LOS ANGELES (AP) — A hot tub brimming with bikini-clad women, a lifeguard stand on a patch of sand and a party tent just beyond the end zone: Pro football returned to Los Angeles on Saturday night, but it obviously wasn’t the NFL.
Former UCLA and NFL quarterback Tommy Maddox threw 65 passes, completing 38 for 412 yards and four touchdowns Saturday night, the last on Los Angeles’ second possession of overtime, as the Xtreme won their home debut 39-32 over Chicago.
A loud, slightly rowdy crowd of 35,813, many of whom wore Raiders’ gear, watched as the Xtreme evened their record at 1-1 and the Enforcers fell to 0-2.
After bringing Los Angeles back from a 25-13 deficit with two fourth-quarter scoring drives, Maddox capped his big homecoming with a 20-yard scoring pass to Darnell McDonald in the second overtime.
The Enforcers failed to score on their ensuing possession, as Tim Lester’s final pass was incomplete in the end zone.
The game, the first pro football contest of any significance in the Los Angeles area since the Raiders and Rams left following the 1994 NFL season, had a few technical glitches.
NBC, which co-owns the new league with Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation, lost power to its truck — a generator ran out of gas — and missed televising most of the first quarter. The network lost its feed 1:45 into the contest, switched to San Francisco’s game at Orlando, then returned to the Enforcers-Xtreme with 4:30 left in the first quarter when the generator was refueled.
When Los Angeles’ Rashan Sheehee headed for the goal line early in the game, celebratory fireworks erupted on the rim of the Coliseum. Only Sheehee’s 3-yard run was a yard shy of the end zone. Maddox then sneaked in for the TD, and the fireworks began again.
There was a carnival atmosphere in the stands, and particularly in the “Xtreme Zone” — the potted palm-lined area where the party tent was located. Early in the second half, one Chicago fan stood isolated in the stands — with others scrambling to get out of the line of fire — as Xtreme fans pelted him with wadded-up paper, food and beer. He seemed unfazed.
Another fan waved a sign reading, “I’m here for nothing but cheerleaders.”
Los Angeles kicker Jose Cortez slipped on his first field goal try, missing from 34 yards. He missed another 34-yarder in the first half, and one fan said, “He better have kept his roofing tools.” Cortez has worked as a roofer in Corvallis, Ore.
Led by Lester, a high school math teacher and assistant coach back in Michigan, and former Miami Dolphins running back John Avery, the Enforcers built a 25-13 halftime lead.
Jermaine Copeland had 17 receptions for 190 yards for the Xtreme.
Summary
XFL FINAL IN OT 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH OT TOTAL
--- --- --- --- --- -----
CHICAGO 12 13 0 0 7 32
LOS ANGELES 6 7 0 12 14 39 FINAL IN OT
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: CHI - TD, JOHN AVERY 28 YD RUN (PAT FAILED), 3:00. Drive:
3 plays, 83 yards in 1:50. Key plays: Lester
50-yard pass to Bailey to Los Angeles 33.
CHICAGO 6-0
LOS - TD, TOMMY MADDOX 1 YD RUN (PAT FAILED), 9:31.
Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards in 6:00. Key plays:
Maddox 11-yard pass to Copeland to Los Angeles
32; Shambee 10-yard run to Los Angeles 49;
Maddox 15-yard pass to Copeland to Chicago 39;
Maddox 10-yard pass to McDonald to Chicago 13.
CHICAGO 6, LOS ANGELES 6
CHI - TD, AARON BAILEY 46 YD PASS FROM TIM LESTER (PAT
FAILED), 10:30. Drive: 3 plays, 61 yards in
0:59. CHICAGO 12-6
2ND QUARTER: CHI - TD, BRIAN ROGERS 2 YD RETURN OF BLOCKED PUNT (PAT
FAILED), 9:04. CHICAGO 18-6
LOS - TD, DARNELL MCDONALD 15 YD PASS FROM TOMMY MADDOX
(KEN OXENDINE RUN FOR CONVERISON), 11:25.
Drive: 1 play, 15 yards in 0:07. Key plays:
Evans recovery of Avery fumble at Chicago 15.
CHICAGO 18-13
CHI - TD, LESHON JOHNSON 1 YD RUN (LESHON JOHNSON RUN FOR
CONVERISON), 13:47. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards in
2:22. Key plays: Lester 65-yard pass to Avery
to Los Angeles 5. CHICAGO 25-13
3RD QUARTER: NONE
4TH QUARTER: LOS - TD, DAMON DUNN 8 YD PASS FROM TOMMY MADDOX (PAT
FAILED), 12:01. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards in
4:05. Key plays: Maddox 11-yard pass to
Copeland to Los Angeles 36; Maddox 9-yard pass
to Copeland to Los Angeles 45; Maddox 10-yard
run to Chicago 45; 14-yard personal foul
penalty on Enforcers to Chicago 20. CHICAGO
25-19
LOS - TD, KEN OXENDINE 1 YD RUN (PAT FAILED), 14:31.
Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards in 1:09. Key plays:
Maddox 12-yard pass to Rachal to Chicago 37;
Maddox 23-yard pass to Copeland to Chicago 1.
CHICAGO 25, LOS ANGELES 25
1ST OT: CHI - TD, JOHN AVERY 12 YD PASS FROM TIM LESTER (TIM
LESTER RUN FOR CONVERISON). Drive: 3 plays, 20
yards. CHICAGO 32-25
LOS - TD, JEREMAINE COPELAND 20 YD PASS FROM TOMMY MADDOX
(TOMMY MADDOX PASS TO JEREMAINE COPELAND FOR
CONVERISON). CHICAGO 32, LOS ANGELES 32
TEAM STATISTICS
CHI LOS
-------- --------
FIRST DOWNS 11 34
Rushing 5 6
Passing 5 26
Penalty 1 2
3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 4-11 7-15
4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY 0-0 2-3
TOTAL NET YARDS 295 448
Total plays 46 87
Average gain 6.4 5.1
NET YARDS RUSHING 96 59
Rushes 24 18
Average per rush 4.0 3.3
NET YARDS PASSING 199 389
Completed-attempted 11-19 38-66
Yards per pass 9.0 5.6
Sacked-yards lost 3-21 3-23
Had intercepted 0 2
PUNTS-AVERAGE 6-36.8 3-44.0
RETURN YARDAGE 140 163
Punts-returns 3-44 6-60
Kickoffs-returns 5-96 5-103
Interceptions-returns 2-0 0-0
PENALTIES-YARDS 8-59 5-45
FUMBLES-LOST 1-1 0-0
TIME OF POSSESSION 30:26 29:34
PLAYER STATISTICS
Missed field goals: Chicago (Andy Crosland 37); Los Angeles (Cortez
Jose 34, 34).
Chicago rushing: John Avery 15-69, Tim Lester 3-12, Leshon Johnson
5-3, Charles Wiley 1-2, Team 0-10.
Los Angeles rushing: Shehee Rashaan 8-36, Oxendine Ken 7-12, Maddox
Tommy 3-11.
Chicago passing: Tim Lester 11-19 for 220 yards, 0 INT, 2 TD.
Los Angeles passing: Maddox Tommy 38-65 for 412 yards, 2 INT, 0 TD,
Copeland Jeremaine 0-1 for 0 yards, 0 INT, 0 TD.
Chicago receiving: John Avery 3-84, Junior Lord 3-23, Aaron Bailey
2-96, Roell Preston 2-14, Leshon Johnson 1-3.
Los Angeles receiving: Copeland Jeremaine 17-190, Mcdonald Darnell
7-85, Rachal Latario 6-63, Ryans Larry 5-55, Dunn Damon 1-8, Shehee
Rashaan 1-6, Leatherwood Frank 1-5.
Chicago tackles-assists-sacks (unofficial): Troy Saunders 7-2-0,
Quincy Coleman 6-3-0, Matt Finkes 4-3-0, Aaron Humphrey 4-2-2, Kerry
Cooks 3-3-0, Jamie Baisley 4-1-0, Dorian Brew 3-2-0, Ray Austin
2-3-0, Donald Mccall 3-0-0, Jason Bray 3-0-0, Dedric Mathis 2-0-0,
Jason Chorak 2-0-0, Casey Dailey 1-1-0, Don Sasa 0-2-0, Leshon
Johnson 1-0-0, Brian Rogers 1-0-0, Andy Crosland 1-0-0, Charles Wiley
1-0-0, Corey Ivy 1-0-0, Larry Fitzpatrick 0-1-0, Team 0-1-1.
Los Angeles tackles-assists-sacks (unofficial): Russell Jeff 1-4-0,
Evans Leomont 1-4-0, Mack Rico 4-0-0, Johnson Eric 2-2-0, Herrin
Errick 3-0-0, Billups Terry 3-0-0, Keneley Matt 2-1-0, Stuckey Shawn
1-2-0, Duff Jamal 2-0-1, Long Juan 2-0-0, Parker Ricky 1-1-0, Cortez
Jose 1-0-0, Ryans Larry 1-0-0, Eason Curtis 1-0-0, Rachal Latario
1-0-0, Rick Austin 1-0-0, Stallings Ramondo 1-0-0, Durden Reginald
0-1-0, Miller Nate 0-1-0, Team 0-1-2, Mcgee Dell 0-1-0.
Interceptions: Chicago (Team 2 for 0 yards).
Fumbles lost: Chicago (John Avery).
Opponent's fumbles recovered: Los Angeles (Team).
Officials: Referee-Randy Christal, Umpire-John Bradley, Head
linesman-Karl Logan, Line judge-Ken Rivera, Back judge-Craig
Battaglia, Side judge-Gary Cavaletto, Field judge-Rg Detiller.
A: 35,813; T: 0:00.
