UFL

[ElvisLives]

I tune into the UFL games just because it is football, and to watch the officials. In the past, with USFL and XFL, I used to know a handful. But, now, I have only met one of them. I wish them all the best.
But, is it just me? Or is the quality of play really just not very good? Every time I tune in, the first play I see is a ‘sack,’ or a BC getting tackled for a loss. Strikes me as being really bad football.

What do you guys see?

[Ralph Damren]

BUT...'tis still football  . . I heard last year that the players got min. $600 per game BUT needed to stay in a USFL hotel @ $75/per night. That doesn't leave much for the players. If the players get little probably the officials get even less. I assume most of what we see are those that love the game and are chasing a dream.

I love football, but the Celtics are the best in the NBA  , the Bruins near the top in NHL  , and the Red Sox begining what appears to ba a very long season  . Outside, I worked my season-opening baseball game on last Saturday....I'm 78 and the base ump was 76. We both lived to tell about it  .  All sports are in dire need of new/young officials.

Unanswered USFL questions:

(1) Are all games played in one city with teams baring far-away city names ? 
(2) Do all of the fans sit in the first rows on the same side of the stadiums ? 
(3)  Do the officials still wear adjustable hats ? 
(4) Do drones still fly thru pass patterns w/camaramen in both backfields ?   

If the answer to at least one of the above in 'NO' , I'll try to watch at least on game...after all it's still FOOTBALL

[ElvisLives]

BUT...'tis still football  . . I heard last year that the players got min. $600 per game BUT needed to stay in a USFL hotel @ $75/per night. That doesn't leave much for the players. If the players get little probably the officials get even less. I assume most of what we see are those that love the game and are chasing a dream.

I love football, but the Celtics are the best in the NBA  , the Bruins near the top in NHL  , and the Red Sox begining what appears to ba a very long season  . Outside, I worked my season-opening baseball game on last Saturday....I'm 78 and the base ump was 76. We both lived to tell about it  .  All sports are in dire need of new/young officials.

Unanswered USFL questions:

(1) Are all games played in one city with teams baring far-away city names ? 
(2) Do all of the fans sit in the first rows on the same side of the stadiums ? 
(3)  Do the officials still wear adjustable hats ? 
(4) Do drones still fly thru pass patterns w/camaramen in both backfields ?   

If the answer to at least one of the above in 'NO' , I'll try to watch at least on game...after all it's still FOOTBALL

It appears that the teams have their own venues (not a 'common' stadium for all games).
Don't pay attention to the stands, so I can't offer info on attendance, or spectator placement.
The hats? I don't recall seeing the back of their heads long enough and closely enough to tell.
Yeah, they have drones. Can't wait until one falls out of the sky and hits a star player and slices his arm open. They'll wrap it up and tell him to get back in there!

[Ralph Damren]

It appears that the teams have their own venues (not a 'common' stadium for all games).
Don't pay attention to the stands, so I can't offer info on attendance, or spectator placement.
The hats? I don't recall seeing the back of their heads long enough and closely enough to tell.
Yeah, they have drones. Can't wait until one falls out of the sky and hits a star player and slices his arm open. They'll wrap it up and tell him to get back in there!

While I don't want to see anyone in any sport to get hurt,  I would enjoy seeing a forward pass striking a drone. Would it be like a baseball striking the roof of a dome stadium ?  Where the ball remains in play and can be caught ?  Or would it be like an inadvertent whistle like when a dawg comes on the field and bites the ball ??  . My guess is that it would just be an incomplete pass.    This alone might drive me to watch a game...unless Law and Order reruns is on an other channel .

[ElvisLives]

...unless Law and Order reruns is on an other channel .

That would be Magnum, P.I. and Hawaii 5-0 for me (old and new). So many places I've been that show up in those shows. Airport. Kalakaua Avenue. Punch Bowl memorial. Natatorium.  Waikiki shell at Kapiolani Park. Diamond head almost always in the background. Iolani Palace (imaginary 5-0 headquarters). Even the old Aloha Stadium (being demolished, now - sad).

Sorry, but, IMHO, UFL football is bad. 

[Ralph Damren]

Is the XFL still in town  If so, a matchup  between the two champs might draw some  to their TVs .The new NFHS Rules Book should be out soon, and the Case Book with some cases dealing with the rule change on color of home jerseys.

[zebraboy]

The two champs played each other week one, don't think it helped their ratings very much! 

[ElvisLives]

Is the XFL still in town  If so, a matchup  between the two champs might draw some  to their TVs .The new NFHS Rules Book should be out soon, and the Case Book with some cases dealing with the rule change on color of home jerseys.

Ralph, forgive me if I am being patronistic, but, the XFL and the USFL merged to form the UFL.

[Ralph Damren]

Ralph, forgive me if I am being patronistic, but, the XFL and the USFL merged to form the UFL.

I'm schocked  to hear of the merger  , it was newver mentioned in the Bangor Daily (S)news  . I assume a merger of rules came into play. IMHO, the highlight of either league was XFL's coin toss being replaced by two big ole' Bubbas diving for a loose football. 

[ElvisLives]

I'm not sure if I should feel sadness or gladness that news travels slowly to your neck of the woods. I'm kinda thinkin' I'd like to not know some things happenin' in this country and world. So, forgive me if I spoiled your day.
By the way, Truman defeated Dewey.

[Maineac]

Unanswered USFL questions:

(1) Are all games played in one city with teams baring far-away city names ? 
(2) Do all of the fans sit in the first rows on the same side of the stadiums ? 
(3)  Do the officials still wear adjustable hats ? 
(4) Do drones still fly thru pass patterns w/camaramen in both backfields ?   

If the answer to at least one of the above in 'NO' , I'll try to watch at least on game...after all it's still FOOTBALL

I caught a UFL game in Detroit at the beginning of April. It was a good time. Good sized crowd (small by NFL standards), $27 for a seat in the lower bowl of Ford Field at the 20 YL. Not bad. To answer the questions: 1) They play in the stadium of the home team, not designated fields like the USFL used to; 2) No. Both sides filled about half way up at the game I attended. 3) No on adjustable hats. They also don’t have piping on the hats. 4) No drones. But they did have the roving camera suspended over the field and plenty of mobile cameras.

Level of play was decent, pace of game was good. 64 yard FG from Michigan K was impressive. UFL provides a place to try out new rules, wouldn’t be surprised to see it turn into a G-League model for the NFL. I would definitely attend another.

[Ralph Damren]

Thanks, Maineac, for the update. I'll follow my pledge and try to watch at least one of their games. I assume by your name that we are from the same state/tribe  .If so, if you aren't a fellow ootball official, you shoud consider joining as we (like the rest of the nation) are hurting for numbers.  It's a great hobby and one of the few where you get paid.
                                                                                                                             

[ElvisLives]

OK, no joke, here. Hadn’t looked at a UFL game since my post on April 14. Tuned in just now (which is actually a re-run of a game from last weekend), and the first down I see, the QB gets sacked.

Just plain bad football.

[ElvisLives]

I can’t make this up.

I tuned into a live game a short while ago (Birmingham @ Memphis, I think), and, in the FIRST down I watched, Team A had 4th and about 8, or so, and changed from a punt formation and ran the ball quickly, to try to get the first down. The BC got tackled 2 yards short of a first down. So, Team B takes over and, on the first down of their possession, the QB gets pressured, attempts to run, trips and fumbles the ball, and the defense recovers. Totally inept on both ends of the ball.

Just plain horrible football.

[Ralph Damren]

I can’t make this up.

I tuned into a live game a short while ago (Birmingham @ Memphis, I think), and, in the FIRST down I watched, Team A had 4th and about 8, or so, and changed from a punt formation and ran the ball quickly, to try to get the first down. The BC got tackled 2 yards short of a first down. So, Team B takes over and, on the first down of their possession, the QB gets pressured, attempts to run, trips and fumbles the ball, and the defense recovers. Totally inept on both ends of the ball.

Just plain horrible football.

In keeping with my pledge, I did watch parts of the Birmington/Memphis game. It was not my premiere sporting event of the day, as to be followed by the Kentucky Derby and the Bruins/Maple Leafs game seven. Birmingham was well ahead when I left for our Durby party (my pick didn't win) and at 11:30 PM when the Bruins won in OT ( their goalie was a UMaine grad). That made up for my horse,Freedom-something, and Mepphis losing.

Is it Super Bowl caliber football---NO; but it is football. Last week I was asked to ump a middle school game, due to our umpire shortage. My response was : "Sure, I know it won't be very good baseball, but it's still baseball !" If you don't have a fav shooting for the NBA Champ (Celtics), Stanley Cup (NHL-Bruins), or a team to cheer/boo (Red Sox) and want to watch sports...'tis football.

 

[ElvisLives]

In keeping with my pledge, I did watch parts of the Birmington/Memphis game. It was not my premiere sporting event of the day, as to be followed by the Kentucky Derby and the Bruins/Maple Leafs game seven. Birmingham was well ahead when I left for our Durby party (my pick didn't win) and at 11:30 PM when the Bruins won in OT ( their goalie was a UMaine grad). That made up for my horse,Freedom-something, and Mepphis losing.

Is it Super Bowl caliber football---NO; but it is football. Last week I was asked to ump a middle school game, due to our umpire shortage. My response was : "Sure, I know it won't be very good baseball, but it's still baseball !" If you don't have a fav shooting for the NBA Champ (Celtics), Stanley Cup (NHL-Bruins), or a team to cheer/boo (Red Sox) and want to watch sports...'tis football.

 

Ralph, I would never expect sub-varsity sports of any kind to be high quality. And I wouldn't expect sub-FBS NCAA football to be great, although some FCS programs are quite good (North Dakota State comes to mind). But, the AFL are supposed to be the better of NCAA players, looking to make it to the NFL. I decided to watch a little more of a game yesterday, and I did see some successful plays. But, I saw far too many just plain dropped passes, etc., to qualify this as good football. I'm not talking hard throws, or shoestring throws, or "I'm gonna get killed if I stretch up to catch that ball" type of drops. I'm talkin' 'hit 'em in both hands, chest high, with no opponent within 3 yards of 'em' type of drops. Not just once, but at least three times across the very few games/downs I observed. These guys are being paid to play this game. As compared to the NFL, not a lot, I will grant you (like $5,500/week for active roster players). But, comparing the level of play to even most FCS conferences, it is really bad.

They ain't gettin' any of my money. The closest I'll get to a UFL game would be when I attend a Texas Rangers game at Globe Life Field, and the Arlington team is playing next door at Choctaw Stadium.

In the mean time, go Stars! Go Rangers! Go Astros! Go Texans! (Cowboys - eh - so so). Haven't watched NBA since the Dr. J, Larry Bird, early Michael Jordan days. They need to increase the diameter of the ball by 2", and raise the rim by 12". Or make a shot made inside the 'arc' worth 3 points, and outside the 'arc' 2 points.

One man's opinions.