XFL Week 3

[justgladtobehere]

Houston Roughnecks at Tampa Bay Vipers

• Odds: Roughnecks -5.5
• Over/Under: 47
• Time: 2 p.m. ET on Saturday
• TV Channel: ABC

Dallas Renegades at Seattle Dragons

• Odds: Renegades -4.5
• Over/Under: 44.5
• Time: 5 p.m. ET on Saturday
• TV Channel: FOX

New York Guardians at St. Louis BattleHawks

• Odds: BattleHawks -7.5
• Over/Under: 42
• Time: 3 p.m. ET on Sunday
• TV Channel: ESPN

DC Defenders at Los Angeles Wildcats

• Odds: Defenders -7
• Over/Under: 45.5
• Time: 6 p.m. ET on Sunday
• TV Channel: FS1

XFL totals have gone under at a 6-2 rate through the first two weeks of action, and sportsbooks continue to adjust their over/unders.

 

[swingline]

I saw about three minutes of one of the games last weekend. Dudes were slow, and QBs were only slightly more accurate than I would be.

Pass.

I’ll wait for the real games to start in the fall.

 

[spikechiquet]

I saw about three minutes of one of the games last weekend. Dudes were slow, and QBs were only slightly more accurate than I would be.

Pass.

I’ll wait for the real games to start in the fall.

Ohhh, #HotTake. Thanks ... scortching!

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Ohhh, #HotTake. Thanks ... scortching!

Are you disagreeing with what he said? Pretty dead-on. I've seen three games that ranged from barely watchable to hot garbage.

 

[jackfinarelli]

XFL 2.0 is minor league football; they know it; just about everyone knows it. Expecting it to compare to major league football is a guaranteed path to disappointment.

If you can enjoy a minor league baseball game at the AA level, you should be able to find a way to enjoy XFL 2.0. If you can only enjoy the very best, nothing that XFL 2.0 can possibly do will satisfy you.

 

[Batman]

I'll admit that it's been easily digestible background noise in my house the first two weekends. That counts for something.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

XFL 2.0 is minor league football; they know it; just about everyone knows it. Expecting it to compare to major league football is a guaranteed path to disappointment.

If you can enjoy a minor league baseball game at the AA level, you should be able to find a way to enjoy XFL 2.0. If you can only enjoy the very best, nothing that XFL 2.0 can possibly do will satisfy you.

I love minor league baseball. Used to go to single A short season games all the time. It's about as low level as you get and it was a blast.

I think minor league hockey is more fun to watch than the NHL.

The XFL is ponderous, man. A ton of bells and whistles showcasing a game between guys who can't play worth a damn and are gonna be back driving the UPS van in a few weeks. The broadcasts make it feel like made-for-TV "American Gladiators" bull****. At least minor leagues have some small time charm. This is just big money corporate mediocrity.

 

[CD Boogie]

I love minor league baseball. Used to go to single A short season games all the time. It's about as low level as you get and it was a blast.

I think minor league hockey is more fun to watch than the NHL.

The XFL is ponderous, man. A ton of bells and whistles showcasing a game between guys who can't play worth a damn and are gonna be back driving the UPS van in a few weeks. The broadcasts make it feel like made-for-TV "American Gladiators" bull****. At least minor leagues have some small time charm. This is just big money corporate mediocrity.

That’s a little unfair. A lot of these guys played in the big 5 conferences. The fact they are gonna be back at UPS is what makes them play that much harder. A $2k bonus for winning a game actually means something to them. I like the access the game gives to the play calling. I watched both games the first Saturday and was pleasantly surprised. Beats watching hockey or mid tier college hoops, which are the alternatives right now.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

That’s a little unfair. A lot of these guys played in the big 5 conferences. The fact they are gonna be back at UPS is what makes them play that much harder. A $2k bonus for winning a game actually means something to them. I like the access the game gives to the play calling. I watched both games the first Saturday and was pleasantly surprised. Beats watching hockey or mid tier college hoops, which are the alternatives right now.

And I would counter that watching mediocre players play hard just isn't that entertaining. And the play calling isn't nearly as interesting as I thought it would be.

I totally agree that the lack of competition helps. If my choice is watching Matt McGloin throw the ball into the turf or watch college basketball, I'm probably going with McGloin.

 

[Batman]

I like the access the game gives to the play calling.

One thing I am wondering is how long it takes for the XFL's first cheating scandal to unfold from that access. Surely some team will have someone watching the game on TV and figure out a way to quickly relay an opponent's play calls to their guys on the field. If coaches guard their mouths so they can't have their lips read, then actual crystal clear audio of a play call would be an asset, right?

 

[Neutral Corner]

But that would be cheating. They wouldn't do that.

 

[HanSenSE]

But that would be cheating. They wouldn't do that.

Only with drums [/crossthread]

 

[Cosmo]

That’s a little unfair. A lot of these guys played in the big 5 conferences. The fact they are gonna be back at UPS is what makes them play that much harder. A $2k bonus for winning a game actually means something to them. I like the access the game gives to the play calling. I watched both games the first Saturday and was pleasantly surprised. Beats watching hockey or mid tier college hoops, which are the alternatives right now.

LOFL

 

[CD Boogie]

LOFL

Well on TV anyway. Nothing beats watching hockey in person but I don’t live anywhere near pro hockey. Hockey on TV never clicked for me.

 

[Cosmo]

Fair enough.

 

[spikechiquet]

One thing I am wondering is how long it takes for the XFL's first cheating scandal to unfold from that access. Surely some team will have someone watching the game on TV and figure out a way to quickly relay an opponent's play calls to their guys on the field. If coaches guard their mouths so they can't have their lips read, then actual crystal clear audio of a play call would be an asset, right?

I guess there is a severe delay from the live play and the game being broadcast, which helps take this out of play.

 

[spikechiquet]

Are you disagreeing with what he said? Pretty dead-on. I've seen three games that ranged from barely watchable to hot garbage.

Unless Swingline and the XFL starters get into a throwing competition, I'll just leave that as hyperbole.
Like Batman pointed out ... it's something to watch. I'm not in love with it, but it's cold here in NW Ohio and I have been able to just flip it on, play cards with the kiddo and enjoy the new rules. The play is a little less than OK, but it's also only been 2 weeks. Just like pre-season NFL, defenses usually have the upper hand as offenses find a rhythm early on. I'm sure the wheat will separate from the chaff at some point.
If you compare it to the NFL, you're already doing it a disservice. If you watch it for what it is ... then it's fine.
But I also like to watch trainwrecks in real time, so maybe it's just me! LOL
That said, the live playcalling is dumb. It's like listening to someone speak Latin. About the only color commentator that has been good at understanding the play calls a bit is Gregg Olson and he's been just OK with that as well.

 

[Batman]

Unless Swingline and the XFL starters get into a throwing competition, I'll just leave that as hyperbole.
Like Batman pointed out ... it's something to watch. I'm not in love with it, but it's cold here in NW Ohio and I have been able to just flip it on, play cards with the kiddo and enjoy the new rules. The play is a little less than OK, but it's also only been 2 weeks. Just like pre-season NFL, defenses usually have the upper hand as offenses find a rhythm early on. I'm sure the wheat will separate from the chaff at some point.
If you compare it to the NFL, you're already doing it a disservice. If you watch it for what it is ... then it's fine.
But I also like to watch trainwrecks in real time, so maybe it's just me! LOL
That said, the live playcalling is dumb. It's like listening to someone speak Latin. About the only color commentator that has been good at understanding the play calls a bit is Gregg Olson and he's been just OK with that as well.

Maybe that's one of the things they move away from as they see what works and what doesn't with the broadcast. Same with the in-game interviews. The ones after a guy makes a good play are pretty good, but the ones after a bad play have just been awkward and painful.
I have enjoyed that players seem to be pretty loose and having fun, for the most part. The postgame interview with Landry Jones on Sunday (I think it was Pat MacAfee that did it, which might have helped), when he was giving an honest assessment that he played like crap but was happy to just be playing football again was great.

 

[poindexter]

I had one game in the background this weekend and we had some friends over, and not watching the game.

As I would walk back and forth and catch snippets, I swear it was 90% "access-driven". Interview on the sidelines. Interviews of coaches. Some guy in the locker room at halftime.

I don't really need that much inside access.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Looks like TV viewership dropped by about 1 million per game from the first week to the second. This week may determine the league's actual viability.