XFL Can’t Tow the Line

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**Opinion Editorial**

The Alliance of American Football (AAF) will survive longer than the XFL.

A short time ago Vince McMahon walked into a room with the NFL owners and pleaded his case to buy an NFL franchise. Needless to say, it didn’t go well for the owner of WWE. After being turned down by this illustrious committee, Vince decided to brush the dust off his toys in the closet and restart the XFL.

Now, there has been a lot of talk about how it’s going to be different this time. Not quite as gimmicky and far more serious about being real football. There’s a problem with this notion.

There is already a new league up and running, which after one week has already produced good quality football, a league that has an affiliation with the NFL rather than trying to compete with it.

Here’s the catch. Linemen.

There are not enough talented linemen to populate one extra league, let alone two. The AAF even went so far as to limit the number of pass rushers to five due to the lack of lineman. And the AAF is affiliated with the NFL, not in competition with it.

So, Mr. McMahon, where are you going to find these linemen who play with NFL caliber? You’re not. Any spare linemen left over from the NFL preseason will be most likely sign with the AAF in the hope of chasing their dream of moving on to the NFL. As a matter of fact, any player holding out hope of playing in the NFL will definitely have an easier path through the AAF.

I get it, Vince. You created a monster of an industry with the WWE. You believe you had the right as all billionaires do to buy what you want and not be turned down. But you miscalculated the old boys club that is the NFL ownership.

Go ahead and restart your XFL. But please don’t try selling us on an angle you can’t produce. It will probably be a hoot to watch your gimmicks. But in the long run you’re just a billionaire throwing a fit ‘cause the big boys won’t let you play.

Written by Johnny Dean.

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