…and back in the Spring of 1983 a new Football League was born and they called themselves the USFL. The United States Football League was a professional football league that would play in Spring and early summer. They secured a network to broadcast the games and it worked out really well and managed to get some big named college players to join the league like Quarterback Jim Kelly who signed with the Houston Gamblers instead of the Buffalo Bills. Running back and Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier from the University of Nebraska signed with the Pittsburgh Maulers. There were many other big named college players that made the jump to the new league which looked like it was going to buck the trend and be a successful alternative until the NFL season started. But that all changed in 1986 when they decided to move to the fall and schedule games against the NFL a decision that blew up in their face and the league folded. Well come this April 16th a new version of the USFL will try it again with spring ball with 8 teams featuring many from the first go around like the Pittsburgh Maulers but their taking it slow. So slow that all games will be played in Birmingham Alabama for the inaugural season. I think Covid may have played a part in that thinking. They have a TV deal with Fox, NBC, Peacock, and USA. The first game features the New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions on Saturday night April 16th at 7:30. Easter Sunday will have 3 games scheduled. The Houston Gamblers against the Michigan Panthers at noon. The Philadelphia Stars against the New Orleans breakers at 4 with the night cap featuring the Tampa Bay Bandits against the Pittsburgh Maulers at 8. Remember how I said they are taking things slow. Well they released the week by week schedule with all 40 games over 10 weeks for all 8 teams but after week 3 they list the match-up’s but don’t list what networks will be carrying the games. Hope that’s not a bad sign and are just like I said taking things slowly. I hope it works this time around.