The USFL announced an ambitious expansion for their second year, adding 6 teams to the league. The league chose to give one lucky reporter from each expansion city a chance to write about their new team each week to end the season. You already know about the Bulls, Gamblers, and Gunslingers.
I have the opportunity and privledge to introduce your Memphis Showboats. Like Jacksonville, the first city to announce their team, Tennessee comes to the league with a fervent college football history and fandom. We love our Vols in this state.
So, Tennessee, show up for the Showboats with that same excitement and energy. The USFL proved so far this year that they bring professional football with a more fun attitude than the NFL. We need to match that energy and fun.
The USFL announced an ambitious expansion for next year, adding six new teams to the league. Two have already been announced in the Houston Gamblers and Jacksonville Bulls. I am here to bring good news to the people of San Antonio. Welcome to the league, your Gunslingers!
Long a little brother with no professional team, San Antonio can now hold their heads high that they can cheer for a professional football team. True to our Texas roots, we gave the team an exciting name that they hopefully live up to.
With a new offense boiling up finally into the pro ranks in the form of the run and shoot, maybe our Gunslingers will be able to come out and compete right from the start. You never know what a team will look like until that first game, but this humble writer holds out hope. Come out slinging, San Antonio!
Three Friday games in Week 16 saw three one score games. Denver beat Arizona, Birmingham shocked Chicago, and the New Jersey Generals got a rare win against the Los Angeles Express. Sunday brought another close contest with the Boston Breakers punching their ticket to the postseason.
The two Monday games went as expected. Oakland won when their kicker hit an extra point that Philadelphia missed earlier in the game. Then, the Panthers blew out the hapless Federals to remain undefeated after 16 weeks. With only two weeks in the season, the playoff picture looks to be locked in with only possible seeding changes between Oakland and Boston possible.
Offense: Herschel Walker, RB, New Jersey. Walker led the Generals to a rare win this week. He carried the ball for 155 yards and 1 touchdown to help the Generals defeat the Los Angeles Express.
Defense: John Corker, LB, Michigan Panthers. Corker all but guaranteed his defensive MVP award. He recorded 7 tackles, 1 sack, and an interception in the Panthers win against the Federals.
Special Teams: Lenny Willis, KR, Chicago Blitz. Willis returned 5 kicks for 174 yards and a touchdown to close the Stallions lead to a touchdown. The return gave the Blitz a chance to win, but they couldn’t finish the deal.
Partway through this first season, the USFL announced a massive expansion for 1984, adding 6 teams. They chose to spread the announcements over the final weeks of the season. Last week, the Jacksonville Bulls debuted their helmets and introduced themselves to their fans.
This week, I get the honor of introducing our Houston team. While we already have an NFL team in the Oilers, the city is large enough for two professional football teams, especially when one plays in the Spring and Summer. Like other cities with an NFL and USFL team, the teams will share the Astrodome as their home stadium.
You may have noticed that I kept discussion of the team name until last. With a team rumored to be coming to Vegas either this round of expansion or the next, the Houston ownership snapped up the Gamblers name for their team. I, for one, hope they live up to that name.
Washington started week 15 with a rare win over Arizona. Part of the reason might just be how abyssmal Arizona is this year, but the Federals offense fired on all cylinders with offensive player of the week Mike Hohensee tossing 4 touchdowns. In the other game on Saturday, the Breakers easily handled the Stallions to all but punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Sunday brought no surprises with the two best teams in the league, Michigan and Chicago getting wins to keep their exciting race to the finish intact. Philadelphia kept their slim playoff chances alive by beating New Jersey and leaving Generals fans wondering what went wrong this year. In the final game on Monday night, Oakland took care of business against Denver, putting them more or less into the playoffs with another win.
Offense: Mike Hohensee, QB, Washington Federals. Hohensee offered a single bright spot in an otherwise unforgetable season for the Federals, throwing for 4 touchdowns in a big win over Arizona.
Defense: Kenny Daniel, CD, Oakland Invaders. Daniel racked up 9 tackles and 2 of the team’s five interceptions in leading the defense to a shut out win over the Denver Gold.
Special Teams: Nolan Franz, PR, Boston Breakers. Franz returned 5 punts for 115 yards, gaining an average of 23 yards for his team on special teams.
The USFL announced a huge expansion for 1984, adding 6 teams to the league for next year. In spite of this, they remain committed to their goals for the league. I get the honor of introducing the first of those teams, right her in Jacksonville, Florida. Get ready for your Bulls next year!
Home to the University of Florida Gators, this area knows football. But, other than other Florida teams, we’ve never known professional football. Anticipation is already high for the Bulls if ticket sales are any indication.
I know that I, for one, welcome the USFL to our town. We are proud to be a part of the league and the fans will bring the intensity to the Gator Bowl like they always do. Keep reading in the weeks and months ahead as news breaks.
The USFL ruled this weeked with games every day from Friday to Monday. The Gold started the weekend with a Friday evening win over the Federals. The win keeps their playoff hopes alive if they catch Oakland. Then the Invaders kept their win streak alive over the Generals.
Three games on Sunday saw Los Angeles, Birmigham, and Michigan all win. The Panthers now stand at 14-0 and virtually guaranteed a playoff spot at this point. Chicago finished out the weekend with a thrilling Monday night win over Boston.
Offense: Fred Besana, QB, Oakland Invaders. Besana again put on an MVP display, completing 22 of 32 passes for 379 yards and 4 touchdowns. He is a big reason for the Oakland turnaround and their playoff positioning right now.
Defense: John Corker, LB, Michigan Panthers. Corker recorded 9 tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 forced fumble to lead the defense in their win over the Stars. With only four weeks left in the season, Corker is the clear favorite for league defensive MVP.
Special Teams: Dario Cassarino, P, Boston Breakers. Cassarino punted 5 times for an average of 45.2 yards per punt with one inside of the 20. He is a big reason that the Breakers kept the game so close against Chicago.
No Saturday games this week, but Denver cooled off a hot Stallions team at home, shutting them out 14-0 on Friday evening. The win helped them keep pace with an equally hot Oakland team. Oakland just kept winning this week behind a 5 touchdown performance by their quarterback Fred Besana.
In the other Sunday games, Washington defeated New Jersey and Boston kept their distance from Philadelphia, all but taking the division unless the Stars find their fortunes turning quickly. The two best teams in the league, record wise, dispatched easily with their opponents and proved to be the class of the league once again.
Offense: Quarterback Fred Besana, Oakland Invaders. Besana torched the Express defense, going 28-33 for 438 yards and 5 touchdowns. His red hot play recently vaulted Oakland into first in the West and they look primed to run away with the division and make the playoffs.
Defense: CB Jeff Brown, Washington Federals. Jeff Brown led the Federals defense with 8 tackles and 2 interceptions. His play went a long way to leading Washington over New Jersey and possibly turning their fortunes with 5 weeks left in the season.
Special Teams: Thomas Lott, KR, New Jersey Generals. Lott returned 6 kickoffs for 157 yards. While he scored no touchdowns, his returns helped New Jersey to maintain decent field position the entire game.
Oakland continued to exert their recent dominance over the West division by defeating the Bandits in Tampa Bay to start the week. Offensive Player of the week Arthur Whittingham led the Invaders to their 7th win of the season and helped retain their 2 game lead in the division. Sunday brought 4 games this week. Boston and Washington played a wild one that saw 87 points and over 800 yards of total offense. The Blitz defense kept Herschel Walker out of the end zone for a hard earned win over New Jersey.
The Gold deepened Los Angeles’ slide and positioned themselves in second place in the west if Oakland falters. Philadelphia closed out Sunday with a blowout win of the hapless Wranglers. Then, in the last game on Monday, Michigan won again.
Offense: Arthur Whittington, RB, Oakland Invaders. Whittington only gained 82 yards of total offense, but his efficiency is what gains him this award this week. He scored three touchdowns to lead Oakland to their win and continued first place in the division.
Defense: Eric Scoggins, LB, Los Angeles Express. While the Express failedto win again, Scoggins did his part in the game. He recorded five tackles, 2 sacks, and an interception in the game to keep the score close and give his team a chance to win.
Special Teams: Eric Robinson, KR, Washington Federals. Robinson ensured the wild game in Washington had it all. He returned 3 kickoffs for 160 yards, including a 97 yard touchdown.
Week 11 featured a trio of Monday games with all three first place teams placing. All three won to keep their places atop their division. Boston defeated Denver, Michigan dispatched with New Jersey, and Oakland won a defensive battle against Washington. With seven weeks left in the season, the cream is starting to rise to the top of the league and the playoff picture is becoming more clear.
Before those games, Birmingham ketp a midseason hot streak going by defeating the Los Angeles express. Tampa Bay continued a frustratingly inconsistent season by defeating hapless Arizona. In the other Sunday game, Chicago kept pace with Michigan. If they can just figure out a way to beat the Panthers, they’re the favorites to win the title this year.
Offense: Bobby Hebert, QB, Michigan Panthers. Hebert put on another MVP performance, throwing for over 200 yards and three touchdowns to provide the difference in the Panthers win against New Jersey.
Defense: Ben Needham, LB, Boston Breakers. Needham recorded 14 tackles and a sack and was one of the big reasons for the Breakers overtime win against Denver this week.
Special Teams: Sean Landeta, P, Philadelphia Stars. Philadelphia’s offense struggled against the stout Chicago defense, but Landeta held up his end of bargain, punting 9 times for 444 total yards and a 49.3 average. He pinned Chicago inside the 20 twice and had a long of 66 yards.
