Category: Alternative Football

You know, if I had only been able to stay in Norfolk, Virginia, just a few days longer, the Atlantic Coast Football League – and the Norfolk Neptunes – could’ve been my introduction to alternative pro football.

Yep … the team that began life as the Springfield (Massachusetts) Acorns in 1963 in the original Atlantic Coast Football League, moved to Norfolk when the franchise joined the Continental Football League in 1966, and played its final two seasons in the new ACFL, was my first offbrand crush.

In the summer of 1971, my parents took me to Virginia to visit my brother, who was serving at Naval Station Norfolk. It was the first time I’d ever traveled through the sky, which was cool except for the fact that I suffered from airplane ear.

And, it was my first time to snarfle dry roasted peanuts, which I’d never had before until the flight attendant passed some out as a snack. I gave them rave reviews, so much so that when we landed at Norfolk International Airport, she gifted me with a whole bag of them.

I like to think she was charmed by my black horn-rimmed glasses and Lucky Tiger hair tonic.

Except for spending a few days with my brother and sister-in-law, those would’ve likely been the two main highlights of the trip.

However, we arrived on a Saturday night and on Sunday morning, I found myself thumbing through the Virginian-Pilot newspaper. I was already a sports nut at age 10, and loved poring over those industrial-sized Sunday sports sections.

Two things jumped out at me as I perused the paper. One, Joe Namath suffered torn ligaments in his left knee during an exhibition game against the Detroit Lions the night before, which broke my heart. I was a huge New York Jets fan, and had some major hero worship when it came to Joe Willie.

And two – and this is where I finally circle back to the plot of this story – I learned the Neptunes defeated the Augusta Eagles, 89-0, at Foreman Field the night before.

They led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter, 42-0 at halftime, and 63-0 at the end of three. The winners never punted and rolled up 554 yards of total offense, with 395 coming on the ground.

Nine players scored touchdowns, with Ron Holliday, Herb Nauss and Bob Fultz tallying two TDs apiece.

Now, until I read that article, I had no clue that there was a professional football team in Norfolk, or that there was a league called the ACFL. (I certainly knew nothing of the Eagles, who were members of the Dixie Football League).

But 89-0 … that blew my mind.

So, I started asking Don, my brother, about the team, and he told me they had been around for quite a few years. In 1971 they had a new coach named Ron Waller, and played in the best American gridiron league outside the NFL.

Another factoid that stayed with me is that their roster featured a defensive player named Otis Sistrunk, a former Marine who never played college football.
I was fascinated, and Don ran out of answers before I ran out of questions. While I literally did not know the club existed the day before, they were now my third favorite pro football team behind the Jets and Los Angeles Rams.

The Neptunes played another exhibition the following week against the Columbia All-Stars (winning 61-0), but that contest was on a Sunday and we had headed back home to Birmingham the Friday before.

However, Don told me, maybe if I came back in 1972, he’d take me to Foreman Field to see a game.

When we returned home, I maintained Neptune Fever even after the NFL and college season shifted into high gear. Every time I talked to Don on the phone, the first thing I asked was how the team was doing.

Turns out, they did quite well; the Neptunes finished with a 10-3 record and defeated the Hartford Knights, 24-13, to win the ACFL championship.

A guy named Jim “King” Corcoran – who joined the team after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles – led the way, throwing two touchdown passes to Holliday to help Norfolk lay claim to minor league football’s top prize.

I couldn’t wait to return to the Commonwealth the next summer and watch them from the bleachers.

Sadly, I’d never get the chance; the team and league folded at the end of the 1971 season.

Thanks to the World Football League in 1974, though, I finally got my chance to witness alt-football live and in person. And both Waller and Corcoran were a part of the WFL as head coach and QB, respectively, of the Philadelphia Bell. In fact, 12 former Norfolk players found roster spots on the WFL’s Philadelphia entry.

Sistrunk went on to have a solid career with the Oakland Raiders, and several other guys off the 1971 squad spent some time in the NFL.

More than a half century later – whenever I go down a sports research rabbit hole and come across the Norfolk Neptunes – I always smile.

Maybe I never saw them play, but I still consider myself one of their biggest fans.

Had my dream come true, we’d be celebrating the start of the 50^th season of the World Football League on July 10.

All of the “Original 12” teams would be in Wednesday Night Football action – the Birmingham Americans, Chicago Fire, Detroit Wheels, Florida Blazers, the Hawaiians, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Sharks, Memphis Southmen, New York Stars, Philadelphia Bell, Portland Storm and Southern California Sun.

To commemorate World Bowl 1, the Americans and Blazers would be competing in the marquee game of the evening, playing before a packed house at Jack Gotta Memorial Stadium. George Mira, who was MVP in Birmingham’s 22-21 victory over Florida half a century earlier, would have the honors of the ceremonial coin flip.

And the 36-team circuit (it absorbed the Canadian Football League in 1993) would be well-represented across the globe by franchises such as the Tokyo Kaiju, London Fog, Mexico City Empire and Paris Towers.

Sure, things would’ve changed since 1974. Some of the clubs’ logos would be modernized; there would be no single-bar facemasks; and television coverage from networks such as NBC, the BBC and the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, along with the WFL-Xtra streaming service, would be far superior to what was offered by TVS in Year One.

But the action point would remain – as well as seven-point touchdowns, one offensive back allowed in motion toward the line of scrimmage, the elimination of fair catches, a receiver needing only one foot in bounds for a reception, mustard-yellow game balls and colorful uniforms.

Ah, if only.

There are those who will never understand the fascination people like us have with the WFL. Shoot, I’m not even sure I understand it.

It lasted less than two years. And if you want to get technical about it, the 1974 WFL folded after a season and was replaced by New League Incorporated (doing business as the WFL), which collapsed before completing the 1975 campaign.

At the time, it was the sports financial disaster to end all sports financial disasters.

So why do we still talk about it – and love it?

Because it was new and it was different and it was fun.

For fans in NFL cities like New York, Chicago, Detroit, Houston and Philly, I’m sure it was mostly a novelty. They were major league cities that had an embarrassment of riches when it came to major league sports.

But for folks who lived in locales such as Birmingham, Orlando and Jacksonville, it brought us big-time football for the first time.

I mean, when I showed up at Legion Field to watch the Americans and Sun tangle in 90-degree weather, it wasn’t like I was cheering for (or against) guys I’d never heard of. The teams were a mixture of NFL veterans and college hotshots.

Running back Charlie Harraway had played the previous eight seasons in the NFL – and played well – before jumping to the Americans. And his counterpart with the Sun, Kermit Johnson, was fresh from a consensus All-American season at UCLA.

And before the league had even held a scrimmage, Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield and Jim Kiick had been convinced to leave the Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins for a 1975 deal with the Southmen.

So yeah … the WFL was a pretty big deal.

I was fortunate enough to make a living writing sports, and it allowed me to cover everything from the NFL to the College Football Playoff. But you wanna hear something funny?

None of those games stick in my mind like random WFL contests.

Not a one.

Aside from being in the stadium for Birmingham’s 11-7 win over Southern Cal in the league lid-lifter, I distinctly remember July 11, 1974, and watching the Stars-Sharks game on TV with my dad.

Normally a Thursday night in the summer meant I’d be up the street at a friend’s house shooting hoops in his driveway or listening to music in his basement.

But that game – the inaugural telecast on TVS – was an event.

As a New York Jets fan, I cheered for the players who had traded in Shea Stadium for Downing Stadium and were now rocking the yellow and black of the Big Apple’s WFL Team.

And Jacksonville? Loved the black shark logo on the silver helmets.

There were nearly 60,000 fans in the Gator Bowl, and they got to witness the home team take a 14-7 victory.

I recall Memphis hosting Portland in Week 2, giving me a chance to scout the Southmen before they came to Birmingham on July 24.

And when the Stars traveled to Philadelphia to take on the Bell in the July 25 Game of the Week, QB King Corcoran was talking about how he thought the Philadelphia uniforms were “pretty” during a quick pregame interview.

It was must-see TV before the phrase was coined, and I thought I was seeing the start of something wonderful – and everlasting.

At this point I guess I’m supposed to go into all the depressing details about the World Football League’s demise. But I’m not going to, not on the 50^th anniversary of its launch.

In fact, I’m celebrating its legacy because the NFL owes a great debt to the WFL.

The new league sparked a major increase in player salaries, which of course have since reached astronomical numbers.

And the WFL moved goal posts to the back of the end zone, kicked the ball off from the 30, and made tweaks to incentivize more soring, prompting the NFL to adopt more offense-friendly rules.

In short, the World Football League mattered, even if its official lifespan lasted only from October 2, 1973, to October 22, 1975.

And because it mattered, there are people like me who’ll spend Wednesday wearing our finest WFL T-shirts, reminiscing about what was and what might have been.

And I’m not saying I’m gonna drive over to Legion Field on July 10 and make a toast to the league’s Golden Anniversary, but … well, actually, I am saying that.

In my heart, the WFL  lives on … forever.

Perhaps it’s appropriate that a team nicknamed the Stallions just won the Triple Crown.

Birmingham cemented its spring football dynasty on Sunday in St. Louis, blanking the San Antonio Brahmas, 25-0, to win the inaugural United Football League championship in front of 27,396 fans at The Dome of America.

The hoisting of their latest trophy follows up back-to-back United States Football League titles, meaning the Stallions’ three-peat marks the first in the U.S.-based play-for-pay gridiron game since the Green Bay Packers accomplished the feat from 1965-67.

The Stallions finish at 11-1 while the Brahmas close out at 8-4.

In what was billed as a battle between the best offense and defense in the league, Skip Holtz’s club had both.

The Magic City reps outgained Wade Phillips’ charges 308-208, limiting them to 53 rushing yards and, most importantly, keeping them off the scoreboard.

The conquest avenged an 18-9 loss to San Antonio during the regular season and puts Birmingham’s record at a gaudy 32-4 over the past three seasons.

“I thought our defense played a heckuva football game,” Holtz said. “They kept the ball in front of them, didn’t give up any big plays, tackled … just an unbelievable effort by our defensive side. And offensively, I felt like we were really opportunistic.

“We were three for three when we got in the red zone. We put the ball in the end zone and didn’t have to kick field goals all night, which was really special. But I thought these guys did a great job.”

The first half was … not good.

Neither team crossed midfield until there was 2:50 left in first half; it came on a 44-yard, tackle-busting run by Birmingham’s Ricky Person Jr. that took the ball down to the San Antonio 30.

A pass interference flag on the next snap moved the markers to the 16, and the Stallions finally scored when season and game MVP Adrian Martinez hit Gary Jennings on an 8-yard TD toss. The two-point conversion made it 8-0, and the way the contest was going, that looked like it might be enough.

But four minutes into the third quarter Birmingham got more, this time when Martinez called his own number and scooted into the end zone from 11 yards out.

One play later the Brahmas gave the ball back on a fumble, putting the Stallions in business at the enemy 24.

Martinez capped off the drive with a 1-yard QB sneak on fourth down midway through the third. Even though the conversion failed, this one was all but over at 22-zip.

“I think our defense played great,” Martinez said. “Despite going 11-1, it’s been an up and down year in some senses. And I think our team fought through adversity, found a way to get back in our groove. Coach told us last week that we kind of hit a sweet spot on offense midway through the year, and we needed to find a way to get back in gear for the playoffs.”

Trailing 25-0, San Antonio got a spark when Quinten Dormady replaced Chase Garbers at quarterback. He led his mates all the way to the Birmingham six, but they went backward from there thanks to a swarming “D.” That left the eventual winners to milk the clock and secure the shutout – the first and only of the UFL season.

“It is hard to continue to win,” Holtz said. “You put a target on your chest, and everybody’s shooting for you, and everybody’s circling that game, and you are going to get everybody’s best effort. But as I have told the team, the only thing that’s better than playing against the Stallions is having the opportunity to play for them.”

There was nothing otherworldly about the Stallions’ offensive stats, but they were more than adequate.

Martinez finished 13-23-0 for 98 yards and a touchdown through the air, while adding 54 ground yards and a score.

Person wound up with 102 yards on 13 carries while C.J. Marable contributed 45 yards toting the freight.

Marlon Williams led the receiving corps with 36 yards, with Jennings accounting for the only TD catch.

Linebacker Kyahva Tezino turned in a fantastic performance for the champs, forcing two fumbles to go with nine tackles – six of them solo. Damon Lloyd and Lorenzo Burns were in on six tackles each.

“I cannot take any moment for granted, because just before the USFL even started, I was on the couch … I mean, I was working for Amazon,” Tezino said. “My life changed in the snap of a finger. So, it’s truly a blessing to be here, to be on the Stallions, to get a championship. Just to be right here in this moment, right now, I’m just so grateful.”

Garbers finished 18-26-0 for 116 San Antonio yards, with Calvin Turner catching five balls for 49 yards.

Teez Tabor contributed six individual tackles and 10 takedowns in all.

“It was a great season, but it was a bad game,” Phillips said. “That’s what it came down to. I’m not taking anything away from Birmingham … they obviously are a really good football team. They played great today. You know, I thought we had a chance against them, because we beat them during the regular season, but we were at home then.

“They’ve been there a lot of times and showed their experience in a championship game. Once they got ahead it was pretty clear what the final would be because of the way they played.”

Scoring plays: Birmingham, Gary Jennings, 8-yard reception from Adrian Martinez, :40 second quarter, 2-point conversion catch by Amari Rodgers from Martinez, Stallions 8, Brahmas 0; Birmingham, Martinez, 11-yard run, 11:00 third quarter, 2-point conversion catch by Jordan Thomas from Martinez, Stallions 16, Brahmas 0; Birmingham, Martinez, 1-yard run, 7:25 third quarter, 2-point conversion failed, Stallions 22, Brahmas 0; Birmingham, Chris Blewitt, 49-yard field goal, 11:36 fourth quarter, Stallions 25, Brahmas 0.

Standout stat: 3. Number of championships Birmingham has won in three championship game appearances.

Next up: The 2025 season.

OTD in 1975: The Birmingham Vulcans of the World Football League signed former University of Alabama running back Johnny Musso. Musso had previously played professionally for the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.

OTD in 1979: The Alabama Vulcans of the American Football Association defeated the Arkansas Champs, 49-14, to improve to 5-0 on the season.

Kenny Burks rushed for 81 yards and scored three touchdowns, while Ernest Williams added two TDs and 77 yards carrying the ball.

Myron Smith had 99 rushing yards and a score.

A Birmingham Parks and Recreation official estimated attendance for the game at Legion Field was between 8-10,000.

OTD in 1984: The Birmingham Stallions of the original United States Football League defeated the Memphis Showboats, 35-20, in front of a sellout crowd of 50,079 fans at the Liberty Bowl.

Quarterback Cliff Stoudt threw for two touchdowns and ran for another while running back Joe Cribbs rushed for two TDs in a contest that saw the Stallions improve to 14-3.

OTD in 1995: The Birmingham Barracudas of the Canadian Football League played their first preseason game, losing to the Shreveport Pirates, 31-28, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.

Former Auburn quarterback Reggie Slack, subbing for injured starter Matt Dunigan, was 10-18-0 for two touchdowns while Jimmy Klingler went 8-14-1 for 171 yards and a TD.

Birmingham was penalized 17 times for 143 yards.