The XFL: A Retrospective

[IceCap]

http://mentalfloss.com/article/58829/good-honest-football-re-watching-xfl

So just an interesting look back at the XFL, especially in light of the recent image problems that have plagued the NFL.

[The_Admiral]

I wanna party with bret_linden.

[habsfan1]

Nothing was really Xtreme about it. It was just another football league, but with wrestling personalities trying to sell it, and with players who couldn't make the NFL.

[dbadefense1990]

[Germanshepherd]

Everything that needs to be said about the XFL is summed up in this photo.

[TBGKon]

Nothing was really Xtreme about it. It was just another football league, but with wrestling personalities trying to sell it, and with players who couldn't make the NFL.

I was always was at the understanding that the XFL was The XFL, you never heard it referred to as the Xtreme Football League.

[BBTV]

Any chance they could put XFL on the Network?

[habsfan1]

Any chance they could put XFL on the Network?

That's a great idea!

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Once they got the Super High Impact goofiness out of the way, the XFL settled into a fairly homogenous, straightforward product. However, by that time, the damage was done. ESPN and SI were relentless in putting it down as a joke league (which, in fairness, it started out as), that they were never going to give it a fair shake.

Vince's best bet would have been to partner with ESPN at the outset; too often, if they're not invested then they're not reporting on it. It shouldn't be that way, but there we are.

And anyway, it wasn't a total garbage league. Rod Smart and Tommy Maddox, among others, had decent NFL careers following their time in XFL. There was talent. The tone of the presentation, however, was all wrong. It was cartoony when it didn't need to be, and obscured a decent on-field product.

[Sport]

Thanks for sharing. That was a good read and it brought up stuff I either forget or never knew.

I can remember watching that opening game, a random MEMPHIS MANIAX game on TNN (remember when Spike was called TNN?), and I watched the first half of the championship game.

Memphis Maniax

[DarkJourney]

I went to a few San Francisco Demons games at Pac Bell Park (now AT&T). They lost in the only championship game to LA. They had decent support and I loved their logo. They were originally supposed to be in San Jose I believe. Wasn't the league considering Detroit, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. for expansion before it went under?

[Jer15]

The other thing we got out of the XFL was the sky cam, if I am remembering correctly that was a first in the XFL.

I have a book called: Long Ball. How the XFL became TV's biggest fiasco. Interesting read. The book spoke about how, essentially, the XFL's Saturday night games ended up being cut short so that SNL would air on time and the second NBC had a shot to start airing NFL games they were out.

That cheerleader thing at halftime was so WWE....just so stupid. I love both football and wrestling but separately.

Great article though, thanks for posting.

[FiddySicks]

Heh, I remember the XFL. I got to walk on the field at AT&T Park two or three days before the first Demons game. Watched the first game while in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. It was a weird feeling seeing pro football played just a few days after the Super Bowl. Everyone, at least where I was, absolutely ate it up.

I think Puckguy actually worked for the Demons, too.

[Sport]

good shots of how awesome Birmingham's helmets were.

I wish more teams would utilize that front space on the helmets.

[See Red]

The Outlaws had a pretty good look. I know some of the teams had some strange identities, but the Outlaws look really holds up well. I watched XFL games when I came across it being on television -- I remember a few really good ones (can't speak for the quality of play), like the opening game with San Francisco and a double OT game featuring LA and someone. I agree with whoever said the presentation hurt what wasn't a terrible on-field product -- it didn't help having guys like JR doing commentary.

Just found the LA OT game I mentioned... JR and Jesse "The Body" Ventura in the booth -- you can't expect to be taken seriously when that's the commentary team.

[HedleyLamarr]

Thanks for sharing. That was a good read and it brought up stuff I either forget or never knew.

I can remember watching that opening game, a random MEMPHIS MANIAX game on TNN (remember when Spike was called TNN?), and I watched the first half of the championship game.

Memphis Maniax

The uniforms not-so-much, but Memphis had a beautiful color scheme.....

[Tigers6884]

good shots of how awesome Birmingham's helmets were.

I wish more teams would utilize that front space on the helmets.

The Chargers should do something like this, as an alternate helmet, of course.

[See Red]

good shots of how awesome Birmingham's helmets were.

I wish more teams would utilize that front space on the helmets.

The Chargers should do something like this, as an alternate helmet, of course.

Can't have alternate helmets.

[Cosmic]

good shots of how awesome Birmingham's helmets were.

I wish more teams would utilize that front space on the helmets.

The Chargers should do something like this, as an alternate helmet, of course.

Can't have alternate helmets.

You can if you just replace/remove the decals on your normal helmets.

[Sport]

Just watched the video of the Las Vegas Outlaws offense introducing themselves. That was painful. Especially white guy from Hilliard, Ohio Mike Furrey who coached my cousin for half a season at Kentucky Christian.

I also remember him from the Lions and Browns. Had no idea he was an XFLer.