This is...the XFL

[redbuck]

Remember the XFL?

The League existed for one season- 2000-01. The Las Vegas Outlaws hosted the first game at UNLV's stadium and won behind "He Hate Me" Rod Smart, now on the Carolina Panthers.

The XFL was not terribly different from the NFL or college football, but each game would start with two players having a running challenge to the ball to determine posession instead of a coin flip. Players were allowed to have whatever they wanted on their jersey name plates.

XFL teams existed in several cities all over the country. The Los Angeles Extreme played at the LA Coliseum. There was a hot tub with cheerleaders in it at the end of the field. All XFL parks had giant temporary video screens brought in. Jesse Ventura narrated the intros to televised games with a scratchy line "This is...the X...F...L."

My favorite team was the Orlando Rage, who had a very good season but lost to San Francisco in the playoffs. The Chicago Enforcers lost to the LA Extreme in the semifinals and the Extreme beat San Fran. in the championship game 38-6.

Average attendance at league games was 23,000, led by San Francisco Demons with 35k/game.

XFL teams:
http://www.rememberthexfl.8m.com/teams.html

[cbenson5]

I watched the first few weeks of the season, but like most people I lost interest in it about halfway through. I did like having the players run for the ball at the beginning of the game.

[brady_branch]

The players were horrible, if I remember correctly. I watched a couple games, but I was disgusted by their lack of skills and didn't watch much after.

[RedSoxVT92]

The players were horrible, if I remember correctly. I watched a couple games, but I was disgusted by their lack of skills and didn't watch much after.

Yeah, I thought of it as more of a joke type of thing than serious competition IMO.

[mordeci]

Like many I watched for a while. They didn't lose me based on bad players, I was expecting that. The football was on par with NFLE, which I watch. They lost me based on hype:

1. they advertised that there would be no fair catches. like they were too tough for something as wimpy as a fair catch. then they put in a 2 or 3 yard halo rule protecting the receiver. that's worse than a fair catch.

2. this may seem dumb, but to me it went to the credibility of the league. They advertised that they would show live video from the cheerleaders' locker room at half time. I was expecting them to treat the cheerleaders like athletes, show what they really do at the half. Get yelled at by coaches, etc. instead they showed a lame dream sequence-like video of sluts in the shower, spraying each other with champagne, snapping towels, etc. That's when I realized that the league wasn't geared towards real sports fans, it was geared toward those ignorant, brain-damaged morons that watch 'perfeshnal wrasslin'.

[ATLFalcons]

2. this may seem dumb, but to me it went to the credibility of the league. They advertised that they would show live video from the cheerleaders' locker room at half time. I was expecting them to treat the cheerleaders like athletes, show what they really do at the half. Get yelled at by coaches, etc. instead they showed a lame dream sequence-like video of sluts in the shower, spraying each other with champagne, snapping towels, etc. That's when I realized that the league wasn't geared towards real sports fans, it was geared toward those ignorant, brain-damaged morons that watch 'perfeshnal wrasslin'.

I believe that's where Vince McMahon's expertise was, basing the women more on their looks than their athletic ability. One thing I wanted to see the league do was put some of those wrestlers on the field. I'd say a quarter of pro wrestlers played football in high school, college, or the pros.

[cbenson5]

2. this may seem dumb, but to me it went to the credibility of the league. They advertised that they would show live video from the cheerleaders' locker room at half time. I was expecting them to treat the cheerleaders like athletes, show what they really do at the half. Get yelled at by coaches, etc. instead they showed a lame dream sequence-like video of sluts in the shower, spraying each other with champagne, snapping towels, etc.


That's pretty much why I quit watching. The league was not what was advertised. I had already lost interest, but that Cheerleader sequence was pretty much the last straw.

[Wolverine]

I probably watched 20 minutes of the XFL. I thought it was NFL-lite, not the innovative game I’d been led to expect. I doubt they would have succeeded even if they’d adopted the following rules, but I’m sure I would have found it a more interesting game. The games also would have been shorter, fitting into a two hour time slot, which would have made for an easier sell to
television networks. Like it or not, this is more of a television event than anything else.

Field - 120 yards long, 15 yard end zones, 90 yards from goal line to goal line, 180 feet wide (NFL 160). Goal posts 24' wide (NFL 18'-6"). Goal posts on the goal line. [I’d have preferred deeper end zones but many stadiums can’t accommodate them.]

Timing - Play two 40 minute halves. Clock doesn’t stop on incomplete passes, OOB plays, or changes of possession, only for injuries or measurements. Twenty seconds to get off a play once the ball is spotted. Four timeouts per game, maximum of three per half. Ten minute halftime. [I think 45 minute halves would be better but that would make it harder to fit the game into a two hour slot.]

Basic Rules - Kickoff from own 20. Kickoff from own 10 after a safety. Four downs to gain 15 yards. Each team has one 5th down per half. One offensive tackle designated an eligible receiver (yellow helmet). Backs can move forward before snap (as in CFL).

Scoring -

Touchdown - 6 (must carry the entire ball in or receive a pass; no more breaking the plane)
Touchdown Between the Goal Posts - 8
Extra Point - 1 (no kicking)
Field Goal - 3 (kicked from scrimmage, cannot be blocked)
Safety - 2
First Down - 1
Interception or Fumble Recovered by Defense - 1
Kickoff or Punt Into End Zone Not Returned - 1

Overtime - Unlikely, given the many ways to score. Each offense has two alternating 4 down series from their 20 yard line (8 total offensive plays). Team that advances the most yards wins. Subtract yardage defense gains after an interception or advancing a recovered fumble. If still tied or both teams cross the goal line, play a third 4 down series. Winner adds 1 point to their final score..

Organization - Seven franchises, single table. Twelve game schedule (14 weeks, February to May). Top 4 teams make playoffs. Rosters limited to 40 players (NFL 53?).

[Hawaiin Lion]

That would be realy kewl but there sould be atlest 15 people on the field at a time, you should include that.

[Hawaiin Lion]

Overtime - Unlikely, given the many ways to score. Each offense has two alternating 4 down series from their 20 yard line (8 total offensive plays). Team that advances the most yards wins. Subtract yardage defense gains after an interception or advancing a recovered fumble. If still tied or both teams cross the goal line, play a third 4 down series. Winner adds 1 point to their final score..

Thats what they do for the 6-7, 8, & 9 year old teams in my league...
so i think you sould change the overtime to 15minutes starting from a coin toss but the home team gets to call it, and if the game is still tied after the 15minutes, repeat till one team is winning after the 15minutes.

[football junkie]

The XFL was an abomination and Vince McMahon is the epitome of everything that is wrong with America -- constantly pandering to the lowest common denominator. Dumbing down our culture for the Coors Light swilling, doritos munching, marlboro chain-smoking masses who park themselves in front of their TV/GOD and worship the electric glow, no matter what mindless garbage is on.

We live in a country in which more people vote for the American Idol final than vote for Presidential elections. There is something fundamentally wrong with that. And scumbags like Vince McMahon are leading the charge into our cultural decay.

I never watched a single XFL game. I was happy when the league folded. The whole concept was insulting to my intelligence from the very first time I heard of it. I only wish that the collapse of McMahon's football league would have lead to the collapse of his idiotic wrestling empire.

Here ends this rant....

[brady_branch]

Yeah, but people can vote multiple times for the American Idol winner. You'd be amazed how many people program the number onto their speed-dial and call it 173 times... it's just sad.

You're absolutely right, though. The XFL was horrendous.

Anyone see the Simpsons episode where Homer starts out sitting in his chair awaiting the next XFL season?

[efin98]

I never watched a single XFL game. I was happy when the league folded. The whole concept was insulting to my intelligence from the very first time I heard of it. I only wish that the collapse of McMahon's football league would have lead to the collapse of his idiotic wrestling empire.

Here ends this rant....

I am sorry but unless you actually saw what occured during their season you really don't have anything to complain about :rolleyes:




I enjoyed the idea of a new league. I enjoyed the thought of seeing football in winter/spring. I saw a few games and it was boring- none of the glitz or glamore that it was made out to be. Frankly it was overblown and was too much hype with little substance.

It was an idea that could have worked out if it was toned down. Wall to wall advertisements, promising things that never came about, announcers acting like it was much more than it really was simply ruined it. If they have just simply let the play on the field do the talking instead of trying to create something from nothing then things could have been much different.

Frankly they chose the wrong person to lead the league. I don't doubt that Vince McMahon's involvement was needed but simply having him as a bankroller and not as the controler they could have gotten one or two more years out of the league- something they needed to get enough fans in to actually attend games and more importantly watch the games.

[taltmansport]

So what do you guys think of this new league? It's not trying to be an alternative to the NFL, but is wanting to be spring football entertainment in regions where there is no pro football and where there's not much else to do but thaw out or go fishing. This would give players who need to develop before being good enough for the NFL to do so also. They're going to pay more than any other non-NFL league, at $100,000, so it would seem to me that all the best non-NFL players in the CFL, the NFL-E and Arena FB would give this league its undivided attention. The games would be played in some of the most storied college stadiums. And best of all, the prices would be family friendly. Florida, Florida St., Alabama, Texas, Purdue, NC St., Tennessee are signed up. Teams would use the colors of the school's team and their cheerleaders and bands for a college atmosphere.

They're looking for franchise owners, so here's a chance to become a team mogul. If you're a fan or booster of the 7 schools you might want to contact the league. Here's their site... pretty cool too:
http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com/


New football league to play in college venues

FOXSports.com

A group of college officials headed by former NCAA president Cedric Dempsey is unveiling plans in New York for a new spring minor football league, according to a report in USA Today.
The newspaper also points out an interesting twist — the eight teams will use colleges as their "bases" and feature players from those schools and their affiliated conferences and surrounding regions.
The teams will play their games in the schools' facilities or in bowl stadiums. All 44-48 players per team must have graduated from college and exhausted their college eligibility.

"When you look at some of the minor leagues that failed, this is a different model," said Dempsey, chairman of the All American Football League's managing board. "I think it'll have a lot of interest from a fan standpoint."

When the league begins play in 2007, each team will likely play a 14-game schedule from the second week of April through the end of June.

Dempsey declined to say which schools would be affiliated — only that they will be tied to the Big Ten, Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences.

USA Today says the AAFL will start stocking rosters after the NFL's April draft. Players, who'll be employed by the league, will earn about $100,000.

What's more, affiliated schools will receive $3 million in stadium rent and would be permitted to keep revenue from parking and concessions.

It is an arrangement Dempsey reportedly says could earn schools up to $5 million at a time when their facilities go primarily unused.

[redbuck]

Sounds great. Obviously won't compete but we should do something in terms of going back to the old days of minor league outdoor football.

[D.C.]

Sounds great. Obviously won't compete but we should do something in terms of going back to the old days of minor league outdoor football.

I'll definately support it. Something I vowed I wouldn't do with the XFL (which seemed to artificial from its outset).

I'm going to at least try and get all the teams media guides for one. ;)

[Hut5]

The best part about the XFL was the promos that they ran on TV all week leading up to the game. I don't remember any specifically, but they were full of humor, some intentional, some probably not.

A big problem they had was marketing to a wider demographic. They loved to show those scantily-clad cheerleaders. If you were over about 30 and/or married, there was no way most guys would want to risk an argument with their wives to watch a game where players' talent didn't rival that of their high school.