The XFL is off and running

This past weekend the XFL kicked off (a weird kickoff to say the least – but we’ll get to that later). Now comes the big question: Will it last or will it come crumbling down as fast as it began? Today we look into my feelings about the XFL.

Spring Football: Love

Let’s start with the core idea of the XFL, having a spring football league. I love the idea of having another football league other than the NFL. Now, I do know that there’s already arena football, but it really isn’t televised and the smaller field causes limitations in the rules and play-style.

The XFL though is played on a full-sized field with 11 players on each side. Even though rules have been altered a bit, it hasn’t been stripped down the way arena ball is. I was a big supporter of the AAF last year, so I was a bit disappointed when it went down. However, the XFL feels like a lot more solid spring league then the AAF.

The Teams: Love and hate

Let’s shift our talk to the teams. I have a love/hate relationship with the teams. What I love is the look and feel of the teams. The names are super ridiculous like some small leagues tend to do, and the colors and logos, in my eyes, seem to match each respective city.

What I don’t love about the teams is the choice in cities. Seven of the eight teams are located in cities that have NFL teams. I understand that financially it’s probably the best idea, but I’d like to see some other cities get a chance at a team. Columbus, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City are all cities that could easily support one of these XFL teams. This was the one way I think the AAF did a lot better than the XFL.

The Rules: Love, but if I could just change one thing…

Then, of course, there are the rules. One of the big draws of the XFL is their rule changes that are claimed to elevate the excitement of games. I appreciate what they are trying to do, and to my surprise, I love the rule changes (for the most part).

First and foremost, big tackles are back. I love that. I’m also a big fan of the new kickoff. It makes me feel like kickoff is a worthwhile part of the game. The double forward pass adds some excitement to the play calling. The extra point rules where there’s no kicking and you can go for one, two or three points is sure to add some interesting scenarios to the game, but it’s definitely the rule change I could go without.

The Media: Enjoy hanging out, but think we should just stay friends

I love that there is a unique way of announcing the games. On the field, in-game questions from guys like Pat Mcafee, that’s something I can get behind. The games as a whole also seem well announced and well shot which always helps. It never seemed like the AAF had this.

The only thing we’ll have to wait and see about is if the big-name media football talk shows give the XFL any attention. I’m not just talking about mentioning the XFL either, I’m talking about them analyzing and discussing in a similar way they do with the NFL or college football. If that got started, I think it would really help the longevity of the league.

The Players: Way better than my ex

The last part of the XFL I like is the players. These players seem pretty good. The AAF players didn’t seem as good, but the XFL games look like it’s a bunch of guys who know what they’re doing.

The part I love about these players, that is similar to that of the AAF, is that these players are playing with a lot of heart. They want to make that NFL dream. They’ve been dying to play some football. I don’t always feel that in the NFL.

Will the XFL make it? I think it’s too soon to tell. I can picture it only lasting a season, but I can also picture it folding by April. I guess we will just have to wait and see.