And just like the 1980s movement, spring may be in the air. When the USFL was able to take advantage of that lull following the Super Bowl, it was able to catch on. Only when they decided to go up against the NFL did they go belly up – and that happened even before they were able to kick off a fall season.

Recently on the official UFL league website, Commissioner Michael Huyghue reached out to the fans with an honest question of what season they would prefer:

Fans,

We remain committed to providing the best football that we can to cities like Omaha, Sacramento, Virginia Beach and Las Vegas. As we look to 2012 we are seeking to determine the best path forward for the league to make sure that we can provide quality, affordable football for all of you for years to come.

Businesses must continually reevaluate where they are and what path the need to take to provide maximum return to investors and maximum value to customers. We may opt to stay in the fall, but potential media partners, potential investors and stadium authorities have said that they want us to consider spring as our football crazed country lacks professional football during that time period.

With that said, our fans come first and we want to hear from you before we make any decisions. You are the foundation upon which this league is built.

Thank you for your continued support,

Michael Huyghue
Commissioner
United Football League

Of course there are pros and cons for both, but it would seem to make the most sense to play their schedule in the spring. That way, the void for gridiron action is filled and the talent pool will be much larger. Currently, the UFL has a rule that a player who signs a contract must honor it throughout the entire season. So a potential star may decide to sit and wait for the NFL to call. In the spring, players who are not under contract in the NFL can showcase their talent in the UFL and be able to finish out the season before training camps open.

Photo courtesy of UFL-football.com

As read on UFL-Football.com:

The United Football League will play its third season in 2011 during the course of seven weeks leading up to a Championship Game to be played in one of the league’s four markets.

The restructured four-team league will kick off in Omaha and Sacramento on September 15 and 17 and the top two teams in the standings at the end of a six-game campaign will meet for the William Hambrecht Trophy on November 4 or 5.  The team that sets the early pace on the field, attracts the most passionate fans to the stands, and boasts the most active social media presence will earn the right to host the season finale.

“In a six-game season, every game counts and not only is there no room for a losing streak, but our teams will be in playoff mode right from the opening kickoff,” said UFL Commissioner MICHAEL HUYGHUE.  “That will make for some tense and exciting games to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

“We are grateful to the venues in each city for their flexibility and willingness to help us create a schedule at relatively short notice after we restructured our season.  We have targeted as many Friday nights and weekend games as possible to appeal to families and fans of all ages.”

2011 United Football League Schedule

* All games are subject to change

A total of 12 regular-season games will be played over a period of seven weeks beginning on Thursday, September 15 in Omaha when Nighthawks head coach JOE MOGLIA makes his professional coaching debut against NFL veteran head coach MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER and league newcomer the Virginia Destroyers.  The clash will be the first football game played at TD Ameritrade Park, which opened its doors to Nebraska sports fans earlier this year.

“I’m thrilled the season is finally here so we can show Nighthawk fans an exciting, physical, and determined brand of football,” said Coach Moglia.  “We want to make Omaha and the UFL proud, and promise to work hard to do that.”

Schottenheimer, who will coach in his 21st opening day and has a 12-8 record in such situations, added: “We are excited about being the opening game (away at Omaha) of the 2011 UFL season.  It won’t be long before there is exciting football in the Hampton Roads Virginia area.”

That much-anticipated debut of UFL football in Virginia will come at 7pm on Saturday, September 24 when the Destroyers will play their first-ever game at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex against the defending champion Locos.

On Saturday, September 17, two-time reigning champion JIM FASSEL and the Las Vegas Locos travel to Sacramento to take on DENNIS GREEN and the Mountain Lions.  It will be the first time in three seasons Sacramento has opened at home and also the first time the Locos have kicked off a campaign on the road.

“It is very exciting to open the 2011 season with two home games,” said Coach Green.  “The atmosphere in Sacramento for home games last year was fun for the fans and the community.  So with three of the first four games at home, we see this as an opportunity to get off to a good start and challenge for the UFL championship.”

Coach Fassel added: “We are looking forward to an intensive training camp to bring everyone up to speed to be ready to hit the field a month from now.  Three of our last four games are at home and that will be exciting for our fans heading into the final stretch.”

The season culminates with the United Football League Championship Game on either November 4 or 5 between the top two teams in the final regular season standings.

The 2011 UFL schedule features seven games on Saturdays, three games on Fridays and two games on Thursdays.  All games are subject to change.  For ticket information, visit www.UFL-Football.com/tickets.  Broadcast information will be released in the coming weeks.

“The first game is only a month away and our coaches and players are eager to report to training camp to prepare to hit the field and come out of the starting blocks firing,” said UFL Vice President of Football Administration BRENDAN ROWE.  “We expect the revised schedule to produce close games and a tight finish at the end when all four teams are competing for two places at the Championship Game.”

2011 United Football League Schedule – By Team

* All games are subject to change

* All times local to home team

Las Vegas Locos                                Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/17     at Sacramento          7.30pm 10.30pm

Wk 2    9/24     at Virginia                    7pm     7pm

Wk 3    Bye

Wk 4    10/8     OMAHA                      5pm     8pm

Wk 5    10/15   at Omaha                    7pm     8pm

Wk 6    10/22   SACRAMENTO           7pm     10pm

Wk 7    10/27   VIRGINIA                    7pm     10pm

Omaha Nighthawks                            Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/15     VIRGINIA                    7pm     8pm

Wk 2    Bye

Wk 3    10/1     at Sacramento             4pm     7pm

Wk 4    10/8     at Las Vegas               5pm     8pm

Wk 5    10/15   LAS VEGAS                7pm     8pm

Wk 6    10/21   at Virginia                    7pm     7pm

Wk 7    10/28   SACRAMENTO            7pm     8pm

Sacramento Mountain Lions               Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/17     LAS VEGAS               7.30pm 10.30pm

Wk 2    Bye

Wk 3    10/1     OMAHA                      4pm     7pm

Wk 4    10/7     at Virginia                    7pm     7pm

Wk 5    10/15   VIRGINIA                     4pm     7pm

Wk 6    10/22   at Las Vegas               7pm     10pm

Wk 7    10/28   at Omaha                    7pm     8pm

Virginia Destroyers                             Local   EDT

Wk 1    9/15     at Omaha                    7pm     8pm

Wk 2    9/24     LAS VEGAS               7pm     7pm

Wk 3    Bye

Wk 4    10/7     SACRAMENTO           7pm     7pm

Wk 5    10/15   at Sacramento             4pm     7pm

Wk 6    10/21   OMAHA                      7pm     7pm

Wk 7    10/27   at Las Vegas               7pm     10pm

UFL match ups by week:

Week 1

VIRGINIA at OMAHA

All-time series record: first ever meeting.

The game will be Omaha’s first-ever at the team’s new TD Ameritrade Park home… This will be Omaha President / Head Coach Joe Moglia’s first-ever game as professional head coach… The Nighthawks look to snap a four-game losing streak that closed the 2010 season… The Nighthawks’ last win came on the road, five games ago in Hartford… The Nighthawks go in search of a first home win since a 20-17 October 2 victory over Sacramento in Week 3 of 2010…. The Nighthawks are 1-0 in UFL home openers… Matchup could see young dynamic quarterback Pat White (VIR) against former Nebraska hero Eric Crouch (OMA)… The first game in Destroyers history is also UFL head coaching debut of Marty Schottenheimer… This will be coach Schottenheimer’s 21st Opening Day as a professional Head Coach… He is 12-8 on Opening Day, including seven wins in a row from 1990-96.

LAS VEGAS at SACRAMENTO

All-time series record: 3-1 Las Vegas.

Las Vegas won the first three games in this series, while Sacramento won the last one…. Locos head coach Jim Fassel has a 1-1 record in his opening games as a UFL coach… The Locos have won both games on their travels to Northern California, 16-10 in 2009 and 26-3 last season… This is the first time in three seasons the Locos have opened their campaign on the road… Mountain Lions head coach Dennis Green has a 0-2 opening weekend record with the Mountain Lions and California Redwoods… This is the first time the Mountain Lions have opened a season at home.

Week 2

LAS VEGAS at VIRGINIA

All-time series record: first ever meeting.

The Virginia Beach Sportsplex will host a UFL game for the first time… The first home game in Destroyers history… This is the first meeting between Marty Schottenheimer and Jim Fassel since October 28, 2001… Fassel’s Super Bowl-bound Giants lost 35-21 when the two head coaches last met in Washington as Schottenheimer guided his Redskins to an 8-8 finish… This matchup is a quasi-extension of the best rivalry in UFL history, between the Locos and the Florida Tuskers, whose players the Destroyers had the rights to during the 2011 offseason.

Week 3

OMAHA at SACRAMENTO

All-time series record: tied at 1-1.

Omaha is 1-1 coming off a bye week… Sacramento is 0-2 coming off a bye week… This will be the first-ever coaching meeting between Omaha’s Joe Moglia and Sacramento’s Dennis Green… The two teams split their first-ever meetings in 2010… In the ‘Rumble at Rosenblatt’ in Week 3, Nighthawks got a late-fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Jeff Garcia to Jeb Putzier for a 20-17 victory… In Week 9 at Hornet Stadium, Mountain Lions won 41-3 and set a UFL single-game record with 244 rushing yards.

Week 4

SACRAMENTO at VIRGINIA

All-time series record: first ever meeting.

This will be the first meeting between Marty Schottenheimer and Dennis Green since December 31, 2006…. Schottenheimer and the San Diego Chargers triumphed 27-20 over Green in his last game in charge of the Arizona Cardinals… The former Florida Tuskers, whose players were protected by the Destroyers, defeated the then-California Redwoods twice in 2009, 34-7 and 34-27… The Mountain Lions won both games against the Tuskers in 2010, 24-20 at home in Week 2 and 21-17 on the road in Week 6.

OMAHA at LAS VEGAS

All-time series record: 2-0 Las Vegas.

The Locos won both meetings last year, 22-10 at home at Sam Boyd Stadium and 24-10 in Omaha… The Locos hold a 1-1 record in their first home games of the season… In previous home openers, Las Vegas has a 1-1 record… The Locos’ first home opener, a 30-17 win over the Redwoods, was also the first game in UFL history on Thursday, October 8, 2009… The Locos forced eight Nighthawks turnovers in the two meetings last season.

Week 5

LAS VEGAS at OMAHA

The Locos have fond memories of Omaha having won their second UFL Championship Game in the city with a 23-20 win over the Florida Tuskers at Rosenblatt Stadium on November 27, 2010… The game is one of two where teams meet on back-to-back weeks having played in Las Vegas in Week 4… Las Vegas will be the first team to complete its 2011 road schedule with two games at home to follow… In last year’s matchup at Rosenblatt, Las Vegas broke a 10-10 tie after three quarters with a pair of fourth-quarter scores – one on offense and one on defense… This is the only week when two games are played on the same day.

VIRGINIA AT SACRAMENTO

Sacramento will be the first team to complete its 2011 home schedule with two games on the road to follow… The game will also be a back-to-back meeting between the teams as the Destroyers and Mountain Lions also meet in Week 4… Sacramento, as was the case with all five UFL teams in 2010, was 2-2 at home… This is the only week when two games are played on the same day.

Week 6

OMAHA at VIRGINIA

The second-ever meeting between the youngest franchises in the UFL… Omaha was 1-3 on the road in its expansion season, with its only road victory coming in Hartford in Week 5 (19-14).

SACRAMENTO at LAS VEGAS

This will be the sixth coaching matchup in the UFL between Las Vegas’ Jim Fassel and Sacramento’s Dennis Green, most in league history… Las Vegas has had trouble with the Redwoods / Mountain Lions franchise at home… In 2009, in the league’s first-ever game, the Locos led the Redwoods, 20-17, after three quarters before scoring 10 fourth-quarter points to pull away… In 2010, Sacramento took a 21-0 lead before Las Vegas stormed back to tie the game 24-24 in the fourth quarter, only to see the Mountain Lions win in the final two minutes, 27-24.

Week 7

VIRGINIA AT LAS VEGAS

Coming into 2011, the Locos have a 5-3 all-time record at home.

SACRAMENTO at OMAHA

Mountain Lions running back Cory Ross could return ‘home’ having played college football at Nebraska… In two games against the Nighthawks in 2010, Ross ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 85 more yards… In the second meeting, in Week 9 at Hornet Stadium, Ross set a new UFL record with a 75-yard touchdown run… The Nighthawks won this matchup 20-17 in 2010 in the ‘Rumble at Rosenblatt.’

Source: UFL-Football.com

Photo Courtesy of UFL-Football.com

“We originally moved up our season to meet fan demand during the slow month of August,” said UFL Commissioner MICHAEL HUYGHUE.  “We felt, and still feel, that playing meaningful games during August would benefit the UFL.  Unfortunately the uncertainty gripping pro sports given the NFL and NBA lockouts created a destabilizing impact throughout the industry.  Ultimately this delayed our ability to secure television agreements and other related business matters.

“We believe though that the added time will allow for some necessary housekeeping that will strengthen our product and our brand.  Any time you have to change your plans midstream it is obviously disappointing.  As such, we have decided to resume our normal game schedule.  This will allow us the necessary time to finalize our television agreements and other critical business affairs.”

Although players have reported to training camp, they will return home at league expense and return to camp in mid-August with the season opener slated for mid-September.  Several players will remain in each market to promote their teams.  All team coaching staff will remain in place.

UFL owner and founder BILL HAMBRECHT said: “Our ownership group is committed to funding our 2011 season.  Uncertainty and instability in professional sports, notwithstanding, we believe fully in our investment, our product and the UFL mission.”

Season ticket holders may receive a full refund for any tickets they wish to return, while existing tickets will be honored for corresponding revised home games.  Information for fans and season ticket holders regarding the new game schedule will be posted at www.UFL-Football.com.  When a new opening weekend date has been confirmed, the Hartford Colonials, Las Vegas Locos, Omaha Nighthawks, Sacramento Mountain Lions and Virginia Destroyers will reschedule training camps accordingly.

Letter from Commissioner Huyghue

Dear Fans,

Today we announced that the 2011 United Football League season will now kickoff in mid-September as opposed to August 13 as originally announced. At the conclusion of last season we announced that we would play in August because we believed then, and now, that playing in August provides a compelling opportunity for us to offer meaningful games during the NFL preseason. At the time we could not have predicted that the uncertainty of the NFL and NBA lockouts would create a destabilizing, negative impact throughout the professional sports industry.

The uncertainty that gripped pro sports delayed many essential business agreements until late in the offseason. In order to provide the product that UFL fans have grown to expect after two seasons we decided it was in the best interest of our fans, our players, our staff and our brand to push back kickoff. Our ownership group, our staff and the entire UFL family remains committed to providing a great 2011 season.

Players and Coaches had arrived in our cities to prepare for the season. Many of them will now depart for a few weeks at league expense. We will announce a new training camp and season schedule shortly which will provide a timeline for their return. Some players and coaches will remain in our cities to help market their team.

We are appreciative of your support. We began this venture during the worst economy of our lifetime. In recent years the economy has shown little improvement and, even during a time of hardship for many of you, it is your support that has sustained us. More than 400,000 of you have attended our games. Many more have tuned in to our telecasts. We intend to provide the same great football and experiences that you have supported through our first two seasons in 2011 and beyond.

We will offer refunds for those who may not be available to attend all of our games given the new schedule. We will reward your loyalty with a great product, a great experience and additional incentives to thank you for your loyalty. We know that no incentive can match your dedication but we want you to know how important you are to all of us here at the UFL.

I look forward to seeing you at our games beginning in mid-September. Our Coaches and our players are fired up and ready to provide you with great games throughout the season and I cannot wait to see which team ends up winning the UFL Championship Game this season.

Photo Courtesy of www.ufl-football.com

Source: http://www.ufl-football.com/news/ufl-moves-2011-season-game-schedule-september-through-november

In a league as highly competitive as the UFL has been to date, there are bound to be some newly-minted rivalries that have been a part of that. Looking ahead, however, here are the rivalries fans will want to keep an eye on during the 2011 UFL season:

1. Marty Schottenheimer vs. Jerry Glanville. Football fans who remember the late-1980s matchups between the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Oilers will look forward to this year’s games between the Virginia Destroyers and the Hartford Colonials. Schottenheimer and Glanville know each other well, so the only secrets for the first game of the 2011 season will be each team’s personnel.

This renewal of the Schottenheimer-Glanville rivalry is 20 years in the making, and it will be well worth the wait.

2. Las Vegas Locomotives vs. Virginia Destroyers. How can you have a rivalry between a two-time defending league champion and a team which hasn’t yet played its first game? Well, it’s an extension of the Locos-Florida Tuskers rivalry which played out six times in the UFL’s first two seasons. As of Thursday night, the Destroyers had 17 ex-Tuskers on their active roster, meaning the passion for the games between Las Vegas and Virginia should be there.

Remember, of the six games the Locos and Tuskers played, five were decided by a touchdown or less – including the 2009 and 2010 UFL Championship Games.

3. Omaha vs. Sacramento. Not the teams. The fan bases. The Nighthawks sold out all four games at venerable Rosenblatt Stadium last year, setting new UFL single-game attendance records along the way. The Mountain Lions had crowds of at least 19,000 in three of four games at Hornet Stadium last year, and finished second in the league in average home attendance.

The UFL’s second game of 2011 will be in Sacramento between the Mountain Lions and Nighthawks, and Mountain Lions fans no doubt will look to get a head start on the race for attendance supremacy on August 14.

4. The new breed of UFL quarterbacks. Quarterbacks tend to want to out-perform other quarterbacks, and there could be some new rivalries formed among the league’s new pivots, like Hartford’s Colt Brennan and Jarrod Johnson, Omaha’s Eric Crouch and Virginia’s Pat White.

All four of those quarterbacks have proven themselves with high-quality play at the collegiate level. Now, they will look to take that high level of play into their first UFL seasons. The one or two who can do that might just face off in the league’s third Championship Game.

5. Las Vegas Locomotives vs. Sacramento Mountain Lions. Sure, the all-time series between these two organizations is 3-1 in favor of the Locos, but there are plenty of reasons to like this rivalry. For one, for the most part, it has been rather competitive. Their first two meetings in 2009 were tight affairs going into the fourth quarter, and the second meeting in 2010 was a seesaw game in which Sacramento scored the first 21 points, then Las Vegas scored the next 17, and the game was decided on a Fabrizio Scaccia field goal inside of two minutes.

Add to that the mix of Head Coaches Jim Fassel (Las Vegas) and Dennis Green (Sacramento), as well as the possible returns of Mountain Lions quarterback Daunte Culpepper and running backs Cory Ross (Sacramento) and DeDe Dorsey (Las Vegas), and you have the ingredients for two more classic games this fall.

Source: http://www.ufl-football.com/news/36-days-kickoff-ufl-top-five-rivalries

Crouch was the 2001 Heisman Trophy winner as a senior at the University of Nebraska, and ended his Cornhusker career with 3,434 rushing yards (and 59 touchdowns) and 4,481 passing yards (and 29 touchdowns). As a senior, he passed for 1,510 yards and seven touchdowns and ran for 1,115 yards and 18 scores.

A third-round pick as a wide receiver by the St. Louis Rams in the 2002 National Football League Draft, Crouch has seen professional regular-season action in NFL Europe with the Hamburg Sea Devils as a safety in 2005 and with the Toronto Argonauts as a quarterback in 2006.

Crouch answered seven questions, and those questions were about everything from the United Football League to where he keeps his Heisman Trophy.

The first question came, fittingly, from Omaha, and centered around if Crouch plans to play any other position for the Nighthawks than quarterback.

“The competition is going to be great at QB,” Crouch replied, adding that returnee D.J. Shockley has experience and rookie Jeremiah Masoli is young, talented and has a lot of potential. “They’ll hopefully make me a better QB. I have to have a vision of being the guy at QB. I don’t go in with a thought of being second or third team.”

Nighthawks can get excited by Crouch, answering a question about how things are going with the team, saying, “I think this will be a system where they like to do some different things. You’re not going to see an offense that you haven’t seen before. I like them thinking outside of the box.”

Crouch said his Heisman is kept “in a secure place” in his house. And asked of his thoughts about his alma mater joining the Big 10, Crouch said, “Nebraska will do very well in the Big 10. It was a great move. I think the biggest reason they moved was just the stability of the conference. It seemed like the best place to be.”

As for the future of the UFL, Crouch said, “I think if they keep finding talented players and coaches, I do think they’ll succeed. … There are quite a few teams that will make this league successful. They seem to be on the right track.”

For the entire chat, go to espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/39063/ufl-eric-crouch

Photo Courtesy of UFL-football.com

Source: http://www.ufl-football.com/news/nighthawks-qb-crouch-chats-fans-espncom

While the NFL goes through its lockout, Terrell Pryor has endured quite a rocky offseason himself. The three-year Buckeye starting quarterback made it official this week and will not be returning to Ohio State due to the NCAA investigation into him receiving improper benefits. The free tattoos he has admitted to may result in something a lot more important than that.

If Pryor had made himself eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft, he would at least have had a known destination, albeit one that would be on hold during the labor dispute. But the fallout didn’t occur until afterwards and Pryor is now looking to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders sent Pryor’s attorney a contract offer to join the CFL club and all indications point to him turning it down. But he should really give it some thought before rushing to judgement. For a player like Pryor that has many question marks concerning his readiness to play at the next level, a league where athletic quarterbacks shine is not the worst place to get your feet wet. Warren Moon and Doug Flutie are two names that roll off the tongue when speaking about QBs who made their bones up north and transcended that into successful NFL careers.

The CFL schedule begins in June and at the start, does not go directly up against the NFL’s, but that is the case with the UFL. The newest outdoor pro football league plays in the fall and has a rule that a player must spend the entire season there after signing a deal. So if Pryor goes to a UFL team and the NFL settles it contract situation even during the season, Pryor would have to wait until the short schedule commences before even negotiating with someone else. That may be counter-productive to Pryor reaching his ultimate destination, but is a better situation than sitting out the entire season.

He has to make a decision and his development should be the main reason. Pryor has even been mentioned as a wide receiver project in the NFL and he has to establish himself as a quarterback if that is the position he wishes to continue playing. Missing his final season in college may have bigger ramifications for Pryor than he realizes right now.

Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards and 18 touchdowns in his lone collegiate campaign, but then a series of events led the school to suspend him. He was ultimately dismissed from OSU and eventually went to court to challenge the NFL’s rule that a player must wait three years after graduating from high school to enter the draft. By the time it was all said and done, Clarett entered the 2005 NFL Draft and was chosen by the Broncos in the third round (#101 overall).

Reporting to camp out of shape and 20 pounds overweight led to clashes with the coaching staff and his release that August. Out on the open market, not a single team made any inquiries about Clarett. Legal troubles shortly followed and the once promising gridiron star was arrested twice, once for armed robbery and another for weapons possession in which he was maced and tasered by the arresting officers in order to be taken into custody.

Using the plea bargain system to the max, Clarett bartered the two incidents into a seven and a half year sentence with the promise of possible early release. On April 7 of this year, he was granted as much and entered a halfway house in Ohio. He needed permission from a judge in order to fly to Omaha for a tryout with the Nighthawks.

Now we will see if Clarett is in fact rehabilitated and what he has left – if anything – in the tank. At only 26 years of age, he certainly is young enough to bounce back if he makes the effort. This is a move that will certainly give the second year league some press and if Clarett can be a success story, then it will be a win-win situation. At least on the outset, he is making it sound that way.

“I am humbled by the opportunity the Omaha Nighthawks have given me and will dedicate myself on and off the field to prove that I can be a valuable member of the team and the Omaha community,” said Clarett. “I am committed to working hard to earn the right for a second chance in football and more importantly in life.”

The ultimate goal for any UFL player is to be signed to an NFL contract and if Clarett can show even some of the flashes he had back in college, then his chances are better than not. But more importantly is his off-the-field behavior. Even a parking ticket at this stage in his life will be dissected, as it should be.

Career rushing statistics at Ohio State

Each team will play at more than one home venue and the list includes Giants Stadium (New Jersey), James Schuart Stadium at Hofstra University (Long Island,New York), AT&T Park (San Francisco), the Citrus Bowl (Orlando), Home Depot Center (Los Angeles), Rentschler Field (Hartford), Sam Boyd Stadium (Las Vegas) and Tropicana Field (St. Petersburg).

As of this week, Florida was leading the way with a 3-0 record. Las Vegas (1-1), California (1-2) and New York (0-2) round out the rest of the league.

Griffith, 5’11″ and 197 pounds, is a San Diego State alum and was voted to Sporting News 1st Team All-NFL and Associated Press 2nd Team All-NFL in 1998. A year later, he was recognized again by the Associated Press as a 2ns Team All-NFL player.

ROBERT GRIFFITH NFL PLAYER STATS

MuscleSport Radio can be heard live every Tuesday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern time on www.blogtalkradio.com and all episodes are archived on Blog Talk Radio, MuscleSport Mag and iTunes.

Please feel free to join us and give us your opinion, ask a question or make a comment. Our call-in number is 347-884-8157.

UPCOMING GUESTS:

Tuesday, December 15 – IFBB pro bodybuilder and 2009 Ms. Olympia runner-up Heather Armbrust.

MuscleSport Radio has enjoyed a steady flow of special guests since launching, with famous names in the bodybuilding and sports industry such as Samir Bannout, Bill Grant, Boyer Coe, Troy Brown, Ronnie Coleman, Gunter Schlierkamp, Leo Ingram, Heather Mae French, Cathy LeFrancois, Colette Nelson, Cathy LeFrancois, Dena Westerfield, Bill Romanowski, Tony Mandarich, “Leapin’” Lanny Poffo, Taylor Boyd, Steve Michalik, Dan Lurie, Emy Silvagni, Rae Holitt, Tom Terwilliger, Dan “The Beast” Severn, Kevin Levrone, Layne Norton, Randy Roach, Debi Laszewski and more.

The only noticeable advertisement came in the form of  billboard along the New Jersey Turnpike near Giants Stadium, the location of the Sentinels’ first home game. On that Thursday evening at the end of October, the California Redwoods came into town and kept New York winless by taking a close contest, 20-13. The attendance was light and appeared even more so because of the capacity of the stadium. And it didn’t help matters any that the game was up against the second installment of the World Series in the Bronx.

But with more promotion, football fans who are shut out from Giants or Jets games would probably be more than happy to take advantage of the very affordable $20 tickets the UFL is offering. Couple that with the familiar names that adorn the rosters of the four teams and this thing may be a viable alternative during the week to the NFL.

“We had some guys here, like Simeon Rice, who had some injuries and are just looking to come back to play,” said Sentinels head coach Ted Cotrell, a former defensive coordinator for a number of teams including the New York Jets. “There are a few players like that and there are players coming up that just need a chance. It’s a win-win thing. If they do well, then we do well.”

Sounds like a good plan but for that to come true, the UFL has to get its name out there more. With the three other teams employing head coaches like Dennis Green (California Redwoods), Jim Fassel (Las Vegas Locomotives) and Jim Haslett (Florida Tuskers), instant credibility is brought to the table. Plus they have a television deal with Versus and HDNet, so the coverage is there if the fans choose to tune in.

In any situation where a new product is released, there will be trial and error periods. Such is the case when the Sentinels changed the location of their next home game from Citi Field (the Mets new ballpark in Queens) to Hofstra University on Long Island. A much smaller venue is more appropriate in a town like New York where it is very difficult to catch on when you have to deal with the likes of the Giants and Yankees garnering all of the headlines.

A short eight-week schedule commencing with the UFL championship game on November 27 will wrap up a campaign that the UFL can hopefully build on. They intend on adding teams and games in 2010 but need the capital to do so.

Other football leagues have had a difficult time surviving in what has become an NFL-monopolized sport. The WFL, USFL, AFL, XFL, WLAF and NFL Europe all dot the landscape of failed attempts to at least share a piece of the pigskin pie. Hopefully the UFL can stay off of that list.

They tried to play football indoors and overseas but they, too, went by the wayside (sans for what seems to be an endless list of minor league arena organizations). Even the Canadian Football League made a stab at incorporating American franchises but could not keep them afloat.

They will try it again with the brand new United Football League, which will commence their inaugural season with just four teams that will play some home games, some road games and many neutral site contests. A short eight-week schedule that includes the championship game begins on October 8 and includes weeknight matches.

The games will be held at legitimate stadiums with large capacities as opposed to D-3 colleges. That was the first hurdle and to legitimize the league even more, the clubs went out and signed former NFL names as head coaches and for the roster. While they may not exactly be household names, the real football fan will recognize many of them.

California Redwoods:

Head Coach – Dennis Green

Players – QB Mike McMahon, RB Cory Ross

Florida Tuskers:

Head Coach – Jim Haslett

RB Tatum Bell, LB Anthony Schlegel, TE Jermaine Wiggins, QB Brooks Bollinger, RB Michael Pittman, T Rob Petitti, P Todd Sauerbrun

Las Vegas Locomotives:

Head Coach – Jim Fassel

QB J.P. Losman, QB Tim Rattay, NT Wendell Bryant

New York Sentinels:

Head Coach – Ted Cottrell

DE Simeon Rice, WR Koren Robinson

During the premier season, the teams will wear identical uniforms with colors to differentiate one another. Next season, there will be a total redesign so each will be unique.

From the UFL website, www.ufl-football.com:

UFL Mission Statement:

“To fulfill the unmet needs of football fans in major markets currently underserved by professional football by providing a high quality traditional football league comprised of world class professional football players. The UFL will serve the communities with pride, dedication and passion, and uphold a leadership role in the development of football worldwide. The UFL will provide every fan with an affordable, accessible, exciting and entertaining game experience.”

When will UFL games be played?

The UFL will play in the fall, during traditional football season, to establish the league as a viable entity and will offer real, 11-on-11, outdoor professional football in NFL quality stadiums/venues. The UFL will play its regular season games on Thursday and Friday evenings in the fall, with the first regular season game kicking off in October and the Championship Game scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend.

Where will the UFL have teams?

In its “Premiere” season, the UFL will have four teams playing in seven cities.  The four teams selected for 2009 are Las Vegas, New York, Orlando and San Francisco.  The additional cities where games may be played include Hartford, Los Angeles and Sacramento.

Where can I watch UFL games?

The United Football League announced that VERSUS, a national sports network in more than 75 million homes, will air the League’s “Premiere” season beginning in October 2009. VERSUS will air live weekly games beginning on Thursday, October 8, and continuing through the Championship Game scheduled to air Thanksgiving weekend. Each live telecast will be approximately three hours and all games will be produced and available in HD. The complete schedule will be announced this summer.

The United Football League also signed an exclusive deal with HDNet to broadcast coverage of five of the League’s “Premiere” Season games. HDNet will air weekly games beginning on Saturday, October 10th at 7:00pm Eastern.

Who will play and coach in the UFL?

The UFL will field teams comprised of the best players in the world and tomorrow’s rising stars. There are thousands of talented world class players who are looking to play professional football at a high level. The UFL will provide that opportunity.  Our “Premiere” Season Head Coaches include former NFL coaches Dennis Green, Jim Fassel, Jim Haslett and Ted Cottrell.

Why will the UFL work?

The UFL’s approach, rules and style of play will look and feel substantially similar to the NFL and will cater to those markets currently underserved by professional football. The UFL will assemble the best talent on the field, on the sidelines and in the league and team offices to ensure a credible, high-quality product that is accessible and affordable for fans.

Who is behind the UFL?

The executives behind the UFL are experienced NFL franchise builders.  Commissioner Michael Huyghue has over 20 years of NFL management experience and is considered the architect in establishing the Jacksonville Jaguars as the winningest franchise of the NFL within a five-year span in his role as the team’s Senior Vice President of Football Operations. While with the NFL, Commissioner Huyghue served on several of the NFL Commissioner’s prominent committees, including NFL Management Council, the Executive Working Group Committee, the NFL College Advisory Committee, the NFL Europe League and as a Trustee of the NFL Players Insurance Trust.  Prior to joining the UFL, Huyghue was CEO/Founder of Axcess Sports & Entertainment, where he represented a number of NFL, NBA and PGA Tour players. The League’s COO is Frank Vuono who significantly expanded the scope of NFL Properties as its Vice President of Retail Licensing, has consulted for over 15 NFL teams and was personally hired by the NFL Commissioner’s office to assist the Saints during the team’s post-Katrina return to New Orleans.  A co-founder of Integrated Sports International, the NFL Quarterback Club and its successor NFL Quarterback Greats, and most recently 16W Marketing LLC., Vuono was also instrumental in negotiating some of the largest naming rights agreements in all of professional sports and as president of marketing for SFX Sports represented hundreds of pro athletes including current 16W Marketing clients Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason. The UFL also has hired a number of former senior NFL executives to oversee team and league operations. Investors in the UFL include Bill Hambrecht, Chairman and CEO of WR Hambrecht + Co.; Tim Armstrong, Chairman & CEO, AOL; Paul Pelosi, President of FLS, Inc. and a consortium of others.