Event Date: September 1st, 1985
Event Description: State of the League Report
Source: League Office
The following was partly derived, borrowed and inspired from the Alternate History of the United States Football League which can be found here.
State of the League Report
Presented by Peter Hadhazy and Jim Byrne to Commissioner Harry Usher on the eve of the September league meetings.
Strong Franchises
*Arizona Outlaws
The Tathams are determined to build a winning team in Arizona and are not opposed to spending large amounts of money to achieve that goal.
The Tathams consider themselves to be a prime target if the league were to ever merge with the National Football League.
The team has some star players, but head coach Frank Kush can be controversial and problematic.
George Allen has resigned his position as GM, but remains part of the ownership group.
Attendance has been inconsistent, but would certainly rebound if the team were to perform beter on the field.
BASE SALARY CAP # ’85-$2.995 (excluding bonuses and Doug Williams’ personal services contract)
Denver Gold
Doug Spedding has done a decent job as far as running the team and managing its finances, but he can be problematic with regard to his interactions with coaches and players.
Spedding is a proponent of the original David Dixon plan.
The team has an innovative head coach in Mouse Davis and were by far the best team in the Pacific.
Attendance has been amongst the best in the league and the team has built a loyal following in Denver.
Stable franchise with great fan support as long as the league remains a spring entity.
BASE SALARY CAP # ’85-$2.260 (excluding bonuses)
*Jacksonville Bulls
The Bulls’ have a solid stadium situation, a fervent fan base and an improving roster.
The team brought in Mike Rozier, Keith Millard, Brian Sipe and Ed Luther and have one of the leagues higher payrolls, however Rozier and Millard have since departed to the National Football League.
Fred Bullard’s Bulls seem like they’re likely to be around for the long haul.
Stable franchise with a good owner and excellent fan support. City officials have also embraced the team.
BASE SALARY CAP # ’85-$4.610 (excluding player bonuses and personal services contracts).
*Memphis Showboats
Ownership is not a problem in Memphis. The team spends money at adequate levels and looks stable.
Fan support is solid and the team would support an NFL franchise, something the owners would not be opposed to.
On the field Pepper Rodgers’ teams are competitive and exciting to watch. Reggie White is sure to receive overtures from the National Football League at some point and the team may be willing to let him go to clear salary space.
A very strong franchise overall.
BASE SALARY CAP # ’85-$3.485 (excluding bonuses)
Michigan Panthers
The losses of Bobby Hebert and Anthony Carter to the National Football League was inevitable, the team will be hard pressed to repeat past success unless they find adequate replacements.
Fan support was again solid this season and A. Alfred Taubman is one of the league’s richest owners and has proven he will take annual losses to bring Michigan a winner.
Strong franchise with a rich and influential owner.
BASE SALARY CAP # ’85-$2.86 (excluding player bonuses and the re-structuring of Bobby Hebert’s contract).
New Jersey Generals
Walt Michaels is an NFL quality coach and the Generals have the best team money can buy.
Attendance has been solid and the team has built an effective public relations campaign to promote its star players, their owner, and the team.
The biggest question in New Jersey is how Donald Trump is going to deal with the fact that the league has decided not to move to a fall schedule.
Trump has been more than happy to challenge league orthdoxy, and will consider all options including continuing to call for a fall schedule, pursuing litigation and even selling the team.
Trump has repeatedly clashed with Tampa Bay owner John Bassett and has no ally in Philadelphia owner Myles Tanenbaum.
Trump most respects the other owners who have a larger financial empire than his own, namely A. Alfred Taubman and Edward DeBartolo Sr.
Trump does seemingly have influence and has built “soft” alliances with the Tathams in Arizona, Joseph Canizaro in New Orleans, and Jerry Argovitz in Houston.
Trump helped secure a new ownership group led by Stephen Ross which took over majority ownership in Houston.
Stable franchise financially, however many questions remain with regard to ownership.
BASE SALARY CAP # ’85-$6.590 (excluding personal services contract and bonuses)
New Orleans Breakers
Joe Carnizario has been a motivated owner willing to spend money but the team was hurt by the loss of Marcus Dupree to injury in addition to inconsistent play at the quarterback position.
The fan base is rabid enough to really take off if a local hero quarterback such as Alan Risher, John Fourcade or even Robbie Mahfouz were to be brought to challenge incumbent Matt Robinson
Stable franchise.
BASE SALARY CAP # ’85-$3.490 (exclusing a personal service contract with Dupree and bonus money.)
*Denotes potential merger candidate.
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