I thought it was pretty interesting, on a lot of sociological levels.
They didn't blow it as bad as they could have, that's for sure.
I'm sure Paul Tagliabue is mentally thanking Vince for experimenting with a bunch of different things that he won't have to pay for, or implement without seeing how they work on the field first.
And I don't know what the big deal about the cheerleaders is. Hell, NFL cheerleaders have been looking like strippers for years. If their shorts get any smaller ot tighter, they're just going to have to stand still.
The main problem right now on keeping people tuned in is not to have an offsides penalty every other play. That gets kind of boring fast.
The one thing that could make it work, on a somewhat limited scale, is if people start identifying with the players, i.e. instead of unconsciously (or consciously) despising the players for being immature little millionaires, they start thinking, "Hey, he's just like me!" about the XFL players.
After all, I don't think I'd get onto a field of battle for $45,000 for a whole 10-game season including training camp. And $2500 a game bonus ain't jack when you could lose your knee.
"Hey, I may walk with a limp the rest of my life, but I paid off the car!" Whoopee.
Also important would be to keep it short and sweet with the 10-game season, kind of a lark leading up to baseball season, and not to try and go head-to-head with the large market sports.
The players aren't there obviously to make a career in the XFL. They may have taken a few more knocks than most of us, but they're not that stupid.
They're there to be seen. If they can play at a decent level, it might be mildly entertaining.
The announcers definitely need some work. I saw about 10 minutes of the game yesterday with Brian Bosworth. There's a reason he didn't do too well in films, and boy, does it show.
I did like the goal-post view. Wobbly, agreed, but with a little refinement, I think it shows nicely how the two teams are lining up against each other. The standard NFL shot doesn't really show you how far apart the guys are. You can really see a hole develope fast.
On a side note, I was driving around yesterday listening to ESPN radio, and one guy made a comment that with the two levels of arena football, and now the XFL, if the NFL went on strike, it'd be pretty hard to find replacement players, because a lot of the arena and XFL players are on contracts for a year or two that would prohibit them from jumping to an NFL replacement team if they ever went on strike again.
Of course I don't think there are many players who would be excited about signing multi-year low-dollar contracts with either the XFL or arena leagues.
It will be interesting to see what they do with it. I think if they tighten it up, and not try to beat the big boys, and keep the short'n sweet season instead of competing directly with baseball and such, they might stay in business for a bit.
Oh, and find someone half-assed decent to do the commentary. I wonder if Bill Murray would do a guest color-man shot for the Chicago Enforcers?
Mk
