Lucky Eight: A Tale of a Grander USFL
- Thread starter FDW
- Start date
FDW
Banned
Lucky Eight #1
excerpt from "1982: The year football changed" by John Madden
"The May 14th of the launch of United States Football would prove to be easily the second most shocking announcement of the year next to (redacted) (redacted) (redacted) (redacted) (redacted) in the NFL."
excerpt from "Tim Taube: The story of an interesting man"
"That coin flip was single most defining moment of my life, to this day I wonder what would've been had I been owner of the Oakland Invaders and not the Los Angeles Express. Would I have been capable enough to take that team as far as he did?"
excerpt from New York Times, May 15th, 1982
NEW SPRING FOOTBALL LEAGUE TO START PLAY IN 1983 WITH 8 TEAMS
excerpt from New York Time, July 29th, 1982
"With the announcement of the eighth USFL franchise, the Chicago Blitz, Conferences are as follows:
Eastern Conference: New Jersey Generals, Boston Breakers, Tampa Bay Bandits, Baltimore Stars.
Western Conference: Oakland Invaders, Denver Gold, Chicago Blitz, Michigan Panthers.
excerpt from "1982: The year football changed" by John Madden
"The May 14th of the launch of United States Football would prove to be easily the second most shocking announcement of the year next to (redacted) (redacted) (redacted) (redacted) (redacted) in the NFL."
excerpt from "Tim Taube: The story of an interesting man"
"That coin flip was single most defining moment of my life, to this day I wonder what would've been had I been owner of the Oakland Invaders and not the Los Angeles Express. Would I have been capable enough to take that team as far as he did?"
excerpt from New York Times, May 15th, 1982
NEW SPRING FOOTBALL LEAGUE TO START PLAY IN 1983 WITH 8 TEAMS
excerpt from New York Time, July 29th, 1982
"With the announcement of the eighth USFL franchise, the Chicago Blitz, Conferences are as follows:
Eastern Conference: New Jersey Generals, Boston Breakers, Tampa Bay Bandits, Baltimore Stars.
Western Conference: Oakland Invaders, Denver Gold, Chicago Blitz, Michigan Panthers.
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FDW
Banned
The He that Tad Taube is referring to is Jim Joseph. OTL the two decided to flip a coin to see who stay in the Bay Area and who would get the Los Angeles franchise, Jim Joseph ended being in charge of the Los Angeles franchise that ended up being bumped to Arizona OTL because of the difficulties in San Diego.
Where to begin?
1. Are Harmon and Daniels still in the picture and if so...where?
2. Why doesn't Joseph field a team in '83?
3. What effect does the numerous lawsuits and players strike in the NFL have on the USFL ITTL?
4. Why are the Stars in Baltimore to start (IOTL they moved to Baltimore b/c they couldn't compete with the Eagles when the league switched to the fall) is this related to #3?
5. Who are the other owners...the same?
We'll start there.
I'll admit that I have a vested interested in this TL b/c I was going to start a sim league/TL with a more successful USFL. After seeing this thread I've kinda held off to see if there are any ideas I'd like to incorporate I hope you don't mind. That's why I've been so anxious for updates.
FDW
Banned
It's Taube, not Joseph that sits out 83'. Taube gets Los Angeles because Harmon and Daniels are still pursuing a San Diego team for 84' ITTL.
Well, the 82' lawsuit that allowed the Raiders to move Los Angeles goes down like it did OTL. (With the Raiders being allowed to move)
Well, the city of Philadelphia just falls within the New Jersey generals "Territory" OTL (USFL teams generally couldn't be placed within 75 miles of one another). So because Donald Trump decides to be involved with the NJ Generals from the start, he complains that a Philadelphia team would bite into his market. Dixon wants a team in the greater Washington area and decides to pressure the Star's owner, Myles Tanenbaum to move into that area, thus the Baltimore Stars are born as the 7th USFL franchise. But this whole argument takes place back stage, so people don't know much of it for several years.
With the exception of Donald Trump being involved with the Generals from the start and Jim Joseph being the owner of Oakland Invaders all of the other owners are the same as OTL so far.
1. Are they going to have better luck this time?
2. If getting a team in San Diego isn't their big break...what is?
3. How is Trump going to go along with the Dixon plan? "If football was meant to be played in the Spring, God wouldn't have invented baseball." I believe was his exact quote.
4. Not really that important IMO, but wouldn't the Express and Invaders have different names?
5. Are the Breakers still bound for New Orleans in '84? They had good support there?
6. What is the expansion plan?
7. Does Taube pursue Eric Dickerson? (IOTL Dickerson was given a lofty contract offer from the Express and just narrowly refused b/c the league wasn't established. Does this change ITTL?
8. Is Walker still the big story of the league in '83?
FDW
Banned
1. and 2. : You'll have to wait until the end of the 1983 season before I get to that.
3. Let's just say that for now they've worked out a compromise that involves some give and take in short term. In the mid-to-long term though, this compromise will come back to bite Dixon in the ass. (I'll leave the terms of the compromise up in the air for now.
4. The Invaders name had been made before Taube and Joseph came to agreement OTL, so that wouldn't change. The Express probably should change, but I like the name, so it's stays on account of authorial fiat.
5. I'm not affirming anything right now, but it should be obvious rather quickly what the fate of Breakers will be.
6. The expansion plan is to add 4 teams (for a total of 12) in the 1984 season, 4 teams (for a total of 16) in the 1985 season, and them additions of 2 teams every 2 years until the League reaches 24 teams.
7. I'm going to say yes.
8. Yes, but he won't be the only big story in the USFL in 1983.
NothingNow
Banned
If I were you, I'd consider having the Bandits play in St.Pete (like the Rays) instead of Tampa (Buccs et al.) Should there be any Merger, they won't be right on top of each other like the Jets and Giants, while still being able to claim their position as the Tampa Bay name.
This does seem interesting.
This does seem interesting.
FDW
Banned
While there will be a USFL-NFL merger, it won't happen until after 1990. And it will go down in a manner very different from that of the OTL AFL-NFL merger. But that's still a long way off, I haven't even gotten to the 1983 season yet.
FDW
Banned
The shock of Rozelle canceling the 1982 season should bring everyone to table within a few days of the announcement. Do you have any idea what the Owners and NFLPA were seeking in an agreement? Because that would be a big help.
Very interesting indeed. And lastly I've got a schedule for Lucky Eight for when the next updates will be coming out, with the next one coming wednesday (I gotta do some research on players and coaches). So here's the schedule through the end of February:
Lucky Eight #3 Wednesday, January 5th
Lucky Eight #4 Friday, January 7th
Lucky Eight #5 Sunday, January 9th
Lucky Eight #6 Tuesday, January 11th
Lucky Eight #7 Thursday, January 13th
Lucky Eight #8 Saturday, January 15th
Lucky Eight #9 Monday, January 17th
Lucky Eight #10 Monday, January 24th
Lucky Eight #11 Thursday, January 27th
Lucky Eight #12 Monday, January 31st
Lucky Eight #13 Thursday, February 3rd
Lucky Eight #14 Monday, February 7th
Lucky Eight #15 Thursday, February 10th
Lucky Eight #16 Monday, February 14th
Lucky Eight #17 Thursday, February 17th
Lucky Eight #18 Monday, February 21st
Lucky Eight #19 Thursday, February 24th
Lucky Eight #20 Monday, February 28th
A quick reminder, all dates are subject to change given my other responsibilities.