Veteran play-by-play announcer Dave Sims will join color analyst and former NFL standout Doug Flutie (right) to broadcast United Football League games on VERSUS, the league announced Tuesday. Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart and radio and television host Anita Marks will serve as sideline and features reporters when the league's inaugural season kicks off October 8. The California Redwoods will visit the Las Vegas Locomotives in the first contest.
"We have assembled a top-notch team to lead our inaugural telecasts on VERSUS," said Frank Vuono, COO of the UFL. "The combined football experience and knowledge of Dave, Doug, Kordell and Anita will help us provide unprecedented access to professional football while allowing the home viewer prime viewing position that will truly make them feel like they are part of the action."
Sims, who made his name in television, radio and print in New York City, is currently the play-by-play man for the Seattle Mariners, while also continuing to be the radio voice of Westwood One's Sunday Night Football. In addition, he has called college basketball on ESPN since 1991.
A Heisman Trophy winner at Boston College, Flutie certainly knows something about competing in alternative leagues. He was one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the history of the Canadian Football League and a member of the USFL before earning Comeback Player of the Year honors with the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
Stewart was a star quarterback at the University of Colorado and a Pro Bowl selection with the Steelers. He has been a studio analyst for college football on ESPNews.
The host of the Baltimore Ravens' pre- and postgame shows, Marks also is a drive-time radio talker on ESPN Radio 1300.
The UFL is a new professional football league that will begin its premiere season this October, when four teams will play six games apiece, concluding with a championship game on Thanksgiving weekend.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-24-2009 @ 3:19PM
JoAnn said...
So glad you have Anita Marks and now Baltimore won't. Good luck to all!
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10-12-2009 @ 1:42PM
hi said...
The UFL was sold as a league to give players a second chance who were either cut by an NFL team or never got the opportunity to be in the NFL.
It is neither. It is made up of players who know coaches and/or players who have agents who are connected to the comissioner.
Talent? NO
Simeon Rice, Michael Pittman, and Marcel Shipp are prime examples on why this lague is destined to fail. It already is a failure. Drawing 250,000 viewers for the first game and 400,000 viewers for the second game. Nobody is going to these games and the tickets are being given away.
Instead of having players who were cut from camp that were 2008 or 2009 Draft Picks or Undrafted Free Agents who didn't make the team, the league is made up of players who the NFL scouts or teams will not get a look at. In other words, while JP Losman may put up good numbers, there were NO NFL teams interested in him and NO NFL team is going to touch him after the season is over. Why? Because 80% of the players in the UFL have zero pracrice squad eligability.
Rather than get real interest by gettiing young players from large division one schools from the SEC, ACC, PAC 10, BIG 10, etc. the league has 80 out of 200 players from 1-AA schools which gives even less interest to the fans. If I am going to waste time watching these games (which watching paint dry is more exciting) I am going to want to see those RB and WR from those schools in this league knowing if they play well they might be back in the NFL by going to a practice squad and playing their way to the league.
Missing:
RB: Kevin Richardson (App State: Had over 100 college TDS, 8000 all purpose yards), Yverson Bernard (4000 Yards at Oregon State), Tyrell Fenroy (ULL had over 400 Yards)
Would rather see these guys than a 2002 draft pick who had 7 years to make it in the NFL named Shipp play. You have the son of Denzel Washington which is money, yet he is backing up a short rb who is too small for the NFL and too small for the UFL named Corey Ross.
CB: Londen Fryar (Son of Irving #1 overall Pick in 1984) great story there he got cut by the Chiefs in mini camp.
QB: How about Omar Jacobs, Alex Brink, Chris Leak, Corey Banks. Close but not close enough to the NFL. More exciting than Brooks Bollinger and JP Losman as these kids would be able to move right into practice squad of NFL teams unlike Bollinger and Losman who can't.
WR: Too many to think of. How many chances does Bobby Sippio need? How about David Cricus (he has been in the nfl since 2003) people are tired of seing them.
The UFL should have gotten players from big Division 1 Programs, how many players are from Oklahoma, Florida, LSU, Virginia Tech, Boise State, Miami, Ohio State? (You can count them with one hand)
Bottom Line:
1. Atttendance and Ratings will Dwindle to zero by the championship game.
2. The league will still be sponsorless as they have no legit sponsors.
3. They are 1 and done (whether they make it through the season is to be seen)
The failure of the UFL is because of the UFL themselves, lack of communication and they also had that joke of a $60 tryout in Orlando used to raise money. Not one of the 1200 people who paid got a contract or even a camp invite (don't let them fool you, the one or two people they did sign were already invited for free to workout after the fiasco and they didn't pay, it was done to cover up the fact the league scammed 1200 people out of $72,000)
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