UFL Draft

eagle eye

Its on right now. LOL. Well its actually over now. Anyways here is what happened. At least its a little bit of extra football if they are smart to have it on midweek or something.

6:39 - The draft has begun.
6:46 - Brandon Ledbetter and Jermaine Wiggins have been drafted by San Francisco and Orlando, respectively. They are TEs.
6:50 - New York under Ted Cottrell has selected Terrelle Maze, cornerback.
6:50 - Runningback Tyson Thompson has been selected by Las Vegas.
6:53 - Quarterback Brooks Bollinger has been called into the league by Orlando.
6:57 - While Losman is apparently not technically in the draft, Mortensen has confirmed he will play for the Vegas franchise.
6:58: - Mort just reported that each UFL team already had 20 guys signed. The draft tonight is for those who publicly worked out in Orlando and Las Vegas. (More on these 20 soon…. should be exciting, Access fans!)
6:59 - DT Wendell Bryant selected by Las Vegas. Played for Wisconsin.
7:00 - San Francisco gets LB Marquess Gunn from Auburn.

7:01 - Florida State’s own Eric Powell selected by Orlando. Defensive end.
7:05 - Updates to come more in bunches from those at the draft. Mort reports the UFL draft comes in 24 rounds tonight, but teams will sign 30 players by July 1st with the last 30 by September, with game rosters, as we reported, eventually being 50.
7:07 - Interesting. Word is some quarterback’s have been “protected” by the UFL. Which means some news and surprises concerning them simply won’t be available tonight. Intriguing….
7:10 - New York selects LB Nathan Williams from Murray State. Also, Bo Schobel, TE, goes to Orlando.
7:11 - LaBrandon Toefield to New York, used to be with the Jaguars as a RB. Also, QB announcements won’t arrive until July 1st. Sorry everyone!
7:12 - Mike Doss, S, goes to Orlando.
7:16 - Ted Cottrell is known for his defense, and the UFL New York head coach is still carrying that over to the new league. Mort astutely points out that NY has made seven defensive based picks thus far, compared to only two offensive.
7:17 - Gary Stills, West Va. LB, goes to glitzy Vegas. Michigan S Grant Mason scoots out to sunny Orlando.
7:18 - Mort reports that background and injury checks have naturally already been performed on each player, and that each team has 3 minutes to make their pick. Speedy.
7:21 - Northwestern linebacker Prince Kawling shoots off to San Francisco along with Kentucky QB Shane Boyd.
7:22 - New York with offensive lineman from Germany. More to come.
7:23 - Mort tweets how the UFL did their job by looking at over 1,000 NFL street free agents.
7:23 - Access note: Sam Gutekunse was the offensive lineman from Germany selected by NY. The 6′ 6″, 350 pound player started 8 games for Berlin in 2007.
7:27 - The draft is halfway complete.
7:31 - A complete player listing from tonight’s draft will be available on ufl-football.com later this evening. Also, UFL Access will have player coverage shortly. More updates to come here.
7:34 - The international players keep rolling in, as Germany is not the only country represented in the UFL. New York has drafted a WR from Japan.
7:35 - UFL Access’ own Dusty Sloan pontificates the Japanese WR is Kino****a of Amsterdam fame. “Versatile” at position.
7:39 - Oregon RB Terrence Whitehead to Vegas. Also, Northwestern QB CJ Bacher to NY; Ohio St. DB TJ Wright to Orlando; finally, Chass Gessner, WR from Brown, goes to Orlando. Per Berman.
7:40 - UFL players will report on September 10th.
7:42 - Mort reports each UFL team features 10 assistants.
7:43 - Round 17 begins, of a total of 24.
7:44 - Adam Archuleta to UFL Las Vegas.
7:49 - Access note: The “protected” UFL QB news came courtesy of Tim Rattay. We’ll know soon enough - if we don’t already, that is.
7:51 - The draft reports have more or less completed, although more news will be forthcoming shortly, including a full list of drafted players tonight via the official site. UFL Access will carry that news.


http://uflaccess.com/

tallaghtoutlaws

Lets look at the UFL right now:

Only 4 Teams
No home venues set or Team Names
No League Structure Set
4 Teams to play in 7 Cities
And they plan to play in Fall when the NFL starts?

Am I right so far?

If all of the above is correct they are climbing a steep hill taking on the NFL. They willl have to play Midweek or Fridays or a day where other football doesnt clash.

Good Luck to them hope it works out. Would have been better to play in the Offseason really.

bobby wade

Combined camps & they only travel to host cities on game day. No prescence otherwise. Can't see a fan base being built around it

eagle eye

I was laughing at it myself, there wan't even a big deal made about the draft, it was only announced shortly before it happened and even funnier was the fact that J.P. Losman wasn't even in attendance for it.

Interestingly though as an aside to this, it actually helps Michael Vick's chances of being reinstated in the NFL as Goodell would not want to let them have a player who commands media attention. There would be plenty of people who would tune in to a game if he was playing just to see how he plays.

Karlusss

It'll start during NFL season, but they're playing on Fridays I think. We'll see how it goes. The NFL does lack an under-tier, because college provides its developmental ranks, and there are guys like JP Losman who aren't worse than the rookies taking up roster spots but have no place to play because of cap concerns, future plans and (maybe) pride.

Sea Devils

I don't know if it will be televised here or anything, but supposedly they have secured enough funding that they will be fine through the 2011 season at least.

The thinking is that the UFL wants to be around after the potential lockout when the league/union contracts are up to give striking players a place to play.
Seems like a good idea

bobby wade

The XFL had funding too still only lasted 1 year

Dodge

We'll see how big it gets when Vick signs for the Orlando team. The coaches in the league are decent enough.

If any of you have twitter accounts, you might want to follow @mortreport (from ESPN) He was tweeting during the "behind closed doors" draft and he seemed to think that all teams already had "marquee" names signed and this will be announced July 1

The plan isn't to be a rival to the NFL but to kid of become a development/minor league. They're playing thier games on Thursday and Friday night and this season is a "soft launch" with 2010 being the first full season.

Its going to be on the Versus network in the US (the network that currently has NHL)

Superhands

there are definitely enough players outside the NFL to have a decent playing standard IMO - the problem is getting the public interest and the costs involved

still if ice hockey and baseball can have lots of minor leagues why not American football ?

Superhands

I may be wrong but won't the Las Vegas team be the first pro sports team in that city ?

Sea Devils

Superhands wrote: »

I may be wrong but won't the Las Vegas team be the first pro sports team in that city ?

^^ What Tallaght said

tallaghtoutlaws

Superhands wrote: »

I may be wrong but won't the Las Vegas team be the first pro sports team in that city ?

Nope they had an AFL team.

Back when AFL wasnt considered professional so yup the UFL team will be the first. I stand corrected.

tallaghtoutlaws

Superhands wrote: »

still if ice hockey and baseball can have lots of minor leagues why not American football ?

Very true but those minor leagues are heavily endorsed by the MLB and its Franchises as are the hockey teams. And the mlb minors act as feeder teams hockey not so much but in northern states and canada where hockey is considered a huge sport locals will always support it.

The UFL faces an uphill struggle. Sure there are enough players out there. But their starting point this 4 teams in 7 cities is a tad daft. They really arent creating a solid fan base by travelling around 7 cities. It will be good to see if they pull it off. More football is always good but i dont know I think the Jury is still out until they get 1 season under their belts.

tallaghtoutlaws

Sea Devils wrote: »

^^ What Tallaght said

Nope you were right on a technicality

Dodge

The las vegas Outlaws played in the XFL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Outlaws

tallaghtoutlaws

Dodge wrote: »

The las vegas Outlaws played in the XFL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Outlaws

How could we forget that joke of a league

Dodge

Mike Furrey had a nice little career in NFl after it. I think Tommy maddox played there too

tallaghtoutlaws

Dodge wrote: »

Mike Furrey had a nice little career in NFl after it. I think Tommy maddox played there too

Very true.

Sea Devils

Dodge wrote: »

Mike Furrey had a nice little career in NFl after it. I think Tommy maddox played there too

Rod Smart is another guy who carved out a career in the NFL from it.

bobby wade

Your right that it wasn't the cities first pro-team, just wrong league

The CFL's Las Vegas Posse played 1 season, making them the 1st proffesional football team before the Outlaws

http://www.footballdiner.com/cflamericanexperiment.html

tallaghtoutlaws

Going to come back to this thread anyone see the names of the new team and the uniforms?

California Redwoods



Las Vegas Locomotives



And Florida Tuskers

http://www.ufl-football.com/press/2009/08/12/florida_tuskers_uniform_guidelines

If you ask me from a commercial stand point the football will have to be good because those team names suck donkey balls and the uniforms are the UFL crest stretched out into cloth.

Sea Devils

Even with that awful name and hideous looking jersey for obvious reasons I'm going to try and follow the California Redwoods. Just glancing at our roster I recognise a few names e.g. BJ Sams but only because of the Next Man Up book.

Obafemi Ayanbadejo is another guy I recognise having seen him take a few snaps before for the Bears.

tallaghtoutlaws

Sea Devils wrote: »

Even with that awful name and hideous looking jersey for obvious reasons I'm going to try and follow the California Redwoods. Just glancing at our roster I recognise a few names e.g. BJ Sams but only because of the Next Man Up book.

Obafemi Ayanbadejo is another guy I recognise having seen him take a few snaps before for the Bears.

I will watch it also but from a marketing stand point surely there were better names and style of uniforms out there. They do realise their merchandise will make up a huge percentage of their revenue.

Its only a good thing if the league survives, more football is a good thing.

bobby wade

Dear God WORSE than NFLE's street map unis

D3PO

so this is due to kick off next week.

anybody going to try and watch ? i think they have made a hash of it for a number of reasons. 4 teams, 7 citys, horrible jerseys time of the year they are playing

that said i hope it is a success more football to watch is a good thing

Oat23

Why not?

I'll give it a shot!

ReacherCreature

Huskers. Baha! Crap name.

Good lot of recognisable players on the Sentinals roster I think - http://www.ufl-football.com/teams/new_york_sentinels/players

Sea Devils

QB O'Hagan, Liam (Harvard

Well our QB doesnt fill me with confidence, he was the successor to Ryan Fitzpatrick, but a quick Google search reveals his only claim to fame was being kicked off the Harvard team as a Junior.

He returned as a senior and completed 1 of 5 passes for 3 yards:cool:

Royal Seahawk

Is it on tv anywhere here?

ReacherCreature

Royal Seahawk wrote: »

Is it on tv anywhere here?

The UFL will be aired on the Versus cable television network[4] as well as HDNet (a network owned by Mark Cuban, who has prominently supported the league since its founding); Versus will carry eight games (including the championship), mostly on Thursday nights, while HDNet will carry the remaining five. All games will be available in high definition.Versus's play-by-play team will consist of Dave Sims on play-by-play, Doug Flutie as color analyst, Kordell Stewart on the sidelines and Anita Marks hosting features.[35] Commissioner Huyghue has stated that all of the games will be webcasted for those fans who don't have either of the stations

Pulled down from Wikipedia, don't know if we'll be able to watch them or they're only allowed in America.

UFL rules -

Like previous football leagues, the UFL has instituted several mostly minor rules changes that will differ from the NFL's rules. Though the league has indicated it would mostly adhere to standard rules, there are a few differences, as follows:

• No Tuck Rule - The Tuck Rule is one of the most controversial rules in the NFL. In the NFL, if a passer brings his arm forward in a passing motion and then loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body, it's considered a forward pass (and thus an incomplete pass if the ball hits the ground). In the UFL, it would be called a fumble.
• Touchdown celebrations - Celebrations, individual or group, will only take place in the endzones and on the bench area.
• Fumbling out of the endzones - If the ball is fumbled out of the endzone, it will be placed back at the spot of the fumble, pending which team last had possession.
• Intentional grounding - A quarterback is allowed to intentionally ground the ball anywhere behind the line of scrimmage if he is under pressure.
• Instant replay - All reviews will be viewed upstairs by the replay official and he will only have 90 seconds for review.
• Overtime - Both teams will be guaranteed at least one possession. When a team scores, the other team will get a last chance to score on the next drive. Similar to the college football rule.

Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Football_League_(2009)

davyjose

I have to say, some of the rule changes are an improvement. The tuck rule is a joke (sorry pats fans), and the single overtime possession is even less fair than a penalty shoot-out in soccer.

Chanandler Bong

Yeah a few familiar faces on the NY team, Simeon Rice catches the eye, i was of the opinion quinn gray was a serviceable enough qb when he was backup in jax aswell

D3PO

not sure about the grounding rule. under pressure and just allowed throw it away pah

ReacherCreature

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/ufl/news/story?id=4535959

Interesting article on the UFL.