Game Thread: Michigan Panthers (1-4) at Birmingham Stallions (5-0), Sat 21 May, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC

[4th&long]

Michigan letting the Stallions complete that totally impossible hail mary led to their ultimate demise in this game.

Yep - Breakdown in coverage - reminds me of Bucs Rams playoff, costly...

Birmingham the real McCoy, getting it done... again

OVER covers again.

[GDAWG]

Whelp the national broadcast cut off with about 3 minutes left and went into some commercials and then into local news. Complete Bush league

I bet the people watching CNBC were like "what the f***?"

[MGB01]

Whelp the national broadcast cut off with about 3 minutes left and went into some commercials and then into local news. Complete Bush league

So much like when the NHL got bumped to Versus 15 years ago the USFL doesn't get out unscathed either.

Someone needs to answer how much rain, lightning, or thunder damage has actually happened during these weather delays. If, or when, the answer is none, it's someone's ass. The league isn't out of the woods (pun not intended but directed) here, fact this is very much a showcase year (the weekly rule changes pretty much confirm it). 2023 is gonna be moving day, all they're doing here is getting there.

This doesn't help, especially when the delay comes right as your main competition is about to come on, and the fact it was a blowout for the entire time of the delay changes nothing, that's luck.

One can hope now that FOX is totally out on XFL3.0 they can get serious about what this is supposed to be.

[Gopher123]

I have been impressed by the way BHAM has gotten to 6-0. They do many things well and can even switch game plans in the middle of the game and have success. However, I don’t like the switch to McGough right after a TD drive from Smith. It’s one thing if Smith was hurt or struggling but I don’t believe he was. Yes, the Stallions stilled scored points and actually pulled farther ahead after McGough came in but they had some things fall their way too. The different play styles between the two qbs were interesting but this screamed TSL to me. Hey, you promised me game time if I was to sign up for this league. That’s developmental not professional football. If there was a legitimate reason Smith was taken out then I will gladly retract. Who’s the quarterback here? Until then, if Vad Lee is doing well and he’s yanked for Kyle Lauletta so he can have his “film time” I’m done trying to take this league seriously.

[4th&long]

Whelp the national broadcast cut off with about 3 minutes left and went into some commercials and then into local news. Complete Bush league

So much like when the NHL got bumped to Versus 15 years ago the USFL doesn't get out unscathed either.

Someone needs to answer how much rain, lightning, or thunder damage has actually happened during these weather delays. If, or when, the answer is none, it's someone's ass. The league isn't out of the woods (pun not intended but directed) here, fact this is very much a showcase year (the weekly rule changes pretty much confirm it). 2023 is gonna be moving day, all they're doing here is getting there.

This doesn't help, especially when the delay comes right as your main competition is about to come on, and the fact it was a blowout for the entire time of the delay changes nothing, that's luck.

One can hope now that FOX is totally out on XFL3.0 they can get serious about what this is supposed to be.

I think you nailed it. My question is - who is making these decisions the league or stadium. But - whatever criteria they use and who makes these decisions needs to tone it back. They had a big lead in with Preakness race and we saw what the rain delay did last week.

This Sunday is same.

[MarkNelson]

I was more than a little disappointed they cut end of the game, and I wasn’t interested in finding it elsewhere. Maybe because the Stallions had pretty much wrapped it up.

But, if this league is relying on tv ratings, which has been driven home as the key answer to the league’s horrible attendance, they sure have a strange way of disrespecting the television audience.

Seriously. Who watches evening news on a Saturday night?

[4th&long]

I was more than a little disappointed they cut end of the game, and I wasn’t interested in finding it elsewhere. Maybe because the Stallions had pretty much wrapped it up.

But, if this league is relying on tv ratings, which has been driven home as the key answer to the league’s horrible attendance, they sure have a strange way of disrespecting the television audience.

Seriously. Who watches evening news on a Saturday night?

America. I'm no fan of TV news, and local is brutal.

Actually - I like that they cut it off (I was watching on Peacock and read it later) - it sends a message - stop these ridiculous weather delays.

[MGB01]

I was more than a little disappointed they cut end of the game, and I wasn’t interested in finding it elsewhere. Maybe because the Stallions had pretty much wrapped it up.

But, if this league is relying on tv ratings, which has been driven home as the key answer to the league’s horrible attendance, they sure have a strange way of disrespecting the television audience.

Seriously. Who watches evening news on a Saturday night?

Heh, our ABC affiliate stopped doing a 11:00 Sat night newscast years ago, leaving them one of the few stations that doesn't do one.