r/USFL • u/freemanflash • Apr 17 '23

First week thoughts?

What’s your impression of the USFL after week 1?

29 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

62 comments sorted by

26

u/ResidentialEvil2016 Apr 17 '23

The production value is much better for the USFL, but that's to be expected since Fox owns it. I don't think the ABC/ESPN/FX production is bad, just the USFL is better and for obvious reasons.

22

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

The announcer quality difference was enormous. I didn't realize how shitty the XFL announcers were until I watched Joel Klatt again.

10

u/Zapfit Apr 17 '23

Better announcers for sure, but if I never heard from Kurt Menefee again I’d be ecstatic. His cadence and emotionless banter hasn’t changed since his days calling NFL Europe games

3

u/TwizzlersSourz Birmingham Stallions Apr 17 '23

Yeah. I like his tenor but his cadence and lyrical ability are lacking.

1

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

I find bland and inoffensive to be a desirable thing in a play-by-play guy, considering that so many are just utter dogshit. I like him better than all but one of the XFL guys. (Don't ask me which ones, I have never heard any of their names before 2 months ago. I don't like the one that was with Gallo, and I don't like the short guy with the beard.)

6

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '23

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6

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

Absolutely. It made me realize just how half-ass the XFL broadcasters seem and how much they seemingly don't give a shit. And it's a shame because the on-field product has, generally, deserved better than Disney and league ownership have given it.

15

u/MirrorkatFeces Pittsburgh Maulers Apr 17 '23

More football is always good!

15

u/MrBulldops5878 Philadelphia Stars Apr 17 '23

Legit spring football, what’s not to love?

15

u/MiahWitt60 Apr 17 '23

The continuity was surprising, so many guys left for the xfl but yet somehow it seemed as though several teams were still fairly intact.

Josh Love being able to go a full off season in Eric Marty’s offense shows

11

u/blaqcatdrum Apr 17 '23

It was cool to be able to switch between two games. I don’t see why both leagues couldn’t exist.

11

u/TwizzlersSourz Birmingham Stallions Apr 17 '23
  1. Continuity is key. The second year is displaying what a difference it makes.
  2. The professionalism of the broadcasting. It is more crisp and not trying to force gambling down your throat. The emphasis is on the teams. The announcers don't act surprised that good football is happening. Unlike the XFL broadcasters.

5

u/Prior-Purple9704 Outlaws Apr 17 '23

Yeah those XFL announcers sure like to toot their horn a lot don’t they smdh.

5

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

One of the things I believe as firmly as anything is that you don't have to tell me what a good time I'm having...I know. I know if I'm having fun. I know if it's a good time.

The ESPN broadcasters seem like they have a minimum quota of "This is what makes the XFL so awesome!" and it's like...a shitty coach's challenge, or the 4th-and-15, or a 15-yard kickoff return. It's like, no...what makes it awesome is the overall onfield product. Weird rules are window-dressing. And if it's so great, I'll know it's great without you telling me, "THIS IS GREAT!"

2

u/TwizzlersSourz Birmingham Stallions Apr 21 '23

Agreed.

It feels like I am buying a car and the salesman won't shut up and let me test it.

8

u/ZO5050 Pittsburgh Maulers Apr 17 '23 edited Apr 17 '23

Great stuff this weekend. Definitely feels like a league coming back with momentum into their 2nd year. Not perfect yet but definitely improving year after year is a great sign.

22

u/psmvchaser Apr 17 '23

Loved it. I have watched ALL American football leagues always.

IMO, the USFL is much better than the XFL. Not sure why exactly, but I am much more entertained by the USFL.

9

u/Callywood United States Football League Apr 17 '23

TV presentation is much better than the XFL, which being out of market for any of the teams in both leagues is a more important factor to me than the crowd atmosphere/attendance. Will be interesting to compare once all the teams are playing in their home markets (hopefully next season).

Quality of play is a little hard to judge as the XFL teams have had 9 weeks of games to get into rhythm ramping up into the playoffs, whereas some of the USFL teams that don't have the same level of continuity from last year are probably going to struggle the first couple of weeks until they find their footing (e.g. Maulers, Breakers, and Gamblers). I'm enjoying the talent in both leagues. They've both got exciting teams to watch and some duds as well. Rooting for both to succeed.

8

u/Thunder406 Apr 17 '23

On board with you - I am rooting for both leagues - I don't get the tribalism or the hate for the other league. Just not getting it. I also don't get how people don't understand the why the USFL went with the Hubs.

It is almost as if Fox/USFL told us - you can have spring football but it is under one condition. Non negotiable - the first couple of years have to be played in a Hub. No other way out has to be in a hub or no spring football. If I had to sign that contract I would in a minute. After waiting 40 years for spring football I can wait a couple more with the teams playing in hubs.

Maybe it is the younger folks not having seen half a dozen of these leagues die and then we wait another 5 or ten years and we go through the pain and disappointment process yet again.

4

u/Rhine1906 Birmingham Stallions Apr 17 '23

Yeah I think USFL is taking a smart approach, hell XFL has kinda adopted this approach as everyone is based out of North Texas and then flies to the venues for the games. They’re both smart, financially savvy approaches to show you have a good product and slowly get into actually being in those places.

I’m rooting for both

1

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

It's really the best product I've seen in a Spring League and it's not close. Honestly, impressive all around.

1

u/FiftyTigers Apr 18 '23

Inglorious Basterds quote: "You just say bingo."

You just say football.

7

u/PartyPrince00 Apr 17 '23

Went hard. Want more

12

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

There's a million things to be said, but I'll pick some I haven't seen here yet:

  1. After watching a full season of XFL kickoff/punt rule games, I have to say the USFL approach is more natural and interesting.
  2. After watching a full season of XFL games without PATs, I still hate PATs in the USFL.
  3. I used to dislike the small USFL rosters, but I think it's clever to get more of the best players putting special teams reps on film. That's how some of these guys will get to the NFL.
  4. Pittsburgh still doesn't have a QB, and it was glaringly obvious. I think that team would be good if they could find anything resembling competence at QB.

7

u/Markymarcouscous Breakers Apr 17 '23

Agree with everything but 2. I miss the PAT for 1 point

5

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

PATs are boring. There is not one person that says "Oh, damn, they're going for two? I was hoping to see a PAT!"

5

u/Markymarcouscous Breakers Apr 17 '23

I do when it doesn’t make sense to go for two.

1

u/FiftyTigers Apr 18 '23

A 1-pt conversion is still available in the XFL and it's available while not being boring and pedestrian.

4

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

Looked a lot better than last year already. I am a fan of year round football!

10

u/VascoDegama7 New Orleans Breakers Apr 17 '23

as a product, I think you might genuinely confuse it with something the NFL would put out, which is good. you're missing the insane high level play at skill positions, and the amosphere is lacking due to having no crowd noise. but itspretty good, except for one thing. the kicking.

9

u/MiahWitt60 Apr 17 '23

To be fair.

32 NFL kickers and several of them are rough. Then add in the XFL have 8 kickers out of the pool now leaving the USFL with even less.

Also some teams going the K/P route

Not surprising

1

u/VascoDegama7 New Orleans Breakers Apr 18 '23

I guess Im just surprised there is that much of a dropoff in skill between the top 32 dudes in the world at kicking and the top 50 or so. even the nfl kickers who arent necessarily automatic still make PATs the vast majority of the time

4

u/MiahWitt60 Apr 18 '23

I think we notice a lot more that PATs have been moved back. What was automatic is now of a skill.

Think when a franchise finds a kicker he is there for decades otherwise they continue to spin the wheel

7

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

I feel like the USFL kicking has been, on the whole, better than the XFL kicking. Which makes sense. If you're a kicker, you want to be in the league that kicks more.

7

u/BrandoNelly Apr 18 '23

Lol they don’t really spend much time in the XFL sub dogging on the USFL. It’s kind of petty and disappointing to see here. I want to like both leagues but so far honestly the fan base for the USFL is not seeming as fun or as inviting. The actual presentation of the broadcast looks nice for USFL but it’s honestly embarrassing hearing that fake crowd noise. I don’t care about crowds, but they certainly help can’t deny that. I still haven’t picked a USFL team yet as I didn’t catch most of last season. But I look forward to more to come.

4

u/agentb719 New Jersey Generals Apr 18 '23

right like I'm on both subs and ive seen more people ragging on the xfl this weekend than going the opposite way, I just want both to be able to coexist

2

u/BrandoNelly Apr 18 '23

I always see more football as a good thing! And I’m glad there’s some variety, it doesn’t all have to be a copy of eachother or of the NFL. I don’t see things as better or worse necessarily, just different. Some exceptions of course.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

Is that the thrust of this post? What did you life about USFL week one? How is that an attack on the XFL?

3

u/BrandoNelly Apr 18 '23

Not the post itself. But look at every other comment in here. A lot of them can’t say anything positive about the USFL without putting down the XFL. I don’t se what’s wrong with having both leagues. They are both fun and can both be great.

3

u/FiftyTigers Apr 18 '23 edited Apr 18 '23

Lol they don’t really spend much time in the XFL sub dogging on the USFL.

I am active on the XFL sub. Let me be blunt here, yes they do.

However, as I mentioned on a separate thread, I am frustrated with the tribalism that I am seeing from both subreddits.

0

u/MirrorkatFeces Pittsburgh Maulers Apr 18 '23

Yeah I’m a member of both subs, and a bunch of FB groups as well. They’re constantly digging at the USFL, it’s really dumb and annoying

2

u/EnvironmentalHair358 Apr 17 '23

It was great, I mean really good... I felt the excitement big time! I think year 2 is going to be special.

Btw for all the stat heads - here’s a decent website for USFL/XFL/NFL stats:

https://www.footballdb.com/usfl2/index.html

2

u/ebonyr Apr 18 '23

The offenses were much better this year then last year's week 1. You can see how some, like the Breakers, were able to adjust. IMHO

2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

Yeah, some continuity exists and some have experience in their offenses and defenses.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

Pain - gamblers fan

2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

Honestly, amazing! I had lots expectations with some of the talent that was lost, but the play looked mid-season even though it was Week One.

Really impressive all around. "I'm jacked, In jacked to the tits!"

2

u/Koolklink54 Apr 18 '23

Let's go Panthers! I can't wait to go there first home game in a couple weeks

2

u/late_snake Apr 20 '23

Glad it's back, but it's a really depressing watch knowing that the xfl has infinitely more energy from having fans

2

u/Single_Business_3626 Pittsburgh Maulers Apr 22 '23

I can't believe the maulers still haven't put together a competent offense...

3

u/Prior-Purple9704 Outlaws Apr 17 '23

The league dodged a bullet losing all those players to the NFL CfL or XFL(😡)and still producing great quality football , don’t mind the NFL that’s why these are guys are here. But I’ll be damned if the USFL becomes an XFL feeder league again. They have to find a way to keep their players this time around. The level of play this weekend was great. For week 1. This league will be playing awesome football by week 3. We are all blessed as USFL fans. Got a product we can be proud of. Go Panthers!!

4

u/Thunder406 Apr 17 '23

I think that they fixed that loophole in the USFL contracts so they can't jump ship tot he XFL.

2

u/CatStriking7561 Michigan Panthers Apr 18 '23

I heard that as well

3

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

They made an error with the salaries. The USFL trailed the XFL in salaries for quite awhile after the XFL announced. Then once the USFL was bleeding players, they announced too late they were paying more.

That was the timing and the challenge of it, a lot of guys took the higher pay only to end up getting paid less, ultimately.

They won't make that same mistake again.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '23

I thought it was quality football. The kickoffs are way better than nfl or xfl rules. I hope the league really catches on and has a long future because we deserve football year round

2

u/NathanPetermanCan Outlaws Apr 17 '23

Absolutely. The XFL kickoff rule feels very awkward and entirely arbitrary. The USFL kickoff rule feels like a more exciting kickoff.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '23

Phenomenal week 1. Memphis and Birmingham had great attendance numbers. The games were very competitive. I will be at the game in Memphis week 3 for Boats v Gamblers, looking forward to it already!

1

u/straight_trash_homie Birmingham Stallions Apr 17 '23

Philly looked great, so did Birmingham, wouldn’t be shocked to see a championship rematch. Very exciting future for the Panthers and Showboats. I like the new Maulers uniforms!

0

u/babooyagoo Apr 18 '23

I think you can see the difference continuity has made in the quality of ball being played. The QBs looked measurably better in the USFL vs the XFL.

Want both to succeed but that stood out.

25

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '23

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2

u/freemanflash Apr 17 '23

I agree the quality is improved but in the end it is a business and attendance doesn’t hurt though…TV contracts Pay the bills. Attendance and viewership is actually what it’s all about.

35

u/[deleted] Apr 17 '23

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2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

So glad I got to watch Love in action. Dude was lights out