World Bowl X Recap and 1983 Trivia

For the second time in three seasons, the New Jersey Generals are champions of the USFL/WFL.

New Jersey's defense forced Denver QB Dustin Nichols into four interceptions and QB Stephan Labelle fired three TD passes as the Generals held off the Gold, 37-22, in World Bowl X.

Stephan LaBelle, New Jersey

The Generals were making their third consecutive appearance in the title game. New Jersey won two seasons ago, lost to Houston last season, and put on another ring Friday. Denver was making its first World Bowl appearance.

Running backs Rudi Johnson and Magic Johnson combined for 153 yards rushing and Labelle threw scoring strikes to Aaron Paul, Steve Jobs, and Justin Timberlake. New Jersey scored on five of its first six drives, but it was the Generals' defense that really came up big when it needed to.

A seemingly safe 31-14 New Jersey lead early in the fourth quarter did not look nearly as safe when Nichols found veteran WR Michael Sonnenberg for his second TD of the day. A 2-point conversion cut the lead to 31-22 with plenty of time to go (13:38).

An interception by Bernardo Schoenberger killed the next Denver drive, and incomplete passes on third-and-one and fourth-and-one ended the next possession. The Gold got the ball back one more time, but four incompletions ended that final drive,

Kerry Justin, Lars Ulrich, and Mike Williams also had interceptions for New Jersey. Nichols finished the game with a 65.00 QBR compared with Labelle's 107.81. Leroy Selmon caught eight passes for the Generals. Denver MLB Michael Flores led all tacklers with 11.

Useless Trivia

Here are some nuggets I stumbled upon while updating the team vs. team results chart:

• The Southern California Sun season ncluded both a victory over Denver (14-2) and a loss to Georgia (1-15).
• SoCal also recorded just its second-ever victory over Los Angeles. The Express leads that series, 18-2. The only other division series with a similar disparity is New Jersey's 18-2 all-time record against Philadelphia.
• Teams finishing with their best-ever regular-season records were Denver (14-2), SouthernCalifornia (6-10), Birmingham (13-3), Charlotte (8-8), and Jacksonville (12-4). Finishing with their worst-ever regular-season record were Oakland (5-11), San Antonio (3-13), Georgia (1-15), Shreveport (4-12), and Tampa Bay (4-12).
• The San Jose SaberCats ended the season on a 12-game losing streak. The longest losing streak in league history is 17, by the Boston Breakers spanning the end of the 1982 and beginning of the 1983 seasons.
• The Portland Storm and Detroit Wheels have both finished .500 or better for 10 consecutive seasons.
• In games between teams in other divisions, the biggest margin is Chicago's 7-0 record vs. San Antonio. New Jersey is 6-0 against Baltimore, Houston is 6-0 vs. SoCal, and Detroit is 6-0 vs. LAX.
• Birmingham earned its first-ever win over Tampa Bay after five losses.
• Portland is a combined 19-3 against the Pacific Division.
• Charlotte was 0-10 against the West Division before defeating both Portland and Oakland this season.
• Look how even the West Division competition has been over 10 seasons (click to enlarge):

1983 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team

Douglas Oneal, Hawaiians (55)

Honolulu Hawaiians middle linebacker Douglas Oneal, who set a league record with 14 interceptions, leads the 1983 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team, as voted by the league's coaches.

Oneal also made 128 tackles, third in the league. He was voted All-Pro for a third time and was the overwhelming choice for Defensive MVP. No other player received more than one vote.

New Orleans VooDoo wide receiver James Sheckler was voted Offensive MVP after leading the league in receiving yardage (1,885), averaging 22.4 yards on 84 catches. He also led the league with 18 receiving TDs.

AlexanDragon was voted Coach of the Year for the first time after leading the Denver Gold to the league's best regular-season record (14-2) and a third consecutive playoff berth and second West Division championship in three seasons.

A pair of All-Pro nominees, Cleveland Thunderbolts WR/RB Samuel Draper and Honolulu CB Tim Rodgers, were voted Rookies of the Year. Draper rushed for 1,060 yards and caught 70 passes for 382 more. Rodgers made 50 tackles, intercepted four passes and allowed only 27.6 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed.

Washington Federals DL John Broussard was named All-Pro for a fifth consecutive season, something no other player in league history has accomplished. O'Neal, Houston Gamblers kicker Daniel McCormack, Chicago Blitz running back Max Howard, and New Orleans DB Larry Ackman were all named All-Pro for a third time.

There was a tie for the final DL spot, so both players were named.

The all-time list of award winners and All-Pro teams can be found on this blog page.

1983 USFL/WFL All-Pro Team

(Previous selections in parentheses)
Offense: Dustin Nichols, QB, Denver; Charles Ahumada, RB/WR, Michigan; Max Howard, RB, Chicago ('80, '81); James Sheckler, WR, New Orleans; Jose Buford, WR, Denver; Carmen Nelson, TE, New York; Andre Adkins, OL, Pittsburgh ('81); Antonio Preston, OL, Memphis; Andrew Briggs, OL, Honolulu; Wesley Griffin, OL, Washington; Donald Dahlquist, OL, New Orleans.

Special Teams: William Ramsey, KR, Boston; Sam Savage, P, Portland; Daniel McCormack, K, Houston ('79, '80)

Defense: Ramon Carter, DL, Florida; Chad Brown, DL, Detroit; George Turner, DL, Denver; Roger Barrett, DL, San Antonio; John Broussard, DL, Washington ('79, '80, '81, '82); Douglas Oneal, LB, Honolulu ('81, '82); Edward Standley, LB, Southern California; Troy Irwin, LB, Los Angeles; Thomas Allums, LB, Charlotte ('82); Jeffrey Danko, DB, Washington; Bob Marley, DB, New Jersey; Larry Ackman, DB, New Orleans ('79, '80); Brent Sylvain, DB, Honolulu.

Offensive MVP: James Sheckler, WR, New Orleans
Defensive MVP: Douglas Oneal, LB, Honolulu
Coach of the Year: AlexanDragon, Denver
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Samuel Draper, WR/RB, Cleveland
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Tim Rodgers, DB, Honolulu

Honorable Mention

(In order of number of votes received)
QB: Chester Dougherty, Chicago; William Trombly, Houston; Ryan Tate, Pittsburgh.
RB: Billy Brink, Detroit; Ronald Boatman, Honolulu; Arthur Strickland, Florida; William Guerro, Jacksonville; Socrates Rogers, New Orleans; Magic Johnson, New Jersey; Samuel Draper, Cleveland;  Cam Dalton, New York.
WR: Charles Holt, Pittsburgh; William Johnston, Arizona; Bruce Edwards, Houston; Mark Moody, Honolulu; Christopher Henderson, Cleveland; Robert Anderson, Charlotte.
TE: Stephen Hicks, Portland.
OL: Richard Mosley, San Jose; Thomas Bellanger, Portland; Timothy Ross, Shreveport; Guy Rojas, Southern California; John Coltrane, San Antonio; Martin Hindman, Chicago; Jimmy Hoffa, New Jersey; James Robinson, Michigan; David Sawyer, Michigan.
KR: Aaron Paul, New Jersey; Ernest Lynch, New York; Gary Munch, Portland.
DL: Eric Geiser, Detroit; Curtis Axelson, Chicago; Raphael Alvarez, Jacksonville; James Lockette, New Jersey; Nickolas Taylor, San Jose; Donald Jackson, Cleveland; Timothy Despres, Denver; Michael Kay, Michigan; John Biggs, Florida.
LB: William Bennett, Orlando; Jim Grisby, Tampa Bay; Paul Rivera, New Orleans; Philip Williamson, Jacksonville; Charles Mooney, Tampa Bay; Rocky Garfield, Washington.
DB: Christopher McGee, New York; Carlos Turner, Birmingham; Tim Rodgers, Honolulu; Gordon Wong, Jacksonville; Ezra Baumgardner, San Jose; Charles Bowles, Boston; Juan Jacobson, New Orleans; Philip Shurtz, Oakland; Dennis Canning, Chicago; Oliver Serrano, Cleveland; Prince Stone, Oklahoma; Robert Stroble, Chicago.
Offensive MVP: Dustin Nichols, QB, Denver; Max Howard, RB, Chicago; Bruce Edwards, WR, Houston.
Defensive MVP: Philip Williamson, LB, Jacksonville; Paul Rivera, LB, New Orleans; Carlos Turner, DB, Birmingham; Bob Marley, DB, New Jersey.
Coach of the Year: raidergreg69, New Jersey; mwd65, Los Angeles; OffensiveTaco, Houston; eyeballll, Detroit.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kenneth Burgess, OL, Portland; Mark Lambert, RB, Houston; William Johnston, WR, Arizona; Oliver Thomas, RB, Oakland; Stephen Hicks, TE, Portland.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Prince Stone, DB, Oklahoma; Daniel Wells, LB, Baltimore; Robert Swafford, LB, Philadelphia.

1983 World Bowl X Preview: New Jersey vs. Denver

Magic Johnson, RB, New Jersey

The New Jersey Generals will be playing for the USFL/WFL championship—again.

New Jersey will square off against the Denver Gold in World Bowl X on Friday after holding off a furious late rally by Jacksonville to defeat the Bulls, 23-21, in the National Conference finals.

This is the third consecutive appearance in the title game, and fourth overall, for New Jersey, That is the most of any USFL/WFL franchise.

Denver, which will be in the World Bowl for the first time, scored with just over 3 minutes to play to knock off the defending champion Houston Gamblers, 17-13, and win the American Conference.

New Jersey has won two of the three-regular season meetings between the teams. Denver won, 20-14, in 1974, while New Jersey claimed 12-10 and 30-25 victories in 1978 and 1982.

The Generals will be without starting C Kent Hull and WLB Indiana Jones, RG Steve Niehaus, and WR Kenneth William are all questionable. Denver will be without DT Gregory Hubbard and MLB Michael Flores is questionable.

MFN has made Denver a 1-point favorite for this game.

New Jersey 23, Jacksonville 21

The Generals had the ball and a 23-0 lead midway through the third quarter when things started going haywire for them.

Jacksonville CB Gary Scroggins picked off a Stephan Labelle pass and returned it 41 yards for a TD to get the Bulls on the scoreboard. Still, it was 23-7. The Bulls drove 81 yards for a TD before the third quarter ended to make it 23-14. The Bulls then moved from their 14 to the New Jersey 11 before a John Joyce interception ended that drive. Jacksonville scored again with 29 seconds to play, but New Jersey's Chad Ochocinco recovered an onside kick and the game was over.

New Jersey scored on five of its first six drives to lead, 23-0. RB Magic Johnson rushed for 118 yards and  caught five passes for 41 more. RDE Roy Sullivan had a pair of sacks. Jacksonville DT Ralph Alvarez also was credited with two sacks.

Denver 17, Houston 13

Dustin Nichols' 77-yard TD pass to Jose Buford late in the third quarter gave Denver its only lead of the game. There were some anxious moments for Gold fans down the stretch, however.

The Gamblers got the ball back on their own 20 with 2:10 remaining in the game. QB William Trombly found WR Bruce Edwards for a 55-yard completion on third-and-10, putting the ball on the Denver 11. The next four passes were knocked down—the last two because Houston was penalized for repeatedly calling the same offensive play. The Gambler did get the ball back one last time, but FS Don Wilkerson's interception with 5 seconds to play ended that threat.

Trombly was 33-for-58 passing, but was intercepted twice and did not throw a TD. Denver's Buford caught five passes for 98 yards. Wilkerson had two interceptions, SS Etienne Boulay nine tackles and RDE Timothy Despres a pair of sacks. Gamblers MLB Luis Torres recorded 12 tackles.

1983 Conference Championship Games

The USFL/WFL's 10th season has come down to the Final Four. Will the Houston Gamblers be able to defend their World Bowl title? Or, will the New Jersey Generals make it two championships in three years? Will the Jacksonville Bulls or Denver Gold make their first-ever apperance in the championship game?

Houston Gamblers at Denver Gold

Ronald Tatman, Denver Gold

New head coach OffensiveTaco has the Gamblers on the verge of a return trip to the World Bowl. Houston, the defending league champion, held off the Detroit Wheels, 20-19, in the divisional round. Daniel McCormack's 41-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter concluded the scoring, but the Wheels had their chances. They were close to field goal distance before an incomplete pass and a 2-yard loss killed that drive. Interceptions by WLB Jonathan Fenn and CB Lloyd McCoy kept Detroit at bay. The second pickoff was thrown by Detroit backup QB Steve Voll, who is a combined 6-for-56 passing during his two seasons with the Wheels.

The Gold are on the verge of appearing in the World Bowl for the first time after ousting the Los Angeles Express, 20-6. Denver QB Dustin Nichols fired three TD passes and TE/FB/RB/C/LG/RG/LT/RT Ronald Tatman caught eight passes for 108 yards. Tatman is Denver's No. 1 TE on the depth chart, but is rated 50 or higher at every position.

Denver leads the regular-season series, 3-2. The teams did not meet this season, but Houston won, 21-10, in 1982.

Jacksonville Bulls at New Jersey Generals

Tony Morrison, Jacksonville

The Generals are seeking their third consecutive appearance in the league championship game. having won World Bowl VIII and lost to Houston in World Bowl IX. New Jersey also appeared in World Bowl VI, falling to Memphis. The Bulls have never appeared in the title game.

New Jersey came into the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, including a 31-20 defeat at the hands of the New Orleans VooDoo. The Generals avenged that loss with a 20-17 decision over the VooDoo in the divisional round. After New Jersey kicked a field goal to claim a seemingly safe 20-10 lead with 1:52 to play, VooDoo WR and league MVP candidate James Sheckler caught a 75-yard TD pass to cut the lead to 3 points.

Chad Ochocinco recovered the onside kickoff attempt and New Jersey ran down the clock before punting to the New Orleans 6. Two plays later, the game was over.

The Bulls rolled past the Pittsburgh Maulers, 34-9, in the first round before edging the Birmingham Stallions, 16-13, in OT. Birmingham was lined up for the game-winning field goal at the end of regulation time, but a false start penalty took them out of range. In overtime, the Bulls drove from their 10 to the Stallions 31 before Tommie Prather's 48-yard field goal ended the game.

The teams squared off in Week 9, with Jacksonville prevailing, 38-24. The Bulls shot out to a 24-7 lead after the first quarter of that game, including Tony Morrison's 31-yard interception return for a TD. Morrison intercepted two passes that day, two of New Jersey's four turnovers. The Generals lead the regular-season series, 3-2 and are a 7-point favorite this time, according to MFN.

Record Book

A look at league records set during the 1983 USFL/WFL season:

Game

• Most passes dropped: Billy Baldwin, RB, Memphis, 6
• Longest kickoff return: Richard Brown, RB, Georgia, 110 yards (tied record)
• Most field goals, 50+ yards: Daniel McCormack, Houston, and Gary Spence, Cleveland (tied)
• Most punts: Julius Horowitz, Michigan, 17 vs. Memphis (tied record)
• Most punts inside 20: Julius Horowitz, Michigan, 11 vs. Memphis
• Interceptions: Troy Irwin, MLB, Los Angeles vs. Honolulu, 4 (tied record)

Season

• Receptions by a TE: Carmen Nelson, New York Stars, 120'
• Punts inside 20: Julius Horowitz, Michigan, 69
• Tackles: Jim Grisby, SLB, Tampa Bay, 141
• Missed Tackles: Joseph Abernathy, CB, Charlotte, 36
• Interceptions: Douglas Oneal, MLB, Honolulu, 14
• Interception Returns for TD: Gordon Wong, CB, Jacksonville, 2 (tied record)

Career

• Passing Yards: William Hill, Shreveport, 51,662
• Passing TDs: William Hill, Shreveport, 206
• Rushing TDs: John Murray, Pittsburgh, 77
• Pass Receptions: Michael Hunter, Honolulu, 892
• Pass Reception Yardage: Dusty Heckman, Portland, 13,471
• Pass Reception TDs: Dusty Heckman, Portland, 97
• Field Goals: James Hooper, Shreveport, 329
• Field Goals 40+: Daniel McCormack, Houston, 166
• Field Goals 50+: Daniel McCormack, Houston, 82
• Extra Points: Thomas Hummel, Tampa Bay, 892
• Punts: Bruce Kester, NY Stars, 1,154
• Punts Inside 20: William Anders, Honolulu, 323
• Tackles: Travis Curcio, MLB, Washington, 967
• Sacks: James Lockette, DT, New Jersey, 132
• Hurries: James Lockette, DT, New Jersey, 397
• Missed Tackles: Robert Mason, CB, Charlotte, 188
• Passes Knocked Down: Larry Ackman, CB, New Orleans, 197
• Catches Allowed: Roy Wiley, CB, Denver, 567
• Interceptions: David Peralta, CB, Houston, 61
• Interception Returns for TDs: Shelby Kemp, CB, Florida, 3
• Plays From Scrimmage: Larry Ackman, CB, New Orleans, 13,200
• Fumbles: Joe Richardson, QB, Washington, 84
• Pass Blocks: David Sawyer, LT, Michigan, 8,526
• Run Blocks: Andre Adkins, C, Pittsburgh, 5,389
• Tackles Allowed: Jeffrey Sharp, C, Honolulu, 410
• Penalties: Adam Bolding, RG, Memphis, 66 for 527 yards
• Total TDs: Cory Robinzine, WR, Arizona, 108

1983 Week 15 Roundup: Showboats Show Off

It has been a shaky season for Memphis, but the Showboats gave their fans something to cheer about during Week 15.

James Perry, Memphis

James Perry fired three of his four TD passes in the second quarter as Memphis surprised the New Jersey Generals, 34-13 at the Liberty Bowl. Memphis piled up 514 yards total offense as it picked up its fourth consecutive victory under new head coach Kababmaster. He replaced PrivateSnowflake, who abandoned the team without warning or comment April 25 after seven seasons at the helm.

Memphis committed zero turnovers (almost unheard of these days) and Perry was 32-for-56 passing with no interceptions (also almost unheard of these days). WR Willie Howland finished with 181 yards receiving on five catches (36.20 per catch) and TDs of 12 yards and 49 yards. SLB Brian Davis had nine tackles for Memphis.

New Jersey (13-2), which had won five in a row since losing to the Jacksonville Bulls in Week 9, is now tied with the Birmingham Stallions (13-2) for the top seed and home field advantage in the National Conference.

Memphis (9-6) could still finish in a tie with Cleveland for the second wild-card spot in the American Conference, but the Thunderbolts defeated the Showboats, 18-10, in Week 3. Memphis closes its 1983 schedule with a home game against the Los Angeles Express.

In other Week 15 games:

• Honolulu Hawaiians MLB Douglas Oneal set a new USFL/WFL single record for interceptions in a season with pickoffs Nos. 12, 13, and 14 during a 20-3 victory over the San Jose SaberCats. The former record of 13 was set by Pittsburgh CB Bradley Martinez in 1978.
• The Washington Federals took a big step toward the playoffs with a 21-16 win over the Baltimore Stars. Baltimore led, 16-7, late in the third quarter, but Joe Richardson found WR John Sanders from 20 yards away for the game-winning TD pass with 1:47 remaining. Washington (9-6) is one game ahead of Baltimore and Pittsburgh (8-7).
• The Philadelphia Bell (7-7-1) kept their slim playoff hopes alive and eliminated Charlotte with a 19-17 victory over the Hornets. MLB Curtis Bernard intercepted a pass with 2:01 to play and the Bell ran out the clock. If Baltimore and Pittsburgh both lose their final regular-season games and Philadelphia beats the Boston Breakers in Week 16, the Bell will make the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
• Pittsburgh (8-7) closes the regular season with a game at Portland. The Maulers (8-7) stayed alive by defeating Boston, 31-10, behind four TD passes from Ryan Tate, including a 75-yarder to Charles Holt that broke a 10-10 tie.
• Denver QB Dustin Nichols threw four more TD passes during a 37-24 win over the Arizona Wranglers, bringing his season total to a league-high 37.
• Christopher Meade's 55-yard field goal as time expired lifted the New York Stars to a 26-23 win over the Shreveport Steamer. A pass interference penalty and a pass completion moved New York close enough to attempt a field goal after Shreveport's James Hooper had just missed a 52-yard attempt.
• Portland QB Oscar Willis threw a 75-yard TD pass to John Risinger to force overtime, then a 60-yarder to Risinger to end a 30-24 OT win over the Oakland Invaders.

Record Book

• Tampa Bay SLB Jim Grisby needs nine tackles in his team's Week 16 finale against Georgia to set an all-time single-season record. Grisby's 132 tackles this season ranks No. 5 all-time. Washington's Travis Curcio set the record of 140 in 1978.
• Michigan's Julius Horowitz has already set a new league record by pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line 63 times this season. The former record of 62 was set by Jeff Johnson of New Orleans in 1980.
• New York Stars TE Carmen Nelson has 120 pass receptions, ranking him No. 13 on the all-time single-season list with one game to play. Honolulu RB Ronald Boatman caught 139 passes in 1981.
• No player in league history has ever returned two punts for a TD in the same season. Five players have one punt return for a score in 1983 entering the season's final week—Oklahoma RB Aaron Levenson, Boston WR William Ramsey, Memphis TE Ernest McNeill, Detroit WR Enrique Pacheco, and Los Angeles WR Dane Britt.
• New Jersey K Lucio Grant needs four field goals in his team's Week 16 game against New Orleans to tie the record of 49 in a season set by Boston's Timothy Riley in 1974.

Coach's Profile

CoachNorm, Oklahoma Outlaws

CoachNorm, Oklahoma

Playing MFN Since: 2018
Hometown (town, state): Jacksonville, FL
Current residence (town, state): Orlando, FL
Day job: SEO Specialist
Favorite teams (all sports): Jacksonville Jags, Orlando Magic, UCF Knights
A real-life sports experience: 2009 6A Florida State Championship - We came back from 24-0 at half and Teddy Bridgewater was the QB for Northwestern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a254pl3V6T0&t=3s
A fantasy sports experience: None worth mentioning at this point.
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Try new things until you figure out what works.

1983 Week 14 Roundup: We're Talking Playoffs

This is the time of the season where the Playoff Picture page sees its Google Analytics zoom up the charts.

The Week 14 results leave the chase for the six American Conference spots all but over. The National Conference race, however, is definitely going down to the wire.

American Conference

Matthew Eno, Chicago Blitz

The Chicago Blitz served notice to the rest of the American Conference that they could be a force to be reckoned with during the postseason when they knocked off the Denver Gold, 38-30.

Denver took a 30-29 lead with 2:04 to play on Dustin Nichols' 62-yard TD pass to Jose Buford, but Chicago QB Chester Dougherty fired a 62-yard scoring strike to Michael Steffes on fourth-and-10 to put the Blitz on top, 35-30, with 1:42 to go. The Gold turned the ball over on downs on its final two drives and Matthew Eno's 44-yard field goal clinched the win for Chicago.

The Blitz didn't entirely seal a playoff spot. Chicago is two games ahead of Memphis, but finishes with games against Jacksonville (11-3) and Cleveland (9-5).

The Showboats (8-6) are one game behind Cleveland and two games behind the other three clubs. BUT, Memphis finishes with games against New Jersey (13-1) and Los Angeles (10-4). Memphis has defeated Chicago this season, but lost to Cleveland and Detroit.

National Conference

What we have here is four Atlantic Division teams fighting for two playoff spots. The Baltimore Stars (8-6) and Washington Federals (8-6) currently hold a slight edge over the Pittsburgh Maulers (7-7) and Charlotte Hornets (7-7). Here is the remaining schedule for those teams:

• Baltimore: at Washington, vs. Charlotte
• Washington: vs. Baltimore, at Denver
• Pittsburgh: Boston, at Portland
• Charlotte: Philadelphia, at Baltimore

MFN says Philadelphia is eliminated. But, as usual, MFN is wrong. The Bell (6-7-1) could really mess things up with victories against Charlotte and Boston to close the season. If that happens, this could be the third consecutive season the Bell has earned a wild card spot.

Week 14

• The Los Angeles Express clinched the Pacific Division crown with a 20-10 win over the Honolulu Hawaiians. Express MLB Troy Irwin recorded 13 tackles and recovered a fumble and has 99 tackles and 7 INT this season.
• The Washington Federals claimed a wild 20-17 win over New Orleans when VooDoo QB Bruno Wilson was picked off for the fourth time, setting up John Bazile's game-ending 37-yard field goal.
• The Florida Blazers edged the Tampa Bay Bandits, 26-21, behind Eddie Tyler;s 40-yard INT return for a TD. If the Blazers (6-8) can beat Detroit or Michigan, they will end up with more wins than in any season in team history since 1974, the league's first year.
• Robert Kimball had 10 tackles and an interception during the Michigan Panthers; 7-0 shutout of the Orlando Renegades.
• New Oklahoma Outlaws coach CoachNorm earned his first USFL/WFL win, a 21-11 decision over the San Jose SaberCats, behind three TD passes from Shane Falco. San Jose has lost 10 in a row after starting the season 4-0.
• The Detroit Wheels flexed their muscles during a 27-3 thumping of Southeast Division leader Jacksonville. Fumble recoveries by the Wheels set the stage for two short TD drives.
• New Jersey QB Stephan Labelle threw five TD passes during a 48-20 rout of the Pittsburgh Maulers. Labelle has 31 TD passes this season, second only to Denver's Dustin Nichols (33).

Coach's Profile

bedgerly, Oakland Invaders

bedgerly's Invaders trucker hat

Playing MFN Since: 02/16/16
Hometown (town, state): Saint Louis, Missouri
Current residence (town, state): Baytown, Texas
Day job: Truck dispatcher
Favorite teams (all sports): Miami Dolphins, Saint Louis Cardinals, Saint Louis Blues
A real-life sports experience: I played high school football and soccer and ran track. I wish I could go back and play baseball in high school as well
A fantasy sports experience: I've been playing fantasy football and baseball since 2003, and have been breaking even in daily fantasy tournaments since 2014. Cody Parkey will never be forgiven for shanking a field goal and costing me a spot in the Fanduel Championship.
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Go to the help forums and read pretty much anything written up by Setherick on gameplanning and rule creation. Gameplanning is key, but DO NOT trade draft picks in Rounds 1-3 for current players. Team building begins with picking your own players, and far too many teams have been destroyed by mortgaging the future for a chance to use veterans now. Watch the games of successful players and their teams to see what kind of plays they run.

1983 Week 13 Roundup: World Bowl Rematch Even Better Than Expected

It is rare when a game lives up to its pregame hype, but this one proved to be the exception.

Houston RB Mark Lambert dropped an attempted 2-point conversion pass from backup QB Tony Dean with 51 seconds to play, preserving the New Jersey Generals' 32-30 win over the Gamblers in a rematch of World Bowl IX.

Stephan Lebelle, New Jersey

The Gamblers won that World Bowl, 37-20, but trailed, 22-7, entering the fourth quarter of this one. Veteran QB William Trombly fired three TD passes in the final 7 minutes, including a 69-yarder to Chase Miles that preceded the fateful final play.

New Jersey RBs Rudi Johnson and Magic Johnson combined for 143 yards rushing and Stephan Labelle threw a pair of TD passes. Nobody on the Generals defense had more than four tackles.

Trombly, in his 15th pro season, was 17-for-23 and threw four TD passes. Miles and Bruce Edwards both caught two TDs. Gamblers MLB Roderick Carver recorded eight tackles.

The Gamblers (11-2) and Generals (12-1) have both clinched their division titles. New Jersey won its fourth in a row and snapped Houston's nine-game win streak.

In other Week 13 games:

• The Boston Breakers are winless no more. David Schmitt's 80-yard TD pass to William Ramsey early in the third quarter provided Boston with all the points it would need during a 7-3 victory over the New York Stars. The game ended with New York on the Boston 19. Boston ended a 17-game winless streak extending back into last season. Breakers FS Richard Kelly and MLB Joseph Totten both had 11 tackles.
• Birmingham RB Mark Peterson had 58 yards rushing and 11 receptions for 96 yards during a 33-3 dismantling of the Philadelphia Bell. Peterson caught a 75-yard TD pass from Gene Nowlin on the first play from scrimmage.
• Chicago RB Max Howard ran for 135 yards and a TD as the Blitz held off the Florida Blazers, 30-20. Chicago's Joey Walker returned the opening kickoff 102 yards for a score and CB Rodolfo Madden returned an interception 5 yards for another TD. Florida SS Billy Sykes had 11 tackles and an interception.
• The Southern California Sun tied a franchise record with their fifth victory of the season, a 29-13 defeat of the Shreveport Steamer. Martin Greene fired a pair of TD passes to James Wise.
• Los Angeles won its fifth in a row and grabbed a two-game lead in the Pacific Division by shutting down the San Jose SaberCats, 13-3. Roger Ruzich kicked a pair of fourth-quarter field goals for the Express and MLB Troy Irwin recorded 10 tackles.

Week 14 Preview

Division leaders meet with the Chicago Blitz (9-4) host the Denver Gold (12-1), the New Jersey Generals (12-1) host the Pittsburgh Maulers (7-6), and the Detroit Wheels (9-4) host the Jacksonville Bulls (11-2). The Los Angeles Express (9-4) will try to put away the Pacific Division title against the Honolulu Hawaiians (7-6).

Record Book

• New Jersey Generals kicker Lucio Grant needs to boot eight more field goals in his team's final three games to tie the all-time record of 49 in one season, set by Boston's Timothy Riley in 1974. Grant is 41-for-47 this season, including 7-for-10 from 50 yards and beyond.
• Honolulu Hawaiians MLB Douglas Oneal needs two interceptions to tie the single-season record of 13, set by Pittsburgh CB Bradley Martinez in 1978. Oneal is the first LB in league history to intercept more than 10 passes in a season. New Jersey CB Bob Marley still has a shot at the record. He has nine pickoffs this season.

1983 Week 11 Roundup: Rising in the South Again

The Birmingham Stallions suffered their only loss of the season, 24-3, to the New Orleans VooDoo in Week 3. When they faced the VooDoo again in Week 11, they apparently had made some changes.

Lee Rice, WR, Birmingham

Birmingham rallied from a 21-10 deficit to edge New Orleans, 23-21. The Stallions won their eighth in a row to claim a two-game lead over the VooDoo in the South Division.

A 14-play drive culminated in Robert Moulton's 29-yard field goal that gave Birmingham the lead with 5 minutes to play. New Orleans' final two possessions ended in disaster, as Brian Johnson missed a 39-yard field goal attempt and veteran CB Carlos Turner intercepted Bruno Wilson's pass with 42 seconds to go, Turner's second pickoff of the game.

Birmingham WR/RB Lee Rice ran for 166 yards on 12 carries (13.83 per carry) and caught six passes for 68 yards. James Sheckler caught five passes for 198 yards and two TDs for New Orleans.

In other Week 11 games:

• The Houston Gamblers (10-1) haven't missed a beat under new head coach OffensiveTaco, winning eight in a row since a Week 3 loss to the Hawaiians. The most recent win was 24-15 over Cleveland, snapping the Thunderbolts' five-game win streak. Gamblers QB William Trombly continues to put up nice numbers during his 15th pro season, passing for 265 yards and a pair of TDs (127.83 QBR) and CB Philip King made 11 tackles.
• The Thunderbolts are still in a three-way tie for first place in the Midwest Division, thanks to the Oakland Invaders' 16-10 surprise ambush of the Detroit Wheels. The Wheels drove to the Oakland 23 in the final 2 minutes, but three of Detroit's final four pass attempts were dropped by the intended receiver. Les Lacy's 12-yard TD pass to Stephen Demmer in the first quarter accounted for Oakland's only TD. Detroit SLB Danny Simon had 11 tackles and an interception.
• The old Pittsburgh Maulers were back, for at least a day, during their 39-6 pounding of the Washington Federals. Ryan Tate fired three TD passes to Charles Holt, who had six catches for 193 yards. Washington, Pittsburgh, and Charlotte are now tied for first place in the Atlantic Division—one game ahead of Baltimore.
• The Charlotte Hornets' first two games against the Portland Storm were both lopsided losses—32-0 in 1975 and 45-10 in 1979. This time around, the Hornets surprised the Storm, 27-23, behind three TD passes from Stanley Snyder. Charlotte (6-5) is one win away from equaling the franchise record for victories in a season.
• New Jersey Generals QB Stephan Labelle threw for 421 yards and five TDs during a 51-7 rout of the San Antonio Gunslingers.

Week 12 Preview

Division leaders meet when the Los Angeles Express (7-4) travel to Birmingham to face the Stallions (10-1). The Denver Gold (10-1) will try to knock the Pittsburgh Maulers (6-5) out of their share of first place in the Atlantic Division. The Cleveland Thunderbolts (7-4) at Jacksonville Bulls (9-2) looks to be entertaining. The Michigan Panthers (5-6) host the Memphis Showboats (5-6), with both teams badly needing a win to stay in the playoff chase.

Coach's Profile

CrimsonWolfZ, Chicago Blitz
Playing MFN Since: June 6, 2016

CrimsonWolfZ, Chicago Blitz

Hometown (town, state): Romeoville, Illinois
Current residence (town, state): Macomb, Illinois
Day job: Law enforcement student
Favorite teams (all sports): Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls. Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, Illinois Fighting Illini, and Western Illinois Leathernecks
A real-life sports experience: Played recreational basketball from 5th grade to 8th grade. Won the championship for my first and only time in my 8th grade season as well as being selected to the all-star team that year.
A fantasy sports experience: Went undefeated in my fantasy football league in 2013 thanks to Matt Forte and LeSean McCoy.
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Always manually resign players. It's the best way to keep your salary cap down. Give players you wish to keep for multiple seasons high bonuses and lower the base salary to match the lowest bonus offer the player will take.

1983 Week 10 Roundup: Generally Better

It's easy to take the New Jersey Generals for granted.

The Generals don't generally roll up eye-popping stats because their starters spend the entire fourth quarter on the bench, watching lopsided victories. They win their division every year, spending most of the season trying to stifle a yawn along the way. New Jersey is 20-1 in its last 21 division games.

They have played in the World Bowl the last two seasons—a loss to the Houston Gamblers in World Bowl IX was preceded by a victory in World Bowl VIII. Head coach raidergreg69's career record is 113-41 (.734).

So, we know what to expect from the Generals every year. And, every year they deliver.

Roy Sullivan, RDE, New Jersey

New Jersey delivered again in Week 10, a 27-10 victory over the Baltimore Stars. New Jersey (9-1) is tied for the best record in the league with Houston, the Denver Gold, and the Birmingham Stallions.

RBs Magic Johnson and Rudi Johnson combined for 110 yards rushing and three TDs vs. Baltimore. Because they split time with Robert Kistler, Johnson and Johnson don't have great individual stats. Neither are in the top 10 in the league in rushing. But, combined, it looks pretty good—130 yards rushing per game.

WRs Justin Timberlake and Chad Ochocinco have combined for 70 catches, but neither is in the top 15 in receptions or reception yardage. Stephen Labelle looks about as good as a QB can look in version 0.4.5—89.98 QBR, 19 TDs, 13 INT. He threw for 215 yards against the Stars.

WLB Indiana Jones had seven tackles against Baltimore and leads the team with 42. MLB Dustin Diamond is not far behind (39). DT James Lockette has six sacks, RDE Roy Sullivan 10 hurries. Lockette, who is tied for second in sacks, is the only General in the league's top 10 in those categories.

If you look at the team stats, however, the situation comes into focus. New Jersey is in the league's top 10 in passing yardage, passing yardage allowed, rushing yardage (first), rushing yardage allowed (first), yards from scrimmage (second) and yards from scrimmage allowed (fourth) and turnover margin.

The Generals will have a couple opportunities to stay awake during the final weeks of the regular season with a home game against Houston and an away game against the New Orleans VooDoo.

In other Week 10 games:

• Oakland RDE Christopher Taylor had 3 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 hurries, and an interception as the Invaders rallied for a 22-14 win over San Jose, the SaberCats' sixth consecutive loss after a 4-0 start. Both QBs, Oakland's Les Lacy and San Jose's Gregory Skidmore, were intercepted five times.
• Charlotte WLB Thomas Allums recorded nine tackles and intercepted two passes. during a 27-10 win over the New York Stars. New York QB Eric Roberge had six passes picked off.
• Pittsburgh QB Ryan Tate threw TD passes of 38, 72, 60, and 80 yards to WR Ryan Holt during a 35-16 triumph over their in-state rivals, the Philadelphia Bell. Holt finished with six receptions for 270 yards.
• The Denver Gold extended their West Division lead to three games by beating the Portland Storm, 29-13. Gold QB Dustin Nichols completed TD passes of 63 and 59 yards to Corey True and WLB Blaine Hernandez recorded seven tackles for Denver.

Week 11 Preview

The New Orleans VooDoo (8-2) will try to pull into a first-place tie atop the South Division with a victory against the Birmingham Stallions (9-1). The Cleveland Thunderbolts (7-3), who have quietly pulled into a first-place tie with Detroit in the Midwest Division, travel to Houston to face the Gamblers (9-1). The Pittsburgh Maulers (5-5) host the Washington Federals (6-4) in a key Atlantic Division game.

Coach's Profile

OffensiveTaco, Houston Gamblers

Playing MFN Since: January 20, 2018
Hometown (town, state): Hamilton, Ontario
Current residence (town, state): Same
Day job: Truck driver
Favorite teams (all sports): Chicago Cubs, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Alabama Crimson Tide.
Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Learn by reading the forums. Know your team’s strengths/weaknesses. Study your opponents in depth.

1983 All-First Half Team

Max Howard, RB, Chicago Blitz

Just for fun, here is the commissioner's All-First Half Team for the 1983 season (totals are actually for nine games because I got really busy over the weekend). This is not a scientific statistical study; it is just for fun and conversation.

Offense

QB Dustin Nichols, Denver Gold: Highest QB rating in the league (102.07) and leads league in passing yardage (2,407)
RB Max Howard, Chicago Blitz: Leads the league with more than 1,300 combined yards (778 rushing, 435 receiving).
RB/WR James Connelly, Houston Gamblers: 616 yards rushing (No. 3 USFL) and 523 receiving)
WR James Sheckler, New Orleans VooDoo: 900 yards receiving leads the league, 8 TDs is second in the league.
WR Jose Buford, Denver Gold: His 9 TDs lead all receivers.
TE Mario Burton, Birmingham Stallions: Last year's All-Pro TE leads all TE with 581 receiving yards and his 51 receptions is second to New York's Carmen Nelson (55).
OL Andre Adkins, Pittsburgh Maulers: 842 snaps, 0 sacks allowed
OL Richard Mosley, San Jose SaberCats: 767 snaps, 0 sacks allowed
OL Randy Squires, Portland Storm: 756 snaps, 1 sack allowed
OL Wesley Griffin, Washington Federals: 741 snaps, 0 sacks allowed
OL Antonio Shook, Oklahoma Outlaws: 737 snaps, 0 sacks allowed

Defense

DT Chad Brown, Detroit Wheels: Among the league DL leaders in tackles (25), sacks (6) and hurries (9).
DT Joseph Gerald, Birmingham Stallions: 19 tackles, 6 sacks, 4 hurries
DE Morris Burbach, Florida Blazer: Leads all DL with 33 tackles.
DE John Broussard, Washington Federals: 25 hurries leads the league
MLB Douglas Oneal Honolulu Hawaiians: Leads the league with 83 tackles and is second with six INT
MLB Troy Irwin, Los Angeles Express: 63 tackles and 6 INT
SLB Jim Grisby, Tampa Bay Bandits: Tied for third in the league with 71 tackles.
WLB Abel Jackson, New York Stars: Leads all WLB with 68 tackles
CB Charles Bowles, Boston Breakers: Second in the league with 78 tackles
CB Larry Ackman, New Orleans VooDoo: Leads league with 7 INT
SS Philip Shurtz, Oakland Invaders: Tied for third in the league with 71 tackles

Offensive First Half MVP: Dustin Nichols, QB, Denver
Defensive First Half MVP: Douglas Oneal, MLB, Honolulu
Offensive Rookie of the First Half: Oliver Thomas, RB, Oakland Invaders (534 rushing, 232 receiving, 426 returns, 3 TDs)
Defensive Rookie of the First Half: Robert Swafford, WLB, Philadelphia Bell (61 tackles, 1 INT)
Coach of the First Half: Wolveraider, Birmingham Stallions. Check out the year-by-year for the last four seasons: 3-13 to 6-10 to 9-7 to 8-1. This guy could become the first coach ever to be named Coach of the Year with two different USFL/WFL teams). Honorable mention: AlexanDragon, Denver  Gold; OffensiveTaco, Houston Gamblers; raidergreg69, New Jersey Generals.

1983 Week 7 Roundup: Gotta Love Parity

To The Commissioner, there's nothing that looks quite as good as parity. The perfect league is one where there are no sure things every week, no unbeatable teams, and no weak sisters.

Take a look at the Week 7 standings. Some divisions are pretty close to perfect.

• Midwest Division: The Detroit Wheels at 5-2 and the Michigan Panthers, Chicago Blitz, and Cleveland Thunderbolts at 4-3.
• Atlantic Division: A four-way tie at 3-4 between the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Federals, Baltimore Stars, and Pittsburgh Maulers.
• Pacific Division: Two teams at 4-3 (Los Angeles Express, San Jose SaberCats) and two teams at 3-4 (Honolulu Hawaiians, Southern California Sun).

Fred Murphy, QB, Cleveland

The Thunderbolts struck the biggest blow for parity in Week 7, knocking off Detroit, 37-26. Detroit had beaten Cleveland, 24-6, in Week .

Cleveland QB Fred Murphy threw TD passes of 57 and 46 yards to WR Jose Beamon in the fourth quarter as the 'Bolts rallied from a 26-23 deficit. Murphy also found Beamon for a TD from 53 yards away in the third quarter. So, Beamon ended the day with four catches for 166 yards (41 per catch) and three TDs. Nice.

In other Week 7 games:

• The Oklahoma Outlaws pulled off the upset of the week, getting their first victory of the season by surprising the Memphis Showboats, 24-19. Oklahoma won despite being outgained 352 yards to 167. Juan Bonnett intercepted a pass and returned it to the Memphis 10, setting up the clinching TD for the Outlaws.
• New Jersey and Denver are 7-0, but the Birmingham Stallions are right behind them at 6-1 after a 29-10 victory over the Florida Blazers. LDE Joseph Gerald had two sacks and CB Kelly Acosta recorded his fifth interception of the season (and 15th over the last two seasons). Only Jacksonville CB Gordon Wong has more pickoffs this season (6).
• In a potential playoff preview, the New Orleans VooDoo edged the Jacksonville Bulls, 10-7. The VooDoo got the ball back with 6:23 to play and ran off a 13-play drive that left Jacksonville only 1:42 to try to force a tie. Four incomplete passes later, it was all over. CB Juan Jacobson had two interceptions for New Orleans.

Week 8 Preview

Division leaders meet when the Detroit Wheels (5-2) host the Houston Gamblers (6-1). The Pittsburgh Maulers (3-4) and Washington Federals (3-4) will stage a tie-breaker for the top of the Atlantic Division. Second place in the East Division is on the line when the New York Stars (3-4) travel to Philadelphia to face the Bell (3-3-1).

Record Book

• Former Oklahoma Outlaws WR Dusty Heckman, now with Portland, and Arizona Wranglers WR Cory Robinzine continue to sit at No. 1 and No. 2 atop the league's all-time leader list in TD receptions. Heckman has 96, Robinzine 95. Neither has caught a TD this season.
• Bruce Kester of the New York Stars has punted the ball more times (1,084) than any punter in league history. Kester spent his first two seasons with the Houston Gamblers. He is in his 10th season, but not contemplating retirement any time soon.
• Denver Gold DT Nathan Branch, who spent his first eight seasons with Memphis, remains the league's all-time leader in sacks (131). New Jersey's James Lockette is second at 128 and is first in hurries (396).
• Florida Blazers CB Shelby Kemp has three career interception returns for TDs, most among any USFL/WFL player past or present.