XFL

[stringypoo]

I can’t believe I forgot to mention the most heartbreaking moment of the season, which was in that Houston vs Dallas game! Okay, Landry Jones is the quarterback who has thrown the most interceptions in the league and he didn’t even play in week 1, but the guy commands respect with his cool attitude and experience, as well as his ability to get into the zone and then just make a nice string of excellent plays.

But he missed week 1 and much of the preseason training weeks due to a bad knee injury. Well, near the end of the game, in the middle of a pretty solid drive for the Renegades as they were down by one scoring play, they reached a 4th and 1. You know what they did but shouldn’t have done in his case? Quarterback sneak play! Holy shit did he go for it. He is not agile, and runs like he’s carrying invisible logs, but he made it! And that knee got injured again as well... Renegades weren’t the team I wanted to see win anyway, but it was still really sad to see the knee injury return to Landry. I have doubts he will play another game this season, but who knows. Especially sucks because their offensive coordinator coached him at Oklahoma and approached Landry saying he wanted Landry to be their team’s quarterback. Landry was sought out for that position. Well, the alternate quarterback made some nice moves after the swap, but yeah, Landry will be missed. Probably they’ll throw less interceptions at least now. Lol

[stringypoo]

So I just finished watching week 4, DC Defenders vs Tampa Bay Vipers. Was the first full length Vipers game I’ve seen since my Youku uploader always didn’t upload the game the Vipers played in the first three weeks. I’m only slightly familiar with how they play as a result.

Vipers entered this game as the only winless team at 0-3, and finished with their first win. In major fashion. Blowout game if I’d ever seen one. What was that finishing score? 25-0 or something? After so much lack of fighting back in DC’s Defenders I stopped caring what the scoreboard said at the end. Happy for the Vipers getting their first win, but it was not an exciting game by most standards. Vipers quarterback Cornelius, I feel I think I kinda like him, but there really wasn’t much to base that on, given that the Vipers ran the ball on most of their plays. Considering those “Defenders” struggled to the run on defense the whole game, why not run the ball a lot if you’re the Vipers in this game? Not only that, but those runners were excellent. Hard to bring down, and they managed to push piles when the run should have been brought to a halt. On top of that, the Vipers’s blitzing defense was intense and didn’t allow Cardale Jones and crew to execute much offensively. And when the Defenders did get a pass out, it was rarely completed, thanks to lots of route screwups and defensive roles.

Sounds great for the Vipers, yeah? But I really want to see them pass more. I love run plays, but when it is mostly what you see, I want to see the ball up in the air at some point. Defenders suffered their second blowout loss in a row, despite looking like one of the top 3 teams in the league coming out of week 2. Kinda sad really. I like Cardale Jones, and coach Pep Hamilton. Pumphreys is a great runner when he gets a good chance, and they’ve got a couple of great receivers (who showed nothing in this game).

Happy the Vipers are doing well. They looked great defensively in week 3 based on what I saw, but offense hadn’t been their strong suit. This game totally changed that for me. They look good, just not in those hideous green uniforms they wear. I hate their uniforms. As well as Seattle Dragons, but the uniforms of the Vipers is far worse in my opinion. Lol

Well, in my effort to get caught up, now I’ll watch the week 4 Battlehawks game, which I believe is against the aforementioned Dragons. Hoping for a Battlehawks win personally.

[stringypoo]

Just finished my final game of week 4, just in time to start week 5 which has a video or two up already on Youku for me. This morning I watched St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Seattle Dragons. This was a pretty good game, although not amazing. What made it worth watching more than anything was just seeing Battlehawks quarterback Jordan Ta’amu in action. Battlehawks are a run first offense, but their running backs accomplished very little in this game, getting anywhere from negative yardage to two or three yards per run. Ta’amu, on the other hand, ran the ball a few times as well, and almost always ran 10 or more yards. On top of that, his pass plays were damn near perfect. PJ Walker is my guy, but Ta’amu looked better this week (granted, PJ Walker barely got the ball this week in their game due to the defense scoring so much).

Dragons quarterback Brandon Silvers wasn’t making much happen on the field and got swapped out at half time when they only had a field goal on the scoreboard against the 14 or so points St. Louis had. The quarterback swap was their best decision. BJ Daniels looked great leading the Dragons in the second half. He is a runner, and similar to Ta’amu, he outran his own team’s runningbacks, although Daniels also outperformed Ta’amu in the rushing game. He also proved to be a good passer near the end of the third quarter.

Overall, I think Seattle needs to stop starting Long John Silvers at quarterback and just use Daniels. He looks great, and caused this game to be much closer than it was going to be with Silvers. It was actually a one score game by the end. But St. Louis’s defense saved themselves in the end of the 4th quarter with the only interception in the game. They bled that clock dry for a comfortable win. Not a bad game at all, just not an amazing one either.

Well, I’m on my way to checking out the new Week 5 games. Word is that a snack vendor at the Seattle game this weekend got the virus by the end of the game. I’m hoping it doesn’t spell an early end to the xfl season, but on the other hand, safety is first most important.

[v9733xa]

Bad news, my friend: www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/28894247/xfl-cancels-regular-season-games-committed-playing-2021

The XFL canceled its regular season Thursday amid the spread of the coronavirus.

The move followed similar cancellations and postponements by the NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLS and Major League Baseball, among others.

In its first season since its aborted debut in 2001, the XFL completed half of its scheduled 10-week season. It had been slated to conclude April 12 before two weeks of postseason play. There was no immediate word Thursday about a potential attempt to conduct playoffs.

The XFL has given its players approval to sign with NFL teams any time after they pass exit physicals Friday, sources told ESPN's Kevin Seifert. Originally, XFL contacts said players could not sign with NFL until after the XFL playoffs.

Despite the cancellation, the league said all players will be paid their base pay and benefits for the regular season, while ticket holders will receive refunds or credit toward future games.

"The XFL is committed to playing a full season in 2021 and future years," the league said in a statement.

Games drew an average attendance of 18,614 fans, garnering the largest crowds in St. Louis (28,541) and Seattle (25,616), while New York (14,875) and Los Angeles (13,124) found more difficulty attracting fans.

Overall, ABC and ESPN networks averaged 2,084,000 viewers per game in Weeks 1-4. Fox networks have averaged 2,019,000 per game. According to the league, all 10 of its broadcast games during that period ranked among television's top 10 shows that week, as did four of the six on cable.

The XFL is owned by Vince McMahon, who also runs the WWE. The wrestling company announced earlier Thursday that it would "remain committed" to holding WrestleMania 36 on April 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The XFL did not mention the coronavirus in its statement or cite a specific reason for cancelling the season on Thursday.

[stringypoo]

Mar 12, 2020 21:31:36 GMT -5 v9733xa said:

Bad news, my friend: www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/28894247/xfl-cancels-regular-season-games-committed-playing-2021

The XFL canceled its regular season Thursday amid the spread of the coronavirus.

The move followed similar cancellations and postponements by the NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLS and Major League Baseball, among others.

In its first season since its aborted debut in 2001, the XFL completed half of its scheduled 10-week season. It had been slated to conclude April 12 before two weeks of postseason play. There was no immediate word Thursday about a potential attempt to conduct playoffs.

The XFL has given its players approval to sign with NFL teams any time after they pass exit physicals Friday, sources told ESPN's Kevin Seifert. Originally, XFL contacts said players could not sign with NFL until after the XFL playoffs.

Despite the cancellation, the league said all players will be paid their base pay and benefits for the regular season, while ticket holders will receive refunds or credit toward future games.

"The XFL is committed to playing a full season in 2021 and future years," the league said in a statement.

Games drew an average attendance of 18,614 fans, garnering the largest crowds in St. Louis (28,541) and Seattle (25,616), while New York (14,875) and Los Angeles (13,124) found more difficulty attracting fans.

Overall, ABC and ESPN networks averaged 2,084,000 viewers per game in Weeks 1-4. Fox networks have averaged 2,019,000 per game. According to the league, all 10 of its broadcast games during that period ranked among television's top 10 shows that week, as did four of the six on cable.

The XFL is owned by Vince McMahon, who also runs the WWE. The wrestling company announced earlier Thursday that it would "remain committed" to holding WrestleMania 36 on April 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The XFL did not mention the coronavirus in its statement or cite a specific reason for cancelling the season on Thursday.

Awww bonerkill! Now I will never get to see the match I most anticipate, St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Houston Roughnecks. Both solid teams for this league, and operating totally differently on the field. Also both have the most likely mvp quarterbacks in the league.

Oh well. On the other hand, I’m glad they are going to protect the people involved, players and fans alike. It IS the responsible thing to do. Can’t wait for next year’s season, now that I know it will likely exist again. Maybe we can play fantasy XFL football? I wonder if that will be a thing next year. Haha

[stringypoo]

Since the XFL league season is over now, my watchingod the remaining week 5 games has been a bit slow. There’s now no pressure for me to quickly digest them to stay current. That being said, a couple days ago I finished Week 5 St. Louis Battlehawks vs DC Defenders.

If you’re a fan of the Defenders, and felt uber sorry for them and their horrible performances on the previous two weeks from their blowout losses, this is quite a feelgood game to see. But you see, this league is so young, it’s hard to quickly formulate which teams you like and sometimes I find myself changing my opinion on teams as I get more familiar with how they run and the key players on each. I’ve grown quite fond of those Battlehawks, especially with the great progression of quarterback Ta’amu. His week 4 game performance was incredible. DC have lost my interest a little in the last few weeks.

In short, this was a low scoring game, but DC got a couple of incredibly big game saving plays near the end that kept it exciting in the second half. Defenders definitely played better in this game, especially on defense, which really gave Ta’amu some trouble. In fact, I believe they sacked Ta’amu four times in the game, which is the most he had been brought down in a game, if not the only game he’d been sacked (that part I’m not sure). The Defenders offense still lacked some firepower in some areas, but like most teams struggling with identity in this league, their runningbacks made most of the plays in this game, and some runs were quite great, especially by Pressley. DC also started their backup quarterback and kept him out for the whole game, Jackson, who is super tall and lanky, but surprisingly runs the ball with awkward and surprising success. He gains yardage in uniquely fun ways. Not a bad passer either, but his best plays were mostly his running plays. Cardale Jones is a better passer most likely, but he never was one to make a run for it, so Jackson opened up offensive opportunities for the team.

Battlehawks? They had way too many penalties, much like their first game. Also a missed field goal. Both offense and defense played about evenly in this game, and there wasn’t really much of a standout performance from anyone. As I mentioned, even Ta’amu had trouble in this one. They didn’t run the ball as much as usual, which is surprising, because running the ball is the chief identity of the Battlehawks offense, and they run the ball more than all other teams in the league. Perhaps the attempt to pass more is what ruined it for them. DC is sucky against a good run, but played good zone defense.

Well, like I said, a low scoring game, but DC won with a nice upswing at the end. In some way I was disappointed as I had gained interest in the Battlehawks, but it’s also nice to finish the season at home with a win after some disappointing games. Also, this game showed the most drunken fans of all games I saw so far. The beer snake was excellent! Massive snake of beer cups reaching from the bottom of the stands to the top! I’ve been to DC before, I hope those weren’t Bud Lite, but rather the good ole brews of the Atlas Brewery from over there. When I was in DC, I had a lot of Atlas brews, some good IPAs for sure.

[stringypoo]

Just finished Week 5, New York Guardians vs Dallas Renegades. I was a little excited about this one. Neither team is super strong, but seemingly a suitable match, like watching the Bengals vs the Dolphins.

First half? Unremarkable. But at least from the beginning New York establishes that they could run the ball with Stockton. That, and the fact that the Dallas defense never established a way to stop the run are the only things I learned here.

The only real reason to watch this game is the second half, namely the awesome 3rd quarter. Guardians quarterback who replayed McGloin (thank god!) Luis Perez threw a few great passes. This guy is nothing too special, but he’s a stabilizing force for the team. And he apparently learned everything about how to be a quarterback from YouTube? At least that’s the story. Lol! Oh, and he is also a pro bowler. Unique quarterback to say the least. But anyway, 3rd quarter featured some excellent Guardians defense action in which they stole the ball from Dallas a few times, and scored three touchdowns of my memory is correct. One of them was answered by Dallas with a successful punt return all the way for a touchdown, which was surprising to say the least.

After that, the game fizzled out in New York’s favor. Great game, but if you’re going to watch any of it, just check out the 3rd quarter. Haha

My XFL game wrap-ups are almost over. Two more games to finish. Houston vs Seattle is currently on my screen.

[stringypoo]

I just finished Week 5, with my beloved Houston Roughnecks(4-0 at the time of start) vs. those damned Seattle Dragons(1-3)!

This was a great game. It looked like Houston was about to lose their first game throughout much of the game. Seattle quickly got to 12 points against a scoreless Houston in the first quarter, with new Seattle QB starter BJ Daniels looking very, very good. In contrast, superstar QB PJ Walker of the Roughnecks looked more rough than ever. Not only did the Seattle team give him the most pressure he’s faced all season, but Walker actually threw his first interception in this game. Ended up throwing another later on. Not very characteristic of Walker, who knew before the game started that Seattle Seahawks had scouts out at the game to observe his play in the game (maybe the Seahawks are looking for a new secondary QB?).

The tide changed after the half time break. Prior to that, Roughnecks defense was letting just nearly everything pass through, including numerous run plays that ran a similar course over and over. In the second half, Houston’s defense shut Seattle down in brutal fashion. Like, nothing was getting through them. Seattle lost yardage on almost every play in the second half. Okay, I may be exaggerating a little, but it sure as hell looked that way. And that Houston crowd was awesome. They really helped with restoring energy to their Houston team, no doubt. PJ did some of his impossible passes here in this second half, and eventually caught up and surpassed Seattle in a high scoring game. Like I said, a really good game. Strangely enough though, the game ended in controversy as the game was declared over after Walker took a knee with 3 seconds left in the 4th quarter but it was actually supposed to be Seattle’s ball. Seattle was down 9 points, and although the chance was ultra slim, there was actually a chance with those remaining 3 seconds Seattle could bring the game into overtime with a touchdown and 3 point conversion. But oh well. It’s highly unlikely.

Houston has the best crowd. St. Louis also has a great crowd. When they all started spinning their jackets and chanted “Battle- Hawks!” together, it was just a cool feeling. And DC’s crowds are the drunkest. Lol

Okay, one more game left to finish up the XFL, the Tampa Bay Vipers vs LA Wildcats. Should be a good one, although I hate the Wildcats.

[v9733xa]

Sorry, bro. www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/29021347/xfl-suspends-operations-lays-employees-no-plans-return-2021

XFL suspends operations, lays off employees and has no plans for 2021 season

The XFL suspended operations Friday morning, and multiple sources told ESPN that the league has laid off nearly all of its staff -- a handful of executives remain employed -- and currently has no plans to return in 2021.

The XFL is owned by WWE CEO/President Vince McMahon and Alpha Entertainment. In a statement, the WWE said: "Given the uncertainty of the current environment, the XFL has suspended operations and is evaluating next steps."

The XFL canceled its season last month after five games as part of a nationwide shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, pledging to return next year.

But XFL CEO Jeffrey Pollack changed course Friday, conducting a 10-minute conference call to inform employees of the news.

Commissioner Oliver Luck, hired in 2018 to guide the most ambitious spring football league in decades, did not speak on the call. It was not immediately clear if he is still with the league.

According to a prominent former XFL staffer who was on the call, Pollack stopped short of saying the league was going out of business. But the strong implication was clear. "It's done," the staffer said. "It's not coming back."

There was no immediate comment from the league.

WWE's McMahon was making his second foray into professional football. His rowdy 2001 version of the XFL also folded after one year.

McMahon pivoted 180 degrees for XFL 2.0, asking Luck to create a serious football league that would market a new version of the game while avoiding direct competition with the NFL. Luck led a group of staffers through two years of product development, establishing a series of innovations -- from its new kickoff alignment to its three-tiered extra point structure -- that caught the eye of multiple members of the NFL competition committee.

XFL staffers believed that the league would resume play in 2021. Players had previously been told they would be paid through the end of the regular season, which was scheduled to end this weekend.

The XFL is the second spring football league in as many years to suspend operations before completing its final season, albeit for much different reasons. The Alliance of American Football (AAF) ran out of money in 2019 and closed after eight weeks of play. The XFL might be the first pro sports league to fall victim to the economic crisis caused by the global pandemic.

[stringypoo]

Damn, that’s rough. They really did have something special going. Hard to imagine with the way the games turned out that it won’t return next year.

And I still stick with what I felt at the beginning, that I don’t believe NFL will have any interest in adopting any of the rules/proceedure changes from the XFL version.

[stringypoo]

I never summed up the last game, LA Wildcats vs. Tampa Bay Vipers. I’m not feeling so enthusiastic about it now. But for anyone who has a way to watch it, it was honestly one of the best games of the season because it felt like a real tug of war. For the first quarter, it looked like it was going to be a big blowout victory for the Vipers, who looked amazing. QB Taylor Cornelius showed some great decision making and made some great plays. I believe he ran the second TD himself, and really tricked the defense so it wasn’t anything more than a light jog for him. Lol

Somehow, those damned Wildcats really showed up as the game progressed. Again, I hate the Wildcats. But they had it going on. Josh Johnson really showed off his arm with a few mammoth passes down the field. They would have lost the game if they didn’t have Johnson, I believe. But they pulled off a big upset at the end. Yeah, it was actually a REALLY good game. Too bad there won’t be more.

[coltsfabio]

Fuck COVID-19