# Are you ready for XFL football? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 29, 2019, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171 "2019-11-29T15:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/41 "2020-02-10T02:56:09Z")
I thought it was fun. The crazy stuff, like hearing coaches jabbering plays, the injured guys screaming, the goofs like having to pull an extra football off the field, it just felt raw. It seemed refreshing to me, I liked it. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/42 "2020-02-10T04:47:32Z")
I was hoping someone would bring this up, because I have a few things to say but didn’t feel like making a whole new thread for this. First off…and I know it’s damn awkward to admit this…kudos to Vince McMahon for getting his head screwed on straight and fixing nearly all the mistakes he made the first time. His first attempt was doomed no matter what, but what killed it so quickly was the incredible badwill he generated at every turn. Openly insulting the NFL, brushing off injury concerns, that near-scuffle with an interviewer, arrogance, smarminess, rage. Never in my life have I seen so many people _gloat_ over the tanking ratings, and his scorched-earth combativeness was the main reason why. Now he is emphasizing safer, faster, more streamlined, more exciting, and best of all, you won’t see his face once during a single game. Even better, he’s completely backed off on Colin Kaepernick and the national anthem, which shows that he’s willing to make adjustments and get rid of stuff that doesn’t work. The energy surrounding the first game, particularly in the ESPN booth, was a complete 180 from the first time…people really, really want this to succeed now. If this is going to have _any_ prayer of not collapsing, it _has_ to keep this positive energy up. Will it? It’s a longshot. I see the AAF, WLAF, and USFL cited, but there’s one other league you’re forgetting…the Arena League. Which truly _was_ revolutionary, different, fun, exciting, all the things an alternative to the NFL was supposed to be. It even had some games aired on ESPN. It looked for all the world like it was here to stay. And it perished. The harsh fact may be that between the NFL and college, this country simply can’t support another football league. Maybe it’s too expensive, or too complicated, or too risky, or a combination of the three, but an upstart football league has a _massive_ uphill climb that other sports don’t. (Seriously, did _anyone_ see the WNBA lasting this long?) From what I’ve seen of the first game, I have my doubts that this is going to succeed where so many have failed. Kickoffs are a total bore; one guy kicks to another guy who promptly gets buried. No team is going to have a top-quality college option offense, so the second forward pass doesn’t really help anyone. Where’s the fun? The excitement? The breath of fresh air? A bunch of low-tier college ball followed by one team running away with it and sitting out the clock? It could improve, but I’m not expecting much. Everyone involved can be grateful that Vinny Mac is committing his money to this. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/43 "2020-02-10T05:07:10Z")
I think it’ll be fun for 3-4 seasons but eventually die out. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/44 "2020-02-10T08:18:08Z")
I think it’s interesting that the XFL has Oliver Luck (Andrew’s dad) as CEO and commissioner. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/45 "2020-02-10T09:48:23Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Where did they recruit the referees from? During one of the games the announcer said they were college referees. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/46 "2020-02-10T12:47:18Z")
I’ve seen two games so far. They were actually good, competitive games without any showboating or gratuitous violence. They focused on football. The thing I absolutely LOVED was the fact that the games didn’t completely revolve around the officials and incessant flags. I also felt that they were much better than Arena Football games that were, in my opinion, glorified flag football games played in football uniforms. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/47 "2020-02-10T23:19:58Z")
[Wildcats have fired the Defensive Coordinator after one game](https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/xfl-dc-fired-after-one-game/ar-BBZR7Hn?ocid=msedgntp) > [@](#): > > “We recognize that there are issues we need to address for the 2020 season,” head coach Winston Moss said in a statement. “While these decisions are difficult, we have given this significant thought. We are here to put the best possible product on the field for our fans. We thank Pepper for his contributions to the Wildcats and we are looking forward to our home opener this weekend." I would like to see a reporter do a spit take after hearing drivel like this. You gave it significant thought??? You play ONE game and realize he’s not the guy for you, but you couldn’t make the decision a week ago? Does the guy who hired him get a kick to the head? THAT would be great TV. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/48 "2020-02-11T02:43:09Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > During one of the games the announcer said they were college referees. Mostly D1 guys, do like that they’ve gone with a woman on each crew (though I assume they had to reach deeper in the CFB ranks to hit that target). ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/49 "2020-02-11T13:59:47Z")
One thing I thought was notable was that the teams only got to have one practice in pads before playing a real game. So there may be a chance for overall improvement as players get some experience on the field. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/50 "2020-02-11T14:09:32Z")
One thing that I liked, and I think is a major improvement over how the NFL does things, is the live feed from the instant replay booth. Seeing and hearing the replay official walk through his process out loud was nice. Instead of the NFL black box process, which leads to “What the heck was he looking at?!” fan reactions, the XFL open look process made it crystal clear exactly what the replay official was looking at, and how and why he arrived at his decision. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/51 "2020-02-11T17:33:04Z")
> [@gdave](#): > > One thing that I liked, and I think is a major improvement over how the NFL does things, is the live feed from the instant replay booth. Seeing and hearing the replay official walk through his process out loud was nice. Instead of the NFL black box process, which leads to “What the heck was he looking at?!” fan reactions, the XFL open look process made it crystal clear exactly what the replay official was looking at, and how and why he arrived at his decision. I agree. I also liked the shorter play clock (25 seconds). I could do without the sideline interviews during the game. Let the players and coaches do their job, and not make it look like the whole event was just a made-for-TV drama fest. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/52 "2020-02-11T17:40:10Z")
I wish they had put teams in places like Portland, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, San Antonio, Austin, Des Moines, Sacramento, etc. though, rather than these existing NFL cities. It should be about expanding football to places that don’t have football yet. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/53 "2020-02-11T18:23:43Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I could do without the sideline interviews during the game. Let the players and coaches do their job, and not make it look like the whole event was just a made-for-TV drama fest. I disagree, I liked it, but everyone’s MMV. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/54 "2020-02-11T18:26:59Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I wish they had put teams in places like Portland, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, San Antonio, Austin, Des Moines, Sacramento, etc. though, rather than these existing NFL cities. It should be about expanding football to places that don’t have football yet. I can’t blame them though. It’s hard enough getting an upstart football league to succeed as it is, so you put teams where you know there is a strong market for football. I agree with your idea though. I think if this takes off (unlikely but who knows), maybe they can expand into those untapped markets. I agree that I’d be more excited about the Dragons if we didn’t already have the Seahawks. (Dragons have a cooler logo though.) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/55 "2020-02-11T18:49:19Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I feel like the XFL season starts too soon after the NFL season ends. After the Super Bowl, my first thought is not “I can’t wait to watch more football!” This is the equivalent of me just finishing a great steak dinner and someone tries to give me a Big Mac while I’m still sitting at a table. Yeah, I understand the reasoning - keep the momentum going, develop an audience without a lot of competition from other sports. But I still feel like waiting a month or two would have been better. Wait for people to start missing football, and then the drop in quality isn’t so important. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I could do without the sideline interviews during the game. Let the players and coaches do their job, and not make it look like the whole event was just a made-for-TV drama fest. I caught about 30 minutes of a game this weekend, and the interviews were cringe-worthy. I felt bad for the players and coaches having to come up with some answer when they were trying to focus on the game, and I felt bad for the interviewers having to interrupt people who didn’t want them around, then nod importantly as they got some bland, clichéd answer to a dumb question. [**Slate** was also not a fan of the interviews](https://slate.com/culture/2020/02/xfl-opening-weekend-decent-football-way-too-many-interviews.html). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/56 "2020-02-11T19:33:46Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I caught about 30 minutes of a game this weekend, and the interviews were cringe-worthy. I felt bad for the players and coaches having to come up with some answer when they were trying to focus on the game, and I felt bad for the interviewers having to interrupt people who didn’t want them around, then nod importantly as they got some bland, clichéd answer to a dumb question. The vast majority of interviews with athletes and coaches aren’t interesting to begin with, but they’re such a staple of sports coverage that broadcasters feel the need to do them, maybe in hopes of the rare interesting comment. Forced in-game interviews are even worse – as you say, the coaches and players are trying to focus on doing their jobs, and that shows. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/57 "2020-02-11T21:44:36Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > …maybe in hopes of the rare interesting comment… Well, to that end, it was kind of a success when the Dragons lineman commented “[we’re trying to get our fucking job done](https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/1226244859670999042)” on live TV. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/58 "2020-02-12T01:47:02Z")
I liked the games and I hope they are successful as a second division league, like soccer does around the world, and not try to compete with the NFL. About the rules: 1. Kickoff: Due to health/safety consideration, their format is a very good idea and I’m sure the NFL will implement something similar. 2. Punts: Not quite sure, but it’s a different flavor and not simply “kick it far” 3. One-foot catch: Definitely yes. Easier to judge and maybe safer. 4. Double-forward pass: The idea of making the half-back pass easier and not having to move further back than the QB is a good idea. 5. Shorter time between plays: Looks good but maybe it’s too tiring. 6. Two-minute: I like that we can avoid, mostly, the three-kneels to end the game. 7. Overtime: Really good idea. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/59 "2020-02-12T01:58:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The vast majority of interviews with athletes and coaches aren’t interesting to begin with, but they’re such a staple of sports coverage that broadcasters feel the need to do them, maybe in hopes of the rare interesting comment. Forced in-game interviews are even worse – as you say, the coaches and players are trying to focus on doing their jobs, and that shows. Indeed. In the traditional sports leagues it infuriates me and I just want to scream at the TV “LET THEM DO THEIR FUCKING JOBS AND PLAY.” It’s almost always all the same vapid questions and the same generic contentless answers. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171/60 "2020-02-15T21:40:21Z")
A couple of Native American friends are really enthused about rooting for a DC football team whose name isn’t a horrible racial slur. I’m also pleased that the Defenders don’t give off that aura of sour dysfunction that attaches to our regular NFL team. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-ready-for-xfl-football/844171.md?page=4)