Can the New Jersey Generals repeat? If it's true that you win with defense, New Jersey would certainly be favored to do just that.
The World Bowl VIII champions will try to duplicate that feat against the Houston Gamblers on Monday in the USFL/WFL's ninth championship game.
The Generals will attempt to equal the accomplishments of the Detroit Wheels (III and IV) and Memphis Showboats (VI and VII), the only other back-to-back champions in league history.
 |
| Bon Scott, MLB, New Jersey |
Both teams survived the conference championship games by the skin (skins?) of their teeth.
The Gamblers were trailing the Michigan Panthers, 13-10, and were out of time outs with 49 seconds to play. Michigan could have run down the clock and punted with only a few seconds remaining, but instead decided to throw a pass—a decision that will live forever in coaching infamy.
Jerry Ruiz's throw was intercepted by Houston WLB James Beasley and returned 44 yards to the Michigan 4. Daniel McCormack kicked a 22-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to force OT. McCormack was good from 42 yards away in OT to give Houston a 16-13 lead, then Houston LDE Irvin Balzer stuffed Michigan RB/WR Charles Ahumada on fourth-and-1 to end the game.
The Generals' defense has come up big all season, but especially big during New Jersey's 10-7 win over the New Orleans VooDoo in the National Conference title game. New Orleans had a first down on its 40 with a game-tying field goal not too far in the distance. The VooDoo ran eight plays after that and ended up on their own 27, a net loss of 13 yards, thanks in part to MLB/lead singer Bon Scott.
New Orleans got the ball to its own 38 in the closing seconds, but Dustin Diamond's pickoff with 5 seconds to play snuffed out that final drive.
The regular-season series between the Generals and Gamblers is tied 1-1. Houston won the most recent meeting, 30-22, in 1979. MFN has New Jersey as a 1-point favorite.
