What was watching the USFL like?

[BigSteve09]

I've always wondered what it was like watching two different leagues back in the day. It was before my time, so I was hoping some people here could clue me in. I'm sure at least some Vols fans watched Memphis when they had Reggie.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I barely remember it since I was only 6-7 when it came out. I remember thinking it weird that there was a football game on that wasn't a reply in April. I also remember some games having big crowds and the fans seemed to be really into the game, and other games it looked liek they had to pay people to just show up.

I also remember barely the big deal that was made when Hersheal Walker signed with the New Jersey Generals instead of an NFL team.

 

[BigSteve09]

Reggie White went to the USFL too.

I'm sure that that rubbed some people the wrong way as well.

It seems like the USFL threw a kink into a lot of college and pro football circles

 

[Hound]

The coolest thing I remember about the USFL was the helmet-cams. Talk about feeling like you were part of the action...

 

[Cartervol]

A few good players spread out through a terrible league. It was bad football pretty much. The Helmet cam was pretty cool though.

 

[GAVol]

I actually remember the quality of play being OK. If they had just stuck to a spring schedule, a smaller league and a salary cap rather than trying to outbid and compete directly with the NFL, it might have worked.

 

[superdave1984]

It was like watching big time college football. Not quite NFL quality, but better than most NCAA teams.

 

[GreveHaller]

I actually went to a game in Memphis to see the Showboats play. A spring road trip from UT. Cant remember anything about it but sitting in the endzone.

 

[n_huffhines]

I actually remember the quality of play being OK. If they had just stuck to a spring schedule, a smaller league and a salary cap rather than trying to outbid and compete directly with the NFL, it might have worked.

I figure it would have to be halfway decent. If it weren't, Reggie White would've racked up 40+ sacks rather than the relatively modest 23.5 he had in 36 games.

Reggie went on to log 31 sacks over his first 29 NFL games.

 

[NashVol11]

I figure it would have to be halfway decent. If it weren't, Reggie White would've racked up 40+ sacks rather than the relatively modest 23.5 he had in 36 games.

Reggie went on to log 31 sacks over his first 29 NFL games.

This is you

 

[Spartacavolus]

Seems like the showboats had a really dynamic special teams player. I could be mistaken. Not many usfl football memories for me though.
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[GreveHaller]

MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS ROSTER 1985


No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Age Exp. College
1 Jim Miller P 5-11 185 27 4 Mississippi
3 Mossy Cade DB 6-0 190 23 R Texas
7 Alan Duncan K 5-9 189 26 2 Tennessee
8 Barney Bussey DB 5-11 200 22 2 So. Carolina St.
9 Derrick Crawford WR 5-10 185 24 2 Memphis St.
10 Walter Lewis QB 6-1 209 23 2 Alabama
12 Mike Kelley QB 6-3 198 24 3 Georgia Tech
19 Gary Huff QB 6-1 200 32 7 Florida St.
20 Leonard Williams RB 6-0 190 24 2 Western Carolina
21 John Arnaud DB 6-0 190 23 3 Iowa St.
23 Ron Osborne DB 5-11 190 24 3 Iowa St.
24 Harry Sydney RB 6-1 220 25 3 Kansas
25 Anthony Parker RB 6-0 207 23 1 Memphis St.
26 Ricky Porter RB 5-10 204 25 2 Slippery Rock
27 Doran Major DB 5-10 175 23 2 Memphis St.
29 Mike Fox DB 5-11 180 26 3 San Diego St.
31 Leonard Coleman DB 6-2 198 24 R Vanderbilt
32 Ray Odums DB 6-2 180 33 11 Alabama
46 Tim Spencer RB 6-1 220 24 3 Ohio St.
47 Don Bessillieu DB 6-2 195 29 7 Georgia Tech
50 Art Kuehn OL 6-3 265 32 10 UCLA
51 Larry Rubens OL 6-2 253 25 3 Montana St.
52 Mike Brewington LB 6-3 226 28 3 East Carolina
53 John Corker LB 6-6 240 26 6 Oklahoma St.
54 Steve Hammond LB 6-4 225 24 3 Wake Forest
55 Mike Grant LB 6-1 225 25 2 East Carolina
56 David Huffman OL 6-7 255 27 7 Notre Dame
57 Daryl Goodlow LB 6-2 230 24 2 Oklahoma
58 Will Cokeley LB 6-2 225 24 3 Kansas
-- David Albright LB 6-2 234 24 R San Jose St.
59 Sanders Shiver LB 6-2 230 30 10 Carson-Newman
61 Ken Smith OL 6-2 275 24 2 Miami (Ohio)
67 Luis Sharpe OL 6-4 260 25 4 UCLA
68 Tyrone McGriff OL 6-0 290 28 6 Florida A&M
73 Russ Bolinger OL 6-5 255 30 8 CS Long Beach
74 Calvin Clark DL 6-4 252 25 3 Purdue
76 John Banaszak DL 6-3 250 34 9 Eastern Michigan
79 Robert Woods OL 6-5 250 34 11 Tennessee
80 Gerald Bradley WR 6-1 185 22 1 Weber St.
81 Preston Brown WR 5-11 186 26 5 Vanderbilt
83 Mark Raugh TE 6 -3 215 24 2 West Virginia
84 Greg Moser WR 6-0 185 24 3 Oregon
87 Gary Shirk TE 6-1 230 34 11 Morehead St.
88 Van Heflin TE 6-3 235 25 2 Vanderbilt
89 Henry Williams WR 5-6 181 24 R East Carolina
90 Sam Clancy DL 6-7 260 26 3 Pittsburgh
91 Carlton Rose LB 6-1 218 23 2 Michigan
92 Reggie White DL 6-6 284 22 2 Tennessee
93 Jay Hayes DL 6-6 230 25 2 Idaho
99 Steve Bearden DL 6-4 240 22 2 Vanderbilt

 

[OldandStillaVol]

I actually remember the quality of play being OK. If they had just stuck to a spring schedule, a smaller league and a salary cap rather than trying to outbid and compete directly with the NFL, it might have worked.

Agree with this. I watched USFL but found lots of games boring. Teams had no history. League needed time to develop rivalries and more personalities - I think Spring football league is viable but needs time to develop an audience.

 

[TrueOrange]

I had no idea that the owner of the Showboats was Logan Young, the same booster who was involved in that Alabama "paying players" scandal that got them put on further probation, reduced schollys, and that two year bowl-ban earlier in the decade
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