The renegade who took on the NFL (and the NBA and the NHL)

[Mike in Horseheads]

This is a great story about the mid 70's football league that took on the NFL, the WFL. 

... It has gems like this...  Jacksonville owner Fran Monaco got into such dire financial straits that he borrowed $27,000 from his head coach, Bud Asher, to meet player payroll ... and then fired Asher without repaying the money.

... A bit long but good for a few laughs...  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33730117/the-renegade-took-nfl-nba-nhl

 

[PonyBoy]

There will never be stories like these again in pro sports...ever! Back in in age when owners truly took risks, sacrifice, shenanigans & built leagues. When stadium names honored people or veterans, not corporations to the highest bidder every few years. 

[Bob in STL]

The AFL stories are amazing and they succeeded in matching, if not surpassing, the NFL in 10 years.  
 

Similar but less successful - Both the ABA and WHA did a partial merge with the NBA and NHL, respectively, but this was part of the bigger leagues expansion to shut out competition and bring in some additional talent.  

[Mike in Horseheads]

2 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

The AFL stories are amazing and they succeeded in matching, if not surpassing, the NFL in 10 years.  
 

Similar but less successful - Both the ABA and WHA did a partial merge with the NBA and NHL, respectively, but this was part of the bigger leagues expansion to shut out competition and bring in some additional talent.  

ABA Nets were great. it cost them so much to get in because of the Knicks they traded Dr J for cash. I wish they had 1 season all together to see how they would have done in NBA

[billsfan89]

10 minutes ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

ABA Nets were great. it cost them so much to get in because of the Knicks they traded Dr J for cash. I wish they had 1 season all together to see how they would have done in NBA

 

The Nets had to pay the Knicks 3 million dollars as an expansion fee (considering they were eating into their market) they offered the Knicks Dr J straight up if they waived the fee. The Knicks took the money instead and well we all know how that worked out.

[Freddie's Dead]

The ABA in the mid-70's had a superior product to the NBA.  The NBA merged with them because they were on the brink of destruction before Magic and Bird saved the league forever.

[Mike in Horseheads]

2 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

The ABA in the mid-70's had a superior product to the NBA.  The NBA merged with them because they were on the brink of destruction before Magic and Bird saved the league forever.

Ya had to watch the NBA finals on delay at one point.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

12 hours ago, Freddie's Dead said:

The ABA in the mid-70's had a superior product to the NBA.  The NBA merged with them because they were on the brink of destruction before Magic and Bird saved the league forever.

1.  Three pointer.

2.  Red, white, and blue ball.

👍😁

Fight me. 😁

16 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

This is a great story about the mid 70's football league that took on the NFL, the WFL. 

... It has gems like this...  Jacksonville owner Fran Monaco got into such dire financial straits that he borrowed $27,000 from his head coach, Bud Asher, to meet player payroll ... and then fired Asher without repaying the money.

... A bit long but good for a few laughs...  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33730117/the-renegade-took-nfl-nba-nhl

 

What a heel.

Sounds like a RW move.

Ralph the owner was cheap.  Ralph the humanitarian and civic donor was a good man.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Ridgewaycynic2013
Typesetting. OCD sort here.

[CSBill]

12 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

This is a great story about the mid 70's football league that took on the NFL, the WFL. 

... It has gems like this...  Jacksonville owner Fran Monaco got into such dire financial straits that he borrowed $27,000 from his head coach, Bud Asher, to meet player payroll ... and then fired Asher without repaying the money.

... A bit long but good for a few laughs...  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33730117/the-renegade-took-nfl-nba-nhl

 

 
The Witness Protection guy = 🤣
 

A fun read. 

[BADOLBILZ]

14 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

This is a great story about the mid 70's football league that took on the NFL, the WFL. 

... It has gems like this...  Jacksonville owner Fran Monaco got into such dire financial straits that he borrowed $27,000 from his head coach, Bud Asher, to meet player payroll ... and then fired Asher without repaying the money.

... A bit long but good for a few laughs...  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33730117/the-renegade-took-nfl-nba-nhl

 

 

 

Best part of the story is the emphasis on how it killed the Dolphins early 70's dynasty. 

 

[Wheels Not So Golden Now]

Interesting side note. I recently read the book "Buffalo, Home of the Braves" by Tim Wendel which told the story of the NBA Buffalo Braves. Braves owner Paul Snyder was on the NBA committee that negotiated the merger with the ABA. It was at that those negotiations that Snyder met John Y. Brown. They became business partners and eventually Brown masterminded the movement that led to the dismantlement and demise of the Braves and their subsequent relocation to San Diego. If only.....

[TBBills]

Winning it all lakers on HBO Max is amazing.

[Mcdermott]

11 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

 

The Nets had to pay the Knicks 3 million dollars as an expansion fee (considering they were eating into their market) they offered the Knicks Dr J straight up if they waived the fee. The Knicks took the money instead and well we all know how that worked out.

The Braves also had a chance to acquire Dr. J but you know Snyder wasn’t paying. Two things that people around here don’t have a great appreciation of;

1) Before Bird and Magic the NBA was in trouble. As someone said, the Finals were on tape delay 

2) how good the Braves were, and how good they could have been. They were ahead of their time. At one point, for about 48 hours, they had McAdoo, Moses Malone, Adrian Dantley and Randy Smith.

One last thing, from a business standpoint, best ABA story is the deal the owners of The Spirit of St Louis made in return for not holding up merger.

[Wheels Not So Golden Now]

10 minutes ago, Mcdermott said:

The Braves also had a chance to acquire Dr. J but you know Snyder wasn’t paying. Two things that people around here don’t have a great appreciation of;

1) Before Bird and Magic the NBA was in trouble. As someone said, the Finals were on tape delay 

2) how good the Braves were, and how good they could have been. They were ahead of their time. At one point, for about 48 hours, they had McAdoo, Moses Malone, Adrian Dantley and Randy Smith.

One last thing, from a business standpoint, best ABA story is the deal the owners of The Spirit of St Louis made in return for not holding up merger.

1972-73 Rookie of the Year: Bob McAdoo; 1973-74 Rookie of the Year: Ernie D.; 1976-77 Rookie of the Year: Adrian Dantley. And let's not forget the coach i.e., the great Jack Ramsay who let Portland to the NBA championship the year after he left the Braves. "Buffalo, Home of the Braves" by Tim Wendel (grew up in Lockport) is definitely recommended reading for Buffalo sports fans.

[Mcdermott]

Just now, Wheels Not So Golden Now said:

1972-73 Rookie of the Year: Bob McAdoo; 1973-74 Rookie of the Year: Ernie D.; 1976-77 Rookie of the Year: Adrian Dantley. And let's not forget the coach i.e., the great Jack Ramsay who let Portland to the NBA championship the year after he left the Braves. "Buffalo, Home of the Braves" by Tim Wendel (grew up in Lockport) is definitely recommended reading for Buffalo sports fans.

Yep, they had the third or fourth best record in league in their 4th season. Unfortunately, the Celtics were in the same division. They were showtime before the Lakers. Second highest scoring team in league with youngest roster.

[Mr. WEO]

A great read.    But it's certainly true that Davidson's ABA and even the WHL were more influential and successful than the WFL, which far from "nearly bringing the NFL to its knees"  was a complete disaster.   It did provide colorful stories for those who can remeber it.

 

The original USFL was an actual threat to the NFL.

 

As with every other "pro" football league since, these fail because the owners, who are purchasing teams that have yet to accrue any intrinsic value, won't tolerate or can't afford the losses that ownership in such wildly speculative leagues have to absorb for a few years. 

 

Look no further than the last iteration of the XFL.  Despite getting spanked in it's first incarnation in 2001, Vince McMahon floated 250 million of his own capital to fund XFL2.  Many assumed there was no way he would risk his money if he wasn't in it for the long haul.  Some of us said there's no way he will take huge losses and hang in there for the first few seasons.  When the pandemic suspended all sports in March, the XFL had played only 5 games.   Instead of waiting it out and continuing the plan for a 2021 season, McMahon, the boldest of businessmen, no doubt looked at the pre pandemic 5 game TV ratings freefall and said "pull the plug, I'm out".

 

 

[Mike in Horseheads]

6 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

A great read.    But it's certainly true that Davidson's ABA and even the WHL were more influential and successful than the WFL, which far from "nearly bringing the NFL to its knees"  was a complete disaster.   It did provide colorful stories for those who can remeber it.

 

The original USFL was an actual threat to the NFL.

 

As with every other "pro" football league since, these fail because the owners, who are purchasing teams that have yet to accrue any intrinsic value, won't tolerate or can't afford the losses that ownership in such wildly speculative leagues have to absorb for a few years. 

 

Look no further than the last iteration of the XFL.  Despite getting spanked in it's first incarnation in 2001, Vince McMahon floated 250 million of his own capital to fund XFL2.  Many assumed there was no way he would risk his money if he wasn't in it for the long haul.  Some of us said there's no way he will take huge losses and hang in there for the first few seasons.  When the pandemic suspended all sports in March, the XFL had played only 5 games.   Instead of waiting it out and continuing the plan for a 2021 season, McMahon, the boldest of businessmen, no doubt looked at the pre pandemic 5 game TV ratings freefall and said "pull the plug, I'm out".

 

 

Original USFL could of survived if they stuck to their plan and stayed in the spring. Then a person who I won't name came along and spread visions of grandeur to move to the fall and we all know how that worked out.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Mike in Horseheads

[Mr. WEO]

14 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Original USFL could of survived if they stuck to their plan and stayed in the spring. Then a person who I won't name came along and spread visions of grandeur to move to the fall and we all know how that worked out.

 

Yeah, he hastened its death but Spring ball hasn't worked since either.  After the novelty of "new" rules and the general goofiness of it wears off, people realize they are watching football they have no allegiance to and don't care about.