UFL 2009 Season

[meStevo]

League website: http://www.ufl-football.com/

For more general information about the UFL, here's their Wiki entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Football_League_(2008)

Creating this post to discuss the league as it finally takes shape... now that we know who the coaches are, here's where they're coaching!

San Francisco
Coach Dennis Green
Home Stadium AT&T Park
First game will be here.

Las Vegas
Coach Jim Fassel
Home Stadium Same Boyd (to be officially announced soon per 3/11 news conf.)

Orlando
Coach Jim Haslett

New York
Coach Ted Cotrell

Inagural season will host teams in these locations, but games are also being planned in Hartford and Los Angeles. There will be a 6 game first season starting in October, Thursday nights on the Versus network.

The Championship Game is tentatively scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas.

I'll update this post to reflect any team names as well as any signifigant signings.

Also from the 3/11 conference call... I read through over at United Football League (UFL) news, opinion, and discussion - UFLAccess.com tickets going to be budget minded.... $20/ticket. Coaches getting paid similar to NFL coaches looking at it per-game. 60 players per roster in training camp, 50 player regular roster. League has 30mln in equity. 2 more verbal commitments for expansion teams next year, up to 4.

There is word the UFL may try and get Vick on one of the teams once he is able to play, since it's expected he'll be suspended from the NFL for a period of time. This could be a problem if the Falcons haven't released him due to clauses in his contract.

Please don't turn the thread into a Vick-fest, thanks.

 

[Ramy]

This league will fold faster than a deck of cards.

 

[meStevo]

Why do you think that? That's always the easy assumption, but at this league is formed by football people and run by football people, instead of an entertainment organization like the XFL was. It's also complimentary, and not competition for the NFL.

I'm hopeful.

 

[Skyhi]

Paging Maurice Clarrett.....when does he get out?

 

[BlackHitachi]

Why do you think that? That's always the easy assumption, but at this league is formed by football people and run by football people, instead of an entertainment organization like the XFL was. It's also complimentary, and not competition for the NFL.

I'm hopeful.

I agree this league seems to be well thought out with real coaches and some credibility!:up

 

[BlackHitachi]

Paging Maurice Clarrett.....when does he get out?

MM Michel Vick maybe but not Maurice..

 

[Brewer4]

Hartford??? I almost fell off my chair. Professional sports hates our state. I would so go!!!!!! Bring it! Affordable football, tailgating, down the street from me. Thats why I love UConn football in the Rent.

 

[Ramy]

Why do you think that? That's always the easy assumption, but at this league is formed by football people and run by football people, instead of an entertainment organization like the XFL was. It's also complimentary, and not competition for the NFL.

I'm hopeful.

I would love for it to succeed, but it hasn't happened in the past and I can't see it happening now either.

 

[HD MM]

So, does this take the place of the Arena Football League that's disbanding this year?

 

[salsadancer7]

So, does this take the place of the Arena Football League that's disbanding this year?

Could be...

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

If anyone needs a GM, they can have Ted Thompson

 

[Paul Wozniak]

This league will fold faster than a deck of cards.

They wont see a second season. Remember the league before the XFL? That league had some serious money backing it, including Donald Trump. They didn't last too long either.

 

[meStevo]

The USFL lasted 3 years, lost a lot of money and was trying to compete with the NFL, the UFL is a compliment and not a competitor fo the NFL. A minor league of sorts to give walk-ons, practice squad guys, assistants and coaches a chance to get experience. The end goal is to establish relationships with teams to allow for literal 'call ups' like you see in baseball, but for the first season if a player signs it will just be a 1 year contract and they're tied to the league for that 6-7 weeks. Since it ends at Thanksgiving that still leaves a number of weeks and the playoffs left for prospects to be picked up by NFL teams looking to fill holes.

Like I said, I am hopeful.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

When are they going to play. Sunday? No. Saturday? The NCAA will knock them out. So that leaves Thursday and Friday nights. I don't see this league being of interest outside of the host cities.

BTW - The NFL really should put franchises in Las Vegas,and Los Angeles. Any "gambling" implications for LV are a joke.

 

[cybok0]

BTW - The NFL really should put franchises in Las Vegas,and Los Angeles. Any "gambling" implications for LV are a joke.

:up:up:up:up

 

[meStevo]

When are they going to play. Sunday? No. Saturday? The NCAA will knock them out. So that leaves Thursday and Friday nights. I don't see this league being of interest outside of the host cities.

BTW - The NFL really should put franchises in Las Vegas,and Los Angeles. Any "gambling" implications for LV are a joke.

Most of the games will be Thursday nights in HD on Versus. (this is in the first post )

Other stuff today I found out in an article here - New football league set to join fall landscape

- hard capped coaches and player salaries

- 'gps' inside the balls... it's 2009 and you can dispute ball placement in every NFL game, about time something comes along to help with this. Will be interesting to see how it works in the UFL so the NFL can copy it... like they did with the 2pt conversion, replay, and other things the USFL brought to the table.

- Rules of play the same as the NFL, but end zone celebrations in particular singled out as not being a big deal to this league

- 'fiery halftime speeches' seen live (guessing this means we get to see the locker rooms at halftime)

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Most of the games will be Thursday nights in HD on Versus. (this is in the first post )

Other stuff today I found out in an article here - New football league set to join fall landscape

- hard capped coaches and player salaries

- 'gps' inside the balls... it's 2009 and you can dispute ball placement in every NFL game, about time something comes along to help with this. Will be interesting to see how it works in the UFL so the NFL can copy it... like they did with the 2pt conversion, replay, and other things the USFL brought to the table.

- Rules of play the same as the NFL, but end zone celebrations in particular singled out as not being a big deal to this league

- 'fiery halftime speeches' seen live (guessing this means we get to see the locker rooms at halftime)

I like that part. I was lucky enough to be in MICHIGAN's locker room once during halftime, After listening to Bo Schembechler, I wanted to run through a wall.

 

[meStevo]

Ya, hopefully they don't all start with 'you guys have no talent, so pretend like you do!!'

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Ya, hopefully they don't all start with 'you guys have no talent, so pretend like you do!!'

That's one of Marinelli's halftime speeches.

 

[meStevo]

Tryouts in Orlando last week had the following peeps among the group of 'hopefuls':

QBs Quinn Gray, Brett Deitz, Chris Griesen, Danny Wimprine... WRs David Boston, Travis Taylor, Reche Caldwell, Bobby Sippio... TE Jermaine Wiggins, C Alonza Ephraim, RB LaBrandon Toefield, DBs Oliver Celestin, Curtis Deloatch, LB Maurice Crum Jr (paraphrased from http://uflaccess.com/uflaccess/ufl-access-week-in-review-orlando-edition/)

Tryouts in Vegas this week.

Was a big fan of Bobby Sippio when he was a Chief, but he got more airtime on Hard Knocks than he did on Sundays.