XFL 2023: Third Time's the Charm!

[GDAWG]

The only way Houston loses is if Wade Phillips pretends he's back with the Cowboys again, which is quite possible.  

[CS85]

The only way Houston loses is if Phillips' strategy is to let Cole McDonald yeet deep balls every play.  Otherwise this one feels already decided, unless you're Ferdinand, who is currently holding a spot down on Cooper Street for the Renegades' championship parade.

[gosioux76]

23 hours ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

The XFL playoff structure is good as it is.  And the USFL is using the same structure.

 

Fostering divisional rivalries is important, as part of establishing the league's identity.  Indeed, the only mistake that the XFL made was to not have the final week consist of only divisional games.  The USFL's schedule features only divisional matchups for the final two weeks.

 

I'd think it's also important in establishing a league's identity to showcase its best teams in games when it matters. I understand the point about fostering divisional rivalries, but I think it actually looks worse when an eight-team league's playoff structure ends up featuring a team that's two games under .500. 

 

If you're a St. Louis fan, that circumstance doesn't foster a rivalry with Seattle. It fosters disappointment in the league itself. 

[CS85]

8 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

 

I'd think it's also important in establishing a league's identity to showcase its best teams in games when it matters. 

 

This right here.  Rivalries can happen later with more teams and higher stakes.  Right now it's all about the best teams getting in, and St. Louis has been showing up and showing out for their team since day 1, McCarron is likely the league's best QB when healthy, and is a great story for the XFL to promote, but nah, he's gonna watch from home because the XFL had to overthink this crap.

[McCall]

1 hour ago, CS85 said:

 

This right here.  Rivalries can happen later with more teams and higher stakes.  Right now it's all about the best teams getting in, and St. Louis has been showing up and showing out for their team since day 1, McCarron is likely the league's best QB when healthy, and is a great story for the XFL to promote, but nah, he's gonna watch from home because the XFL had to overthink this crap.

I’d actually say the opposite, they didn’t think long enough. The easy way is “top two teams in each division”. The correct line of thinking should’ve been “We only have 8 teams. What gives us the best shot to have the top 4 teams in the playoffs?”

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

9 hours ago, gosioux76 said:

I'd think it's also important in establishing a league's identity to showcase its best teams in games when it matters. I understand the point about fostering divisional rivalries, but I think it actually looks worse when an eight-team league's playoff structure ends up featuring a team that's two games under .500. 

 

If you're a St. Louis fan, that circumstance doesn't foster a rivalry with Seattle. It fosters disappointment in the league itself. 

 

We all knew the playoff format from the start, so there's no basis for disappointment in the league. 

 

Also, St. Louis had its fate in its own hands going into its week 9 game against Seattle.  If the league had been wise enough to schedule all divisional matchups in the final week, maybe a playoff-berth-deciding game between those teams would have occurred in week 10. Now that would have helped create a rivalry between the two teams.

 

Anyway, these things happen in all leagues. It's nothing to complain about. For me, divisional identity is the way to go. I hope that the league doesn't overreact by enlarging the playoff field (3 vs. 2; 1 gets a bye), by bringing in the dreaded crossover, or by scrapping divisions.

[Red Comet]

Of course. As much as I hate this current format, I understand that this format is how it was set up and the players and coaches knew this going in and planned accordingly and had it been the format everyone besides Ferdie wants then they'd plan differently and we'd have a different season. 

That being said, it's still stupid because anyone with half a brain could see something like this coming. 

 

EDIT: And here are Week 10's TV ratings and I do emphasize TV because streaming isn't included. Would be interested to know what those numbers are. 

 

Looks like they finished with an average of 622,000 viewers.

 

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Red Comet
Added tweet with TV ratings

[Red Comet]

On 4/24/2023 at 1:30 PM, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

 

By virtue of the Renegades' entire season, they came in second and qualified for the playoffs. 

 

However, in the games immediately after Perez's arrival, they beat Orlando (who, despite finishing with the worst record, had just beaten D.C., and were in the midst of Dormady's run as the league's hottest player) and then were robbed against D.C.

 

While we didn't get to see what the Renegades would have done to Houston in the last game of the season if they had needed to win that game, we may rest assured that it would not have resembled their performance in what was essentially a scrimmage.

 

But we're sure going to see that on this coming weekend.  I don't purport to be conversant with the Texan idiom, but I suspect that a cry of "yee-haw" or "boy howdy" or some such will be appropriate for the beating that Houston is about to endure.

Sorry for the double post, but if the Renegades do manage to win the XFL Championship, I’ll send you a Luis Perez jersey.

[See Red]

On 4/24/2023 at 2:30 PM, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

 

By virtue of the Renegades' entire season, they came in second and qualified for the playoffs. 

 

However, in the games immediately after Perez's arrival, they beat Orlando (who, despite finishing with the worst record, had just beaten D.C., and were in the midst of Dormady's run as the league's hottest player) and then were robbed against D.C.

 

While we didn't get to see what the Renegades would have done to Houston in the last game of the season if they had needed to win that game, we may rest assured that it would not have resembled their performance in what was essentially a scrimmage.

 

But we're sure going to see that on this coming weekend.  I don't purport to be conversant with the Texan idiom, but I suspect that a cry of "yee-haw" or "boy howdy" or some such will be appropriate for the beating that Houston is about to endure.

 

You're "no, they're actually good" point is that they beat an awful, one-win Orlando team 10-9 after they got their great new QB?

 

I'm convinced!

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

39 minutes ago, Red Comet said:

Sorry for the double post, but if the Renegades do manage to win the XFL Championship, I’ll send you a Luis Perez jersey.

 

Now I got skin in the game!

 

 

  

5 minutes ago, See Red said:

[Your] "no, they're actually good" point is that they beat an awful, one-win Orlando team 10-9 after they got their great new QB?

 

I'm convinced!

 

Don't forget that that one win of Orlando's came against then-undefeated D.C.  Their quarterback was riding high as the league's hottest player — that is, until the mighty Perez showed the world who actually merits that particular mantle.

 

But the main basis for respecting the Renegades is the huge come-from-behind win that they were robbed of against D.C. by a terrible call in overtime.  Given a correct call in that game, no one would be doubting that the Perez-led Renegades are the Team of Destiny.

 

[See Red]

37 minutes ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

 

Now I got skin in the game!

 

 

  

 

Don't forget that that one win of Orlando's came against then-undefeated D.C.  Their quarterback was riding high as the league's hottest player — that is, until the mighty Perez showed the world who actually merits that particular mantle.

 

But the main basis for respecting the Renegades is the huge come-from-behind win that they were robbed of against D.C. by a terrible call in overtime.  Given a correct call in that game, no one would be doubting that the Perez-led Renegades are the Team of Destiny.

 

 

There's no amount of spin that makes a win over Orlando impressive. Or Dormady a good QB.  Or even Perez a good QB. Will never understand the hype that guy's carried since the AAF. 

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

22 minutes ago, See Red said:

There's no amount of spin that makes a win over Orlando impressive. Or Dormady a good QB.  Or even Perez a good QB. Will never understand the hype that guy's carried since the AAF. 

 

Perez taught himself to play quarterback by watching YouTube videos! His story is fascinating.

 

And he's clearly an on-the-field leader. His composure inspires confidence.

 

I find him extremely compelling.

[McCall]

3 minutes ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

 

Perez taught himself to play quarterback by watching YouTube videos! His story is fascinating.

 

And he's clearly an on-the-field leader. His composure inspires confidence.

 

I find him extremely compelling.

Good for him and you. Doesn't make his team the best team because they beat the worst team who happened to beat the best team for their only win.

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

On 4/26/2023 at 7:52 PM, McCall said:

Good for him and you. Doesn't make his team the best team because they beat the worst team who happened to beat the best team for their only win.

 

No one said Perez's team is the best. But Perez served notice on the league by leading that fourth-quarter comeback against D.C.; and his team totally deserved the win in that game. 

 

This is why I am really hoping that the Perenegades can get past Houston, and that they will go on meet D.C. again in the championship game. If Perez can pull off those wins, then no observer with any integrity will be able to doubt his magic.

[Cujo]

4-6 Arlington leads Houston in the South conference title game.

 

Dwayne gotta tweak the playoff format or expand to 10 teams to avoid this happening again.

[CS85]

3 minutes ago, Cujo said:

4-6 Arlington leads Houston in the South conference title game.

 

Dwayne gotta tweak the playoff format or expand to 10 teams to avoid this happening again.

Renegades saw that one person online (me) was stupid enough to buy one piece of their merchandise should they win the title game, and now they're going for it all.

[Red Comet]

And Perez throws a bomb to put the Renegades up 14-0. 

Not what I was expecting. 

[Cujo]

Houston struggling to do anything today

 

If Arlington somehow wins next week, that's a reallllll tough look for the XFL

[Red Comet]

Houston punches back against Dallas Arlington with a Cox rushing TD from a yard out. Renegades 14, Roughnecks 8

 

Aaaand then screws up the kickoff with the Renegades scoring another TD. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by Red Comet

[Cujo]

11 minutes ago, Red Comet said:

Aaaand then screws up the kickoff with the Renegades scoring another TD. 

 

XFL's kickoff zone rule is one that drives me nuts. Kickoffs shouldn't be penalized half the field