NFL FanHouse

Tatum Bell Thinks His UFL Team Would Handily Beat Tampa Bay

Matt Snyder — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:10:00 EST

As we near the halfway point of the NFL season, there is a slew of really bad NFL teams stinking up the joint. The 0-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers obviously qualify. That means it's time for a bunch of delusional people to start making claims about how so-and-so could beat the Bucs. You know, college teams, "my rec league team," high school teams and, of course, UFL teams. Usually these claims are tongue-in-cheek, but Tatum Bell of the UFL's Florida Tuskers seems pretty serious.

Michael Pittman, a running back for the Tuskers who used to play for the Bucs, said something about how some of his teammates probably thought they could beat the Bucs. Bell immediately said he was one of them. When given a hypothetical score of 24-14 (Tuskers over Bucs), Bell went a bit too far.

"That's how much credit you give our defense?" Bell said, smiling. "I see more than that. I see our offense putting up more than that and I see our defense shutting them down for less than that."

Of course you guys could, Tatum. That's why you are playing in the UFL, not the NFL, right? By choice?

It's good to be confident, but sometimes a little reality check would work.

The Buccaneers scored 21 points on the Cowboys, 20 on the Bills, 14 on the Eagles and 21 on the Panthers. But, you know, I'm sure the mighty Tuskers are better defensively than those four teams. I'm sure they could easily handle the talented Kellen Winslow and Antonio Bryant. I'm sure they have to deal with tackling players as talented as Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams in the UFL. You know, the league where J.P. Losman is their biggest star.

Not that there's anything wrong with the UFL. There isn't. But it's not even remotely in the ballpark of the NFL in terms of talent. Any NFL team would beat a UFL All-Star team. It wouldn't be close. The people running the league likely wouldn't even argue that at this point.

I think they should set up an exhibition game. The only problem is that poor Tatum would probably start stealing Bucs' luggage after his Tuskers lost.

Tatum Bell Thinks His UFL Team Would Handily Beat Tampa Bay originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Simeon Rice Has 'Unfinished Business'

Tim Povtak — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, UFL

ORLANDO -- Simeon Rice has carried the chip on his shoulder for so long that it became a standard part of his football uniform.

It's a boulder now.

Rice, a 12-year NFL veteran and three-time Pro Bowl selection, began practice this week with the New York Sentinels of the startup United Football League, confident of regaining the form that once made him one of the game's most dangerous defensive ends.

"I have some unfinished business,'' Rice said from outside the Citrus Bowl, where the Florida Tuskers and the Sentinels share training-camp facilities. "I've done it all, but I never felt like I got the credit I deserved. So I'm coming back to get that. This is my road back.''

Rice, 35, sat out last season after an ugly, injury-slowed 2007 when he hardly played while splitting time between Denver and Indianapolis.

"I'm as good as I ever was. My game didn't deteriorate. I was just injured,'' he said. "I could go down the road [to Tampa Bay] right now and get them a sack or two on Sunday. I could help any team [in the NFL] that needs a hellraiser. I'm back at 100 percent now.''

Although Rice clearly has his eye on the NFL, he sounds genuinely excited about helping launch the new UFL next month -- despite the league being a bare-bones operation that is expected to experience real growing pains when it opens play Oct. 8.

"Look, I know what it feels like to drive a Ferrari. I have one. I don't need the luxuries now. I'm here to play the game,'' he said. "I can legitimize this league by bringing my brand. I have Hall of Fame numbers. You bring a talented player like me, and a guy who still really wants to play, and it brings credibility.''

Rice left the NFL with 122 career sacks, which would be the most for an any active player if he returns to the league. He played six seasons with the Bucs in Tampa, and had a key role in their Super Bowl XXXVII championship. But he seriously injured his shoulder midway through the 2006 season, which started his downfall in the NFL. Tampa waived him after the season, and he blasted coach Jon Gruden for abandoning him while he was injured.

"I'm here to showcase my ability again. I don't mind taking a step back to move 10 steps forward,'' he said. "In the NFL, you get hurt and you're irrelevant. That's what happened to me. I didn't have the luxury of a team standing behind me. But that's life, and I'm healthy again and as good as I ever was. This is where I will show that."

Simeon Rice Has 'Unfinished Business' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Complete 2009 UFL Schedule

FanHouse Newswire — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:08:00 EST

Filed under: UFL

The complete UFL schedule for the league's inaugural season (All times Eastern):

Week 1
Thursday, Oct. 8 -- San Francisco at Las Vegas, 9 p.m., Versus
Saturday, Oct. 10 -- New York at Florida, 7 p.m., HDNet

Week 2
Wednesday, Oct. 14 -- Florida at Las Vegas, 9 p.m., Versus
Saturday, Oct. 17 -- New York at San Francisco, 9 p.m., HDNet

Week 3
Thursday, Oct. 22 -- San Francisco at Florida, 7 p.m., Versus

Week 4
Thursday, Oct. 29 -- San Francisco at New York, 7 p.m., Versus
Friday, Oct. 30 -- Las Vegas at Florida, 7 p.m., HDNet

Week 5
Wednesday, Nov. 4 -- Las Vegas at New York, 7 p.m., Versus

Week 6
Thursday, Nov. 12 -- Las Vegas at San Francisco, 9 p.m., Versus
Saturday, Nov. 14 -- Florida at New York, 7 p.m., HDNet

Week 7
Thursday, Nov. 19 -- Florida at San Francisco, 9 p.m., Versus
Friday, Nov. 20 -- New York at Las Vegas, 9 p.m., HDNet

Championship Game
Friday, Nov. 27 -- Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, 3 p.m., Versus

Complete 2009 UFL Schedule originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodell Weighing Reinstatement, 4-Game Suspension for Vick

Nancy Gay — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Rumors, UFL, NFL Quarterbacks

Suspended quarterback Michael Vick reportedly met Wednesday with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss what is anticipated to be a conditional reinstatement into the league, possibly as soon as next week.

One NFL source told FanHouse on Thursday that if Vick satisfies the commissioner's requirements for reinstatement, it's expected that he will receive at least a four-game suspension to start the 2009 season, but that Goodell may allow Vick to join a team in training camp.

The catch: no NFL team has expressed any interest in signing the newly-freed Vick to a contract.

Cooper: Will Any Team Sign Vick? | Mariotti: Timetable: Not for Year, if Ever

The NFL would not confirm the meeting. "We have been consistent in saying that we are not going to comment on the details of the review process while it is taking place." NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello told FanHouse.

Goodell said earlier this week he wanted to resolve the issue of Vick's possible reinstatement to the NFL, "as soon as possible," but the commissioner did not say when that might occur. Goodell also has said he needs to see signs of genuine remorse from the quarterback, as well as evidence that Vick has made changes in his lifestyle before he permits the former Atlanta Falcons star to re-enter the NFL.

SI.com, citing sources, said Vick and Goodell were spotted leaving the security offices of Buckley Peterson Global Inc. in Allendale, N.J. about 4 p.m. ET Wednesday. Vick was described as being accompanied with a "huge" entourage, and driving away from the building in a Cadillac Escalade. Goodell was seen leaving about 10 minutes later. Both were described as looking somber.

Vick just completed a 23-month federal sentence for his part in a dogfighting and gambling operation, after being released from home confinement and his electronic monitoring device on Monday. In accordance to federal law, Vick served at least 85 percent of that sentence. He remains on probation.

On Tuesday, Vick met with NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, according to George Atallah, assistant executive director for external affairs of the player's union.

The fledgling United Football League has stated it would be interesting in signing Vick for its inaugural season. UFL coaches Jim Haslett, Dennis Green and Jim Fassel all have said publicly they would welcome Vick on their teams, although the Orlando franchise, coached by Haslett, acquired Vick's rights in the UFL's recent allocation draft of players not under contract in the NFL.

"Obviously his values are a little different than mine or yours probably," Haslett told the Orlando Sentinel, "but as long as he does what he's supposed to do, I think he deserves a second chance. Out of the four cities in this league, this would be the city that would probably accept him.

"People will want to see him play. He was a great quarterback. He has a .700 percent winning record. But he hasn't thrown and he hasn't played much football lately, obviously, and there are a lot of unknowns about what the NFL's going to do."

Goodell Weighing Reinstatement, 4-Game Suspension for Vick originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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J.P. Losman Becomes Face of the UFL

Matt Snyder — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: UFL

Confirming much speculation from a few weeks ago, former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman has decided to take his craft to the upstart United Football League. Losman will sign with the Las Vegas team in the UFL, who will be coached by Jim Fassel.

Losman entered Buffalo with somewhat modest expectations. He was drafted 22nd overall in 2004, following a senior year at Tulane where he threw for 3,077 yards and 33 touchdown passes. He showed flashes of being a decent quarterback at times, and even threw for 3,051 yards and 19 touchdown passes with an 84.9 rating in his only full season as a starter. Regardless, he lost out on the starting job to Trent Edwards during 2007 and was sent packing after 2008 with his career 10-23 record and 75.6 rating.

When faced with either a definite back-up job, possibly even third-string, or playing in the new UFL, Losman chose to head to Vegas and join up with Fassel. As Tom Friend of ESPN wrote, Losman is probably going to be the face of the league.

Now, that might sound laughable, but have you seen some of the other "big" names the UFL has garnered thus far? The other option, to me, would be Chris Perry, but quarterbacks are generally more visible than running backs. Losman is easily the guy with the most NFL pedigree, and he's only 28 years-old. In fact, he's young enough that he could parlay a successful makeover in the UFL into another NFL gig.

Remember, Tommy Maddox was the MVP of the only XFL season and he ended up playing five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, making 36 starts and even starting two playoff games -- including one where he threw for 367 yards and 3 touchdowns. Doug Flutie was unwanted in the NFL at one point before starring in the CFL. He then came back as a cult hero in Buffalo, where he made the Pro Bowl and started a playoff game.

It's entirely possible. Losman does have talent, despite the stigma eminating from his inconsistent play in upstate New York.

In 2009, he'll get the chance to show if he still has the talent against a bunch of other guys who couldn't cut it in the NFL.

J.P. Losman Becomes Face of the UFL originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UFL Rules: Dancing Permitted, No Tuck Rule Among Highlights

Matt Snyder — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:50:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Referees, UFL

The upstart UFL is going to encounter its fair share of problems -- most of which stem from the fact that the NFL is such a monster in the United States. There simply doesn't seem to be room for a competitor. If any of the UFL's differences from the NFL are an indication, though, they have been doing their homework. Some of the main complaints from fans of the NFL have been countered with the UFL's system of relaxed rules, in an effort to be the more "exciting" football league.

Of course, I feel compelled to point out the league with the most exciting players generally seems to be the most exciting league. On that front, the UFL has some work to do. As far as the rules, though, the UFL is distancing itself from the so-called "No Fun League."

"The UFL's Competition Committee looked at the current rules that govern most professional football leagues and determined ways to enhance the overall experience for both the players and the fans," said San Francisco Head Coach Dennis Green and Chair of the League's Competition Committee. "Our mission is to provide greater access to traditionally off-limit locations, including the locker room and behind the bench, to better engage the fans and bring them closer to the action. While enhancing the overall fan experience, the UFL took strict measures not to employ any stunts or gimmicks that would compromise the overall integrity and competitiveness of the game."

So, basically, they'd like to have more fun and provide more access than the NFL, but not get even close to XFL-level absurdities.

A summary of some of the rules differences:

- The notorious "tuck rule" from the NFL is not included. This rule is one of the most discussed, due to the unpopularity among fans and the popularity among officials. In the NFL version, once a passer's arm starts to come forward, it's a pass. Even if he voluntarily puts his hand in front of the ball to stop his pass and drops the ball, it's incomplete and not a fumble. The Cardinals wanted it applied on the final play of the Super Bowl, but the officials correctly ruled Kurt Warner's arm wasn't moving forward before the ball came loose. In the UFL this would have been ruled a fumble without argument [edited for clarity, see comments 1 and 2].

- Fumbling out of the end-zone means the ball will be placed back at the spot of the fumble. In the NFL, it's either a safety or touchback (with a loss of possession) depending upon which team had possession last.

- There is no intentional grounding penalty, whether in the pocket or out; whether under duress or not. The quarterbacks will be allowed to ground the ball. This seems to favor the offense in a big way. Anytime the quarterback is about to get sacked, he could simply throw the ball into the ground. In this case, it would seem only blind-side sacks will occur.

- Sudden-death rules apply in overtime like the NFL, except both teams get at least one possession. So, if one team marches down the field and scores, the opponent will get one chance to match or exceed the score. This is something many fans of the NFL have wanted for some time. It also seems to give some incentive for teams to kick off in overtime, hoping the defense makes a stop and they get good field position. If not, they get a chance to match the score anyway.

- "Tasteful" (good luck defining that, by the way) individual and/or group celebrations will be permitted in the end-zones or bench areas. Only. ("Only" was capitalized and underlined in the press release). We've got to assume the type of dancing that would be a player fined tens of thousands of dollars in the NFL would be acceptable in this league -- judging from the language at hand.

- Instant replay will be used, but only by the replay official. He'll have 90 seconds. This is likely in response to the cries of some fans that NFL referees may not wish to overturn a call someone on their crew has made, for fear it show up the official who made the call. For the record, I don't believe any NFL referees have any intention other than getting the call correct. But, I guess this will quell any fan concerns of something otherwise.

Some broadcast differences:

- Head coaches will be wired for sound-bites during the game, and cameras and microphones will be played along the benches to "capture real-time emotional moments." They won't be airing any strategic discussions, though.

- Coach-to-quarterback communications will be heard by the viewing audiences, on a tape-delayed basis.

- Cameras will be around in the locker rooms for the first four minutes of halftime.

All in all, the UFL is on a better track to build an audience than the XFL, NFL-Europe, WLAF and many other failed entities. Still, the question remains: Is there room for more than one professional football league in America? Arena League held on for a while, but eventually ran out of gas. It just doesn't seem like it can be done, but many fans will enjoy the differences between the NFL and UFL.

UFL Rules: Dancing Permitted, No Tuck Rule Among Highlights originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UFL Players Will Make Slightly* Less Than NFL Counterparts

Ryan Wilson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: UFL

Good news: those players lucky enough to make a UFL roster will get paid (and by the looks of it, I suspect training camp will be a lot like little league tryouts: you show up, you get a uniform).

Bad news: salaries are approximately one-tenth what an undrafted second-year NFL player will pull down next season. The UFL is offering one-year, $35,000 contracts. (By comparison, the Steelers' Patrick Bailey, a special-teamer entering his second season after signing as a free agent out of Duke, will make roughly $385,000 in 2009.) Added bonus: there will be a chance to earn an extra $15,000 through incentives. So, right, somebody's getting a Kia Rio.

There are exceptions, of course. Via NFL Network's Jason La Canfora:

I also wrote on Tuesday that starting quarterbacks could earn above this scale. According to two agents who have had contact with the UFL, the number being tossed around to agents for maximum starting QB compensation was $100,000. Gary was nice enough to check that out and said the base salary for QBs will be $10,000 per week, which is $60,000 for the season (thanks, Rachel). Gary also pointed out that the league will be paying for housing for the players.

There are worse ways to make a living. Like, say, by being a punter, kicker or long snapper: they'll be making a cool $25,000. On the upside, their apartments will be free. So there's that.

* Slightly = Substantially

UFL Players Will Make Slightly* Less Than NFL Counterparts originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inaugural UFL Draft Features Some Familiar Names

Chris Burke — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:30:00 EST

Filed under: UFL

The inaugural UFL draft took place on Thursday night, and at least a few names of the 96 called were recognizable ones.

Quick primer: The United Football League, which begins its first season of play in October, consists of four teams (Las Vegas, New York, Orlando and San Francisco). Each team has 20 players allotted to it -- we do not know the identities of those guys yet -- plus 24 draft choices. The four 60-man rosters would then be filled by players who are cut during NFL training camps, or who sign contracts in lieu of attending camps, like we hear J.P. Losman will do.

The biggest name taken on Thursday, in terms of players who have have had NFL careers, was Adam Archuleta. The former Arizona State Sun Devil, who played eight seasons in the NFL -- most recently with Chicago in 2007 -- was drafted by Las Vegas.

Las Vegas' roster also includes Wendell Bryant, whom FanHouse dubbed the worst draft pick in Arizona Cardinals history earlier this year, as well as former Lions wide receiver David Kircus.

New York's squad doesn't have the "star" power that Las Vegas' does, but the New Yorkers did select a pair of quarterbacks fresh out of college -- Northwestern's C.J. Bacher, and Utah's Brian Johnson.

Another QB headlines the act in Orlando: Brooks Bollinger, recently an emergency fill-in for Tony Romo with the Cowboys, found a new home in the Sunshine State. He will be joined there by fellow Big Ten alum Chris Perry, whom the Bengals cut recently.

Finally, San Francisco wound up with the biggest "Who the crap are these guys?" list after the league's initial draft. Among that team's biggest names are Shane Boyd (Kentucky), Joe West (UTEP) and Branden Ledbetter (Western Michigan). Congrats to anyone who doesn't live near those schools and recognized the names minus the help of a Google search.

The complete list of 2009 UFL draftees can be found here on the league's official website. The 20 allotted players should be released in the near future, while guys like Losman are free to sign whenever.

Inaugural UFL Draft Features Some Familiar Names originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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J.P. Losman Could Jump to UFL

Will Brinson — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, NFL Media Watch, NFL Free Agency, UFL

If there are two phrases/names/things that are relevant to all things important in the world's culture right now, it's pretty obviously: "J.P. Losman" and "United Football League." No, no. Seriously. That's because today, Losman transplanted Tim Rattay as the most relevant non-ex-felon to potentially hop to the new league.

But, all sarcasm aside, this is kind of a big deal from a football fan's perspective simply because Losman is a pretty huge name when it comes to the UFL. Again. Seriously.

Now word has spread that J.P. Losman, formerly of the Buffalo Bills and the NFL 1st Round, is scheduled to sign with the Las Vegas team headed by Jim Fassel. The rumors began swirling this morning and UFLAccess.com tried to track down the facts. One well-placed source pointed out that roster spots have dried up on virtually every NFL depth chart at QB. The league declined comment with their spokesperson saying that "as of yet no ink has hit paper."

It sounds bizarre to think that Losman could be important in any real way; after all, he led the Bills through some mediocre times, overthrew Lee Evans a bunch and eventually gave way to the much smarter (and better Trent Edwards). To sum up: he's not that great.

But he's certainly better than say, Mittens!, and that means something, simply because he could be defecting to the Vegas UFL team, and he's a former first-round pick and starting quarterback in the NFL. That "something" isn't necessarily that you will start to see everyone and his brother jump ship from the much higher-paying and much more respected National Football League.

But it does open a door for other potential players -- unhappy with their playing time/cut from a team/no longer really usable in the NFL -- to jump ship and still make some cash while getting run on the field. So, yeah, Losman could somehow become a substantially important figure in the underwhelmingly important history of sports if the UFL takes off.

J.P. Losman Could Jump to UFL originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UFL Has It Right Where Others Didn't

Tom Mantzouranis — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: UFL

If you take a walk across the landscape of the NFL's history, you'll find the buried remains of other start-up leagues under your feet, leagues big on hope who are now chapters in a cautionary tale that clearly lists the NFL as the only viable option for professional football in America.

The UFL seemingly hasn't considered what lies beneath, for they surely would have thought twice before launching onto a limb that is tenuous at best. Or maybe they've considered it greatly.

The graves that line the land are labeled WFL, USFL, and XFL, three leagues who have come and gone for various reasons. Yet the UFL, the four-team league which will debut its inaugural six-week season in October, seems poised for a much better fate.

Of course, time will be the only true barometer of the UFL's success, the only determinant of its ultimate place in history. After all, the USFL actually managed to play three seasons in the NFL's shadow before giving way, and the XFL, backed with an avalanche of hype, actually had 14 million people watch its first game, more than tuned in for the Pro Bowl that year (yes, it's the Pro Bowl, but still ...). At the time, their futures looked bright as well. Still, there are a number of things that point to possible long-term success.

Humility

The demise of the WFL and USFL can both be partially linked to a disregard for the power of the NFL. Both leagues attempted to take the NFL head on, to win fans away from the nation's preeminent league. The WFL signed then-NFL players to lucrative deals, stealing talent from the big league and driving up the price of talent that remained. Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, Ken Stabler and Craig Morton, among others, were all wooed by the WFL. The USFL, meanwhile, also tried to take NFL talent and top college stars -- Steve Young, Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson, Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly and Reggie White included.

It's a little bit of karmic payback that the heavy-handed shortcut both leagues tried to take towards credibility ultimately played a part in the downfall of both.

But the UFL has no plans, apparently, of getting too big for its britches. Commissioner Michael Huyghue has stated he envisions an eventual partnership with the NFL in which players are allowed to transfer from one league to the other mid-season. In short, he views the UFL as a sort of farm system for the NFL (the league's home page is branded with the slogan, "Where the future stars come to play!"). If so, it's something the NFL needs, as practice squads aren't nearly an effective way of developing talent. The UFL has a chance to succeed where NFL Europe failed, in this regard, because prospects will be closer to their NFL franchises, allowing them to have a greater hand in working with the partner franchises and their players. Additionally, the UFL has only been linked to one big NFL name, and it's a name (Michael Vick) who most NFL teams won't want back anyway. Their coaches (Jim Haslett, Ted Cottrell, Jim Fassell, and Dennis Green), while recognizable names with extensive NFL resumes, weren't "stolen" from the NFL. They'll bring credibility to the new start-up, but their departures won't anger the NFL gods.

Patience

Too much too soon is a phrase which can heavily be linked to the failings of the WFL and USFL. The latter, run by David Dixon, was actually cognizant of the importance of starting small and building slowly on an established foundation. Dixon had the forward-thinking mentality to establish a salary cap of $1.8 million in an attempt to keep teams from overspending, but (as NFL teams have done), USFL franchises found a way to circumvent the cap in order to spend whatever they wanted anyway. Against Dixon's advice, franchises began to engage in an arm's race to acquire talent, putting the league in debt.

If that weren't bad enough, the USFL compounded those bad decisions by adding six new franchises in 1984, the league's second season, bringing the total to 18. The league simply needed the capital from all the expansion fees the new teams brought to cover their overspending, but that total made the USFL too big, causing the league to collapse on itself.

The WFL began with too many teams in the first place -- 12 -- and wound up losing two (Jacksonville Sharks and Detroit Wheels) before the first season ever ended. It didn't get any better from there, with teams folding, moving, and being sold frequently. The problem for the WFL is that it attempted to convince people of its grandiosity early, boasting attendances without disclosing until later that most of the attendance came from giveaways or tickets sold at drastically-reduced prices. Franchises expected fans to embrace the sport once they were exposed to it on the cheap, but when that didn't happen the teams not only had to deal with the hit to their reputations, they had to confront the economic reality that they were in a hole they couldn't emerge from. It's no surprise that with so much turmoil the league couldn't make it through another season.

The UFL seems to recognize that it has to build slowly. The league is planning on its first season being more of a "soft launch" instead of the "grand opening" that other leagues fell prey to the harmful spectacle of. By partnering with Versus instead of a big network (the XFL famously partnered with NBC, giving it a much higher profile than it deserved), the league is sure to have national coverage without the burden of expectation (and, believe it or not, Versus has proven to be pretty adept in covering the NHL). Starting with four teams will allow for a greater concentration of talent, meaning a better product at first that should leave fans wanting more instead of with unfulfilled expectations.

Timing

Perhaps the thing working most in the UFL's favor is the most serendipitous; the league is simply coming along at a great time. Football in general has never been more popular than it is now. More and more, fans are seeking alternative outlets not to replace NFL football, but supplement it. Whether we're talking the throngs of draftniks who found a niche to dive headfirst in, the increasing numbers at small high school football games, or the dominance of Madden in the video game market, it's clear that people aren't getting enough from the NFL season alone. The UFL can help fill that void, especially with the AFL's future in limbo and the uncertainty of the labor situation in the NFL pointing towards a possible work stoppage.

Beyond that, the cutbacks NFL franchises are making in the name of economic troubles as well as the likely demise of the AFL have meant that a lot of talented people -- players, coaches, front office and administrative personnel -- are looking for work. The XFL's biggest problem (besides the lack of credibility it had from the start) was the quality of its talent. After the NFL, CFL, and AFL picked through the resumes and game film, the XFL was ultimately left with the scraps, and it showed. The UFL doesn't seem to stand this problem -- they've already gotten four coaches with substantial names and should be able to choose from a lot of people with bigger-league experience.

******

Again, these good signs could mean nothing. Things happen. Things change. Yet the UFL seems to have the tangible and intangible on their side already. Football fans should not look to discredit the league based on the failings of others; after all, if the UFL succeeds, we get more football in our lives. I can't speak for anyone else, but that's certainly music to my ears.

UFL Has It Right Where Others Didn't originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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