XFL, USFL, and other non-NFL American FootbALL

Usually you have to wait until baseball season to hear this many drunks outside.

Wow.

I only caught a bit at a party with the volume muted..but it looked like the sideline reporters would be interviewing players literally right after a play on the sidelines? I'm sure that's going to work well until someone gets dumped for cursing or worse.

Is it possible to have a false start or off sides when the ball's in the air during a kickoff?

There, I watched both games today. I may or may not watch both tomorrow. It just... lacks the spirit of the original XFL. Just a few gonzo rule changes, but that's it. No He Hate Me jersey names, no over the top WWE showmanship.

Hey look, everybody! It's the Tampa Bay Avocados!

Ka-Kaw!

The Battlehawks blistered the NY Guardians 29-9 today. They move to 2-1, and were close to completing a comeback from down 21-6 at half last week, losing 28-24. Today was also historical, in that St. Louis became the first XFL team to run back a kickoff, and they did with some creativity that the XFL kickoff rules make possible.

Also, the first two weeks of the season, the Battlehawks doubled the Blues TV ratings for games played at the same time. Today they seemed to have sold out, but they aren't selling upper deck tickets yet. They wanted to wait until their third home game to decide how much of the upper deck they want to open.

But seriously, the buzz is nothing but positive in St. Louis. They aren't getting tons of coverage on local sports, but it's been increasing as the season progresses. And, apparently, screaming "Ka-Kaw" is too much fun, so the local drive guys on KFNS are getting way into it, and so are the fans. Also, as terrible as Battlehawks is as a name, it's working.

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Ka-Kaw!

It's nice not to have a local team in the XFL that won't let you down or move to Las Vegas.

Rat Boy wrote:

It's nice not to have a local team in the XFL that won't let you down or move to Las Vegas.

I heard Wingo giving attendance stats out last week after the BHawks first home game. Week three was the first game in St. Louis. Week one the XFL had 71K fans. Week 2 they had 76K fans attend games. Week three that jumped to 80K fans. For week, three, St. Louis drew 30K of that total.

I think they said they had 26K today. I was going to go, but instead got roped into playing uber for my wife and her friend for an event.

Still don't know a ton about the team. They are a heavy run team with a stout defense that leads the XFL in preventing 3rd down conversions. The only payers I am familiar with is RB Christine Michele and punter Marquette King.

Their QB, Jordan Ta'Amu leads the XFL in passing yeard. Matt Jones and Ta'Amu hold the top two spots for rushing leaders.

If you combine that with this:

Well, you get this:

I hope it lasts. I hear nothing but super positive stuff about the league around town.

The league has been purchased by Dwayne Johnson.

No joke.

garion333 wrote:

The league has been purchased by Dwayne Johnson.

No joke.

No, no, the league is still a joke, it's just a joke owned by Dwayne Johnson.

Dude, I want the Battlehawks back!

Ka-Kaw!

I mean, if they really do plan on putting together a bubble? I'd watch that given all the other footballs won't be happening.

Arise thread, for the XFL is back. Just not in New York. Or California. Oh and Texas has three teams.

ARISE!!!

It is time

Super bowl commercials said 8 weeks

Stele wrote:

Super bowl commercials said 8 weeks

For the USFL (which two teams play in the Hall of Fame/High school football stadium 10 minutes from my house).

XFL is this weekend, I think!? Maybe next weekend?

Still need a team

Our AAF favorite, Luis Perez, is one of the quarterbacks for the Vegas Vipers.

Vegas has a lot of NFL names on it. Perez will be competing with Brett Hundley at QB. They've got Martavis Bryant and Geronimo Allison at WR. Vic Beasley, who was an All-Pro in 2016, is their edge rusher. Guard Isaiah Williams has been bouncing around NFL teams (and the AAF) since 2016. RB Rod Smith was a special teams guy for a bunch of teams since 2015.

He hate me part 2

As best as I can tell, there is only one Gopher in the USFL and none in the XFL. And the one in the USFL is a tackle. I can't imagine I will have much interest.

Is there any Aussie rules football on anywhere? That sh*t is fun. I particularly enjoy their refs.

There's Rugby Union here in the states. Seattle Seawolves vs NY Ironworkers tomorrow night on FS1.

Top_Shelf wrote:

NY Ironworkers

I guess they figured that if profession-based nicknames worked in Green Bay and San Francisco, it'll work for them too.

iaintgotnopants wrote:

As best as I can tell, there is only one Gopher in the USFL and none in the XFL. And the one in the USFL is a tackle. I can't imagine I will have much interest.

Is there any Aussie rules football on anywhere? That sh*t is fun. I particularly enjoy their refs.

As a parent of a current Gopher I don't want to be overly harsh, but if your criteria for enjoying football is watching successful former Gopher pro football players I have to ask you how you're enjoying hockey season.

It's my criteria for enjoying bad football.

The problem with hockey is that I have a team that I actually care about and I hate most of the other teams in the league. I can't enjoy Phil Kessel's career when it's in f*cking Boston, Toronto, Pittsburgh, etc. It pains me to no end that Jimmy Snuggerud is going to play for the f*cking Blues.

Rat Boy wrote:
Top_Shelf wrote:

NY Ironworkers

I guess they figured that if profession-based nicknames worked in Green Bay and San Francisco, it'll work for them too.

My sense is that rugby is marketed completely differently than the major "bro" sports.

It's sort of anti-establishment, with an emphasis on more "earthy/natural" interaction (no equipment, just a ball), cheap tickets for those on the lower rungs of the socio-economic spectrum, strong Pacific Islander motifs, and targeted courting of non-straight males (official pride/trans flags available for sale), you can even buy Speedo-style swim briefs for some teams (no women's suits for sale).

But who knows? I don't see their Tapestry marketing details.

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I've caught a couple XFL games late on the weekends after the kids go down to bed and I don't really care that it's not as popular as the NFL. It wouldn't be, the players aren't as good, it's weird having football in the Spring, and the games feel a little sloppy. Like, the teams don't appear as disciplined as T25 NCAA teams (klunky plays, penalties, etc.).

And that's ok.

It really does feel like minor league baseball. Crowds are small. Talent level isn't what you'd see in the top tier.

But so what? It's still drama/entertainment. I'm probably going to watch it over regular season NCAA basketball. I'm not going to watch it over the NBA. And I'd probably even watch it over some rando MLB game here in a couple weeks. And it's early. I hope they continue to grow and find ways to differentiate from the NFL. It's certainly better than whatever never-before-seen-on-cable! movie is on Saturday nights.