World Bowl XXIX: Pittsburgh Mauls Oklahoma For First Trophy

 

 

World Bowl XXIX was played in San Antonio, the first time that city has hosted a World Bowl and 50,000 people saw Pittsburgh maul the Outlaws to capture their first USFL Championship. Oklahoma had an excellent season defensing last year's championship, finishing the regular season 14-1-1 and earning the top seed in the playoffs. The Outlaws held their own in the box score, gaining 372 yards on offense and holding the ball over 38 minutes, to go with 3 red zone trips and a better 3rd down conversion rate. Oklahoma even had 3 fewer penalties than Pittsburgh, yet they lost the game by three touchdowns. How? The short answer is turnovers, as Raymond Settles threw 3 interceptions to just 1 for World Bowl MVP Brian White. The long answer follows:

Pittsburgh Maulers 31 Oklahoma Outlaws 10

 Pittsburgh got the ball first and they punted on their first two drives, while Oklahoma punted on their first drive as well. The Outlaws second drive began at their own 5 yard line but Raymond Settles got the Outlaws out of the hole with a 76 yard pass to Arthur Reina. He didn't make it to the end zone though, getting tackled at the 20 and the drive stalled after a failed 4th and 1 at the 10. The Maulers took over but Brian White was intercepted near midfield and the first quarter ended 0-0.

Oklahoma did nothing with Brian White's gift and they had to punt, which was a touchback. Taking over at their 20, White would find Agustin Fiecke for an 80 yard TD and a 7-0 Pittsburgh lead. Following an exchange of punts, Settles drove Oklahoma into scoring range and cashed in the TD with a 1 yard pass to Kenneth Porter, with the XP tying the game at 7. It took just 5 plays for Brian White to answer with the go ahead TD, finding Scott Peachey for the 38 yard score. Raymond Settles promptly threw an interception which led to a Pittsburgh FG, extending their lead to 17-7. The Maulers defense then forced a three and out and the Maulers offense got the ball at their own 23 after the punt, with 1:21 left before halftime. The Maulers might have been content to run out the clock but Larry Martinez ran for 17 yards on 1st down and a couple plays later, Brian White threw his 3rd TD of the first half. This 47 yard TD went to Frederick Sharp, who caught the ball despite being interfered with, then raced to the end zone to give Pittsburgh a 24-7 halftime lead. 

The Outlaws got the ball to start the second half and a TD would get them right back in the game, but the Maulers defense had other ideas, intercepting Settles instead. Pittsburgh did nothing and punted, with Oklahoma's Ricardo Horton fumbling the punt. Luckily for the Outlaws, Horton recovered his own fumble. Not much else happened in the quarter and we headed into the 4th with the same 24-7 score.

Oklahoma was driving and had made it into the red zone when the 3rd quarter ended, but they couldn't put the ball in the end zone, instead settling for a 25 yard FG to pull within 24-10. The Outlaws defense then forced a punt, but that left the offense pinned at their own 5. A few plays later, Settles threw his 3rd INT of the game, and Quentin Blandon returned it to the Oklahoma 9. Three plays later, White threw a 7 yard TD pass to Agustin Fiecke, White's 4th of the game and 2nd to Fiecke. The XP made the score 31-10 with 5:37 to play, and the game was essentially in the bag at this point. The rest of the drives ended in a punt or with the clock hitting 0:00 and the Pittsburgh Maulers are USFL Champs.

Oklahoma was led by Raymond Settles, who threw for 251 yards and a TD (3 INTs too), completing 30/40 passes. Arthur Reina caught 6 passes for 132 yards while Paul Wicklund had 119 combined yards. Pittsburgh was led by World Bowl MVP Brian White, who completed 15/31 for 251 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT. White's favorite target was Agustin Fiecke, who caught 4 passes for 99 yards and 2 TDs.

 

 

2002 Conference Championships

 World Bowl XXIX is set as the Pittsburgh Maulers face our defending champs, the Oklahoma Outlaws. This is the second World Bowl appearance for each, as Oklahoma's first was last season's championship. Many of you weren't even around, or owned a different team the last time Pittsburgh was in a World Bowl, as their appearance was way back in World Bowl II. 

Neither team had much trouble in tonight's games as their defenses were on point. Oklahoma jumped out to a 21-0 lead after a quarter and a half while it took until the 4th quarter for Pittsburgh to feel comfortable with their lead. Let's check out the action.

Oklahoma Outlaws 31 Memphis Showboats 14

Memphis got the ball first and punted, as did Oklahoma on their first drive. Memphis punted again on their second drive while Oklahoma needed just four plays to dent the scoreboard first. Paul Wickland caught an 8 yard TD pass from Raymond Settles for the 7-0 Outlaws lead. A few more punts followed and the first quarter ended 7-0.

Early in the 2nd, Settles was at it again, this time connecting with Ronald Dingle for a 76 yard TD pass and a 14-0 lead. Settles almost had his 3rd TD pass of the first half on the next drive as he hit Andrew Rossi with a pass near the goal line, but Rossi fumbled. He would recover his own fumble in the end zone for a TD and a 21-0 lead. The remaining first half drives ended with a punt or the end of the half as the Outlaws took that 21-0 lead into the locker room.

Oklahoma got the ball to start the second half and they went three and out. Memphis would finally get on the scoreboard with a FG, then tack on another FG after a Raymond Settles interception but they still trailed 21-6. Oklahoma would keep the ball the rest of the 3rd quarter but were forced to punt soon after the 4th quarter started, pinning Memphis at their own 4. Daniel Lorenz would lose a fumble a couple plays later, giving Oklahoma an instant 1st and goal. On the next play, Raymond Settles finally got his 3rd TD pass, 4 yards to Arthur Reina and a 28-6 lead. 

Memphis got back into the game with a 75 yard TD drive, finished off by a 5 yard TD pass from Norman Maldonado to Michael Larson. Frank Huber ran in the 2 point conversion to make the score 28-14 Outlaws with 10:39 to go. The Showboats defense did their job, forcing a three and out but the Outlaws defense returned the favor. Memphis forced another punt but this drive took some time off the clock, as Memphis got the ball back on their own 7 with under 4 minutes left. Maldonado would be intercepted by James Harris, leading to a FG, extending the lead to 31-14. Memphis would get the ball back, but trailing by 3 scores inside the 2 minute warning, only the 2022 Las Vegas Raiders defense could save Memphis now. Maldonado led the Showboats inside the red zone before being intercepted again, sealing the victory for Oklahoma.

Pittsburgh Maulers 26 New Orleans VooDoo 3

The first quarter would be scoreless as the teams combined for 3 punts and a Willie Graham interception, although that led to a Pittsburgh 41 yard FG early in the 2nd. On the next Maulers drive, Brian White was intercepted by Edmund Sprague, who then fumbled during the return, giving the ball back to Pittsburgh. The Maulers didn't score on this drive, but they got a 2 yard TD run from Larry Martinez on the next drive to take a 10-0 lead. That left New Orleans a little over 2 minutes before halftime and they were able to get a 32 yard FG, cutting the lead to 10-3 at the half.

The VooDoo got the ball to start the second half but promptly punted to Pittsburgh. Brian White completed a 55 yard catch and run pass to Jorge Brown on 1st down, leading to another Larry Martinez TD run and a 17-3 lead. A few punts later and the Maulers went on a 13 play FG drive to extend the lead further. This drive also took us into the 4th quarter, where we had more punts after the Pittsburgh FG. Midway through the 4th, Mark Adams was wide left from 48 yards out, keeping the score 20-3. Neither offense did much the rest of the game, as a pair of interceptions by New Orleans QBs (Graham threw his 2nd, then backup Charles Crase threw one) led to a pair of FGs to give us a final score of 26-3. 

2002 National Conference Division Round

 New Orleans VooDoo 28 Birmingham Stallions 16

Birmingham went three and out on their first drive and turned it over on their second when David Soileau lost a fumble trying for YAC. That led to a 9 play, 28 yard drive that ended with an Elias Williams 2 yard TD run and a 7-0 lead for New Orleans. The VooDoo then forced a punt before embarking on a 10 play, 78 yard TD drive to take a 14-0 lead early in the 2nd. The scoring play was a Willie Graham 6 yard TD pass to Douglas Jordan. 

The next time New Orleans had the ball Willie Graham threw an interception, leading to a Birmingham FG. Later in the quarter the mistakes started as Russell Gail threw an interception, then Willie Graham returned the favor on the next play. Birmingham's drive stalled and the 52 yard FG try went wide left, leaving the score 14-3. New Orleans took possession and after a few plays, Willie Graham found Douglas Jordan for a 58 yard TD to extend the lead to 21-3. Birmingham K Gonzalo Burgess converted a 53 yard FG in the final minute of the half to make the score 21-6 at the break.

The 3rd quarter saw just 3 points as Burgess made a 41 yard FG to cut the lead to 21-9 and the Stallions cut the lead further midway through the 4th. Russell Gail threw a 4 yard TD pass to David Soileau with 6:36 to play and the XP made the score 21-16 New Orleans. Willie Graham and the VooDoo offense answered with a 7 play, 75 yard TD drive that ended with a 2 yard TD pass from Graham to Jacob Newman. Birmingham now needed two scores in 3 minutes but Gail was intercepted after the 2 minute warning, salting the game away for New Orleans. 

Pittsburgh Maulers 17 New Jersey Generals 6

New Jersey got the ball first but didn't keep it long as Antonio Martinez threw an interception for an instant red zone possession for Pittsburgh. The Maulers faced a 4th and 1 from the New Jersey 11 and went for it instead of trying for 3 points. Private Ryan intercepted the Brian White pass and the teams traded punts the rest of the quarter. 

New Jersey punted on their first drive of the 2nd quarter before Pittsburgh finally broke the scoreless drought with a 7 play, 69 yard TD drive. Larry Martinez did the honors with a 2 yard TD run to give the Maulers a 7-0 lead. New Jersey went three and out and the Generals defense was right back on the field, allowing Brian White to complete a 70 yard catch and run TD pass to Patrick Howard, increasing Pittsburgh's lead to 14-0. Al Borland would kick a 49 yard FG inside the 2 minute warning to make the halftime score 14-3 Pittsburgh.

The 3rd quarter saw more punt trading until the end, when the Generals strung together some first downs. That drive continued into the 4th, where it stalled at the Maulers 5 yard line. Al Borland made the short FG and New Jersey was now down 14-6. Pittsburgh was driving toward another score when Private Ryan intercepted Brian White again but the Generals couldn't turn it into points. Pittsburgh took over with 7:26 to play and they kept the ball until after the 2 minute warning, getting a 24 yard FG to give the Maulers a late 2 score lead. The Generals drove a bit but turned it over on downs as Pittsburgh gets the 17-6 victory to advance.

2002 USFL Division Round, American Conference

 The beat rolls on for the final four teams as only one game was within one score this round. Will Oklahoma ride off into the sunset back to back champs? Will Memphis capture title #6? Or will the New Orleans/Pittsburgh winner win their first World Bowl? We'll find out soon enough, but how did they get here?

Oklahoma Outlaws 41 Houston Gamblers 6

The first quarter started innocent enough as both defenses flexed their muscles. Bryan Franklin threw an interception and Oklahoma kicked a FG for a 3-0 lead. Midway through the 2nd, Raymond Settles fired a 42 yard TD pass to Patrick Clark for a 10-0 lead. Gus "Hightest" Gas then lost a fumble trying for YAC (yards after catch), leading to a 7 yard Settles TD pass to Arthur Reina. Oklahoma would take that 17-0 lead into halftime.

In the 3rd quarter the defenses came out strong again. Houston forced a three and out. then Franklin and Settles threw back to back interceptions. Houston had just crossed midfield on a pass but before he went down, Wayne Ryals lost a fumble, killing the drive. A few plays later, Settles found Clarence Murphy for a 32 yard TD pass. A couple of drives later, Franklin was intercepted again and Louis Weaver returned it 28 yards for a TD, pushing the lead to 31-0. It didn't get much better for Houston the rest of the game as the Outlaws advance. 

Memphis Showboats 24 Portland Storm 19

Patrick Peavey got the game started with a bang, taking the handoff on the first play from scrimmage and racing 75 yards for an instant 7-0 lead for Memphis. Portland would get a Donald Atkins FG and Memphis led after a quarter 7-3. Portland was driving deep into Memphis territory but they got stuffed on 4th and goal from the 2. A few plays later, Norman Maldonado was intercepted by Portland's Brice Dale, who took it 50 yards to the end zone and a 10-3 Storm lead. Maldonado made up for it inside the 2 minute warning with an 18 yard TD pass to Michael Larson. The flag on the play was defensive PI so the score counted and Memphis led 14-10 at the half.

The teams traded FGs in the 3rd and we headed to the 4th with a score of Memphis 17 Portland 13. Memphis got the ball late in the 3rd and their 13 play, 75 yard drive went into the 4th. The drive ended with a 3 yard TD run by Michael Olsen, extending the lead to 24-13. Portland would answer with an 11 play TD drive of their own, scoring on a Robert Fanelli 19 yard TD pass to Robert Brown. The 2 point run failed, and the score was 24-19 with 4:24 to play and Portland elected to kick away. Memphis got a couple of first downs but ended up punting, pinning Portland inside their 10. The Storm ran out of time as they got near midfield and Memphis advances.

2002 USFL Wildcard Round

 The road to World Bowl XXIX began today with 6 wildcard games, only one of which was within one score. The lack of drama plus 6 games means shorter write ups for each, and no imbedded highlights. I have to work in a few hours and still do a couple game plans and free agency 1.

Memphis Showboats 41 Chicago Blitz 3

Memphis came into the game with a 13-2-1 record yet was on the road against a 7-9 division winner. Chicago may have had home field but any advantage was quickly wiped away as the Showboats needed just over 2 minutes to take a 14-0 lead. Norman Maldonado found Richard Harris for a 65 yard TD pass, and after a Chicago fumble, Maldonado made it 14-0 with a 9 yard TD pass to Jeremy Wheatley. Maldonado would throw a 3rd TD pass later in the 1st quarter and the rout was on. Maldonado finished 22/28 for 303 yards and 4 TDs to 4 different receivers. The Memphis defense forced 4 turnovers and had 5 sacks.

Houston Gamblers 20 San Jose SaberCats 9

San Jose struggled offensively all game but the SaberCats defense intercepted Bryan Franklin 3 times and took a 9-6 lead into the 4th quarter. Earl Castro tied it with a 53 yard FG with under 6 minutes to play, then the Gamblers defense forced a three and out. Up to this point, the longest play was a 29 yard pass completion but Franklin found Harley Race for a 70 yard catch and run TD to give Houston a 15-9 lead and Franklin passed for the 2 point conversion for a 17-9 lead. San Jose went four and out, allowing Houston to tack on a FG to seal the victory.

Portland Storm 23 Arizona Wranglers 6

It's been 15 seasons since we last saw Arizona in the playoffs and after a quick exit, Wranglers fans have to hope it's not another 15 year wait to get back. Both defenses came to play as Portland turned it over 3 times and allowed 3 sacks while Arizona turned it over 4 times. The Wranglers had maybe 6 healthy OL for the game but they held up well, allowing just 1 sack. The first Arizona turnover came on the first possession, allowing Portland a short field to drive for a TD. Robert Fanelli found William Allen for a 2 yard TD and a quick 7-0 lead. Arizona would get within 7-6 by the 2nd quarter before Portland kicked one of their own for a 10-6 halftime lead. Portland added a pair of 3rd quarter FGs for a 16-6 lead going into the 4th. RB Robert Byrd led the Portland offense with 110 rushing yards and his 14 yard TD midway through the 4th put the game away for the Storm.

New Jersey Generals 16 Orlando Renegades 9

The Big Lebowski got the game started right for the Generals, returning the opening kickoff 103 yards for the instant 7-0 lead. The Renegades fans had just begun settling in their seats when they thought, oh no, is this one of those games where the Generals pile on the points? No, it's not. In fact that was it for TDs on the day. The rest of the game was a FG kicking contest with each kicker booting 3. New Jersey had the longer kicks and Orlando has to be kicking themselves that they couldn't turn at least one of their short FGs into a TD. 

Birmingham Stallions 22 Philadelphia Bell 10

Philadelphia scored first on a Bryant Smith TD pass, but the Stallions defensive coordinator got the game ball because his defense intercepted Smith 5 times today. Smith finished 16/36, so even when they weren't getting turnovers, they were shutting down the Bell offense. When the Stallions had the ball it was unspectacular but effective. They only had 290 offensive yards but they kept the chains moving, going 10/20 on 3rd down. Birmingham kept the ball nearly 37 minutes and scored 16 unanswered points for a 16-7 lead early in the 3rd. Philadelphia cut it to 16-10 soon after but their last 3 drives ended in punts while the Stallions last 2 drives covered 29 plays combined.

Pittsburgh Maulers 34 Charlotte Hornets 0

Congratulations to Charlotte for making the playoffs but the schedule makers did them no favors by giving them a 3rd game with Pittsburgh. The Maulers won the first 2 games 31-17 and 41-0, so would that trend continue? Yes it would, as the Maulers racked up 582 yards, 399 through the air and took a 27-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Brian White actually threw for 407 yards but took an 8 yard sack, and the Maulers offense was not efficient, although they didn't need to be. White also threw 3 INTs and the Maulers only scored 2 TDs in 5 red zone trips (2 FGs also). Larry Martinez ran for 126 yards and Jose Brown caught 4 for 100 yards and a TD to lead the Maulers skill players. 

World Bowl XXVIII: Oklahoma Outlaws Complete Undefeated Season

 

The Oklahoma Outlaws took control of the game in the 2nd quarter and never looked back as they defeat the New Jersey Generals 26-8, completing the 3rd perfect season in league history. The Outlaws did not allow a single TD in the post season, and they join the 1977 Detroit Wheels and 1986 Memphis Showboats as 19-0 League Champions. Oklahoma CB Michael Brown was named World Bowl MVP thanks to his 1/11 pass defense with 3 knockdowns and 2 INTs. That effort earned him a brand new 2002 Chevrolet Corvette, as is USFL custom. 

Oklahoma Outlaws 26 New Jersey Generals 8

New Jersey got the ball first and both defenses started out on point as we had three straight punts. On Oklahoma's second drive they converted 3 of 4 third downs to get into FG range where Gerald Harmon booted a 35 yard FG for the early 3-0 lead. The first quarter ended with that score but New Jersey tied it early in the 2nd with a 43 yard Al Borland FG. Oklahoma was driving again, converting a 4th and 1, 3rd and 10, and a 3rd and 2 before Raymond Settles was intercepted on the next 3rd down by John Polen. Generals QB Antonio Martinez returned the favor a few plays later, getting intercepted by Michael Brown but the Outlaws offense stalled and opted to punt rather than try a 56 yard FG. Carlos Thomas caught a short pass from Antonio Martinez on first down but fumbled, giving Oklahoma the ball in the red zone. Three plays later Christopher Baker punched it in from the 1, increasing the Outlaws lead to 10-0 after the XP. 

New Jersey's next drive started near the 2 minute warning and soon after passing that, Antonio Martinez was intercepted by Zachary Martinez, but he was flagged for pass interference. That just delayed the inevitable and opened the door for Michael Brown's new Corvette when he intercepted Martinez a few plays later with no flags. The bad news got worse when Raymond Settles found Clarence Murphy for an 8 yard TD to increase the lead to 17-3 at the half.

The 3rd quarter saw just an Al Borland 48 yard FG and we got to the 4th quarter with Oklahoma leading 17-6. Gerald Harmon increased that to 20-6 with a 50 yard FG early in the 4th, then he booted a 36 yarder in the middle of the quarter for a 23-6 lead. New Jersey was running out of time but they still drove all the way inside the Oklahoma 1, but a 4th and goal pass fell incomplete, leaving the score 23-6 with 3:46 to play. The Outlaws took over on the shadow of their goal line and Andy Sipowicz collared Paul Wickland in the end zone for a safety to get the Generals 2 points closer. New Jersey turned it over on downs after the free kick and Harmon kicked another FG for the final margin and the game was over.

The 19 game win streak is the 3rd longest in league history and if they win their first 9 games in 2002, they will break the record of 27 wins in a row set by the 1976-78 Detroit Wheels. The Wheels won their last 4 regular season games in 1976 then all 3 playoff games to win the World Bowl before going 19-0 in winning the World Bowl again the following year. Detroit won in Week 1 of 1978 for their 27th win in a row before losing to Cleveland Week 2. The 1986-87 Memphis Showboats won 24 in a row for the second best streak. 

 

2001 Conference Championship Weekend

 Our final four teams played today for the right to play in World Bowl XXVIII at an as of yet undisclosed location. We had the Memphis Showboats vying for their 6th championship against the undefeated Oklahoma Outlaws, who were seeking their first appearance in the big game. Nobody has been to more World Bowls than the New Jersey Generals and they traveled to New Orleans in search of World Bowl game #10. The VooDoo are no stranger to the big game themselves, although they have lost all four times.

Oklahoma Outlaws 19 Memphis Showboats 0

Oklahoma got the ball first and drove 68 yards in 11 plays, getting a 25 yard Gerald Harmon FG for an early 3-0 lead. The defenses settled in from there and we headed to the 2nd quarter with that same 3-0 score. Memphis was driving as the quarter flipped but Daniel Lorenz lost a fumblel as they approached FG range, and that was the end of that scoring chance. Oklahoma then went on a 15 play, 44 yard grinder drive that ended in another Harmon FG to extend the lead to 6-0. Oklahoma faced three 4th and short situations on the drive, converting all three. The rest of the quarter was uneventful and the Outlaws took that 6-0 lead into halftime. 

Memphis got the ball to start the second half and despite knowing that, they still had to call a timeout after their first play. It was just one of those days I guess, and Memphis punted. The Showboats used another timeout later in the 3rd quarter, leaving just one for the final 15 minutes. The 3rd quarter saw several punts and one FG by Oklahoma, giving the Outlaws a 9-0 lead going into the 4th.

Early in the 4th Oklahoma increased their lead to 12-0 with Gerald Harmon's 4th FG of the game and salted the game away on their next drive. Raymond Settles would find Patrick Clark for a 64 yard TD, extending the lead to 19-0 and the rest of the game was a punting contest. When the clock hit 0:00, the sellout crowd went nuts, and the team stayed on the field an extra 30 minutes celebrating with their fans. 

New Jersey Generals 17 New Orleans 13

This was a rematch of last season's conference championship and several New Jersey defensive players showed up to the game dressed as The Road Warriors from the WWF (they changed their name to WWE in 2002). Once the game started so did the punts as the defenses for both teams came out strong. Generals RB Steve Ransome fumbled 3 times today, twice on the same 1st quarter drive. The second one was recovered by the VooDoo, and while they didn't turn it into points, they did pin the Generals at their own 2 following a punt. Antonio Martinez then led a 12 play, 98 yard TD drive, capping it off with a 2 yard TD pass to Ozzie Newsome for a 7-0 lead. The VooDoo would get a FG later in the quarter for a halftime score of 7-3 New Jersey.

The VooDoo got the ball to start the 3rd and they booted a FG, cutting the lead to 7-6. Steve Ransome fumbled on the first Generals play of their drive but Happy Gilmore fell on the loose ball to avoid the turnover. The Generals then punted, as did the VooDoo, but Generals punt returner Malcolm Wilkerson fumbled. He recovered his own fumble and the turnover Gods were smiling on the Generals today. New Jersey would get an Al Borland FG to extend their lead to 10-6. Later in the quarter, Willie Graham found Douglas Jordan for a 59 yard pass and a facemask penalty against New Jersey set the VooDoo up with a 1st and goal. Graham gave the VooDoo the lead with a short TD pass to Philip Kellogg and the XP made it 13-10.

The score remained 13-10 New Orleans when the Generals took possession at their own 17 with 7:46 left. Antonio Martinez led a 9 play, 87 yard TD drive, completing 6/7 including the go ahead 14 yard TD to Carlos Thomas. New Orleans would have nearly 3 minutes to get their own go ahead TD but Generals MLB Kenneth Allen sealed the win with an interception of Willie Graham near midfield, and New Jersey ran out the remaining clock for their 10th World Bowl appearance.

2001 Divisional Round

 We are now down to our final four teams and the divisional round produced a pair of upsets. Heading into the conference championships, the 2 road teams are the underdogs, but they have won 9 World Bowls between them, while the two favorites are each looking for their first championship. We'll have to wait to see how those two games shake out, but let's look at how the final four teams advanced.

Oklahoma Outlaws 16 San Jose SaberCats 3

Oklahoma got the ball first but had to punt. Jeffrey Richins fumbled the punt but a teammate fell on it so no harm, no foul. Oklahoma punted on their second possession and Richins fair caught it, but Richins fumbled the third punt. This time it was recovered by Oklahoma, leading to a FG and a 3-0 lead. The first quarter would end with that 3-0 score and the Outlaws made it 6-0 in the 2nd following a 15 play FG drive. 

A couple of possessions later and San Jose QB Jake Plummer was intercepted and Oklahoma was in immediate scoring range. The Outlaws got the ball into the end zone on a 3 yard run by Russell Hayes for a 13-0 lead they would take into halftime.

The second half was mostly uneventful, as Oklahoma went up 16-0 with another FG, then a Ricardo Horton lost fumble set San Jose up for a FG to avoid the shutout. San Jose would get the ball again twice more but punted and had an interception as Oklahoma stays perfect.

Memphis Showboats 16 Houston Gamblers 13 (OT)

This was not a pretty game as each team turned it over 4 times, 2 by fumble, 2 by interception and a combined 9 red zone trips saw just 1 TD. Memphis got the ball first and had to punt but Jose Shea fumbled the ball away on the return. Given new life, Memphis was able to kick a FG for a 3-0 lead before the craziness started. Houston QB Bryan Franklin threw INT #1, then Kenneth Anderson of Memphis matched that with his first INT. I should mention this was all taking place inside the Houston 20 yard line, and the Gamblers took over on their 1 following the Anderson INT. Two plays later, Gus "Hightest" Gas lost a fumble, giving Memphis the ball at the 8, but Anderson was intercepted again, leaving the score 3-0 after all of that.

On the first play of the 2nd qtr Memphis fumbled it away for their 3rd turnover but no damage was done as Houston punted. Later in the quarter we had our first TD of the game as Bryan Franklin found Alejandro Campbell for a 25 yard TD and a 7-3 Gamblers lead. As the game wound toward halftime, Memphis once again had the ball deep in Houston territory but Robert Sandoval sacked Anderson, stripping the ball and recovering, keeping the score 7-3 at the half. 

The 3rd quarter was a kicking contest with several punts and a Houston FG for a 10-3 lead after 3 quarters, but Memphis got a FG of their own early in the 4th to cut it to 10-6. Houston almost put the game away but Gus Gas was ruled down short of the goal line and they opted for the chipshot FG rather than go for it on 4th. The kick was good for a 13-6 lead and the defense forced a punt. The Houston offense couldn't bleed all the clock so they punted back to Memphis with 1:55 to play. Kenneth Anderson put his mistakes behind him as he led the Showboats down the field, finding Eugene Riggs for a 6 yard TD pass with 0:31 left. The XP tied the game and we seemed headed for OT. Houston would advance the ball enough to try a 61 yard FG as time expired but it was short, so we were actually headed for OT now.

The overtime period was brief, as Houston won the toss and Bryan Franklin was intercepted by Raymond Huang. Memphis took over at the Houston 28, ran three plays and sent Gary Ridgeway out for the game winning 37 yard FG, sending Memphis to the conference championship.

New Orleans VooDoo 17 Jacksonville Bulls 3

This game didn't have as many turnovers as Memphis/Houston but both teams did have multiple turnovers and red zone failures. New Orleans first two drives were a three and out and an interception while Jacksonville went three and out on their first two possessions. On the VooDoo's 3rd drive, Willie Graham got the scoring underway with a 53 yard TD pass to Benjamin Jones. Brian Sanborn ran in the 2 point conversion for an 8-0 New Orleans lead. Jacksonville drove for a FG on their next drive but took it off the board when they accepted an offsides penalty against New Orleans. The gamble did not pay off however, as Derek Joyce was intercepted by Harry Moorman to keep the score 8-0.

Early in the 2nd qtr, Jacksonville turned the ball over again when Daniel Massey fumbled gaining yards after a catch, giving New Orleans the ball in scoring range. Steven McCurdy made sure they would score with a 24 yard TD run to give the VooDoo a 14-0 lead. The score would stay 14-0 after the 2 point conversion failed. Jacksonville would be forced to punt and they pinned New Orleans at their own 5 with 6:43 before halftime. The Bulls would not see the ball again until the 3rd quarter as New Orleans went 90 yards in 17 plays, kicking a FG for a 17-0 halftime lead. The VooDoo actually scored a TD on the drive but a holding penalty wiped that out.

Jacksonville finally got on the board with a 3rd quarter FG to pull within 17-3. The 4th qtr saw the Bulls defense intercept Willie Graham and recover an Elias Williams fumble but the Jacksonville offense could not capitalize. The Bulls offense would eventually have another drive that got down to the New Orleans 6, but they turned it over on downs with the clock winding down. They would have one last crack at a miracle finish and they once again got inside the VooDoo 10, but the clock hit 0:00 and New Orleans advances.

New Jersey Generals 20 Pittsburgh Maulers 13

Pittsburgh got the ball to start the game and the Maulers got an early 3-0 lead thanks to a Tyler Garcia 55 yard FG on their second drive. New Jersey QB Antonio Martinez threw an interception on the Generals second drive which led to another Pittsburgh FG and a 6-0 lead. Al Borland cut the lead in half with a 44 yard FG and the 1st quarter ended 6-3 Pittsburgh.

The Maulers would try another 55 yard FG early in the 2nd that was no good and New Jersey capitalized on the good field position. Antonio Martinez threw a 2 yard TD pass to Ozzie Newsome to give New Jersey a 10-6 lead. Pittsburgh QB Brian White was later intercepted by Private Ryan, leading to another Al Borland FG for a 13-6 lead. Pittsburgh would tie the game inside the 2 minute warning thanks to a Brian Wright 25 yard TD pass to Agustin Fiecke.

The 3rd quarter was scoreless but New Jersey broke the tie early in the 4th on a short TD pass from Martinez to Malcolm "In The Middle" Wilkerson. The teams traded punts up to the first play after the 2 minute warning when Harry Potter pinned Pittsburgh at their own 5. The Maulers would turn it over on downs but Steve Ransome fumbled the ball back to Pittsburgh. Brian White couldn't gain a first down however, and the Maulers ran out of time, sending New Jersey to yet another conference final.

2001 Wildcard Weekend National Conference

 New Jersey Generals 16 Philadelphia Bell 13

These East division rivals were facing off for the third time this season and the winner of the rubber match will advance to the Divisional round. New Jersey got the ball first and punted, but Generals FS Hank Hill intercepted Bryant Smith to give the ball back to the offense in scoring position. Al Borland was wide right on a 47 yard FG try and we remained scoreless. Philadelphia would get on the board first with a 55 yard Steve Matthews FG and a 3-0 lead that didn't last very long. On the very next play from scrimmage, RB/WR Jeff Lebowski lined up at TE and was open down the seam where Antonio Martinez hit him in stride for a 75 yard TD and a 7-3 Generals lead. Later in the quarter, Al Borland connected on a 35 yard FG and the score was 10-3 New Jersey as we head to the 2nd.

Not much of note happened in the 2nd quarter besides a pair of Al Borland FGs and the teams head into the locker room with New Jersey leading 16-3.

Philadelphia got the ball to start the second half and they kept the ball for half of the 3rd quarter, thanks to a 12 play, 75 yard TD drive. Bryant Smith found Ryan Davis for the 8 yard TD pass that cut the lead to 16-10. The rest of the 3rd was uneventful and Philadelphia cut the lead further after another FG by Steve Matthews early in the 4th. 

Two punts followed and New Jersey was in the process of bleeding the clock when Steve Ransome lost a fumble  to give Philadelphia hope. They had 1:44 left to drive into FG range but they ended up turning it over on downs and with that, New Jersey advances.

Jacksonville Bulls 16 Orlando Renegades 9

These Southeast division rivals were facing off for the third time this season and the winner advances to the Divisional round. The first 6 drives ended with a punt so we skip to the 2nd quarter where Jacksonville QB Derek Joyce was intercepted by William Kimble, giving Orlando the ball in scoring range. The Renegades couldn't put it in the end zone but they did get a FG for a 3-0 lead. The next time Orlando got the ball Anthony Graves lost a fumble to give Jacksonville the ball on the Renegades 40. Orlando's defense forced a FG attempt, which was good but Lloyd Benally was offsides. It had been 4th and 3 so Jacksonville took the FG off the board for a 1st and goal at the 4. Derek Joyce fired a 4 yard TD pass to Peter Lowe on the next play and the extra point gave the Bulls a 7-3 lead they took into halftime.

The 3rd quarter saw an exchange of FGs, making the score 10-6 Jacksonville to begin the 4th. On the very first play of the quarter, Orlando QB Trey Lyons was intercepted by Howard Pfeil, leading to a Jacksonville FG and a 13-6 lead. Orlando pulled within 13-9 thanks to a FG with under 5 minutes to play, and they opted to attempt an onside kick, which failed. Derek Joyce would throw an interception but Orlando turned it over on downs, leading to a Jacksonville FG and a 16-9 lead. Orlando would have 1:47 to get the tying TD but they went four and out, allowing Jacksonville to kill the clock and advance.

Pittsburgh Maulers 31 Shreveport Steamer 7

Pittsburgh QB Brian White threw 3 TDs today, all to Agustin Fiecke and the Maulers defense shut down the Shreveport passing attack. White and Fiecke hooked up on a 75 yard TD on the first play from scrimmage for a 7-0 lead and that was it for first half scoring. Pittsburgh turned the ball over on downs once and missed a FG attempt, but the defense held the Steamer to 103 total yards all game long. Almost all of that was on the ground as QB Paul Marcum was 12/19 for 14 yards, being sacked once for minus 10, giving the Steamer 4 passing yards. 

The second half saw a Pittsburgh FG followed by the 2nd and 3rd TDs by White/Fiecke for a 24-0 Maulers lead. The lone Shreveport highlight of the game came on this 97 yard kickoff return TD by John Gates to get within 24-7. That was it though as Pittsburgh put the icing on the cake with a 1 yard John King TD run and they advance with a 31-7 victory.

2001 Wildcard Weekend American Conference

 Usually having a home playoff game is a good thing, but not this season as 5 of the 6 road teams won and advanced to the Divisional round. Next weekend will have some intriguing games as defending champs San Jose travel to 16-0 Oklahoma, Memphis and Houston face off for the 3rd time with a combined World Bowl record of 13-0, Jacksonville travels to the bayou to face the New Orleans VooDoo, and the New Jersey Generals head to Pittsburgh to face the Maulers. Pittsburgh entered this season with new ownership and mindset, turning around a franchise that had gone 1-31 the previous two seasons. 

The road to World Bowl XXVIII is a long one that started with a 6 game bonanza this past weekend. 

Houston Gamblers 21 Michigan Panthers 3

The first quarter was a feeling out period for both teams as nobody scored. Michigan QB Emory Howard was intercepted by Xavier "X" Factor on the first drive but the Houston offense couldn't take advantage. Early in the 2nd quarter Howard was intercepted again, this time by David Numbers to give the Gamblers the ball in scoring position. The offense got inside the 10 but stalled, and an Earl Castro FG gave Houston a 3-0 lead. Later in the quarter Castro added another FG and a 6-0 halftime deficit wouldn't have been too bad for the Panthers. Bryan Franklin had other ideas however, finding Gus "Hightest" Gas for a 20 yard TD pass and a 13-0 halftime lead.

In the 3rd quarter Houston did not keep their momentum, fumbling the ball away on the first drive and going three and out on the next. Michigan then went on a 10 play drive but had to settle for a FG to cut the lead to 13-3. Michigan took over 6 minutes off the clock and Houston took 6 more off on their next drive following the Panthers FG. The Michigan defense couldn't keep the Gamblers out of the end zone though as Steve Austin punched in a short TD run and Bryan Franklin converted the 2 point conversion with a pass to Cecil Soto. 

That TD drive came early in the 4th quarter and gave Houston a commanding 21-3 lead. Michigan would have 3 more drives, none of which crossed midfield as Houston wins and advances. The Gamblers" trio of RBs rushed for 206 yards and Bryan Franklin completed 25/29 for an efficient, move the chains performance. 

Memphis Showboats 24 Los Angeles Express 20

Memphis got off to a fast start before they started allowing Los Angeles to claw back in the game in the 4th quarter. The Showboats turned it over 5 times in all, 3 in the 4th quarter alone but the Express offense wasn't quite up to the task today.

Memphis scored first, taking a 7-0 lead on a 26 yard Kenneth Anderson TD pass to Richard Harris. Early in the 2nd quarter, L.A. RB Ronnie Nix lost a fumble which led to another Memphis TD. Kenneth Anderson's 2 yard TD pass to Jeremy Wheatley gave the Showboats a 14-0 lead. Anderson would throw an interception later in the quarter, leading to a FG for the Express, cutting the lead to 14-3. Los Angeles had a chance to cut the lead further but Brian Haworth missed a 53 yard try wide right. The Express defense intercepted Anderson again, but Haworth was wide right again, this time from 45 yards out and the halftime score was 14-3 Memphis.

Memphis scored a TD on their second drive of the second half, but a holding penalty wiped that away and they had to settle for a FG. Late in the 3rd, Anderson found Richard Harris for a 56 yard TD pass, giving Memphis a 24-3 lead heading to the 4th.

Early in the 4th, Los Angeles was driving until Ronnie Nix lost another fumble but Eugene Riggs fumbled it back a few plays later. David Tavarez wasted little time, tossing a 40 yard TD to Patrick Peavey, cutting the lead to 24-10. Kenneth Anderson then threw INT #3, allowing David Tavarez to throw another TD pass. The 2 yard scoring toss to Stephen Tye cut the Memphis lead to 24-17 with 8:17 to play. The Express defense forced a three and out, leading to a Haworth 45 yard FG to get within 24-20. Kenneth Anderson promptly threw his 4th interception, giving Los Angeles a golden opportunity to steal the game, but the 2 earlier missed FGs meant they needed a TD. That was huge as they turned it over on downs in the red zone because a FG would have done no good. Memphis ran the last minute off the clock to advance to the next round.  

San Jose SaberCats 17 Portland 12

If you just look at the box score, it looks like Portland won as they nearly doubled the yards of San Jose, 304-156. Portland was 5/15 on 3rd down to 1/12 for San Jose and they had 3 red zone trips to none for the SaberCats. Portland took the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards in 14 plays, getting 3 points and taking a 3-0 lead halfway through the 1st. San Jose's first possession ended with a punt on 4th and 2 from the Portland 42 a few plays after converting a 4th and 1. Portland would later fail on a 4th and 2 near midfield, leading to a San Jose FG to tie the game at 3. 

The halftime score was 3-3 and San Jose went three and out. The SaberCats defense then intercepted Raymond Oswalt, setting up the offense in scoring range. Jake Plummer would throw a 28 yard TD pass to Ivan Humphrey and Darren Cotton ran in the 2 point try to give San Jose an 11-3 lead. Toward the end of the 3rd qtr, Portland was inside the red zone facing a 4th and 2. David Smith ran for the first down, but a holding penalty forced the Storm to settle for a FG, cutting the lead to 11-6. 

Portland went on a long drive early in the 4th that ended with a Raymond Oswalt 8 yard TD pass to Craig Hines. The 2 point pass failed but Portland now led 12-11. San Jose then went on a time consuming drive, getting a 50 yard FG from Steve Jones just before the 2 minute warning to take a 14-12 lead. Portland would turn it over on downs, leading to another 50 yard FG for Jones to extend the lead to 17-12. Portland only had time for 2 plays to try and score the winning TD but they couldn't do it and the champions advance.

World Bowl XXVII: San Jose SaberCats USFL Champions

 I couldn't think of a snazzy headline so I went generic, sorry. For the second consecutive season the World Bowl was played in New Orleans, a fortuitous break for the New Orleans VooDoo, or was it? Two previous World Bowls were played in a team's home stadium and both times the "home" team lost, Tampa bay in World Bowl V, and Washington in World Bowl XVII. The San Jose SaberCats and the VooDoo were both #1 seeds but only one would hoist the trophy at the end of the game.

San Jose SaberCats 16 New Orleans VooDoo 7

Defense ruled the day today as neither team surpassed 280 yards of offense. San Jose got the ball first and punted, as did New Orleans. On the Sabercats second possession Jake Plummer was intercepted by Kevin Higgs, setting up the VooDoo in scoring position. The offense then faced a 4th and 1 from the 19 and failed to convert, turning it over on downs. We then had a punt, the end of the 1st quarter, and another punt before San Jose's first scoring chance. The SaberCats like to go for it on 4th down, but on a 4th and 10 from the VooDoo 31 they opted for a FG try but Robert Rodriguez was wide left and we were still scoreless. 

New Orleans took over after the missed FG and went on a 13 play TD drive that ended on a Steven McCurdy 1 yard run and a 7-0 New Orleans lead. Two more uneventful drives bled the clock and our halftime score was 7-0 VooDoo.

I would have liked to be a fly on the wall during halftime because the San Jose defense came out for the 3rd quarter with their pants on fire. First, Wendell Vaughn intercepted Charles Crase to give San Jose great field position. Facing a 4th and 1 from the 29, and with a kicker who already missed a FG, the SaberCats went for it but failed, giving the ball back to New Orleans. This drive, it was Christopher Miller intercepting Crase to give San Jose the ball in New Orleans territory. It took San Jose 11 plays, but Craig Icenhour finally got the SaberCats on the board with a 3 yard TD run. Frank Huber ran in the 2 point try and San Jose took the lead 8-7. San Jose would get the ball back after a punt and went on another long drive that took us to the 4th quarter.

San Jose's drive lasted 15 plays, covering 75 yards and took more than 8 minutes off the clock, and John Gates extended the lead with a 2 yard TD run. Craig Icenhour ran in the 2 point try and the SaberCats lead was now 16-7. New Orleans had time for a comeback, but Frank Donald lost a fumble and Christopher Miller intercepted Crase for the 2nd time as the San Jose defense held up, giving the SaberCats their first ever championship. 

Christopher Miller was named World Bowl MVP thanks to his 2 interceptions and 5 tackles. Miller drives away in a brand new 2001 Chevrolet Corvette convertible.

 

2000 Conference Championships: First Time Champ Coming

 Each conference final featured a previous league champion against a team without a championship, and now we'll have a first time champion after the World Bowl. The San Jose SaberCats got a last second FG to defeat the Portland Storm, and they advance to play the New Orleans VooDoo, who outlasted the New Jersey Generals. 

San Jose SaberCats 20 Portland Storm 18

Portland got the ball first and punted, then we had a wild play on San Jose's first snap from scrimmage. Jake Plummer was intercepted by Wade Mullinix, who returned it 9 yards before Plummer hit him and knocked the ball loose. LG Dalton Risner fell on the loose ball and it's 1st down all over again. That drive ended with a punt that pinned the Storm at their own 2, and a few plays later the SaberCats defense intercepted Raymond Oswalt. Raymond Moore got the interception which led to a Craig Icenhour 1 yard TD. The 2 point run failed, keeping the score 6-0 San Jose. Oswalt would be intercepted again on Portland's next play, leading to a FG and a 9-0 SaberCats lead early in the 2nd quarter.

The balance of the half was mostly punts, but Portland did convert a 4th and 1 to keep a drive alive that ended with a 42 yard FG and a halftime score of 9-3 San Jose.

San Jose got the ball to start the 3rd quarter and drove for a TD thanks to Eric Tanner's 17 yard run. Tanner also ran in the 2 point conversion, pushing the SaberCats lead to 17-3. Portland would answer with a FG to cut the lead to 17-6, but it wasn't easy as they had to convert two more 4th and 1 plays to get these 3 points. The Storm defense got the ball back for the offense, and they were driving as we switched to the 4th quarter. 

Early in the 4th, Raymond Oswalt's 1 yard TD pass to Guadalupe Navarrette cut the deficit to 17-12, and the 2 point pass failed. Portland's next drive ended with Oswalt's 3rd INT of the game and San Jose was already in scoring range. Their drive stalled and the 37 yard FG try was wide left, leaving the score 17-12 with just under 7 minutes to play. Each team then went three and out before Portland started driving toward a score. At the 2 minute warning Portland faced a 2nd and 8 from the San Jose 10, and eventually faced a 4th and 2 from the 4. John Gill got the first down and almost a touchdown, but he was marked short of the goal line. Robert Byrd ran in the score on the next play and the 2 point pass failed, but Portland now had the lead 18-17. Jake Plummer had a little more than a minute to get into FG range and he wasted little time, finding Craig Icenhour for 13 yards, then David Barfield for 51. That set up a first and ten from the 11 and a few runs set up the game winning 19 yard FG by Robert Rodriguez to send San Jose to their first ever World Bowl.

New Orleans VooDoo 31 New Jersey Generals 24

New Jersey had more yards (412-383), more time of possession (+ 17 minutes), the better rushing attack and a better 3rd down rate (7/18 vs 2/11), yet they still lost the game. Turnovers were even as both QBs threw 3 INTs, but the Generals defense had no answer for Benjamin Jones today. Jones caught 6 passes for 256 yards and 3 TDs to single handedly lead the VooDoo to the World Bowl. 

There were other contributors of course, but there is no doubt who got the game ball. New Jersey got the ball first and were just outside the red zone when Don Ferguson threw interception #1. The rest of the quarter was punting until the Generals defense intercepted Charles Crase to start the 2nd.That drive started just inside VooDoo territory and David Koresh finished the drive with a short TD plunge for a 7-0 New Jersey lead. A couple of punts later, Charles Crase found his man Benjamin Jones for a 68 yard TD to tie the game at 7 midway through the 2nd quarter. Don Ferguson would then throw interception #2 but the Generals intercepted Crase for the 2nd time, leading to an Al Borland FG and a 10-7 lead. On the Generals next drive, Ferguson threw interception #3, leading to a Harry Charles 1 yard TD run and a 14-10 halftime lead.

New Orleans got the ball to start the 3rd and wasted little time extending their lead, as Crase hit Jones for another long TD, this one 75 yards on the first play of the drive. Crase would throw interception #3 on the next drive, which led to another FG for New Jersey to make the score 21-13 VooDoo. New Orleans would add a FG in the quarter for a 24-13 lead entering the 4th.

With about 10 minutes to go, Ferguson threw a 4 yard TD pass to Paul Cox and a David Koresh 2 point run made the score 24-21. The New Jersey defense got to sit for 12 plays while the offense ground out a drive, but the VooDoo offense also got to rest, meaning Benjamin Jones had fresh legs. Those fresh legs took a Crase pass 75 yards for a TD on the very next play to kill any momentum New Jersey had just gained. The lead now 10, New Jersey went on a 10 play FG drive to get within 31-24 with 5:32 to play. The Generals defense would hold to give Ferguson a chance to tie the game, and after the first play, things were looking good for New Jersey. Ferguson found Anthony Booker for a 52 yard gain and the clock was not a factor yet. The Generals would only gain 5 more yards however, turning the ball over on downs. They would have one last, desperate chance at the end, but they went nowhere and New Orleans hold on to advance to the World Bowl.

2000 Divisional Round: Road to World Bowl XXVII

 Our Divisional Round is now complete and we have our final 4 teams. In the American Conference we have the Portland Storm looking for their 4th World Bowl title traveling to San Jose, where the SaberCats are trying to reach their first ever World Bowl. In the National Conference we have New Jersey trying to even up their World Bowl record and if they do it will be the Generals' 5th title. They have to travel to New Orleans to play the VooDoo who are looking for their first World Bowl title after losing their first 3 times there.

San Jose SaberCats 27 Los Angeles Express 13

San Jose QB Jake Plummer led the league in passing yards (5,490) and TD passes (47) so of course the SaberCats ran the ball 59 times versus 17 pass attempts. On their 3rd play from scrimmage, David Hartwig lost a fumble, leading to a Los Angeles FG and a 3-0 Express lead. On San Jose's 2nd drive, they went for it on a 4th and 12 in their own end and turned it over on downs. That led to another Express FG and Los Angeles led 6-0 after 1 quarter. 

Before the end of the 1st, San Jose started their 3rd possession and kept running the ball. In fact they went the whole 1st quarter without attempting a single pass. Jake Plummer's first pass came early in the 2nd quarter and the SaberCats got a FG to cut the lead in half. San Jose forced a three and out before Jake Plummer gave the ball right back to L.A. with an interception. David Tavarez completed the drive with a 9 yard TD pass to Sidney Chavis to take a 13-3 lead. That would be our halftime score as Jake Plummer threw his 2nd INT and the other drives ended in punts.

San Jose got the ball to start the second half and it looked like they were going to keep the ball the entire 3rd quarter. The SaberCats kept the ball nearly 8 and a half minutes, using 17 plays to go 88 yards with Craig Icenhour getting the TD run from 1 yard out. Icenhour also ran in the 2 point try and the Express lead was now just 13-11. Los Angeles finally got the ball in the 3rd, but promptly gave it back 2 plays later as Ryan Greenway fumbled trying for yards after the catch and San Jose recovered. Jake Plummer would cash that in for an 11 yard TD pass to John Gates and another 2 point run gave San Jose a 19-13 lead. Los Angeles went three and out on their next drive and would only run 5 offensive plays the entire 3rd quarter. 

Early in the 4th, David Tavarez threw an interception deep in his own end which led to a Harold Hedberg 4 yard TD run. David Barfield ran in his 2nd 2 point run of the game and the SaberCats lead was now 27-13. Los Angeles would get the ball 2 more times, punting once and turning it over on downs as San Jose advances to the Conference Championship Game.

Portland Storm 33 Memphis Showboats 24

This game was an odd one for version 4.6. Neither team ran the ball well as they averaged less than 3 yards a carry, but both teams had 300 yard passers. Portland built a 30-0 lead through 3 quarters plus before Memphis stormed back to make a game of it. 

Portland got the ball first but was forced to punt. Patrick Buck fielded the punt but fumbled, giving the ball back to Portland. The Storm then marched to the end zone where Robert Byrd ran in the TD from 2 yards out and a 7-0 lead. Memphis QB Kenneth Anderson was intercepted on the next drive, leading to a Raymond Oswalt 17 yard TD pass to Guadalupe Navarrette and a 14-0 lead. Memphis then went three and out before intercepting Oswalt on the Storm's next play, leading to a FG attempt. Gary Ridgeway was wide right on the 40 yard try and the score remained 14-0. 

In the 2nd quarter Portland would add a FG for a 17-0 lead, force a three and out, then add another FG for a 20-0 lead. Three more punts and Portland had the ball inside the 2 minute warning. Raymond Oswalt drove the Stom down the field and completed the drive with a 22 yard TD pass to Perry Salgado for a 27-0 halftime lead. 

The 3rd quarter was uneventful and scoreless, the exact opposite of the 4th quarter. Portland kicked a FG early in the 4th to take a seemingly insurmountable 30-0 lead. Kenneth Anderson finally got Memphis on the scoreboard with a 69 yard TD pass to Wayne Ross to trail 30-7. The Showboats defense forced a three and out but Anderson threw an interception to kill the drive. Memphis held on defense again and the offense would add a FG to trail 30-10 with 8 minutes to play. When Memphis got the ball back again, Anderson threw a 76 yard TD pass to Daniel Lorenz and now they only trailed 30-17 with over 6 minutes to go. Memphis forced another punt and could have used another quick strike score. Instead, the Portland defense forced Memphis to use clock. Kenneth Anderson would find Jeremy Wheatley for a 38 yard TD, and the score was now 30-24 with 1:40 to play. The onside kick failed, leading to a Portland FG and a 9 point lead 33-24. Memphis would get the ball back but there was too little time to overcome the deficit and the game clock ran out. Portland hangs on to face San Jose for the right to play in World Bowl XXVII.

New Orleans VooDoo 24 Charlotte Hornets 0

Charlotte got the ball first but a fumble by William Holmes gave the ball to New Orleans in good field position. The VooDoo faced a 4th and 1 from the Charlotte 22 where Harry Charles fumbled. New Orleans would recover their own fumble and Charles Crase threw a 20 yard TD pass to Mitchell Allen on the next play for a 7-0 lead. Early in the 2nd quarter New Orleans took possession at their own 17 yard line. Thirteen plays and 7:20 later, Harry Charles 1 yard TD run gave the VooDoo a 14-0 lead they would take into halftime.

New Orleans got the ball to start the 3rd quarter and Crase led another TD drive, ending it with a 25 yard pass to Mitchell Allen, the pair's 2nd scoring connection of the game. Charlotte had success running the ball today, but trailing 21-0 they needed Robert Ament to complete some passes, and he wasn't up to the challenge. The 4th quarter was basically running out the clock as the Hornets never even reached the red zone or tried a FG the whole game. New Orleans added a FG for a final score of 24-0 and the VooDoo stay at home for the Conference Championship to play the winner of our next game. 

New Jersey Generals 16 Orlando Renegades 7

New Jersey got the ball first with Don Ferguson leading a FG drive for a 3-0 lead. The Generals second possession ended with Ferguson tossing a 3 yard TD pass to Malcolm "In the Middle" Wilkerson and a 10-0 lead. New Jersey's 3rd possession took the game into the 2nd quarter and another Al Borland FG gave the Generals a 13-0 lead.

Orlando would answer with a 13 play, 75 yard drive that ended on a 17 yard TD pass by Trey Lyons to Lyle Opitz, cutting the lead to 13-7 and it looked like we might have a shootout on our hands. In fact New Jersey drove deep into Orlando territory looking for more points when William Kimble intercepted Ferguson to keep the score 13-7 New Jersey.

Any thoughts of a shootout quickly died as the teams opted to have a punting competition in the second half. They exchanged punts through the entire 3rd quarter and most of the 4th before Al Borland's 3rd FG of the game gave New Jersey a 16-7 lead inside the 2 minute warning. Trey Lyons tossed an interception in hurry up mode, then New Jersey ran out the clock to advance to play New Orleans for a chance at their 10th World Bowl.  

2000 Wildcard Round: Road to World Bowl XXVII

 Fourteen teams started out with dreams of getting to and winning World Bowl XXVII but for most it will remain just a dream. Wildcard Weekend is now over and we must say goodbye to six teams, one of which is our defending champs Houston. The American Conference had all 3 favorites lose as Houston, Chicago, and Oklahoma were all 7 point betting favorites. The National Conference went about as expected with the 2 favorites winning and the 3rd game had an even point spread. 

Portland Storm 29 Oklahoma Outlaws 24

Portland was the home team but they were 7 point underdogs against Oklahoma and the Storm seemed to take that personally. Portland got the scoring started with a FG on their second possession, then followed that up with an interception of Oklahoma QB Raymond Settles. Wade Mullinix did the honors, returning it to the Outlaws 15, setting up the Storm inside the red zone. It took Portland all of 1 play to increase their lead to 10-0 as John Gill ran it in for the TD. It didn't take long for the Outlaws to get back in the game as Ricardo Horton took the kickoff 110 yards for a TD, cutting the lead to 10-7. The 110 yard return ties the all time post season record first set by Pittsburgh's John Murray way back in 1978. This was the first 110 yard return since then. Oklahoma would add a FG to make the score 10-10 as we entered the 2nd quarter.

Portland would take a 13-10 lead with a 2nd qtr FG before Oklahoma went on a long, time consuming drive to take the lead inside the 2 minute warning. Raymond Settles found Paul Wicklund for the 5 yard TD for a 17-13 lead. Portland had a little more than a minute to work with and they would settle for a 52 yard FG to make the halftime score 17-16 Oklahoma.

Oklahoma would get the ball to start the second half but Raymond Settles threw his 2nd INT on the first play of the drive, and Jesse Marshall returned it to the Outlaws 9 yard line. The Oklahoma defense knocked down 3 straight passes, forcing a FG. The kick was good and Portland now led 19-17, although it could have been worse for Oklahoma. Midway through the 3rd, Raymond Settles threw his 3rd INT of the game, and this time Portland cashed it in for a TD. Raymond Oswalt found Steve Haywood for a 25 yard TD pass and the XP made the score 26-17 Portland. As the 3rd quarter was winding down, Wade Mullinix struck again for his 2nd INT of the game and the 4th thrown by Settles. That led to another FG and a 29-17 lead entering the 4th. 

Early in the 4th following a punt inside the 10, Raymond Oswalt returned the favor with an INT deep in his own end. Michael Brown was the culprit and he returned it 4 yards to the Storm 5. It took Settles 1 play to get the Outlaws back in the game with a 5 yard scoring toss to Patrick Clark, and the XP made the score 29-24. Several punts followed until Portland faced a 4th and 2 from the Oklahoma 41 with less than 4 minutes to play. The Storm were too far for a FG so they opted to go for it rather than punt. It didn't work but it also didn't hurt as the Storm defense forced a 3 and out. Portland was once again pinned inside their own 10 and on the first play after the 2 minute warning, Richard Robinson fumbled. Just like the previous 2 fumbles by teammate David Smith, this one was recovered by the offense, denying Oklahoma a golden opportunity to win the game. The Outlaws would get the ball back near midfield following the punt, but Settles was intercepted for the 5th time today, 3rd time by Wade Mullinix. That would seal the deal as Portland ran out the clock to advance to the next round.

Memphis Showboats 36 Chicago Blitz 10

Memphis kicked 2 early FGs for a 6-0 lead before the Showboats QB Kenneth Anderson got sacked by Philip McCray and fumbled, with McCray falling on the ball at the Memphis 25. Chicago QB Dwayne Byrd found Ian Gordon for a 10 yard TD to give the Blitz a 7-6 lead after a quarter. Early in the 2nd, Chicago punted, pinning Memphis at their own 11. Kenneth Anderson then hit Paul Davis as he got behind the defense and raced to the end zone for an 89 yard TD to retake the lead 13-7. Memphis got the ball back and went on a 14 play drive that seemed destined to end in points for the Showboats until Anderson was intercepted by Abdul Strout, keeping the score 13-7 as we hit halftime.

Memphis took control of the game in the 3rd quarter, going on a long FG drive to lead 16-7, intercepting Byrd which led to another FG, and a 14 play TD drive capped off by a Clyde Belcher 2 yard run for a 26-7 lead early in the 4th. Patrick Buck put the final nail in the coffin with an 87 yard punt return TD, making the score 33-7. Buck's return was the 3rd punt return for a TD in league postseason history and it was the longest ever. Each team would add a FG for a final score of 36-10 as Memphis advances to play at Portland next week.

Los Angeles Express 13 Houston Gamblers 10

This game was a defensive struggle and the first half ended in a 3-3 tie. Houston QB Bryan Franklin led the Gamblers to a FG on their opening drive, but also threw 2 INTs, one of which set up Los Angeles for their first half FG. The Express couldn't run the ball all game long and they only had 64 total yards at halftime.

Early in the 3rd Express QB David Tavarez was intercepted by Robert Davis to set the Gamblers up with a short field at the L.A. 25. Gary Sappington ran it in from 2 yards out for the game's first TD and a 10-3 Houston lead. Several punts followed until the middle of the 4th, when Brian Haworth's 28 yard FG cut the Gamblers lead to 10-6. As time wound down, Los Angeles went for a 4th and 1 from their own 35 where Tavarez was sacked, giving Houston the ball just outside the red zone. Bryan Franklin and the running game pushed the ball toward the goal line before Franklin was intercepted in the end zone by Richard Blanco. Los Angeles took over at their own 20, needing a TD in 1:45. They almost got the TD real quick as Tavarez completed a pass to Sidney Chavis, who raced toward the end zone before getting caught from behind at the Houston 1 by Robert Patton. The Express were out of timeouts and they committed a false start, pushing the ball back to the 6. A completion on 1st down got the ball just short of the goal line and 2 knocked down passes set up a 4th and goal with 0:14 left. Tavarez completed the 4th down pass to Herman Stevens and the short TD gave Los Angeles the upset win against the defending champs. The Express now have a date with division rival San Jose.

Charlotte Hornets 20 Jacksonville Bulls 10

Jacksonville got the game's first big break, recovering a William Holmes fumble to set up a FG for an early 3-0 lead. Holmes would lose another fumble in the first quarter as the Hornets were approaching FG range and the quarter would end 3-0 Bulls. Early in the 2nd, Anthony Gray's 5 yard run gave Charlotte a 6-3 lead and the 2 point try failed. Derek Joyce would give Jacksonville the lead back before halftime with a 2 yard TD pass to Johnny Pritchett to make the score 10-6.

Late in the 3rd quarter, William Bonner ran in a 3 yard TD and a 2 point pass gave Charlotte the lead back, 14-10. We had an exchange of fumbles soon after which resulted in no points, then Charlotte tacked on a pair of FGs in the 4th and the Hornets win 20-10 to advance.

Orlando Renegades 36 Birmingham Stallions 3

This game was competitive in the first half as they exchanged FGs at the end of the first/beginning of the second quarters for an early 3-3 tie. Orlando took the lead for good with a 1 yard George Hogue TD run and the Renegades led 10-3 at the half.

Nothing went right for Birmingham on either side of the ball in the second half. Orlando got the ball first and needed 1 play for a 75 yard TD pass from Trey Lyons to Jason Amen. Birmingham's second half possessions ended with a punt, INT, INT, punt, INT and end of the game. Orlando would go on to score on every second half drive, with Scott Mueller adding 4 FGs after the long TD and Anthony Graves getting a 2 yard TD run as Orlando advances to the next round. 

New Jersey Generals 23 Boston Breakers 0

Boston won the first ever East Division title back in 1974, but since then the Breakers have had to watch the playoffs every year after until now. Their reward was a trip to face division rival New Jersey, the franchise with the most playoff games in the league, and a team who has had the Breakers number time and time again. It went about as expected, as Boston had trouble moving the ball and stopping the move the chains Generals offense. 

New Jersey got a 14 yard TD pass from Don Ferguson to Steve Ransome on their opening drive for a 7-0 lead, then added a FG on the next drive. Boston's defense would settle down for a bit after this, but the Breakers offense couldn't sustain drives. New Jersey would add a 2nd quarter FG for a 13-0 halftime lead and the score would remain that way until the 4th. Don Ferguson's 2nd TD pass came with 5:18 left, a 21 yard pass to Franklin Cherry and the 2 point run made the score 21-0 Generals. The scoring ended with a sack in the end zone by an undisclosed Generals defensive player inside the 2 minute warning and New jersey will host Orlando next week.

World Bowl XXVI: Eight Is Great For Houston

 World Bowl XXVI was played in New Orleans as the Orlando Renegades played their first World Bowl against 7 time champion Houston. For 3 quarters the teams were locked in a defensive struggle as Orlando took a 6-3 lead into the 4th quarter. That lead would eventually be 12-3 before Houston outscored Orlando 13-3 in the final 3:08 to break the Renegade's hearts and hoist the trophy for the 8th time in franchise history. 

Houston Gamblers 16 Orlando Renegades 15

The teams were feeling each other out the first few drives with neither team gaining many yards until Houston entered the red zone late in the 1st. Gus "Hightest" Gas lost a fumble at the Orlando 11, costing the Gamblers at least 3 points. Fifteen game minutes went by before our next scoring chance. Houston thought they had a 1st down on 3rd and 10 but the measurement came up just short, so they sent Earl Castro out for a 27 yard FG and a 3-0 lead. Trey Lyons led Orlando on a FG drive inside the 2 minute warning to tie the game and had a golden opportunity arise on the kickoff. Gary Sappington fumbled the ball on the return, and while they didn't get a TD, they did add a Scott Mueller FG for a 6-3 halftime lead. 

Midway through the 3rd, Houston faced a 4th and 1 from the Orlando 15 and they opted to go for it rather than tie the game with a FG. The pass was complete to Sappington but again the measurement came up short, giving the ball to Orlando on downs. More punts followed and our score was still 6-3 as we entered the 4th quarter.

Scott Mueller booted his 3rd FG for a 9-3 Orlando lead, then Bryan Franklin threw an interception on the next offensive snap. The Renegades drove all the way down to the Houston 2, where on 4th and goal, they opted for another Mueller FG and a 12-3 lead with just over 5 minutes to play. Franklin drove the Gamblers into Orlando territory where they faced a 4th and 7 from the 39. Houston went for it and not only did they get the first down, Jim Dallas didn't stop until he hit the end zone. That Bryan Franklin TD pass got the Gamblers within 12-10 but the onside kick failed. Orlando didn't move the ball much but they did get a 5th Scott Mueller FG to take a 15-10 lead just inside the 2 minute warning. 

Franklin only needed 5 plays to drive the Gamblers to the game winning touchdown. He completed 3 of 4 to cross midfield, and on the 5th play he found Gus "Hightest" Gas along the sideline and Gas floored it to the end zone. The 2 point try was no good but Houston now led 16-15, although some might say they scored too quick. They left just over a minute on the clock for Lyons and the Renegades but the drive stalled at midfield. Houston took over on downs and their 8th World Bowl victory was secured.

Bryan Franklin was named MVP, and his 32/48, 331 yard, 2 TD, 1 INT performance earned him a brand new 2000 Chevrolet Corvette.

 Steve Austin (9-111) and Gus Gas (6-100-1) had 100 yard games receiving for the Gamblers, and they might request to borrow that Corvette from time to time, especially Gas as they were strongly considered for MVP honors.