The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

When the XFL came out, I really didnt pay much attention to it, thought I wanted to... They got Butkis involved, try'n to get a wide variety of fans.
My question is....

Do you think XFL was just maybe started at the wrong time, wrong year?
and...
Do you think they would have done better and gotten a second year had they chosen different cities? (ie WASHINGTON)


I mean, I know if it was on this year, and it was in Washington, I would have watched every game, football is rising faster than real estate... and that's a lot!

(I actually tried to attend a try out for Kicker... )

Please never ever mention the XFL or anything related to it. It was the worst league of football I have ever seen in my life. I would have rather watched Pop Warner than XFL. It was bogus

It wasn't so much an issue of timing as it was a faulty marketing ploy, in my opinion. Arena football has its followers because, even if the game is pathetically boring with inflated scores, at its core it is still a game of athletes trying to perform their sport to perfection.

The XFL league, on the other hand, brought a lot of flash and hype in its initial introduction to the public. They tried to back it up by saying "Now this is still going to be a real sport, it isn't just about the show," but it never seemed to shake that stigma that it was like pro wrestling on a football field.

The XFL tried presenting a side of football that usually gets shown in movies, sleek uniforms, fast and hard hits, high risk / reward play (with some of the rule differences). They just never gained recognition as being for real, as I recall ESPN Sportscenter covered their scores briefly but dropped their coverage of the league soon after it started.

I'm still curious to know what would happen to a football league that started its schedule in the offseason and tried to produce quality, solid football (i.e. running and defense). It might take a patient approach but it could catch on. . .

I loved the XFL.

FanfromAnnapolis wrote:The XFL league, on the other hand, brought a lot of flash and hype in its initial introduction to the public. They tried to back it up by saying "Now this is still going to be a real sport, it isn't just about the show," but it never seemed to shake that stigma that it was like pro wrestling on a football field.

I agree.

I loved watching it and I hoped it would have lasted a lot longer. It was cool seeing former Skins like my boy Tydus Winans, Kurt Gouveia, Barry Wilburn, Casey Weldon, and Kelvin Kinney

Don't forget Leomont Evans and current Skin Joe Tuipala.

It was pretty bad. I watched the first televised game and it reminded me of WWE meets football. They would try to interview players during the game and it didn't look like they appreciated it very much. They looked distracted. The games themselves looked like a very unorganized flag football game. The talent pool wasn't very good either. I think one player made a name for himself. Rod Smart (He Hate Me) who returns kicks for Carolina. It would be nice if football had a better farm system like baseball.

Dont forget Tommy Maddox. He did pretty well for himself.

JansenFan wrote:Dont forget Tommy Maddox. He did pretty well for himself.

JF, you're right. I think there may have been a few guys who had prior NFL experience who ended up going back but I'm not really sure. Maddox and Smart were the only two bigger names.

XFL


Arena League


NFL

You know, just about every year I try and get into Arena Football. . .every year I think that my craving for the NFL can be at least partially satisfied through Arena ball. But every year, without fail, I find myself falling asleep in front of the TV.

At least NFL Europe is watchable. I just wish I could catch it on TV more often.

FanfromAnnapolis wrote:I'm still curious to know what would happen to a football league that started its schedule in the offseason and tried to produce quality, solid football (i.e. running and defense). It might take a patient approach but it could catch on. . .

That's a great point. Many baseball players play in winter leagues, just to keep up their physique and timing. It's a little different, because the 'injury factor' is different in baseball; but even if the athletes take it easier, keeping busy during those off months can produce great results during the 'real' season - and they could also provide the fans some better material to watch than bounce-the-ball-off-the-net ball.

Well, I don't think that a player under contract with any NFL team will ever play football in any capacity other than official team activities / games. Remember Ryan Leaf playing flag football in the offseason and getting in all of that heat because of it?

But, there are tons of quality football players that don't make it in the NFL, it's just too competitive. Most of them would probably play football for $200 a game if they could just do it. After all, that's pretty much how the NFL started.

In today's sports market, though, I bet that the players could make $20k-$50k (in other words, be a full time player) in an upstart league. It would have to start with that blue collar mentality that the XFL lacked in order for the league to get anywhere--and even then it would probably take years and years to gain respectability.


And furthermore:

Gibbs' Hog wrote:and they could also provide the fans some better material to watch than bounce-the-ball-off-the-net ball.

Amen.

Gibbs' Hog wrote::puke: XFL


Arena League


NFL

Nah XFL is worse than Arena League. At least Arema league is still going.

JansenFan wrote:Don't forget Leomont Evans and current Skin Joe Tuipala.

I never forget. I didn't mention Joe cuz he ain't a fomrer Skin... yet.

FFA, true dat with regards to the players. I think that's a good idea you got going...we just need a "normal" format to see these guys play. No "He Hate Me" or full-field touchdown flicks. We can handle different players - just give us normal football!





As for you:

Alcatraz wrote:Nah XFL is worse than Arena League. At least Arema league is still going.

Have you, or anyone else here for that matter, ever actually been to an Arena League game? I've tried to watch it before - that normally lasts all of 5 minutes before I find some extreme log-cutting event. Heck, even ice skating would be bette....no, I take that back.

No I've never been to a game but I have watched some. Only when there was nothing better on t.v

XFL