February 1982

It is reported that a prominent New Orleans businessman, David Dixon, is in the process of starting a new spring football league. The official announcement won't come for another few weeks, but local businessmen A. E. "Pee Wee" Burgess and Bill Kelce have heard that Birmingham would probably be an expansion franchise in the coming years. Burgess and Kelce were backers of the World Football League's Birmingham Americans in 1974 and the Birmingham Vulcans in 1975.

Dixon, the prime pusher to build the New Orleans Superdome, said the new league would play from February until June. The proposed league wouldn't bid for current National Football League players, but will try to sign players not interested in the NFL or those that have been cut by the league. Unofficial word is that the new league will be made up of cities where the NFL already have teams. Each franchise will have territorial rights to players in certain states. 

Burgess said he nor Kelce had attended any organizational meetings for the new league. "We're just listening. We're still interested in our city having pro football if it wants it. We're still interested in an NFL franchise. We haven't heard much about that lately. From what I've heard, however, there are some people who have the financing to take the licking, which is likely to happen the first couple of years. I've also heard that big TV is excited about the prospects of a new football league at that time of year. Let me say again, my main interest in this matter, and Bill's too, has been to keep open or establish, lines of communications with professional football people for Birmingham. I just don't want us to get shut out if it looks like it's a good thing for Birmingham," Burgess said.

May 1982

A press conference is held in New York announcing the formation of the United States Football League. The twelve team league is scheduled to begin play in the spring of 1983. Their season will run from March through June, with each team playing twenty games. Playoffs will begin in late June with the championship game being played on July 4th. Peter Spivak, acting Chairman of the league, made the announcement.

Marvin Warner, born and reared in Birmingham but currently a resident of Cincinnati, will be the principal owner of the unnamed team. Warner is a one-time U.S. ambassador to Switzerland. He is also a graduate of the University of Alabama. Previously, he has owned ten percent of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees and forty-eight percent of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The other franchise locations will be Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Washington (DC), San Francisco, San Diego and Tampa Bay. Each franchise has posted an irrevocable $1.5 million letter of credit. USFL founder Dave Dixon will own the Chicago franchise. Judge Spivak will be a co-owner of the Detroit franchise. John Bassett, Jr., former owner of the World Hockey League's Birmingham Bulls will own the Tampa Bay franchise. 

A permanent league commissioner will be named with a few days. No television contract has been signed, but negotiations are underway with several networks. A player draft is tentatively scheduled for January. The new league will use a system of territorial rights for colleges close to each franchise to ensure local talent is fully utilized. 

A search for the team's head coach has already begun. The team has already requested use of Legion Field for March through July dates from 1983 to 1985, and it is uncertain if any games will conflict with the Alabama Magic, a new team in the American Football Association that is scheduled to play in May through July of 1983.

In late 1981, USFL founder Dixon wrote a potential Birmingham franchise investor saying he was sold on Birmingham's market potential. "Birmingham could be a great franchise city, assuming there is no adverse residual effect from WFL days. Frankly, there will be a negative initial impact - for about ten minutes. No fair-minded media person could make a USFL-WFL comparison. There is such a night and day difference. All our owners are heavyweights, we shall be in all the major markets, first rate stadiums everywhere, big name coaches at all locations," Dixon wrote.

On placing the team in Birmingham, Warner said, "Originally, I was thinking of Washington, DC, but when "Bear" Bryant didn't discourage me from coming into his territory, I settled on Birmingham."

Warner also said he had tentatively decided on naming the team the Birmingham Knights because, "It's easily symbolized. Or, we might even run a contest to name the team."

Rumors are strong that a few months ago the USFL founders had offered NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle a certified check for $5 million for a four year contract as well as the promise of a future expansion franchise if he were to defect to the USFL. 

Rozelle declined the offer.

June 1982

When asked about coaching candidates, Stallions General Manager Jim Gould named Florida State University's Bobby Bowden, NFL Dallas Cowboys assistant Gene Stallings, CFL Calgary Stampeders Head Coach Jack Gotta and CBS analyst Hank Stram. Gotta was the head coach of the World Football League's Birmingham Americans in 1974.

Stallions owner Marvin Warner said that Ft. Lauderdale, Cincinnati and Washington, DC were his first choices for placement of his franchise but they were all eliminated for various reasons. 

"We just want to talk. I won't be offering him a contract," Gould said of the meeting.

Gould responded by saying, "To tell you the truth, Jack and I has some friction. And communication is so important for me. I know a lot of people are high on Jack, but I think Jack hurt himself a little bit with the WFL. And he's in Canada now. I think Gene (Stallings), with ten years with the Dallas Cowboys, gives me a little more security. I didn't have that sense of security with that man (Gotta). We're really looking for a man with NFL ties."

July 1982

An announcement is made that the Stallions and Stallings had essentially reached terms that would make him the head coach. Stallings met with Warner last night at the owner's horse farm twenty miles outside of Cincinnati and if an agreement is reached soon, Stallings could be officially announced as early as next week.

"The ingredients of a (financial) package were put together. Under no circumstances has a bargain already been reached. It was not a big, elaborate negotiation. It was more like a five minute discussion. We didn't formally ask, 'Are you interested in coming here for this amount of dollars to coach the Birmingham team?' We asked him, 'What range do you feel is proper? Tell me if you're interested in leaving Dallas and this is what I need,'" Gould said.

Stallings currently makes around $75,000 per year with the Cowboys and reportedly asked the Stallions for a multi-year contract worth $150,000 per year plus an incentive to sign.

Stallings turns down the Stallions head coach position. His main reason was that he had previously made a verbal commitment to the Cowboys. "I've been getting paid the last few months, even though I don't have a contract in writing. I'm sure (Cowboys Head Coach) Tom Landry and (Cowboys President) Tex Schramm would have let me out of that agreement. It would have been no problem legally at all. But I really got to thinking about it. It boiled down to, 'Do I want to do what I think is right?' or 'Do I want to do what I don't think is right?' I wanted to accept the job. I just didn't think it was right. This might seem old-fashioned, but I've taught my children that a commitment means not waiting until something better comes along. I couldn't teach them one thing and do something different," Stallings said.

Landry wasn't surprised by Stallings decision or his reasons. "You have to understand Gene Stallings. He's a great man of principal. If he says he's going to do something, he'll do it, even if it costs him something, like it did in this case," Landry said. Stallings even went to Landry for advise. "I gave him an honest appraisal. I'm not going to say what it was," Landry said.

When asked if he had a renewed interest in the head coach position, Gotta said, "There would have to be a whole shake-up in their structure. He (Gould) alienated me after talking to me for only an hour. He was damn rude to me. If it had been a different situation, I might have kicked his..."

Warner has instructed Gould to stop speaking so candidly about the coaching search. "We will not make any more comments until we have a coach signed, sealed and delivered," Gould said. 

"This is no crisis. I don't see any problems. There's no deadline. We'll find a coach as soon as possible," Warner said.

It is reported that the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator, Hank Bullough, has talked with Stallions officials about the head coaching job. Bullough is currently under contract and is not expected to leave his position with the Bengals, however.

It is also reported that Warner is now handling the coaching search personally. "We're very anxious to get a coach, but a good man is worth waiting for," Warner said.

It is announced that Gould has resigned as President and General Manager of the Stallions to become the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration with the USFL's Washington, D.C. franchise. "Birmingham should have a guy they'll respond to. This goes back a couple of weeks. I just feel it's a tremendous opportunity career-wise. And Washington was my original choice," Gould said.

At the same conference, Warner announces the hiring of Jerry Sklar as the Stallions new President. Sklar is a former President of Loveman's department store. 

Warner indicates he will combine the head coach and General Manager positions.

Former University of Notre Dame head coach Dan Devine meets with Warner and Sklar in Denver to discuss the head coaching position. Devine currently directs fund-raising for the Arizona State University's athletic booster club. Through the years, Devine has been the head coach at Arizona State University, University of Missouri and Notre Dame. Devine has also been a head coach for the NFL's Green Bay Packers.

"I don't know. I just might be too expensive for them. I'll probably come a little higher than an assistant right out of the pro ranks or an assistant out of college. I am extremely impressed with Mr. Warner and the Birmingham franchise. I think it is going to be very successful. I kind of like Birmingham. I think it's a football-oriented community," Devine said.

August 1982

It is learned that Joe Galat, the current head coach of the CFL's Montreal Concordes, has interviewed for the Stallions head coach position. "I've talked on the phone a few times in the last week or so with some people who represent the team. I've got a good job here, but I know it would be a great opportunity there in Birmingham. If we're together on it, I'll be really happy about it. If not, I certainly have an adventure here," Galat said. 

However, sources inside the Stallions management indicated that Galat isn't very high on their list. "I don't think Joe Galat is under serious consideration at the moment. I think there's a good likelihood that the coach is going to be a strong assistant from the National Football League," the source said.

Galat's experience has been as an assistant coach at Miami (Ohio) University, Yale University, the University of Kentucky, the WFL's Memphis Southmen, the NFL's New York Giants, the CFL's Montreal Alouettes and the NFL's Houston Oilers. Galat was hired by George Allen, who has since left to become the head coach of the USFL's Chicago franchise. Since then, the Alouettes have folded and Galat was left behind to build an expansion team.

While in Memphis with the Southmen, Galat became associated with Art Clarkson, current owner and General Manager of the Southern League's Birmingham Barons. During his discussions with the Stallions management, Galat recommended Clarkson for the General Manager's position. Clarkson doesn't want the job but has, however, volunteered his services to the Stallions as an advisor. "I'm not interested. If times and circumstances were different, I might be interested. I'm very flattered, but I plan to stay here. Two things are important: 1) I'm an owner of a baseball team; 2) I believe I have not only a commitment but a loyalty to the people who back me here," Clarkson said. He recommended Galat for the head coach position and said he might even be a better choice than Gotta.

USFL team owners vote to allow the Los Angeles franchise to move to Phoenix. Under the USFL's original franchise plan, the San Diego team will now relocate to Los Angeles.

Rumors are strong that a current assistant with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, Rollie Dotsch, will be the team's selection for head coach. The main problem is Dotsch's binding contract with the Steelers. "Naturally, I hope things can be worked out. I'd love to be able to say I'm coming, but I can't say a thing until my contract situation is resolved," Dotsch said.

"We've talked with Dotsch. If he were available, I'm sure we would be able to work out a deal. He's definitely interested in the job. He expressed a genuine interest in becoming the head coach," Sklar said.

Pittsburgh Steelers President Dan Rooney only comment was, "We expect people to honor their contracts."

Dotsch was a teammate of the USFL's New Jersey Generals head coach Chuck Fairbanks at Michigan State University. He was a junior on the 1952 Spartans squad that won the national championship. In 1958, Dotsch took his first college coaching job as an assistant at Northern Michigan College. In 1961, he left to become the defensive backs coach at Colorado. The next year, he went to the University of Missouri as the offensive line coach. His first head coaching position was in 1966 when he went to Northern Michigan College. In 1971, Dotsch left college coaching and became the offensive line coach for the NFL's Green Bay Packers. In 1975, he joined Fairbanks as linebacker coach of the NFL's New England Patriots. In 1977, Dotsch worked for the NFL's Detroit Lions before moving to the Steelers, where he coached the offensive line during their back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1978 and 1979.

It was also learned that Jim Stanley, an assistant with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and former Oklahoma State University head coach is under consideration as well.

September 1982

The Stallions officially announce the hiring of Rollie Dotsch as their head coach. Dotsch will remain with the Steelers until September 19th, the Steelers second regular season game, and will report to the Stallions the next day. "I know how difficult this has been for the Steelers and Coach (Chuck) Noll. But this demonstrates the type of people they are to give me my release under difficult circumstances," Dotsch said. The Steelers had just lost their defensive coordinator, George Perles, when the USFL's Philadelphia franchise hired him as their head coach. 

When questioned about his staff, Dotsch said he is in no hurry to hire any assistant coaches and may even wait until December or January. "I believe a football team reflects its' coach and his staff. I'm looking for good teachers, fundamental coaches, not the glamorous name guys. The same is true with players. It isn't always the name players that get the job done. It's the solid type of player, guys you can win with, not the problem child. If there's anything I want my football team to be, it's aggressive. I expect my backs and receivers to block. I even expect my kicker to be aggressive. I'm a solid coach fundamentally, but I don't mind taking calculated risks. Sometimes, I'm on the verge of being reckless. I'll do some things totally unexpected. We'll put the ball up, too. We'll have a pro-style, wide-open game. But we'll be certain that we're able to run the football. I'll be a firm coach, but I want to have fun with this football team. We'll take time to laugh," Dotsch said.

October 1982

November 1982

February 1983

According to reports, Walker signed a contract last Saturday and then exercised a clause in the contract that allowed him a 24-hour grace period to void the contract. However, according the NCAA Walker was now considered a professional football player. "He made a mistake and admits that. He's had an early education in the hard reality of the business profession. Now it's time for him to look ahead," said Georgia head coach Vince Dooley.

This is expected to have major implications on professional football for years to come. The NFL has had a policy stating no underclassmen can be signed and most believed the USFL would follow suit.

March 1983

July 1983

Cribbs was represented by Jerry Argovitz, who was recently awarded the expansion franchise in Houston. Argovitz had been saying he would like to build his new team around Cribbs and other players he represents. However, Cribbs is a former player at Auburn University, which is one of the Stallions territorial schools. Sklar informed Argovitz that if Cribbs played in the USFL, he would do so only in Birmingham.

"This is coming home, and that's something neither Buffalo nor Houston could offer. Sulligent (his home town) is only an hour and a half away, and my family will have a chance to see me play. This is a great day for me," said Cribbs.

October 1983

January 1984

The Stallions also announce they have traded last year's starting quarterback Reggie Collier to the Washington Federals. In the trade, the Stallions received the rights to center Joel Hilgenberg and the Federals' first round draft choice in 1985.

February 1984

April 1984

The unapproved plan is to play two more seasons in the spring and then wait over twelve months to begin the first fall season in 1987. New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump is believed to be the most outspoken in favor of the shift in schedule. "I'm just one of the instigators. If I thought this league would not have gone to a fall schedule, I wouldn't have come into the league," Trump said. 

Other team owners, such as Tampa Bay Bandits owner John Bassett, blasted Trump for saying the league will change the schedule before anything has been agreed on.

May 1984

Cribbs claims through his new agent that his contract should be renegotiated due to his former agent, Jerry Argovitz, having a conflict of interest during the previous negotiations that brought him to the Stallions. Argovitz is currently one of the owners of the USFL's Houston Gamblers. 

Cribbs breaks his self-imposed month-long media ban to state that he was shocked the Stallions organization had sued him. "The real issue is we have been negotiating since the second week of the season and nobody knew about it. Both sides appeared willing to work something out. I said, 'That's fine, I'll play.' And I played as hard as I could play. After the Philadelphia game, Jerry Sklar said there would be no more negotiating, that they have a valid contract. It was obvious they were stringing me along. Then, I made an emotional decision, not a rational one. I was confused and upset and drove to Sulligent to talk things over with my mother. I was not walking away from the team. I had made no threats not to practice or play at anytime during the negotiations. It was like I was led on all that time," Cribs said.

Sklar, however, said, Cribbs new agent, Louis Burrell, had told the Stallions that Cribbs would leave if the negotiations didn't continue.

Cribbs reports back to practice but would not comment on why he returned. "We came to a mutual understanding and I'm basically back to play football. I hope to rectify the situation as far as the fans are concerned. Hopefully, there's no hard feelings. The situation is resolved, and I'm ready to play," Cribbs said.

Sklar said that all the misunderstandings between the parties have been resolved and that "Joe is returning to the Stallions under the terms of his contract and will fulfill all of the terms of his contract. Joe met today with myself, coach Rollie Dotsch, the coaching staff and the players for the purpose of making amends with them." 

Sklar did admit that contract renegotiations had resumed five days ago.

August 1984

USFL Commissioner Chet Simmons said, "the USFL is ready, willing and able to compete for the attention of (stadium) fans... and television viewers. We are prepared to compete aggressively for the best available college and pro talent."

"The real big play is for 1987. That's when the network contracts with the NFL end. The NFL will be asking billions, and we will be in that bidding with better players and a more exciting brand of football," Trump said.

Not everyone agrees a move is the best idea for the new league, however. Houston Gamblers quarterback Jim Kelly called the schedule switch "100 percent" wrong. "It's the worst thing they could have done," Kelly said.

In anticipation of the schedule change, the Philadelphia Stars franchise will move before the 1985 season to Baltimore. If they had stayed in Philadelphia, the Stars would have had to compete against the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies for use of Veterans Stadium.

Also, the Oakland Invaders and the Oklahoma Outlaws franchises were given league approval to merge and play in Oakland as the Invaders.

October 1984

Rozelle called the suit "totally baseless". Last spring, Rozelle said, "You will know when they are on their last legs. They will bring a lawsuit against us. This will be how they try to keep the owners from jumping ship."

November 1984

The Pittsburgh Maulers merged with the Philadelphia Stars and the new franchise will play in Maryland as the Baltimore Stars. 

The Oklahoma Outlaws merged with the Arizona Wranglers and the new franchise will play in Arizona as the Arizona Outlaws.

The Michigan Panthers merged with the Oakland Invaders and the new franchise will play in California as the Oakland Invaders. 

The New Orleans Breakers will move to Oregon and become the Portland Breakers. However, Breakers owner Joe Canizaro had wrestled with the notion of merging with the Birmingham Stallions. "Marvin (Warner, Stallions owner) is a good friend and I would have enjoyed being partners with him. Before I visited Portland, the chances were better that I'd approach Marvin than move. But once I got to Portland and saw the enthusiasm, I was sold on it," Canizaro said.

The Washington Federals will move to Florida and become the Orlando Renegades.

The Chicago Blitz has suspended operations for the 1985 season and plans to resume play in 1986.

January 1985

Indications are strong that Harry Usher, a Los Angeles attorney, is the leading candidate to replace Simmons. Usher was Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Los Angeles Olympic Committee, where he worked for LAOOC President Peter Ueberroth, who is now the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.

February 1985

March 1985

Ryan claims that several Stallions players, most of them undressed, closed in on her as soon as she walked through the door. She claims they yelled insults at her and made dirty remarks to each other. She claims she then felt something on her leg and it was a player stroking her calf with the plastic handle of a razor. Saying she was angry, shaken and humiliated, she walked out and ran into Stallions President Jerry Sklar, who laughingly told her that "you are entering on your own initiative and therefore are subject to what goes on in there. It is not a proper place for a female to be."

Naturally, Sklar didn't remember the episode quite the same way and claimed that he never spoke to Ryan. 

Warner reportedly has lost well over $100 million in an investment with ESM Government Securities, Inc. Home Savings was a heavy borrower from ESM. When Home State borrowed money, it put up government securities as collateral - securities which it could not get back due to ESM's collapse. Home State depositors quickly withdrew their money, forcing the bank to close the weekend of the 9th. Home State, along with sixty-nine other banks in Ohio, is insured by a private insurance fund and not by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation. 

Depositors at the other banks then worried that the fund couldn't cover their deposits and started pulling their money out also, forcing Ohio Governor Richard Celeste to close all Ohio savings banks insured by the private fund. All except Home State are open again. 

Currently, Warner faces lawsuits from the conservator of Home State and Home State depositors as well as investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Securities Exchange Commission and at least one congressional committee.

Sklar's official response is, "I have been told by the owner that the Stallions will operate in the future just as they have in the past. Mr. Warner's other activities are personal and private and do not affect me or the Stallions."

Sklar and the minority owners hope to keep the Stallions in Birmingham. "We have already put in interim financing. It is our intention to arrange for permanent financing," said Sklar. The Stallions have paid all of their bills so far, but do not have enough money to last through the end of the season. Sklar lauded Warner for his role in bringing the Stallions to Birmingham. "Now it is the responsibility of the local investors to see that it stays here," Sklar said.

Charlotte developer George Shinn first contacted the Stallions in October of last year about buying the team and moving it to Charlotte. When Warner's financial problems struck in early March, Shinn once again approached the Stallions but was turned down. 

Denver's Ron Blanding also contacted the Stallions earlier this month. The former owner of the USFL's Denver Gold, Blanding said he is no longer interested in buying the club. "We thought it was a well-operated team. We wouldn't have changed anything," Blanding said, including keeping the team in Birmingham. 

One of the minority owners, local businessman Harold Ripps, said that Warner "got nothing" for his share of the franchise. "He lost what he put in. I think he's doing all that he can to help the team and city out," Ripps said.

"That way, if for any reason it was sold or a general partner came in we might stand a pretty good chance of recouping our $1 million or at least a portion of it. If the thing folds, I guess everybody would lose," Arrington said.

April 1985

The individual is thought to be Birmingham real estate developer Wally Nall, Jr. Nall said the announcement of his investing in the Stallions is "very premature" and that "John called me last week and I met with him in Florida. He has a program to revamp the USFL. If he can do what he says, then yes, I am very interested." Nall declined to discuss any details of Bassett's plan. "I know Jerry (Sklar) and his group are working hard to save the Stallions, and I'm all for them. I don't want to do anything to sabotage their efforts," Nall said.

Sklar, however, said he knew nothing of Bassett's negotiations. "I have not talked with him. I am not aware of anybody, or any group, saying they will step forward (with financing), but if it's true, we'd certainly like to hear from them," Sklar said.

"The Attorney General gave a favorable legal opinion, and we're excited about it. We're pursuing the matter with the city. Provided the Mayor and his advisors deem it appropriate, we'd certainly except it," Sklar said.