Author: Scott Adamson

As someone who has been a fan of “alternative” professional football since the World Football League debuted in 1974, I’m always intrigued by upstart leagues.

Yet after seeing those leagues rise and fall over the years – sometimes failing spectacularly – I’ve learned to temper any excitement with a healthy dose of skepticism.

But dang if the Alliance of American Football didn’t hook me during its opening weekend.

I watched as much as I could on TV and covered the Birmingham-Memphis game live, and the AAF made a great impression on me.

“This was an incredible opening weekend for The Alliance, in which the quality of play and fan support far exceeded my expectations,” AAF co-founder and CEO Charlie Ebersol said. “We had the number one sports app on iTunes and Google Play, strong viewership on CBS, CBS Sports Network and NFL Network, 11 of the 20 top trending topics on Twitter in the U.S. on Saturday night – these are all accomplishments I couldn’t have imagined when we first started this conversation three years ago.

“The narrative of the Alliance will be a growth story, so now it’s back to work as we look to improve week to week.”

Before Sunday, the last time I had been in a press box to watch a new pro football league debut was Feb. 4, 2001, when the Memphis Maniax played the Birmingham Thunderbolts at Legion Field in week one of the XFL.

The vision of wrestling mogul Vince McMahon, the league had a lot of technological innovations, but the play left much to be desired.

XFL movers and shakers spent so much time trying to convince people to buy in to their product they forgot to actually give them a quality product.

Alliance officials aren’t making that mistake.

When I returned to Legion Field to witness the Birmingham Iron defeat the Memphis Express 26-0 last weekend, I saw a legitimate “bridge league” between college football and the NFL.

“Our focus heading into this inaugural season was football, football, football,” Alliance co-founder and head of football Bill Polian said. “We wanted to put a quality product on the field, and I’m proud of what was on display this weekend. We saw big plays on both sides of the ball and I loved the intensity the players showed. There are areas that certainly need to be improved, but that’s why we have high caliber coaches on the sidelines, to help our players learn, grow and improve on and off the field.”

Other news and notes from opening weekend …

HBC DOES IT AGAIN

Orlando Apollos boss Steve Spurrier is now 2-0 in his pro spring football coaching debuts.

Before earning the nickname “Head Ball Coach” thanks to his success in the college ranks, Spurrier was head coach of the Tampa Bandits in the United States Football League.

The Bandits, who were a major draw in the USFL’s three-year existence from 1983-85, scored a 21-17 inaugural victory over the Boston Breakers on March 6, 1983.

Nearly 36 years later Spurrier was on the sidelines as Orlando helped lift the lid on the Alliance of American Football, and the home team came away with a no-doubt-about-it 40-6 thrashing of the Atlanta Legends.

Spurrier obviously enjoyed himself – and the 20,000-plus fans at Spectrum Stadium got their money’s worth from both the home team and the hall of fame coach.

HOME COOKING

Although each AAF team has territorial rights to regional colleges, only one San Antonio native actually made the roster of the San Antonio Commanders.

Running back Aaron Green made his debut with the club on Saturday night in a 15-6 victory over the San Diego Fleet, rushing for 43 yards on six carries. He had high praise for the 27,000-plus fans in attendance.

“It was great,” said Green. “I’ve said over and over again how much I love playing in the Alamodome. Being from here, I’d rather play in here than in the (Dallas) Cowboys’ stadium, to be honest. To get out there and fly around with my new teammates was awesome.”

Green said while his teammates might’ve been surprised by the support, he wasn’t.

“It didn’t surprise me at all,” he said. “I’m born and raised here, and I know this city loves sports, whether it’s soccer, basketball, football or whatever. I knew it was going to be a great turnout. My teammates were more surprised than I was.”

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offense: Arizona QB John Wolford.

Wolford threw for 275 yards and four TDs and no picks in the Hotshots’ 38-22 win over Salt Lake on Sunday at Sun Devil Stadium.

Defense: Orlando LB Terence Garvin.

Garvin had a team-high 11 tackles and two interceptions – including a 51-yard pick-6, to help the Apollos’ “D” stifle the Legends.

Special teams: Birmingham K Nick Novak.

Novak kicked four field goals, three of them in the first half, to give Birmingham a 9-0 lead over Memphis at halftime.

SPIRIT STICK

Speaking of San Antonio, the Commanders won the attendance award for opening weekend, drawing 27,857 paying customers to the Alamodone.

Orlando had paid attendance of 20,191; Birmingham got 17,039 people to buy tickets; and 15,000 folks came to Tempe to watch Arizona and Salt Lake.

UP NEXT

Saturday’s games are Salt Lake (0-1) at Birmingham (1-0), 2 p.m. EST, and Arizona (1-0) at Memphis (0-1), 8 p.m. EST.

Sunday’s lineup is Orlando (1-0) at San Antonio (1-0) at 4 p.m. EST and Atlanta (0-1) at San Diego (0-1) at 8 p.m. EST.

Follow Scott Adamson on Twitter @adamsonsl or email him at sladamson1960@gmail.com

By Scott Adamson
Adamsonmedia.com

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – When Birmingham Iron quarterback Luis Perez said, “Defense wins championships” after his squad’s 26-0 thrashing of Memphis today, he wasn’t just repeating a cliché.

This team might truly be title worthy in the Alliance of American Football’s inaugural season.

Stopping the run and pass with equal effectiveness, the defensive unit overwhelmed the visitors from Tennessee for the better part of four quarters in a contest that was never really in doubt.

Throw in four Nick Novak field goals and two fourth quarter touchdown scampers by Trent Richardson, and the hosts had more than enough offense to give most of the 17,039 fans at Legion Field a happy ending.

Perez was 19-33-0 passing for 252 yards, and said the play of the defense gave him a high level of comfort.

“Just an unbelievable job by our defense,” said Perez, who showed the makings of a big-time AAF quarterback. “They got the shutout, rushed the passer, tipped balls … we’re very fortunate to have a defense like that.

“It did have a little to do with our approach to the game. Our plan was to pound it down their throat, partly because of our defense.”

Novak’s first three scores came in the first half, and thanks to the heavy hitting by the “D,” it seemed as though they would be enough.

But a touchdown would be helpful in sealing the deal, and Richardson got one when he capped off a five-play, 55-yard march with 13:31 to play.

The 2-point conversion – the only option following a TD – made it 17-0.

Novak added a 31-yard field goal 4:17 from the finish and Richardson found the end zone again with 1:55 on the fourth quarter clock to put the final touches on a blowout.

The Iron netted 327 yards, and although only 86 came on the ground, they were enough to wear the Express down.

Mike Singletary’s team, on the other hand, closed with just 202 yards and were victimized by two interceptions and a fumble.

Quarterback Christian Hackenberg hit 10 or 23 passes for 87 yards and a pick.

“I saw that Christian has to get better,” Singletary said. “He has to settle down and he has to get better. Right now we’ll just get out of here, watch the film and lick our wounds.”

Birmingham boss Tim Lewis had little to complain about.

Outside linebacker Jonathan Massaquoi was in on seven tackles and had two sacks, while Beniquez Brown also had seven takedowns and two tackles for loss.

For a coach whose experience is on the defensive side of the ball, the outcome was near perfection.

“That was fantastic,” Lewis said. “We tried to limit their explosive plays on defense and did a good job. Our third down defense was fantastic and I can’t say enough about our kicker and punter (Colton Schmidt, who averaged 44 yards).

“Defensively we took the ball away a couple of times and made a couple of fourth down stops, and I consider those takeaways.”

Perez put up 59 passing yards on the Iron’s first possession, taking his team down to the Memphis 11 before the drive stalled. Novak made sure the hosts came away with points, however, when he booted a 29 yard field goal to make it 3-0 at 9:44 of the first quarter.

Those were the only points of the opening frame, but Birmingham moved inside the Express 10 early in the second quarter to set up a first-and-goal situation at the 9. Memphis held, however, and again it was Novak called on to kick.

This time the Maryland product drilled a field goal from 28 yards out to make it 6-0 with 10:36 left until halftime.

Novak was at it again 3:21 before the break, hitting straight and true from 47 yards away. That made the sidewinder 3-for-3, and the Iron was on top, 9-0.

After a brisk first half – it lasted roughly 70 minutes in real time – Birmingham was dominating statistically.

The home team had amassed 198 yards in total offense while limiting Memphis to just 65 – and only 10 through the air.

But three field goals hardly seemed like a safe cushion, and the Iron had 30 more minutes to maintain the story line while the Express had a half hour to flip the script.

Ultimately, 17 fourth quarter points by Birmingham closed the book on a successful opening week.

The Iron (1-0) hosts Salt Lake next Saturday, while Memphis (0-1) welcomes Arizona to the Liberty Bowl.

“(Defensive coordinator) Rick Minter worked very hard putting together a plan, and I think all our coaches did a good job,” Lewis said. “But we have a nice product.

“I think we picked the right 52 (players).”

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – September 19, 1970.

It was the first time I’d ever been to Legion Field, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

My dad had promised for weeks that he would take me to a college football game, and this was the day. We were supposed to head to Seibert Stadium and watch the Samford Bulldogs take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks – a big game among two great small schools.

I was excited … I didn’t really know who I was going to pull for, but the mere fact that I was going to see a college football game live and in person meant the game was already won for me.

But then Pop called an audible.

Instead of taking me to Homewood, he took me downtown.

And going downtown to watch a football game meant going to Legion Field.

Wow.

Alabama played Virginia Tech that night, and for the record the Crimson Tide was victorious, 51-18.

That wasn’t the biggest story, though.

I got to see a major college football game at a stadium that – in my mind – was a football cathedral. And it was the night I fell in love with Legion Field.

Every time I visit the “Gray Lady” I think back to that night, a night when I sat perched in the upper corner of section 30, wearing a corduroy jacket that beat back a chill in the air.

But what a warm feeling it still is, and I got to revisit it Sunday while waiting for the Birmingham Iron and Memphis Express to meet in the third game of the Alliance of American Football’s opening weekend.

My main purpose was to cover the contest for this site and gather information for a book I’m writing, but I couldn’t help but think back to that first visit nearly 50 years ago.

In fact, my vantage spot in the press box allowed me to actually look across at section 30, and it made me wonder …

What kid is there with mom or dad, watching “live” football for the first time?

How many youngsters woke up on Sunday morning thinking they were going to watch the game on TV, but wound up taking a Sunday drive to Legion Field instead?

How many children are witnessing something wonderful – something they’ll never, ever forget?

It’s hard not to get sentimental when you were once that kid.

Yes, the stadium is antiquated and many, many years beyond her glory days.

It won’t be long before Birmingham’s football tenants will move to the new and improved stadium that is being built across town.

And that’s great.

But if you’re looking for someone to bash Legion Field, that someone isn’t me.

Too much history.

Too much love.

I’ve lost count of how many college games I’ve seen here – the last being UAB’s return to the Football Bowl Subdivision back in 2017.

That was unforgettable.

But then there was the Birmingham Americans’ debut on July 10, 1974.

Also unforgettable.

The Birmingham Vulcans, Birmingham Stallions, Birmingham Fire, Birmingham Barracudas, Birmingham Bolts and now the Birmingham Iron – I was there the first time they ever played a home game.

And the first game they ever played at home, their home was Legion Field.

I hope this stadium stands for years to come – if not as a place for teams to play, at least as a place to remember those who once played here.

It’s a little big for a museum, but it’s earned that status.

The Gray Lady is old, but she’ll always be beautiful to me.