Clear winner of the XFL's debut (part 2, electric boogaloo) weekend: Pat McAfee. Guy is an electric factory. He was the top punter in the NFL for a long time, highest paid punter in the league in fact, and then just up and retired to start a blogging/podcasting/broadcasting empire. He's been at Barstool, WWE, and now the XFL. Charisma just oozing out of his pores. Might put a retainer on him on Cameo to give me a pump up speech before the morning show on days when I need that extra shot of adrenaline that my PBR Iced Coffee doesn't give me.
Aside from McAfee, I thought the XFL had a solid, fun weekend. Was it great football? No. But it was also the first weekend, and week 1 in the NFL isn't exactly the most entertaining weekend of all time either. Players are still getting used to a new scheme, a new league, etc. I expect the games to get better in the coming weeks.
That said, a few things I liked about the game/presentation:
1. The XFL is doing what the NFL needs to do: Embrace gambling! Love that the line and the over/under on total points is on the screen at all times. What I think they need to incorporate, is a percentage chance that a particular line covers. Call it a 'hedge' percentage. I watched most of the St. Louis/Dallas game last night, and the over/under was 52.5 total points. It was clear that wasn't going to hit by the 2nd quarter, but a 'percentage chance' meter would be interesting to watch. Gambling is going to be legal in all states sooner rather than later, may as well warp your arms around what generated interest in sports from the beginning.
2. I am HERE for a 25 second playclock. The pace of the game is so much better. Wrap up one play, get ready for another almost immediately. It had a Madden video game pace. Granted: The Packers would probably never run a play with a 25 second clock. They'd just delay of game themselves into oblivion. But as soon as I saw, '25,' on the playclock, I knew I was going to like it.
3. Love the setup for kickoffs. The NFL needs to adopt that yesterday. Either that or just eradicate kickoffs in the NFL entirely.
4. I don't think the NFL will ever get on board with the 1, 2, or 3 point conversions instead of an extra point, but it does make the game more entertaining. You get 1 point if you get back into the endzone from the 2 yard line, 2 points if you get in from the 5 yard line, and 3 if you convert from the 10 yard line. Conceivably you could rack up 9 total points on every touchdown.
5. This guy:
Love the title of this video, 'XFL Cheese Guy.' Don't want, need this guy hammering Kraft singles at every game for the rest of the season.
Overall, I'd say weekend #1 was a success. I'd put the quality of play somewhere in there with a lower tier college game, but that should improve. Plus, a bunch of guys in my office started an XFL team pool. We all threw some fun coupons into a pot, randomly picked teams, whatever team wins the title, that person wins the pot. I got the Dallas Renegades. Tough game yesterday, but Landry Jones will be back for week 2, and they are the favorites to win the league. I knew I was getting more invested in them when they were down late yesterday, and started giving up big chunks of yards on the ground to St. Louis. I said out-loud, 'can we make a tackle please??' That's how you know you're getting emotionally invested.
PS: I will never do an XFL blog without including this video. Not now, not ever:
