19 years later

[XtremeFanForever]

I was probably a rare bread of fan back in 2001. I didn't care for the WWE (or F, whatever it was then). The crossover between that and the league was always my least favorite aspect of the XFL. Even as a teenage boy the cheerleaders didn't appeal to me either. To me the football was the best part of the league. Yeah it started out sloppy and some of the rules were misguided, but I liked how the at least tried to clean up some of the less appealing aspects of the NFL (even if it was done in the name of being "real" football).

But mostly I was a fan because of the Xtreme. The lack of an NFL team in southern California (besides the Chargers, who might as well have been in another state) made me an XFL fan, because I finally had a team I could cheer for. It was only one season, but what a season it was.

It won't be the same. From a purely nastolgic aspect that's disappointing but I realize it's for the best. The league has the right intentions this time. Frankly I'm more intrigued by these rules than I was for the 2001 rules. It also won't be the same because the Xtreme are long gone. It was a stupid name, but I still miss it.

But just like 2001, I'm excited to have a new team take the mantle as my favorite pro football team. This time it's not for lack of an NFL team, but for lack of the Xtreme. Even if the connection between the two teams is flimsy at best, I'm happy to have the Wildcats be Xtreme 2.0.

It won't be the same, but it's the closest to the same I've had in 19 years, and I'll ever have again.


Sorry this got overly sentimental, it's just remarkable the XFL is "back," even if in name only. I hope the BattleHawk fans can feel the same excitement I felt for my new team back in 2001.

Here we go...

[mcbrybry]

glad you’re happy. that old league seemed to gimmicky and ridiculous to me. the names, logos, marketing all felt like a gimmick. honestly if this XFL was anything like that one i wouldn’t be a fan.

huge fan of this XFL though. both games were fun and i’m hoping the wildcats can perform better next week.

[Tank55]

Honestly, the two XFLs have more in common than either version would like to admit. Today's DC crowd was clearly drunk, there were some huge hits (that kick returner in the second game was DEFINITELY concussed), f bombs being dropped on live TV...

Just goes to show what a difference professional marketing and media relations can make.

[steinerfhc]

While true, there wasn't stupid stuff like how the first XFL did the coin toss. They didn't have Announcers feuding with coaches. BIg focus on cheerleaders. Stuff that legit was taking away what was going on field. The quality in the two games where much better than the first games in the original. I recall the game play got better more mid the later part of the season.