UFL opens in Vegas

March 6, 1983.  June 20, 1987. And now October 8, 2009.  If these dates don’t ring a bell, allow me to give you a few hints.  Chicago Blitz vs Washington Federals, Denver Dynamite vs Chicago Bruisers and the California Redwoods  vs Las Vegas Locomotives.  Still not ringing a bell?  I don’t blame you, these are some seriously random dates and teams.  In a nutshell, these were the opening games for the USFL, Arena Football League and the UFL.   All of which I had the pleasure of attending.

Enough nostalgia, lets talk United Football League (UFL).  According to league press releases, tonight’s opening game in UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium is years of preparation coming to fruition.  Starting with only four teams for the inaugural 2009 season the New York Sentinels, Florida Tuskers, Las Vegas Locomotives and the California Redwoods should get really familiar with each other this season.  Especially with the 2 east coast teams training together and the Redwoods and Loco’s training in our own backyard vacation destination, Casa Grande.

So on this fall evening at 6:13 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, a new professional football league kicked off with six former University of Arizona and 8 former Arizona Cardinal players on the two rosters.  Interesting note, there are no former ASU Sun Devils on any of the UFL’s four rosters.  The Locomotives (Locos) first drive featured former NFL players J.P. Losman and Marcel Shipp as they marched down the field 57 yards taking 5:39 off the clock.  A 3rd and goal fumble by Shipp gave the Redwoods their first possession on their own 17.  The rest of the first quarter was a feeling out period for both teams.  Both teams added a touchdown in the second quarter to send the game into the half Redwoods 14, Locos 10.

Local groups supplied the halftime festivities which gave me time to peruse the announced 14,290 fans.  (A consensus of press box inhabitants put the actual attendance closer to 4,500) .  Now I’ve been to literally hundreds of sporting events, and I have never seen a more random mix of jerseys in the bleachers.  A sampling includes:  3 Dustin Pedroia, Steve McNair pro-bowl, a Cardinals Edgerrin James, a powder blue Kellen Winslow, a Manny Ramirez, 3 J.P. Losmans, a Donovan McNabb, a Vinny Testeverde, a Denver Jake Plummer and an Eagles Keith Jackson for good measure.  In the interest of time, I didn’t list the other 36 I saw.

Second half scoring highlights included 3 field goals and two touchdowns with one of the field goal going for 53 yards by the Locos’ Graham Gano.  Another interesting moment occurred during the 3rd quarter break when the UFL commissioner addressed the crowd.  He stated the 15,00 fans in attendance were the best fans in the UFL.  I’ll let you insert joke(s) here.  The game ended with the home team defeating the visiting Redwoods 30-17.  Post game comments from both coaches (both NFL veterans) stating this was very good football, somewhere above the USFL and below the NFL.  Maybe the now defunct NFL Europe?

My overall opinion of this inaugural game of the premiere season of the UFL is generally good.  Seeing the officiating crew in red and black was interesting as well as trying to distinguish the two teams from each other.  I understand the league wanting to use the leagues colors in all the uniforms, but if it was hard for the fan,  I can’t imagine what it was like on the field.  The Versus network did a good job as well as all the stadium attendants, the one souvenir stand, and the P.R. staffing in the press box.  The players I caught up with post game were excited for game two and they feel the league has good potential. Games will be all across America in the next few weeks exposing the country to the UFL.  As for me?  Maybe the league championship the day after Thanksgiving back here in Vegas sounds a little bit more fun than shopping on Black Friday.  

Remember, the U in the UFL is for you, the fan….

UFL Post-game audio

Redwoods Head Coach Dennis Green

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Locos Head Coach Jim Fassel

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Locos Defensive Tackle Wendell Bryant

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Tags: J.P. Losman, Jake Plummer, Marcel Shipp