'82 Chronology-Windy City Welcome

Event Date: June 22nd, 1982

Event Description: Allen Returns to Coaching

Source: United Press International

Former Washington Redskins Coach George Allen will be head coach and part owner of the Chicago franchise in the new United States Football League, league officials announced Monday.

Allen said he is confident the league will succeed and that his as-yet unnamed Chicago team will be competitive with National Football League squads within three years.

The USFL is scheduled to start play next March with a season running through July. It has contracts with ABC-TV and ESPN for television of many of its games. Allen is the third coach named for the 12-team league. Previously, Chuck Fairbanks was named to head the New York franchise and Red Miller to handle the Denver team.

David Dixon, a New Orleans businessman who founded the league, said at a news conference he originally wanted the Chicago franchise for himself. But when he discovered that Allen wanted to return to Chicago, where he also coached for eight years with the Bears, Dixon said, he decided to step aside.

Allen said he believes the league will succeed, despite the failure of the World Football League and other competitors of the NFL, because it will have solid ownership, proven coaching, major stadiums, television contracts, presence in the major markets, experienced front office personnel and an $18 million reserve fund.

“The World Football League put players first,” he said. “We'll create our own league and our own stars. There are plenty of players. When I was with Washington, we cut enough players to stock another franchise.”

He said the USFL won't compete directly for fan support with the NFL because the seasons will not overlap. But he said he thinks the USLF teams will improve rapidly to the point they could compete on the gridiron with the NFL.

'Within three years, I think our teams would be competitive with any team in the NFL,' he said.

(Story property-UPI)