1979 Week 8 Roundup: Wheels on a Roll

Mario Valencia, Detroit Wheels

Not to get too punny, but the Wheels are on a roll.

Detroit, after an 0-2 start, won its sixth in a row Tuesday by pummeling the defending World Bowl champion Los Angeles Express, 41-13. Mario Valencia fired five TD passes, including 67 yards to John Risinger and 59 yards to Paul Lee.

CB Eric Spann picked off three of the five interceptions thrown by LAX QB Gene Nowlin. Oddly enough, only 12 players recorded one or more tackles for the Wheels. Detroit had won the previous two World Bowls before the Express claimed their first title last season.

The Wheels (6-2), at the midway point of the season, now hold a two-game lead in the American Conference wild-card race. Detroit still trails the unbeaten Cleveland Thunderbolts (8-0) by two games in the Midwest Division. LAX (4-4) fell back into a three-way tie in the Pacific Division with the Honolulu Hawaiians and Southern California Sun.

In other Week 8 games:

• The Washington Federals set a franchise record with their third consecutive victory, surprising the Florida Blazers, 27-23. Cory Martin scored the go-ahead TD for Washington late in the third quarter on a 79-yard run.
• Honolulu MLB Douglas Oneal had 4 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions during a 34-23 win over the Michigan Panthers that gave the Hawaiians their third consecutive win and pulled them into a three-way tie for first place in the Pacific Division.
• The West Division is starting to get tightly bunched, with first-place Oakland only two games ahead of last-place Arizona. The Pittsburgh Maulers beat the Invaders, 25-10, as new QB Scott Deal improved to 3-0 as a starter.  Arizona scored all of its points in the first half while beating the San Jose SaberCats, 41-21. Dennis Houde, Steve Cody, and Cory Robinzine all had 100-plus receiving yards for Arizona. The Wranglers are hanging in there despite a murderous first-half schedule and now play only one team with a winning record the rest of the season.
• Memphis Showboats QB Antonio Wilson passed for 544 yards and six TDs in a 69-17 win over the Boston Breakers. Wilson, who is seriously mulling retirement, has thrown for 3,360 yards and 27 TDs in the first eight games (96.77 QBR).

Week 9 Preview

Two of the league's three undefeated teams meet in The Big Apple when the New York Stars (8-0) host the Oklahoma Outlaws (8-0). The other unbeaten team, the Cleveland Thunderbolts (8-0), will host Pacific Division co-leader Southern California Sun (4-4). The Memphis Showboats (6-2) at the Oakland Invaders (5-3) looks worth watching. The Denver Gold (4-4) are at the Portland Storm (4-4) in a key West Division game. The second-place New Orleans VooDoo (4-4) will look to knock off the South Division-leading Shreveport Steamer (6-2).

Coach's Profile

adamsneeka

Today we profile yet another international coach, adamsneeka (Jacksonville Bulls) from Australia. By my count, he is the eighth USFL/WFL coach from outside the U.S. since the league began. "The NFL was hard to come by when I was younger, so the first two games I saw were the Elway-led Super Bowl wins and the biggest pro sports team in Brisbane are the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League (NRL), so it was a natural fit," Adam said. "I am father to a 3.5-year-old daughter and a nearly 2-year-old son. I am also husband to a fiery Croatian who, as of this message, is 9 days from due with our third child, another son."

Playing MFN Since: September 2015

Hometown (town, state): Brisbane, Australia

Current residence (town, state): Gold Coast, Australia (south of Brisbane on the eastern side of Australia)

Day job: Scheduler/allocator for multinational supermarket chain

Favorite teams (all sports): 'Merican: MLB Blue Jays, NBA Spurs (former Sonics fan), NHL Flames, MLS Sporting Kansas City. Aussie: League - Broncos, AFL - Lions, Union - Reds.

A real-life sports experience: I am a weightlifter. I can deadlift 360kg (793 pounds). I weigh 125kg/275 pounds at full competition weight, so less impressive, at 105kg I lift about 200kg.

A fantasy sports experience: I play MFN.

Coach's Corner: (tip for a new MFN coach): Persistence. The victories are much sweeter when they are against those who once bested you.

1979 Week 7 Roundup: Here Comes the Express

The Los Angeles Express is rolling down the tracks again.

Santiago Smith, WR, Los Angeles Express

The defending World Bowl champions stumbled to a 1-3 start, but have won three in a row after an impressive 41-24 dismantling of the West Division-leading Oakland Invaders (5-2). The Los Angeles defense forced five turnovers, including two interceptions each from starting QB Les Lacy and backup Jimmy Barahona.

WLB Robert Falkner was credited with 16 tackles and a sack for LAX (4-3). We don't know if 16 tackles is a league record because the "all time by game" search function for defense does not work. Express QB Gene Nowlin fired five TD passes, three to WR Santiago Smith.

Oakland never led, but was within 31-24 with less than 6 minutes to play. A Carlos Turner interception set up a Roger Ruzich field goal, then a Rufus Aguilar pickoff set up Nowlin's final TD pass to Smith less than a minute later.

In other Week 7 games:

• The Sun maintained its tie with LAX for first place in the Pacific Division by outlasting the San Jose SaberCats, 34-31, in overtime. San Jose's TD and 2-point conversion with 34 seconds remaining forced OT. But Robert Ridley intercepted a David Schmitt pass and an unnecessary roughness penalty moved the Sun 15 yards closer. Five plays later, Alan Grossi kicked the game-winning field goal with just over 2 minutes remaining in OT.
• The Oklahoma Outlaws (7-0) widened their Southwest Division lead to two games by scoring twice in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Memphis Showboats (5-2), 37-22. Patrick Hiebert ran for a 30-yard TD with 14:21 remaining, then turned a short gain into a 10-yard TD pass with 1:45 to play. Dusty Heckman had 231 yards receiving for Oklahoma, the sixth time in seven games he has topped 200 yards. Memphis CB Albert Arsenault picked off three passes.
• Chicago's Matthew Eno kicked three field goals in the final 16 minutes as the Blitz rallied past the Michigan Panther, 22-17.

Week 8 Preview

The Pittsburgh Maulers (5-2) host the Oakland Invaders (5-2) in a battle of division leaders. Division leaders also meet in Shreveport, with the Steamer (5-2) hosting the Southern California Sun (4-3). The Los Angeles Express (4-3) is at Detroit (5-2). There is no love lost between these teams, as the Wheels knocked LAX out of the playoffs in both 1976 and 1977.

Record Book

• New York Stars LG Earl Murtagh, formerly of Birmingham, has taken part in more plays (7,710) than any player in league history. Portland Storm RDE Earl Huggins is second (7,610).
• Charlotte Hornets RT Harold White has allowed a record 124 sacks in his career, more than 40 more than Baltimore LT Michael Wilt (82).
• Arizona RG Tyler Herman holds the USFL/WFL record for career penalty yards (402).

1979 Week 6 Roundup: From Zeros to Heros

Two of the three teams that were winless entering Week 6 are winless no more — and one pulled off this week's Upset Special.

The rebuilding Washington Federals got 463 yards passing and three TDs from QB Joe Richardson as they knocked off the South Division-leading Shreveport Steamer, 32-21. Richardson twice completed third-down passes during a 13-play Washington drive that ended in Cory Martin's clinching 8-yard TD run with 6:36 to play after Shreveport had pulled within 26-21.

Cory Martin, RB, Washington

During that 13-play drive drive, Washington (1-5) was penalized three times for overusing an offensive play and Shreveport (4-2) was penalized four times for overusing a defensive play. During the game, the Steamer was penalized an astounding 17 times for defensive overuse, while the Federals were penalized 12 times for offensive overuse.

Martin, the rookie second-round draft pick, had 52 rushing yards and 113 receiving yards for Washington, which had lost 11 of its last 12 games over two seasons.

Georgia (1-5) picked up its first win by beating the Charlotte Hornets, 54-34. Charlotte led, 24-13, midway through the second quarter but the Force outscored them, 41-3, before the Hornets (1-5) managed the game's final TD.

Force QB Phillip Anderson threw for 559 yards and six TDs, three to TE Willian Malone. RDE Donald Schultz had four sacks. The Force and Federals play each other Saturday in Washington.

In other Week 6 games:

• The Oklahoma Outlaws pulled out a 33-26 win over the Houston Gamblers on Derrick Cunningham's 63-yard interception return with 26 seconds to play. Dale Brown's 70-yard TD pass to Dusty Heckman with 1:37 remaining had tied the score, but Oklahoma missed the PAT. Heckman had 286 yards receiving, the fifth time in six games this season he has topped 200 yards in a game.
• Pittsburgh QB Michael White threw a 65-yard TD pass to WR Robert Richards on a Denver defensive overuse penalty with 18 seconds to play, giving the Maulers a 17-13 win over the Gold.
• The Florida Blazers (4-2) moved into second place in the Southeast Division by rolling past the Michigan Panthers, 40-14, after trailing 14-6 early. Blazers RBs Jordan Devers and Jamie Giles combined for 266 yards rushing and 135 yards receiving.
• A defensive overuse penalty on Boston gave Philadelphia a key first down as the Bell ran out the final 2:16 to preserve a 17-12 victory over the Breakers. Philadelphia has won four in a row against Boston after having dropped five in a row.

Week 7 Preview

A playoff rematch from last season is scheduled for Saturday when the Oakland Invaders (5-1) travel to Los Angeles to face the Express (3-3). Los Angeles beat Oakland, 23-13, on its way to a 1978 World Bowl championship. First place in the Southwest Division is at stake when the Memphis Showboats (5-1) host the Oklahoma Outlaws (6-0). The Chicago Blitz (3-3) and Michigan Panthers (3-3) will try to remain in contention in the Midwest Division when they meet in the Pontiac Silverdome.

Record Book

• The longest run from scrimmage is 99 yards, by Boston's Matthew Brinkley when he scored a TD against the New York Stars in 1974. Brinkley rushed for just over 3,000 yards in five seasons with the Breakers and Denver, but was not brought back by the Gold this season and remains a free agent.
• The highest average per catch in a game for a receiver with five or more receptions is 58.4 (5/292) set by Birmingham's Miguel Owens (then with Cleveland) against Southern California in 1976.
• Shreveport kicker James Hooper tied a USFL record this season with three field goals of 50-plus yards in a game against Georgia.

1979 Week 5 Roundup: The New Bully

There is a new bully on the block.

The Tampa Bay Bandits were the consensus pick of the league's coaches to win the 1979 USFL/WFL championship. The Los Angeles Express won World Bowl V. The Detroit Wheels won the two World Bowls before that.

Yet, Cleveland has beaten all of these teams within the first five weeks of the season. The Thunderbolts (5-0) followed up their earlier big victories by pummeling Tampa Bay, 30-13, to remain unbeaten and highlight Week 5 action.

Cleveland LDE Jim Zarate, the reigning league defensive MVP, had 7 tackles, 6 sacks, and 13 hurries. Zarate has 17 sacks and 45 hurries in five games.

Tampa Bay QB Tyrone Harvell had perhaps his worst day as a pro (16-for-39, 5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 36.59 QBR) as Monte Cherry and Steven Flanagan both had a pickoff for Cleveland. Chester Dougherty fired a pair of TD passes for the 'Bolts.

In other Week 5 games:

• The rest of the Midwest Division may be playing for second place behind Cleveland, and they're doing a good job of it. Detroit, Michigan, and Chicago are all 3-2. The Blitz held off a determined Houston comeback to edge the Gamblers, 29-28, and Detroit QB Mario Valencia, playing on an injured knee, threw for 457 yards and four TDs during the Wheels' 31-6 victory over the Panthers.
• The Florida Blazers are 3-2, their best start since 1975, after a 57-16 destruction of the Jacksonville Bulls. Michael London threw for 405 yards and five TDs for Florida and WR Arthur Strickland caught nine passes for 235 yards and four TDs. 
• New York CB Wayne Mashburn picked off three passes as the Stars handed the Memphis Showboats their first loss, 47-14.
• The Oklahoma Outlaws joined Cleveland and New York as the only 5-0 teams by edging the Honolulu Hawaiians, 29-27, as Patrick Hiebert rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown.
• Southern California rookie QB Oscar Willis threw a 3-yard TD pass to Thomas Dayton with 1:13 remaining, lifting the Sun to a 22-21 victory over the Georgia Force. SoCal remains all alone in first place in the Pacific Division.
• An interception by MLB Mike Weddington set up the game-winning field goal and another by FS Daniel Tosh snuffed out the last Pittsburgh drive as the New Jersey Generals edged the Maulers, 13-10, in a matchup of 1978 playoff teams.
• Charlotte FS Thomas Vasquez was credited with 13 tackles in a 52-20 loss to the Oakland Invaders.

Week 6 Preview

The Denver Gold (4-1) host the Pittsburgh Maulers (3-2) in a battle of division leaders. The Los Angeles Express (2-3) will go for their 11th consecutive series victory against the Southern California Sun (3-2).

Record Book

• Cleveland's Jim Zarate has 17 sacks in five games, putting him on pace to break the league record for sacks in a season (31), shared by Ryan Moore of Georgia (now Orlando) and Tampa Bay's William Lewis. Zarate already owns the single-season record for hurries (145).
• Memphis RB Gregory Shea had his USFL/WFL-record 13th kickoff return for a TD during his team's Week 5 loss to New York.
• The 1979 league leader in passing yardage (2,450) and passing TDs (25) through five games is Michigan's Jerry Ruiz, last season's first-round draft pick.
• Oklahoma WR Dusty Heckman is on pace to accumulate more than 4,000 receiving yards this season, which would shatter his own record of 2,548, set in 1976.

1979 Week 4 Roundup: Good as Gold

Dustin Nichols, QB, Denver

It ain't over 'till it's over. And it certainly ain't over after 15 minutes.

The Denver Gold fell behind the Portland Storm, 28-7, after one quarter but recovered to win, 50-38, and pull into a first-place tie in the West Division.

Denver was clinging to a 42-38 lead with 1:29 to play when LDE George Turner sacked Portland QB William Hill for a safety. The Gold recovered Portland's onside kick attempt and QB Dustin Nichols clinched the win with a 6-yard TD pass to Michael Sonnenberg with 38 seconds remaining.

The teams combined for nearly 1,200 yards total offense (and eight turnovers). Sonnenberg caught six passes for 106 yards and three TDs. Hill passed for 563 yards and five TDs.

Denver (3-1), which plays Tuesday at Baltimore, has tied the 1977 Gold for the best start in franchise history.

In other Week 4 games:

• Michigan Panthers QB Jerry Ruiz passed for 653 yards and nine TDs during an 84-27 rout of the Southern California Sun. Ruiz's yardage ranks No. 3 in the league's all-time single-game history and the TD passes ranks No. 2 behind the 10 TDs tossed by former Birmingham Stallions QB Agustin Crook in 1977.
• Detroit Wheels backup QB Henry Prieto threw for 595 yards and eight TDs as the Wheels rolled past the Jacksonville Bulls, 69-9. WR John Risinger caught seven passes for 375 yards and six TDs. Risinger's yardage ranks No. 6 all-time for a single game and the six TDs tied for second behind the seven scored by New Orleans VooDoo WR Thomas Canale in 1974. Detroit starting QB Mario Valencia missed the game with a knee injury.
• Pittsburgh Maulers DT John Hunter had 8 tackles, 8 hurries, and 6 sacks during a 38-10 win over the Washington Federals.
• Memphis is 11-0 all-time vs. Houston after beating the Gamblers, 40-29. Antonio Wilson passed for five TDs for the Showboats, who trailed, 20-12, at halftime.

Week 5 Preview

The Michigan Panthers (3-1) will try to establish themselves as a Midwest Division title contender when they travel to Detroit to face the Wheels (2-2). Detroit is 10-0 all-time vs. Michigan. The New York Stars (4-0) are at Memphis (4-0) in a battle of division leaders. Another battle of division leaders sees the Cleveland Thunderbolts (4-0) at Tampa Bay (4-0).

1979 Week 3 Roundup: Express Derailed Again

San Jose SaberCats celebrate win over LA Express

The defending World Bowl champion Los Angeles Express are off to an inauspicious start in defending that title.

San Jose scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun LAX, 24-21, and highlight Week 3 action in the USFL/WFL 1979 season. It was the second consecutive loss by that margin for Los Angeles (1-2) after falling, 23-20, to Shreveport in Week 2.

After the Express scored to take a 21-10 lead in the third quarter, their last six offensive drives produced a fumble, four punts, and two San Jose points when Charles Grant sacked Los Angeles QB Gene Nowlin in the end zone with 21 seconds to play. San Jose WR John Martin caught a pair of TD passes from QB David Schmitt.

Things don't get any easier for the Express. Their next six games are all against teams that appear to be postseason contenders.

In other Week 3 games:

• Pittsburgh RDE Robert Keese recorded 8 sacks, 7 tackles, and 16 hurries in a 52-27 Maulers win against the Baltimore Stars. Keese's eight sacks ties the league record for one game. Les Lynch had eight sacks for Baltimore against the Georgia Force in 1977.
• The youthful Houston Gamblers picked up their first win by surprising defending East Division champion New Jersey, 30-22. Only nine of Houston's 53 players have more than six years of pro experience and there are 11 rookies on the roster. Gamblers WR Jason Connelly caught 10 passes for 183 yards and two TDs and rookie LB Vincent Ryan had nine tackles and a sack.
• Michael Sonnenberg caught four TD passes from Dustin Nichols, covering 51, 50, 75, and 64 yards, as the Denver Gold handed the Southern California Sun its first loss, 72-27. Nichols passed for 452 yards, 316 of that to Sonnenberg.
• Memphis QB Antonio Wilson threw for 533 yards and seven TDs as the Showboats (3-0) fended off the Philadelphia Bell, 48-41.
• The New York Stars (3-0) beat the Boston Breakers, 45-16, and have won as many games as they did all last season (3-13). Allen Howard had his fourth career TD kickoff return, this one for 106 yards.
• The Oklahoma Outlaws stopped Arizona's 2-point conversion attempt with 7 seconds to play, preserving a 25-23 victory over the Wranglers.

Week 4 Preview

The West Division will begin to sort itself out this week when the Denver Gold (2-1) hosts the Portland Storm (2-1) and the Arizona Wranglers (1-2) host the Oakland Invaders (2-1). The Cleveland Thunderbolts (3-0) will try to add to the post-World-Bowl-hangover miseries of the Los Angeles Express (1-2). The Tampa Bay Bandits (3-0) will travel to face the Orlando Renegades (2-1) in an important Southeast Division game.

Record Book

The Express are not the first World Bowl winner to struggle the next season. The Detroit Wheels, after winning their second consecutive title in 1977, started the 1978 season at 2-2. Detroit finished 12-4, but lost to the Memphis Showboats in the first round of the playoffs. How other defending champs fared to begin the next season:

• 1975 Florida Blazers (4-0)
• 1976 Oakland Invaders (6-1)
• 1977 Detroit Wheels (16-0)
• 1978 Detroit Wheels (2-2)

1979 Weeks 1-2 Roundup: Here Comes the Sun

RDE Javier Woods (75), Southern California Sun

The first two weeks of the 1979 USFL/WFL season have produced more than their share of surprises. Raise your hand if you thought the Southern California Sun would be all alone in first place in its division and the Detroit Wheels would be all alone in last place.

The Sun are indeed 2-0 after opening with victories over the Birmingham Stallions (34-0) and the Honolulu Hawaiians (16-5). This marks the first-ever 2-0 start for SoCal and is only the third time in franchise history the Sun have won consecutive games.

Southern California's defense limited Birmingham to 188 total yards as RDE Javier Woods recorded eight tackles and four sacks. Honolulu managed just 231 yards as CB Robert Ridley had nine tackles and intercepted a pass.

SoCal is at Denver on Thursday and will attempt to record the first three-game win streak in Sun history.

Detroit (0-2) fell to Tampa Bay, 43-21, in a rematch of World Bowl IV. The Wheels were then bested by their Midwest Division rival, the Cleveland Thunderbolts, 29-17.

The two-time World Bowl champs haven't lost back-to-back games since starting the 1975 season off at 1-3.

Tampa Bay scored 26 unanswered points in the second half, including Luis Gero's 72-yard TD pass to Frank Owens. Cleveland's Jim Zarate had three of the Thunderbolts' six sacks of Wheels QB Mario Valencia.

Other notable results from the season's first two weeks:

• Oklahoma Outlaws WR Dusty Heckman caught 12 passes for a league-record 418 yards and six TDs during a 75-13 Week 2 win over the Boston Breakers. The six TDs were one short of the record set by New Orleans VooDoo WR Thomas Canale vs. Orlando in 1974.
• Oklahoma Outlaws QB Dale Brown has thrown for 420 and 588 yards in his team's two victories.
• The Jacksonville Bulls are also 2-0 and tied for the division lead with wins over the Philadelphia Bell (33-30) and Georgia Force (27-24). LDE Daryl Barney has 10 tackles, 8 sacks, and 18 hurries in those two victories.
• The Chicago Blitz are also 2-0 after beating the Florida Blazers (55-7) and San Jose SaberCats (33-20). WR Chester Landes has 341 receiving yards and QB Daniel McKee has a 158.08 QBR.
• The Shreveport Steamer knocked off the defending World Bowl champions Los Angeles Express, 23-20, in Week 2. Shreveport's defense allowed only one first down in the final 13 minutes and sealed the victory via CB Robert Colbert's interception with 1:38 to go.
• Portland Storm coach Pernbronze spent extra time on the tip drill during practice, and it paid off when  WR John Sanders caught a twice-tipped pass for a 36-yard TD to give his team a 29-28 Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Maulers.

Week 3 Preview

The Florida Blazers (1-1), who surprised 1978 playoff entrant Orlando in Week 2, will try to keep the Detroit Wheels (0-2) winless. The Southern California Sun (2-0) will attempt to extend their win streak to a franchise-record three games when they travel to Denver to face the Gold (1-1). The Chicago Blitz (2-0) and Cleveland Thunderbolts (2-0) will attempt to break their tie atop the Midwest Division.

Record Book

• Two games into this third pro season, Cleveland's Jim Zarate has 57 sacks, which ranks No. 16 all-time. Memphis LDE Nathan Branch is the career sacks leader with 91.
• Baltimore Stars WR Randy Christmas has the highest average per catch (20.7) of any player with more than 100 career receptions. Santiago Smith of LAX is not far behind (20.4).
• Only two active players have two interception returns for TDs in their careers, and they both play for the Cleveland Thunderbolts—RDE George Ye and CB Monte Cherry.

1979 Training Camp Report

James Sheckler, WR, New Orleans VooDoo

When looking at the 1979 USFL/WFL, the high volatility ratings among the top players immediately stood out. And, when the smoke cleared after training camp, that high volatility led to perhaps the biggest failure rate among first-round picks in league history.

Of the 32 first-rounders, 14 experienced drops in potential of 5 or more points. That meant nearly half the league's coaches bemoaned their losses after camp.

Chicago Blitz coach CrimsonWolfZ saw both of his first-rounders bust, a combined minus-17. And their volatility was "only" 62 and 66, which doesn't sound all that risky.

Now, 100 volatility does sound risky. The Houston Gamblers and Honolulu Hawaiians rolled the dice on 100-vol players and lost, as WLB Thomas Esparza and RB Shane Esquivel both took losses of 23 points during camp.

The Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Thunderbolts joined Chicago atop the awards stand for the Most Miserable Camp award. Charlotte's QB at No. 3 overall and WLB at No. 2 in the second round both busted. The Thunderbolts also took a punch to the gut in both the first and second rounds.

Not all was gloom and doom in USFL-Land, however.

The Gamblers saw busts in the first and second rounds, but also had players boom in both rounds. The Detroit Wheels (of course) and Baltimore Stars both took players in the second round who climbed 6 points and could be in the starting lineup for a long time. The New York Stars and New Orleans VooDoo both took WRs in the first round who boomed and could become their QB's primary targets. James Sheckler, a WR from Texas, climbed 4 points after joining the VooDoo — the biggest gain of any first-rounder.

Notable First-Round Busts

1-3 Stanley Snyder, QB, Charlotte Hornets, -5
1-5, Ronnie Davila, CB, New York Stars, -5
1-6, Gregory Garrison, CB, Denver Gold, -8
1-7, Robert Tate, WLB, Chicago Blitz, -7
1-13, Thomas Esparza, WLB, Houston Gamblers, -23
1-14, Prince Buster, DT, San Antonio Gunslingers, -10
1-18, William Downing, RG, Michigan Panthers, -14
1-19, Shane Esquivel, RB, Honolulu Hawaiians, -23
1-21, Joey Walker, WR, Chicago Blitz, -10
1-22, Claude Rose, LG, San Jose SaberCats, -5
1-27, Edward Costa, RG, Cleveland Thunderbolts, -9
1-29, Arthur Powell, RDE, Orlando Renegades, -9
1-30, William Betancourt, CB, Oakland Invaders, -5
1-32, Edward Hill, WR, Los Angeles Express, -5

Notable Second-Round Busts

2-2, Rex Clark,WLB, Charlotte Hornets, -13
2-12, Quincy Turley, TE, Houston Gamblers, -11
2-22, Monte Rader, DT, Shreveport Steamer, -8
2-23, Charles Sledge, FS Oklahoma Outlaws, -8
2-26, Dan Fredericks, TE, Southern Calif. Sun, -15
2-27, Joel Lilly, C, Cleveland Thunderbolts, -9
2-28, Boss Hogg, LT, New Jersey Generals, -8

Notable First-Round Booms

1-16, Robert Freese, WR, New York Stars, +3
1-17, Oscar Willis, QB, Southern Calif. Sun, +3
1-20, James Sheckler, WR, New Orleans VooDoo, +4
1-25, Philip King, CB, Houston Gamblers, +3
1-28, Rudi Johnson, RB, New Jersey Generals, +3

Notable Second-Round Booms

2-4, Christopher Jarman, LG, Houston Gamblers, +3
2-8, Edgar Jones, QB, Baltimore Stars, +6
2-24, Eric Geiser, MLB, Detroit Wheels, +6
2-31, Virgil Tindell, LDE, Tampa Bay Bandits, +3

From The Commissioner's Desk

We are about to begin the sixth season of the USFL/WFL. I think this is the best user-created league in MFN, and here are some reasons why:

• Nearly half of our teams (15 of 32) are still being coached by the original coaches.
• Of those 32 teams, 27 have made at least one playoff appearance.
• The same team hasn't dominated since Day One. Detroit has won two World Bowls, but that wasn't a foregone conclusion either season, and there were teams capable of knocking them off.
• We rarely have an opening that lasts more than a few days.
• Look at our forums. No drama. No bickering. Mild disagreement at times, but no flame wars. That's the kind of culture I was hoping would prevail here.
• I was proud of the empathy shown to pdoug20 during his recent personal tragedy. I hope the expressions of support from his coaching peers encouraged him.

Look at the 32 other public user-created leagues. Many of them are already on life support. Most of them offer no added value. Paydirt has a website and is a very well-run league. A few others have polls, etc., in their forums. But there are some leagues where you can find absolutely no communication from the commissioner to the members. Others have already been abandoned by their commissioner.

In short, while not perfect, I think we have a good thing going here, and one that can be sustained.

Rethinking "Noob Friendly"

From the outset, we have marketed the USFL/WFL as a "noob-friendly" league. I have been considering that term recently and wonder how it should be defined.

I have reached out to several coaches new to MFN and asked them to consider our league. When they join, I assign them to a member of the mentoring committee to get answers to any questions they have. While it sounds good, this approach has a downside.

• MFN has a steep learning curve when compared with other SIM games. The learning and development process takes longer, and delayed gratification is not welcome in our current culture. So, new coaches get overwhelmed and discouraged quickly and sometimes abandon their teams while still a work in progress.
• New coaches are sometimes just trying out the game. If they don't like it, they leave, often in the middle of the season. Then the poor commish has to recruit yet another coach to fill the opening.
• New coaches can make some decisions, especially salary cap decisions, that can negatively impact a franchise for many seasons.
• New coaches often don't consult their mentor or read the forums, two really good resources. Why? Because doing so requires time and effort, and many don't want to put that much time and effort into their pastime.
• The demographics of our league have changed. In the beginning, a lot of us were just getting into MFN. Five seasons later, our league has many veteran coaches who have experienced success and built teams elsewhere. So, a new coach has an even smaller chance of fielding a championship-caliber team.

With all that in mind, I am probably more likely to seek out a veteran coach to fill future openings. I hope we will always be "noob friendly," but we may be crossing paths with fewer noobs as time goes by.

The Future of the Stars

I am starting a fourth season as coach of the New York Stars. I never intended to stay with the Stars this long. I knew they would be a rebuilding project when I took over. A long one, I thought. Then the Stars won consecutive division titles. So, I thought it was time to go. But, when I offered the new coaches the choice of the Stars or another franchise, they always took the other franchise.

In the interest of full disclosure, the newest coaches with Philadelphia and Washington both said they would take either. However, I let them have the Bell and Federals because I have written a ton of rules and copying and moving over all those rules is a BIG job.

Then, my rebuild came crashing down around me like a poorly supported staircase. The Stars were 3-13 last season after an 0-13 start. That's a pretty lousy rebuild.

I had been messing with some serious gameplanning changes, and began making those changes to my four (now five) teams. The Stars were the last to get those changes. When they did, they won three in a row to finish out the season.

I am hoping for better things for New York in 1979. And, if I am not needed to rebuild my rebuild again, it will be time for me to move on to another challenge for 1980. That is my intention, anyway.