know that Birmingham, Tampa Bay, and Los Angeles will be the three clubs who were granted league approval for new designs, while the other 21 teams will receive their current logos and designs updated only in that they will use the new Reebok jersey and pant templates already approved by the league as part of the bidding process for the uniform contract. Astute fans may notice that jersey sleeves, at least for the authentic game jerseys, will be a bit tighter and shorter, with compression cuffs at the sleeve end, with exceptions for QB’s and kickers only. Other than that the uniforms will look very much like the Nike designs of recent years, with one exception. That exception is a change in USFL branding announced just this week. In recent years, the USFL has included a special uniform logo on all helmets, jerseys and pants. This logo included the USFL’s star-spangled acronym within a red and blue helmet outline. That design will no longer grace USFL uniforms, beginning in 2000. In its place is a new monogram logo, a single “U” using a similar star and stripe pattern to the main USFL logo. The U. will be placed on helmets alongside a U.S. Flag and will appear on the left chest of all jerseys. Below you can see the comparison between the current uniform emblem/sticker and the newly-released “U” logo that will appear on all Reebok uniforms, Riddell helmets, and various league merchandise starting in September of this year. As is typical, the USFL was fully interdivisional and interconference in Week 1, but with Week 2 we get our first divisional action as the clubs in the Eastern Conference stay in division. One of the most exciting matchups pits two dynamic offenses against each other as Birmingham hosts Tampa Bay in an early season rivalry game. Orlando is in Jacksonville in the first Florida Derby of the season and Memphis will be in Atlanta for the Fire’s home opener. In the Atlantic we have a couple of intriguing Week 2 matchups as Philadelphia heads to Baltimore, both hoping to avoid 0-2. Washington is in New Jersey after the Feds’ tough loss to St. Louis. Pittsburgh will test Ohio as the Glory open their home schedule under Coach Luginbill. Out West it is interdivisional play, but we still have some intriguing pairings, the best of which seems to be Denver against St. Louis in the dome. The two division winners from last year did not get to play in the playoffs last season, so this is a chance for the Gold to see how they match up with the Conference Champions. We also have a matchup of the two worst clubs from last year as LA heads to Chicago to face the Machine. A win by the visiting Express would match their win total for all of last year in only 2 weeks. Arizona is in Houston in a game that should produce some fireworks, and Oakland will look to rebound from a poor week 1 performance as they head to the SilverDome to face the Panthers. Portland is also hoping to bounce back after their loss to Tampa Bay as they head to Texas to face the Outlaws. Seattle and New Orleans finish up the week as they face off in the Super Dome.

What an offseason!!! Highlighted by the huge trade New Orleans made to snag Ricky Williams, but equally by the disappointment felt in places like Houston, Chicago, and Orlando as top tier QB prospects Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, and Dante Culpepper rejected the USFL bids and signed on with the NFL. WIth retirements to longstanding starters at QB in both Pittsburgh and Portland, and with everyone trying to emulate Tampa Bay’s success with explosive pass-first offenses, there was a lot of roster shifting this offseason, and a lot of pressure to get it right, because for every Bandit success story, there is a club like Chicago or Jacksonville that crashed and burned. Before we get to the team-by-team analysis and predictions for the 1999 season, let’s quickly recap some of the roster notes from the past few weeks as clubs finalized their squads for the upcoming campaign. TRADES No real blockbuster trades as camps opened up, which is pretty much par for the course, but we did have a bit of movement as teams tried to fill gaps at the end of free agency and after missing on a few draft picks who went on to sign with the NFL. The most notable trade saw Arizona add some edge pressure by trading for Houston rookie DE Chike Okeafor. They also received special teamer and backup WR Olanda Truitt, while sending wideout J.J. Stokes to Houston. The Gamblers are clearly looking to open things up as they now have a receiving corps that is both speedy and deep, with Antonio Freeman, Brett Perriman, Stokes, Derrick Mason and Hart Lee Dykes. Chicago also has a late addition to their receiving corps, sending Alonzo Spellman to Ohio in return for wideout Floyd Turner. Turner could actually start in what many view as one of the weaker receiving rooms in the league. Meanwhile, Spellman could also be a week one starter for an Ohio defense that is still trying to plug a lot of holes. NFL-USFL TRANSFER WINDOW Several of the remaining USFL free agents this February took advantage of the NFL-USFL transfer window and will now have a long offseason as they next suit up in the fall league 8 months from now. Among notable departures we have Birmingham DT George Little, Texas FS (and record holder for INTs in a season) Elbert Shelley, Pittsburgh guard Steve Kenney, veteran LA linebacker Curtis Taliferro, backup Fire halfback Fred McAfee, and Seattle’s popular DT Tony Siragusa. Perhaps the two biggest NFL hits in the late window were DE Al Noga, a mainstay in the Arizona D-line and perhaps their best pass rusher, and Jacksonville kicker Pete Stoyanovich, who leaves one struggling Florida club to head to another, the Miami Dolphins. The flow of players coming to the USFL from the NFL was also somewhat muted this year, as the clear emphasis on draft day over signing veterans continues to impact USFL front offices. A few noteworthy players, along with some of the usual practice squad roster-fillers, were in the mix this year. Baltimore added some experience and grit to their LB corps with the signing of LB Mike Jones from the St. Louis Rams. Portland also tried to add some defensive depth by signing DT Kelvin Pritchett away from the Tennessee Copperheads. Texas, still looking for offensive help, picked up TE Frank Wainright, and St. Louis added return man and slot back Torrance Small from the Indianapolis Colts. The biggest signing, at least in name impact, was made by the Tampa Bay Bandits, who seem to be hoping to add some defensive skill to their offensive juggernaut. They signed veteran DE and edge rusher Clyde Simmons from Simmons, who just finished one season in Cincinnati after previous stints in Philadelphia, Arizona, and Tennessee, is certainly not at his prime form, but still can be effective, particularly if the Bandits limit his appearances to clear passing downs so as to maximize his impact. USFL FREE AGENT SIGNINGS Those last few pieces on each club’s roster also came through USFL free agency, as we had several late signings. Memphis added a solid contributor in their LB Corps by signing Jim Schwantz away from Seattle. Chicago also hoped to add some defense as they picked up DE Israel Rayborn just as camp opened. In Denver, Mark Brunell gets his backup as the Gold inked Jeff Lewis to a 2-year deal, while Birmingham found their replacement for the departed Cedric Tillman, signing Kez McCorvey to a 3-year deal to take over in the slot. The Stallions also beefed up their questionable defense with the signing of former Seattle LB Tommy Thigpen. SEASON PREVIEW For all the shifting, the roster churn, the new coach arrivals, and the optimism that the draft brings every year, all indications are that several of the clubs that dominated last year, led by Tampa Bay and St. Louis, may well be best positioned to once again lead the league. We are still waiting for any signs of life from the four 1995 expansion clubs, and we are hoping for surprises like the one we saw from Arizona in last year’s playoffs. They say the preseason is a time when every club is undefeated and every fanbase has hope for the future. Realistically that is just not the case. We are pretty sure that fans in LA, Chicago, Atlanta and Ohio are not purchasing flights out to LA for Summer Bowl 1999 at this point of the year (and won’t be later on either), while those in places like Tampa, Denver, Arizona, St Louis and Washington are guardedly optimistic. It is almost time to kick things off for real, so what can we expect? Well, expect us to make predictions and expect us to get a few right and a lot wrong. That is the USFL. So here are our best guesses for 1999. Don’t hold us to them come August. EASTERN CONFERENCE TAMPA BAY BANDITS 1998 Record: 14-2, League Champions PREDICTED RECORD: 13-3, 1st in South Departures: CB Eric Allen (FA), C Tony Mayberry (FA), DT Chris Maumalanga (FA), G Will Shields (FA), K John Kasay (FA), WR Jeff Query (FA), DE Fred Stokes (NFL), QB Kerwin Bell (NFL), LB Derrick Little (RET) New Arrivals: WR Curtis Marsh (FA), QB Mike Pawlowski (FA), T Matt Patchan (FA), DE Clyde Simmons (NFL) Draft Class: DE Tony Bryant (FSU), G Zach Piller (UF), DE Antonio Cochran (UGa), WR Tai Streets (Mich), DT Daren Yancey (BYU), CB Jerry Azumah (UNH), P Hunter Smith (NDame) OUTLOOK: The Bandits look like a team capable of repeating as champion, something that has yet to happen in the short history of the USFL. Their offense is one of the best we have ever seen in the pro game, capable of beating you in any number of ways, from the deep ball to the run game, to short passing and run after the catch. They have weapons at every position, making them a nightmare to defend. If the offseason improvements to the defense are even mildly successful the game plan will be obvious for Tampa Bay, get an early lead and then key on the pass to shut down the opponent and force turnovers. Honestly, anything less than a return to at least the Eastern Conference Championship will be a major disappointment in West Florida. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 1998 Record: 8-8, 4th in South PREDICTED RECORD: 11-5, 2nd in South Departures: CB Jimmy Hitchcock (FA), G John Bruhin (FA), LB David Brandon (FA), WR Cedric Tillman (FA), TE Shannon Sharpe (NFL), DT George Little (NFL), G Paul O’Connor (RET) New Arrivals: WR Kez McCorvey (FA), G James Richard (FA), LB Tommy Thigpen (FA) Draft Class: DE Mike Rucker (Nebr), G Lennie Friedman (Duke), TE Billy Miller (USC), WR MarTay Jenkins (Neb-Omaha), HB Charlie Rogers (Ga Tech), FB Nick Luchey (Miami), S Marcus Washington (Colo) OUTLOOK: Birmingham squeaked into the playoffs and was immediately shut down by Washington last season, but Brett Favre remains a wild card that should not be discounted. If the Stallions can avoid their usual slow start, this club can be as potent as the Bandits, and they saw what Tampa Bay did last year, so we expect the Stallions to try to borrow that playbook and simply outgun the opposition. The loss of Shannon Sharpe will be a huge one for the offense, so we may see the Stallions actually put some effort into the run game this year as a way to provide options for Favre. Their defense remains a huge question mark, which is why we cannot place them in the same category as the Bandits, but they very well could be the second-best team in the league and if they were to face Tampa Bay in the playoffs it may be a race to 100 points to get a winner. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 1998 Record: 10-6, 3rd in Atlantic PREDICTED RECORD: 11-5, 1st in Atlantic Departures: C Chris Thome (FA), FS Mike Dumas (FA), LB Tracy Scroggins (FA), LB Willis Crockett (FA), FB Sam Gash (NFL), HB Terrell Fletcher (NFL), QB Eric Kramer (RET) New Arrivals: HB Glyn Milburn (FA), QB Scott Zolak (FA), HB Dino Philyaw (FA), FB Tommy Vardell (NFL) Draft Class: LB Barry Gardner (NWST), WR Travis McGriff (Florida), QB Brock Huard (Wash), G Floyd Wedderburn (Penn St), CB Andre Weathers (Mich), G Eric King (Richm), QB Scott Covington (Miami) OUTLOOK: The polar opposite of the top two squads in the East, Washington lives and dies by defensive pressure and the ability to shut down the run. Their front 7 is elite, with Jerome Brown just wreaking havoc on the inside. If Kordell Stewart, Herman Moore and Barry Word can be a Top 12 offense, the Federals can stick with nearly all teams, but as we saw last year, they are going to have to figure out a way to slow down Tampa Bay if they want to return to the title game. Losing two contributors from the linebacking group as well as FS Mike Dumas is not going to help the defense, but the signing of rookie Barry Gardner and CB Andre Weathers from Michigan may help patch some holes. Even with the departures, we see them as the best, most complete team in the Atlantic Division. BALTIMORE BLITZ 1998 Record: 10-6, 2nd in Atlantic PROJECTED FINISH: 11-5, 2nd in Atlantic Departures: CB Torin Dorn (FA), G Carl Bax (FA), LB Tracy Rogers (FA), G Brian Bollinger (NFL), K Luis Zendejas (RET), QB Jeff Garcia (Trade) New Arrivals: LB Cedric Figaro (FA), LB Tracy Scroggins (FA), DE Mike Jones (NFL) Draft Class: CB Chris McCalister (Ariz), HB Mike Cloud (BC), T Derek Smith (Va Tech), CB Tyrone Bell (N Alab), LB Keith Newman (UNC), K Martin Gramatica (K State) OUTLOOK: Baltimore is our dark horse this year. They made some interesting offseason moves and seem to be following Washington’s lead as a team designed to shorten games, run the ball, and win with a stifling defense. Their offense is not as polished as the Federals, but they have some interesting pieces in place. They struggled when Trent Green went down last year, despite the heroic efforts of Wally Richardson. If Green can stay healthy all season (a reasonably big if) then the Blitz have a legitimate shot of surpassing the Federals. We particularly like the addition of Mike Jones to the DE position and the potential of CB Chris McCallister to be an impact player in the secondary. Baltimore also went hard after the best kicker to come out of the college game in several years, signing Martin Gramatica to deal with the retirement of long-time Blitz kicker Luis Zendejas. PHILADELPHIA STARS 1998 Record: 10-6, 1st in Atlantic PREDICTED RECORD: 9-7, 3rd in Atlantic Departures: CB Ray Mickens (FA), DT Tim Ryan (FA), HB Glyn Milburn (FA), CB Lorenzo Lynch (NFL), G Mike Wythcombe (RET) New Arrivals: C Chris Thome (FA), DT Chris Maumalanga (FA), HB Kantroy Barber (FA), CB Corey Fuller (NFL) Draft Class: LB Mike Peterson (Flor), CB Anthony Parker (Weber), WR Na Brown (UNC), G Cameron Spikes (TAMU), DT Garrett Johnson (Illinois) OUTLOOK: I know it must look like we are disrespecting the 1998 Atlantic Division Champion Stars, and maybe we are. They have the best QB in the division in Bobby Hebert, but we are just not sold that they have the offensive weapons or the defensive strength to retain the title. Philadelphia is getting older, and their last few drafts have not produced the type of impact players that they need to take the next step. This year’s draft is no exception. LB Mike Peterson is a solid player but he is not going to revolutionize the Star defense, and the Stars simply did not do enough to add firepower to their offense with rookie Na Brown and HB Kantroy Barber being their biggest additions. Don’t be shocked if several teams leap over the Stars this season. ORLANDO RENEGADES 1998 Record: 9-7, 3rd in South PREDICTED RECORD: 10-6, 3rd in South Departures: HB Kantroy Barber (FA), LB Mike Junkin (FA), QB Scott Zolak (FA), T Matt Patchan (FA), FS Tim McDonald (RET) New Arrivals: TE Scott Eccles (FA), QB John Walsh (FA), TE John Henry Mills (FA) Draft Class: CB Fernando Bryant (Alab), HB Amos Zeroue (WVU), WR Brandon Stokley (SW LA), T Mike Rosenthal (NDame), DE Lionel Barnes (NE LA), WR Donald Driver (Alcorn) OUTLOOK: The Renegades will go as far as Scott Mitchell will take them. The ‘Gades have a solid defense and the potential for firepower on offense as well. Rookies Amos Zeroue and Brandon Stokley should play small roles, but can develop over the season. The big question is whether or not the selection (and failed attempt to sign) Dante Culpepper will impact Mitchell’s sense of himself as the starter in Orlando. He is not a slam dunk to excel each week, and a loss of confidence could be an issue for him. But, if he can maintain or even improve his game just slightly, the Renegades could be a contender in a packed Southern Division. NEW JERSEY GENERALS 1998 Record: 7-9, 6th in Atlantic PREDICTED RECORD: 9-7, 4th in Atlantic Departures: DT Leonard Renfro (FA), WR Orlando McKay (FA), TE Mark Chmura (NFL), P Ray Criswell (RET), CB Cliff Hicks (RET), QB Tommy Maddox (Trade) New Arrivals: QB Tony Sacca (FA), LB Paul McGowan (FA), CB Gene Atkins (FA), G Will Shields (FA), TE Mark Bruener (NFL) Draft Class: CB Fred Vinson (Vandy), DT Jason Wiltz (Nebr), S Pierson Prioleau (Va Tech), LB Bobby Howard (NDame), WR Kevin Johnson (Syr), S Johndale Carty (UT St), G Anthony Cesario (CO St) OUTLOOK: We see New Jersey as another club that could make a leap in 1999. They have some really good pieces in place, including a solid, if not spectacular defense, led by Sack Master Phil Hansen, and an offense with some growing talent. We love Terry Glenn out wide, and adding rookie speedster Kevin Johnson may help free Glenn up even more After a solid rookie campaign, we expect big things from HB Curtis Enis, and while free agency did not bring any huge names to the Generals, they did shore up and add depth on the O-line and on defense, both of which should help them be competitive in an Atlantic Division that looks to be all about defense and ball control. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 1998 Record: 8-8, 4th in South PREDICTED RECORD: 9-7, 4th in South Departures: CB Otis Smith (FA), HB Dino Philyaw (FA), CB Derrick Cudrup (RET), K Kevin Shea (RET), CB Rodney Young (Trade) New Arrivals: WR Ernie Jones (FA), G John Bruhin (FA), G Anthony Redman (FA), DT James Von Der Boeck (FA), LB Jim Schwantz (FA), G Todd Rucci (Trade) Draft Class: LB Al Wilson (Tenn), CB Chris Watson (E Ill), K Jeff Hall (Tenn), HB De’Mond Parker (OU), G Yusuf Scott (Ariz), HB Aaron Stecker (WIU), LB Rahim Abdullah (Clem), DT Montae Reagor (TX Tech) OUTLOOK: Memphis was a bit of a surprise last year, reaching 8-8 in a year when many of us saw them falling on their faces. Coach Mora is one of the best, and he is building a roster to compliment his preferred style of play. If he can find a way to reduce Heath Shuler’s costly interceptions, and if his defense can start to develop some playmakers, the Showboats could be a dangerous squad. The problem is that they still don’t seem to have the pieces in place to surpass either Tampa Bay or Birmingham, at least not on offense. Their target this year may be a Wild Card spot, because this division is going to be a big mountain to climb. PITTSBURGH MAULERS 1998 Record: 8-8, 4th in Atlantic PREDICTED RECORD: 6-10, 5th in Atlantic Departures: CB Sonny Gordon (FA), DE Scott Keller (FA), DT James Von Der Boeck (FA), G Steve Kenney (NFL), QB Robbie Bosco (RET), HB Dorsey Levins (Trade), WR Derrick Mason (Trade) New Arrivals: G John Rienstra (FA), TE Keith McKeller (FA), HB Terrell Davis (Trade), CB Patrick Surtain (Trade) Draft Class: DE Dimitrius Underwood (Mich St), dT Roderick Coleman (ECU), T Jay Humphrey (Tex), S Chris Jones (Clem), S Rashard Cook (USC), TE Jermaine Wiggins (UGA), QB Shaun King (Tulane) OUTLOOK: If Memphis was a pleasant surprise last year, Pittsburgh was a disappointment. Now we add the retirement of Robbie Bosco and the keys being handed over to an untested 2nd year QB and the Maulers have more questions than answers. They were huge movers and shakers in the offseason, acquiring Terrell Davis from the Breakers and then trading Dorsey Levins and Derrick Mason to Houston to obtain some help in the secondary. Pittsburgh’s strength may be on defense (sounds like the entire division, right?), but is their D enough to overcome what may be a rough learning experience for that offense? If Davis can establish himself as a 25-carry-a-game back, and a 1,400 yard back at that, the Maulers will be in a lot of games, and then it is just a matter of closing them out. That will be the best formula for this club. OHIO GLORY 1998 Record: 7-9, 5th in Atlantic PREDICTED RECORD: 5-11, 6th in Atlantic Departures: CB Mike Riley (FA), DE Robert Goff (RET) New Arrivals: CB Robert Massey (FA) Draft Class: DE Lamar King (Saginaw), DE Jared Davies (Iowa), CB Mike McKenzie (Mem), C Todd McClure (LSU), LB Clint Kriewaldt (UW-SP), LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (UCLA), LB O.J. Childress (Clemson) OUTLOOK: We are 4 years past the 1995 expansion and we have yet to see one of the 4 clubs make the playoffs. We find Ohio and Atlanta down at the bottom of the East and things don’t look any better for Seattle and LA either. So, is there any hope for these clubs? Well, in Ohio it we started to see some life last year with Eddie George starting to prove he had the talent everyone expected when he was drafted out of Ohio State. The Glory also have one of the best receivers in the league in fellow Buckeye Joey Galloway. The problem is that their defense has been pretty atrocious. Will that change this year? Hard to say yes to that. Sure, the Glory drafted heavy on defense, and they signed quite a few of those players, including DEs Lamar King and Jared DeVries, and LB’s Clint Kriewaldt and Brendon Ayanbadejo, but rookies don’t tend to be the core of a solid defense. Even with Robert Massey (CB) coming over from Memphis, this is an Ohio squad that is going to need time to grow. They have a future, but this year may be another long one in Columbus. ATLANTA FIRE 1998 Record: 6-10, 5th in South PREDICTED RECORD: 6-10, 5th in South Departures: DT Chester McGlockton (FA), LB John Roper (FA), WR Ernie Jones (FA), HB Fred McAfee (NFL), DE Dale Rogers (RET) New Arrivals: HB Vaughn Dunbar (FA), LB Johnny Holland (FA), DT Reggie Rogers (FA), LB Roman Phifer (NFL) Draft Class: DT Anthony McFarland (LSU), LB Johnny Rutledge (Florida), DE Peppi Zellner (Ft Valley), S Paris Johnson (Miami OH), P Brian Moorman (Pitts St) OUTLOOK: If any ‘95 expansion club is going to break the mold, there are some who think it will be Atlanta. They have a top HB in Tiki Barber, an improving defense with the additions of veterans Reggie Rogers (DT and Johnny Holland (LB), and with the talented rookies Anthony McFarland (DT) and Johnny Rutledge (LB). Atlanta also snagged former Rams LB Roman Phifer to add more experience to the defense. So, what is holding Atlanta back? Lack of a productive and consistent passing game is one area of concern. Jeff George did not exactly light the league on fire in his first USFL season, but that is often the case for a QB coming into the league after playing a full NFL season. Sometimes it takes a year, and the rest of a fall without football, before a former NFL player can blossom in the USFL. Atlanta fans are certainly hoping that is the case for George. JACKSONVILLE BULLS 1998 Record: 3-13, 6th in South PREDICTED RECORD: 4-12, 6th in South Departures: LB Paul McGown (FA), LB Johnny Holland (FA), WR Kez McCorvey (FA), DT Reggie Rogers (FA), QB Steve Matthews (NFL), K Pete Stoyanovich (NFL), G Duval Love (RET) New Arrivals: LB David Brandon (FA), LB Mike Junkin (FA), CB Sonny Gordon (FA) Draft Class: DE Jevon Kearse (Florida), DT John Thornton (WVU), T Rex Tucker (TAMU), K Kris Brown (Nebr), S Tyree Talton (N Iowa), T Luke Petitgout (NDame), HB Sedrick Irvin (Mich St) OUTLOOK: No one expected the Bulls to be one of the worst teams in the conference last season. Just a year earlier they looked like they had put it all together, but it all fell apart, and now they start the year with a new coach and a lot of questions. Getting DE freak Javon Kearse with the 3rd pick in the draft is certainly going to be huge for the Bulls, but so is bringing in free agents Mike Junkin (LB-ORL) and David Bradon (LB-BAL) to shore up a pretty shaky run stopping defense. The Bulls also brought in help for the secondary in the form of former Mauler Sonny Gordon (CB). They may need the defense to help them out this year as things are not gelling on offense for the Bulls. Chris Chandler has good receivers, a really nice trio led by Brian Blades and Terrell Owens, and you would hope that the addition of Michigan State’s Sedrick Irvin will help jumpstart a run game that Natrone Means simply could not do alone any longer, but there is a lot of doubt about all of it. So many ifs to deal with is not what you want in a preseason outlook. WESTERN CONFERENCE ST. LOUIS KNIGHTS 1998 Record: 14-2, First in Central PREDICTED RECORD: 13-3, 1st in Central Departures: G James Richards (FA), HB Darrell Thompson (FA), T Mike Haight (FA), QB Frank Reich (RET), LB Marcus Cotton (NFL), TE Alex Higdon (NFL), G Todd Rucci (Trade) New Arrivals: DT John Jurkovic (FA), LB Trev Alberts (FA), WR Torrance Small (NFL), CB Rodney Young (Trade) Draft Class: TE Reggie Kelly (Miss St), TE Steve Heiden (SDak St), HB Cecil Collins (McNeese), T Cornell Green (UCF), WR Sean Morey (Brown), QB Michael Bishop (K State) OUTLOOK: After several years of expectations and flashes of brilliance, the Knights’ defense put it all together last season and propelled St. Louis to the Summer Bowl. Can they do it again, and maybe even come out on top? That could be tough, but they still have the core of that club and that defense on their side. Even if the defense steps back a bit, the Knights have enough other options to be competitive for a title. The run game got stronger with Ahman Green shifting into the lead position over the course of the year, and while Darrell Thompson left in free agency, Green, now paired with rookie Cecil Collins, will have a chance to flourish in the Knights’ power offense. St. Louis did not do much to add speed on offense, with the NFL’s Torrance Small being the only skill player acquired, and while they lost a few players in free agency on defense, the signing of Trev Alberts and John Jurkovic, both from Denver, gives them depth and power up the middle. We see the Knights being a tough team to dethrone though perhaps not as ensconced at the top as Tampa may be in the east. ARIZONA WRANGLERS 1998 Record: 8-8, 4th in Pacific PREDICTED RECORD: 11-5, 1st in Pacific Departures: FS Martin Bayless (FA), G Todd Kaliss (FA), HB Karim Abdul-Jabbar (FA), HB Vaughn Dunbar (FA), DE Al Noga (NFL), T Kirk Lowdermilk (NFL), T Robert Curry (RET), WR J.J. Stokes (Trade) New Arrivals: G Carl Bax (FA), HB Darrell Thompson (FA), WR Carl Pickens (FA), G Marco Rivera (NFL), DE Chike Okeafor (Trade) Draft Class: T Matt Stinchcomb (UGA), DE Gary Stills (WVU), C grey Ruegamer (ASU), HB Olandis Gary (UGA), S Anthony Poindexter (UVa), K Jose Cortez (Ore St), LB JJay Foreman (Nebr), DE Tom Burke (Wisc) OUTLOOK: The club with the best shot to dethrone St. Louis may well be the club they surprisingly faced in the Western Conference Championship. Arizona got hot at the right time and got two road wins in the playoffs to make it to the conference title tilt. This year they are hoping that is not necessary as they plan to win the Pacific Division. They are looking at what Tampa Bay did last year and think they too can boost their offense into elite standing. They added wideout Carl Pickens to bring another receiver into Jake Plummer’s arsenal, and then signed Darrell Thompson away from the Knights to add some dynamism to the run game. Expect a committee at HB with rookie Olandis Gary also getting some carries. The biggest addition on defense was DE Gary Stills, a 3rd round rookie pick who has looked good in camp. Arizona may have to play Tampa Bay and Birmingham’s game of outpacing opponents, but they have the weapons to do it. DENVER GOLD 1998 Record: 12-4, 1st in Pacific PREDICTED RECORD: 10-6, 2nd in Pacific Departures: DT John Jurkovic (FA), LB Trev Alberts (FA), WR Curtis Marsh (FA), T Clint Berry (RET), QB Matt Hasselbeck (Trade) New Arrivals: LB Tracy Rogers (FA), WR Dedric Smith (FA), T/G Blake Brockermeyer (NFL), T Adam Meadows (Trade) Draft Class: WR Peerless Price (Tenn), T Chris Terry (UGA), LB Dat Nguyen (TAMU), DT Emarlos Leroy (UGA), T Joe Wong (BYU), G Kelvin Garmon (Baylor), S Eric Thigpen (Iowa) OUTLOOK: Denver is unlikely to win a lot of shootouts. That has never been their way. Grind it out and shut down the speed of opposing offenses has been the strategy in Denver forever. And while Denver did add some offensive talent (Rookie WR Peerless Price and former Express WR Dedric Smith) the Gold focused more attention to the line, and it will be the play of the line that helps them find an offensive rhythm. If they can consistently run the ball with Salaam, it will make Mark Brunell more effective and shorten games, just what the Gold have always wanted to do. OAKLAND INVADERS 1998 Record: 9-7, 3rd in Pacific PREDICTED RECORD: 9-7, 3rd in Pacific Departures: QB Mike Pawlowski (FA), QB John Walsh (FA), FS Robert Sparkman (RET), WR Henry Ellard (RET) New Arrivals: HB Karim Abdul-Jabbar (FA), T John Michels (FA), QB Dave Brown (FA) Draft Class: S Antuan Edwards (Clem), WR Marty Booker (NE LA), S Tony George (Florida), LB Rosevelt Colvin (Purdue), T Ryan Young (K State), HB Madre Hill (Ark), FB Alan Ricard (NE LA), T Kris Farris (UCLA), WR Karsten Bailey (Auburn) OUTLOOK: Oakland, and their rookie QB, Ryan Leaf, started the 1998 season white hot, but cooled over the long summer months, fading down the stretch and making a quick playoff exit. If the Invaders are going to equal or best their 1998 performance, it will largely be on the development of Leaf at QB. The Invaders did not add a lot of big names this offseason, though the addition of tackle John Michels has to make Leaf happy. Adding HBs Madre Hill (rookie) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (free agent) may help relieve some of the pressure on Siran Stacy, and we will likely see some rotation at the position, but the receiving corps needs some attention. It simply is not the same without Henry Ellard drawing constant double coverage. On defense, the Invaders need to be more consistent and find ways to get off the field on 3rd down. They don’t have a lot of ball hawks to create takeaways, so for them the key is to keep teams to longer third downs and then come up with stops. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 1998 Record: 7-9, 3rd in Central PREDICTED RECORD: 9-7, 2nd in Central Departures: G John Rienstra (FA), QB James Ritchey (FA), LB Fred Strickland (RET), CB Patrick Surtain (Trade), T Adam Meadows (Trade) New Arrivals: G Todd Kaliss (FA), WR J.J. Stokes (Trade), HB Dorsey Levins (Trade), WR Derrick Mason (Trade), QB Matt Hasselbeck (Trade) Draft Class: HB Kevin Faulk (LSU), TE Dan Campbell (TAMU), T Kevin Landolt (WVU), CB Kelly Herndon (Toledo), DE Chike Okeafor (Purdue-Traded to ARZ) OUTLOOK: Is Houston gearing up to bring back the run & shoot? It sure seems like it with all the receiver talent they have amassed. Not only do they have starters Antonio Freeman and Brett Perriman, but they added Derrick Mason in trade with Pittsburgh and J. J. Stokes in trade from Arizona, and then added a solid pass-catching back in rookie Kevin Faulk, and a pretty good prospect at TE in Dan Campbell. After also nabbing Dorsey Levins in that same trade with Pittsburgh, don’t be shocked if we see a lot of 1 back, 3 wideout sets from the Gamblers and a lot of pass attempts again, after Chuck Hartlieb set a league record last year. The problem we see is that for all his passing, Hartlieb simply did not get results last year, and we worry that he is not the guy to turn the Gamblers into the Western Conference version of the Bandits. We suspect Coach Willsey believed the same thing, which is why they took the shot on Kentucky’s Tim Couch. Couch is now with the NFL Browns, which means it may have to be Hartlieb at least for one more year, though Houston did later trade for Denver backup Matt Hasselbeck, but we expect it to be Hartlieb once again, and we worry that this may just be enough to hold the Gamblers back. PORTLAND THUNDER 1998 Record: 10-6, 2nd in Pacific PREDICTED RECORD: 8-8, 4th in Pacific Departures: LB Cedric Figaro (FA), CB Ben Smith (NFL), DT Mike Golic (NFL), QB Jack Trudeau (RET), K Al Del Greco (RET), G Stan Parker (RET), CB Dwayne Galloway (RET) New Arrivals: CB Torin Dorn (FA), K John Kasay (FA), FS Mike Dumas (FA), DT Kelvin Pritchett (NFL) Draft Class: QB Akili Smith (Ore), LB Joey Porter (CO St), WR Larry Parker (USC), DT Kelly Gregg (OU), G Craig Heimburger (Mizzou), WR Rondel Menendez (EKU) OUTLOOK: It is a new look for the Thunder, though once again the key may well be the running of Robert Drummond. WIth Jack Trudeau retired, there is a legitimate battle in camp between backup Bill Musgrave and rookie Akili Smith. The money is on Smith to win this out, maybe not for week 1, but by midseason. You don’t outbid an NFL club just to keep a rookie with Smith’s credentials and expectations on the bench. Portland did not add much for Smith in free agency, focusing more on a spotty defense with the signing of former Jaguar DT Kelvin Pritchett, CB Ray Mickens and FS Mike Dumas, but they did draft and sign two wideouts in the draft, though neither Larry Parker nor Rondel Menendez are exactly Randy Moss, at least not in what we have seen so far. So, is Portland retooling or fully rebuilding? Maybe just somewhere in between. TEXAS OUTLAWS 1998 Record: 8-8, 2nd in Central PREDICTED RECORD: 7-9, 3rd in Central Departures: QB Dave Brown (FA), TE John Henry Mills (FA), WR Carl Pickens (FA), FS Elbert Shelley (NFL), DT Lester Archambeau (NFL), DE Shawn Patterson (NFL), WR Irving Fryar (RET), CB Corey Sawyer (Trade) New Arrivals: CB Jimmy Hitchcock (FA), WR Jeff Query (FA), TE Frank Wainright (NFL), QB Tommy Maddox (Trade), DE Mark Mraz (Trade) Draft Class: S Scott Shields (Weber), TE Sheldon Jackson (Nebr), HB Autry Denson (NDame), WR Zola Davis (So Car), WR Eugene Baker (Kent), LB Chad Kelsay (Nebr) OUTLOOK: Reggie Cobb and Kelly Stouffer are not getting any younger, and it seems that in many ways the Outlaws are not getting any better. WR continues to be an issue for the Outlaws as their roster just cannot seem to hold onto even quasi-good ones. We don’t see former Bandit Jeff Query as the answer, but he is the main receiver signed. Texas did invest at the TE position, both from the NFL with Frank Wainwright (Miami), and in the draft with Sheldon Jackson. That would seem to indicate that Coach Pardee has all but abandoned the wide open offense that has really never materialized in San Antonio, and is now ready to try pounding the ball with Cobb. Problem is, in order for that offensive scheme to work, you cannot fall behind in games, and Texas’s defense is concerning enough that we fully expect them to be playing from behind quite a bit. SEATTLE DRAGONS 1998 Record: 7-9, 5th in Pacific PREDICTED RECORD: 7-9, 5th in Pacific Departures: CB Robert Massey (FA0, TE Keith McKeller (FA), LB Tommy Thigpen (FA), LB Jim Schwantz (FA), DT Tony Siragusa (NFL), S Alton Montgomery (NFL) New Arrivals: LB John Roper (FA), TE John Embree (FA), CB Ray Mickens (FA) Draft Class: WR David Boston (OSU), HB Joe Montgomery (OSU), TE Jerame Tuman (Mich), G Edwin Mulitalo (Ariz), LB Bryan Jones (OR St), T Barry Sims (Utah), FB Cecil Martin (Wisc), TE Bobby Collins (N Alab), CB Dre Bly (UNC) OUTLOOK: Seattle was a hot pick last year to become the first of the ‘95 expansion clubs to make the playoffs, even picked by Chris Berman as a dark horse Summer Bowl participant, but while they had some moments last season it became clear pretty early that they were not ready for prime time quite yet. Did this offseason change that assessment? Not really. Yes, the Dragons added some good young talent in the draft, including OSU wideout David Boston, HB Joe Montgomery, and the star of camp, CB Dre Bly. They also Added two solid contributors on defense in free agency in LB John Roper and CB Ray Mickens. But did they really change the dynamics of the club? Hard to picture that. A lot may depend on if they have an answer at QB. Jon Kitna went into last year as the starter but an injury cut his season short, giving rookie Brian Griese a chance to play. This year those two have been battling in camp and Coach Joe Tiller has yet to name either one the Week 1 starter. You all know what they say about a club that has 2 QB’s. It means they may not really have one. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 1998 Record: 7-9, 4th in Central PREDICTED RECORD: 7-9, 4th in Central Departures: DE Anthony Abrahms (FA), S Tony Covington (FA), TE Kerry Cash (FA), CB Garland Rivers (RET) New Arrivals: WR Cedrick Tillman (FA) Draft Class: LB Andy Katzenmoyer (OSU), S Cory Hall (Fresno), TE Desmond Clark (Wake), DT Marcus Spriggs (Troy), T Scott curry (Montana), CB Corey Ivy (OU) OUTLOOK: Michigan’s early season hopes for a playoff run never materialized and the Panthers faded badly down the stretch, and yet this is a very talented team. They have solid starters at key positions, Flutie, Campbell, Watters, etc. They added a deep threat in Birmingham wideout Cedrick Tillman, and by all accounts their draft was very successful, netting potential starters on defense in DT Marcus Spriggs, LB Andy Katzenmoyer, and CB Corey Ivy (the likely season-starting nickel back). The fact that three defensive slots are likely taken by rookies shows you one of the main concerns. This is a defense in search of an identity. Coach Skip Holtz has yet to really put together a defensive scheme that plays well to the talent the Panthers have. Without that, the Panthers seem to be running in place, waiting for something to give and for the club to make a move to change the middle-of-the-pack situation they find themselves in. We are not seeing that big break happening this year. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 1998 Record: 6-10, 5th in Central PREDICTED RECORD: 5-11, 5th in Central Departures: CB James Hasty (FA), CB Gene Atkins (FA), LB Sam Rogers (NFL), WR Herman Fontenot (RET), WR Clarence Collins (RET) New Arrivals: DT Leonard Renfro (FA), CB Mike Riley (FA), DT Tim Ryan (FA), Draft Class: HB Ricky Williams (Texas), T Jerry Wisne (NDame), S Keion Carpenter (Va Tech), CB Daylon McCutcheon (USC), WR D’Wayne Bates (NWern) OUTLOOK: What can we say about the Breakers’ offseason that has not already been said. First they retain Coach Ditka when everyone expected him to be gone after a 4-win debacle in 1998, then they all but hand the GM keys to him when they allow for almost their entire draft to be traded away to acquire Ricky Williams. Despite the fact that the Breakers also added 3 defenders in free agency (DT’s Leonard Renfro and Tim Ryan and CB Mike Riley) we all know that the season, and Coach Ditka’s job, all hang on the success or failure of Williams. But what does he need to do to be a success? Is 1,000 yards enough? 1,500? Will that matter if the Breakers again lose 10+ games? Honestly, unless New Orleans shocks everyone and wins 9-10 games and a playoff spot, we don’t see how Big Mike can justify the cost of bringing in the big back, especially when Terrell Davis had shown he was capable of being a solid offensive weapon for the club. If there is such a thing as a lose-lose proposition, this year’s offseason may be it. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 1998 Record: 2-14, 6th in Pacific PREDICTED RECORD: 4-12, 6th in Pacific Departures: TE John Embree (FA), WR Dedrick Smith (FA), QB Glenn Foley (NFL), LB Curtis Taliferro (NFL), FS Merton Hanks (NFL), QB Sean Salisbury (RET) New Arrivals: FS Martin Bayless (FA), DT Chester McGlockton (FA), TE Kerry Cash (FA), LB George Koonce (NFL) Draft Class: WR Tory Holt (NC St), QB Cade McNown (UCLA), S Rich Coady (TAMU), DT Cletidus Hunt (KY St), C J.P. Machado (Illinois), P Chris Hanson (Marshall), LB Khari Samuel (UMass), G Brian Walters (UNT), TE Mark Campbell (Mich), T John Welbourn (Cal), FB Shawn Bryson (Tenn) OUTLOOK: It is hard to decide whether the 2-win Express or the 3-win Machine hold the position as the league’s worst club right now. Both have new coaches, former Bulls’ head man Galen Hall in LA and former 49er OC Marty Mornhinweg in Chicago, but we feel a bit better about the Express than the Machine if for no reason than that they made some big moves this offseason. Gaining all those picks from New Orleans to move from 1st to 4th in the draft was one huge factor, but also taking the gamble to draft Tory Holt at #4, delaying their QB pick until the 2nd round, and still landing the guy they wanted, UCLA’s Cade McNown, was another. Add to this the signing of DT Chester McGLockton away from Atlanta, FS Martin Bayless from division foe Arizona, and LB George Koonce from the NFL and you have a club that is at least making an effort to improve. It may be a rough first year for Coach Hall and the Express as they break in a rookie QB, but at least we see a plan in place in LA. CHICAGO MACHINE 1998 Record: 3-13, 6th in Central PREDICTED RECORD: 4-12, 6th in Central Departures: T John Michels (FA), TE Scott Eccles (FA0, WR Wendell Davis (RET), QB Chris Miller (RET), LB Fred Smalls (RET), G Juan Casteneda (RET), C Frank Winters (NFL) New Arrivals: DE Ray Agnew (FA), T Louis Cheek (FA), CB Eric Allen, T Andy Heck (NFL) Draft Class: TE Jim Kleinsasser (UND), G Solomon Page (WVU), QB Aaron Brooks (UVA), DT Talance Sawyer (UNLV), WR Terrence Wilkins (UVA), S Tony Booth (J Madison) OUTLOOK: We are just not sure what the plan is in Chicago. Clearly a big piece of the plan was started before the late hire of Mornhinweg, as the draft and most of free agency was completed before he came on board. And, of course, the big story for Chicago in the draft was the inability to lure Syracuse QB Donovan McNabb away from the NFL. That is still the subject of all sorts of ranting on Chicago sports radio, as fans are just not comfortable with the choice of Alex Van Pelt or Jeff Garcia at quarterback for the season. Chicago also has one of the least impressive receiving corps in the league, with no real additions this year and the departure of Wendell Davis. Chicago did improve their line, signing RT Andy Heck away from the NFL, and some good pick ups for the D in free agency, landing CB Eric Allen and DE Scott Keller. The draft was not a complete failure either as both TE Jim Kliensasser and rookie WR Terrence Wilkins have a legitimate shot to start in their first year. The same is likely not the case for midround pick at QB Aaron Brooks who will need time to develop. Chicago does not have the look or the feel of a club who will rebound soon after they collapsed last year. We expect to see them right back at the top of the draft in 2000 with a lot of improvements still needed, especially on defense. SEASON PREDICTIONS: So, after ranking the teams in each conference, what is left to say? Well, here is the big picture. We see a real shot for Tampa Bay and St. Louis to once again claim the top seeds in their conference, with Washington and upstart Arizona locking up the other two byes. That leaves 8 WIld Card slots for a solid group of about 10-12 potential competitors. In our minds the top candidates for each conference’s 4 Wild Card spots are Birmingham, Baltimore, Orlando, and and either Memphis, New Jersey, or Philly in the East, with a cluster of teams, particularly in the Pacific Division out west. We will choose Denver, Portland, Oakland and a youthful Houston squad to come out of the jumble in the West. So who makes it to the Summer Bowl? It would be too easy to pick Tampa Bay and St. Louis to repeat their matchup from last year, even if that is the odds on matchup according to Las Vegas. So, we are going to go with two contenders instead. Just like last year we see the title game as a battle between an offensive club and a defensive club, but the roles are reversed between East and West. We predict it will be the defensive might of Washington against the young and talented offense of Arizona in this year’s Summer Bowl, played for the second time in Los Angeles, but the first time in Farmer's Insurance Field, home to both the USFL Express and the NFL Raiders. Expect the stars to be out that night, including a halftime show featuring California icons, the Beach Boys, the Go-Go's, and newcomer Sugar Ray.

January 22, 1999 BIG TRADES FUELED BY HOPE The USFL is often a frustrating combination of high hopes and harsh realities. We have gotten used to the fact that it is very common for 50% or more of the big name draft candidates end up with the NFL (just as they have gotten somewhat used to many of their draftees signing with the USFL). And while this is a somewhat frustrating reality for fans, never knowing if that star player is really headed to your team or not, imagine how incredibly frustrating it is for GMs around the league, especially when top picks are in play. So, when you get huge trades to move up and make the big pick, you better hope you have a good feel as to whether the guy you want this year is ready to sign on the dotted line. Nothing is worse than making a big splash pick and then having them head to the NFL, leaving you high and dry. This reality tends to diminish the number of draft pick trades that the USFL sees, because it is risky to put all your eggs into one basket. It is also why in the USFL draft it is so common to see teams use multiple picks on one position of need. If you need a new QB, for example, you are better off using both a 1st and 3rd round pick on one, unless you are 100% confident that your top pick is coming to town. And trading up to sign a guy better come with a near guarantee that he is signing. So it was a bit surprising that the huge news in this year’s draft was just that, two teams moving up to sign what they believe will be a franchise-defining player. In the case of Portland, trading into the Top 10 by swapping picks with New Jersey (and providing the Generals with a 1st rounder next year as well), to get their replacement for Jack Trudeau, the tradeoff was not too painful. The one that really shocked the league is what the New Orleans Breakers did to capture the #1 pick of the LA Express. We need to break this one down, because it is wild. ALL IN FOR THE BIG MIKE'S MAN CRUSH We all knew that Mike Ditka loved Texas HB Ricky Williams, but clearly the rest of the Breaker staff either fell in love too or really wanted to keep Big Mike from yelling at them for being too chicken to make it happen. With the Breakers hoping to jump over Jacksonville and Chicago, both rumored to be looking seriously at Williams, they knew they would need LA’s top pick. The Express knew this too, and with their eyes set on a QB, and one they felt they could pick up later in the draft, UCLA’s Cade McNown, the Express were willing to play hardball and milk Ditka’s obsession to their maximum benefit. The Express front office did just that. Giving up their #1 overall pick, as well as their pick in the 3rd round, garnered them practically a full second draft as New Orleans sent them the #4 pick, the Breakers’ 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th round picks this year, and their 2nd rounder next year, a total of 5 picks for 2, and for LA to only drop down to 4th meant they still were getting their hands on a top player. That is a haul for a club that needs a full reset on their roster. The move gave the Express 15 picks in the league’s 10 round draft, including 4 picks in the first 3 rounds and two picks each in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 7th rounds. For New Orleans the deal means they are shoving all their chips into the center, betting it all on Ricky Williams being a generational star who dominates through the run in what is typically a pass-happy league. For Ditka, who was on a very hot seat all season, this is make or break. We now look to Williams, who could also opt for the NFL after their draft next week, but who, we suspect, gave New Orleans a lot of indications that he will sign one of the most lucrative contracts for a running back in football history. Without that near-guarantee we cannot imagine the Breakers’ brass giving nearly their entire draft to the Express. MOVING UP FOR THE LOCAL COLLEGE STAR The second big draft day deal saw Portland move up 8 spots into the top 10. This move was a direct result of QB Jack Trudeau's announced retirement. While the Thunder might have liked what they saw out of Bill Musgrave in relief this season, they had a homegrown Heisman hopefull just down the road in Eugene and the ability to sign the talented and very marketable Akili Smith all but forced their hand. The problem for Portland was that the odds that Smith would drop to their #16 spot was not good. They would need to move into the top 10, possibly the Top 5 to have a shot at the athletic QB. Top 5 was not going to happen, but in New Jersey at #8 they had a willing trade partner and a position that gave them a very good shot at selecting Smith. They had no choice but to go for it, and the Generals knew this. New Jersey played hardball at first, and ended up with a pretty solid haul to move from 8th to 16th. The Thunder would give the Generals their 1st and 6th round picks this season in return for Portland's #16 first round pick, their 6th rounder and their 1st round pick in the 2000 draft. So, we are working from the assumption that both Ricky Williams and Portland’s selection of Akili Smith, the U. of Oregon hometown hero, are all but locked up, but that still leaves a ton of mystery about the rest of the draft. So, in reviewing this year’s draft, we are going to look at fit, and look at potential, but we will not evaluate or grade the draft, because we all know that the draft is just the start. It now all comes down to who will sign with the USFL and who will end up in the NFL next fall. That remains a huge asterisk next to each draftee’s name. Before we review each club’s draft (In order of selection), let’s look at some of the other newsworthy results of the past month so that these stories are not forgotten OTHER NOTEWORTHY TRADES MADDOX TO TEXAS: The big moves by New Orleans and Portland were certainly the headliners, but there were several other trades worthy of mention. New Jersey got themselves extra picks by trading with Portland to move from 8th to 16th in the first round, but they also picked up an extra 6th rounder in that deal, and they added an extra 3rd rounder by trading out-of-favor backup QB Tommy Maddox to the Outlaws. That move allowed Texas to improve their QB room after struggling with Sacca or Graziani whenever Kelly Stouffer went down, while avoiding the need to compete for QB talent in the draft itself. KNIGHTS SHORE UP THE LINE: Memphis also added a 3rd round pick by trading away swing guard Todd Rucci to the St. Louis Knights. St. Louis gave up their 3rd rounder as well as backup CB Rodney Young to acquire the well-regarded Rucci, a player likely to move into the starting RG position for the Knights after they lost James Richards to the Stallions in Free Agency. HOUSTON GETS A PROSPECT AT QB: Denver and Houston also pulled off an interesting trade, though this one did not involve any picks. The Gold, very satisfied with Mark Brunell as their starter and looking at 4 signalcallers in their QB room, opted to send young Matt Hasselbeck to the Houston Gamblers, who are apparently focused on the position this offseason. Houston sends Denver tackle Adam Meadows, a position of need for the Gold, and adds Hasselbeck to a QB room that could also potentially include first round pick Tim Couch. Our suspicion is that Couch is viewed as something of a 50/50 proposition, and that the trade for Hasselbeck allows Houston to adjust if the Kentucky product opts for the NFL. We still expect Chuck Hartlieb, who set league records this year for both pass attempts and completions to be the Week 1 starter, but we know that both Hartlieb’s and the club’s rough second half of the year had Houston looking to possibly upgrade. Couch would be seen as the heir apparent, while Hasselbeck is something of an untested commodity, but one who certainly provides decent depth behind whoever the starter ends up being. It will not be official until the NFL-USFL transfer window opens up the week after the Super Bowl, but all indications point to both Chicago and Jacksonville signing current NFL coordinators to lead their teams in 1999. In Chicago it seems that offense is the name of the game as the team wants to maximize the investment in Kerry Collins, Eddie George, and Joey Galloway, their biggest stars. Stories out of the Windy City have San Francisco 49er OC and QB Coach Marty Mornhinweg pegged as the man for the Machine. Mornhinweg certainly has the offensive chops to build something in Chicago, though we have to wonder why the focus is on offense when it is the Machine defense that totally collapsed this season. The potential shift to a West Coast style offense may work well with the talent found in the Machine, particularly Ricky Watters at HB. The retirement of Wendell Davis, and the uncertainty at QB will be challenges for Mornhinweg to be sure. But, maybe the draft would help resolve those areas of concern. In Jacksonville, the emphasis seems to be trying to find a way to slow down the offenses of division foes Orlando, Birmingham, and Tampa Bay. That is a tall order, and from the reports out of Bulls’s sources it will be the task of new Head Coach Gunther Cunningham. Cunningham is well known for his defensive schemes and tough attitude. Currently serving as the defensive coordinator for the NFL KC Chiefs, he has previously served with the Raiders, Chargers, and a brief stint as a defensive line coach in the early years of the Birmingham Stallions. Jacksonville clearly had D-line on their radar in the draft as well as they used the #3 overall pick on local product, Jevon Kearse from the Gators. We expect the chance to stay close to Gainesville and play for a defensive-minded coach like Cunningham may be just enough for the UF product to sign with the USFL Bulls, at least that is certainly the hope of the fans of the Garnet & Orange. DRAFT IN REVIEW OK, we have looked at the trades that impacted this year’s draft, and we think we have a handle on the new coaches either signed or ready to sign as soon as the transfer window opens, so now let’s get to the topic everyone is talking about, the 1999 USFL Draft. We will look at each team’s top pick, and highlight notable players taken in later rounds, including one darkhorse taken after round 5 who we think could just make the squad and make an impact. Again a caveat, the NFL Draft is next week and we all full well know that upwards of 50% of the early round players are likely to sign with the senior league, so don’t get too attached to any one player, because we won’t know until the flurry of signings ends just which of these picks is actually going to be wearing your favorite USFL club’s jersey come opening day on March 20. 1. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 1998 Record: 6-10 (Pick acquired in trade from LA) Head Coach: Mike Ditka 1st Round: HB Ricky Williams-Texas. We all knew Ditka coveted the big Longhorn back, and after trading away Terrell Davis (to Pittsburgh), they absolutely needed to land this big fish. Based on what they were willing to give up to move into the top pick of the draft, we fully expect that there is already a verbal agreement between Williams and the Breakers, so fans in New Orleans might just be justified in buying their #34 jerseys in Ocean Blue. Other Notable Picks: After trading away so many picks, the Breakers did not have a lot of draft capital left. They ended up with 5 picks on the day by getting 2 from LA and 1 from Pittsburgh in the Davis trade. Of the players selected not named Ricky Williams, the best prospect is CB Daylon McCutcheon from USC, though we could also see 3rd round wideout D’Wayne Bates (Northwestern) make the squad. Darkhorse: Two potential late round picks who could stick in the Big Easy are 6th rounde4 Keion Carpenter, a rangy safety from Va Tech, and 9th round pick Jerry Wisne, a big guard from Notre Dame who probably should have gone in an earlier round. Not a lot of depth for New Orleans in this truncated draft, but with these two groups needing depth, we could see both Wisne and Carpenter getting a shot to make the squad. 2. CHICAGO MACHINE 1998 Record: 3-13 Head Coach: TBD (Rumored to be Marty Mornhinweg 1st Round: QB Donovan McNabb-Syracuse. Chicago is sending a signal, to the league, but also to Alex Van Pelt, that they are not going to sit on their laurels after plummeting out of playoff contention in 1997 to the 2nd worst record in the league in 1998. McNabb is an athletic QB who can throw on the run, but is also big enough to stand firm in the pocket and lengthen plays. If Marty Mornhiweg is, as expected, the new head coach, he may have a steep learning curve to pick up the complexities of the West Coast Offense, which may mean sitting behind Van Pelt and/or Garcia for a year. That reality may also impact his decision to come to Chicago or see what the NFL has to offer. Other Notable Picks: Chicago is clearly building around a new offense, and they did what many USFL clubs do, doubled down on the key positions. In addition to drafting a good looking tight end in North Dakota’s Jim Kliensasser and a versatile wideout in UVa’s Terrence Wilkins, the Machine went back into the QB pool in the 4th round, drafting another Cavalier, UVa QB Aaron Brooks. Brooks is seen as more of a project, but his initial role may well be as insurance if McNabb does not jump at the chance to learn the West Coast offense in the Windy City. Darkhorse: In the later rounds, Chicago alternated between offensive bulk and defensive depth, having already signed Bulls’ LB Paul McGown and Seattle CB Robert Massey in free agency. The dark horse we like of the later picks is 8th round pick Tony Booth. Booth played both Strong and Free Safety at James Madison, and as a smaller school product looked good against lesser opposition, so the big question is if his game will hold up at the pro level. 3. JACKSONVILLE BULLS 1998 Record: 3-13 Head Coach: TBD (Rumored to be Gunther Cunningham) 1st Round: DE Jevon Kearse-Florida. With Williams off the table, the big question is whether the Bulls would go after a more versatile back than Natrone Means in Edjerrin James from Miami or go for defense with Jevon Kearse. Both are local Florida players, so the team could sign either at only a 50% cost to the salary cap, but with defense being the emphasis for the Bulls, and with Means being adequate if not all they might want, the choice seemed clear. As we said earlier, we expect the lure of staying in north Florida and playing for many of the same fans who supported him as a Gator will help Jacksonville land Kearse, a total beast to defend. We expect Kearse to be tormenting Brett Favre, Scott Mitchell, Heath Shuler, and Troy Aikman all year. Other Notable Picks: Jacksonville did eventually pick a back, taking Michigan State’s Sedrick Irvin in the 3rd round, and while he certainly can help the Bulls’ run game, he is a lot like Means, so it does not really expand what the Bulls can do on offense. They also added beef in the form of Notre Dame tackle Luke Petitgout, who, should he sign, could be a starter at RT almost immediately. The Bulls also added a kicker to replace the retired Pete Stoyanovich, selecting Nebraska kicker Kris Brown with their final pick of the day. Darkhorse: We expect Brown to be the kicker, so that is not really a darkhorse. So, looking at the other later round picks, I guess the best shot would be 8th rounder, DT Antonio Dingle, out of UVa (What is with all the Cavaliers this year). Dingle’s a space-filler who could help stuff the run, but needs to work on his block shedding if he is going to be more effective on passing downs. 4. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 1998 Record: 2-14 (Pick acquired in trade with New Orleans) Head Coach: Galen Hall 1st Round: WR Torry Holt-NC State. This one was a shocker. Everyone and their uncle expected the Express to use their first pick, shifted from #1 to #4 to lock up UCLA QB Cade McNown, who has already expressed interest in playing for the Express and staying in LA. The Express instead took a chance that McCown was not on most team’s wishlist. They waited and he was there at the top of the 2nd round, so the Express get him at a much lower cost than at #4 overall (assuming the drop to the 2nd round is not enough to dissuade him from coming to the Express at all.) With their first pick, they surprised many by selecting one of the best weapons a rookie QB could ask for, NC State’s prolific passcatcher, Torry Holt. The speedy and smooth Holt would be an instant upgrade for a receiving corps that has been very disappointing behind #1 receiver Mike Pritchard. Other Notable Picks: Thanks to the generosity (or foolishness) of the Breakers, the Express had almost more picks than they knew what to do with. That said, they seem to have made very good use of them, if they can sign the selected players that is. In addition to Holt and McCown we like the selection of LB Khari Samuel from UMass, FB Shawn Bryson from Tennessee, and DT Cletidus Hunt from Division 2 Kentucky State. The Express also landed a punter late on in Marshall’s Chris Hanson. Darkhorse: Hanson was a need pick, but with so many picks, there are a few “luxury” selections among the Express haul as well. One that could just pan out is 9th round pick J.P. Machado, who played 3 different offensive line positions at Illinois. He could fit in at Center or Guard for the Express as they look to improve their offensive line rotation. 5. ATLANTA FIRE 1998 Record: 6-10 Head Coach: Sherman Lewis 1st Round: DT Anthony McFarland-LSU: Another team with major defensive needs, Atlanta looked to shore up the interior of its line with the selection of McFarland in the first round. If the big man from LSU comes to Bobby Dowd this spring he will likely be worked into the rotation on the D-Line right away. At LSU he was a beast and all indication is that he can also be a beast against pro talent. Other Notable Picks: Atlanta may have reached on a few of its picks, but they are a team that needs to fix some major holes, so hitting on a few darkhorses may pay off. Among the more interesting picks we find DE Peppi Zellner from tiny Fort Valley State and punter Brian Moorman from Pittsburg State (which we just learned is in Kansas and not PA. Who knew?) Darkhorse: Atlanta went for speed in picking wideout Troy Smith from East Carolina in the 8th round. If he signs with the Fire, expect Smith to be sent on a ton of fly routes to take advantage of Jeff George’s big arm. 6. SEATTLE DRAGONS 1998 Record: 7-9 Head Coach: Joe Tiller 1st Round: WR David Boston-Ohio State. This one was not a shocker, though many expected Seattle to have their pick between Torry Holt and David Boston. LA surprised them, but in Boston they certainly do not have any regrets. The lanky and speedy Buckeye may be tough to sign as he will certainly get a lot of attention from the NFL, and playing in Seattle, with their somewhat uncertain QB situation could also play a role in his final decision. That said, were he to come to Seattle, he would almost certainly line up opposite Eric Metcalf to create one of the fastest 1-2 combos in the league. Other Notable Picks: Seattle focused a lot on their problematic offense, selecting Ohio State HB Joe Montgomery in the 2nd round, TE Jerame Tuman (Michigan) in the 3rd, and OG Edwin Mulitalo (Arizona) in the 3rd. They would add some late round defensive help in LB Bryan Jones from Oregon State, but it seems clear that offense was the emphasis. Darkhorse: Of all the offensive players other than Boston to be selected, the one with the best path to a starting gig may well be 10th round pick Cecil Martin, a big burly fullback out of Wisconsin who is used to opening holes for big backs. Expect him to become Corey Dillon’s closest pal in camp as he may be key to helping Dillon move into the elite ranks of USFL rushers. 7. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 1998 Record: Head Coach: Skip Holtz 1st Round: LB Andy Katzenmoyer-Ohio State. The Panthers of the 80’s lived and died by their aggressive LB corps led by John Corker. Looks like they want to go back to that with the selection of Andy Katzenmoyer. A born leader and a force in the middle, Katzenmoyer would be a solid upgrade for the Panthers and an immediate starter. Weird as it is for a club in Michigan to snag the Buckeye product, unless he is selected by Cincinnati or Cleveland in the NFL Draft, he may opt to sign for big money and stay in the region. Other Notable Picks: Michigan’s picks were universally praised, but there are questions about the ability of the club to sign some of the talent they selected. In addition to Katzenmoyer, most pundits believe they found value in their picks of safety Cory Hall of Fresno State, TE Desmond Clark of Wake Forest, and DT Marcus Sprig from Troy. None of these are huge pro-player factories, so there is a decent shot that they will take the money and run to the USFL rather than hold out for NFL offers, but time will tell. Darkhorse: Michigan offered one of the comedic moments of the night when they selected punter Chris Hanson in the 10th round, only 6 picks after LA had already picked the Marshall punter. That move cost the Panthers the pick, but they signed another punter on the first day of post-draft free agency, so we can forgive them. Their best late pick, one that was actually available, was CB Corey Ivy of Oklahoma, who had some off-field issues that complicated his draft, leaving him unselected until the 8th round. If he signs and if those issues are able to be resolved, he could be a steal this late in the draft. 8. PORTLAND THUNDER 1998 Record: 10-6 (Wild Card: Pick acquired in trade with New Jersey) Head Coach: Vince Tobin 1st Round: QB Akili Smith-Oregon. The Thunder did what they needed to do to get the Oregon Duck QB who will immediately become their starter (assuming he signs). The move gets them a top prospect at the position at half-price (on the salary cap), will build yet more local connection for the fanbase, and may even help Robert Drummond not have to carry the team quite as much. Smith has the chance to sign to a team that only 1 year ago was in the Summer Bowl and which has a good amount of talent on both sides of the ball. Other Notable Picks: While Smith was the big get, Portland also went for a big name in the 2nd round, selecting Colorado LB Joey Porter. Those two players could make or break their entire draft. Porter has potential to add some speed and energy to the blitz packages and can play the run tough as well. Darkhorse: Not a lot of names folks would recognize in the later rounds for Portland, and they gave up some draft capital to New Jersey to move to #8, but we do like 6th round pick Kelly Greg, a road grader at DT who can free up others to engage in the pass rush and who would make the run game a tougher prospect (of course we are always amazed that Portland never seems to put together a decent run defense, so who knows.) 9. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 1998 Record: 7-9 Head Coach: Ray Willsey 1st Round: QB Tim Couch-Kentucky. This one honestly surprised us. We all thought Houston would go HB or DE, which they did later in the draft, but we did not think they were serious contenders in the QB hunt, especially not after the trade that brought Tommy Maddox to Space City. But, Couch is a top prospect at the position, and the team that lived and died with Jim Kelly at the helm may just feel that while Hartlieb is not horrible, he also has not been consistent enough in turning attempts into points. The hard part here may be that Couch is also expected to be a top pick in the NFL Draft, perhaps even a #1 pick, which means Cleveland, and that would be closer to home and closer to his fanbase. Other Notable Picks: Houston did go HB in the 2nd round, adding Kevin Faulk, the shifty back from LSU, to the mix. Faulk and Dorsey Levins (received in trade from Pittsburgh) could combine into the type of “Thunder and Lightning” combo which several teams seem to prefer over the single bell cow prototypical 1-back offense. Faulk is an excellent receiver and could be the answer on 3rd down even if Levins becomes the main ballcarrier. Darkhorse: Perhaps one of our favorite late round picks in the entire draft, Purdue DE Chike Okeafor was a steal for Houston in the 7th round. Not only do we think Okeafor can make the squad, we expect he could be an impact player within 3 years. He has both speed and power, but needs to learn some technique to grow into a true pro edge rusher. 10. OHIO GLORY 1998 Record: 7-9 Head Coach: Al Luginbill 1st Round: LB Chris Clairborne-USC. The fans all wanted Ohio to draft local legend Andy Katzenmoyer, but Michigan swooped in and stole him out from under. So, not wanting to miss out on an impact LB altogether, the Glory settle on USC’s Chris Clairborne. Not sure if the allure of Columbus, Ohio will be enough to draw Clairborne to the USFL, but if he comes he is likely to be a week 1 starter for a Glory defense that is going to need to improve if the club has any hope of becoming a playoff contender in the stacked Atlantic Division. Other Notable Picks: The Glory stayed on defense for the majority of their picks, which makes sense considering how bad that D was this year. In addition to Clairborne, the Glory hope to add DE Lamar King (2nd round) from Saginaw State, DE Jared DeVries (Iowa, 3rd round), CB Mike McKenzie (4th round from Memphis) and even loaded up with three late LB picks we will talk about next. Darkhorse: Clearly concerned that Clairborne will go to the NFL, Ohio spent three late picks on bargain basement versions of the USC product. The first was UCLA’s Brendon Ayanbadejo in the 7th round, followed by CLemoson’s O.J. Childress in the 8th. With their final pick in the 10th they went for a different type of player, from a small school, Division III’s Clint Kriewaldt from tiny Wisconsin-Stevens Point, a more typical MLB model who will need to adjust to the speed of the pro game. 11. PITTSBURGH MAULERS 1998 Record: 8-8 Head Coach: Emmitt Thomas 1st Round: CB Champ Bailey-MEM. The Maulers want to get back to being a defensive power in a division defined by good defense (Washington, Philly, Baltimore, even New Jersey all have solid squads). If they can add Georgia’s Champ Bailey, that would go a long way to them being able to do so. Bailey will get a lot of attention from the NFL as well, but going to a team with something of a defensive pedigree may be an enticement for the former Bulldog. Other Notable Picks: DE Dimitrius Underwood of Michigan State was the Mauler’s 2nd round pick, sticking with the defensive theme. He too would be a big add for Pittsburgh. The Maulers also used picks on safeties Chris Jones (Clemson) and Rashard Cook (USC) hoping to get some depth for that secondary. Darkhorse: Our favorite of the Mauler’s later picks is one of the few offensive players taken. Georgia TE Jermaine Wiggins would be a good add for a club that has struggled at the position since the retirement of Mike Shaw. Wiggins is a big body who has surprising speed in the open field. He needs to work on his run blocking if he wants to be on the field every down, but he could see some spot duty with the Maulers if he signs on the dotted line. 12. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS 1998 Record: 8-8 Head Coach: Jim Mora 1st Round: HB Edjerrin James-Miami. Ever in search of a halfback, Memphis tries again by going for the home run ball in the first round, selecting U. of Miami two dimensional threat Edjerrin James. James will have a lot of NFL interest, as well he should, but you know that Coach Mora is going to pull out all the stops to get one of the best backs in recent years on his squad. Other Notable Picks: Memphis is clearly trying to help out Heath Shuler with more weapons. In addition to selecting James, they also go for wideout Craig Yeast of Kentucky (one of Tim Couch’s favorite targets) and two late round halfbacks with speed and good hands, Western Illinois’s Aaron Stecker and Oklahoma’s De’mond Parker. Darkhorse: We are going to break our own rule here and focus on a player from Round 4, a player many had as a possible 1st round pick, Tennessee LB Al Wilson. How and why Wilson fell is a mystery, and certainly being a 4th rounder is not a good enticement to sign before the NFL offer, but Wilson is a Tennessee guy, which may hold some sway if Coach Mora can play the home town hero card. Time will tell, but if they do get Wilson on board, he could be an impact player for Memphis, something they sorely lack outside of Reggie White. 13. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 1998 Record: 8-8 (Wild Card) Head Coach: Ron Erhardt 1st Round: DE Mike Rucker-Nebraska. The Stallions have offense to burn, but that D just lets them down time and again, and while Rucker is not a prototypical edge rusher, he has talent and he is a physical specimen, so perhaps the Stallions see potential here for a big difference maker. Honestly, with the needs they have, DE would not have been our first pick for them, but it is still a good pick. Other Notable Picks: Birmingham went O-line with their next two picks, selecting Wisconsin tackle Aaron Gibson in the 2nd round and Duke guard Lennie Friedman in the 3rd. They lost some line depth and some talent in free agency, so you know Brett Favre is happy about this, but they had shots at some solid defenders too, but passed (If there is one thing B’Ham knows how to do it is pass, after all.) Darkhorse: We are not sure why Birmingham selected a FB in the 10th round, because Mike Alstott is as solid as they come at the position, but they went with U. of Miami’s Nick Luchey. So we select Luchey here not because we think he will get the nod for the Stallions but because there is a really good chance that he is traded or cut and becomes a potential find for another club where his talents are more needed. A weird pick for this club to be sure. 14. ORLANDO RENEGADES 1998 Record: 9-7 (Wild Card) Head Coach: George O'Leary 1st Round: QB Dante Culpepper-UCF. We called this one. While many saw Culpepper as a project not deserving of 1st round consideration, the Renegades are perfectly positioned to take him. Not only does the big QB have a local fanbase, not only does he come with minimal cap impact, but he can sit behind Scott Mitchell and develop. A solid pick for the Renegades if they can outbid or outshmooze the NFL to get him inked. Other Notable Picks: Orlando spent a lot of draft capital on offense this year, which is a bit of a surprise, except that when you are in a division with Birmingham and Tampa Bay perhaps fighting fire with fire is the best option. In addition to Culpepper, the ‘Gades selected HB Amos Zeroue from West Virginia, WR Brandon Stokley from SW Lousiana, and WR Donald Driver of Alcorn State ( a solid 4th round pick). Darkhorse: The darkhorse for the Renegades may be at Tackle, another offensive pick, where little known George Merriweather from Division II Texas A&M-Commerce could make some noise, at least as a swing tackle. He played both tackle positions as well as some snaps at center, so that versatility could pay off come cut day. 15. OAKLAND INVADERS 1998 Record: 9-7 (Wild Card) Head Coach: Dan Reeves 1st Round: C Damien Woody-Boston College. A no nonsense pick in the midst of a no nonsense draft for Oakland. No glitz here, just a solid player who will help make Ryan Leaf’s life easier. Woody would be the starter in Week 1 if he were to start, and Oakland can be an attractive destination. Other Notable Picks: The Invaders went safety 3 times in 10 rounds, so you know they mean busiess. First off the board was Clemson’s Antuan Edwards in the 2nd round, then local kid Marquise Smith of Cal in the 4th, and finally Floriday’s Tony George in the 5th. They likely won’t sign all 3, but getting 2 of 3 would be very helpful for a secondary that needs more talent. Darkhorse: While not as flashy as 3rd round pick WR Marty Booker, the addition late of HB Madre Hill of Arkansas could be a solid step towards improving the Invader run game. They also added a less-heralded but solid fullback in the 9th round with NE Louisiana’s Alan Ricard. 16. NEW JERSEY GENERALS 1998 Record: 7-9 (Pick acquired in trade with Portland) Head Coach: Marty Schottenheimer 1st Round: CB Antoine Winfield-Ohio State. New Jersey went for quantity over quality by moving back from #8 to #16 but picking up several picks to do so. With the #16 pick they looked to add more depth to the secondary by signing Ohio State’s Antoine Winfield, an undersized but dynamic corner in coverage. Other Notable Picks: In addition to Winfield, New Jersey added more defense in the form of LB Bobbie Howard of Notre Dame, DT Jason Wiltz of Nebraska, and another corner (always helps to double up) in Fred Vinson of Vanderbilt. Their biggest offensive reach was to find a second receiver to line up opposite Terry Glenn. In Syracuse’s Kevin Johnson they might have someone who can fill that role (and the cap discount for a Syracuse player also helps). Darkhorse: Our favorite late round General selection has to be safety Pierson Prioleau from Virginia Tech. 7th round is not that late, but it is later than where we think Priolieau’s talent should have sent him. We expect that were he to sign with New Jersey, he could make the squad as the Generals need more depth at the position. 17. TEXAS OUTLAWS 1998 Record: 8-8 (Wild Card, advanced to Division Round) Head Coach: Jack Pardee 1st Round: WR Troy Edwards-La Tech. Texas is still trying to figure out their receiving corps. It has never fully recovered from the departure of Eric Metcalf a couple of years back. Now, with Irving Fryar retiring and Carl Pickens departing in Free Agency, there is a lot of question about just who will be lining up for Texas this March. Signing Troy Edwards, a speedy and quick player from Louisiana Tech would be a good step, but they also need some veteran leadership as well. Other Notable Picks: Texas went with a lot of offensive picks this year, selecting two wideouts late (Zola Davis of South Carolina and Eugene Baker of Kent State), a halfback in Notre Dame’s Autry Denson, and a tight end in Nebraska’s Sheldon Jackson. Will those picks pan out? Will they sign? If not, the Outlaws could be hitting the training camp waiver wires pretty hard. Darkhorse: Of the late round picks, Texas has only one defender on the list, but he is an intriguing prospect. Nebraska linebacker Chad Kelsay is a motor guy, a gym rat, and what he lacks in pure athletic talent he makes up for in effort. You need that on a team, especially on one that is on the cusp in so many ways. 18. BALTIMORE BLITZ 1998 Record: 10-6 (Wild Card, advanced to Division Round) Head Coach: Lindy Infante 1st Round: CB Chris McAlister-Arizona. A solid pick for a team that already has a pretty solid defense. McAlister would be a good addition to the Blitz secondary, especially with Torin Dorn headed to Portland this offseason. He may not be a pure cover corner, but he is not afraid to come up and participate in run defense, and his zone skills are pretty solid. Other Notable Picks: What is it about slower, bulkier, power backs that Baltimore loves so much. The latest is Boston College’s Mike Cloud, a bowling ball player much in the mold of Barry Foster, Derrick Fenner or Tim Lester, former Blitz pounders. Darkhorse: After what seems 40 years in Baltimore, Luis Zendejas retired, and that fact meant that Baltimore would actually have to look at kickers for the first time in a long time. They decided to look a lot earlier than most clubs would, and snagged Kansas State’s prolific kicker Martin Gramatica in the 4th round. Yes, not technically a dark horse, late-rounder, but still, how often do we talk about drafting kickers? 19. PHILADELPHIA STARS 1998 Record: 10-6 (Division Winner, Lost in Division Round) Head Coach: Raymond Berry 1st Round: OT John Tait-BYU. The Stars go for the big tackle, hoping to both protect Bobby Hebert and build up a run game that let them down in the offseason. Tait is a good candidate for both tasks, and could slot in at right tackle, allowing more flexibility with the veteran tackles to focus on the left side of the line. Other Notable Picks: LB Mike Peterson of Florida is a need pick for Philly, and honestly may be more essential to sign than even Tait is. The Stars live and die by defensive stops, and their LB corps got very old very quickly, so adding a young rangy player like Peterson would be a huge bonus for the Stars. Darkhorse: DT Garrett Johnson of Illinois is a bit raw, and a bit uneven, but given some time, and some solid coaching, he could blossom into a late round gem for the Stars. 20. DENVER GOLD 1998 Record: 12-4 (Division Winner, Lost in Division Round) Head Coach: Dick Jauron 1st Round: LB Hannibal Navies-Colorado. An intriguing pick for the home team. Most had Navies as a 2nd or 3rd round selection, but perhaps the lure of a local kid who counts half on the salary cap, paired with Denver’s usual frugal approach to signings makes sense for this club. Certainly you cannot have enough LB’s, as is evident by the Gold also selecting Texas A&M’s Dat Nguyen 3 rounds later. Other Notable Picks: Nguyen would be a great addition for Denver, as would 2nd round pick, wideout Peerless Price of Tennessee. The Gold keep falling short in the playoffs, and a good 2nd option for Brunell could help free up Keith Jackson in the middle and help the team prepare for the eventual departure of Odessa Turner. Darkhorse: Safety Eric Thigpen from Iowa has the tools, but never seems focused enough for the job at hand. That is why he fell to the 8th round, and that is what will have to change if he is to make the squad and get some time on the field for Denver. If he can get his mind right, he can be a solid player in this league. 21. ARIZONA WRANGLERS 1998 Record: 8-8 (Wild Card, Lost in Conference Title Game) Head Coach: Art Shell 1st Round: OT Matt Stinchcomb-Georgia. The Wranglers have gotten used to picking much earlier in the draft, so entering as the #21 pick after a really impressive playoff run in August has to be a bit of a shock for Coach Shell. He seemed to handle it well, going for solid talent over stretch potential. Stinchcomb is not going to sell a lot of jerseys in Phoenix, but what he does for Jake Plummer and the Wrangler offense is provide both solid protection and open holes. A good pick, and a potential late 1st round signing that would move this club even closer to contention. Other Notable Picks: We love the Stinchcomb pick (can you tell?) but we are also quite fond of the selection the Wranglers made in the 4th round. Georgia back Olandis Gary shared carries in Athens, but has a lot of potential. He will likely be part of a rotation at HB in Arizona, but the Wranglers need a go-to short yardage guy and Gary has the build and the temperament to be that guy. Darkhorse: Not a lot of names stand out here, and we promised we would not highlight every kicker taken (sorry, Jose Cortez of Oregon State), so we are going to mention safety Anthony Poindexter of Virginia, Arizona’s 8th round pick. The secondary in Tempe is pretty solid, so making the team may come down to helping out on special teams for Poindexter. 22. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 1998 Record: 10-6 (Wild Card, Lost in Conference Title Game) Head Coach: Paul Hackett 1st Round: LB Barry Gardner-Northwestern. It is still puzzling to us that the Feds went with Gardner in the first round and then added UVA’s Patrick Kerney in the 2nd. Most folks had Kerney going long before Gardner, so maybe Washington just got lucky. Either way, this combo would be great additions to the Federals’ defense, as if they need more, but where is the offense? Other Notable Picks: Kerney is a great 2nd round value, but we asked about offense and we are not sure that either Florida wideout Travis McGriff, or the surprise pick of UW QB Brock Huard in the 5th round make a lot of sense for the Federals. Some odd picking all around. Darkhorse: Washington, a team with a clear starter at QB in Kordell Stewart, went out and drafted two QB’s, when we all suspect only 1 could make the squad. They went with Huard in the 5th and then added U. of Miami signal caller Scott Covington in the 8th round. Weird. Of all the drafts this year, we think the Federals left the most people scratching their head. 23. ST. LOUIS KNIGHTS 1998 Record: 14-2 (Western Conference Champions) Head Coach: Jim Johnson 1st Round: TE Reggie Kelly-Mississippi State. The Knights went TE twice in the first 3 rounds, always a cautious move, and while many question the impact of going with a TE pick in the first round, any time you can get a potential starter in the late stages of that round the position really does not matter. Kelly has potential to be the kind of receiving TE that the Knights, and especially QB Todd Collins, could use to great effect. Other Notable Picks: With Darrell Thompson moving on, the weight of the run game falls on Ahman Green. We think he will be a clear starter, but so many clubs, including St. Louis, love the dual back format, so we were not shocked that the Knights are looking to sign McNeese State’s Cecil Collins after seleting him in the 4th round. He does not have breakaway speed, but has some shiftiness, which will work for him behind the solid Knight offensive line. Darkhorse: QB Michael Bishop, taken in the 7th round is about as far away from Todd Collins you can get in the position. A great scrambler and decent downfield runner, Bishop is raw athleticism while Collins, who is neither fleet of foot nor big of stature, is more the system QB with a mind for detail. If the Knights do sign Bishop, we would love to see them develop some plays for him that make good use of the threat of the run, something Collins does not offer. 24. TAMPA BAY BANDITS 1998 Record: 13-3 (League Champions) Head Coach: Mike Seifert 1st Round: DE Tony Bryant-Florida State. With success comes roster poaching, and the Bandits certainly saw that this offseason, losing several key players. They opted to go for home-grown talent with their first two picks and landed a solid potential starter in FSU defensive end Tony Bryant. Bryant can be a bit erratic, which is why he was not taken earlier, but when he is on, he is dangerous. Tampa needs to add some danger to their pass rush, so this pick makes sense. Other Notable Picks: We did not expect many offensive players to be taken by the Bandits, but we did think they needed to replace Jeff Query, who departed in free agency. Chris Doering may step up, but he is more of a possession receiver and not a threat to break the big one. Drafting Tai Streets of Michigan in the 2nd round may have been a little early, but he certainly fits the mold for the kind of field-expanding receiver that Tampa likes to employ. Darkhorse: Our final commentary of the edition will go to Mr. Relevant, the USFL’s answer to the NFL’s Mr. Irrelevant selection. This year that would be Tampa Bay’s 10th round selection of “Hunter the Punter”, Notre Dame punter Hunter Smith. Sure, the Bandits rarely punt at all, but when they do it is good to have a punter who can coffin corner the ball to make the other offense go down a long field. That is one of Hunter Smith’s specialties. He does not have the strongest leg, but he can aim the ball about as well as any one at the college level. Any time you are the last player drafted and you have a better than 50/50 shot of making a team, a real shot, that is a solid pick.

October 3, 1998 COACHING NEWS Just about six weeks since Summer Bowl 1998 and we have three of our five head coaching positions filled. We told you about the quick hires of Marty Schottenheimer in New Jersey and Galen Hall in LA, well now add the Ohio Glory to the list of teams ready to roll with a new head coach. Many speculated that the Glory would look to hire a defensive-minded coach, since defense was such an issue for them last season, but the Glory zigged when many expected them to zag. The Glory went the college route to sign a very successful college coach, former San Diego State head man Al Luginbill. Luginbill, who does have something of a defensive pedigree, having come up through the ranks as a DB coach at Wyoming, a LB coach and defensive coordinator at Arizona State, and then a Head Coach for the Aztecs, comes to the Glory after having spent the last 2 years with the Denver Broncos of the NFL. Luginbill inherits a Glory squad with a rising star at HB in Ohio State’s Eddie George, one of the best receivers in the league in speedy Joey Galloway, and an NFL transfer at QB in Kerry Collins. He also inherits a defense that gave up over 400 points last year and was simply unable to stop the run. That may be a tough task for the former Sun Devil and Aztec coach to fix immediately, though they likely will focus on that side of the ball in the draft. This leaves only the Jacksonville and Chicago positions still open. Chicago has stated that they plan to wait on signing a coach until they have the chance to evaluate NFL coordinators, which likely means a January hire, leaving their GM in charge until then. Jacksonville has been looking at coaches, and has interviewed two so far, including former KC Chiefs defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham and former LA Raiders Head Coach Mike White. We expect a signing in the next few weeks from the Bulls, and again, defense seems to be the mindset. RETIREMENTS The league announced the 1998 roster of players who have officially made retirement plans and the list will certainly leave some teams with significantly altered draft and free agency plans. As always, quarterback retirements head the list, and this year is no different. Three USFL starters are among the 7 quarterbacks who have announced and filed their intent to retire, none being real surprises, but all three having an impact on their teams to be sure. Jack Trudeau (POR): The starting QB for the Portland Thunder was expected to call it quits after another rough season that saw him miss 6 games to injury. Trudeau played with Portland for 5 seasons after another 8 in Michigan. He came to the league as a backup but was thrust into the starting job with the Panthers when Bobby Hebert signed with the NFL after the 1986 season. In his 8 years in Michigan, Trudeau led the Panthers to the playoffs three times, but won only one playoff game in that time, a far cry from the dominance of the Hebert-led teams. After relocating to the Thunder for the 1994 season, he would lead the Thunder to three playoff appearances, including a run to the 1997 Summer Bowl. He retires with career stats of 172 games started, 42,143 passing yards, 295 touchdowns, 127 interceptions, and a lifetime QB Rating of 91.9. Trudeau’s retirement leaves Bill Musgrave (who started 5 games for the Thunder) and Jon Stark on the roster at the QB position. While Musgrave played will in relief, the timing of Trudeau’s retirement almost demands that Portland take a shot at signing University of Oregon QB Akili Smith, a hometown hero who will count at 50% against the salary cap and who would help to further interest in the club in the Rose City. To have a shot at the Duck QB the Thunder may need to find a trading partner as Smith is considered a potential Top 10 pick in both the USFL and NFL Draft. Robbie Bosco (PIT): Another decade-long starter in the league, Bosco came to the USFL out of BYU in 1986 and after 1 year on the bench became the starter for the Arizona Wranglers in 1987. His stint with the Wranglers was somewhat spotty, with a lot of poor clubs in his years there, though the Wranglers and Bosco did have one really strong season in 1990, leading to a 10-6 record and an appearance in the 1990 Summer Bowl. In 1994, after struggling to an 8-8 season with Arizona, Bosco was traded to Pittsburgh as the Wranglers positioned themselves to sign Jake Plummer. In Pittsburgh Bosco suddenly found himself on a club with more offensive weapons and a pretty good defense to boot. The move paid immediate dividends, with that defense and Bosco leading the Maulers to a league title in his first year in the Steel City. From that charmed 13-3 title season, the Maulers and Bosco have slipped in the past three years, dropping to 9-7 a year later, and then 7-9, before this year’s tough 8-8 season. He retires with 38,936 yards passing, 240 touchdowns, 153 picks, and a lifetime QB Rating of 85.0. Pittsburgh seems prepared to move on from Bosco after selecting Charlie Batch in the first round of last year’s draft. After a year learning the system, we expect Batch to take over at QB, though the Maulers may well opt to bring in a veteran to back him up if he struggles, we don’t expect the Maulers to be a player in the QB hunt during this year’s draft. Chris Miller (CHI): Miller played only one year in Chicago after signing with the Machine after a long career in Jacksonville and Baltimore. Known as a gunslinger, Miller often balanced strong TD numbers with equally high INT numbers. His final year in Baltimore was hiss most prolific, with 4,104 yards and 33 scoring throws, but also 25 picks. In Chicago he struggled to gain the trust of Coach Marty Schottenheimer, and spent most of the season on the bench behind Alex Van Pelt. In the 4 games he started he threw for 1,191 yards and 7 scores, but also 6 picks. He retires with nearly 37,000 yards passing and a lifetime QB Rating of 82.7. Chicago would have liked to keep Miller on for another year, though it was clear that they saw him more as a mentor and veteran backup than a true starter. The Machine now are faced with a decision, trust that Alex Van Pelt can grow into the position as a true starter. rely on Jeff Garcia, recently acquired from the Blitz, or take a shot at a QB with their highly-prized #2 overall pick. With such a strong QB class, the Machine are likely feeling a lot of pressure to look at candidates like Kentucky’s Tim Couch, Syracuse’s Donovan McNabb, or Oregon’s Akili Smith. However, with serious issues on defense as well, the GM and scouting staff could also opt to trade down, garner more picks, and focus on a QB later in the draft, hoping that either Van Pelt or Garcia can put together a solid year as they groom a more raw prospect to supplant him. In addition to these three starters, three veteran backups are also hanging up the cleats, longtime NFL player Frank Reich will transition within the Memphis organization, taking on a coaching assistantship with the team. Washington backup Eric Kramer, after bouncing throughout the league for his entire career, will also step into retirement as a player, as will long time Houston (now LA) backup option Sean Salisbury, who is expected to get a position with one of the USFL TV partners after dabbling in football analysis with ESPN in the offseason on NFL and college games. But QB is not the only position that will see several high quality players finish out their careers. Wideout is another position of transition for a lot of teams as several big play receivers are riding off into the sunset. Oakland will have to provide Ryan Leaf with a new target as longtime #1 Henry Ellard has opted to retire. The 35-year old receiver played his entire career with the Invaders, starting all 16 games as a rookie and never relinquishing his starting role. In his 15-year career in Oakland, Ellard caught more than 100 passes on 5 different occasions, and went over 1,000 yards in receiving 9 times. The multiple-time All-USFL receiver, and likely future Hall of Famer, finished his career with 2,198 receptions, 16,313 yards receiving and 122 career touchdowns. He was a key member of Oakland’s 1991 championship squad, and was voted to the All-USFL team 4 times. In New Orleans, the big departure is that of Herman Fontenot, who played 11 seasons in the Crescent City after starting his career in Washington. Fontenot only started 9 games as a wideout for the Federals, but in New Orleans he blossomed, playing in the slot as a third receiver until 1994, when he stepped up and became the primary weapon for Jaime Martin and the Breakers. In his final 5 seasons in New Orleans, he averaged 89 receptions and just over 1,000 yards per season. Known as a shifty route runner, Fontenot seemed to get better with age as he used wiles more than pure speed to get open. Chicago will also lose a key weapon as longtime Machine #1 target Wendell Davis calls it a career. Davis had more than 1,300 receptions as a member of the Machine, including six 1,000-yard seasons, and a career best 11 touchdowns in 1997. While the departure of offensive playmakers tends to be headline material, there are plenty of retirements on the defensive side of the ball across the league that will also impact several clubs. Among All-USFL talent and key positional players who have announced their retirement this offseason we find Michigan CB Garland Rivers and Memphis CB Derrick Cudrup, Oakland FS Robert Sparkman, Houston LB Fred Strickland, and Atlanta DE Dale Rogers (ATL). Among Offensive linemen who will be missed we find guards Juan Casteneda (CHI), Mike Wythcombe (PHI) and Duval Love (JAX), and tackle Robert Curry (ARZ). And, lest we forget the special teams, Portland kicker Al Del Greco and Baltimore’s longest tenured player, kicker Luis Zendejas also announced that they have laced up the kicking boot for the last time. NFL SIGNINGS Retirements are not the only cause of grey hairs among USFL GM’s. Free agency and the NFL transfer window also lead to a lot of late nights and lost sleep. This offseason, during the initial window, we saw some very good players jump to the fall. Among those that may cause the greatest hardship to their USFL squads we find: FB Sam Gash (WSH)—One of the league’s best blockers leaves the Federals for a hefty $500,000 salary (hefty for a fullback) with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. TE Shannon Sharpe (BIR)—One of Brett Favre’s favorite weapons also heads to the fall and the lure of big money to sign with the Denver Broncos. CB Lorenzo Lynch (PHI)—Philly’s #1 corner turned 31 this year, which is still plenty young to garner interest from the Los Angeles Raiders. C Frank Winters (CHI)—Another blow for the Machine offense as Winters heads north to play for the Green Bay Packers, something Chicago fans in general are not fond of seeing. DE Fred Stokes (TBY)—While not an elite DE, Fred Stokes was a mainstay for the Bandits, but now will play for the New Orleans Saints this Fall. G Brian Bollinger (BAL)—A solid run blocker and inside pass protector, Bollinger leaves the Blitz for a shot with the Arizona Cardinals. LB Marcus Cotton (STL)—Part of that killer Knight defense, Marcus Cotton was expected to be a big target in free agency, and so it was, with the NFL Seahawks paying top dollar for the 32-year old. DT Mike Golic (POR)—The sturdy DT of the Thunder will likely finish his career in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, who signed him to a 2 year deal. QB Kerwin Bell (TBY)—A bit of a surprise, Bell, who started his career as a starter in Portland, before winning a title this year as Troy Aikman’s backup, will move on to the NFL as the backup for rookie QB Peyton Manning. TE Mark Chmura (NJ)—One of Spence Fisher’s safety valves and a valuable red zone target, Chmura will be another USFL player headed to Green Bay. HB Terrell Fletcher (WSH)—This one will hurt in DC as the lightning of their Thunder & Lightning backfield bolts for the Bolts, the San Diego Chargers. FS Merton Hanks (LA)—The Express can ill afford to lose one of their best defenders, but after struggles with a bad defense in LA, Hanks heads up the coast to the San Francisco 49ers. DT Lester Archambeau (TEX)—Another solid D-lineman heads to the NFL, this one from Texas to the Atlanta Falcons. USFL SIGNINGS OF NFL PLAYERS But, as is almost always the case, for players lost to the NFL the transfer window also allows for NFL players to shift to spring, helping the USFL restock its rosters. While not many big names have moved clubs in this window, there were a few worth noting. Washington responds to the loss of Sam Gash at fullback by signing a pretty solid option from the Detroit Lions, former Stanford road grader, Tommy Vardell. Arizona strengthens the line for Jake Plummer by signing guard Marco Rivera away from Green Bay. From the Frozen Tundra to the Valley of the Sun. Los Angeles makes their first defensive signing of the year, picking up another Packer in linebacker George Koonce. Atlanta also snags an NFL linebacker in the St. Louis Rams’ Roman Phifer. Denver and Chicago both try to boost their QB protection as well, with the Machine signing former Bear Andy Heck, while Denver opts for former Panther Blake Brockermeyer. New Jersey responds to the loss of Mark Chmura by spending a bit of money to sign a pretty solid receiving TE out of the NFL, former Steeler Mark Bruener. And finally, St. Louis adds another quality slot receiver, replacing Emile Harry, who will not be resigned, as they snag Indianapolis Colts wideout Torrance Small. FREE AGENCY And we have saved some of the best moves for last, with players now in full free agency signing from one USFL club to another. Several big names are already off the board, changing the potential balance of power across the league. Here are our 5 biggest moves of USFL to USFL Free Agency so far: 1. WR Carl Pickens leaving Texas to sign with the Chicago Machine. After losing Wendell Davis to retirement, Chicago wastes no time bringing in a top level receiver. Pickens played only 1 season with Texas after signing away from Memphis, but his “make it or break it” one year deal certainly paid off. He will earn nearly 1.1 million in Chicago after catching 85 passes for 1,193 yards and 11 scores in his first season in Texas. For the Outlaws, the loss of Pickens paired with the retirement of Fryar puts them once again on the short end of the stick when it comes to outside receivers. 2. FS Mike Dumas departing the Federals, where he was a team captain and defensive stalwart. Dumas now heads to Tampa Bay, who certainly hope that he can help their defense make life easier for that championship-winning offense. 3. Orlando LT Matt Patchan got such a good offer from the Arizona Wranglers, where he will be Jake Plummer’s new primary bodyguard, that he could not stay in Orlando. This is horrible news for Scott Mitchell, who lacks mobility and needs a solid protector on his blind side. 4. Tampa Bay gained a big piece in Dumas, but also loses one in CB Eric Allen. The 31-year-old Allen makes his way across the country to sign with Portland. Hope he likes the rain. 5. WR Cedric Tillman, who had a bit of a breakout year in Birmingham replacing the injured Ernest Givens and catching 61 balls for 1,316 yards and 14 touchdowns for the explosive Stallion offense, cashes in on the sudden success and will now be a top target for QB Doug Flutie in Michigan. These five moves certainly impact both their new clubs and their prior employers. Other noteworthy moves include LB Paul McGown leaving Jacksonville for Chicago, guard Will Shields moving from the Bandits to the Stars, New Jersey DT Leonard Renfro headed to Texas, and Denver LB Trev Alberts moving to the already stacked St. Louis Knights. Oh, and in case you were wondering, we have seen a bit of QB movement as well, with Mike Pawlowski signing on to back up Troy Aikman in Tampa Bay, and veteran Scott Zolak taking his skills from Orlando to Washington. Still a long way to go in USFL Free Agency, though the NFL Window will not reopen again until January. Looking at our big board, here is our best Baker’s Dozen of remaining free agents still available: DE Scott Keller (PIT) CB Sonny Gordon (PIT) WR Dedric Smith (LA) CB James Hasty (NOR) CB Torin Dorn (BAL) G James Richard (STL) HB Glyn Milburn (PHI) QB Timm Rosenbach (ATL) TE Keith McKeller (SEA) G John Rienstra (HOU) LB Tracy Scroggins (WSH) WR Jeff Query (TBY) HB Kantroy Barber (JAX) That is it for now. We will be back with another report in January, preparing for the USFL Draft and the NFL-USFL Transfer Window. For now, it is back to the NFL and College Football right here on Fox.