'86 USFL: The Season That Never Was

Go here as we move to our 1986 Virtual USFL site...................

 

'85 USFL: Nine Lives

Event Date: November 2nd, 1985

Event Description: USFL Prepares For '86

Source: Tucson Citizen

'85 USFL: Rules Changes

Event Date: November 2nd, 1985

Event Description: USFL Rules Changes

Source: UPI

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The United States Football League adopted several rule changes this week, including a new kick-off regulation as the fall owners’ meetings came to a close.

Owners agreed to a regulation that will make the line of scrimmage after a kickoff the 10-yard line if a receiver does not run the the ball out of the end zone. Previously the ball was returnedto the 20-yard line.

However, the 20-yard line will remain the line of scrimmage, should the kick-off go through or out of the end zone.

'The kickoff return could be one of the most exciting plays in football, and we passed it to stimulate more runbacks,' said USFL Commissioner Harry Usher.

The owners also agreed that players involved in 'chicken fighting' that results in off-setting personal foul penalties should be required to leave the field for the next two plays, excluding kickoffs.

Those players are subject to league fines of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second, and $500 for the third, as well as any fines imposed by their individual clubs.

Usher said both rule changes reflect the USFL's progressive approach to improve the game.

'The altercation rule responds to the fans' displeasure of the standard off-setting penalty call. We feel it will speed up the game and discourage pushing and shoving,' Usher said.

The league increased from five to seven the the number of shools in the territorial draft and adopted their two dates for selecting college players.

The territorial draft will be held April 22nd and the common draft on May 6th. These two dates sandwich the NFL's open draft.

Memphis Showboats President Steve Ehrhart said the rule should give the USFL an advantage over the older, more established NFL.

'It will give us the opportunity to talk to and sign players from schools such as Tennessee and Memphis State ahead of the NFL draft. Some good players are going to be available next April,' Ehrhart said.

The league also agreed there will be no restriction on the number of players allowed to go downfield on punt coverage.

more to come......

'85 USFL: Addition by Subtraction?

Event Date: November 1st, 1985

Event Description:  USFL Fall Meetings

Source: Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The United States Football League will be reduced from 14 teams to nine for the 1986 season and one of the franchises will be shifted, USFL commissioner Harry Usher announced Friday.

The announcement came during a meeting at which USFL owners laid strategy for moving from a spring to a fall schedule. The league has lost almost $100 million in three years of operation.

“These nine (franchises) are very strong, very secure teams,” Usher said. “We now have strong, very popular teams. Frankly, all systems are go.”

Usher did not rule out the possibility that some of the teams now dropped from the league's plans could still play in 1986, provided they proved financially secure.

But by the conclusion of the two-day meeting Friday, only nine teams had provided letters of credit and other information that satisfied the league's financial requirements.

Usher also announced that the Denver Gold franchise would move to Portland, Oregon, where they would be renamed 'with fan input.'

Holding franchises under the current plan are: New Jersey, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Birmingham, Memphis, Phoenix and Portland. Dropped from plans for the 1986 season were Los Angeles, Oakland, Houston, and San Antonio.

The Los Angeles Express, Usher said, "is somewhere between terminal and moribund."

Usher said a league composed of an even number of teams would be desirable, but "we can equally manage with an odd number."

He also said the USFL had an excellent chance of winning its anti-trust suit against the National Football League. The USFL contends that the NFL holds a monopoly over the three major television networks.

Usher said that while the USFL has access to ESPN and other cable programming, the advertising dollars there are a fraction of those available in a contract with the three networks -- ABC, NBC and CBS.

The opening day of the USFL season -- Labor Day -- will coincide with the NFL's season opener. The championship game will be held in Jacksonville. Season tickets will go on sale soon, Usher said.

The Gold, owned by Colorado automobile dealer Doug Spedding, has been looking for a new home for the club coached by Darrel 'Mouse' Davis. Club officials sought the move because of the difficulty in competing with the NFL Denver Broncos.

The Portland Breakers lost all their players to free agent status in August after failing to meet the payroll for the last four games of the season.

The USFL Players Association then sued Breakers Owner Joe Canizaro and the league for $1.2 million. Canizaro, a New Orleans real estate developer, was unsuccessful in raising $5 million from Portland investors to pay off team debts and fund the franchise for another season.

more to come......

'85 USFL: Birmingham Buyout

Event Date: October 12th, 1985

Event Description: Cribbs Returns

Source: United Press International

The addition of Cribbs, who gained over 4,000 yards rushing in three seasons with Buffalo, gives the 0-5 Bills an enviable backfield, where Cribbs will team with second-year pro Greg Bell.

Bell rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie season and is Buffalo's leading rusher and pass catcher this season.

“Both will be in the backfield at the same time,” Bullough said. “When we go to a one back setup, they will alternate.”

The return of Cribbs had been the subject of talks between the Bills and Louis Burrell, Cribbs' agent, for the past two months. A major hurdle in the talks was the buyout of the remaining years of Cribbs' Birmingham contract.

The return of Cribbs was the second major move by the club since Oct. 1, when Bullough replaced Kay Stephenson, who was fired.

“I'm delighted it's over,” said Bills general manager Terry Bledsoe, “because he (Cribbs) belongs in a Bills uniform.”

more to come......

'85 USFL: Bay of Pigs

 Event Date: September 10th, 1985

Event Description: Bucs Sign Young

Source: UPI

TAMPA, Fla. -- Millionaire quarterback Steve Young signed a series of six one-year contracts with the Tampa Buccaneers shortly after obtaining his release from the rival USFL.

Financial details were not revealed, but Young's agent said it was "a complete contract."

The NFL has given the Bucs a two-week exemption before having to officially place Young on the roster and Coach Leeman Bennett said he will not be in uniform Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Bennett said at the end of two weeks, he will have to make a decision on whether to keep three quarterbacks. The Bucs now have starting quarterback Steve DeBerg and Alan Risher.

Bennett said Young will be the backup quarterback to DeBerg until he learns the system and earns the starting assignment.

"We think he's got a tremendous future here," Bennett said. "We expect him to come in and learn the system and be a backup to Steve DeBerg. We're convinced he can play in the NFL. I feel very good about signing him and I think he has a great future in this league."

USFL commissioner Harry Usher, in a statement released through the Bucs, said Young was released from his USFL contract in the "best interest" of both Young and the USFL.

"We felt it in the best interest of both the USFL and Steve Young that he should be released from his contract because of the (Los Angeles) Express' disappointing year he has asked to be released," he said. "We have agreed to negotiate a buyout. He's an exciting player who was a credit to our league and we wish him well in his pro football future."

more to come......

'85 USFL: August League Meetings

Event Date: August 23rd, 1985

Event Description: U.S.F.L. League Meetings

Source: United Press International

Representatives of all 14 USFL franchises met for seven hours in the final of a series of summer get-togethers to restructure the struggling league and there was a strong feeling of accomplishment and optimism.

All teams agreed to waive their rights to Carter, who starred for the Oakland Invaders last season and has entered into agreement with Minnesota of the NFL.

'The circumstances were such that it really was the best deicision from a league point of view,' Usher said. 'I reviewed the facts and note that 73 former USFL players are in NFL camps now and many of those are home-grown USFL players who developed over the one or two or three years of our league.

'We're flattered that the NFL, who keeps describing us as minor league, sees fit to take these players that are available.'

Usher said a decision was made to play in the more traditional football period of September to January rather than from November to March as had been considered.

Most of the time during the afternoon session was devoted to discussing specific franchises, notably Portland, San Antonio, Chicago and Oakland.

-- Usher said that Portland's management indicated it would not immediately be an active club for 1986 but was extended a grace period in the hope of obtaining additional capital or the possibility of a merger.

Usher said Portland's representatives produced a suitcase containing $23,000 business cards from city residents indicating their support for a franchise. The grace period will extend until such time as the 1986 league schedule is put together, probably at the end of this year.

-- Usher said charges were dropped against San Antonio in exchange for management's agreement to comply with the collective bargaining agreement and in respects to set a timetable for stocking their offseason roster.

The charges had been brought against the team to act in a more business-like fashion in regard to payment of their players. Management must produce a letter of credit for $500,000 by Oct. 15 and also pay players their back salaries.

-- Chicago did not field a team last season but Eddie Einhorn has the rights to a USFL franchise in that city. Usher said the league would like to work toward having a franchise in Chicago.

-- Usher said reports that Oakland is folding and that General Manager Vince Lombardi was fired 'are directly traceable back to NFL sources and they are not true. Vince Lombardi has not been fired.'

Lombardi attended Friday's meeting.

There is some difference of opinion among the owners on how many teams should be in the league for the fall 1986 season. Trump wants eight, but Usher said that the New Jersey owner would be happy with 12 if they were 12 strong teams. Usher said the league's television contract with ESPN calls for 12 teams 'and we will deliver 12 teams.' Usher said he hopes one of those teams is Los Angeles.

more to come......

'85 USFL: Bay Area Blues

Event Date: August 22nd, 1985

Event Description: Invaders Disbanding

Source: Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Oakland Invaders, which reached the USFL championship game last month, are expected to be disbanded, according to a published report. 

The San Francisco Chronicle said in Saturday editions that sources in both the USFL and the National Football League said the club's majority owner, Alfred Taubman, planned to fold the team. 

Anthony Carter, the biggest name and highest paid among only 10 players still under contrct to Oakland, will be released from his contract in the next few days and most of the front-office personnel were fired last month, the paper said. 

The coaches, whose contracts expire at the end of the year, have been told to look for other jobs, the paper said. 

The paper, quoting a source, said that Taubman “doesn't want to be stuck with a lot of player contracts” when he disbands the team. 

By getting rid of the players first, the source was quoted as saying, Taubman wouldn't owe any money if he shuts down the franchise. 

The paper said neither Taubman nor Ted Taube, his minority partner in the team, could be reached for comment. 

more to come.....

'85 Chronology-Pivotal Move

Event Date: August 5th, 1985

Event Description: 'Gades Claim Reaves

Source: Associated Press

'85 USFL: Minor Merger?

Event Date: August 3rd, 1985

Event Description: Stallions May Merge

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'85 USFL: Major Merger

Event Date: August 2nd, 1985

Event Description: U.S.F.L. Merger

Source: United Press International

For two years, Donald Trump tried and failed to buy a U.S. Football League championship. Now he wants to merge his way to the title.

Trump's New Jersey Generals Thursday announced a merger with the Houston Gamblers, who were purchased last week by Trump's friend and fellow real estate developer Steve Ross.

Trump said the club will continue to be called the Generals and he plans to stay in New Jersey.

The merger brings together the USFL's best runner in Herschel Walker and its leading passer in Jim Kelly.

'It's probably the best team in football,' Trump said. 'With a backfield of Herschel Walker and Jim Kelly, and all those (Gamblers) receivers and our defense ... I don't just want the best team in the USFL, I want the best team in football.'

Trump, who inherited Walker in his backfield when he bought the Generals after their inaugural 1983 season, went out and signed Brian Sipe from the NFL in 1984 and Doug Flutie out of Boston College in January as quarterbacks. Both took the Generals into the playoffs but New Jersey failed to get past the first round in postseason play both years.

New Jersey finished 11-7 last year and Houston was 10-8. Both made the playoffs.

Kelly's arrival in New Jersey means 1984 Heisman Trophy Flutie will be dealt by the Generals to another USFL team. Although a coach won't be officially named for several weeks, a club source said Gamblers coach Jack Pardee and his staff will be retained and New Jersey's Walt Michaels set free.

'We're looking for exciting offense, if Walt can provide exciting offense we'll keep him,' Trump said of the conservative Michaels.

Jerry Argovitz, one of the former Gamblers' owners, will be Generals' Director of Football Operations and Houston general manager Gene Burrough will hold the same postion with New Jersey.

Argovitz said 22 Houston players and 15 Generals -- including Flutie - will be retained on the roster that must be submitted to the league Saturday.

Most of the Generals' office and public relations staff will probably be retained.

Trump now has the quarterback he's wanted ever since he bought the Generals.He briefly looked into a merger with Houston last year to acquire Kelly, before signing Flutie to a $7 million contract out of Boston College.

After Flutie arrived, Sipe was quickly traded to Jacksonville. Now Flutie is on the block, and he'll probably end up with a new USFL franchise in either Chicago or Boston.

Ross, who paid over $5 million for the Gamblers, said he orginally intended to move them to Shea Stadium in New York, but Trump approached him about a merger and they worked out the deal. Trump and Ross will be co-owners and have equal say in running the team.

Ross said the Generals would only leave Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., if there is a problem getting playing dates.

Both the New York Giants and New York Jets of the NFL play in Giants Stadium and the Generals might be squeezed out when the USFL moves to a fall season in 1986.

'Neither the Giants nor the Jets can beat us now,' said Trump, who repeated an old challenge to meet one or both in a charity game.

In other league news:

The Houston Gamblers have announced the resignation of Jim Sheehan who was the coordinator of media information.

more to come......

'85 USFL: Player Shakeup

Event Date: August 2nd, 1985

Event Description: U.S.F.L. Protects Players

Source: United Press International

U.S. Football League teams Saturday protected 330 players by placing them on off-season rosters designed to retain players during the league's 18-month layoff.

Each franchise, except those facing the prospect of a merger, placed a minimum of 35 players on its protection list.

The Denver Gold, Los Angeles Express and Oakland Invaders, all possible merger candidates, protected 15 players each.

The three-year-old spring football league ended operations after its championship game last month and will attempt to resume play in direct competition with the National Football League in the fall of 1986.

The New Jersey Generals and the Houston Gamblers protected a combined total of 37 players.

The San Antonio Gunslingers and Portland Breakers, clubs which waived their entire rosters due to delinquent salary payments, and Chicago, which did not stock a roster for its 1986 season, were not part of the proceedings.

Any player not protected is a free agent and can sign with the NFL.

An agreement between the league and the players calls for all protected players to receive $10,000 in five monthly installments from March through July 1986. However, a player has the right to request 30 percent of his 1986 base salary, with payment to start March 1.

Club management, which has 48 hours to consider the request, is required to waive the player if an agreement cannot be reached.

Some of the more prominent players protected Saturday include quarterbacks Doug Flutie and Jim Kelly of the New Jersey-Houston team; running back Kelvin Bryant of Baltimore; and wide receiver Anthony Carter of Oakland.

more to come.....

'85 Chronology-Limbo

Event Date: August 1st, 1985

Event Description: Breakers Need Capital

Source: United Press International

The Portland Breakers, facing the possibility of their players being declared free agents, will know Wednesday whether the club will be given two months to come up with about $500,000 in overdue paychecks.

The U.S. Football League Players Association at 1 p.m. PDT Tuesday gave the Breakers an extension of 17 hours to reach a settlement. The club said it could not meet the payroll until Oct. 1.

“I think we now have an accomodation the players can live with,” said Jack Galmiche, a Breakers vice president. “One of the things we have to resolve is that when San Antonio didn't meet its deadline, its players became free agents. The league would be doing something different in our case.”

Louis Bullard, the Breakers' alternate player representative, said: “Our union and the Breakers have been working extremely hard to come up with a workable sollution. I'm now optimistic.”

Club president John Ralston said he was working to get an “infusion of capital. We need about 60 days for this to take place,” he said.

Ralston said team owner Joe Canizaro was told by his bankers they would not allow him to “divert any more money to the team.”

Galmiche said it would be difficult for the Breakers to find the money to cover the players' payroll in less than 60 days.

“The plan is to spend 30 days working on getting our cash position to a point where we can post our letter of credit, be it for $1.5 million or whatever, that the league may require on Sept. 1,” he said. “Then during the following 30 days, armed with the information as to what teams have posted their letters of credit and are ready to go next season, we can go to potential investors knowing exactly what's going to happen in 1986.”

As part of a proposed agreement with the players, the Breakers are offering to allow any of them to try out with NFL clubs and if they fail to make the team to be ready to come back to Portland. He said he expected six or seven Breakers would go to NFL camps.

One player having financial problems because of the paycheck delay was linebacker Greg Storr, who once played for the Minnesota Vikings.

“I've been so disgusted,” he said. “I'm tired and worn out. I got married May 7 and don't have money for my honeymoon.”

“This isn't like the NFL, where most everybody's making $200,000 or $250,000. They owe me about $20,000 out of about $50,000 or $60,000, counting incentives. I came here with about $5,000 to my name and I'm down to about $500 now.”

The Breakers were reported to have spent more than three months talking to more than 100 businessmen in Oregon about putting a total of $5 million into the franchise.

more to come......

'85 Chronology-Breaking Back?

 Event Date: July 27th, 1985

Event Description: Woolf Not Worried

Source: United Press International

The U.S. Football League's Breakers franchise and Doug Flutie may be returning to Boston.

According to Flutie's agent Bob Woolf, the Breakers, who have played in three cities in three years, may return to New England. Woolf was quoted Friday in South Middlesex News, a Boston-area paper.

However, Dick Coury, who has coached the Breakers on their nomadic three-year ride through Boston, New Orleans and Portland, said he does not believe the move will take place.

Woolf made his comments after learning that New York real estate developer Stephen Ross had purchased the Houston Gamblers. There is a possibility the Gamblers may move to New York or merge with the New Jersey Generals, Flutie's team.

A merger would bring Houston's Jim Kelly, the league's best quarterback, to the Generals and make Flutie expendable.

'We're not going to worry,' Woolf said of the possibilites. 'I know Doug would like to stay in New York, but there are a lot of possibilities. The Portland Breakers could move back to Boston. With (Dan) Ross and Marcus Dupree, there could be strong potential in that.

'We have 14 months. There's plenty of time. I just keep hearing talk that it's a possibility. We just have to be patient and see what happens.'

Flutie set the collegiate record for career total offense while putting Boston College on the football map with four sparkling years, culminating last season in his 'Hail Mary' pass and the Heisman Trophy.

'As far as I'm concerned, right now I'm with the Generals for the next five or six years,' Flutie said. 'But if the USFL is interested in building strong franchises, they may as well start one in Boston and have Doug Flutie as quarterback.'

Coury, who was named USFL Coach of the Year in 1983 with the Boston Breakers, does not believe his club will relocate.

'Not even a chance,' Coury said. 'I haven't heard that one. It's really far out. But I'd bet the league would like to have a team in Boston because of the TV market and Flutie.'

'We don't think it could happen,' said Portland vice president Jack Galmiche. He said he asked owner Joe Canizaro about the report and 'Joe told me he didn't know anything about it and was somewhat amused by it.'

'We don't have a desire to go anywhere else,' Galmiche said. 'Our desire is to stay here, and as a possibility, we might merge with someone.'

Meanwhile, the financially-troubled franchise gave no assurance it will meet a Tuesday deadline for two overdue paychecks.

The Breakers must issue paychecks for the two-week periods ending July 1 and 16 by Tuesday afternoon or the players will be waived and then declared free agents if not signed by other USFL clubs.

'I don't believe we will (meet the deadline),' Galmiche said.

The Breakers have requested an extension of at least 30 days and 'hopefully until Oct. 1,' Galmiche said.

'In return, any player on our team who wanted to go into an NFL camp for a tryout would be allowed to do so, with the provision that if he didn't make a team, he would revert back to us,' he said.

more to come......