'87 Chronology-The Replacements

Event Date: September 24th, 1987

Event Description: Bucs Ready Replacements

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Strike Update

Event Date: September 24th, 1987

Event Description: Strike Update

Source: Associated Press

'87 Chronology-Last Hurrah

Event Date: September 22nd, 1987

Event Description: Reaves Ready

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Bucs Ball!

Event Date: September 22nd, 1987

Event Description: Bucs Sign Reaves

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-At War

Event Date: September 22nd, 1987

Event Description: Strike Begins

Source: Associated Press

'87 Chronology-At Peace

Event Date: September 22nd, 1987

Event Description: Peace Staying Put

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Break Time

Event Date: September 21st, 1987

Event Description: Breakers Reach Deal

Source: UPI

New Orleans developer Joe Canizaro, owner of the Portland Breakers of the U.S. Football League, reached a settlement with former players Tuesday as their $6.7 million lawsuit was about to go to trial.

The dispute was settled during a two-hour meeting in the chambers of U.S. District Judge Owen Panner between attorneys for Canizaro and the USFL Players Association. Details were not immediately announced.

The USFLPA was seeking $1.7 million in wages and bonuses, plus $5 million in punitive damages for 48 former Breakers players. Canizaro and his company, Joseph C. Canizaro Interests, were to have been defendants in the jury trial.

Panner reduced the scope of the trial last week. He ruled the attempt by the players' group to end the team's corporate structure as a limited partnership was not placed properly before the court.

Panner said the USFLPA should have presented the issue to an arbitrator under the collective bargaining agreement between the players and the league.

The USFLPA claims Canizaro undercapitalized the franchise and fraudulently presented himself as the owner. It charged that Canizaro misrepresented to the players that they would be paid in full for the 1987 season, even though he knew they would not be paid or did not know if the funds would be available.

Gene Mechanic, a Portland attorney representing the USFLPA, said the group “recognized that Canizaro, as far as the paper trail, separated himself and the corporation.”

Mechanic said Canizaro “didn't deal honestly and openly with the players. He told the players he personally would take care of them. They played hard for him with the understanding that would help the Portland community and help him get investors.”

“When he saw he wasn't going to get the investors he needed, he just cut out and hasn't returned to Portland since.”

Kenneth Roberts, a Portland attorney for the defense, said in a pre-trial filing the “statements and conduct on which the players base the fraud allegation were simply words of emotional support and encouragement. Canizaro never intended to deceive.”

Story-(UPI Modified-Peter Gillins)

'87 Chronology-Chess Game

Event Date: September 19th, 1987

Event Description: Strike Ball Readies

Source: Associated Press

'87 Chronology-Firm Deadline

Event Date: September 19th, 1987

Event Description: NFLPA Rejects Extension

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Package Deal

Event Date: September 19th, 1987

Event Description: Jacksonville Presents Package

Source: Associated Press

'87 Chronology-Lease Deal

Event Date: September 17th, 1987

Event Description: Officials Visit Jacksonville

Source: Associated Press

'87 Chronology-Rules & Regulations

Event Date: September 12th, 1987

Event Description: Boz Sues NFL

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Business as Usual

Event Date: September 11th, 1987

Event Description: Tathams Pressing On

Source: Football News

Arizona Outlaws president Bill Tatham Jr. says its business as usual despite the U.S. Football League's damage award from its antitrust suit against the rival NFL.

Tatham told a news conference at the team's football headquarters that much of the USFL's future will be determined next week at a meeting of owners in New York.

“We're going to New York on Monday for our fall owners’ meetings,” he said. “We've invested in this community, and we're going to continue to do it. We're spending money today, we'll spend money tomorrow, and we'll spend into the fall.” 

A federal jury in New York found the NFL guilty of operating an illegal monopoly, and awarded damages of $100 million. 

The suit charged the NFL with conspiring to monopolize pro football and to undermine the Oakland Invaders and Philadelphia Stars franchises.

The NFL is set to appeal the decision regarding damages thus sending the two leagues into an indefinite period of litigation. 

“We certainly didn't expect to get the damages immediately,” he said. “But we needed the mental advantage of winning the lawsuit. We expected an appeal either way.”

Tatham said he believes each of the USFL's twelve teams is budgeted for another spring season, and that the league is keeping a close eye on the possibility of an NFL strike.

(Source: (UPI Modified)

'87 Chronology-Strike Deadline

 Event Date: September 9th, 1987

Event Description: Strike Deadline Set

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Garbage Time

Event Date: September 8th, 1987

Event Description: Upshaw Rejects Proposal

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Rank & File

Event Date: September 8th, 1987

Event Description: Falcons Staying Put

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Money Ball

Event Date: September 5th, 1987

Event Description: Jacksonville Prepares Package

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Prolonged Wrangling

Event Date: September 3rd, 1987

Event Description: Rozelle Speaks

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-The Turk

Event Date: September 3rd, 1987

Event Description: NFL Camp Cuts

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Fan Reaction

Event Date: September 3rd, 1987

Event Description: Free Agent League

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Bonus Cash

Event Date: September 3rd, 1987

Event Description: NFL Strike Preparations

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-House Cleaning

Event Date: September 2nd, 1987

Event Description: Steelers Trade Rights

Source: Beaver County Times

'87 Chronology-Creative Thinking

Event Date: September 2nd, 1987

Event Description: Oilers May Move

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Strike Date

Event Date: September 1st, 1987

Event Description: NFLPA Secret Date

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Legal Eagles

Event Date: September 1st, 1987

Event Description: USFLPA Files Suit

The U.S. Football League Players Assocation Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit demanding $1.2 million in back pay owed to 48 members of the Portland Breakers.

The financially-troubled Breakers failed to meet its July payroll and lost most of its players to free-agent status at the end of the season.

Players Association lawyers said 48 players are entitled to pay for the last four games of the 1987 season. They delayed filing the lawsuit to give the Breakers a chance to find investors in the club.

“Both the Association and the players want to see the Breakers remain in Portland for the 1988 season,” said a statement released by the players. “However, with no commitment by the club that the players would be paid, the Association is now seeking judicial enforcement of the award.”

Source-(UPI Modified)

'87 Chronology-Another Round

Event Date: August 29th, 1987

Event Description: Upshaw Visits Bears

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-Cajun Style

Event Date: August 16th, 1987

Event Description: NFL Scoreboard

Source: Lakeland Ledger

'87 Chronology-No Regrets

Event Date: August 14th, 1987

Event Description: Williams Jumps

Source: UPI

Quarterback Doug Williams, making the jump back to the NFL after two seasons in the USFL, says he is elated to be with the Washington Redskins.

One day after the Redskins acquired his rights from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Williams agreed to terms and reported to the team's Dickinson College training site Tuesday night. Williams was set to take his physical and sign a three-year contract today.

“I didn't want to get into a situation again with my life where I had to play with a team that was rebuilding and didn't have the team Washington had,” Williams said.

“I'm elated to be here and I just hope that, whatever my role is with the Wasington Redskins, I can do it to the best of my ability.”

Williams, 32, who guided the Buccaneers to the NFC championship game in 1979, said he has accepted his role as a backup.

“Let me get the record straight, Jay Schroeder is the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins -- I know that, coach (Joe) Gibbs knows that and everybody else knows that. I didn't come here to unseat Jay,” he added.

Williams, known for a strong arm and weak knees during a professional career starting in 1978, played five years in the NFL with Tampa Bay before joining the USFL. He spent the 1984 season with the Oklahoma Outlaws and the 1985-87 seasons with the Arizona Outlaws.

Williams said he also contacted the Los Angeles Raiders about the possibility of joining them, but the Raiders did not express any interest. The Redskins reportedly dealt a fifth-round draft choice to Tampa Bay for the rights to Williams. 

Williams, who left Tampa Bay in 1982 in a salary dispute, said he did not regret his years in the USFL. “If there had been total free agency in the NFL I wouldn't have went to the USFL, but under the circumstances, I have no regrets,” he said.

Source: (UPI Modified)

'87 Chronology-Free Agency

Event Date: August 13th, 1987

Event Description: Williams Opts Out

Source: UPI

The Washington Redskins, seeking a backup for quarterback Jay Schroeder, traded for the rights to USFL free agent Doug Williams, General Manager Bobby Beathard said.

Williams said on Sunday he had reached a tentative contract agreement with the Redskins after exercising a buyout clause in his USFL contract with the Arizona Outlaws. 

Washington traded an undisclosed 1987 draft choice to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, who owned Williams rights. Other signings from the USFL included former Jacksonville Bulls tight end Chuck McCurley.

Source: (UPI Modified)

'87 Chronology-Role Reversal

Event Date: August 11th, 1987

Event Description: NFL Starts Appeal Process

Source: Courier Express

National Football League attorney Jack Fiske began an appeal process Wednesday that said he hopes forces the court to overturn the verdict of the NFL-USFL antitrust trial.

Judge Peter K. Leisure told Fiske post-trial briefing that he will consider the NFL's motion related to the verdict Sept. 3 in U.S. District Court. Preliminary papers are due Aug. 15.

NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, calling the verdict "convoluted, distorted and crazy," said the league will continue to litigate the jurors decision to award the USFL $100 million. 

USFL attorney Harvey Myerson said the NFL should be penalized, "not exonerated" for violating an antitrust law. "We will continue to seek restitution," he said.

Fiske said he will produce video tapes from newscasts that show at least two jurors saying they wanted to award the USFL no money, but that they misunderstood Leisure's instructions.

Juror Bernez Stephens wanted to give the USFL just $1 million but voted for the $100 million award. Judges can reduce monetary awards if they choose to do so.

"Those jurors believed the court would award the proper damages, which would be appropriate" Fiske said.

Myerson said Stephens' explanation of her misunderstanding of the judge's charge was revealed through pressure from the media.

Myerson said the jurors had plenty of opportunity to ask the judge questions about awarding damages during deliberations -- and so did Fiske. 

Juror Margaret Lilienfeld said Wednesday, "There was never any intention of this award being set in stone. I felt that the USFL damaged itself and that we should award them minor damages. Some of us knew exactly what we were doing."

Although legal sources say the NFL's options are limited now that the jury has spoken, Fiske said he has four legal avenues to pursue: (1) He can ask Leisure for a new trial only on the damages, which he is inclined to do; (2) ask for an entirely new trial; (3) ask the judge to set aside the verdict and make his own ruling; (4) or appeal the damages to a higher court, which could take months.

Source: (UPI Story Modified/Juxt)

'87 Chronology-House Cleaning

Event Date: August 7th, 1987

Event Description: Cowboys Cut Collier

Source: Victoria Advocate

'87 Chronology-Schramm vs. Usher

 

'87 Chronology-Rozelle Reaction

 

'87 Chronology-Harvey Wallbanger

 

'87 Chronology-Motives and Motions

Event Date: August 5th, 1987

Event Description: USFL Wins Suit

Source: Football News

'87 Chronology-Explosive!

Event Date: August 2nd, 1987

Event Description: Denver Wins Title

Source: Lakeland Ledger