Lucky Eight: A Tale of a Grander USFL

[FDW]

The exclusion of Philadelphia based on market territory is outright ASB. You can exclude a team there for any number of reasons and yet you chose the most implausible. Further, the decision to do so by your Greater USFL has directly contradicted your premise of smarter, more reasonable ownership.

Basically your USFL has excluded a team from the football-crazy fourth largest media market in the country because of geographic sports-allegiance boundaries that would have been outdated and laughable a century before the POD.

Population density and regionalism in the east coast megalopolis would make that 75mile rule equivilent to 300+ miles elsewhere in the country. There is a reason every professional sports league since the 1870s hasn't had an issue with New York(NJ) and Philadelphia being overlapping sports markets.

Because they aren't.

Also, how does this effect the relocation of the NFL Colts? If they still leave Baltimore, you're going to be stuck with a settlement between the city and the NFL which prevents any professional football team from using Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. In OTL the Stars actually played the 1985 season on the U. of M. field right outside of Washington, D.C. in College Park, which is 40miles from Baltimore. If the Colts stay, the Stars will move again if the season is switched to fall. The only reason Myles Tanenbaum left Philadelphia was because he felt it was foolish to compete with an NFL team for ratings. Since Baltimore was without a team, and close, it made sense. But if he would't compete with the Eagles in a media market the size of Philadelphia, why would he stay in Baltimore and compete for fewer fans against the Colts?

Well first off, I don't really have a good well thought out reason why the Stars start in out Baltimore (Other than what I've already said). After I get a ways into TL, I'm hoping to go back a fill in some points that I didn't spell out clearly (like this one). And I know about Byrd Stadium, which is actually 27 miles from Baltimore. Though I'm not saying what stadium the Stars are playing in until Update #5. Lastly, one I said earlier for playing in Baltimore would also lend towards being able to take advantage of the Washington DC market, since the two cities are literally connected at the hip (And make a media market the size of Philadelphia).

 

[Durindal]

The exclusion of Philadelphia based on market territory is outright ASB. You can exclude a team there for any number of reasons and yet you chose the most implausible. Further, the decision to do so by your Greater USFL has directly contradicted your premise of smarter, more reasonable ownership.

Basically your USFL has excluded a team from the football-crazy fourth largest media market in the country because of geographic sports-allegiance boundaries that would have been outdated and laughable a century before the POD.

Population density and regionalism in the east coast megalopolis would make that 75mile rule equivilent to 300+ miles elsewhere in the country. There is a reason every professional sports league since the 1870s hasn't had an issue with New York(NJ) and Philadelphia being overlapping sports markets.

Because they aren't.

Also, how does this effect the relocation of the NFL Colts? If they still leave Baltimore, you're going to be stuck with a settlement between the city and the NFL which prevents any professional football team from using Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. In OTL the Stars actually played the 1985 season on the U. of M. field right outside of Washington, D.C. in College Park, which is 40miles from Baltimore. If the Colts stay, the Stars will move again if the season is switched to fall. The only reason Myles Tanenbaum left Philadelphia was because he felt it was foolish to compete with an NFL team for ratings. Since Baltimore was without a team, and close, it made sense. But if he would't compete with the Eagles in a media market the size of Philadelphia, why would he stay in Baltimore and compete for fewer fans against the Colts?

I was under the impression that Philly was excluded b/c of draft territory not market territory. Whether that was what the intention or not it seems a plausible explanation. The Baltimore-D.C. market would be close to the size of the Philadelphia market, but determing schools for "territorial" picks would be less convoluted between the Stars and Generals. The real issue here is this...does having two pro football teams give the city of Baltimore enough reason to make the proposed upgrades to Memorial stadium? With a new stadium and a long term lease signed, Irsay won't move to Indianapolis. If the USFL stays a Spring league ITTL this is not an issue, but when a merger happens the Stars would have to relocate in this scenario.

 

[FDW]

snip

The stadium issue will be resolved (at for this season) will be resolved in update #5. As for later, we'll get to it when we get to it, as the details USFL-NFL merger aren't going to be revealed for a long time.

 

[FDW]

Lucky Eight #4

USFL team profiles, 1983 season:

Oakland Invaders

Owner: Jim Joseph

Stadium: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (capacity: 50,219)

General Manager: John Ralston

Head Coach: John Ralston

Players of Note:

-DE Cedrick Hardman: 12 year NFL veteran who came out of retirement to play for the Invaders.

-TE Raymond Chester: Another 12 year NFL veteran who came out of retirement to play for the Invaders

-WR Gordon Banks: Former New Orleans Saints player.

-QB Fred Bessana: Former backup QB for the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills

-OG Gary Anderson: Former Lineman for the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins.

-NT Monte Bennett: Former player for the New Orleans Saints

New Jersey Generals

Owner: Donald Trump

Stadium: The Meadowlands

General Manager: N/A

Head Coach: Chuck Fairbanks

Players of Note:

-RB Herschel Walker: Heisman Trophy winner.

-DB Gary Barbaro: Former Kansas City Chief's player, signed onto the Generals as a free agent

-QB Bobby Scott: former New Orleans Saints player

-LB Mike Weddington: N/A

-WR Tom McConnaughey: N/A

-C Kent Hull: N/A

 

[FDW]

BUMP. Any comments or questions?

 

[Durindal]

BUMP. Any comments or questions?

Not yet. Not much of a divergence. Waiting on the other team profile's. I was expecting a little more info about the Walker and Barbaro signings.

 

[FDW]

Not yet. Not much of a divergence. Waiting on the other team profile's. I was expecting a little more info about the Walker and Barbaro signings.

I can say that Herschel's signing went more or less as it did OTL. Trump was more aggressive at signing Barbaro than OTL, getting him to sign on in time for the 1983 season.

 

[Whanztastic]

I feel like there is ripe room for change and unique occurrences. And I feel your pain with the fact that starting a TL is very difficult. Also, alternative to the NFL kind of seems as a niche group of readers.

I think that you need a little more meat to your posts, offer a narrative. I am not trying to be negative. I really think that you are trying to start a good thing here and that yo should continue at it.

 

[FDW]

I feel like there is ripe room for change and unique occurrences. And I feel your pain with the fact that starting a TL is very difficult. Also, alternative to the NFL kind of seems as a niche group of readers.

I think that you need a little more meat to your posts, offer a narrative. I am not trying to be negative. I really think that you are trying to start a good thing here and that yo should continue at it.

I should be adding more meat to my posts, but I tend to write my updates for TL's slowly while getting distracted and eventually I end getting impatient after a while, and end up posting what I have, just so I can call it a day. As for the narrative, that'll start seeping in once I get start with the 1983 season and get a better handle on the personalities of that time. And thanks for the encouragement, it goes a long way.

_______________________________


Now I want to everyone know that I'm not going to update tonight, mainly so I can get back to the update schedule plan that I had posted earlier.

 

[Whanztastic]

(response)

I've had a couple failed TLs and I know how far a couple kind words can go. Do make sure you have a good outline (schedule) like you seem to be planning. It certainly helps. I also appreciate the positive posts you've done for my TL.

 

[FDW]

I've had a couple failed TLs and I know how far a couple kind words can go. Do make sure you have a good outline (schedule) like you seem to be planning. It certainly helps. I also appreciate the positive posts you've done for my TL.

No problem, Whanztastic.

 

[FDW]

Lucky Eight #5

Baltimore Stars:

Owner: Myles Tanenbaum

Stadium: Byrd Stadium (capacity 34,000) [1]

General Manager: Carl Peterson

Head Coach: Jim Mora

Players of Note:

-RB Kevin Bryant: played college football at Univ of N.Carolina, three-time all-ACC running back.

-QB Reggie Collier: played college football at Univ of Southern Mississippi [2]

-WR Scott Fitzkee: played college football at Penn state, played for NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers.

-LB Sam Mills: played college football at Montclair State College (In New Jersey)

-C Bart Oates: played college football at Brigham Young University, only signed for team upon finding out that his older brother Brad also signed for the Stars.

-DL Coy Bacon: played college football at Jackson State University, played for NFL's Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Washington Redskins. [3]

Denver Gold:

Owner: Ron Blanding

Stadium: Mile High Stadium

General Manager/Head Coach: Robert "Red" Miller

Players of Note:

-QB Ken Johnson: played college football at University of Colorado at Boulder, played for WFL's Portland Storm, NFL's Buffalo Bill's, CFL's Calagary Stampeders, Montreal Alouettes and Montreal Concordes

-C Joe Silipo: played college fottball at Tulane University, played for CFL's Montreal Alouettes

-RB Harry Sydney: played college football at University of Kansas

-LB Kyle Whittingham: played college football at Brigham Young University, MVP of the 1981 holiday bowl, earned WAC defensive player of the year honors

-DE Joe Campbell: played college football at University of Maryland, played for NFL New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

-DB Maurice Tyler: played college fottbal at Morgan State University, played for NFL Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, New York Jets, New York Giants

[1] Byrd stadium so that the team can capture both the Baltimore and Washington market. (And because Tanenbaum's Stars can't get a lease at Memorial Stadium)

[2] With Reggie Collier on the Stars (The Birmingham Stallions signed him OTL), the butterflies have meant that Chuck Fusina is not playing for the Stars

[3] IOTL Bacon played for the Washington Federals, here, with no Federals, he goes to Baltimore.

____________________________

This one also took a long time to put together, but it went faster than the last one. As always your comments/questions/critiques are always welcome, please feel free to air them out.

 

[FDW]

BUMP. New update coming in the next 90 minutes.

 

[FDW]

Lucky Eight #6

Portland Breakers

Owners: George J. Matthews and Randy Vataha

Stadium: Nickerson Field (capacity 20,535)

Head Coach and General Manager: Dick Coury

Players of Note:

-QB Johnnie Walton: played college football at Elizabeth City State University played for WFL's San Antonio Wings and NFL's Philadelphia Eagles

-RB Richard Crump: played college football for Northeast Oklahoma State University, played for CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Rough Riders

-WR Charlie Smith: played college football at Grambling State University, played for NFL's Philadelphia Eagles

-DE Daryl Wilkerson: N/A

-K Tim Mazzetti: played college football for University of Pennsylvania, played for NFL's Atlanta Falcons

-LB Marcus Marek: N/A

Chicago Blitz

Owners: Ted Diethrich/George Allen

Stadium: Soldier Field

General Manager: G. Bruce Allen

Head Coach: George Allen

Players of Note:

-S Luther Bradley: played college footbal at Notre Dame, played for NFL's Detroit Lions

-QB Vince Evans: played college football at USC, played for NFL's Chicago Bears [1]

-WR Trumaine Johnson: played college football at Grambling State University

-DE Junior Ah You: played college football at Arizona State University, played for CFL's Montreal Alouettes

-DT Kit Lathrop: played college football for West Valley Community College, Arizona State University, played NFL's Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers

-RB Tim Spencer: played college football for Ohio State University

 

[MNP]

Don't let the TL die! There's not much to comment on with just rosters however, sorry.

 

[FDW]

Don't let the TL die! There's not much to comment on with just rosters however, sorry.

I'm not going to let this die, it's just that I got some obligations for AH.com: The Creepy Teen years to deal with. When I finish those (and it should be within the 2-3 weeks) I'll get this TL going again, no if's, and's or but's.