Showing posts with label Failed Pro Football Leagues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Failed Pro Football Leagues. Show all posts
Thursday, February 2, 2017
This Was The XFL - Review
What the XFL needs to be most remembered for is innovation in filming and the "Hard Knocks" style of reality sports TV. The football was less straight garbage juice
"This Was This XFL" as a 30 for 30 feature is well done, you're beaten over the head with the chronological progress of the league and the big picture is right in front of you. The league was brought together in essentially 60 weeks from business plan to launch, that is incredible. It's clear though that the on field product suffered greatly because of that. I wonder how the leagues fortune would have turned if there was a more drawn out and orderly development. Play would have improved if the timeline was two years with a fall mini-camp before launch almost assuredly.
NBC wanting to get back into football in a big way was just desperate for the live sports content, and Vince was just doing what he does best and promised a spectacle. Bob Costas is a jerk, but he was totally in the right not wanting to be associated with that.
As far as 30 for 30's go, I don't think this ranks as one of the best but it is miles ahead of the low point (The U sequel) and firmly middle of the pack.
30 For 30: This Was The XFL
Tonight, at 9 pm the debut of this masterpiece.
There is quite a lengthy list of failed football leagues that challenged the NFL, few of them as interesting or as innovative as the XFL. I've avoided the reviews on this as to not not tint my perception on the 30 for 30. I basically vividly remember thinking how cool the skycam feature was and how the football hits were absolutely brutal. I only remember three players from the league and two of them worked their way back to the NFL as result of the XFL (Maddox and Smart) and the other is now the head coach for Purdue (Brohm)
I'm fascinated with the failed NFL challengers, and during the coming off season you'll occasionally see posts on them, but tonight i'm looking forward to revisiting this childhood trainwreck, I think you should watch too.
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