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Birmingham
is Hungry for Football
By Sonny Sanders
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| Legion
Field has never looked so good, and the fans of
Birmingham are hungry for a winner. (Click on
Image) |
Birmingham
- (30 January 2001) -- There
are only a few days left before the XFL season kicks
off in Birmingham.
Underneath
all of the college recruiting talk lies anticipation
in football fans. College football has been over for
a month and the NFL (No Fun League) has once again displayed
for the world on a grand stage its SuperBore.
The
ever-present desire for football, which at this time
normally goes into hibernation, has been stirred by
the thoughts of football in February. Instead of months
of withdrawals there is hope that the football fanatics
in the Birmingham area can feed their need with the
XFL.
The
once easily dismissed league has battled to gain a measure
of respect. The XFL season is at hand and it is starting
to get some attention. There is, however, a certain
fear of being disappointed by an inferior talent level.
There is also the dread of once again being the jilted
bride left at the altar.
The
football hungry of Birmingham will come, but the Bolts
will have to prove themselves if the fans are to return.
It
should not be hard to get the Birmingham fans riled
up for this game. There has been a rivalry between Birmingham
and Memphis for many years. They fought battles on the
gridiron in the USFL in 1984 and 1985 as the Stallions
and Showboats. There remains a bitterness buried just
under the surface. It does not help matters in that
it is the Memphis area that is the point of interest
in a NCAA investigation into the recruiting practices
of the University of Alabama.
I
am sure that the fans of Alabama would love to see the
Bolts extract a measure of revenge against Memphis.
Forget the high tech sound systems and video. Never
mind the cheerleaders and Rick and Bubba. Forget the
gadgetry of the XFL. Down and dirty smash mouth football
is what this game should be about and the fans wouldn't
want it any other way.
Get
ready because a Thunderstorm is raging and
the Maniax are running loose.
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