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Contracts for new coaches indicate NFL teams preparing for 2021 strike

Stephan Rachuk — Sun, 13 Jan 2019 17:17:27 +0000

With the XFL returning in 2020, there is potentially good news on the horizon. According to multiple sources, it looks like the NFL may be headed towards a strike or a lockout in 2021. If this does happen, it will occur between the XFL’s first and second season, which could garner them some much needed attention from scorned NFL fans.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports there is language in the contracts of new coaches that indicate teams are preparing for a work stoppage in 2021.

“In coaching contracts negotiated in the past week, teams are addressing how much each coach would make — or lose — in the event of a work stoppage, according to sources,” Schefter wrote. “Teams are trying to protect themselves and save money in the event of missed time, using different percentages for amounts of the football season that could be missed in 2021.”

The NFLPA has been hinting for a while now that players should prepare for a strike. There are plenty of huge items on the table that will be fought over, including the amount of guarantees in contracts, cannabis as a banned substance, and just how much power commissioner Roger Goodell should have over the players when it comes to seemingly arbitrary discipline.

Schefter notes that his source “thought both teams and coaches are confident that there will be some type of disruption” and noted the language that’s showing up in coach’s contracts will likely start showing up in new player deals this coming spring as well.

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Dave Meltzer concerned with Vince McMahon’s working habits

Stephan Rachuk — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 17:46:42 +0000

Veteran wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer discussed the topic of Vince McMahon’s health on a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio. Apparently, Vince McMahon gets the minimal rest in a day due to the workload in the WWE. With this growing age, the working schedule can catch up to him, really quick. This worries Meltzer who is fond of the WWE CEO.

Here is what he had to say,

“It worries me because he’s been such a fixture but it’s like for better or worse it’s a big change when he’s not gonna be there. I’m not saying death or anything, but it’s a sign that the day is coming that he’s not gonna be there whether he gets old. Look, every time I see him on TV, I get worried. So yeah, there’s something to that.”

Meltzer continued stating that XFL has not started yet which would double the duties for Vinnie Mac. It would kick-start bringing a new direction to American Football League from 2020 onwards. Although XFL has its own team and a manager itself, Vince McMahon is also heavily involved with the creative inputs.

“I mean [the XFL] is Oliver Luck’s thing, but the reality is that Vince is gonna wanna have input and by virtue of wanting to have input you’re going to work hour and hours on it and he doesn’t have those hours.

He probably doesn’t have enough hours to run WWE anymore to be fair. To throw in the XFL as well it’s going to be a very tough period for him.”

It would really be a scary situation for Vince McMahon from next year onwards. We could barely see him getting involved in WWE programming once XFL gets underway. He did clarify that this schedule won’t be creating any conflicts with the WWE. But one man simply can’t take run two brands at the same time. We’ll see how The Chairman handles thing in due course as XFL inauguration gets closer.

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This Is The XFL Podcast – Ep. 10: BRUCEEEEEE

This is The XFL Podcast — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 17:53:09 +0000

Former St. Louis Ram WR and soon to be NFL Hall of Famer, Isaac Bruce recently joined The Press Club on 950 The Fan.

During the interview, Bruce said that if the #XFL would have him on board as the St. Louis coach he would be interested in the position. Today we’re going to talk all about Isaac’s history with the city of St. Louis and the possibility of him joining the XFL in 2020.

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Jets fans revolt after Adam Gase named head coach; switch to the XFL

Stephan Rachuk — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 02:35:33 +0000

New York Jets fans have revolted on Twitter after former Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase was named as the head coach of the New York Jets. Many Twitter users have showed their disdain by announcing that they are switching their allegiance to the upcoming XFL New York franchise.

Here is a quick look at the types of messages that have been popping up on Twitter since the New York Jets have made the announcement.

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Isaac Bruce open to coaching the St. Louis XFL Franchise

Stephan Rachuk — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 16:30:31 +0000

Thanks to @wfreeman87 for bringing this our attention. Former St. Louis Ram WR and soon to be NFL Hall of Famer, Isaac Bruce recently joined The Press Box hosted by Frank Cusumano on 590 The Fan.

On @590TheFan (soon to be Hall of Famer) Isaac Bruce says if the @xfl2020 wants him to coach the St. Louis franchise in 2020, he’d be interested. Have their people call his people.
— Charlie Marlow (@CharlieMarlow_) January 9, 2019

During the interview, Bruce said that if the XFL would have him on board as the St. Louis coach he would be interested in the position. He went on to say that he wouldn’t reach out to the XFL because “it’s not his style”, but would welcome an offer if their people got on the phone with his people.

This is exactly what I want to see out of this league. Coaches and players that the local markets will know and cheer for. Issac Bruce was no slouch during his time in the NFL. He totaled 1,024 receptions for 15,424 yards and 91 touchdowns in his 16 year career, 13 of which were spent in St. Louis. He apart of the “Greatest Show on Turf” which saw St. Louis Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV.

We’ll keep you updated as be learn more on this subject, until then you can listen to the snippet of the interview where they discuss the XFL below.

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Packers interview XFL Consultant for Head Coach position

Stephan Rachuk — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 15:05:35 +0000

The Green Bay Packers have interviewed former Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell for the same position in Green Bay, Pro Football Talk reported Wednesday.

It’s the first reported head-coaching interview made by any team this year. Caldwell, who turns 64 in January, spent the 2018 season out of the NFL — serving as a consultant for the XFL — after being fired by the Lions last January.

He went 36-28 with the Lions in four seasons, taking them to two playoff appearances and three winning records, including 9-7 in 2016 and 2017. Detroit has slipped to 5-10 with one game left this season. Caldwell also went 26-22 in three years leading the Indianapolis Colts (2009-11), going 14-2 and reaching the Super Bowl in 2009. In 2012, he became the Baltimore Ravens’ interim offensive coordinator in December and promptly helped the team to a Super Bowl title, helping fuel Joe Flacco’s historic playoff run.

The Packers are searching for a replacement for Mike McCarthy, who spent 12-plus years with the team while bringing home the Super Bowl XLV title.

Interim head coach Joe Philbin, who has three-plus years of head-coaching experience with the Miami Dolphins, is expected to be considered by the team as well. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers supported Philbin’s candidacy for the job after last week’s win over the New York Jets, saying, “We want to play for Joe and give him the best opportunity possible.”

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USF expert doesn’t see second football league succeeding in Tampa

Stephan Rachuk — Sat, 29 Dec 2018 16:05:59 +0000

Bill Sutton, the director of the Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program at the University of South Florida Muma College of Business, said a number of things are working against the XFL locally: first, between the Buccaneers and the USF Bulls, there’s an over-saturation of football in the area.

Second, the season will start right after the NFL wraps up.

“The Bucs struggle, USF struggles with attendance, there’s a lot of things to do in Tampa and I think watching football in the spring is not one of them, especially given the access to spring training baseball around here,” said Sutton. “I just don’t see it, I don’t see it competing.”

Sutton pointed out the Bucs couldn’t sell out the almost 66,000-seat Raymond James Stadium this season with higher-quality football players – and he thinks the XFL will have a hard time drawing even half that with a lesser product.

“I think I heard that the number they were hoping for is they were going to sell 20,000 tickets for each game, that was their goal,” said Sutton. “I think having 20,000 living, breathing bodies in the stadium, no matter how they get there is still a worthwhile accomplishment.”

“If you tell me, ‘Oh, that’s so-and-so, he used to play for the (University of Florida) Gators,’ well he doesn’t play for the Gators anymore. ‘Oh, that’s so-and-so, he was with the Bucs and he was cut,’ well that probably tells me that’s not how I want to spend my time,” he added.

In addition, Sutton said the league will need some sort of broadcast deal, whether it’s on TV or the internet.

“A broadcast deal provides credibility; it means that they believe there’s somebody out there that’s interested in following this on a regular basis,” he said.

And there’s one more challenge: competition from a rival springtime professional football league.

The Alliance of American Football was founded by former NFL general manager Bill Polian and filmmaker Charlie Ebersol, the son of NBC Sports executive Dick Ebersol, who created the original XFL with McMahon. It’s scheduled to begin play in February 2019.

The AAF will also have teams in eight cities, including the Orlando Apollos, which will be coached by former University of Florida coach Steve Spurrier. The league has already signed a TV deal with CBS Sports.

“The AAF has a year-and-a-half head start on the XFL, and the aspiration of that league is to become a developmental league (for the NFL) like the NBA G League, and I can see that (succeeding) for that reason,” said Sutton.

The currently unnamed Tampa XFL team is scheduled to start playing in February 2020 in Raymond James Stadium.

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XFL TV Deals expected to be announced soon

Stephan Rachuk — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 17:24:50 +0000

Earlier this year Vince McMahon made a very bold decision when he announced to the world that the XFL will be returning in 2020.

According to Vince, the XFL is going to be very different this time around, and the game of football is set to be reimagined by the league.

McMahon has put Oliver Luck in charge as CEO, and Luck recently confirmed all of the cities which will be hosting teams during a press conference.

There are still many questions regarding the new XFL which need to be answered, including whether or not it will be airing on TV.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the XFL is expected to announce a television deal within weeks.

It was noted that with sports channels needing live programming, it shouldn’t be very hard for the league to get a deal, but it will be far more difficult for the XFL to get ratings that it was back in 2001. The success or failure of the league will likely depend on the revenue the XFL gets from TV or streaming deals.

Head coaches and star quarterbacks for each team are also expected to be announced early next year.

Current plans call for the league to sign eight star quarterbacks at around $250,000 to $300,000 per year and then start promoting them in their local markets.

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NBC registers domain names for sports betting

Stephan Rachuk — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 21:52:20 +0000

Is NBC going to offer sports betting?

Although this is not specifically XFL news, it may shed some light into the future of sports gambling, which is one of the key focal points of the new XFL. Also, as a previous and potential future broadcast partner, it is interesting to see NBC move towards sports betting as a feature.

NBC registered a handful of sports betting domain names on Friday including NBCSportbook.com and NBCSportsSportsbook.com, as well as non-.com versions of NBCSportsBet, NBCSportsBets, NBCSportsbook and NBCSportsBetting.

With sports betting being liberalized (both legislatively and judicially) across the United States, sports betting domain names might see an uptick similar to what marijuana domains have experienced in recent years. This is actually one of my predictions I’ll share on the 2019 DNW Podcast predictions episode.

NBC’s registrations suggest it might offer its own sports betting platform. The registrations could also be defensive; the reason it registered the non-.com versions of NBCSportsBet, NBCSportsBets and NBCSportsBetting is because third-parties already registered the .coms.

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What are the odds that Josh Gordon joins the XFL?

Stephan Rachuk — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 12:30:33 +0000

Josh Gordon announced that he was leaving the New England Patriots to focus on his mental health yesterday, which has led to a lot of speculation around where he’ll end up.

Although, I think it’s unlikely that we see Josh Gordon suiting up an XFL jeresey, BetOnline has updated their books and the XFL is the 2nd favorite, behind signing with another NFL Team.

NFL Active Roster	-300
XFL Active Roster	+300
CFL Active Roster	+700
Arrested	+700
Wal Mart Greeter	+50000

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