Category: Football - WCBN SPORTS

After Wild Card Weekend: Top 24 NFL Mock Draft

1/25/2022

By William Gregory
   Following the all-new Super Wild Card Weekend, 24 teams have had their playoff hopes dashed, and their fans of those teams have turned most of their attention to the 2022 NFL Draft. This year’s draft offers a lot of intrigue in that there is a large contingent of elite defensive talent, and a relative lack of slam dunk quarterbacks, though teams have proven they will reach for average signal callers. This mock draft will be the first in a series that will run all the way up to draft night. We’ll track progress throughout, and after the draft, the results of the final predictive mock draft will be reported and posted. The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock.

#1 - Jacksonville Jaguars - EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
   The difference between the top two edge rushers in this class is based largely on opinion. Thibodeaux and Hutchinson are both incredible players, and predicting the direction of the Jacksonville Jaguars is similar to a 50/50 chance. However, looking at Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke’s draft history with the 49ers shows that he has generally avoided taking Big Ten prospects with Top 100 picks and has chosen many players from the West Coast. Two of those players were Oregon defensive linemen drafted in the first round: Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner. It’s plain to see that Thibodeaux’s talent will get him drafted in the Top 2 picks, but Trent Baalke’s draft history offers insight into how they will operate this April.

#2 - Detroit Lions - EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
   There may not be a better fit in this draft than Aidan Hutchinson taking the short drive from Ann Arbor to Ford Field. While Hutchinson is built more like a 4-3 defensive end and not an outside linebacker, his pass rushing skill allows him to be played anywhere on the defensive line. Not only does his relentless motor gel with Dan Campbell’s never say die mentality, it’ll keep him from taking plays off when Detroit inevitably collapses to rip its collective fanbase’s heart out. The Lions add a much-needed, impact defensive playmaker.

A Deeper Look Into The NFL’s Upcoming Television Negotiations

11/12/2020

By Adam Bressler, WCBN Sports

As the 2020 NFL season approaches its halfway mark, millions of fans are following the action on the field to see if their team will make the playoffs. However, behind the scenes, negotiations are taking place between the NFL and various media conglomerates that will shape how fans consume professional football for the next decade and beyond.

Immediately following Super Bowl LVI on February 6, 2022, the current NFL broadcast contracts are set to expire. These contracts dictate which networks broadcast each game, what time slot each game is scheduled for and on what devices viewers are able to watch the games. The current contracts were negotiated in 2011 and are worth over $5 billion in total each year.

During previous seasons, the NFL’s broadcast partners publicly stated that it would not start negotiating contract extensions until the NFL reached a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA. The NFL players association approved this CBA on March 15, 2020, leading many to speculate that television negotiations would begin shortly after. However, earlier that week, Utah Jazz center Rudy Golbert tested positive for COVID-19, sending all of professional sports and American society into uncharted waters.

Both the NFL and its broadcast partners preferred to delay the television contract negotiations. The NFL executives were busy adjusting the upcoming season for an unimaginable virus, while television networks wanted to wait and see what effects the pandemic would take on professional sports and viewership patterns. Now that the season is underway as “normal” and television ratings have largely stabilized, preliminary contract negotiations are taking place.

Below, I examine the history of NFL television contracts and the economic considerations behind them, before speculating what the next round of television contracts might look like.

Ex-FL: An Obituary (and Possible Resurrection)

6/26/2020

By Adam Bressler

Fans support the Defenders at Audi Field in Washington, DC. Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

It is official: Spring football is cursed. Despite my optimism that the revived XFL could become a sustainable institution within American sports, a once-in-a-century pandemic had to cut the league’s brake lines, just as it was building a following. And the worst part is that the XFL only lasted five weeks, less than the original iteration of the XFL in 2001, which lasted a full season, or even the mis-managed and ill-financed Alliance of American Football in 2019, which folded after eight weeks. Prior to the pandemic, the league had steady attendance numbers, growing fan engagement through social media, and positive reviews from legacy media critics. Yet the coronavirus halted the XFL’s momentum quicker than a skilled linebacker stops a scrambling quarterback.

As WCBN’s semi-official XFL correspondent, I have been meaning to write a final homage to the league since Commissioner Oliver Luck suspended the season on March 12. However, whenever I sat down to reflect on the league, I could never type out more than a few sentences without becoming irrationally depressed. Yet, recent rumors that the league might return in 2021 under new ownership have lifted my spirits and given me the motivation to complete this obituary. Below, I provided a brief autopsy of the XFL’s downfall, took a look at the future prospects of the league, and produced some end-of-season superlatives.

Like all other American sports leagues, the fall of the XFL at the hands of the novel coronavirus came rapidly. Initially, the league planned to hold the sixth week of its season normally, with the exception of the Seattle Dragons vs Los Angeles Wildcats game. Seattle was an early hotspot for the virus and in response to a proclamation from Washington state Governor Jay Inslee, XFL President Jeffrey Pollack decided on Wednesday, March 11 that the planned Dragons vs Wildcats game would be held without fans in attendance. However, that evening, the sports world came grinding to a halt as Utah Jazz center Rudy Golbert tested positive for the virus prior to a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. NBA commissioner Adam Silver immediately suspended all games until further notice, which was quickly matched by the commissioners of the MLB, NHL and MLS.

The XFL did not release a statement until the following day, March 12, when it too announced that all regular-season games would be canceled due to the virus. However, the statement mentioned that all players will receive base compensation for the entire season and left open the possibility that the league could return for the playoffs, scheduled for late April. Additionally, the league concluded its statement with the reassuring, yet later proven to be inaccurate, sentence, “The XFL is committed to playing a full season in 2021 and future years.”

That weekend, the league reported that a player on the Seattle Dragons tested positive for the virus along with a concessions employee at the stadium. For the following weeks, social media accounts from the league and its teams continued to produce content, including highlights from weeks one-five and a March Madness style bracket comparing the league's best play. The league office even selected an all-XFL team in the weeks following the suspension.

However on April 10, all social media accounts went dark and Pollack informed the press that the league was terminating nearly all of its 400 employees. The league filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 13, leading several business commentators to consider the XFL to be the first major casualty of the coronavirus. In accordance with Delaware bankruptcy law, the company’s remaining assets will be auctioned off in early August, with the proceeds being distributed to outstanding creditors (The proceedings will take place in Delaware’s bankruptcy court since Alpha Entertainment, the XFL’s parent corporation, was incorporated in the Blue Hen State). Much about the league’s future is uncertain, but the next couple months will certainly be filled with speculation about what will happen to the former XFL assets.

As a result of declaring bankruptcy, the league published several documents revealing the financial state of the league. According to the documents, Vince McMahon owns 100% of Alpha Entertainment’s Class A stock but only 76.5% of the corporation’s Class B stock. Despite previous assurances by McMahon that the XFL would be entirely independent from the WWE, the publicly traded company where McMahon serves as CEO, the remaining 23.5% of Alpha Entertainment’s Class B stock is owned by WWE Inc.

Additionally, the document listed the league’s 25 largest creditors, which includes several of the venues where teams played, seven of the league’s eight head coaches (Pep Hamiltion of the DC Defenders was the only head coach who did not crack the top 25), and numerous third party contractors.

As required by the filing, Alpha Entertainment determined that its total assets were valued between $10 and $50 million, and the total liabilities were valued within the same range. Further specifics were revealed by a lawsuit from an Oklahoma firefighter’s pension fund, which is a WWE shareholder and was concerned by the corporation’s involvement in the XFL. Documents produced by the lawsuit show that the XFL had $28,855,733.77 in assets and $31,411,772.97 in liabilities at the time of bankruptcy, far from overwhelmed by debt.

As the bankruptcy auction approaches, rumors have been fling about potential suitors for the league’s assets. At this moment, where all player contracts were voided, the XFL’s most lucrative assets are its intellectual property, which include team logos and names. Additionally, the league owns a reasonable amount of equipment, as well as some unpurchased merchandise and apparel. Reportedly, over 30 companies have expressed interest in the auction. Below, I have detailed the buyers which I find to be most likely:

The NFL
While it may come as a shock to many, I would not be surprised if the NFL scoops up the assets of its one-time rival for pennies on the dollar at the bankruptcy auction in August. Unlike all other major (and even some minor) American sports leagues, the NFL does not have any official developmental league. The MLB has the minor league system to develop players, which all teams are affiliated with a major league franchise, while the NBA and NHL have the G-League and AHL, respectively. Even NASCAR, the PGA, and the Overwatch e-sports league have some form of developmental framework. For better or worse, the NFL has relied on college football to develop athletes. From 1991 until 2007, the NFL owned and operated the NFL Europe, a forgotten gridiron football league with teams six based out of Europe. The league’s greatest legacy is probably hosting LaVar Ball’s brief stint in professional football. However, purchasing the XFL would provide the NFL with a ready to go developmental league for a fraction of the price of building one from scratch. With a spring developmental league, the NFL could keep its sport in the headlines year round, while providing the NFL network something else to broadcast and discuss in the offseason.

Disney (or Fox)
One reason the XFL appeared to be financially stronger than the AAF related to its television contract. Unlike the AAF, which was shown on NFL Network, CBS Sports Network and Bleacher Report Live, the XFL had much more credible broadcast partners. The league made a contract with the Walt Disney Company and Fox Corp, which assured that all games would air on either a national broadcast network (ABC and Fox) or one of the largest basic cable sports channels (ESPN and Fox Sports). This provided the fledgling league with instant credibility, and ensured that the league would be treated fairly by the national sports media (One of the many factors of the 2001 league’s demise is that ESPN declined to cover it because it was partially owned by rival NBC). If Disney were to purchase the league and revive it for a second season, it could broadcast live sports programs during a sluggish part of the sports calendar without having to negotiate expensive contracts with leagues. And XFL purists who are concerned about the world’s most family friendly brand taking over a gritty sports league should have nothing to worry about. Disney owns and operates the X-Games and several college football bowl games, both under the ESPN brand. Those events are not stuffed with Mickey Mouse memorabilia or Disney Princesses as mascots. If Disney makes a bid, I would expect the XFL to be operated similarly.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon
The second version of the XFL was Vince McMahon’s baby. He wanted to prove that he could address past mistakes and create something successful, without the help of NBC. Ever since the first press conference in January 2018, it was clear that the competitive McMahon would not take failure as an option. He set aside two full years for the league’s development and pledged half-a-billion dollars to the startup, although only a fraction of that was ever spent. The $500 million investment was expected to provide a three season runway, at the minimum, when hopefully the league would be stable enough to survive on its own. That is why so many people were surprised when McMahon pulled the plug on the league and declared bankruptcy in April. Although nobody could predict a public health catastrophe of this scale, McMahon's backing could have been enough to weather the storm and restart the league after a vaccine has been developed, with a pre-established fan base. However, the bankruptcy proceeding could all be a ploy for McMahon to retain ownership. According to ESPN, some creditors of the league are concerned that he is simply using the process to escape costly contracts and defalt on the league’s debt. In a deposition, McMahon denied the allegations, but would anyone really be surprised if the wrestling magnate goes back on his word?

Another Billionaire
Regardless of how much interest an auction garners, the entire league will likely sell for a fraction of the price of an NFL franchise. It is not unreasonable to think that a billionaire without quite enough liquidity to purchase an NFL team, or too impatient to wait for one of the 31 teams to be listed for sale, might purchase the XFL as a constellation. Some names that come to mind are Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon), Mark Cuban (“Shark” investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks), Joshua Harris (owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, who has expressed interest in purchasing an NFL franchise), and Ted Leonisis (owner of the Washington Wizards, Mavericks and Capitals, and former owner of two Arena League Football teams).

Several Independent Owners
It is possible that the bankruptcy auction, or some new ownership group, pawns off each team to an individual owner, following the franchise model that is present in all other American sports leagues. Although this model has some downsides, especially for growing leagues, it will be an easy way to inject cash into the XFL.

Asset Liquidation
Asset liquidation is certainly possible, but I see it as the least likely option for the XFL. Last year when the AAF faced bankruptcy auction, all assets, which mostly consisted of sporting equipment and intellectual property, were sold individually to the highest bidder. A similar fate is less likely with the XFL because, unlike the AAF, the league proved its sustainability during normal business operations and, I would argue, that the value of the XFL is greater than the sum of its parts.

Assuming the league is purchased by new ownership, questions marks remain that need to be answered. The most pressing issue is who will play in the league next year. When the XFL canceled the remainder of the regular season, all players were allowed to sign contracts with other professional leagues. Since then, 31 players have been signed by an NFL franchise, while 14 players have been signed by a CFL team. In addition, Kenny Robinson, the only XFL player with NFL draft eligibility, was selected in the fifth round by the Carolina Panthers. The Houston Roughnecks led the league with seven players signed by the NFL. The New York Guardians had the most players signed by the CFL with four. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed nine players from the XFL, the most of any NFL team, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed four players, the most of any CFL team.

Regardless, if the XFL does return, it will do so without many of its top tier players. The league will have to likely recruit new talent, just as it had to do prior to the 2020 season. However, the positive reception from the NFL and CFL could be a blessing in disguise for the league. It indicates that the XFL is a viable stepping stone to the NFL, which could possibly entice undrafted free agents or members of NFL practice squads to consider the league. A related uncertainty for a possible XFL revival is whether veteran XFLers will remain on their current teams or if the league will start from scratch with a selection draft.

The other major question that I am wondering is whether any teams will move cities. In contrast to the AAF, which located teams in smaller markets without NFL franchises, the XFL sought larger cities with established fan bases. With the exception of St Louis, which recently lost the Rams to Los Angeles, all XFL cities were shared with an NFL team. This strategy played out with mixed success.

The XFL would be foolish to move the St Louis Battlehawks or Seattle Dragons in a future season. Those two cities had the most supportive fan bases, by far, with the Battlehawks averaging 28,541 fans per game and the Dragons averaging 25,616 fans per game. Despite only playing two home games, when other teams held three home games during the shortened season, St Louis hosted 57,081 fans in total, the most out of all XFL teams. According to ESPN, St Louis had already sold over 36,000 tickets for the scheduled game against the Los Angeles Wildcats on March 21, with internal projections estimating that the box office would have sold over 45,000 by gameday.

Additionally, the Houston Roughnecks and DC Defenders are unlikely to move cities or stadiums. Both teams had strong fanbases present in the bleachers and on social media, certainly buoyed by successful play on the field. Each played in a smaller stadium, which is the right size for the XFL. Since declaring bankruptcy, some media outlets have reported that representatives from the league have reached out to the University of Houston, owner of the Roughneck’s home stadium, about renewing the team’s rental agreement. Similar reports have come out about St. Louis and Seattle.

Of the remaining four teams, all would be ripe candidates for a relocation. A handful of cities with AAF teams proved that they could support professional football, with the San Antonio Commanders, Orlando Apollos and San Diego Fleet drawing solid attendance. I could imagine the XFL moving teams from its less successful markets to those cities. The Dallas Renegades drew decent attendance, but their residency in Globe Life Park, the repurposed baseball stadium, was far from perfect. A move to the Alamodome in San Antonio would make sense and allow the team to keep its branding and intrastate, Lone Star rivalry with the Roughnecks. A similar argument could be made about the Tampa Bay Vipers. The team drew decent attendance in Raymond James Stadium, but it is clear that the stadium is suited for an NFL-sized crowd. The team could easily relocate along I-4 to Orlando, where it would have many stadium options. Camping World Stadium (home to the Citrus Bowl), Spectrum Stadium (home to UCF football), or Exploria Stadium (home to Orlando City SC of the MLS) would each be a suitable home for the Vipers. I could even imagine the team moving to the Disney-owned ESPN Wild World of Sports if Disney were to acquire the league.

Despite playing in the two largest markets, the New York Guardians and Los Angeles Wildcats averaged the lowest attendance in the league. As the only cities with two NFL franchises, it is possible that many residents are uninterested in following a new team. The Wildcats could move to San Diego or Oakland, both cities which recently lost their NFL franchise, although I pray the team doesn't play in the Oakland Coliseum. There is no clear landing spot for the New York Guardians since the “Acela corridor” is pretty saturated with professional football teams. If I had to speculate, the team might be viable if it moves to Columbus and plays in Mapfre Stadium, home of the MLS’s Columbus Crew, but the Guardians might be better suited to move from MetLife Stadium to a smaller venue in the tri-state area. Red Bull Arena, home to the NY Red Bull of the MLS, might be a better stadium.

To close out this in-depth obituary, I thought it would be fitting to award some last superlatives to some of the league’s best players. Every week throughout the season, I selected an Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Player of the Week. For this final epilogue of the 2020 season, I will choose a Player of the Year for all three categories, plus I will award the WCBN’s XFL MVP distinction to the league greatest player overall.

Offensive Player of the Year: Cam Phillips, WR, Houston Roughnecks

It pays off to be the favorite target on the XFL’s only undefeated team. Cam Phillips, wide receiver for the 5-0 Houston Roughnecks, led the XFL in receiving touchdowns (9), receptions (31), and receiving yards (455). He scored the first points in Roughnecks history with a 50-yard touchdown reception in week one, followed by three receptions apiece in weeks 2 and 3. As a testament to his star power, Phillips was chosen as the league-wide “Star of the Week” three times, the only player to win the award more than once. Phillips has yet to be signed by an NFL team, but I am excited to see him play in the future, regardless of where he ends up.

Defensive Player of the Year: Steven Johnson, LB, Seattle Dragons

Although not quite the Legion of Boom, Steven Johnson was a brick wall on defense at CenturyLink Field. The Seattle Dragons linebacker led the XFL in combined tackles, with 48, and tackles for a loss, with six. Johnson excelled during the Dragon’s week three loss to the Dallas Renegades, when he made an astounding 14 tackles. Johnson is 31 years old and has yet to be signed by an NFL team. However, if an NFL team is looking for an experienced linebacker, Johnson should definitely be considered.

Special Teams Player of the Year: Austin MacGinnis, PK, Dallas Renegades

Austin MacGinnis might not have been the flashiest special teams player in the XFL, but he sure was the most consistent. MacGinnis led the league in field goals, converting all 10 field goals that he attempted during the shortened season. Additionally, MacGinnis was dominant at kickoffs, leading the XFL with four touchbacks and six kickoffs downed within the opposing 20 yard line. Although his longest field goal was only 47 yards, his consistency during kickoffs and when attempting field goals was unmatched in the league. MacGinnis has signed with the Los Angeles Rams, but he will have to compete for the starting job with Lirim Hajrullahu, a former kicker for the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Samuel Sloman, seventh-round draft pick out of Miami (OH) University. However, the Rams will be featured on the upcoming season of HBO’s Hard Knocks, so I will be excited to see if he makes the cut during training camp.

WCBN’s XFL MVP: PJ Walker, QB, Houston Roughnecks

Anyone who has even causally been following the XFL knows who deserves MVP for the 2020 season. PJ Walker completely dominated the XFL, leading his Houston Roughnecks to a perfect 5-0 record during the shortened season. Looking at the box score, Walker made the XFL his playground. He led the league in passing touchdowns (15), passing yards (1338), pass attempts (184), pass completions (119), and passer rating (104.4). I am disappointed that the season was cut short because I wanted to see if Walker and the Roughnecks could keep up the perfect season and continue producing those insane statistics. When fans and sports pundits remember the second iteration of the XFL, they will think of PJ Walker, just as people think of Dr J when remembering the ABA. Fortunately, Walker was signed by the Carolina Panthers, so with any luck, he will have a long NFL career.

I have been following the XFL since the revived league was just a rumor back in December 2017. Although the season did not end how I anticipated, it was so fun to follow the league from start to finish. It has been an absolute pleasure watching the league blossom and I hope that it will return again to reimagine football (but hopefully, this time doesn't take another two decades).

Week Three XFL recap, Players of the Week and Power Rankings

2/28/2020

By Adam Bressler

St. Louis Battlehawks kick returner Joe Powell (44) scored the first kick return touchdown in XFL history during Sunday’s win over the New York Guardians. Photo by Getty Images

The XFL is beginning to hit stride, with a quarter of the first season in the books (10 regular season weeks, plus two weeks of postseason match-ups). By all measures, the teams are playing more cohesively and the league is giving us a preview of what to expect when the novelty wears off. Here are my quick thoughts on the happenings around the league from Week 3:

Surprisingly, there is much more parity in the XFL than I expected prior to Week 3. The undefeated Houston Roughnecks faced the winless Tampa Bay Vipers in a game that many XFL fans and pundits (myself included) expected to be a comfortable blowout. However, the Vipers kept it close, with the Roughnecks edging them out 34-27 in a shootout. Additionally, prior to Sunday afternoon’s game between the DC Defenders and Los Angeles Wildcats, I thought that the then-undefeated Defenders would have no trouble beating the then-winless Wildcats. However, to much surprise, the Wildcats steamrolled the Defenders, finishing with a final score of 39-9 and giving Cardale Jones his first loss since high school. The quality of play is beginning to level out, which is great news for XFL fans and executives alike.

We finally got to see a kickoff return for a touchdown under the XFL’s modified formation, but it required a bit of trickery to occur. The historic moment happened during Sunday’s game between the St. Louis Battlehawks and New York Guardians. The ball was kicked by New York Guardians placekicker Matthew McCrane and initially received by Battlehawks wide receiver Keith Mumphery. Mumphery almost immediately pitched it to teammate Joe Powell, who was running a reverse route across the field. Powell caught the Guardians off guard and was able to take a hole along the sideline for 84 yards to the endzone. The XFL has teams line up five yards apart from each other on the returning team’s 30 yard line. They are not allowed to move until the ball is either caught or touches the turf. If the ball is kicked out of bounds or into the endzone, it is placed on the 35 yard line. These changes are supposed to incentive returns and limit high speed collisions between players. It took a while for the rule change to result in a touchdown, but hopefully, this was just the first of many kick returns under the league’s modified rules.

The XFL’s average attendance was higher than Week 2, marking the third straight week of attendance growth. In Week 3, the league averaged 20,485 fans per game, up 7.4% from Week 2’s average of 19,071. This high average was supported by the league’s final two home openers. On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Vipers hosted the Houston Roughnecks at Raymond James Stadium and drew a reported attendance of 18,117 fans. The following day, the Battlehawks hosted the New York Guardians for their first home game at the Dome in St. Louis. The game garnered 29,554 fan, selling out the entire bottom bowl of the stadium, surpassing the XFL’s attendance record set in Seattle during Week 2. However, the attendance at stadiums which hosted previous games were not as strong. Seattle’s CenturyLink Field had a billed attendance of 22,060 fans, positive in its own right (the third highest attended game of the season), but down 24.3% from the attendance at the same stadium in Week 2. The Los Angeles Wildcats continued to have poor attendance at Dignity Health Sports Park, with a league low 12,211 fans, down 18.5% from Week 2. The Wildcats’s two home games are the two least attended games of the season. The XFL is now complete with all season openers, but all Week 4 games will be played at stadiums that have only hosted one game so far (Metlife Field, The Dome, GlobeLife Park and Raymond James Stadium). I am interested if the league can keep its average attendance growing, even without the boost caused by home openers.

Despite the strong attendance, television ratings fell for the second week in a row. The four games on ESPN, ABC, Fox and FS1 averaged 1.61 million viewers. That is down 21.8% from Week 2 and 48.5% from Week 1. Saturday afternoon’s Seattle-Dallas game broadcast on Fox drew the most viewers with an average of 2.05 million over the course of the broadcast. That is down 11.7% from Week 2’s broadcast on Fox. The second most viewed game was Saturday’s ABC game between the Roughnecks and Vipers, which drew an average of 1.91 million viewers, down 10.9% from the prior week’s game on that network. The Wildcats-Defenders game broadcast on Sunday on FS1 drew an average of 1.00 million viewers, down 28.3% from FS1’s Week 2 broadcast. The final game, which was between St. Louis and New York, was broadcast on ESPN and drew 1.47 million fans. Although many involved with the league are probably not surprised by the drop in viewership, I am sure that they were hoping for a smaller decline. Interestingly, the AAF actually increased viewers between Week 3 and Week 4 of its season, so it will be interesting to see if a similar pattern occurs for the XFL. However, the AAF had much lower ratings than the XFL has at this point in the season and AAF games were broadcast on more obscure networks. An argument can be made that the AAF had reached its floor by Week 3 of its season, while the XFL might still have room to fall.

Keep reading to see WCBN’s XFL power rankings, Players of the Week, MVP race standings, and our Week 4 game to watch.

XFL Week Two recap, Players of the Week and Power Rankings

2/21/2020

By Adam Bressler

In his first game back from injury, quarterback Landry Jones led the Dallas Renegades to its first victory of the season, a 25-18 win over the Los Angeles Wildcats. Photo by Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

The XFL is in full swing, which means another week of spring football to contain my appetite for the sport. I don’t have quite as much to say about Week 2 as I did last week, but here are my quick thoughts on the happenings around the league:

The main takeaway from Week 2 is that the XFL is a quarterback’s league. The teams with talented quarterbacks have been successful, while teams without have been tough to watch. Just consider this past week’s matchup between the DC Defenders and New York Guardians. The Defenders cruised to a dominant victory behind elite quarterback Cardale Jones, while the Guardians struggled to get a first down as quarterback Matt McGloin threw 2 interceptions and was benched in favor of backup Marquise Williams. However, when teams with competent quarterbacks face each other, as seen last weekend when the St. Louis Battlehawks, led by Jordan Ta'amu, faced P.J. Walker’s Roughnecks in Houston. The game was arguably the most balanced of the season intermission of quarterback skill. As a result, fans were able to enjoy a neck-and-neck shootout, which was more competitive than many NFL games. I am curious to see how the XFL attempts to address this problem in future seasons. Out of all players, the NFL is most likely to poach the XFL’s elite quarterbacks and I think very few fans and coaches would be surprised to see Walker or Jones in an NFL jersey in August. Will the XFL be able to retain enough elite quarterbacks from the pool of players unable to make it in the NFL? Will they attempt to poach players of their own from the Canandian Football League?

Week 2 featured the first instances several XFL rule modifications were taken advantage of. In the first game of the week, DC Defenders head coach Pep Hamilton called the first ever double pass in XFL history. Schematically, the play design was very similar to a flea flicker. Defenders quarterback Cardale Jones revived the snap and pitched it to running back Donnel Pumphrey. Pumphrey then pitched it back to Jones, who was standing unguarded in the pocket and was able to pass it to wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins for a 21-yard gain. However, since the first pitch went slightly forward, it is considered a forward pass. Under the NFL rules, Jones would be unable to throw the ball forward after reviving the pitch from Pumphrey. However, in the XFL, this play was perfectly legal. Also, Week 2 saw the first ever successful 3-point conversation in XFL history. After teams score a touchdown, they are given the option of attempting a 1-, 2- or 3-point conversion from the 2, 5 and 10 yard line, respectively. During the first week, not a single coach elected to go for 3 points after scoring. In the first game of Week 2, Hamilton’s Defenders elected to go for three late in the game after extending their lead to 27-0 over the New York Guardians. However, the conversation attempt resulted in an incomplete pass from Jones. The following day, the Los Angeles Wildcats were trailing the Dallas Renegades by 10 points in the 4th quarter, before Nelson Spruce scored a 44-yard touchdown, narrowing the deficit to 4 points. The Wildcats elected to go for the 3-point conversion and were aided by an offsides penalty called on Dallas, which moved the line of scrimmage half the distance to the goal line to the 5. Quarterback Josh Johnson connected with Adonis Jennings in the endzone to complete the conversion. Despite the conversion, the Wildcats ended up losing the game 18-25. Over the course of the season, I am interested to see the creative play calling that makes uses of these modified rules.

There might be a possible quarterback controversy in New York. Coming off of an incredibly dominant Week 1, Guardians quarterback Matt McGloin was frustrated by the Defenders strong defense. Through 3 quarters, McGloin completed 8 of 19 pass attempts for a total of 44 yards. Exacerbating the struggles, McGloin made some controversial statements to ABC’s sideline reporter immediately after throwing the first of two interceptions, saying, "We need to change the whole entire gameplan.” When asked for a statement during halftime, Guardians head coach Kevin Gilbride responded, "I need to go talk to him & figure out what the problem is because he needs to play better." After throwing a second pick and bring benched in favor of backup Marquise Williams, McGloin double downed on his sentiment, saying, "at no point in time did I think we were comfortable out there. At no point in time did I think we were in a position to try to be successful." I am keeping an eye on who head coach Kevin Gilbride decides to put under center during Week 3 when the Guardians face the Battlehawks in St. Louis.

The XFL also had its first referee no-call controversy last weekend. Early in the fourth quarter of Sunday evening’s St. Louis-Houston game, the Battlehawks were trailing 18-21 and driving down the field. On 2nd and 14, a Houston defensive lineman clearly jumped offsides. Believing it to be free play, St. Louis quarterback Jordan Ta'amu threw a risky pass intended for wide receiver Alonzo Russell. The pass was intercepted, but the anticipated flag never came. Houston punched in the ball for a touchdown two plays later and was able to hold off the Battlehawks with a final score of 24-28.

The league’s average attendance was higher than Week 1, however, the figures might be misleading. In Week 2, the league averaged 19,071 fans per game, up 9.3% from Week 1’s average of 17,454. However, Week 2’s average attendance was aided by the first home game at CenturyLink Field In Seattle, which garnered a league record attendance of 29,172 fans (first game to break 20,000 fans in league history). However, when comparing attendance between stadiums that hosted games in both Week 1 and Week 2 paints a bleaker picture. The Defenders had a billed attendance of 15,031 at Audi Field this past weekend, a 12.4% drop from Week 1 (17,163) — although it is worth noting that the temperature was below freezing in Washington at kickoff, which surely depressed attendance. Similarly, attendance at Houston’s TDECU Stadium (17,103 in Week 2) dropped 4.0% from Week 1 (17,815). The Los Angeles Wildcats had the most disappointing turnout of the week, with 14,979 fans at the team’s home opener, the lowest attended game all season. If the home opener at Dignity Health Sports Park was so low, that is not a good sign for the rest of the season in California. Next week will be the final two home openers. The Houston Roughnecks take on the Vipers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, whole the New York Guardians will face the Battlehawks in St. Louis at The Dome. Both are current or former NFL stadiums, so it is unlikely that either will sell out. However, the Battlehawks have the potential for a big turnout. St. Louis has the highest local television ratings for XFL broadcasts so far this season, and the city is clamoring for a team to support since the Rams moved to Los Angeles in 2016. The team has reportedly sold out the entire bottom bowl at The Dome, which amounts to around 28,000 seats. The team has no plans to open up the upper level and second hand sales are going for an average of $100 per ticket.

As expected, TV viewership dropped in its second week, but was still pretty respectable for a fledgling league. Between the four broadcasts, the XFL averaged 2.06 million fans, down 37.9% from last week (average of 3.318). Sunday afternoon’s Dallas-Los Angeles game, which was broadcast on ABC, drew the largest viewership of the weekend with an average of 2.397 million viewers. However, that is still a 29% drop from Week 1’s ABC game. The second largest viewership of the weekend was Fox’s coverage of the Tampa-Seattle game, with 2.324 million viewers, a 21% from the previous week’s Fox game. Saturday afternoon’s ABC game between New York and DC averaged 2.146 million viewers, while Sunday evening’s Houston-St. Louis game averaged 1.395 million viewers on FS1. Sunday’s game was the first to be broadcast on FS1, the least carried of the XFL’s four broadcast partners. Big viewership drops between weeks 1 and 2 are nothing new for spring football leagues. As novelty wears off, some fans are assured to tune out. Last year’s AAF had a 69% drop between weeks 1 and 2, although this was certainly magnified by a shift from CBS to sparsely-carried premium cable network NFL Network. The original iteration of the XFL in 2001 dropped 52% between weeks 1 and 2. XFL’s comparatively minor drop is promising, especially if the ratings can stabilize over the coming weeks.

Keep reading to see WCBN’s XFL power rankings, Players of the Week, MVP race standings, and our Week 3 game to watch.

XFL Week One recap, Players of the Week and Power Rankings

2/13/2020

By Adam Bressler

Houston Roughnecks quarterback P.J. Walker scored 4 touchdowns in his Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Wildcats. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

After a nearly two decade hiatus, the XFL is back in action. Week 1 of the season did not disappoint and was an absolute joy to watch. The on-field product was palatable, while the off-field antics gave the fledgeling league some character. Here are my quick thoughts on the happenings around the league:

The gameplay was surprisingly enjoyable to watch. Unlike the AAF, which at times was incredibly slow paced, the pacing of XFL games felt akin to the NFL. The league featured extensive passing, which is expected considering the league’s inexperienced offensive line corps. Only 3 rushing touchdowns were scored league-wide during Week 1, compared to 12 passing touchdowns. It will be curious to see if these passing-centric playbooks continue over the course of the season or if teams rely more on running backs as the offensive linemen improve.

The first weekend of play featured nearly every fan favorite play. In the opening game between the Seattle Dragons and DC Defenders, Defenders cornerback Elijah Campbell blocked a punt, which was recovered by teammate Jonathan Celestin in the endzone for a touchdown. Later in that game, Defenders cornerback Bradley Sylve intercepted a pass intended for Austin Proehl and returned it for a pick six. At the end of the first half, Defenders placekicker Tyler Rausa successfully kicked a 54 yard field goal. And the most exciting play of the game occured in the third quarter when a fleaflicker pitch resulted in Defenders quarterback Cardale Jones connecting with Khari Lee for a 39 yard touchdown. All of these exciting plays occurred in a single game, more than many NFL games.

The rule changes that separate the XFL from the NFL were largely dormant during Week 1. After scoring a touchdown, teams generally went for the standard one extra point. There were only 8 two point attempts, with only three of them being successful. No team attempted a three point conversion during Week 1. The modified kick off, although successful in limiting touchbacks (only 2 occured all weekend), did not result in any major gains as expected. And not a single head coach had the guts to attempt the fabled double pass. In future weeks, I will be watching to see if any team has the guts to attempt a three point conversion or double pass.

A goal of the XFL from day one was to have quicker games. At the very first press conference which publicly announced the league, Vince McMahon said he wanted the league to have “less stall, more ball”. Although McMahon originally aimed for an average game to be under two hours, Commissioner Oliver Luck said that they are aiming for games to be under a more reasonable 2 hours and 45 minutes. In the first week of play, they were unable to reach that goal, with games coming out to an average length of 2 hours and 56 minutes. This is slightly shorter than the average NFL game (Around 10 minutes shorter to be precise), but still a far cry from the innovation that the league’s executives had in mind before the season. I imagine the average length will shorten slightly over the next few weeks as players, officials and broadcasters become more accustomed to the XFL’s modified rules, but I don’t anticipate it making much of an impact.

The one rule change that was very successful was the modified punting rules. Under the XFL rulebook, any punts that go out of bounds or into the endzone are treated as a touchback and placed on the 35 yard line. This incentives coaches to go for it on 4th and short, when they might have elected to punt otherwise. In the DC-Seattle game, Defenders head coach Pep Hamilton faced a 4th and 6 with the ball on the Dragons’ 31 yard line. In the NFL, a coach might attempt to coffin corner a punt, pinning the opening team near their endzone, but preventing the possibility of a return. Under the XFL’s punting rules, all coffin corners would result in a touchback, where the ball is placed on the 35-yard line. In this situation, it would have been more strategic to take a turnover on downs, or a knee for a loss of yards, than risk punting the ball out of bounds or into the endzone. As a result, Hamilton decided to go for it on 4th and 6, which resulted in a 31 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rashad Ross. Thanks to the XFL’s modified punting rules, an otherwise boring and routine play was replaced with one of the most exciting of the game.

The attendance and television viewership were both solid. All four games featured a billed attendance between 17,000 and 18,000 fans, with the league averaging 17,454 fans per game (HOU: 17,815; NY: 17,634; DAL: 17,206; DC: 17,163). This is slightly less than the 19,210 fans that the AAF averaged during Week 1 last season, but is comparable to the average attendance at an NBA or NHL game. The television viewership averaged 3.12 million viewers, which is quite decent for an upstart league. Last year, the AAF averaged 2.9 million viewers during its first week. The opening game between the DC Defenders and Seattle Dragons, which was broadcast nationally on ABC, averaged 3.30 million viewers. Saturday’s late game between the Los Angeles Wildcats and Houston Roughnecks averaged 3.29 million on FOX. The most viewed game of the weekend occured on Sunday for Fox’s coverage of the New York Guardians vs Tampa Bay Vipers, which averaged 3.39 million viewers. The final game on Sunday between the St. Louis Battlehawks and Dallas Renegades was broadcast on ESPN and received 2.50 million viewers, slightly less than the other three games since it was the league’s lone cable game. The three games on broadcast television ranked second, third and fourth, respectively, among this weekend’s live sporting events, behind only the PGA Tour on CBS. Notably, those three games surpassed ESPN’s coverage of Duke vs North Carolina men’s basketball and the Lakers vs Warriors game on ABC. The question remains if the league can match, or even improve, its decent attendance and viewership numbers over the course of the season. I will keep an eye on the billed attendance for the home openers in Seattle and St. Louis. Both cities are expected to draw a large number of fans and have even opened up more sections for seating during their upcoming games (Both the Dragons and Battlehawks play in NFL, or former-NFL, stadiums and are only selling tickets in certain sections of the stadium). Reportably, the Seattle Dragons expect to surpass 20,000 spectators, while the St. Louis Battlehawks are expecting over 25,000 fans in attendance. If the original XFL and last year’s AAF are any indication, the television viewership will almost certainly drop off during Week 2 as the league’s novelty wears off for many fans. Best case scenario, the XFL retains an average viewership of 2.5 million fans for its Week 2 slate of games, and then slowly grows its viewership over the remainder of the season.

Although I was initially skeptical, I enjoyed the in-game interviews with players. I found that these moments humanized the players and added personality to the broadcasts. In an upstart league with very few household names (Cardale Jones and Aaron Murray are the only two who come to mind) these interviewers are an ingenious method of helping fans get to know the players. Additionally, in an era where fans expect professional athletes to be infallible, these interviews work wonders in humanizing the players. Also, they aid in investing in storylines over the course of games. For example, consider Tyler Rausa, the placekicker for the DC Defenders. Early in the second quarter, Rausa missed a 35 yard field goal that would have tied the game. Immediately after the kick, sideline reporter Dianna Russini asked him about his mindset. Because of that interview, fans were especially proud of Rausa when he nailed a 54 yard kick later in the game. Finally, the in-game interviews are opportunities for the occasional gem, such as Seattle center Dillon Day’s inadvertent profanity after Day was penalized for an on-field skirmish.

Continuing off of the last topic, Pat McAfee as an XFL sideline reporter for ESPN is incredible to watch. McAfee, the former All-Pro punter for the Indianapolis Colts, was ESPN’s ears on the field for Sunday’s game between the St. Louis Battlehawks and Dallas Renegades. Throughout the game, he interviewed players, coaches and even found time to speak with XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck and Troy Aikman, the three time Super Bowl champion quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. McAfee’s best moment came of the evening came in the third quarter during a punt from the Battlehawk’s Marquette King. On Fourth & 4, St. Louis elected to punt from their own 37 yard line. King blasts the ball over 60 yards and it comes to rest right on Dallas’ 2 yard line, a near perfect punt. McAfee is gushing about how beautiful the kick was when Battlehawks linebacker Steve Beauharnais pushed it into the endzone, causing a touchback and placing the ball at Dallas’ 35 yard line. McAfee, ESPN’s undisputed punting expert, was outraged and instantly said “I'm going to go talk to that guy”. True to his word, mere seconds later, he got the scoop from Beauharnais (who claimed that he thought the Dallas returner had touched the ball, making it live). McAfee’s position as both a former player and fan of the game at heart makes him a perfect sideline reporter (I believe this reasoning is similar to why Tony Romo has seen so much success as Color Commentator for CBS). During Week 2, McAfee will be covering the 3:00 game on Sunday between the Dallas Renegades and the Los Angeles Wildcats, which will be broadcast on ABC. I am excited to follow McAfee’s commentary over the course of the season and to see if his stint with the XFL becomes a stepping stone for his career.

In my opinion, the league’s other broadcast innovation, allowing fans to hear play calls in real time, was not as successful. Before the first game, I was pretty excited about this, as I thought it would allow fans to be tipped off about what is happening. However, as I should have expected, the coaches communicated in coded phrases, and might as well have been speaking German. Maybe this has a chance to go viral in future weeks with a repeat of Peyton Manning’s 2015 “Omaha” trend, but for now, this addition will be appreciated by few.

The XFL is dominating their social media presence. The XFL is going to see much success if it can engage fans, particularly a younger audience, through social media. And so far, the league is doing a fantastic job. Even before the first kickoff, team accounts were forming rivalries with each other. In one poorly-aged tweet, the official Dallas Renegades account posted “@XFLBattleHawks QUICK! Re-post this while it’s still relevant for you!” and included a photo from @XFLonFOX which listed every team as undefeated (The Battlehawks went on to beat the Renegades 15-9). During games, accounts post highlights, scoring updates and interviews with players and fans. And these accounts are unafraid to break the norms of professional sports by posting memes about their opponents. One particularly schathing gif posted by the DC Defenders instagram account after their victory over the Seattle Dragons showed a video from Seattle's famous Pike’s Place fish market. The gif had a giant “L” superimposed over a fish, which was being tossed from a Defenders fisherman to a Dragons fisherman. To close out the weekend, the main XFL account posted “NFL Red Zone”-esque clip on Instagram showing every single touchdown of the entire weekend. The XFL’s social media presence enhanced my engagement with the games and players.

Finally, it would be a disservice to ignore the intangibles that made the weekend chaotic and unpredictable, yet awesome for fans. In what other league would you see players on a winning team (the St. Louis Battlehawks in this instance) shotgunning hard seltzer in the locker room after a Week 1 victory? What about a receiver on the Dallas Renegades doing push-ups as a self punishment after dropping a pass? Los Angeles Wildcats running back Elijah Hood leaped over a Roughneck Defender on Saturday. And probably the most absurd moment of all occurred when Houston wide receiver Kahlil Lewis started projectile vomiting during an extra point attempt (Apparently, he just chugged some gatorade and was too excited after teammate Cam Phillips scored the first touchdown in Roughneck history). Buckle up, because this is going to be a wild season.

Keep reading to see WCBN’s XFL power rankings, Players of the Week, MVP race standings, and our Week 2 game to watch.

Four things to Watch in the XFL Reboot

2/7/2020

By Adam Bressler

XFL Owner and wrestling tycoon Vince McMahon as he introduces the resurrection of the XFL on January 25, 2018. The first game of the league will occur on February 8, 2020. Photo by Alpha Entertainment

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs captivated the nation with their comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. But after the final note of the Lombardi processional was played and the last pieces of confetti were vacuumed out of the turf at Hard Rock Stadium, football fans braced for the annual hibernation that takes place from February to August.

Fortunately, this year, wrestling tycoon Vince McMahon is launching a substitute that aims to satisfy America’s appetite for football. Nearly two decades after the first iteration of the XFL collapsed, McMahon is hoping to learn from his mistakes when he reboots the league this weekend. Back in 2018, McMahon said, "I wanted to do this since the day we stopped the other one. A chance to do it with no partners, strictly funded by me, which would allow me to look in the mirror and say, 'You were the one who screwed this up,' or 'You made this thing a success.'" I have been following the revived league since December 2017, when the XFL was simply a punchline and a reboot was nothing more than speculation. On January 25, 2018, McMahon live streamed a press conference over the internet to officially announce the return of the XFL. From the onset, McMahon did not want to rush the league’s development saying in the initial press conference, “We have two years now to really get it right.” The original iteration of the XFL was criticized for cutting corners and rushing the league to market. In the 743 days since the league’s announcement, host cities were selected, team names were revealed, players were drafted and a competitor, the infamous Alliance of American Football, played both its first and last games.

Now that the revived league’s inaugural game is scheduled this weekend in Washington, DC between the DC Defenders and the Seattle Dragons, here are four things to watch over the course of the season:

Rethinking NCAA Bowl Names

12/23/2019

By Daniel Thompson and Adam Bressler

Starting with the construction of the Rose Bowl Stadium in 1923, post-season college football contests have honored local commodities. The Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, and the Peach Bowl are legendary names that pay respect to regional tourist festivals. But starting in the 1990s, bowl games began to sell their naming rights to corporate sponsors, either adding a sponsor to the beginning or end of the name (“The Rose Bowl presented by Northwestern Mutual”, “Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic”) or entirely selling out (“Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl”, “Camping World Bowl”, “Cheez-It Bowl”). Here at WCBN, we advocate for the games to return to their traditional naming roots. Below, we made a list of bowls that should be renamed and then proposed some possible titles that could work.

Six Michigan Alumni Drafted in XFL Reboot

10/20/2019

By Adam Bressler

Former Michigan assistant coach Pep Hamilton is the Head Coach and General Manager of the XFL’s DC Defenders. In the inaugural draft, Hamilton selected two Michigan alumni, OT Logan Tuley-Tillman and S Tyree Kinnel. Photo by Melanie Maxwell / MLive.com

This past week, 568 unsigned football players, including half a dozen former Wolverines, were given the opportunity to follow their dreams in the XFL. The XFL is an upcoming professional spring football league that will begin play in February 2020. The league is financed by WWE founder Vince McMahon and Oliver Luck, former president of NFL Europe, is the Commissioner of the XFL. The general managers of the league’s eight franchises met over conference call to conduct the inaugural XFL draft.

The XFL Draft was divided into 5 phases, each comprised of separate position groups. Phase 1 featured offensive skill position players, phase 2 contained offensive linemen, phase 3 consisted of defensive front seven, and phase 4 included defensive backs. The final phase was open for any players not drafted in the first four rounds, as well as special teams players who did not have a separate phase. Additionally, each team was assigned a single “tier one” quarterback by the league administrators.

Phases 1-4 included ten rounds each, while phase 5 included 30 rounds. In total, each team drafted 71 players, which will be shaved to 52 by the start of the season in February. Phases 1, 2, and 3 took place on Tuesday, October 15 and Phases 4 and 5 took place on Wednesday, October 16.

The Wolverines were well represented in the inaugural draft. Running back De’Veon Smith was drafted in the third round of Phase 1 by the Tampa Bay Vipers. The Vipers also drafted fellow Wolverine William Campbell in the tenth round of phase 2. The St. Louis Battlehawks selected guard Juwann Bushell-Beatty in the ninth round of phase 2 and the Seattle Dragons drafted cornerback Channing Stribling in the fifth round of phase 4.