NEWS ARCHIVE: 1-15 April 2001
New
league plots next moves
Las
Vegas Review-Journal - 2001.04.15
"We
did not have the right announcers," DeVito said. "What was lacking
this year was the consistent football expertise and the ability
to relay that to the home viewer. The access that we gave television
wasn't in and of itself as important as we thought it would
be. "We made the incorrect assumption that the great access
to the field, the players, the coaches and the locker rooms
would by itself deliver a certain level of production. What
we needed, and didn't get, was that football expertise to complete
the circle. When you at home heard the coaches talking to the
quarterback, it was shorthand, and I'm not sure it meant anything
to anybody. We needed to have somebody who could jump in and
tell the viewer what that meant."
...
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Demons
Overcome Rage in a Close Match
Associated
Press - 2001.04.15
Down
16-0 midway through the first quarter, the San Francisco Demons
had every reason to panic against the Orlando Rage on Saturday
night in the XFL semifinals. But the Demons steadied themselves
because, as coach Jim Skipper explained it, they knew there
was still 53 minutes of football yet to be played. "We always
say that it isn't over until it's over and it hasn't ended until
it's ended,'' Skipper said after San Francisco's 26-25 victory.
``Every game has its own personality." ...
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A Look
Ahead Against the Spread
The
Masked Prognosticator - 2001.04.14
As
most of you remember, L.A. beat Chicago by 7 points in week
two in the only overtime and the only push in XFL history. In
that game Chicago come out gunning, blowing out the Xtreme.
Later, many Los Angelinos shot themselves in their cars as the
X made one of the greatest comebacks ever to win the game in
overtime. The untold story of the game was on the field: Los
Angeles lit up Chicago 448 yards to 275, including a 389-yard
passing assault. If you figure in yards and take away turnovers,
the real score of the game should have been 27-18. ...
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The
Sports World Hates The XFL
Mike
Mitchell - XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.13
They
hate us? or They Hate We?...... The Sporting World has made
their agenda well known. They have two words for The XFL....
GO AWAY!...... Ever open your local newspaper or listen to your
local sports radio? If you are looking for coverage of your
favorite XFL team, Good luck! The only attention that the XFL
gets is negative attention. The games are not taken seriously
and the players and coaches are ignored. The sporting world
has had a field day with the XFL's ratings. Here are two numbers
for you: 1.2 and 1.1. Those are The NHL's ratings on ABC. I
don't see too many press releases on those stats. Anybody ever
hear about NFL Europe ratings? Well I'll tell ya, NFL Europe
averaged a 0.3 on Fox Sports Net last season. Where's the press
on those figures? Have the XFL's ratings been good? No, but
are they comparable to other sports franchises? Yes.
...
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LA
Must Shake Injury Bug to Win
Long
Beach Press-Telegram - 2001.04.12
Los
Angeles Xtreme head coach Al Luginbill was asked on Tuesday
if his team can overcome injuries suffered by several of his
team's key offensive player when they play host to Chicago on
Sunday in the first round of the XFL playoffs. Luginbill's hesitation
before answering the question best portrayed his concern. "We
can win," Luginbill said. "Other players just have to step up
and make plays." ...
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Pivot's
name tossed around - Four CFL teams eye Barker
Toronto
Sun - 2001.04.12
The
Toronto Argos are interested in re-signing quarterback Jay Barker,
but the free agent plans to shop his services. A league source
said Barker has been approached by Calgary, Saskatchewan and
Winnipeg in recent weeks, with the strongest interest coming
from Calgary. Barker, who has played the past three years with
Toronto, just finished a season with the Birmingham Thunderbolts,
who failed to qualify for the XFL playoffs. ...
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Welcome
to the Playoffs!
Mark
Zelakowski - XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.12
It
is now time to separate the great from the good. This is the
XFL playoffs. This week two teams will battle it out for a
lot of cash, and the opportunity for more so look for the
intensity to be higher than anything you have seen so far.
If the Rage are going to win the next two games at home, Orlando
will have to step it up a notch against San Francisco. The
Rage finished with the leagues best record of 8-2, and the
Rage are undefeated at home earning homefield advantage throughout
the playoffs, including the Million Dollar Game that will
decide the league champion. Last week however, the Rage took
a beating from the Enforcers in Chicago losing 23-6.
...
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Will
the Bolt's Make Off-season Changes?
Sonny
Sanders - XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.12
One
only needs to look at the Orlando game to uncover the evidence.
The coaching staff is one of the least experienced at the professional
level in the XFL. That is definitely a factor to the lack of
proper preparation. The play calling from a so-called offensive
genius was bland and boring at best. First and ten and the call
is Bostic up the middle. That only makes sense if Bostic is
getting big yards on first down but the majority of the time
the end result was negative yardage and a blown down.
...
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2001
NY/NJ Hitmen Report Card
Mike
Mitchell - XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.12
10
games are in the books, and the Hitmen's inaugral season is
over. Four teams now move on in their quests to win The XFL
Championship. While New York joins Birmingham, Memphis and Las
Vegas in the drawing board room. Yup, It's back to the drawing
board for these teams. It's time to analyze what's gone down,
and what needs to be done to get better for the future.
...
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Week
10: The Fans Have Spoken!
XFLBoard.com:
Players of the Week - 2001.04.10
At
XFLBoard.com we'd like to think that the fans are the most important
commodity in the equation. Who is better than to choose the
XFL players of the Week than the same fans who cheer them on?
In week 10 the fans have chosen Kevin McDougal, Joey Eloms,
Jamie Baisley and Noel Prefontaine as their choice for POTW.
...
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XFL
Announces Week 10 Players of the Week
XFL
Press Release - 2001.04.10
The
XFL today named the Los Angeles Xtreme RB tandem of Rashaan
Shehee and Saladin McCullough as its Offensive Players of the
Week and New York/New Jersey Hitmen CB Joey Eloms as its Defensive
Player of the Week for week 10, the final week of the regular
season. ...
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Media
Bias Helps Put Hurt on XFL
MSNBC.com
- 2001.04.10
In
some circles, there’s been talk of a media conspiracy
against the XFL designed to ensure the league does not succeed.
While calling the lack of media coverage in both print and television
a conspiracy may be overstating matters, it nevertheless holds
some merit. The media’s almost uniform nationwide disdain
for XFL partners Vince McMahon and NBC’s Dick Ebersol
goes far beyond popularity contests. Instead, it may be as simple
as protecting competing network’s corporate interests.
...
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Happy
Birthday to XFLBoard.com
XFLBoard.com
- 2001.04.09
It's
true! We've been alive for one whole year as of today. Originally
started on 9 April 2000, XFLBoard.com has been around for most
of the rise of the XFL. For instance, when we first started
the XFL was still pursuing franchises in Miami, Fla. and Washington
D.C.. Actually the most amazing thing is how far the XFL has
come in the span of one short year. Will we be around for another
year? Yes, we will.
Bolt's
Finish Inaugural Season
Bamaslammer
- XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.09
Webster's
definition of "FUTILE": Barren of Results, fruitless, ineffective,
ineffectual, unprevailing, unproductive, useless, vain. All
words that describe the Birmingham Thunderbolts. My favorite
is the first one, "Barren of Results". I like most people have
a job. In that job I get evaluated at all times. If I were a
complete failure at what I did I wouldn't be doing it for very
long? Although what I do is probably not as hard as coaching
a football team it is what Coach Jerry Dinardo does and his
efforts have been futile this year. ...
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The
Hitmen's Playoff Dream Dies In Chicago
Mike
Mitchell - XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.09
The
NY/NJ Hitmen did their part on Sunday. Behind a strong defensive
performance and the much maligned, Charles Puleri, lightning
struck the Thunderbolts down as NY shut out Birmingham 22-0
in their regular season finale. The Hitmen's bid for the playoffs
however came to an end as the Chicago Enforcers earned a trip
to Los Angeles, by defeating the 8-2 Orlando Rage 23 to 6. After
starting the season at 0 and 3, New York won 4 out of their
last 7 games to close their inaugral season. It wasn't enough
as Chicago climbed out of a 0-4 hole and the eastern cellar
to qualify for the playoffs at 5-5. ...
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Chicago
Enforces Win Over Orlando
Associated
Press - 2001.04.08
Kevin
McDougal threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as
Chicago beat Orlando 23-6 on Sunday night to take the final
XFL playoff spot. The Enforcers, who overcame an 0-4 start to
finish the regular season 5-5, will open the playoff in Los
Angeles next Sunday against the Western Division-champion Xtreme.
...
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Hitmen
Shutout the Bolts
Associated
Press - 2001.04.08
Charles
Puleri was 7-of-8 for 158 yards and two touchdowns as New York-New
Jersey closed the XFL regular season with a 22-0 victory over
Birmingham on Sunday. New York-New Jersey (4-7) missed a spot
in the playoffs later Sunday when Chicago beat Orlando. Birmingham
lost its final seven games to finish 2-8. ...
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Xtreme
Overcome Demons With Defense
Associated
Press - 2001.04.07
The
Los Angeles Xtreme picked the right time to play their best
defensive game of the season. The Xtreme clinched the Western
Division title, using a smothering defensive effort in a 24-0
blanking of the San Francisco Demons. ...
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Maniax
End Season With Win over Outlaws
Associated
Press - 2001.04.07
Jim
Druckenmiller threw for 152 yards and a touchdown to lead Memphis
to a season-ending 16-3 victory over Las Vegas on Saturday night
in the XFL. Memphis finished 5-5, while the Outlaws lost five
out of their last six games for a 4-6 record. Both teams missed
the playoffs. ...
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XFL
Update
XFL
Fantasy Doctor - FantasyRef.com - 2001.04.06
Mike
Pawlawski is talking plenty of smack on Tommy Maddox. Remember
Week One when Paw's face was plastered on the jumbo-tron saying
he has never lost a game to Maddox, and he wasn't going to start
now. Well, following his victory in Week One, Paw is at it again.
I expect the Demons to throw close to 50 times on Saturday,
which is good news for everyone involved in the passing game,
which includes Anderson and Battle. I also predict that either
Anderson or Battle will pick up a cheap rushing TD. ...
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The
Final Week For The Hitmen?
Mike
Mitchell - XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.06
It's
real simple, for the NY/NJ Hitmen to make the playoffs, they
must beat the Bolts on TNN this Sunday afternoon. Once they
do that, they must root for the Orlando Rage to defeat the red-hot
Chicago Enforcers on Sunday night. If those two things happen,
NY will clinch a playoff spot in the east. It's very hard to
believe that at 3 and 6, NY still has a shot at the playoffs.
At this point, NY has to question whether or not they are good
enough to get the job done. They were 1 and 4 after 5 weeks.
They won 3 straight and they now have dropped their last 2 games.
The glory ride is over. Another loss and all that they have
accomplished to get into this position will mean nothing.
...
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Demons
One Victory From Hosting Playoff Game
San
Francisco Demons - 2001.04.06
After
posting its first two-game winning streak of the XFL season,
the San Francisco Demons are one victory away from hosting a
first-round playoff battle and that would mean a return to the
friendly confines of Pacific Bell Park. Demons' Vice President
and General Manager Michael Preacher said if San Francisco qualifies
to be the home team against the Eastern Division runner-up,
either Chicago or New York/New Jersey, the contest would be
played at Pacific Bell Park on Saturday, April 14, at 5:00 p.m.
PDT. ...
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A Look
Ahead Against the Spread - Watershed or Waterloo?
The
Masked Prognosticator - 2001.04.06
Well,
it has come down to this. While the XFL is a hard league to
figure out, I have totally run out of excuses. Last year I went
63% ats in the NFL, so I could write off going 5-6 in this league
as a streak of bad luck. But frankly 4-7 is a complete disgrace.
Even my cat could pick games better than this. That is why I
am not making one selection This week. Nope. Not one.BUT FOUR!
That's right XFLers . . . WERE GOING FOR BROKE! ...
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XFL
tries to emphasize football, de-emphasize rest
USA
Today - 2001.04.06
...Critics,
or "media pukes" as Ventura has put it, have hammered the XFL.
Its demise on NBC seems inevitable. But McMahon says his original
XFL business plan never actually required network broadcast
exposure, since games also air on second-tier network UPN and
cable outlet TNN. And the XFL, whose national audiences still
topped those for sports such as hockey, soccer and women's golf,
figures it still has an ace left: football itself...
...
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Outlaws
look to next year
Las
Vegas Review-Journal - 2001.04.06
On
paper, the game means nothing. But to 38 players and nine coaches
on the Las Vegas Outlaws, Saturday's season finale at Sam Boyd
Stadium against the Memphis Maniax holds a world of importance.
The Outlaws will be playing for jobs in the 2002 season. And
though coach Jim Criner said he expects the nucleus of a team
that is a disappointing 4-5 and out of the playoffs to return,
the audition for Year 2 jobs begins Saturday. ...
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Million
Dollar Suggestion?
Mark
Nelson - XFLBoard.com -
2001.04.04
Some
may think that the "Million Dollar Game" is a million dollar
idea. Don't you think that it sounds better than "The Big Game
at the End"? Looking through the archives of this site, we find
something posted back in February, where the Masked Prognostigator
suggested the whole Million Dollar concept in an article "How
to Save the XFL". The Masked One may be dismal in predicting
XFL games against the spread but he sure nailed this one on
the head. Read the article - you'll see that the Masked One
is also suggesting a 3-point conversion...
...
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Million
Dollar Game to Feature PAT Rule Changes
XFL
Press Release - 2001.04.04
With
a $1 million bonus riding on its outcome, the XFL today announced
that its April 21 Championship Game, scheduled for 8 p.m. ET
on NBC, has been named the "Million Dollar Game." Also, to raise
public awareness of the "Million Dollar Game" and the April
14-15 playoff weekend, as well as to reintroduce fans to the
XFL, the league has embarked on an advertising campaign encompassing
national and local market electronic and print media. In addition,
the league has modified its point after touchdown rule by adding
two and three-point conversions to its existing one-point effort.
Beginning with the two playoff games, teams will choose whether
to go for one point from the one-yard-line, two points from
the five or three points from the 10. ...
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For
The Outlaws, Charity Begins at Home
TheGrandonGang
- Las Vegas Team Reporter - 2001.04.04
Webster's
Dictionary defines charity as "generosity and helpfulness especially
toward the needy". Webster's also defines charity as "benevolent
goodwill toward or love of humanity". Last Sunday, the Outlaws
applied the first definition (unfortunately) by generously allowing
the needy Demons to steal a win. On Tuesday, the Outlaws applied
the second definition (fortunately) to the Candlelighters for
Childhood Cancer of Southern Nevada as the players and cheerleaders
acted as waiters and hosts at a fundraising dinner held at the
Harley Davidson Café on (where else?) the beautiful and boisterous
Las Vegas Strip! ...
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McDonald
won't play vs. Demons
Long
Beach Press-Telegram - 2001.04.04
The
Los Angeles Xtreme will be without receiver Darnell McDonald
when the team plays host to San Francisco Demons on Saturday
in a game that will decide the Western Division title. McDonald,
who leads the XFL with 8 touchdown receptions, strained a calf
muscle in the first quarter of last Sunday's 27-12 loss at Memphis.
Probably the biggest impact of his absence will come when the
Xtreme get close to the end zone. McDonald is the team's most
physical receiver. ...
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Chicago
Fans Enforcers Only Supporters
Troy
Pringle - Enforcers Team Reporter - 2001.04.04
The
XFL is all about the fans. The fans can be as loud as they want
at the games. They can drink beer 'til the end. The cheerleaders
are elevated to the same level as the fans. And, the players
will actually high-five you. If you have never been to an XFL
game, it is a huge party with a dozen of the most beautiful
women in your area and a group of football players who actually
care about the people in the stands. ...
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The
Fans Have Spoken!
XFLBoard.com:
Players of the Week - 2001.04.03
At
XFLBoard.com we'd like to think that the fans are the most important
commodity in the equation. Who is better than to choose the
XFL players of the Week than the same fans who cheer them on?
Week 9 is now in the books and the fans have spoken again by
naming Jim Druckenmiller, Eric Sloan, Jamie Baisley and Leatris
Cole as their choice for players of the week. ...
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XFL
Names McDougal and Baisley as Week 9 Players of the Week
XFL
Press Release - 2001.04.03
The
XFL today named Chicago Enforcers QB Kevin McDougal as its Offensive
Player of the Week and teammate LB Jamie Baisley as its Defensive
Player of the Week for week nine, marking the second consecutive
week in which Enforcers players have swept the awards. The tandem
led Chicago to its third straight victory, a 23-18, last-minute
win over the New York/New Jersey Hitmen last Saturday night
at Giants Stadium. ...
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Rage
have edge as playoffs loom
Orlando
Sentinel - 2001.04.03
The
XFL is close to finalizing its version of a Final Four, but
the official playoff pairings won't be determined until this
weekend. The Orlando Rage (8-1) clinched home-field advantage
throughout the playoffs by virtue of their 29-24 win at Birmingham
on Saturday night. Should Orlando win its semifinal playoff
game in two weeks, "The Big Game at the End" wouldbe at the
Florida Citrus Bowl on April 21. The XFL's version of the Super
Bowl, "The Big Game at the End" also is referred to as "The
Million Dollar Game" -- which represents the money awarded to
the XFL champions. ...
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Demons
clinch playoff spot against Outlaws
Associated
Press - 2001.04.01
Mike
Pawlawski's 25-yard touchdown pass to Terry Battle helped give
the San Francisco Demons a 14-9 victory Sunday over the Las
Vegas Outlaws and a spot in the XFL playoffs. The touchdown
pass with 5:17 left in the third quarter followed a 49-yard
interception return by Dwayne Harper and broke a 6-6 tie. Pawlawski
finished with 138 passing yards on 17 of 28 attempts for the
Demons (5-4). Las Vegas (4-5) was threatening to regain the
lead in a 12-play, 69-yard fourth-quarter drive, but Toby Wright
knocked the ball out of running back Rod Smart's hands at the
1-yard line with 6:25 left. The ball bounced out of the end
zone for a touchback. ...
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Druckenmiller
Throws Three TD Passes for Win over LA
Associated
Press - 2001.04.01
Jim
Druckenmiller threw three touchdown passes as the Memphis Maniax
beat the Los Angeles Xtreme 27-12 on Sunday in the XFL. The
Maniax (4-5) beat the Western Division-leading Xtreme (6-3)
for the second time this season. Los Angeles had won four straight
following an 18-12 loss to Memphis on Feb. 25. ...
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David
Could not Beat Goliath
Bamaslammer
- XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.01
In
the Bible David beats Goliath in one of history's first upsets.
For most of Saturday night it looked like that might be happening
in Birmingham but in the end the rain began to fall and the
game as well as the Bolts season slipped away as 10 thousand
cold and wet fans watched helplessly. ...
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Hitmen
Lose Heartbreaker To Chicago
Mike
Mitchell - XFLBoard.com - 2001.04.01
Nearly
30,000 fans at Giants Stadium witnessed, what was perhaps the
XFL's best game of the season. Unfortunately for the 30,000
Hitmen fans, NY came up on the short end of the eastern playoff
stick. The Chicago Enforcers (4-5) defeated The NY/NJ Hitmen
(3-6) 23 to 18 in a see saw matchup between two division rivals.
The lead changed hands on 5 separate ocassions and by the time
the game was over NY's game and perhaps season ended at the
1 yard line. ...
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