Event Date: February 25th, 1983
Event Description: Bassett Interview
Source: UPI-St. Petersburg Times
John Bassett, owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits, said Thursday he is pleased Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker signed with the new United States Football League, but he is not happy with the way it was handled.
“My first reaction as an owner was how come they (New Jersey Generals) had the right to sign him,” Bassett said in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times. “I know he requested to play in New Jersey, but so what. Just because he can make more money from Madison Avenue commercials isn't a good enough reason for him to play in New Jersey. He's here to play football, not to sell underarm deodorant and cars.”
Bassett said USFL officials should have given every franchise an opportunity to sign Walker. “We would have signed him and we wanted an opportunity. The way it was done is not a fair situation,” he said.
USFL Commissioner Chet Simmons said Wednesday he made the decision to allow the Generals to sign Walker because of “a very, very special and unique set of circumstances.”
Bassett said the Generals should be forced to give up something to the other 11 teams. “I can tell you that it's the policy of this football team to exact meaningful, compensating concessions from New Jersey, because the Tampa Bay Bandits would have been in the running for Walker,” Bassett said.
USFL officials have said the league's rule against signing of underclassmen still is in effect and that the signing of Walker was a one-time situation.
Bassett said he will follow a two-fold policy in which if an underclassman from a school in the Bandits' territory makes himself available, he would contact the player's coach and if he gave his approval, the player would be signed. If he didn't approve, he wouldn't.
But if a star from outside the territory -- such as Marcus DuPree of Oklahoma -- became available “I'd sign him as soon as I could.”
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