United Football League

I have uncovered something amazing, something apparently no one has caught on to yet. That is simply this: The UFL will actually make the NFL better.

Does anyone remember the XFL? Well, the brainchild of WWE owner Vince McMahon only lasted one-and-a-half seasons, but it made a massive impact on the NFL—yet we don't even realize it.

We remember the cheerleaders in the hot tubs and things like that from the XFL, but people forget they had a few things entertainment-wise that could easily transition to the NFL.

Before the XFL, coaches and players were not mic'ed up at all. They might have some type of mic on the sidelines because of the interviewers and cameras, but nothing more than that.

The XFL mic'ed up players, coaches, and had huddles mic'ed up to a tee. We never saw this kind of coverage on TV, which was something a lot of the football fans liked. Also, they had camera angles never before seen in a football game.

What they did was make the overall game coverage better, and it was far superior to the NFL's coverage. While the best football was indeed in the NFL, and the marketing was far better there too, people don't realize that the entire game coverage for the NFL massively improved after the XFL.

While the entire league turned out to be a big bust, they added so much to the game, and for that we have to thank them. Without Vince McMahon making this league, we might still have poor game coverage.

Now, what will the UFL actually contribute?

People forget that when the XFL was around, the NFL had NFL Europe. This was the place where the NFL sent players they were not sure about, yet thought they had talent they could use.

People such as Kurt Warner and Adam Vinatieri came from there, and I personally think both will be NFL Hall of Famers.

So realistically, the XFL was around only to rival the NFL, which was not smart for business.

The UFL can actually be the place where NFL players who don't get their chance to shine can go. It is also the place where NFL rejects can go to show the NFL what they missed out on.

If the player shines, they can be signed by an NFL team the very next year or even sign in the middle of the year, considering the UFL's schedule ends in the middle of the NFL's season.

People like J.P. Losman have already made their way to the UFL, mainly because he is not getting his chance to shine in the NFL for his former team, the Buffalo Bills.

Who can blame him?

If a team will offer him a starting job, why stay on a team where you are sure to be the backup?

Now we have the possibility of seeing Michael Vick in the UFL this season considering most NFL teams are not likely to take a chance on him this year. If a team were to sign him, he probably wouldn't start and would probably only come into the game from time to time, if at all.

If he were to go to the UFL, he would probably start right away. This does not mean he would play very well, but it would be better than playing on some practice squad in the NFL and never being able to show he is as good as he was two years ago.

It is also possible Plaxico Burress would sign with them when he gets out of jail too, so the UFL to me is the proving ground for football players who wouldn't get their chance in the NFL or their second chance that the NFL won't give them without proof of how good they are.

The NFL needs to know what they are missing, and if a league is willing to come out and show them, then why not?

What they are doing is helping the NFL. No player will turn them down if they come calling for a nice contract and sure starting job. It is more money and more exposure, so it is obvious a player would go.

So the UFL will keep getting players in, and they will be sort of like NFL Europe was in a sense that NFL teams can scout talent from there and pick out the best people, especially ones they need for their team.

Say a key player gets hurt in the middle of the season. Well, because UFL's season ends in the middle of the NFL season, it would be perfect for a team to go and grab a person they need to plug into their team.

If that player does well, then they would get a nice contract from that team, or they would go to another team that could use them in the NFL. If none of that happens, they can always go back to the UFL. So it is a win-win for the players.

The UFL will help out the NFL a lot, and I feel we need to keep them around to do so. Now, what they should do is play in the spring. It wouldn't force them to compete with the NFL games, which means higher ratings.

Also, people who love football would like to see it more. If a league is on TV, they will watch. So to me, the UFL should not be a rival to the NFL—more so another league that goes out and plays and does not have to worry about beating the juggernaut NFL head to head.

It is sort of like pro wrestling.

While pro wrestling is not a sport, more so sports entertainment, they get it.

See, there are three wrestling promotions on TV today in the WWE, TNA, and ROH. The reason why all are still around and are not dying to the big boys of the WWE is because they are on TV on different nights or times; therefore they are not really competing with each other.

While the UFL would seem to be smart to go on TV different nights during the fall, it wouldn't work for them because most TV networks have fall lineups. The best nights would be on a Saturday or Sunday.

But if football is already being played, it would be impossible to compete well with the other football games, which is why they would be better off coming on during the spring, when there is no football on TV and they usually have clear slots to work with on TV for most nights.

They would not compete and lose ratings and money then, therefore keeping them around. Both can coexist and help each other if they don't try to compete head to head.

However, no league can compete with this one.

Sorry NFL and UFL—you have no chance with this new league coming in.

The latest attempt at a new professional football league is the United Football League (UFL), who say they will begin play in October, 2009. 

On one hand, it seems a stretch at this point, since the league has apparently not (to our knowledge) signed any players, announced any training camps, or scheduled any actual games.

On the other hand, we do know who the coaches are, and from the looks of it, it’s not a bad start. 

I just wonder if they will be able to pull it all off by October, or if they will stumble through an inaugural year. It is a possibility they will push out the start of the league as well.

Just getting a “team” together may not be that difficult, since there are players available.  It may not be obvious, but there are many guys with college football experience who are ready and willing to try out. 

However, how many of these guys can transform into effective players? 

Plus, considering the time constraints, building team chemistry will be difficult.

It just doesn't seem possible to construct a league this fast.

The good news is there is plenty of legacy for the UFL to follow and learn from.

Let’s not forget, in the late 1950s the American Football League (AFL) was considered a joke of an idea. Many people thought that the NFL, with its high standard of professional football, could not be challenged by a new league.

The UFL is not trying to reach an NFL standard right away. They seem to just want to create their own brand, which was the AFL's objective.

It so happened a young Lamar Hunt was not to be deterred, and he set about his dream of expanding the U.S. sporting landscape with the AFL, gathering investors and business partners as he went.

We know what happened next. Not only did the AFL succeed, it merged with the NFL and helped create a much more exciting brand of football.

The World Football League (WFL), in the 1970s, was next the league that tried to maneuver itself as a viable professional product. 

Some franchises were successful, and certainly, many excellent players could have been found suffering on bad teams.

But management of most franchises and the league's front office did not have the right vision. They ended up fragmenting. It was a case of too many teams being mismanaged in conjunction with a dilution of talent and funding. 

It’s a shame, too. With the right business approach, the WFL may have survived.

The United States Football League (USFL) came along in the 1980s, and was debatably entertaining. 

Some players and teams had their moments. The league went through serious growing pains, but some franchises were drawing fans. The league seemed like it just might make it. 

That was until the league inexplicably decided to move from a Spring league to a Fall league.

The league was too urgent in its attempts to compete with NFL.They didn’t need to do that, and they might have hung on if they had kept to a Spring schedule.

The UFL has a long way to go in a short time to impress anyone. I think a great start will be the key. 

It is not enough to simply field teams in new uniforms and logos, thinking that will captivate people’s interest. What that will do is perk short-term curiosity. 

You need to play good football, and at their current pace, not enough is happening to lead us to believe they can muster that in two-months time.

As for coaching, the UFL has plenty of credible talent in their ranks. All of the head coaches have left an impression in the NFL, and the staff of assistants listed on their website have a track record of getting the job done. 

We’ll just have to see what sort of product the UFL can deliver before casting a judgment on its viability. My opinion is they should not bother with a Fall start, and should play exclusively in the Spring.

As a frequent writer on the UFL, I'm often asked why I believe that this league will thrive where others have withered, and I go through the motions, the shared opinions of many about the media markets, some mid-week football, a place where fringe players get a place to perform.

All of these things I believe are valid arguments, however there is one area that I don't cover that I perhaps should.

That being the commissioner of the new UFL, Michael Huyghue.

To many people his name will not be familiar, I'm sure to a lot of football fans who take a more involved role in knowing what happens off the field as well as on, his name would be ones you perhaps heard in the background as a passing comment.

When I heard who the new commissioner would be, I barely recognized his name, I had heard him mentioned in conversations with the Lions and Jaguars franchises, but I really didn't know who Michael Huyghue was.

After reading several things about him and his past, I was convinced that this was the right man to lead the UFL into the future. If any football organization was going to brake the strange hold that the NFL has on professional football then this was the man that was going to do it.

So firstly, let's just say that he has playing experience at Cornell University, although not a renowned football program, I believe that anyone that has played football within a professional environment has a better understandings of what players go through.

He has experience as a General Manager, of the Birmingham Fire of the World League Of American Football, the predecessor to NFL Europe. He moved to the vice president position of the Detroit Lions and then the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He has personal experience of the inner workings of a NFL franchise, he understands what it takes to run a expansion team, like he saw with the Jaguars, a position he held from 1994-2001.

He has worked as a sports agent, and at one time represented Adam 'Pac Man' Jones, he understands that area of the business. Like it or not agents are a integral part of the workings of any professional sport.

He has worked within the players association in the legal department, perhaps his dealings with Jones gave him experience which led to him progressing in the legal field.

Then if that were not enough, he worked with the NFL management council which represents NFL teams in the collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

Now he has been given a chance to run his own show, and so far he is doing a stand up job, he represents the league with a vibrant enthusiasm that is vital in promoting a league that will be competing for fan attention.

Today I listened to a interview with him on Sirius radio, a interview that prompted me to write this article

He writes all the right words and speaks them as well. He listens to the fans and has built excitement where there was none.

He has a very clear goal, and he is executing it to perfection. He has spoken openly on the Michael Vick situation, he has spoken clearly about the UFL not just being a developmental league. He has spoken about the UFL being a serious league, miles apart from the XFL mold.

What is not to like about this man? he has experience in several departments, he loves football and it comes through.

Stand up and appreciate Michael Huyghune. I'm not saying that this league will definitely be a huge success, but if it is going to be and i believe that it will, in large part it will be down to this man.

Did anybody else think that this deal was done months ago? Flicking through the news yesterday I saw the headline 'Losman signs with Las Vegas UFL team,' and was surprised to see that it was dated July 21, 2009.

I honestly thought that this deal was done months ago. People talked like he was. He was listed in articles as playing in the UFL and now we finally see that he has signed. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be the grand gesture for the UFL, but if it was, congratulations on the worst kept secret in football this offseason.

Anyway, sorry Brooks, but J.P takes over as the marquee guy in the league now, and I couldn't be happier to see him there.

In what was a up and down career in Buffalo, mainly down, I thought he showed some athletic ability. Granted the last two seasons have been rough: six TDs and 11 INT combined are not the prettiest numbers. The one flaw of Losman that everyone talks about is the fact that he locks onto receivers. Playing in Buffalo with a guy like Evans I suppose it's easy to do.

Buffalo traded into the first round to select Losman. It was the first QB that Buffalo had selected in the first round since 1983 and Jim Kelly was brought to the Bills. High hopes were a plenty but several offensive coordinators and many sacks later, Losman is in the upstart UFL.

He had a very simple choice: stay in the NFL as a backup somewhere (I'm actually very unsure where he could of gone), or go and play in Las Vegas as a starter. He needs to prove that he is a good QB, and warming the bench in Detroit or Minnesota or wherever was not going to do that.

He has a good coach to work with in Jim Fassel, the same guy who turned John Elway around in Denver and corrected Boomer Esiason in Arizona, so if anyone can do it then Fassel can.

I actually believe that J.P Losman is a good quarterback, I truly do. But he needs to learn to take his reads better and faster.

This is coachable, and usually it is something that is taught once a player comes out of college. But with such changeover in offensive coordinators in Buffalo I wonder if anyone really took him under their wings and showed him the way.

Jim Fassel noted the positive step that J.P Losman was taking in getting his career back on track by moving to the UFL:

"Listen, if he'd have went back to the NFL and sat on the bench this year, then he'd have been no better off next year. Whatever anybody thought about him, they'd still say the same thing. Nothing would've changed.

"... Instead, you go in this league and you play. The risk you take is you don't play well. But if you're an aggressive person, you say 'I'm going to play well, people are going to see me, and maybe I can erase some of those negatives that were in the past, and a lot of people will say, wow, look at him play now. He's a new guy.'"

When you have a good teacher and a student that is willing to admit that he has work to do like J.P. Losman does, the benefits can be exceptional.

"'Where do I want to be after a 10-year, 11-year career?' There are some things I feel I want to work on that I need to work on," said Losman. "This league gives me an opportunity to do that and to work with somebody who's had a lot of success in the NFL."

J.P Losman still has mobility, even after his knee injury, and he still has a good arm. If he can learn to run through reads, get rid of the ball quicker, he will be a good NFL player, or UFL player if the league really takes off.

However this is one of the reasons why I love this league. Without it, where does J.P go? He either sits on the bench and watches his career float away, or he moves to the CFL where he might as well be playing in the Sahara desert, no offence to Graham Harrel who has recently signed there.

Here he will be given a great chance to succeed, and get some confidence back in his play, something that he needs. If you think you have seen the last of J.P Losman, then I'm afraid you are mistaken. I fully expect him to tear up the UFL, and after he is done, he will be a viable option as a starter in the NFL.

It's happening once again, another league is trying to compete with the NFL. You'd think after the USFL, the WFL, and worst of all, the XFL (shudder), these people would know better. Still, in October 2009 the United Football League will begin its first season. And while many have written off already, I'm willing to say, this, at the very least COULD work.

Admittedly, it's hard to get excited about a league whose most famous player is J.P. Losman (I live in Buffalo, and am quite happy to be rid of him), but there is some definite potential here. For one thing, the hiring of big names such as Jim Haslett and Dennis Green shows that there are serious players willing to give this a chance.

Second, if Michael Vick does play in this league, his profile will shoot through the roof. Millions will tune in to see what Vick is up to.

Luckily, the success of this league does not necessarily depend on him. There are a few things about the UFL's approach that could make it work. First of all, it is running concurrent to the NFL season but not competing with it.

The games will during the week in October and November. This is key because it means the games will be televised when everyone has football on their brain. The XFL began play in February, one week after the Super Bowl. A time in which the casual fan is sick of football, and isn't exactly willing to root for a bunch of new teams.

Beginning in October is smart because around that time, everyone is thinking about football, and the long wait from Sunday to Sunday might make fans a bit more willing to try something different. In addition to this, the league is taking a conservative approach to introducing themselves.

There are only 4 teams beginning play this year, and so far advertising hasn't ambushed us. This means they are less likely to lose a lot of money in their first year, and if they struggle to capture an audience, they might be able to give it another shot.

Admittedly, there is no guarantee that this league will work. Every other league has failed, and the UFL has a tough road ahead of it. That being said, the UFL's ability to attract big name coaches, and possibly a few major players, combined with a smart marketing strategy could lead to the league staying around for a few years at least.

If nothing else, there's reason to have some hope.

After hearing very little about the UFL over the past couple of weeks, I quickly skimmed over UFL.com and looked at the timetable for this offseason. I noticed that August was penned for the unveiling of team names and uniforms, and it got me thinking about what they could possibly be.

We have four teams, situated in Orlando, San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas.

I have heard some good suggestions from people I have talked to about this and below are just some of the ideas that were presented.

I thought that it would be a good idea to get people's opinions and ideas of some names. After all, outside of the Michael Vick "will he/won't he?" sweepstakes to the UFL, there is little to talk about this inaugural offseason.

First up we have Las Vegas, and the name Gamblers.

The Las Vegas Gamblers, obvious I know, but they have to be thinking along these lines—casinos, entertainment, etc. First I thought of the LV Dice Rollers, but I thought that was a little too gimmicky. After all, this league is a professional football league and wants to stay clear of the XFL and its pure entertainment side.

So come on, B/R readers, what are your ideas for the LV team name?

Second, we have Orlando and possibly the Suns.

There is obviously a team already named the Suns (Phoenix NBA), but Florida is, after all, the Sunshine State. If not the Suns, how about the Orlando Tropics, or something of that nature? I know that team names don't always have to represent their state, but I think both Suns and Tropics would be a fitting name.

Again, leave your ideas for Orlando in the comments section below.

Third we have San Fran, and possibly the San Francisco Gold Rush.

The Gold Rush of 1848 is notorious, just as San Fran is known for its Golden Gate Bridge, so this would seem like a very fitting name for their football team. Outside of this, the team really stumped me for ideas, perhaps the Rolling Thunder after the San Fran rolling hills?

This one really stumped me, so I welcome all your input on it.

Finally we have New York and possibly the New York Boroughs.

I really like this name. It would strike a chord straight away as soon as you hear it, and I don't think that it is at all too gimmicky. It would not specify any one area of New York but bring the whole city into the equation. It already has two football teams titled Jets and Giants.

I'm sure there are several names that come to mind when thinking of New York.

I'm looking forward to hearing the names you suggest. Let's get as many ideas down in the comments section as possible and see if we come up with any names that are actually revealed come August.

As football fans out there know, there is an upstart football league about to begin its inaugural season this fall. The UFL will play their games on Friday nights, broadcast them on Versus, and provide no real competition to the NFL in any way, which is most definitely a good thing.

The UFL will feature four teams in the cities of New York, Orlando, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. It will provide marginal players with a sort of developmental league for the NFL. The league will also give players a second chance at reviving their once promising careers.

The UFL recently came out with their rule book, which could raise some eyebrows around the media world. Overall, the rule changes aren’t revolutionary, but that could be the main point.

If the UFL wants to remain successful, the league would be wise to remain close enough to the actual NFL that it is able to gain some crossover viewers and fans. Without really changing the game in any significant manner, the UFL has tweaked some of the "No Fun League"'s most unpopular and scrutinized rules. 

Among the most significant of rule changes are:

1. UFL head coaches and QBs will be wired for sound, with the QBs on a tape-delayed basis for editing and possible play-calling.

With former NFL head coach Dennis Green moving over to the UFL, the league might be wise to have the coaches on a tape delay as well.

2. The ridiculous "Tuck Rule" will be done away with.

Unfortunately, referee Walt Coleman will still get to keep his job. A quote from an article in the Pro Football Examiner titled “UFL gets rid of ridiculous tuck rule” reads as the following:

"January 19, 2002. The Raiders seemingly beat the Patriots in a snowy playoff game in New England. Tom Brady fumbled the ball and Greg Biekert recovered it and Oakland was going to run out the clock. Then the world was introduced to the tuck rule.

After a lengthy review that at the time didn’t seem to make any sense, referee Walt Coleman reversed the call that Brady had fumbled. When he announced his decision on the field, Coleman didn’t mention the tuck rule, instead saying that Brady’s arm was 'going forward.' However, for all intensive purposes, the tuck rule was invoked and the matchup is now known as the 'tuck rule game.'

Even I have gotten over the rule and the call, but I think everyone can now admit that the rule is downright ridiculous. Maybe the league is trying to win over some still bitter Oakland Raider fans with the decision."

3. The UFL will allow cameras into the locker room at halftime for the opening four minutes. As mentioned before, the coaches will be mic'd and communication between the coach and quarterback will be broadcast on tape delay.

This promises greater accessibility for fans. With the UFL wisely gearing itself more toward the fans—something the now-struggling Arena Football League had great success with—the league, as a result, will have an easier time gaining media recognition. The fans create the game, and their perception of a sport—as well as a league—plays the biggest role in how the media will portray the UFL.

4. The quarterback can legally ground the football if inside or outside the pocket area while under duress. This rule is a change on the current grounding rule in the NFL, with a major emphasis kept on the quarterback's safety.

UFL San Francisco Head Coach Dennis Green had the following to say on the grounding rule change:

"The change to the 'grounding rule' comes under the umbrella of 'Player Safety.' The change was made in an effort to protect the quarterback, who is defenseless when he is in the throwing position, from injury. By allowing the quarterback to dump the football if he is under duress, it lessens the number of times that he might possibly be hit by the defense.

An overall summary of the game "enhancements"  that have been approved per an official UFL press release:

• The deletion of the “Tuck” rule which makes a loose ball a fumble if the passer loses possession of the ball as he is putting it away after completion of the forward pass motion.
• A fumble into and out of the end zone returns the ball to the spot of the fumble when not recovered in the end zone – making it consistent with other fumble rules.
• The Quarterback can legally ground the football if inside or outside the pocket area while under duress.
• Tasteful individual and/or group celebrations are permitted ONLY in end zone and bench area.
• Instant Replay rulings will be made by the Replay Official in the Replay Booth rather than the on-field referee.  Review time will be 90 seconds rather than 60 seconds.
• During overtime/sudden-death, both teams will have an opportunity to possess the football during the allotted 15 minutes.  Sudden-death rules apply after both teams have had an opportunity to possess the football.
• Approved television cameras will be allowed in the locker rooms for the first four minutes of halftime.
• Head Coaches will be wired for sound for television broadcasts (no sideline discussions will be aired).  Cameras and microphones in the bench area will be allowed during the game to capture real-time emotional moments.
• TV audience will hear coach to quarterback communications on tape-delayed basis.

The UFL recently released their rule changes for the new season. When I say changes, I of course mean changes from the NFL or the XFL.

I don't want to discuss them in general. There are some that are excellent, some good, some questionable.

However, there is one rule change that delighted me when I saw it.

In my opinion, the NFL is flawed in just one way, that being its overtime: a sudden death, first team to score wins system. In my opinion it's just not fair that a game is decided basically on the flip of a coin. One game lost on behalf of the coin could cost a playoff berth.

I know that some would say that your defence has a fair chance to stop the offence and get the ball back for you. However, if you are an offensive team that clocks victories through offense, then it's hardly fair.

The UFL announced that instead of this, they would enact their overtime in a similar fashion to NCAA rules. Each team will be given one possession. It's a fair chance for each team to win and lose the game. Offences get the chance and defences get the chance. It's completely fair, and the team that wins deserves to win.

This for me is the best rule change that separates the UFL and the NFL. Sometimes it works for you, and some times it works against you. Some people would say, well, it evens out in the long run. I personally believe that's simply not the truth. I could go back and do a lot of research into overtime results based on first possession, and I would probably come up with teams who have struggled.

I still hold hope that someday the NFL will follow the NCAA and the UFL's example and change their overtime rule. Will it happen—who knows? I doubt it will happen anytime soon. I'm sure you can find some people who enjoy the NFL overtime system; however, personally speaking I cannot stand it.

So congratulations to Dennis Green and the UFL's competition committee for making this specific change from the NFL.

The United Football League, which kicks off Oct. 22, released its playing rules this week, and if you're an NFL fan, you're bound to be disappointed if you don't like change.

Perhaps the most atrocious variation from NFL rules is the quarterback "grounding" rule, where the QB, under pressure, is allowed to ground the ball whether he is inside or outside the pocket.

And Raiders fans will be sad to hear the "tuck" rule, made famous in the 2002 playoff game between Oakland and New England, will be eliminated.

The rule, meant to hold quarterbacks responsible for their intent, rules the reneging of forward motion—either by tucking the ball back or stopping the passing motion—an incomplete pass if it is forced out by a defender.

All coaches will be "wired" so their comments will be broadcast—although supposedly no sideline chatter will be aired—and cameras will be allowed in locker rooms for the first four minutes of halftime to provide fans with "off-limit" access throughout the game.

I guess it's just as bad as the occasional pep talk we can peep in on in the NFL and NBA. But it seems like a media ploy, and not a very good one. As Joe Torre once said—of course, he totally abandoned the idea in his book—what happens in the locker room should stay in the locker room.

All of us want to see what goes on "behind the scenes" in football but, the pains the UFL is taking to reel in fans seems desperate.

Many of the rules reflect this desperation. For example, players are allowed "tasteful" forms of "group celebration" in the end zone and bench area after a TD. OK, what the hell does that mean? Sounds like Dottie's splits to impress fans in A League of Their Own. Lame.

I prefer my head-bumping, authentic celebrations, not premeditated jumping through hoops. Call me old school.

"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," San Francisco coach Dennis Green, the chairman of the committee, told the Oakland Tribune.

Green contends this is not a "gimmick league." Sorry, Dennis, but not only do I not get it, I just plain don't buy it.