Show pmrrFwr 'f p r'FTrrii r rrrrrrrryiMmi"1 The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday February 6 2000 — Page 19 V' Violence and crime WWF owner Vince McMahon wants his own pro football league in the NFL cage NEW YORK (AP) — Peyton Manning Marshall Faulk Stone Cold Steve Austin? Yea says World Wrestling Federation BALTIMORE (AP) — The NFL used to spend most of the offseason pondering- such problems as the length of games the shifting of franchise es or the proper use of TV replay Now perhaps more than ever violence is troubling the league JTwo players are in jail on murder charges Many others have been charged with less- -' mastermind Vince McMahon who unveiled plans Thursday for his latest Yqn&mst unlikely) creation — the XFL a new pro football league set to open in - February 2001 No scripts No sideshows No reallv Expect the usual WWF marketing blitz to accompany die league’s launching But ' off-the-fi- don’t expect the same outrageous rehearsed antics that have propelled McMahon’s WWF to the top of the cable serious crimes this season television ratings “The WWF is 100 percent entertainment” McMahon said “But die XFL is 100 percent sports” So the outcomes will not be scripted? ' including assault burglary and weapons and drug possession: ’T ve been part of this league for 40 years arid I just can't ever remember so many cases of a criminal nature” Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson said “It’s getting out of hand” The cases have battered the image of a stuffy institution that sane derisively refer to as ‘The National Felony League” Following a Super Bowl party in Atlanta last Monday Baltimore Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis was arrested on murder charges in the stab- - “Nooo” said McMahon his eyes rolling skyward in die WWFs midtown Manhattan restaurant “Nooo” The league will run from February-Apr- il commencing right after the Super BowL Though they won’t compete head to head McMahon still lobbed several verbal grenades at die old guard of die NFL “Why football?” asked McMahon echoipg a question no doubt pondered from coast to coast “Some have suggested the NFL is the ‘No Fun League’ The XFL will be the extremely fun league This will be a blast” " ap photo Why football? McMahon offered another answer “I personally think that Drew Pearr n left former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver tosses a football in the air as Vince McMahon center chairman of the World Wre ing Federation and Michael F Keller former Dallas Cowboys linebacker looks on during a news conference in New figure skating sucks" It’s a new world for McMahon the York The VtfWF announced plana for an eight-teapro football league to be called the XFL that plans to kickoff next winter ' “sports entertainment” impresario who Pearson ip on the XFL advisory committee and Keter is the vice president of league operations converted professional wrestling from a McMahon said his league will succeed by pursuit into a low- brow dollar attracting the young viewers already tuned into the WWF along with the football fans But that was done with script writers Bowl withdrawal suffering The World Wrestling Federation announced the He also promised innovative television covand characters such as formation of the XFL - an “extreme" professional Hulk Hogan and Mankind and phony erage from helmet cameras to sideline and foolbal league to begin play in Feb 2001 locker room access feuds and bogus friendships But don’t expect to see wrestlers like Triple Here’s the reality of the XFL: McMahon Where they'll play H and the Undertaker in pads and cleats: said the start-u-p costs for the eight-teaVenue City league will run him “somewhere south of “Their interest inthe XFL will be as fans” Los LA Coliseum Angeles ' $100 million ’’ There will be teams in McMahon promised Miami Orange Bowl A reverse cross-ovNew York Miami Orlando Washington with football players Fla Orlando Citrus Bowl Los Angeles and San Francisco with two climbing into the ring could happen McMahon Francisco San 3Com Park more teams to be announced said That's old hat for McMahon who paid RFK Stadium Washington Cowboys star Drew Pearson Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor a York New XI the comis on Negotiating for a license reported $500000 to appear at Wrestlemania league’s football advisory — a spectacle unseen since Wrestlemania X (TWo more dliM wi be announced in the next 60 days) g mittee and broadcast executive Michael Weisman is McMahon said his league would feature n e Inaugural season consists of 10 l) games smashmouth football: “This will not be a working on its television team Eight teams in two divisions compete for four playoff spots There’s no immediate word on a televileague for panty waists or sissies” Toward e Winners meet for a league championship at a neutral site sion contract although negotiations are that goal players on winning teams will Subtle NFL rale changes are meant to enhance speed and action continuing league executives said receive bigger paychecks than the losers e Teams will have rosters consisting of free agents players ‘That’s really the Americaivwayv” said McMahon boldly predicted the ieague cut from other teams end those from college and other leagues r ' could tnnj a profit within three years e Contracts will give players a basesalary plus incentive bonuses Despite McMahon's confidence 'there are History doesn’t support that view dependant on performance Investors in the USFL and the WFL and many XFL skeptics from Wall Street expats e Average ticket prices wM range from $22 to $25 assorted other ’FLs have long since taken who questioned its affect on WWF stock to their balls and gone home APSouks WWF Entortammont Inc people in the marketing business bings of two men outside a nightclub Earlier this season Carolina wide receiver Rae Camith was arrested on murder charges in m low-bro- w the shooting of his pregnant ' ' girlfriend - While such charges against two players in the same season ed multi-milli- ed busi-ne- ss on New kid on the block were ld bigger-than-li- fe tures on personal conduct throughout the season m The recent cases however highlight what seems to be a '' trend er ' Ex-Dall- as 13-ti- Emmy-winnin- regular-seaso- 40-ma- the unprecedented league has always had to deal with violence arid crime' In fact all NFL teams already offer a series of lec- post-Sup- er - ' (Feb-Apri- n NFL commissioner' Paul Tagliabue acknowledged the problem two days before the Super Bowl but added “We ean’t predict what NFL players will do any more than we can predict students shooting other students or workers shooting fellow workers" Athletes however receive much more money1 rund- dula-tio- n than the average' student ' - ‘ - While a ofmailman football stars the majori-t- y cope well in such an environment others dona - 4 University of Utah : VS at The Dee Glen Smith Spectrum o RESERVED oStagGHa? O tMMJss GENERALWADMlSSlOn "Hwralri frnimal Bridgerland's Daily Newspaper Clip this coupon and bring it to the USU ticket office for the Herald Journal Family Night Special (Must present coupon at time of ticket purchase) I UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UTES VS USU AGGIES l 1 J or 1 For more irrfbrmaiion call USU ticket office 797-030Good for February 7 2000 Only Not good with any other offer Good while supplies last 5 88-USTATE J jUhMUUMUUUUUMAMMAMAAMt |