- Rugrat
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
A lot of players I recognize on that list. Hopefully the Wranglers can get either Williams or Moon for their QB
- NeoPrankster
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
Instead of going through the trouble of re-creating the rest of the draft, I will skip ahead to a preview of each team.
1983 USFL Preview
Pacific Division
ARIZONA WRANGLERS
Quarterback Warren Moon, a five time Grey Cup champion with Edmonton, brings his talents to the desert. Former Buccaneer bench warmer Jackie Flowers will finally get a chance to blossom as a pass target. Complementing Moon and Flowers on the Wrangler offense is rookie running back Craig James. Rookies Darryl Talley and Jimmy Payne will anchor the Wrangler defense.
DENVER GOLD
Ken Johnson will compete with Jeff Knapple, Craig Penrose and Fred Mortensen for the starting job at quarterback. Meanwhile, former Bronco Larry Canada will compete with rookie Tim Spencer for the starting tailback job. After a couple years out of football, former SMU linebacker Putt Choate is a rookie at age 26.
LOS ANGELES ACTION
Frank Minnifield, a rookie out of Louisville, will anchor the Action secondary. Starting at quarterback will be former USC Trojan and Chicago Bear Vince Evans.
OAKLAND CONDORS
Former Raider Arthur Whittington hopes to make a comeback on the Condor roster. However, he will have to compete with rookie Eric Dickerson for the starting tailback job. Bart Oates, formerly of BYU, will anchor the pass protection for quarterback Fred Besana.
Central Division
BIRMINGHAM MAULERS
Rookie quarterback John Elway will have Sid Abramowitz and Jim Covert to block for him. Other than that, the Mauler is looking to build for the future through both the territorial and collegiate drafts.
CHICAGO FIRE
Quarterback Bobby Hebert and running back Gary Anderson hope to become the cornerstones for Chicago's new second football team. Selling tickets at Soldier Field will be a challenge unless the Fire can win consistently.
MICHIGAN PANTHERS
Former Buccaneer Doug Williams will start at quarterback for the Panthers. Among the many weapons available to Doug is former Wolverine Anthony Carter at wide receiver. Rookie linebacker Ray Bentley and former Oiler John Corker anchor the Panther defense.
TAMPA BAY BANDITS
Under head coach Steve Spurrier, he Bandits hope to launch an aerial assault with Trumaine Johnson, Eric Truvillion and Anthony Allen as its receiving threats. Rookie Jim Kelly will likely sit behind former Bengal John Reaves at quarterback.
Atlantic Division
BOSTON BREAKERS
Other than rookie quarterback Dan Marino, linebacker Marcus Marek and kicker Tim Mazzetti, the Breakers are severely lacking in depth on both sides of the ball.
NEW JERSEY GENERALS
Herschel Walker was drafted much later than he would've liked. Remember, this was a time when the NFL didn't draft juniors, so Walker's jump to the pros had sent shockwaves across the world of pro football. Plus, he was already an iconic player during his college days at UGA. Former Cleveland Brown quarterback Brian Sipe joins the Generals as a free agent, as does longtime Bengal linebacker Jim LeClair.
PHILADELPHIA STARS
Can head coach Jim Mora lead the Stars to the playoffs? Playoffs??? There are plenty of reasons to believe he will. Former Penn State phenom Chuck Fusina will start at QB for Philly, acquired by the Stars via the territorial draft. North Carolina standout Kelvin Bryant will start at running back. In the midst of all this star power, one lesser known player you ought to keep your eye on is free agent linebacker Sam Mills.
WASHINGTON SENTINELS
If Reggie Collier can't cut it for the Sentinels, look for Mike Hohensee to come off the bench to throw a few darts. Besides rookie linebacker Billy Ray Smith and veteran defensive lineman Coy Bacon, the Sentinel defense does not have the depth to keep their squad in tight ballgames.
See you in Spring '83!
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Thread Starter- NeoPrankster
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
USFL Expansion Committee
As the 1983 season gets under way, there are already plans for the league to expand from 12 to 16 teams for 1984. But at the same time, there is already talk that Nickerson Field may not be big enough to sustain the Boston Breakers. While negotiations to find another viable stadium within the Boston market are ongoing, there is the possibility the team may instead have to move.
For those who'd like to join the committee, you must fill out the following.
Name:
Age: Your character must be 18 or older as of March 1, 1983.
Occupation:
Favorite Current USFL Team:
Your Four Expansion Picks:
Should the Breakers stay in Boston or relocate?:
If the Breakers should move, where to?:
Here are the markets vying for a USFL squad, either through relocation or expansion.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Possible venue: American Legion Memorial Stadium
Possible owner(s):
- Jerry Richardson leading one group
- Felix Sabates leading another group
- George Shinn and former NC State and Rams QB Roman Gabriel sharing a joint bid.
Columbus, Ohio
Possible venue: "The Horseshoe"
Possible owner: John H. McConnell
Houston, Texas
Possible venue: The Astrodome
Possible owner: Dr. Jerry Argovitz
Jacksonville, Florida
Possible venue: The Gator Bowl
Possible owner: Fred Bullard
Memphis, Tennessee
Possible venue: The Liberty Bowl
Possible owners: Fred W. Smith and Elvis Presley Enterprises
New Orleans, Louisiana
Possible venue: Louisiana Superdome
Possible owner: Joe Canizaro
Portland, Oregon
Possible venue: Civic Stadium
Possible owner: Harry Glickman
Salt Lake City, Utah
Possible venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Possible owner: Larry H. Miller
San Antonio, Texas
Possible venue: Alamo Stadium
Possible owner(s): Larry Benson, Clinton Manges and Red McCombs each leading separate groups.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Possible venue: Owen Field
Possible owner: William R. Tatham
Note: Tatham is open to basing his team in Tulsa if he and OU can't reach a lease agreement.
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Thread Starter- Rugrat
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
Name: Steve Bass
Age: 35
Occupation: Leading Broadcaster in Arizona
Favorite Team: Arizona Wranglers
Choices for expansion: Charlotte, San Antonio, Portland, Jacksonville
Should the Breakers move?: Yes
Where should the Breakers go: Memphis, TN
Last edited by Rugrat (10/30/2020 3:55 pm)
- Dan O'Mac
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
Name: Thomas King
Age: 57
Occupation: Owns a chain of Fast Food restaurants, based in Madison, Wisconsin, home of the first King's Burgers. (it's a McDonald's-McDowell's situation)
Favorite Current USFL Team: Chicago Fire
Expansion Picks:
1) San Antonio, TX - With the city proving it can embrace and support a professional team in the Spurs, the USFL can lay claim to the city while getting a foothold in a football crazy location.
2) Charlotte, NC - With the three potential owners, picking the best option of them will be a huge boon. It's a chance to be the first professional sports team in the city that is on the rise.
3) Jacksonville, FL - Like San Antonio, with the caveat of not having professional success in another sport. This will bring the sport to a populous area, set up a rivalry with the Bandits, and, again, avoid oversaturation of NFL markets.
4) Memphis, TN - another untapped market, allowing the league to grow without directly challenging existing NFL markets.
Should the Breakers stay in Boston or relocate?: Relocate
Where should the Breakers move to?: Portland, OR. I believe to succeed, you don't want to bank on a team being liked where the NFL is succeeding. Putting the team in Portland means that they're the show in town. The city has supported the Trail Blazers for over a decade, and that can easily carry over to the Breakers.
2x Alt Champion :: AltLB Champion Oklahoma City Bison - 2022 :: AltFL Champion New York Emperors - 2022
- ZO82
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
Name: Edmond McGavins
Age:=16px 55
Occupation: Oil Executive of Exxon
Favorite Current USFL Team: None
Your Four Expansion Picks: Columbus, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Charlotte
Should the Breakers stay in Boston or relocate?: Relocate
If the Breakers should move, where to?: Portland
- stratonascar
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
Name: Dr. Glenn Whitesides
Age: 48
Occupation: Current President of Newberry College (Newberry, SC) and 3-Time Judge in the Miss America Pageant from 1979 to 1981 when it aired on NBC from 1978 to 1980
Favorite Current USFL Team: None
Your Four Expansion Picks:
1. Charlotte, NC
2. Memphis, TN
3. Portland, OR
4. San Antonio, TX
Should the Breakers stay in Boston or relocate?: Relocate
If the Breakers should move, where to?: Portland, OR will play in Civic Stadium
- Rube Dali, the DodoHorse
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
Name: Peter Rohrschach
Age: 48
Occupation: President of Twin Cities Broadcast Partners, owners of KQRS-AM and FM and KTMA-TV
Favorite current USFL team: Chicago
Expansion picks: Charlotte(preference is Felix Sabates), Columbus, Oklahoma City, Memphis
Should the Breakers stay or go? Relocate
Where? Houston
- joho42x
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
Name: B.J. Rhodes
Age: 30
Occupation: New York State Senator
Favorite Current USFL Team: New Jersey Generals
Your Four Expansion Picks: Houston, Jacksonville, Memphis, Portland
Should the Breakers stay in Boston or relocate?: Relocate
If the Breakers should move, where to?: New Orleans
- NeoPrankster
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Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)
The Tally so far:
Expansion
Charlotte (5 votes)
San Antonio (4 votes)
Memphis (4 votes)
Portland (3 votes)
Jacksonville (3 votes)
Columbus (2 votes)
Oklahoma City (2 votes)
Houston (1 vote)
Relocation
Portland (2 votes)
Memphis (1 vote)
New Orleans (1 vote)
Houston (1 vote)
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