Loading ...Huyghue: Vick, Six Teams, A Salary Cap
(Discuss this article in the forums.)Peter King of Sports Illustrated managed to break in the media blockade of the United Football League just by catching Commissioner Michael Huyghue at Panthers training camp the other day. And Michael shared a good bit of news - potentially driving the media consultants nuts.But let’s have at it, according to King:
Huyghue said there will be six teams: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Orlando, New York and Hartford. Yes, Mark Cuban will be one of the owners as, apparently, will be the Wilpon group of New York.
The New York team, interestingly, will play at the new Citi Field, home of the Mets. …. Hartford. Hmmm. Not an optimum site; the team will play in East Hartford, at the UConn football stadium.
We at UFLA have in the past reported on Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, and New York. San Francisco appeared in the Salt Lake City article and Hartford has long been rumored. So it is big news that those last two have been confirmed. Additionally, Cuban is still on board and the Wilpon group is, apparently, confirmed as an ownership group. If those are the quality of the other ownership groups then everything we’ve been reporting all along and what Michael and others involved with the effort have said from day one will hold true. And King also reported on the Vick possibility that has long been spoken of:
The big news, I suppose, from my talk with Huyghue was this: He said the chances of a UFL team signing Michael Vick to play the 2009 season are “98 percent”.
The $20,000,000 salary cap has long been spoken of in the media, but the coaching staff cap is new. I reported a while back on the head coach salary range but this is further validation that number has not changed. The contract years are new information as well.
Vick would likely be able to recoup some of the money he lost while in jail. The UFL will have a per-team salary cap of $20 million, with most quarterbacks making between $1 million and $4 million a year. The coaching staffs will be capped at $3 million, with head coaches making in the range of $1.5 million.
[….]
Huyghue said the league will sign players to contracts of one year plus an option, or two years.
I had wondered about Huyghue’s reception at NFL events. It seems as if, at least according to him, he has been well received. I wonder, as King writes at the end of his article, if this might end up being quite a mistake on the part of the NFL owners. I think they have grown complacent and don’t worry about rivals as much as they ought to at this juncture.King had an interesting conversation with Brett Basanez, the third string quarterback for the Carolina Panthers:
After practice, I [King ] approached Basanez.
“Ever heard of the United Football League?” I asked.
“No,” he said.
“Well, they’re here scouting you today,” I said.
He was confused, so I explained the parameters of the new league.
“Hey, sounds great,” Basanez said. “I’m interested.”
King also mentions that Mushin Muhammad, WR, said the UFL might turn into a refuge for NFL players if a lockout occurs. This is exciting news because it means the UFL is on the radar of the players at this point - as well as the media!This is the first piercing of the media blockade that the UFL has brought forward in recent months. The blockade, while probably wise for a start up, hasn’t been fun for us folks trying to track down new information. But we found out that they have six teams confirmed - one new on the radar and then San Francisco. We found out that the big money Wilpon Group is now involved as well. Between that and the contract years, as well as the first public mention of Vick by Huyghue, Peter King managed to bring us a load of new information. Click below for the full story.Source: SI.com
Nation Hahn @ August 10, 2008
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[…] League, told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King that the league will begin play with six teams, including a team in Hartford. The Hartford squad will reportedly play at Rentschler Field, home of the UConn Huskies. The […]
Mick Vick would be a star attraction for the United Football league. He is an excellent and exciting player. He is a star attraction among those who love him and those who profess to hate him.
The NFL football league did not support Michael Vick. I hope they will allow him to play with the United Football League. I guarantee you if Michael Vick plays with the United Football League he will play with a vengeance. He will seek to demonstrate that he is still an excellent quarterback. He has something to prove.
To the United Football League League, I say take advantage of the situation. People who were unfamiliar with the United Football League are now monitoring the league now that they know there is a possibly that Michael Vick will play with the league. I will observe to see if the NFL will allow Michael Vick to play with the United Football League. Michael Vick is one of their star attractions whether on the field or sitting in prison.