Official: United Football League

RAMORE

~The First Avenger~
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Hey guys I did a search and didn't see anything on this I for one am excited about an NFL alternative. They aren't arena football it's supposed to be real football and there was talk Vick might play there first till he gets out. Here's some back ground:

NEW YORK, NY (October 13, 2008) -- The United Football League is gearing up for its September 2009 launch by expanding its executive roster with the hiring of legal expert Matthew Couloute, Jr. as Vice President of Football Administration & Legal Affairs and technology specialist Tomás Llibre as Vice President of Information Technology. A formal announcement on the overall league structure, identity of owners and location of teams is forthcoming.

“One of our top priorities as we launch the UFL is to align ourselves with the best people from all disciplines and see how collectively we can create a new business model for professional football,” said UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue. “With the vast knowledge and experience Matthew Couloute and Tomás Llibre bring to the UFL, we have been able to hit the ground running in our legal and technology operations which will ultimately make us stronger for our August debut.”

Couloute comes to the UFL after many years working for both the NFL and NFL Players Association. While serving as legal counsel for the NFL, Couloute designed and ran a proactive educational program for players and coaches on legal policies and off-field issues. He presented league policies and educational information at both the NFL Rookie Symposium and National Football League Mother’s Association. Couloute then moved to the other side of the gridiron where he handled player/agent and player/team grievances for the NFL Players Association. He counseled college athletes regarding amateurism and turning into professionals, assisted the NCAA with investigating agent misconduct and handled NFL player fine appeals. Couloute also revamped the NFLPA Agent Admission Policy, creating background checks and requirements and assisted in the development of a more difficult agent exam.

Couloute was hired as the youngest and first minority Assistant State Attorney in Norwalk, Conn. He was promoted to Bridgeport, Conn.’s High Court as the State’s Attorney where he prosecuted major felony offenses including murders, sexual assaults, armed robberies and drug offenses.

“Having worked both on the player and league side, I bring a unique skill set to the UFL that will help us carve our niche in the professional football landscape,” said Couloute. “I have the advantage of being able to see what has worked well and what can be improved upon. I plan to draw from these experiences to aid in the creation of a successful league and bring professional football to those markets that are currently underserved.”

Llibre also comes to the UFL from the NFL having spent almost ten years implementing solutions for the Football Operations, Officiating, Security and Management Council departments. In addition, he created technological solutions for an officiating website, college medical records, substance abuse program, Pro Bowl balloting, security case management and tracking of players’ fines. Llibre also implemented the NFL IT project governance methodology to streamline in-house application development and infrastructure projects. One of the highlights of Llibre’s NFL career was the design and implementation of the hardware architecture and enterprise search strategy behind the first Enterprise Portal rollout at the league office using Microsoft technologies. Prior to joining the NFL, Llibre worked at the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) where he quickly advanced from a Programmer Analyst to a Senior Network Administrator. He helped the Institute create solutions to track the development process of industry standards by international committees, implemented a tool to synchronize the Microsoft Exchange global address list with an enterprise CRM system and automated the rollout of Windows NT workstation to 150 users.

“Sports have come so far technologically speaking; but there is so much more we can do to advance the football experience for both passionate and casual fans,” added Llibre. “Employing the skills acquired at the NFL, I plan to transform UFL IT into an Information Technology Utility by assessing where we are in the new digital world and streamlining our operations in direct support of the UFL strategic initiatives.”

About The UFL
The UFL was developed to fulfill the unmet needs of football fans in major markets currently underserved by professional football by providing a high quality traditional football league comprised of world class professional football players. The UFL will serve the communities with pride, dedication and passion, and uphold a leadership role in the development of football worldwide. The UFL will provide every fan with an affordable, accessible, exciting and entertaining game experience. Featuring quality, outdoor professional football played in the fall, the UFL will include six to eight teams comprised of world-class football players. Scheduled to debut in September 2009, the UFL has offices in New York, NY; Jacksonville, Fla. and Rutherford, N.J. and is led by Commissioner Michael Huyghue.
 
Sounds like a winner. :up:

Right up there with the USFL, NFL Europe and the XFL. :whatever:
 
This will be a joke... much like the XFL. Why do they even bother with this ****? I mean we already have Thursday Night football after Thanksgiving.... maybe if this was a Spring/Summer league it would be more successful. Afterall there is no more Arena football. I think March-August would be a good time for it.
 
Sounds like a winner. :up:

Right up there with the USFL, NFL Europe and the XFL. :whatever:

In terms of quality, the USFL was up there with the AFL (not the arena league, but the league that merged with the NFL)
 
This will be a joke... much like the XFL. Why do they even bother with this ****? I mean we already have Thursday Night football after Thanksgiving.... maybe if this was a Spring/Summer league it would be more successful. Afterall there is no more Arena football. I think March-August would be a good time for it.

Wait why should anyone listen to you? What with there being a thread called Fat Tonie Doesn't Know Anything About Football. :hehe: :hehe:

I kid, I kid.
 
I fear it's having time getting started now due to the economy. But if you go to their website they are letting fans have input on team names in your city! I live right next to Orlando and have said for years a franchise could flourish here we already have a stadium:up:

The XFL was a joke they tried to make it to much like wrestling but ultimately the nfl took the stuff that worked and used it so if nothing comes of this but making the nfl better i'm all for it.

Also Mark Cuban is one of the owners that in itself bears watching:D
 
The only things that I saw the NFL use that were in the XFL were Rod Smart, Tommy Maddox, and the "sky cam"

The only thing that's lasted is the camera
 
The only things that I saw the NFL use that were in the XFL were Rod Smart, Tommy Maddox, and the "sky cam"

The only thing that's lasted is the camera

I was referring to the camera actually. And didn't they take rule about kick offs too?
 
This isn't going to last....most people are loyal to the NFL and see that as the standard of pro football...anything else is going to come off as less than, regardless of quality
 
My problem is... if NFL Europe folded... and maybe it was attendance... more likely it was ratings and tape delays because of the time zone... why try a secondary league again? Even if it's legitimate football? They should try to kick start this thing in Europe again... why do we need yet another league during the Fall?
 
The UFL is banking on the fact that they want to be the league with "The best talent in football not in the NFL." With the death of the Arena League, they will probably get most of their players from there. They also plan on offering a lot of money and starting spots to guys drafted in the NFL Draft past round two. They also plan on going after guys from NFL practice squads, and third string guys, who mostly play on special teams. The UFL also hopes for the NFL to have a work stoppage after 2010 so that they can get a ton of talent there, however they have to realize that even if the NFL does have a work stoppage after their uncapped year, all of the elite level players will be sitting out.

For name value, they could go after Michael Vick before he ends up with the Bengals, Cowboys or Raiders (As he serves his one year suspension for being an f'in moron).

The teams would be in:

- New York (for TV purposes. The New York Team would play in New York proper, with New Jersey being the last resort)
- The Bay Area
- Los Angeles
- Monterrey, Mexico
- Salt Lake City
- Hartford

With the league looking at places like San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Birmingham and Memphis in year two.
 
Well, they already made their first mistake by going against the NFL, that will be a no-win situation for them. They should move their season to March or May and have it end in August...if they did that they might get some people interested in it, as it is it might last a couple of years and then go the way of the XFL.
 
This all depends on how the NFL responds. If the NFL accepts it, using it as an unaffiliated farm team - it will work, if it doesn't - it won't.
 
It's kinda hard to see this league suceeding while going up against the two biggest sports in the fall and an established league starting lake fall. That being the NFL(Sun/Mon) and NCAA(Sat) and later the NBA. Where are they going to fit in. Tuesday Night Football. And those cities are not necessarily bigtime football cities except maybe New York. I may include Hartford, simply because it's in that New England area. The other cities are said to be SanFran, Vegas, Orlando, and LA.
 
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Wrong Vindrow they aren't competing with the NFL they will compliment them here is an interesting article from ESPN:

NFL labor strife would help UFL's
By John Clayton
ESPN.com

Dennis Green, left, and Jim Haslett have accepted head-coaching jobs in the UFL.

Starting a new football league is a bold venture, but the United Football League is moving forward with a three-year plan to go against the odds.

Wall Street investor William Hambrecht, Google senior executive Tim Armstrong and Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are among the investors willing to gamble $30 million for the UFL to work. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is expected to come aboard as investor at some point, too. The plan is to hang around until 2011 with a modest schedule of fall games played in selected cities.

On Wednesday, the league announced an impressive list of head coaches: Dennis Green, Jim Fassel, Ted Cottrell and Jim Haslett. They are each being paid roughly $500,000 this season to put a team together from a list of players who will be cut from NFL teams in June and in training camp. The UFL season will be about as long as baseball spring training. The coaches will hold a two-week training camp in Case Grande, Ariz., in September, before the four teams embark on a six-game schedule that ends before Thanksgiving.

The four teams, whose games will be played in San Francisco, Orlando, Las Vegas and New York, will have a player salary cap between $12 million and $20 million. And, yes, this could be the league that offers Michael Vick a chance to play this fall once he cleans up all his legal problems.

The interesting part of this venture is that this "rival'' league doesn't appear to be a rival. The commissioner is Michael Huyghue, a former NFL senior vice president. In some ways, the UFL will be an unofficial developmental league for the NFL. The plan isn't to compete for players. The plan is to offer jobs and coaching to players who have been cut from NFL teams. That's something the league has needed for years for players on the street.

One major problem for the NFL is the UFL's presence will exhaust the supply of players available for teams that need to fill holes during the season. From September to Thanksgiving, NFL teams that lose players are basically out of luck. It's hard finding players now. Imagine what it will be like with 200 players getting ready for the UFL season.

So why would some of America's best and brightest invest $30 million on this project? It's pretty simple. They are betting NFL owners will screw up labor talks in the next two years and have a lockout in 2011. If the NFL loses in labor, the UFL may win. If the NFL players are locked out, the UFL can offer them a home.

The key for the UFL is to survive for two years. If it can survive Year 1, the league will modestly expand in 2010 with a couple more teams and a few more games. Coaching salaries will increase to $1.5 million next year if that happens. Supposedly, the $30 million should carry the UFL into 2011.

Of course, if NFL owners reach a deal with the players by next March, the UFL will be nothing more than a fall developmental league, which isn't so bad.

The presence of the UFL is just a reminder to NFL owners to not overplay their hands in talks with NFL Players Association. Owners don't like to consider players as partners, but reality says they are. The current collective bargaining agreement might not be ideal for the owners, but they can't afford to let the salary cap go away in 2010.

The UFL is just a reminder to NFL owners not to screw things up in the next year.
 
Just found out Jim Haslett is coaching the Orlando team:up: From the UFL's website:

United Football League Announces Former NFL Coaches Jim Fassel, Dennis Green, Jim Haslett & Ted Cottrell as Head Coaches for UFL PREMIERE Season. San Francisco Franchise to Play at AT&T Park
Press Release - March 11, 2009
The United Football League, a new professional outdoor football league, announced four former standout NFL coaches as the league's first head coaches for its "Premiere" season this morning at a press conference in San Francisco. The League also announced the San Francisco franchise will play its home games at AT&T Park.

UFL Founder Bill Hambrecht, UFL Investor Paul Pelosi and UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue were on hand to introduce the newest members of the UFL team. All four of the newly announced coaches have impressive coaching pedigrees having worked in both the NFL and collegiate ranks.

"When seeking coaches for the UFL we set out to find the most outstanding individuals to lead our teams," said Commissioner Michael Huyghue. "We sought leaders with successful NFL backgrounds, who were excellent communicators and teachers of the game and were excited about building new franchises. We were fortunate to find four individuals who embody these attributes. These men are truly winners in every sense of the word."

Former NFL head coach Dennis Green joins the UFL as Head Coach of the San Francisco franchise. Green amassed a regular season record of 113 – 94 as the Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals. His best season as Head Coach was in 1998; leading the Vikings to an amazing 15-1 season and setting the NFL record for most points in a season (since broken by the 2007 New England Patriots). Green was an Assistant Coach for Bill Walsh at both Stanford and at the San Francisco 49ers, where he held this post for four seasons, earning a Super Bowl ring in 1988-89.

The 1997 NFL Coach of the Year, Jim Fassel, joins the UFL as Head Coach of the Las Vegas franchise. While head coach of the New York Giants, Fassel received acclaim for his playoff guarantee in the 2000 season and led the Giants to an improbable Super Bowl appearance. Fassel, most recently, was the color commentator on NFL game broadcasts for the Westwood One Radio Network and also served as a color analyst on ESPN.

The 2000 NFL Head Coach of the Year, Jim Haslett, joins the UFL as Head Coach of the Orlando franchise. Haslett received top honors in 2000 after guiding the New Orleans Saints to a 10-6 regular season record, its second NFC West Division Championship and its first playoff victory in franchise history.

Former NFL executive and professional coach with over two decades of NFL experience Ted Cottrell joins the UFL as Head Coach of the New York franchise. Cottrell led the defense for several successful teams including the San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. As the defensive coordinator for the Chargers during the 2007 season, his squad led the NFL in takeaways (48), interceptions (30) and passing rating defense (70.0) -- the first time a Chargers team ever led in these categories. As Minnesota's defensive coordinator in 2005, Cottrell led the Vikings to fifth place finish in takeaways and earned a postseason berth.

In its "Premiere" year, the UFL will host teams in Las Vegas, New York, Orlando and San Francisco. There are also plans to play additional games in Hartford and Los Angeles. The season will culminate with a Championship Game tentatively scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas. AT&T Park is the first stadium announced for the UFL's "Premiere" season. League officials are in final negotiations with the other stadiums and these agreements will be announced as they are completed. The UFL previously announced that VERSUS, a national sports network in more than 75 millions homes, will dedicate over three hours weekly for a live national HD broadcast of UFL games airing primarily on Thursday evenings.
 
I am hoping for another Denny Green outburst that equals his most famous post game outburst.
 
I don't know if it's possible but that would rock:up: I hope they pick up Mike Vick too. I'm really digging what this league is about giving people second chances. I mean Chris Leak put up the best QB numbers in school history (before tebow) under thee different head coaches and he's not even a backup. He's gotta be good enough to be a back up somewhere right?
 
I don't know if it's possible but that would rock:up: I hope they pick up Mike Vick too. I'm really digging what this league is about giving people second chances. I mean Chris Leak put up the best QB numbers in school history (before tebow) under thee different head coaches and he's not even a backup. He's gotta be good enough to be a back up somewhere right?

Leak is competing for a backup spot in Montreal. He is a longshot to make it though as he's competing with former Iowa QB Brad Banks and former Florida State QB Adrian McPherson. He's one of 7 on Montreal's roster.
 
Wow see what I mean all three of those were decent QB's.
 

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