Frustrated by the Yankees’$2 1-0 ALDS series lead and general veneer of competence and historical relevance? Annoyed that more people are watching baseball at this point than any other time in human history? Do you think leagues have too many darned teams and should limit themselves to, say, four? Well, then, we’ve got a team and a league for you, kids!
The UFL — the United Football League — kicks off tonight with the California Redwoods playing the Las Vegas Locomotives, who are coached by our old pal Jim Fassel. There’s another game on Friday Saturday, featuring two other teams … the only other teams, the Florida Tuskers and YOUR NEW YORK SENTINELS. That game is at the Meadowlands, but on November 4 — which happens to be Game 6 of the World Series — the Sentinels will be playing at Citi Field. Maybe they’ll all wear David Wright’s huge helmet, in honor.
Anyway, a few facts about YOUR NEW YORK SENTINELS:
*** Their owner is Bill Mayer of Park Avenue Equity Partners. Mayer is a lot more normal than the USFL’s Donald Trump, so that’s a positive.
*** Their coach is Ted Cottrell, who was defensive coordinator for the Jets at the beginning of Herm Edwards’s tenure. One of the reasons he’s coaching this team? His son is the tight end.
*** The most famous player on the team? Defensive end Simeon Rice, a former NFL All-Pro. (We also had three classes with him at the University of Illinois, all of which he attended more often than we did.)
Yeah, apparently the world needed another pro-football league and Jim Fassel needed a job. And they’ll play a game at Citi Field. And if you don’t want the Sentinels to be YOUR NEW YORK SENTINELS, don’t worry: You have three whole other teams to choose from.