XFL
- Thread starter dovidp
- Start date
- Feb 12, 2000
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I have started the studies of the XFL.
First and foremost, please do all of your own studying because I could be completely off base on any of these.
I have my tabulation of one game so far:
Sunday, February 4 -- Memphis Maniacs at Birmingham Bolts
I will be at this game, so I chose to study this one first.
At first look, I saw that Memphis had some big names at the skill positions. I use the term big names loosely, of course. Drunkenmiller and Craig Whelihan from my understanding are backups to Marcus Crandell from ECU who had a great college career. Alvin Harper at wide receiver and Jeff Hall at Kicker and Rashaan Salaam at RB are enough to attract the eye.
I started looking at my favorite area of football...the O-Line. This is where the Bolts are a much better squad. With the likes of Ed King and Antonio Fleming, Casey Weldon should be well protected in the pocket. Weldon was the second pick in the XFL draft. I think this was a great selection. One thing that is a must for a QB is to know the feeling of winning. Being from FSU, Weldon is no stranger to this. I see the Bolts controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides and winning this game in a shootout. The Bolts have gone for speed in their WR's. The catching ability may be a wait and see deal.
Selection: Bolts -3
Anybody else looking at this league?
------------------
Sic 'em
dawgball
[This message has been edited by dawgball (edited 01-29-2001).]
I have started the studies of the XFL.
First and foremost, please do all of your own studying because I could be completely off base on any of these.
I have my tabulation of one game so far:
Sunday, February 4 -- Memphis Maniacs at Birmingham Bolts
I will be at this game, so I chose to study this one first.
At first look, I saw that Memphis had some big names at the skill positions. I use the term big names loosely, of course. Drunkenmiller and Craig Whelihan from my understanding are backups to Marcus Crandell from ECU who had a great college career. Alvin Harper at wide receiver and Jeff Hall at Kicker and Rashaan Salaam at RB are enough to attract the eye.
I started looking at my favorite area of football...the O-Line. This is where the Bolts are a much better squad. With the likes of Ed King and Antonio Fleming, Casey Weldon should be well protected in the pocket. Weldon was the second pick in the XFL draft. I think this was a great selection. One thing that is a must for a QB is to know the feeling of winning. Being from FSU, Weldon is no stranger to this. I see the Bolts controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides and winning this game in a shootout. The Bolts have gone for speed in their WR's. The catching ability may be a wait and see deal.
Selection: Bolts -3
Anybody else looking at this league?
------------------
Sic 'em
dawgball
[This message has been edited by dawgball (edited 01-29-2001).]
will need to look at a couple of weeks to get to know the teams. Anything Vince McMahon is involved with usually turns to GOLD the guy is awsome and repect what he does I am a HUGE WWF fan...."L"
i thought about that as well, but precisely 'cause mcmahon is heading it, it will take a long time for it to get some credibility. after all, the man's business is centered around "fixing" matches and results.
pep
pep
lanny and i will be at the vegas game to give a report on those 2 teams. no way you can bet the first week, maybe none of them have to see how it runs.
and it has to be on the ups or vegas wouldnot be lining the games. and almost all casino's are running the lines.
and it has to be on the ups or vegas wouldnot be lining the games. and almost all casino's are running the lines.
i'm excited about the lines of this league being skewed a little since it's a new league. i agree with fletch, might be a good idea to watch a couple of weeks to see how it goes. anybody know of any offshores that are running lines? my two aren't thus far. thanks.
Aces Gold has lines for these games. I read a long report on this league and it seems pretty legit. Year round football? God bless you Vince Mcmahon!!
I like San Fran +4 over LA. Demons sold 25,000 season tix and are expecting a sell-out for this one. I don't see why LA is so heavily favored to win this whole thing.
Chicago looks to be in sort of disarray, had two head coaches and 3 general managers already. Current GM has no previous experience in football. Hello? Isn't that a prerequisite for that type of job. Having played football at some level or working in a front office? Orlando looks to be pretty organized and got decent talent and went after coach with some substance, Hall. Enforcers have Ron Meyer, whatever.
Looking at SF+4 and Orl -8'
Chicago looks to be in sort of disarray, had two head coaches and 3 general managers already. Current GM has no previous experience in football. Hello? Isn't that a prerequisite for that type of job. Having played football at some level or working in a front office? Orlando looks to be pretty organized and got decent talent and went after coach with some substance, Hall. Enforcers have Ron Meyer, whatever.
Looking at SF+4 and Orl -8'
I don't see these games being fixed since they are paid more money if they win. I think $2000 a piece if they win. That should be enough motivation for these guys.
These games are not going to be fixed, BUT>>>I truly believe that people are going to be surprised when they win\LOSE games based on their rules being different than we are used to. The rule book just came out-lots of different rules to look at.
Q & A with Thunderbolts coach
By JASON L. YOUNG
BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD
The rosters are set and the XFL season begins Saturday, so all of the discussion about what the league represents and if it will be widely accepted is starting ? though not completely ? to take a back seat to the game itself.
Christine Jacobs/Post-Herald
Thuderbolts head coach Gerry DiNardo talks with Quarterback Casey Weldon during practice at Fair Park.
The Birmingham Post-Herald sat down with Birmingham Thun? derbolts Coach Gerry DiNardo fol? lowing the team's practice Monday for a quick look at his team which will play its first game against Memphis at 3 p.m. Sunday at Le? gion Field.
These are very general questions, but let's go with them. What is the strength of this team?
Defensively we run well. Of? fensively we've been balanced as far as the run and the pass and I'd say those are our strengths.
The news media has re? ported that this is going to be a wide-open, run-'em-up, throw- 'em-up, shoot-'em-down offense. Is that not the case?
Yes. We're a vertical passing team. We're going to throw the ball up the field. There are going to be times when the defense is going to be aligned in such a manner that you are better off running the ball and when the defense aligns like that, we want to be able to run the football.
You're very happy with your running backs?
I think James (Bostic) and |Curtis (Alexander) have been pro? ductive and, yeah, I'm happy with both of them.
Quarterback Casey Weldon has done well for you?
Casey has been very consis? tent, has become more and more familiar with the offense and he's a good player.
What is he good at?
Well, he's smart, he knows the game. I think his experience serves him well. He's got a good arm, a good head, good leadership ability. He's what you want at quar? terback.
What people here may want at quarterback is Jay Barker. Is he the solid No. 2?
Yeah, Jay's No. 2. Jay got a late start. He's got a lot to learn about the offense, but he also brings a lot of experience with him. His experience will serve him well, also. But he's our No. 2 quar? terback and Casey's our No. 1.
This is a league of first stringers. If your first string gets hurt, you're in a little bit of trou? ble. How good is your first-string offensive line, because that's going to be where you win or lose games?
We've lost some guys. We had some attrition in the offensive line both from the draft and from injuries. We're just starting to come back now. (Center Ryan) Thomassie practiced today for the first time in two or three weeks. So we've been hurt by injuries there.
The positive side about the inju? ries is, while guys are hurt, the other guys are getting experience. So, when everybody's healthy, you have a little more experience and depth. We lost Justin Burroughs to a back injury, way back. We lost Oliver Ross in the draft who has since signed with the NFL. So, we've had some losses in the offen? sive line, but we are as healthy and solid now as we've been in a long time.
Is it wrong to say that's where you're going to win and lose games?
I don't think it's that simple. You've got eight balanced teams. You have to show up to the game emotionally. You can't just show up physically. Injuries will make a big difference in the balance of power.
And turnovers. It's such a fast game that each possession is pretty precious. We learned that during preseason. We had critical turn? overs offensively that really hurt us.
What is the offense called?
One back. One back, vertical passing attack. If you have to put a label on it.
And defensively, what is your base?
We base it out of a 40 front.
You have to be disappointed about something about your team. What is it?
I don't think there is one thing that jumps out at me. Yeah, there are days you go out there and you wish the tempo was better. There's days you go out there you wish the intensity was better. There's days you go out there you wish the effort was better.
But, just like the question, what's the strength, I can't get real spe? cific. I don't see us having a great player at any one position, so I see our ability to run on defense and our balance on offense.
When you say, what am I disap? pointed in, no one thing jumps out at me. General things jump out at me. But one thing that constantly eats away at me, no.
Put it this way: what is your strongest position? Strongest be? ing ability and depth.
Certainly quarterback with Casey and Jay and Graham (Leigh). I feel good about having three quar? terbacks.
Our tight end situation, espe? cially after we acquired Reggie Johnson. That's been good.
James (Bostic) and Curtis (Alex? ander). Although some teams kept three running backs, but we kept two. I feel good about those two.
We have some depth at line? backer that I think is pretty good.
You're going to love this question. What is your weakest position?
Well, by virtue of the roster, the first thing that jumps out at you is the offensive line. You're only al? lowed to keep seven. So you are three shy of being two deep. So, from a depth situation, that is always a concern.
Secondary as well. We've had some guys banged up there. We're not very deep in the secondary. I would say, the two places during the game where if you had a bunch of injuries could really hurt you would be secondary and offensive line.
How basic are you guys going to be on Sunday? How much of your offense and defense have you guys put in?
The majority of it. It's just a matter of adjusting what we're doing to what Memphis is doing. So quite a bit. We've had a lot of time to teach.
So what we see on Sunday, is pretty much what the Thun? derbolts will be?
What you see on Sunday, is the majority of what the Thun? derbolts will be.
Receivers are going to be a big part of it. Stepfret (Williams), Quincy (Jackson) ...
In our offense, one of those guys could catch a lot of balls in a game, depending on how everyone else is being defended. Or you can spread it around. I'd venture to say that our wide receivers have to play well in this offense.
One thing that not many people have talked about are your kickers, punters ...
Kicker.
You had to cut one?
Jeff Palazzo is going to kick and punt. His first skill is kicking. He's a kicker by trade and a punter by necessity. Andy (Russ) was a punter by trade and a kicker by ne? cessity.
You would prefer to have both, but the league didn't see it that way?
Correct. Not many of the coaches saw it that way either, be? cause nobody wanted to give up a roster spot.
Why not just add a 39th (ac? tive roster spot)?
Well, you already have a res? ervation for the plane and the sala? ries. Well, I guess you'd just have another $35,000 salary, but ...
So, we're not going to see the punting exhibition we saw in the Super Bowl?
I didn't see. What, did they punt the ball well?
21 times. Pretty boring game.
That's a lot of punts.
Who's going to be returning kickoffs and punts for you?
Punts is going to be Stepfret, Eric Curry and Stevie Smith. Kick? off return will be Curtis Alexander, (Damon) Gourdine, Bostic and Ste? vie Smith.
Do you like the (XFL) rules?
They're OK. I'd change some of them. I'd like two feet inbounds instead of one (on a reception or to intercept a pass). The punt being live after 25 (yards) is pretty scary, but I don't mind that rule.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By JASON L. YOUNG
BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD
The rosters are set and the XFL season begins Saturday, so all of the discussion about what the league represents and if it will be widely accepted is starting ? though not completely ? to take a back seat to the game itself.
Christine Jacobs/Post-Herald
Thuderbolts head coach Gerry DiNardo talks with Quarterback Casey Weldon during practice at Fair Park.
The Birmingham Post-Herald sat down with Birmingham Thun? derbolts Coach Gerry DiNardo fol? lowing the team's practice Monday for a quick look at his team which will play its first game against Memphis at 3 p.m. Sunday at Le? gion Field.
These are very general questions, but let's go with them. What is the strength of this team?
Defensively we run well. Of? fensively we've been balanced as far as the run and the pass and I'd say those are our strengths.
The news media has re? ported that this is going to be a wide-open, run-'em-up, throw- 'em-up, shoot-'em-down offense. Is that not the case?
Yes. We're a vertical passing team. We're going to throw the ball up the field. There are going to be times when the defense is going to be aligned in such a manner that you are better off running the ball and when the defense aligns like that, we want to be able to run the football.
You're very happy with your running backs?
I think James (Bostic) and |Curtis (Alexander) have been pro? ductive and, yeah, I'm happy with both of them.
Quarterback Casey Weldon has done well for you?
Casey has been very consis? tent, has become more and more familiar with the offense and he's a good player.
What is he good at?
Well, he's smart, he knows the game. I think his experience serves him well. He's got a good arm, a good head, good leadership ability. He's what you want at quar? terback.
What people here may want at quarterback is Jay Barker. Is he the solid No. 2?
Yeah, Jay's No. 2. Jay got a late start. He's got a lot to learn about the offense, but he also brings a lot of experience with him. His experience will serve him well, also. But he's our No. 2 quar? terback and Casey's our No. 1.
This is a league of first stringers. If your first string gets hurt, you're in a little bit of trou? ble. How good is your first-string offensive line, because that's going to be where you win or lose games?
We've lost some guys. We had some attrition in the offensive line both from the draft and from injuries. We're just starting to come back now. (Center Ryan) Thomassie practiced today for the first time in two or three weeks. So we've been hurt by injuries there.
The positive side about the inju? ries is, while guys are hurt, the other guys are getting experience. So, when everybody's healthy, you have a little more experience and depth. We lost Justin Burroughs to a back injury, way back. We lost Oliver Ross in the draft who has since signed with the NFL. So, we've had some losses in the offen? sive line, but we are as healthy and solid now as we've been in a long time.
Is it wrong to say that's where you're going to win and lose games?
I don't think it's that simple. You've got eight balanced teams. You have to show up to the game emotionally. You can't just show up physically. Injuries will make a big difference in the balance of power.
And turnovers. It's such a fast game that each possession is pretty precious. We learned that during preseason. We had critical turn? overs offensively that really hurt us.
What is the offense called?
One back. One back, vertical passing attack. If you have to put a label on it.
And defensively, what is your base?
We base it out of a 40 front.
You have to be disappointed about something about your team. What is it?
I don't think there is one thing that jumps out at me. Yeah, there are days you go out there and you wish the tempo was better. There's days you go out there you wish the intensity was better. There's days you go out there you wish the effort was better.
But, just like the question, what's the strength, I can't get real spe? cific. I don't see us having a great player at any one position, so I see our ability to run on defense and our balance on offense.
When you say, what am I disap? pointed in, no one thing jumps out at me. General things jump out at me. But one thing that constantly eats away at me, no.
Put it this way: what is your strongest position? Strongest be? ing ability and depth.
Certainly quarterback with Casey and Jay and Graham (Leigh). I feel good about having three quar? terbacks.
Our tight end situation, espe? cially after we acquired Reggie Johnson. That's been good.
James (Bostic) and Curtis (Alex? ander). Although some teams kept three running backs, but we kept two. I feel good about those two.
We have some depth at line? backer that I think is pretty good.
You're going to love this question. What is your weakest position?
Well, by virtue of the roster, the first thing that jumps out at you is the offensive line. You're only al? lowed to keep seven. So you are three shy of being two deep. So, from a depth situation, that is always a concern.
Secondary as well. We've had some guys banged up there. We're not very deep in the secondary. I would say, the two places during the game where if you had a bunch of injuries could really hurt you would be secondary and offensive line.
How basic are you guys going to be on Sunday? How much of your offense and defense have you guys put in?
The majority of it. It's just a matter of adjusting what we're doing to what Memphis is doing. So quite a bit. We've had a lot of time to teach.
So what we see on Sunday, is pretty much what the Thun? derbolts will be?
What you see on Sunday, is the majority of what the Thun? derbolts will be.
Receivers are going to be a big part of it. Stepfret (Williams), Quincy (Jackson) ...
In our offense, one of those guys could catch a lot of balls in a game, depending on how everyone else is being defended. Or you can spread it around. I'd venture to say that our wide receivers have to play well in this offense.
One thing that not many people have talked about are your kickers, punters ...
Kicker.
You had to cut one?
Jeff Palazzo is going to kick and punt. His first skill is kicking. He's a kicker by trade and a punter by necessity. Andy (Russ) was a punter by trade and a kicker by ne? cessity.
You would prefer to have both, but the league didn't see it that way?
Correct. Not many of the coaches saw it that way either, be? cause nobody wanted to give up a roster spot.
Why not just add a 39th (ac? tive roster spot)?
Well, you already have a res? ervation for the plane and the sala? ries. Well, I guess you'd just have another $35,000 salary, but ...
So, we're not going to see the punting exhibition we saw in the Super Bowl?
I didn't see. What, did they punt the ball well?
21 times. Pretty boring game.
That's a lot of punts.
Who's going to be returning kickoffs and punts for you?
Punts is going to be Stepfret, Eric Curry and Stevie Smith. Kick? off return will be Curtis Alexander, (Damon) Gourdine, Bostic and Ste? vie Smith.
Do you like the (XFL) rules?
They're OK. I'd change some of them. I'd like two feet inbounds instead of one (on a reception or to intercept a pass). The punt being live after 25 (yards) is pretty scary, but I don't mind that rule.
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Dixie-
$2000 if they are on the roster of the winning team.. if they start its more.. i think QBs get like $25 grand and up for wins.. MUCH bigger incentives...
XFL.com has the breakdown.. or at least if was there..
$2000 if they are on the roster of the winning team.. if they start its more.. i think QBs get like $25 grand and up for wins.. MUCH bigger incentives...
XFL.com has the breakdown.. or at least if was there..