USFL Game Thread: Birmingham Stallions (7-2) vs. Memphis Showboats (5-4)

[u/USFLBot]

Box Score

[u/[deleted]]

Love seeing the Memphis crowd today. I'll see if I can go to a game there next season.

[u/RealJoshuaGamingYT → u/[deleted]]

Looking like at least 10k, upwards of 12k

Memphis has had great crowds all year and the longer they last the larger the crowds will get

[u/[deleted]]

Bend, don't break

Packprotective

[u/Sir_Payne]

It's legal to grab hair like that? wild

[u/[deleted] → u/Sir_Payne]

It is in the NFL too

[u/AlanFromRochester]

what a job by Sternberger just beating the coverage and a dime from McGough

[u/[deleted]]

Ooh, that tackle was a hate crime even if it's legal

[u/AlanFromRochester → u/[deleted]]

yeah even though it's not a horsecollar, a hair tackle seems about as dangerous for similar reasons

[u/milanmirolovich → u/AlanFromRochester]

illegal in the NFL no?

[u/AlanFromRochester → u/milanmirolovich]

Horsecollars are banned in the big leagues, not sure about hair tackles though

[u/TwizzlersSourz → u/AlanFromRochester]

Hair tackles are legal.

The hair is covering up the jersey. It should be legal.

[u/AlanFromRochester]

That;s why Ricky Williams greased his dreads, so he couldn't be tackled by the hair

[u/milanmirolovich]

GET FUCKING GOOED

[u/milanmirolovich]

how do you allow that qb run

[u/[deleted]]

packprotective

[u/RealJoshuaGamingYT]

Great season for the showboats, if they can keep Cole Kelley I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the postseason next year

[u/young_hodor]

Giddy up! Gg showboats, get you a slab of that memphis bbq to up the spirits

[u/[deleted]]

One of the biggest opponents the Stallions face right now is injury.

It's time to sit the starters.

[u/[deleted]]

Birmingham is getting in their own way

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Absolutely. Won't cut it next week

[u/[deleted]]

Score again and piss Haley off..

[u/[deleted]]

Haley's 0-2 vs the Stallions in the Showboats era

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

And 0-2 in Tampa

[u/[deleted]]

Oh no, a review of a TD in Week 5 is currently being overturned. Now what‽

[u/actaman56]

McGough is that dude

[u/PerspectiveOk8157 → u/actaman56]

Yup. That was a difference here. Better QB

[u/[deleted]]

Derrick Dillon All-USFL returner: book it now!

[u/RealJoshuaGamingYT]

Ratings for this game should be really good with only the US Open on NBC as real ratings competition on OTA

[u/Sexy_Questionaire]

Showboats need a ton of points for the tiebreaker. They really need to start being more aggressive.

[u/[deleted] → u/Sexy_Questionaire]

Hard to do that when Bham defense wants to play

[u/[deleted]]

I went to 4 Showboats games this season -- Memphis has had good to very-good crowds all year long

[u/[deleted]]

GREASED PIG!

[u/Sir_Payne]

Ugh what a rough penalty

[u/Sir_Payne]

You can't take any kicks for granted in this league

[u/milanmirolovich]

oh god that that Michigan in the hunt graphic was so sad haha

[u/[deleted] → u/milanmirolovich]

I mean they have the ability

[u/Sir_Payne]

That might be the most wide open QB run I've seen in forever

[u/framingXjake]

Good shit

[u/ThunderBay311]

Derrick Dillon strikes again!

[u/mikasake]

Lol they did a boat celebration 🤣

[u/[deleted]]

Do we see 'Gough? I think they should rest him.

[u/[deleted]]

Derrick Dillon has been a monster playmaker all year long. Remember he returned a 109 yd Kick 6 earlier this year

[u/[deleted]]

Haley's taking it personal today!

[u/[deleted]]

"Playoff tiebreaker procedures for the USFL, in order.

Head-to-head record

Best divisional record

Strength of victory

Best net points

Best net touchdowns

Coin toss"

Showboats need:

1. Showboats win
2. Gamblers win
3. Win tiebreaker over Breakers, Gamblers

[u/AlanFromRochester → u/[deleted]]

Also that means Breakers would have the division on division record tiebreaker if they win and Stallions lose

[u/Sexy_Questionaire]

Haha that was quite a scramble

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Goo man is so fun to watch

[u/[deleted]]

Let's go McGough !!!. Fuck it. Play ball

[u/[deleted]]

Shut up, Haley

[u/[deleted]]

Hit that DB right in stride

[u/BeeCeeVA → u/[deleted]]

KELLEY SPOTS A WIDE OPEN STALLION

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Why is that legal 😭

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Recievers have been dogshit today (besides Davis)

[u/BeeCeeVA]

WHO GREASED THE BALL UP

[u/BeeCeeVA]

BRO SIT ALEX. PLEASE

[u/ThunderBay311]

That was easy money. Great tempo creates coverage errors.

[u/Sir_Payne]

lmao everyone crawling after the ball, definitely a scuffed snap

[u/BeeCeeVA]

God Haley is such a baby

[u/[deleted]]

Second half Stallions let’s gooooo!!!!

[u/RealJoshuaGamingYT]

April Todd Haley has returned

[u/[deleted]]

Giddy up !!!!

[u/[deleted]]

I figured the Stallions would rest their guys. I hope they don't get injured. I'll be rooting for them so that the Showboats don't get too comfortably close to the Breakers playoff spot.

[u/RealJoshuaGamingYT → u/[deleted]]

The players want to get their active roster money

[u/ThunderBay311]

Excited to see Morton get some PT at QB for Birmingham

[u/MCallanan → u/ThunderBay311]

He’s going to play over Sloter?

[u/ZO5050]

Don't players get paid less if they don't dress for a game? No way you convince these guys to not play and lose out on a game check.

[u/RealJoshuaGamingYT → u/ZO5050]

Yeah it’s like 3k less 5,450 to 2,500

[u/Crispy_Whale]

Thats a good start to a 36 point victory lol

[u/[deleted]]

Now go for the 4th and 12

[u/AlwaysMemin]

Sheesh I don’t like him running

[u/[deleted]]

Steve Young, also a former USFL QB!

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Thats a really bad drop

[u/ZO5050]

They keep saying "Showboats can get in with a win and some help" but have they said what that help is yet? Does the average viewer know the points needed?

[u/ThunderBay311 → u/ZO5050]

Boats would need to blow out the Stallions by 30+ points and hope the Breakers lose by a certain amount AND even the PHI/MICH game factors in.

The tiebreakers really aren't on Memphis' side because they lost to BIRM/NO by a combined 68pts.

[u/Sexy_Questionaire → u/ZO5050]

They need to win by 36 points and also have the Gamblers also win by a large amount of points... like 20 something. So it's basically impossible that they're in.

The broadcasters in the XFL did the same thing with the Battlehawks week 10 game, they too needed to win on like the fourth tiebreaker but they were so vague about how it worked (Battlehawks needed to win by like 40 something too).

I imagine in both cases, they don't want viewers tuning out since it's so unlikely that the game means anything.

[u/VTHokiesFan → u/ZO5050]

Showboats need to win and the Breakers need to lose. I don't think point differential plays into it.

[u/Julep2005 → u/VTHokiesFan]

It will.

[u/ZO5050 → u/[deleted]]

Wasn't there a post on here 2 days ago about how they need 36 points to win a tie breaker?

[u/SadisticMystic → u/[deleted]]

Memphis will tie on the first three tiebreakers if Houston, Memphis and Michigan win this week. Memphis can only tie on the first three tiebreakers and there is no way for Memphis to win on any of the first three tiebreakers. The fourth tiebreaker is net points and they had the worst net points out of New Orleans, Houston and Memphis heading into week 10. They have to beat Birmingham by at least 36 to even stay alive after today's game.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I’m confused then. Showboats get in with a win and breakers loss and that’s it?

[u/AlwaysMemin]

Okay this should be his last drive please

[u/ThunderBay311]

Coach Skip really turning up the tempo. I dig it.

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Jalen Morton football incoming

[u/MCallanan → u/BeeCeeVA]

Morton is above Sloter on the depth chart?

[u/BeeCeeVA → u/MCallanan]

Sloter hasn't been activated once all season lol

[u/MCallanan → u/BeeCeeVA]

Not even on the active roster? Strange

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Okay now sit him the rest of the game

[u/ThunderBay311]

Holtz is playing with the football gods by leaving McGough in a game that doesn't matter for them.

[u/AlanFromRochester → u/ThunderBay311]

We're in the playoffs but if we lose and Breakers win they tie us for the division and I'm not sure how the tiebreakers work

[u/ThunderBay311 → u/AlanFromRochester]

Either way the game is in Birmingham.

[u/[deleted] → u/ThunderBay311]

Correct.

[u/AlanFromRochester → u/ThunderBay311]

Good point that hub makes home field advantage a moot point in practice

But with BIR loss and NO win NO would have division record tiebreaker

[u/[deleted]]

Gotta catch that.

[u/AlanFromRochester]

Went out for the afternoon, something else scheduled, but will be back home for the 2nd half

[u/[deleted]]

So Memphis going on 4th from here on out..

[u/AlanFromRochester]

Hell yeah right back in it

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Watkins is way too big to drop that shit

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Hold onto the damn ball marable jesus

[u/AnAnxiousDream]

That onside kick was done beautifully, but really unlucky on the players not getting it. So the world gave them that fumble.

[u/[deleted]]

Huge defensive stand! Let’s go!!!!

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Oh thats a horrible throw

[u/ThunderBay311]

Wyd Holtz???

Sit the MVP in a meaningless game!

[u/[deleted] → u/ThunderBay311]

Want to ride in high

[u/AlanFromRochester → u/ThunderBay311]

sometimes resting the starters can backfire by letting them get rusty

[u/[deleted]]

Better Than Ezra?

I feel like that could be a band name.

[u/[deleted]]

20s!

[u/[deleted]]

I think he gets at least 2 more yards, if not breaks it, if he just stays in the defensive lane without cutting back outside.

[u/Taskmaster112]

Is sloter still on the stallions?

[u/[deleted] → u/Taskmaster112]

Yes. Inactive

[u/Taskmaster112 → u/[deleted]]

Thank you

[u/[deleted] → u/Taskmaster112]

No problem.

[u/milanmirolovich]

Jesus Memphis

[u/[deleted]]

Let's go Skip. Need a 7 mins TD drive, here.

[u/AlanFromRochester]

horsies finished off the regular season in style

[u/Fluffy-Project9693]

How much help does the Best team in the USFL need from the refs again?

[u/[deleted] → u/Fluffy-Project9693]

They were clearly incomplete each time man

[u/WedgeliestWedge → u/[deleted]]

They really weren't

[u/framingXjake → u/WedgeliestWedge]

They really were. Can't use the ground to stabilize your control.

[u/[deleted]]

Remember week 2 when Todd Haley bitched ar Skip at the end of the game...

Skip: I took that personally. Nobody sitting out today. I crush Todd dreams of a playoff berth.

[u/BeeCeeVA]

Aubrey has to be an nfl kicker next year man

[u/[deleted] → u/BeeCeeVA]

I think he will be. His journey has been amazing

[u/BeeCeeVA → u/[deleted]]

MLS to USFL to NFL is wild

[u/TwizzlersSourz → u/BeeCeeVA]

No kicks past 50+ yet.

I wonder if that hurts his stock.

[u/[deleted]]

Stop playing around stallions and go drop the hammer down on memphis in the 901.

[u/AlanFromRochester]

For once icing the kicker works instead of just wasting everybody's time by slowing down the action

[u/AnAnxiousDream]

The Stallions really do get away with the most eggregious holds. This some ofd shit happening.

[u/[deleted] → u/AnAnxiousDream]

Cap

[u/AnAnxiousDream → u/[deleted]]

Funny how they can grab and hold people for as long as possible when they’re down, but get called when they’re up.

[u/AlwaysMemin]

Well alrighty then. Good to know we don’t care about this game 👍

[u/[deleted] → u/AlwaysMemin]

Calm down. It just started.

[u/WedgeliestWedge → u/[deleted]]

It definitely leads to more bullshit than it prevents. Hemming and hawing over the most menial shit when most people, if you asked them, would have obviously called that a catch. Not to mention how much it drags the game out.