Monday, May 20, 2019

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.
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