Jeff Garcia

The city of Omaha is on its toes today after speculation broke out on Sunday that the Nighthawks quarterback Jeff Garcia may consider leaving his current undefeated UFL team for a return with the Philadelphia Eagles now that Michael Vick might miss time due to a rib injury and Kevin Kolb is struggling.

Garcia is free to leave Omaha if an NFL team is willing to pay $150,000 to buyout his services.

The 40 year old quarterback currently makes $25,000 a week with the Nighthawks and the entire state of Nebraska has welcomed him as one of their own. That’s incredibly rare for a state that usually only cheers for athletes that have ties to the Cornhuskers.

But one thing Nebraska has always appreciated is their football. It has taken Garcia just two come-from-behind victories to win the hearts of Nebraska. These days you can’t go anywhere in Omaha without seeing someone wearing a Nighthawks shirt or jersey.

In just two games Rosenblatt has sold out and it has been packed with hardcore football fans willing to give the UFL and Jeff Garcia a chance to win their hearts. On Saturday when he led the team to an amazing comeback over Daunte Culpepper and the Sacramento Mountain Lions—everyone in Nebraska had became a fan.

Fast-forward to today and now fans are left wondering if the quarterback they had just welcomed with open arms is deciding to leave them after just two games.

It’s just rumors at this point but if Garcia ditches Omaha for the Eagles before the end of the UFL season, Nebraska fans will never forgive him and he will never be welcomed back into the state without receiving an ear-shattering amount of boos.

His replica jerseys will be burned, all of those autographs he signed will be sold on eBay in a matter of minutes and a new Jeff Garcia hate club will quickly be formed among Nighthawk faithful.

In Nebraska they take their football seriously. He better think twice before he betrays the most loyal football fans in the world.

Of course he’ll receive more publicity with the Eagles and he may even get the chance to start a few games, but as soon as Michael Vick is healthy he’ll be placed right back on the bench. Why should he leave Omaha when he’s already making a nice salary and his job is as safe as they come?

While most football fans are focusing on the highly anticipated Sunday afternoon NFL game between Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick, United Football League fans are looking forward to Daunte Culpepper vs. Jeff Garcia Saturday night at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.

Those of you who don’t follow the UFL may have never heard of the Sacramento Mountain Lions or the Omaha Nighthawks, but if you’ve paid any attention to the NFL in the past 10 years you definitely know who Daunte Culpepper and Jeff Garcia are.

Five years ago the mainstream media would have hyped this quarterback matchup like no other. Unfortunately this isn’t the NFL and public opinion says both of these QBs are past their primes.

It’s true that they may be a little older, but neither of them have forgotten how to sling the pigskin around.

Last week, Jeff Garcia led the Omaha Nighthawks to a fourth quarter comeback, finding former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Robert Ferguson in the end zone for the game winning touchdown with just six seconds left on the clock.

Daunte Culpepper led his Mountain Lions to a win in a similar fashion with a come-from-behind victory over the Florida Tuskers.  With just 31 seconds remaining in the game he hooked up with former AFL rookie of the year, Rod Windsor, for the game winning touchdown.

Culpepper may not have NFL caliber wide receivers, but he still managed to get his roll on for a total of 374 passing yards.

Jeff Garcia and Daunte Culpepper both shared the “Player of the Week” honors from the UFL for their exciting victories in week 2.

Defense may win championships, but offense draws the crowds. The United Football League is built for a great fan experience.

There will be no shortage of offensive firepower when Garcia and Culpepper meet up tomorrow night.

To all of the UFL haters out there: Yes, the NFL is better. Yes, the majority of UFL players are guys who couldn’t make it in the NFL. And yes, the league’s biggest stars are former NFL greats who are way past their prime.

But if you’re a fan of football, you have to be at least somewhat excited to see how these two former NFL greats will do against each other.

One thing is certain, Rosenblatt will be rocking on Saturday night.

Saturday. This day was made for football. Russell Wilson leads NC State to the best record in the ACC. Alabama gets a win off Arkansas in a dramatic fourth quarter comeback. Boise State solidifies a victory on the blue turf against Oregon State.

A good day of college football was coming to a close. It was a little after eleven so I began flipping through the channels looking for a no name game, or maybe to just catch some highlights. I came across something that caught my eye.

Sacramento vs. Orlando.

It said "football" so I felt obligated to check it out. It was obviously not the National Football League or Canadian Football League. Sacramento doesn’t have an Arena Football team. So what was it?

The United Football League. My immediate instincts told me to change the channel, but I didn’t. It may have been one of the best decisions I've made in a while, because I saw something I hadn’t seen in a professional football game in a very long time.

Passion.

The Sacramento Mountain Lions, led by quarterback Daunte Culpepper, took on the Brooks Bollinger led Florida Tuskers. It sounded like a really bad NFL game from 2003. It ended up being anything but that.

Sacramento entered the fourth quarter trailing 17-7, giving up 14 unanswered points after an early 7-3 lead. I then watched Daunte Culpepper do something nobody has seen since his Pro Bowl days in Minnesota.

Culpepper marched his team down field, setting up an early field goal. Sacramento got the ball back, and this time Culpepper led the team 80 yards for a touchdown. Florida responded, hitting a field goal with 2:53 remaining, putting the Tuskers up 20-17.

But Culpepper wasn’t done. Looking poised in the pocket he led the Mountain Lions down the field again. The team was easily in range for kicker Fabrizio Scaccia, who can apparently kick the ball nearly 70 yards.

Culpepper had other plans, hooking up with wide receiver Rod Windsor on a beautiful 33 yard touchdown throw with 31 ticks left in the game. Culpepper rushed down field to celebrate with Windsor because in the UFL, you are allowed endzone celebrations.

“Daunte was a warrior down the stretch,” head coach Dennis Green said. "We wanted to take our chances. (Culpepper) had the opening and he took it.”

Yes, that’s the same Dennis Green that coached Culpepper in Minnesota. The “they are who we thought they were” Dennis Green.

After all of this being said, it wasn’t the exciting finish that caught my attention. What did catch my attention was that every player on the field was playing as if this game was the Superbowl. Receivers were diving for passes, running backs were fighting for every inch, and defenders were recklessly throwing their bodies into tackles. There was nobody taking a single play off.

Every player on the field was there for one of two reasons. They either truly loved the game of football, or they weren’t considered good enough to play in the NFL and this was their last chance. Either way, it made for a game filled with passion and the desire to succeed, something that I haven’t seen in the NFL for a very long time.

So who are some of the current players in the UFL? I bet you didn’t know many of them were still playing football.

Daunte Culpepper, Brooks Bollinger, Odell Thurman, Dominic Rhodes, Jeff Garcia, Morlon Greenwood, Maurice Clarett, Ahman Green, Rogert Ferguson, Calvin Lowry, Josh McCown, Lorenzo Booker, Kevin Jones, Tim Rattay, Marcel Shipp, Michael Ray Garvin, Cato June.

The UFL began play in October of 2009 under owner Paul Pelosi (husband of US Rep Nancy Pelosi). The league currently has only five teams. Although the league has no connection with the NFL some speculation is that the league could become a “developmental” league for the NFL, much like NFL Europe used to be. Others question whether or not it could eventually become a competitor to the NFL.

With the possibility of a player lock-out or strike in the NFL next season, there is opportunity on the horizon for the UFL. The NFLPA has suggested that players cut from teams in the NFL consider playing in the UFL. 

The UFL has plans to expand in 2011, adding a sixth team to the league. Although specifics are still unknown, the franchise will be located in the Norfolk region of Virginia. Former NFL quarterback Doug Williams will be the general manager for the team. The league says depending on the economic situation of the league, they see potential for up to 14 teams in the future.

Unfortunately, the chance for the success of the league isn’t great. That being said, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire organization. Even if nothing else comes from the league, they gave me the chance Saturday evening to watch one of the best games I’ve seen in my lifetime.

Roger Goodell, David Stern, Bud Selig, and Gary Bettman, your players need you to protect them from themselves. After another alcohol related arrest Sunday, professional sports needs a serious talking to.

Colts' defensive linemen John Gill was found lying in a ditch on the 3600 block of Lafayette Road at about 4 a.m. Sunday, according to a police report. He was arrested and later released after a public intoxication charge was dropped.

Colts' brass say they are aware that Gill, 23, was charged but will not make any comment on the incident. Gill apparently had trouble standing, reeked of alcohol, and was slurring his words. This is just another example of how athletes are not taking their responsibilities as professionals and role models seriously.

It seems like we are reminded weekly that more money apparently does mean more problems. These athletes get paid a very handsome sum regularly and tend to put themselves in tight spots with alcohol and/or drug related crimes.

Whether it was more recently with the likes of Gill, Donte' Stallworth, Vincent Jackson or in the past, with guys like Steve Foley, Jeff Garcia, or even Jim McMahon, driving under the influence or public intoxication charges are suddenly becoming the norm.

It would make sense that these professional athletes would want to, on occasion, consume an alcoholic beverage or two. They are adults, they have their rights, and they are more than welcome to indulge in such activities.

When they get behind the wheel, however, they not only put themselves and others in danger with this kind of behavior, they set bad examples for those who look up to them.

After Gill's arrest Sunday, this is a more subtle wake-up call but a wake-up call nonetheless. Apparently, Leonard Little and Stallworth's DUI manslaughter cases, weren't enough for the commissioners of professional sports.

NFL Commissioner Goodell has cleaned up the NFL quite a bit during his tenure. Stern should perform seminars on how to be a commissioner because he is the cream of the crop. Selig hasn't always been the most popular but he has gotten lucky a time or two. As for Bettman, well... um. Anyway, the point is this, the hierarchy of professional sports must address this issue before any additional damage is done.

Suspensions and fines are not enough anymore, at least not in the current format or in the level of severity. I am not talking about lifetime bans or community service; preëmptive measures need to be taken to deter athletes from partaking in such foolish and dangerous behavior.

For example, potentially placing criminal clauses in each contract that state if such actions occur more than once that individual's contract could be voided by the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL.

If such clauses were a part of every contract in every sport, it would dramatically decrease the number of incidents. This, however unlikely, could clean up professional sports across the board.