'86 Chronology-Saturday Roundup

Event Date: March 2nd, 1986

Event Description: Saturday Roundup

Source: PFW

Birmingham quarterback Cliff Stoudt threw three touchdown passes to lead the Stallions to a 35-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Bandits Saturday in a contest between two top teams and two top quarterbacks in the USFL.

Stoudt completed touchdown passes of 21 and four yards to Greg Anderson in the first quarter. In the second quarter he hit former Alabama wideout Joey Jones with an eight-yard toss and got his fourth touchdown of the game via a five-yard run in the final frame.

But Birmingham had to withstand one of the Bandits' patented fourth-quarter rallies that brought them within a touchdown with just over four minutes left in the contest.

Tampa wide-receiver Larry Brodsky hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Fred Besana at the 4:36 mark, however that would prove to be the last time the Bandits found the endzone.

After falling behind 24-7 at the half, the Bandits started to turn things around in the third stanza when Tampa backer Putt Choate returned an interception 20-yards for a score to pull the hosts to within 24-14.

A Danny Miller 20-yard field goal followed by the Stoudt touchdown run again extended the Stallions to a 35-14 lead.

Rookie Joe Dudek scored on a three-yard run midway through the final quarter. Dudek finished with 54 yards rushing on nine carries.

Game Notes: Fred Besana finished with 18o passing yards on 18-of-34 efficiency with two touchdowns and two picks…Joey Jones and Joel Coles led the Stallions with 133 receiving yards and 93 yards rushing respectively…Alonzo Johnson led the Tampa defense with 13 tackles.

In other Saturday action the Showboats improved to 2-0 behind the stellar play of quarterback Walter Lewis who amassed 311 passing yards with three touchdowns, to go along with 62 yards rushing as  Memphis beat Jacksonville 27-17.

more to come......

'86 Chronology-Super Bowl MVP

Event Date: February 28th, 1986

Event Description: Generals Eye Dent

Source: UPI

Super Bowl MVP Richard Dent met with Chicago Bears officials for about two hours to discuss a new contract, but no agreement was reached.

Dent, reportedly seeking a three-year deal worth approximately $600,000 a year, met with General Manager Jerry Vainisi at the Bears' Lake Forest office.

Dent's agent, Everett Glenn, met with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL last week.

“We're discussing fairness and comparable salaries around the league and why I think he should accept our offer and why he feels we should come up some,” Vainisi said. “It's a normal negotiating process.”

Dent, one of nine free agents from the Bears' Super Bowl-winning club, said he was happy the Bears upped their offer last week.

“But not enough to sign it,” said the defensive lineman. “You have to continue the process until something gets done.”

Story-(UPI)

'86 Chronology-Week #2 Preview

Event Date: February 28th, 1986

Event Description: Week #2 Preview

'86 Chronology-Week #1 Capsule

Event Date: February 27th, 1985

Event Description: USFL Week #1 Capsule

Source: VPFW

'85 Chronology-Cruise Control 2

'85 Chronology-Cruise Control

Event Date: February 25th, 1986

Event Description: 'Gades Tame Bulls

Source: Football News

Reggie Collier tossed a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for another to lead the Orlando Renegades to a 31-14 victory over the Jacksonville Bulls in the season-opener for both teams.

The victory was seen by 32,874 fans in the Gator Bowl on Monday night.

Collier completed 25-of-41 passes for 286 yards and TD passes of three yards to Bob Niziolek in the second quarter and another to him in the fourth.

Jacksonville pivot Ed Luther finished with 304 passing yards on 27-of-54 efficiency with two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Luther engineered scoring drives of 95 and 23 yards in the first and final quarters. Both of those drives ended with scoring strikes to wideout Alton Alexis who hauled in eleven receptions for 162 yards.

Game Notes: Reggie Collier led all rushers with 98 yards on twelve totes…Orlando defensive back Jeff George finished with eight tackles and three pass deflections.

In other Monday night action, the Birmingham Stallions crushed the Oakland Invaders by a score of 33-6 behind three touchdown passes from Cliff Stoudt.

more to come.....

'86 Chronology-Breaking Bad

Event Date: February 23rd, 1986

Event Description: Breakers Bust Outlaws

Source: PFW

Quarterback Matt Robinson threw three touchdown passes and Marcus Dupree rushed for a pair of touchdowns Saturday night to lead the Breakers to their first victory of the USFL season, a 41-17 decision over Arizona.

New Orleans had two touchdowns from Jerry Gordon and another from Nolan Fransz in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Robinson hit Gordon from 30 and 13 yards out and Fransz from seven.

Game Notes: The Breakers piled up 255 rushing yards with Dupree leading the way with 124 yards and Buford Jordan adding another 118….Arizona quarterback Doug Williams finished with 295 yards on 20-of-34 efficiency with one touchdown, two picks and six sacks.

more to come......

'86 Chronology-Cruise Control

Event Date: February 23rd, 1986

Event Description:

Source: PFW

Jim Kelly threw four touchdowns and Sam Harrell rushed for 93 yards, to the lead the Houston Gamblers to a 41-27 victory over the L.A. Express in the U.S. Football League Saturday night.

Kelly threw touchdown passes of 44 and 29 yards to Richard Johnson and two-yards to Clarence Verdin in the first half to give the Gamblers a comfortable 24-14 lead at the break.

Kelly broke open the contest with his seven-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Sanders with just over six minutes left in the third quarter as Houston moved out to a 34-14 lead.

Game Notes: Los Angeles quarterback Rick Neuheisel left the game in the second quarter with a leg injury and did not return…Kevin Nelson led all rushers with 95 yards on 15 carries.

'86 Chronology-Season Openers

Event Date: February  21st, 1986

Event Description: 'Boats Upset Baltimore

Source: PFW

Walter Lewis threw for 205 yards and rushed for 126 to power the Memphis Showboats to a 23-20 overtime victory Thursday over the Baltimore Stars in the opener of the 1986 USFL regular season. 

Lewis, who was 13-for-30 with a pair of touchdowns, drove the Showboats into field goal position with just over three minutes remaining in overtime.

Roger Ruzek kicked three field goals and had two coversions for the Showboats. Sam Bowers had a team-high five catches for 75 yardsfor Memphis. 

Baltimore scored its lone touchdown of the second-half with 1:07 to play when quarterback Chuck Fusina found Clarence Collins down the sideline for a 19-yard touchdown tying the contest at 20-20. 

Fusina was 15-of-24 for 186 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions and five sacks.

Kelvin Bryant had 79 yards rushing on 19 carries for Baltimore. 

Game Notes: Baltimore tight end Ken Dunek left the game with a knee injury in the second quarter…William Fuller registered nine tackles and one sack for the Stars.

In the other Thursday game, the Michigan Panthers routed the Denver Gold by a score of 28-7 at Mile High Stadium.

Ex-Gold quarterback Bob Gagliano led the Panthers to victory as he tossed a three-yard touchdown pass to fullback Mark Schellen who also rushed for two touchdowns.

more to come......

'86 Chronology-Showboating in Baltimore

'86 Chronology-Expert Predictions

'86 Chronology-Championship Capsules

'86 Chronology-Tampa Bay Bandits Preview

'86 Chronology-Orlando Renegades Previw

'86 Chronology-New Jersey Generals Preview

'86 Chronology-Memphis Showboats Preview

'86 Chronology-Jacksonville Bulls Preview

'86 Chronology-Birmingham Stallions Preview

'86 Chronology-Baltimore Stars Preview

'86 Chronology-Oakland Invaders Preview

'86 Chronology-New Orleans Breakers Preview

'86 Chronology-Michigan Panthers Preview

'86 Chronology-Los Angeles Express Preview

'86 Chronology-Houston Gamblers Preview

'86 Chronology-Denver Gold Preview

'86 Chronology-Arizona Outlaws Preview

'86 Chronology-Week #1 Preview

'86 Chronology-Quality Assurance

Event Date: February 16th, 1986

Event Description: Casillas Prefers Outlaws

Source: Daytona Beach Morning Journal

'86 Chronology-Fire Sale!

Event Date: February 16th, 1986

Event Description: 'Slingers Assets Seized

Source: UPI

Movers enforcing a court order against South Texas Sports, parent company of the U.S. Football League Gunslingers, removed equipment worth an estimated $100,000 from the team's offices for auction, the San Antonio Light reported.

Wednesday's bulk confiscations were directed by lawyer Phil Hardberger, who obtained a $627,651.42 judgment against South Texas Sports last October on behalf of 52 former team members who had not been paid for months.

“We are taking everything that is not nailed down and some that is," Hardberger said. "Anything that can be moved will be moved."

Items seized included office furniture, photographic equipment, jerseys, helmets, a copying machine, two team buses and a pickup.

Last week the Texas 4th Court of Appeals rejected an appeal of the judgment filed by Marynell Maloney, lawyer for South Texas Sports. Maloney also failed Wednesday to get a temporary restraining order to block the confiscations.

Maloney claimed the items taken did not belong to South Texas Sports, but to Gamblers owner Clinton Manges personally.

“This is all Clinton Manges’," she said. “He (Hardberger) has a judgment against South Texas Sports, not Clinton Manges. If he (Hardberger) was really working in the best interest of his clients, he would work with Mr. Manges on this. Mr. Manges fully intends to pay the players, as soon as he gets the money.”

Former Gunslinger cornerback Pete Raeford, the first player in team history to get a touchdown at Alamo Stadium, said something had to be done.

“I'd rather get my total paycheck, but this is a first step,” he said. “It's personally satisfying, seeing them take it all.”

'86 Chronology-Gamblers Fight Song!

'86 Chronology-Sweetheart Deal

Event Date: February 15th, 1986

Event Description: Outlaws Pursue Casillas

Source: Daytona Beach Morning Journal

'86 Chronology-February Owners Meeting

Event Date: February 12th-14th, 1986

Internal Memo: USFL Owners Meeting

Re: Spring Issues

The owners considered the following; 

• Received an open letter from Arizona Outlaws owner William Tatham Sr., calling on the league to pool its resources, if necessary, so as to sign top college rookies for the 1986 season. 

• Received an open letter from Oakland Invaders owner Tad Taube calling on all owners to strictly adhere to the salary cap guidelines for the 1986 season.

• Received a confidential letter from Tampa Bay Bandits owner John Bassett to begin exploratory talks with L.A. Raiders owner Al Davis regarding a reconciliation/accomodation plan between the N.F.L. and United States Football League.

• Received an open letter from New Jersey Generals owner Donald J. Trump calling for the league to again consider a move to the fall starting with the 1987 season.

• Received a recommendation from the ownership committee to approve the majority sale of the Los Angeles Express to the Jay Roulier Consortium.

• Received a confidential report regarding the finances of the league and its individual teams as of the start of the 1986 season.

• Received an update from league attorneys regarding the Philadelphia Stars anti-trust suit against the National Football League.

• Received an update from league attorneys regarding the Oakland Invaders $90 million anti-trust suit against the National Football League regarding their attempts to injure the Oakland Invaders franchise.

• Received a preliminary report from Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. to explain the impact of a potential labor stoppage in the National Football League in 1987 on professional football as a whole and the U.S. Football League in particular.

The owners agreed to the following;

• Approved a motion to have the Competition Committee immediately consider the signing of top college prospects for the 1986 season.

• Approved a motion by Memphis Showboats owner William Dunavant to the form an exploratory committee to further examine the Bassett-NFL (Davis) proposal.

• Approved a motion from Michigan Panthers owner A.Alfred Taubman to combine the Stars and Invaders anti-trust lawsuits into one USFL vs. NFL anti-trust lawsuit.

• Approved the terms of the final sale of the Los Angeles Express to Jay Roulier. (The league will continue to own a minority position in the league.)

• The owners agreed to meet again in April with the final date TBD.

'86 Chronology-Groundwork

Event Date: February 12th, 1986

Event Description: USFL Meetings Open

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'86 Chronology-Opportunity Knocks

Event Date: February 10th, 1986

Event Description: Schlichter Visits Bandits

Source: UPI

Quarterback Art Schlichter, looking for a spot in professional football, has worked out for the Tampa Bay Bandits.

Schlichter was quoted last week as saying he was confident he will be playing this year and has had tryouts with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Oilers before coming to Tampa.

But he said Sunday he was not discounting signing with a USFL team.

“I just want to get into a situation where I'll be comfortable,” he said after a 90-minute workout at the Bandits' training field. “I'm looking for a place where I can learn and be under somebody who is willing to work with me and give me the opportunity to improve.”

“He was very receptive to what we showed him and you don't always get that when a guy comes in for a tryout,” said Bandits coach Steve Spurrier. “He was open to any tip, and I think he might have gotten better as we went along.”

Schlichter, 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, was the first round draft pick of the Baltimore Colts in 1982 and was the fourth pick overall. His first season was shortened by the players' strike, and he was suspended for the 1984 season for his involvement in gambling.

He was the No. 1 quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts last season but suffered knee and thumb injuries and was waived after the fifth game.

Story-(UPI Modified)

'86 Chronology-Senatorial Splendor

Event Date: February 10th, 1986

Event Description: Sports Hearings Open

Source: Washington Post

'86 Chronology-Buck Fever

Event Date: February 7th, 1986

Event Description: Bo: Football or Baseball

Source: Associated Press

'86 Chronology-Rejection Letter

Event Date: February 7th, 1986

Event Description: Hutchinson Rejects Schlichter

Source: UPI

'86 Chronology-Home Cookin'

Event Date: February 6th, 1986

Event Description: Gamblers Sign Picks

Source: Football News

Quarterback Don King of Southern Methodist University has signed a series of one-year contracts with the Houston Gamblers, making him the Gamblers' third draft pick to come to terms, a club spokesman said Friday.

Details of the contracts were not disclosed.

King, a 6-foot-0, 200-pounder, was a territorial pick in the 1986 draft. He former SMU teammate Kit Case, a linebacker also picked in the territorial draft, and Texas A&M defensive back Tony Slaton all agreed to contracts.

In addition to the signings, the Gamblers also acquired running back Pat Franklin from the Orlando Renegades for an undisclosed draft pick.

'86 Chronology-Bidding War

Event Date: February 6th, 1986

Event Description: Casillas to Outlaws?

Source: Daytona Beach Morning Journal

'86 Chronology-Record Setter

Event Date: February 5th, 1986

Event Description: Outlaws Sign Meyer

Source: Daytona Beach Morning Journal

'86 Chronology-Joe Knows Football

Event Date: February 4th, 1986

Event Description: Bandits Sign Dudek

Source: Football News

The Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League said today they have signed rookie running back Joe Dudek to a two-year contract.

Dudek, of Boston, Mass., was the NCAA Division III rushing leader as a senior at Plymouth State. 

Dudek finished his collegiate career with multiple school records. He also holds the NCAA record for career 100-yard rushing games with 30, and two or more touchdowns.

Dudek is expected to fill the starting running back slot which was vacated when star running back Gary Anderson was lost to the NFL’s San Diego Chargers