UFL Debuts to Thunderous Yawns

[Weird Harold]

Las Vegas beats California 30-17 in UFL debut.

One hour after the game, there are exactly five news.google hits on the game.

I watched the game, and in the first half, I was wondering whether the highschool game on ESPN2 might be a better choice. The last five minutes of the college game on ESPN was harder hitting.

Actually a well played game but not much better than the NFL preseason games where most of the players last played.

The California Redwoods' head coach is Denny Greenand his team picked up right where Arizona left off when they fired Green.

 

[jomar]

Time to place your bet on how long this league lasts.

 

[JamesSD]

You know, at least the XFL had gimmicks. They wanted to take some of what people love about pro wrestling and bring it to more legitimate sport.

The trouble with American Football is the NCAA has a legally sanctioned death grip on what should be the Minor League of football. There are markets currently under-served by the NFL (LA, for obvious example, Vegas being the other major one. Insert your own joke here about the Detroit Lions). There also are rules that are unpopular but strongly ingrained in the NFL's history.

I suppose part of the goal might be to say to blue chip 18 year olds "Sure, you could go play for a NCAA division I team, slave away for 3 years not getting paid, and hope to get drafted for huge money if you don't get injured. Or, you could come play for us, get paid from day 1, and still get drafted by the NFL when they decide you're ready." Of course, they're probably going to end up also carrying a lot of journeymen, players with personal problems that overshadow their talent, and old guys who think they've still got it or can't afford to quit.

I give them 2-3 years. I'm sure they expect to lose money this year, and there are rumors they want to be there in 2011 when the NFL player's union contract expires if there is a lock-out.

 

[Weird Harold]

You know, at least the XFL had gimmicks. They wanted to take some of what people love about pro wrestling and bring it to more legitimate sport.

The UFL doe have some gimmicks -- if you can call them that -- to make it obvious that you're not watching ESPN2's highschool spotlight, a college game, or the Detroit Lions.

The Refs are in a Tiger Woods look-a-like contest -- solid red shirts and black slacks.

The first down markers and chains are Green -- and a particularly bland, almost avacado shade of green.

The line of scrimmage marker/Downs to Go sign is the old flip-chart style with yellow nunbers.

The biggest rules difference is probably going to be the overtime rules, but there was nothing mentioned about rules differences last night.

 

[Teloz]

I think you should give it all a miss and play a proper game, like Aussie Rules or Rugby!

 

[SeaCat]

Ahh hell I prefer the LFL. (Lingerie Football League) At least those games are fun to watch.

Cat

 

[Weird Harold]

Ahh hell I prefer the LFL. (Lingerie Football League) At least those games are fun to watch.

Cat

LFL is a bigger league, (10 teams vs the UFL's 4,) but I can't find a national TV schedule for their games which kind of limits the ability to watch if there's no franchise close by.

 

[michchick98]

The trouble with American Football is the NCAA has a legally sanctioned death grip on what should be the Minor League of football. There are markets currently under-served by the NFL (LA, for obvious example, Vegas being the other major one. Insert your own joke here about the Detroit Lions)

The UFL doe have some gimmicks -- if you can call them that -- to make it obvious that you're not watching ESPN2's highschool spotlight, a college game, or the Detroit Lions.

Aww, come on now, guys. The Lions won a game this season so they're not completely hopeless.

Well, okay, they are, but....well, yeah. *ahem*

 

[Weird Harold]

Aww, come on now, guys. The Lions won a game this season so they're not completely hopeless.

Well, okay, they are, but....well, yeah. *ahem*

Yes, the Detroit Lie-downs did win a game, but their winning streak stopped at one and their wonder-boy rookie quarterback is injured.

But...

Unlike Chicago's long stretch of abysmal performance in the 80's, I don't believe anyone has sued them for impersonating a professionl football team. (falsely advertising themselves as a professional football team, actually.)

 

[michchick98]

Yes, the Detroit Lie-downs did win a game, but their winning streak stopped at one and their wonder-boy rookie quarterback is injured.

Yeah, I heard something about that. And honestly, after their performance against Chicago last weekend, I don't think they have a chance in hell of beating the Steelers tomorrow, even if Stafford was playing.

But...

Unlike Chicago's long stretch of abysmal performance in the 80's, I don't believe anyone has sued them for impersonating a professionl football team. (falsely advertising themselves as a professional football team, actually.)

Well, not yet anyway. Give it another couple years.

 

[Xelebes]

NFL's only real competitor is the CFL. CFL's only real competitor is the NFL. They exist in different countries to remain alive.

 

[Weird Harold]

NFL's only real competitor is the CFL. CFL's only real competitor is the NFL. They exist in different countries to remain alive.

FWIW, the Las Vegas Locomotives drew 14,000 for their first game, compared to the 12,000 the shortlived CFL frnachise drew for it's first game in the same stadium.

If anyone cares, the UFL has now played two games! The Florida Tuskers defeated the New York Sentinels 35-13. Nobody seems to have stayed long enough to count the in-stadium attendance; the game was webcast on HDNet, so there's not likely to be any nielsen ratings to compare to the 0.14 rating the first came drew (a typical Versus rating, fwiw)