“The XFL is all about the fans. The fans can be as loud as they want at the games. They can drink beer ’til the end. The cheerleaders are elevated to the same level as the fans. And, the players will actually high-five you. If you have never been to an XFL game, it is a huge party with a dozen of the most beautiful women in your area and a group of football players who actually care about the people in the stands.”
By Troy Pringle – Enforcers Team Reporter
Chicago – (4 April 2001) — With the victory against the Hitmen on Saturday, I am sure you are expecting an article about the Enforcers only being one win away from the play-offs. Well, I will leave that to my Enforcer Team Reporter friends, Bob Williams and Qumar, this week.
I picked up the Chicago Sun-Times on Monday morning, looking to see what kind of story they would publish about our resurgent football team this Sunday, the day after we defeated the New York/New Jersey Hitmen to stay alive in the play-off race.
Now, correct me if I am wrong, or send me an email saying I am a moron, but the Enforcers are just one victory from competing in the first ever XFL play-off, and all that I saw, after looking through the paper not once, but twice, was a minute 1 and ½ inch by 2 inch story about how McDougal connected with Luke Leverson and Willie Tate for his three touchdown passes. That is unbelievable!
Let’s say for instance, if the Cubs ever made it within 1 game of fourth place in the Central Division of the National League, it would warrant five entire pages of the newspaper, not including the cover. If the Bulls would come close to winning 20% of their games, the media would petition to have a rally at Grant Park, just like the good ol’ days. And the Bears, if they actually make a legitimate acquisition, all other press for that day would be put on hold. Simply put, we cannot count on any of our multi-billion dollar sports teams, including the White Sox, to “bring home the gold”.
But, here we have the Enforcers, a second place team in the “fledgling” football league. The sports team closest to actually bringing Chicago a championship in the year 2001. And they get a “thumbnail” size story?
You know the reason why! According to the media, the XFL is going to fold after this year. The television ratings have dramatically dropped since week one and by the Big Game at the End, nobody will be watching. So, why give them coverage?
Well my friends, the XFL is one of the best things that ever happened to football! It brought the fun back into the game. In this league, players can be themselves and don’t have to worry about how much the fine is going to be because they got caught spitting on national television on Monday Night Football. Just to bring up that other football league for another second, they have nothing better to do than ban players from wearing bandanas at the games? Why don’t the people in charge of making the rules spend their time deciding on more important things like whether or not Instant Replay, a potential feature they have been “testing” for the past 3 years, is going to stay?
The XFL is all about the fans. The fans can be as loud as they want at the games. They can drink beer ’til the end. The cheerleaders are elevated to the same level as the fans. And, the players will actually high-five you. If you have never been to an XFL game, it is a huge party with a dozen of the most beautiful women in your area and a group of football players who actually care about the people in the stands.
To all of those who are doubtful, the XFL will be around next year. It will be around for a long time. The league is looking into ways to improve its product as the people at the top admit they made mistakes early in the season. This league is definitely worth a look next year, and it is worth a good, long look right now. So, if you are going to leave Bob Costas and the rest of his media illiterates form your opinion for you, then you are mistaking yourself, letting a genuine opportunity for some great sports fun and excitement pass you right up.
I am excited that the Enforcers are within one victory of their first ever play-off birth. I look forward to being at Dick’s Last Resort, near Navy Pier, this Thursday to celebrate with the players. I am ecstatic that the game that will decide our team’s fate is at our home, historic Soldier Field. And, if the unlikely event of them not making the play-offs happens, I will clap my hands for the players and the efforts they put forth. I will then tip my hat to Vince McMahon and the XFL personnel for putting together such an awesome product. And, finally, I will say…”maybe next year!” (I knew the Cubs were good for something!!!)
