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https://theathletic.com/2309322/2021/01 ... e-earlier/ (subscription required)

McMahon is seeking more than $500,000. Among the news nuggets:

-More on the Antonio Callaway situation, with Vipers HC Marc Trestman disputing Luck's version of events;
-Luck continuing to consider players with backgrounds McMahon did not approve, including Johnny Manziel (texts by Luck contend he was just milking the Manziel news to keep the XFL in the headlines);
-McMahon considered firing Luck before the season even began;
-In the countersuit, Jeffrey Pollack filed a declaration supporting McMahon

Here's a USA Today article on it:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/x ... 596121002/

The countersuit lays out other instances of Luck pursuing players with previous blemishes on their record, naming former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant (who had been suspended for the 2016 NFL season for also violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy) and a player referred to as “Player A,” who had been banned from the university where his XFL team was practicing due to a sexual assault charge.

Yikes! Probably wouldn't take much sleuthing to connect those dots. I think the only team to practice at a university that also has a football team was the Roughnecks at UH. How many players could be banned from the campus of a school that once employed Art Briles?

After learning of reports that the XFL would consider signing Manziel, McMahon texted Luck “How long R U going to play this game Oliver? U know there is NO CHANCE IN HELL for Manziel to play for us. I will not change my mind. So what’s Ur plan??”

Admitting it was a headlines ploy, Luck responded: “Vince – we have no intention of signing him, none whatsoever. We’re just milking the story to stay in the news. I’m happy to categorically rule him out but both Jeffrey and I think it is worthwhile to milk it until the showcases are finished (July 12). At that point we can say he doesn’t fit into our plans.”

Gotta be honest -- this was pretty shortsighted and amateurish of Luck. The Manziel speculation, IMO, wasn't helpful.

Vince doesn't sound like a lot of laughs to work for though. It is pretty funny that he includes "NO CHANCE IN HELL" in his texts. Probably has a hot key programmed for it.

I have been told by more than one inside source that there is more to the story of the rift between Luck and McMahon, and that it would all come out eventually. Lawsuits will always delay the details and that is why these things are not talked about.

It’s hard for most XFL fans to hear about these disagreements between the Luck and McMahon, especially when Luck was one of the most beloved figures of XFL 2020. My personal opinion is that Luck became the face of the XFL, where McMahon was forced to remain in the shadows. Despite the fact that this was done by design, it was something McMahon really didn’t like. Luck got all the glory, McMahon didn’t.

I expect that if we hear more from Luck on these matters, additional truths will emerge.

XFL fans still love Oliver Luck. IMHO McMahon can suck on that.

MarkNelson wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 12:31 am I have been told by more than one inside source that there is more to the story of the rift between Luck and McMahon, and that it would all come out eventually. Lawsuits will always delay the details and that is why these things are not talked about.

It’s hard for most XFL fans to hear about these disagreements between the Luck and McMahon, especially when Luck was one of the most beloved figures of XFL 2020. My personal opinion is that Luck became the face of the XFL, where McMahon was forced to remain in the shadows. Despite the fact that this was done by design, it was something McMahon really didn’t like. Luck got all the glory, McMahon didn’t.

I expect that if we hear more from Luck on these matters, additional truths will emerge.

XFL fans still love Oliver Luck. IMHO McMahon can suck on that.

VINMANBAD!!!!!!!!
VINMANBAD!!!!!!!!
VINMANBAD!!!!!!!!
VINMANBAD!!!!!!!!

Cause you know if two sides make their case the "good guy" always has to have a second shot at it

I suspected something was up with Luck when he did that interview in Seattle and he started talking about league intervention. Hell most of the board did the same the week after Andrew retired and Pa was all like he had died or something (granted that kidney laceration was pretty nasty, but that was in 2015, do your damn job in 19).

MGB01 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 2:43 amI suspected something was up with Luck when he did that interview in Seattle and he started talking about league intervention.

I don't remember this -- what happened?

MarkNelson wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 12:31 am I have been told by more than one inside source that there is more to the story of the rift between Luck and McMahon, and that it would all come out eventually. Lawsuits will always delay the details and that is why these things are not talked about.

It’s hard for most XFL fans to hear about these disagreements between the Luck and McMahon, especially when Luck was one of the most beloved figures of XFL 2020. My personal opinion is that Luck became the face of the XFL, where McMahon was forced to remain in the shadows. Despite the fact that this was done by design, it was something McMahon really didn’t like. Luck got all the glory, McMahon didn’t.

I expect that if we hear more from Luck on these matters, additional truths will emerge.

XFL fans still love Oliver Luck. IMHO McMahon can suck on that.

Anyone with a job knows there's always BS and tensions especially between high profile guys.

There was a 5 game season, Luck is in the rearview as is VM. Especially after the yr we had with covid - XFL feels like 2 yrs ago. I mean like them for what they did but its more about history and the interest we have with it.

But itts about what happens net and its very silent there.

4th&long wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 11:16 pm

But itts about what happens net and its very silent there.

It's like the XFL Tweeted this reply out yesterday just to tweak 4th&long

https://twitter.com/XFL2022/status/1348703993103601666

Back in the news (sort of) as Ollie is now a candidate to replace Larry Scott:

https://www.si.com/college/westvirginia ... mmissioner

His going off the rails (Manziel, ideas about league intervention) aside, the TV deal he got was great for what it was. Just in time for the end of the current Pac 12 TV contract, and a big gaping SEC-sized hole on CBS coming up--with some underlap.

Scott's problem was that he over-emphasized non-revenue sports (I guess understandable in the realm that they make up the majority of the Pac 12's championships, they've only won eight in the big three in three decades), in which case an FCS conference would be better suited for him. That and of the conference networks, the P12 is the only go-it alone model.

While the Big 12 is the only P5 conf that doesn't have their own, I gotta think Luck would be thrilled to get the chance to build up the P12 network properly. That and the P12 could end up with a joint CBS/FOX deal like the Mountain West has.

Sportico has a new story on the Luck/McMahon spat: https://www.sportico.com/law/analysis/2 ... 234621679/

Nothing new news-wise, though apparently Luck's team made a filing on January 25th in response to McMahon's accusations that I haven't seen reported anywhere. The story is more of a legal analysis of what Luck and his lawyers could argue in response to the countersuit by McMahon.

Eight months?

Yeah I guess if Ollie wants the P12 job it'd kind of be in his best interest to settle, cause coming off Scott to a party in an active lawsuit isn't the best look here.

Again, landing the TV deal he did (sure there weren't any rights fees, show of how many startups/restarts normally have any) is his biggest plus, the longer this goes on the less visible that becomes and it flips to 'he just up and left when all broke loose', true or not.