Wolverines in the XFL
The inaugural season of the new XFL is just over a week away and with rosters finalized I was curious to see if there were any Michigan players and sure enough there are a good amount:
DC Defenders (coached by Pep Hamilton):
Tyree Kinnel
Houston Roughnecks:
Juwann Bushell-Beatty
Seattle Dragons:
Channing Stribling
Jeremy Clark
William Campbell
Tampa Bay Vipers:
De'Veon Smith
Like the AAF, I'm interested to see how this the league does and hopefully they have better decision makers at the top. Almost every game will be televised on ESPN, FS1/2, FOX, or ABC which seems to be a better channel lineup that the AAF offered. Any thoughts? Concerns? Snark?
January 29th, 2020 at 9:35 AM ^
Lets add "shock" to that list...Will Campbell. Wow
January 29th, 2020 at 10:12 AM ^
2017 Grey Cup Champion Will Campbell**
January 29th, 2020 at 10:14 AM ^
BIG WILL! Still gettin' it done. Or sort of anyway.
January 29th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
Big Will is gonna own Justin Boren when he lines up for Ohio St!
January 30th, 2020 at 1:48 AM ^
FWIW, Logan Tuley Tillman also plays for DC and lists himself as a Michigan alum since he got his degree. Great dude, imo.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:36 AM ^
I’ll be intrigued to see how it does. It’s always felt to me like one of these start up leagues needed to have funding to float for at least 2 years before they became totally stable. Too many seemed to start hoping they’d make enough money as they went to stay afloat. If they can make it at least 2 full years, I’d bet they do 10.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:46 AM ^
Interesting to see how this does, especially with Arena Football finally closing down. There's a need for a developmental football league, post college, I think. I still think the NFL needs to be involved from at least a cost sharing perspective of player salaries to be successful. I'd love it if the NFL allowed for "player loans" for players on their practice squad that didn't play over X# of games in the previous season.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:01 AM ^
Wow. Didn't realize Arena Football had finally closed up shop
I still remember watching a game in Muskegon when they briefly had an AFL2 (or maybe even a lower league) team. The scoreboard in the arena was so low that QBs had to roll out if they wanted to throw a deep ball. A few hit the scoreboard. Not too surprised they didn't last long
January 29th, 2020 at 10:21 AM ^
Did they play their games at the LC?
January 29th, 2020 at 11:50 AM ^
Yeah I looked it up after my comment above. They were the Muskegon Thunder at the time I believe. The scoreboard is so low in LC that deep passes down the middle of the field were basically out of the question.
January 29th, 2020 at 12:50 PM ^
The Muskegon Thunder with Muskegon Oakridge's own TJ Williams!
January 29th, 2020 at 4:47 PM ^
Is there a need for developmental football though? There's already 320 practice squad guys in the league which is the equivalent of about 6 full NFL teams. I think the guys who have talent and aren't headcases get a fair enough shake.
Now, is there a need for more football entertainment? Totally!
January 29th, 2020 at 9:51 AM ^
IIRC, the AAF was supposed to have funding for 3-4 years from 1 guy. No way do all the coaches and people behind the scene stop their lives without the guarantee of at least some job security.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:27 AM ^
The AAF screwed up by A) rushing things and B) relying heavily on a guy (Reggie Fowler) with a history of shady financial dealings as a main investor. To wit he was arrested shortly after the league folded and charged with "bank fraud and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business." He's facing 70 years in prison.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:36 AM ^
It's nice they get to play some football before this league crashes and burns in a few weeks.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:40 AM ^
I was somewhat surprised by the quality of the AAF product, and was momentarily bummed when it shut down. I'm just about football'd out by this point in the yr, but I'll give it a watch.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:04 AM ^
I agree. Interesting decision to launch as football fatigue (if such a thing truly exists) is setting in and basketball is scratching the competitive itch. Whereas in the summer, I'm so hungry for football I'd watch whatever they put on my TV...can't imagine I'm alone in that.
That said, I'm sure I'll watch lots of XFL games anyway.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:32 AM ^
The reason the AAF went with the Spring model was so that players could be signed after their season and attend NFL camps. If you have a summer league then guys might be leaving mid week to take a tryout with an NFL team.
I'm not sure if the XFL has the same idea but I wouldn't be surprised.
January 29th, 2020 at 11:10 AM ^
The AAF was such a management clusterfuck it's amazing they played more than one game. The linked article describes how crazy it was.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26957796/inside-short-unhappy-life-alliance-american-football
January 29th, 2020 at 9:47 AM ^
These football leagues make me think of the senior PGA tour. Both leagues let you see players you remember from long ago. Similarly the game is not as hard, not the same level of competition and might even have a few rule changes but it is still inherently the same game. If people watch the senior PGA I think rehash of former players will be ok. It is a big improvement to be on normal TV not just NFL network. Hope it succeeds.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:51 AM ^
I'm excited about the XFL because it's more football. However, I had to laugh when I saw a commercial for it where they were bragging that the league has "unmatched" talent while showing pictures of Connor Cook, Cardale Jones, and Aaron Murray.
If they truly believe their talent is unmatched, their lack of self-awareness will leave them doomed.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:01 AM ^
If they truly believe their talent is unmatched, their lack of self-awareness will leave them doomed.
I mean, it's Vince McMahon. Are you really surprised?
January 29th, 2020 at 10:55 AM ^
Vince intensifies, "that's such good shit!!!"
January 29th, 2020 at 12:47 PM ^
"We'll sell you the whole seat but you'll only need the edge!"
January 29th, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
I mean, they're not wrong. No other professional football league has players that "match" their low level of ability.
January 29th, 2020 at 2:03 PM ^
Unmatched talent, eh? I admire anyone who suits up in Maize and Blue and plays hard but if the XFL has room for Tyree Kinnel and Juwan Bushell Beatty then the league ain't gonna be very good.
January 29th, 2020 at 9:51 AM ^
It's not at all like the AAF. The AAF was streamed online or aired on nfl network / cbssports except for the first week -- this is the main channels every single game. Also, the AAF teams were owned by independent owners like the NFL -- except they had no money (because they were the AAF). All of the XFL teams are owned by Vince McMahon. I don't think it's going to fail again.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:04 AM ^
Fair enough, but there is also a reason that there hasn't been a single alternative professional football league that has successfully competed with the NFL. This league may have a couple years, but it will eventually fail
January 29th, 2020 at 10:52 AM ^
Yeah, but they are not competing with the NFL at all. That's why they are playing in the spring.
If the NFL was to launch another minor league, it might look a lot like this.
January 29th, 2020 at 11:08 AM ^
They are still competing with the NFL...they are competing with the NFL for talent in every way. Coaches, players, referees, announcers...
It's the same sport and requires the same capital to be around.
Edit: Additionally, every team is located in a city that already has an NFL team.
January 29th, 2020 at 12:16 PM ^
I don't see it.
Refs and announcers could work both leagues. Players and coaches are getting an NFL tryout, in effect. The XFL isn't taking talent away from the NFL, they're taking its leftovers. If the NFL wants to hire people away from the XFL, they will, with rare exceptions.
It's a minor league and surely destined to remain one. That's not competition.
January 29th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
I would be more convinced if the NFL had actual ties to the XFL and were managing it. That would be a minor league.
January 29th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
The AFL says otherwise
January 29th, 2020 at 12:44 PM ^
You're bringing up a league in an entirely different country that is using pretty much exclusively Australian-born players...how in the world can you compare the AFL with the XFL?
January 29th, 2020 at 1:35 PM ^
i'm guessing that he meant the AFL, as in, the american football league founded in 1960 which went on to be, by and large, what we know now as the AFC. it was thought of at that time to be a gimmick, never make it, the NFL is superior, etc. but then the jets won super bowl III and all that changed....jets beat the colts, namath had guaranteed a victory for the jets. good stuff.
January 29th, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^
Fair enough...but the 60's were a different time. The NFL wasn't the complete monopoly it is now. it's the most popular league in the U.S. and has television deals that are insane. Even the AFL found it best to merge instead of continue competing.
January 29th, 2020 at 3:06 PM ^
no disagreement, i was just trying to get you on the right continent.
January 29th, 2020 at 12:58 PM ^
The AAF teams weren't owned independently. Reggie Fowler was the main cash investor and he turned out to be a fraud. Check the link I posted above.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:00 AM ^
Still feel like the timing of the season will do them in. People have March Madness, NBA, NHL, etc. to watch during the late winter and spring months. Plus people are just coming off the NFL season. Would be much better to take advantage of June-July where the sports competition is generally the WNBA and sleepy Tuesday MLB games and people are starting to get excited for football again.
I give the XFL 1-3 seasons
January 29th, 2020 at 11:04 AM ^
People have said this here many times, but if their season ran into NFL training camps, that would be a major problem. They'd be losing their best players down the stretch. They aren't paying them enough to keep them. With this schedule, they can.
In any case, I don't understand the argument. The XFL is going up against regular season NBA and NHL games. Push their schedule back and they would be going up against the playoffs. Surely that's worse.
If people don't want to watch more football during the off season, then the league is doomed. If they do, then they have a shot.
January 29th, 2020 at 11:05 AM ^
Have to remember the other side of that season argument, though -- far fewer people are inside watching t.v. -- they are all outside taking advantage of the summer.
January 29th, 2020 at 3:17 PM ^
Maybe the XFL needs to try to heist away #MACtion and play only on Tuesday nights during the fall
January 29th, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
In the ideal world, playing the season during the summer would absolutely be a better time. The summer just seems to drag along when you've got nothing but baseball, golf and tennis to fall back on. And you've probably got a portion of your audience who, by the end of the CFB/NFL season, are just "footballed out" and are ready to move on to basketball, baseball and hockey. You'd have a prime market for fans who have gone 4-5 months without football and are jonesing for it again.
But I imagine the big reason they don't move it to the summer is the beginning of NFL training camp and tryouts. The last thing the XFL needs, especially as it just gets started, is for some of its players to start turning into stars and then get poached up by an NFL team in the middle of the season if he gets an invite to training camp. That would be disastrous for the XFL, ticket sales, TV ratings, etc. Completely disregarding what it does to the actual team in the middle of the season, if they're competing for whatever championship the XFL is throwing out there.
January 29th, 2020 at 4:01 PM ^
I completely disagree with everything you said. Yes it sounds like a lot of sports when you're just listing the leagues, but think about what it actually is.
March Madness only has 10 days of actual games, and half of those are on Thursday/Friday/Monday, when the XFL won't be playing. And if we're being honest, a lot of people stop watching after the first weekend craziness.
Second, I know we're from the North so we pay attention, but the NHL is honestly a non factor for the vast majority of the country. Hell, the Stanley Cup Finals struggle to consistently average 5 million viewers for that series, and that's the Championship round. If I had to pick between football and regular season hockey, I think most of the country is gonna pick football
But let's pretend the NHL had the following of the NBA. It's still just a lot of random games that are mostly spread across regional sports networks. Whereas the XFL has 4 games a week, all on Sat/Sun afternoons, with their games being on local channels (ABC or Fox), or basic cable (ESPN/2 or FS1). You're not hunting down which network a certain game is on, or waiting up till 10pm to watch the league leaders.
As for your point about just coming off the NFL season, I guess I just don't understand. You're basically saying that people are getting sick of football because.....why? Hell, we already have people on here talking about how the spring game is gonna be a fix for football. Maybe the XFL will finally be the limit, but we have yet to show any signs of football fatigue.
Do I think the XFL will ever beat the NFL? No.
But can it hold its own against regular season NBA/NHL, and a smattering of good college basketball? I definitely think so.
And if I'm wrong, I'll drink a beer from a shoe
January 29th, 2020 at 10:24 AM ^
The NFL will kill it in 1 or 2 seasons.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:47 AM ^
It won't be the NFL that kills it. It will be bad financials. If the XFL can eek out a profit with their media deals, ticket sales, etc. then they will be fine. I don't think any league is going to try to go head to head with the NFL in the fall again.
The talent level of the XFL will probably be slightly above high end P5 teams.
There are ~2000 NFL players with an average career of 4 years. So lets say 500 players turnover in the league each year. There are 65 P5 teams in FBS with 85 scholarships a year. Dividing that over 5 years gives you ~1100 new players entering the talent pool each year. Obviously the top 500 will go to the NFL. So the XFL's talent pool will be ~600 P5 players that aren't NFL ready, plus any of the 500 NFL players who are exiting the league but not ready to give up on their career. Out of these players the XFL just needs to find ~400 to populate their league. That shouldn't be hard and I'd expect that most XFL teams could probably hold their own against the best college teams, maybe winning 7/10.
January 29th, 2020 at 10:38 AM ^
Logan Tuley-Tillman is also on the DC Defenders.
January 29th, 2020 at 11:05 AM ^
The promotion seems to be a little bit better than the AAF. Stribling played very well in the other league so I think he will do well in this one. He’s probably on the borderline of being on an NFL roster. Surprised Ty Issac is not on a roster.
January 29th, 2020 at 11:14 AM ^
Yeah De'Veon! Planning on going to a Vipers game so that's awesome to see.
January 29th, 2020 at 11:46 AM ^
I just don't care about a second tier football league. There's no way I would tune into a XFL game over college basketball, NBA, or the NHL.