1999 season of the World Football League

In the offseason, there was a major realignment of divisions and instead of
East and West conferences, there are now American and International conferences.
There have been three coaching changes and several teams have gone major overhauls
thanks via the draft.  Milwaukee, Columbus, London, Houston, and Brazil moved
to new cities.  Pensacola moved back to Birmingham.  The NY Galaxy became the
Mavericks.  West Virginia and Oregon have new stadiums.

The #1 draft pick went to Kobe (formerly London).  The most picks were made by
Berlin.  Fewest picks were by West Virginia with only four.  The draft was
weakest in DL and LBs.  OL and RB were strong.  TEs, FBs, DL, and OL were the
most popular selections.

1999 Predicted order of finish
AMERICAN                       INTERNATIONAL
Western                        West Europe
   California                     Paris
   Las Vegas*                     Scotland*
   Oahu                           London
   Oregon                         Madrid

Central                        East Europe
   Mexico                         Moscow
   Oklahoma                       Frankfurt*
   Utah                           Italy*
   Monterrey                      Amsterdam
   Texas                          Berlin

Eastern                        Pacific
   West Virginia                  Tokyo
   Orlando*                       Seoul
   Birmingham*                    Kobe
   New York                       Manila
   Charlotte                      Australia

* indicates wildcard berth

American championship: West Virginia over Orlando
International championship: Moscow over Paris
Earth Bowl IV: West Virginia over Moscow

TEAM BY TEAM PREVIEW
California Orange Crush
   The Run & Shoot has finally taken a team to the championship game and, even 
   though it came up short at the very end, it's here to stay.  Bracken and Hall
   make a great duo at QB.  Jimmy Hawkins is set for his first 1000 season and
   the OL is improved.  WRs are great, especially 1000 yard club member Sherman
   Radecic.  The division is theirs, but can they beat West Virginia and Orlando
   for the conference?

Las Vegas Gamblers
   QB Blaine Jacke's injury last season proved career ending.  FA signee Mike
   Simein now has the helm.  John Trapp has been banged up alot his first three
   seasons, but Konrad Wahler, who had been yo-yoed between FB and HB, is now  
   the starter.  Former RB Todd Vail has been move to WR and the 3 WR offense
   will be used until the team's rookie FB is ready to start.  The DL has a
   healthy Jim Bolden again, the ageless Rickey Hendrix, and the runner up
   in the Defensive ROY contest.  The team is good, but the competition is 
   better and unless they can learn to win without Jacke, a wildcard is a strech.

Oahu Battleships
   The WR corps is still subpar, but a depth at RB is great and the OL has some
   new blood.  The defense is still thin at LB and the DL is short on smarts.
   CB Gordon Sharkey retired, but wont be missed too much.  QB Eric Reynolds is
   in for another long year.  They managed a wild card berth last year despite
   being one of the more injured teams, but things are on the downslide.

Oregon Pioneers
   The WRs hold the team in their hands.  Someone must also step forward at QB.
   The OL is better, which means Lewis Steele will finally have a change to show
   his talent.  Depth at DL is again a problem, but the starters should be able to
   handle themselves.  LBs and DBs are good.  If the WRs really step up, they
   could get a wildcard.  More likely they'll end up around .500

Mexico City Aztecs
   The QB is a question.  Bouwens has more talent, but needs to show it or the
   Cavinghan show will continue.  Handley is primed for 1000.  Mexico City
   picked up a couple FBs, but decieded to use the Run & Shoot untill they're
   ready.  The WRs aren't exactly Run & Shoot material so expect a return to
   the conventional offense by mid-season.  The the defense is still above
   average.  Who knows what would've happened last year if DE Tim Geiger
   hadn't gone down?  This year holds another division crown, followed by
   antother quick playoff exit.

Oklahoma Screamin' Eagles
   Grizzled vet Isiah Trumbull looked great replacing the now retired Gary Williams,
   but things could degrade till there's a different starter each week.
   Leif Daluiso could go places this year.  WR Barry Pitts also retired, but the
   corps still packs a punch.  If the TEs step up...  OL is better.  LBs and DB
   are set.  If the DL is at least decent...  If.  They're a wildcard team now, but
   if enough people step up this team could go places.  But not past WV or Orlando.

Utah Wasps
   After an abysmal season, Utah looks much improved.  The D is great.  Depth
   is no longer a monster problem with the OL.  RB depth is great and could
   produce a 1000 yarder.  QB Mike Stubbs doesn't plan a repeat of last year,
   especially with competition, something he's never had before, breathing down 
   his neck.  But then you add the WRs to the equation...  More deja vu?  No,
   they're much better than Oahu.  And they'll be more successful as they fight
   for a wildcard.  Oh yeah, did I forget to mention former Las Vegas QB Blaine 
   Jacke is the new coach?

Monterrey Grim Reapers
   Deja vu?  Not quite, but Monterrey and Oregon both have QB questions and WR
   problems.  But the question marks are smaller and the Reapers have a great
   TE in Fred Parker.  Defense is more of a problem though.  In a tough division,
   the situation is...pardon the pun...grim.  Just shy of .500

Texas Gunslingers
   After a bad injury and tired of poor support, RB Johan Shaff has called it
   quits.  After another flop, Chad Murdock has permantely lost his starting
   job to Jim Kimbell.  The backfield is a circus.  WR Wayne Etter needs to produce
   another 1000 yard season.  The TEs still don't cut it.  The OL is better, but
   probably still not enough.  The DBs are still a weak link, but are better than
   ever before, although thats not saying much.  LBs are good, but the DL is
   still lacking.  In a tough division, they're buried.

West Virginia Mountainmen
   This is an even better team than the one that went 14-2, upset Orlando, and
   won Earth Bowl III.  The two loses were by a combined six points.  The only
   offseason loss was LB Mark Lightner.  They boast a sack happy DL including
   the defensive ROY.  They have the best OL, a 1000 yard WR (Vinny Crafts), and
   a 1000 yard RB (Sammy Salerno).  And of course QB Dan Gambler, one of the WFLs
   most accurate passers.  Can you say 'undefeated'?

Orlando Lightning
   Orlando expected to be unbeatable this year.  While the OL finally is free
   of holes, WR Nicky Frerotte is retired.  And PR James Woods, who set season
   records despite missing the last half of the year with a torn-up knee is gone
   also.  They can be replaced, but their absence will still hurt.  And the battle
   of the brothers continues at QB.  The defense, is solid again.  In the toughest
   division in sports history, they need another 24 sack season from LB Anthony
   Mitkiff.  Alas, the Mountainmen are too good.  Look for fewer blowouts, a
   wildcard berth, and a playoff loss to West Virginia.

Birmingham Blaze
   They were good in Pensacola, but attendance wasn't.  That means Birmingham
   is home again.  After Shoemaker and Oliver didn't cut it at RB, Ray Wilkinson
   moved over from FB.  Chane Haffner went flat at the end of the year, but should
   rebound.  Barry Cole is 1000 yard material, but needs to come through more often.
   The OL was a source of trouble with injuries and lack of talent.  Things look
   brighter this year.  The defense is strong.  If only the division weren't so
   good.  A wildcard, at least.  COY Hal Relts and company could challenge WV and
   Orlando.

New York Mavericks
   Antonio Zybisco is the coach now and Val Egger has retired after three futile
   seasons.  Not about to stake the team on Chuck Fishback, they drafted QB Stoney
   O'Neil who looks like All-Star material.  RB Cornell Kay is fired up and gunning
   for 1000.  The OL is now pretty good.  DEs Kevin Pallin and Jake Linger form
   a powerful duo but need help inside.  The LBs are good and the DBs shouldn't
   miss CB Rafe Stowe too much.  Another good team in the wrong place at the wrong
   time.  Wildcard only if other teams falter.

Charlotte Stingers
   Oh how the mighty have fallen.  After missing the playoffs by a hair for
   three straight years, Charlotte's hopes are crumbling.  WR Drew Maguire is
   retired.  The defense is showing signs of age.  RB Mark Somics still has fire,
   but might not get many chances.  Any poor play by the DL could expose weaknesses
   in the DBs.  The Stingers will be the ones getting stung and wallow at the 
   bottom unless coach Vernon LaGrille and QB Blair Hall can pull out a miracle.

Paris Rage
   Coach Gib Lejue's team got a wildcard last year.  Now they're the in a division
   with three teams that had a combined 12-36 record last year.  What more needs
   to be said?  Okay, I'll give details anyway.  The offense is good.  Look for a
   1000 yarder on the ground and another through the air.  If the juiced up DL
   can finally do something, S Harvey Mosebar wont be setting anymore records
   for TD-saving tackles.  The LB corps is filled with talent.  It's about time
   this team showed their stuff.  They've got a shot at getting to the Earth Bowl, 
   but winning it could be another story. 

Scotland Highlanders
   The former Kentucky Bobcats and Milwaukee Stallions have settled down in
   Glasgow.  QB Steve Flannery retired after only a year, which means Andre
   Lesch has the helm.  RB Johnie Copeland should finally get a shot at 1000.
   The offense is great, especially if the OL steps up.  The D is another story.
   The LBs are good, but struggled with injuries last year.  The DBs are average.
   Scotland hoped to return to a 43 defense, but the DL is still bad so it's
   going to be another year in the 34.  They should be enough for a wildcard.

London Kings
   The Kings, after stops in Memphis and Houston, are in England and should finally
   stay put.  After a heartbreaking loss in Week 13 last year, coach Ned Seaver
   resigned.  Offensive coordinator Troy Vitale took over and the team went 2-1.  
   He'll stay, but don't expect alot.  The QBs and WRs are still a problem (hmmm,
   common theme isn't it?).  The OL should finally be good enough to let the RBs 
   show their talent.  Like several other teams, London has adopted the Run &
   Shoot.  The D is decent.  Still too many holes.

Madrid Bulls
   A team full of holes.  The OL is no longer abysmal, but still needs help.
   QB Bray has yet to come through, so Ebert might see time as a starter.  RB
   Lyndon Jeffries must overcome the bad blocking.  They've converted their TEs
   and a couple RBs to WR and gone to the Run & Shoot, but if the OL could make
   it a short and painful (at least for Jeffries and Bray) time.  The defense
   is rather weak, especially the line.  4-12 last year, expect something similiar.

Moscow MiGs
   Two years ago, they were 15-1 and seemingly unstoppable.  Then Orlando upset
   them at home.  Last year's promising season was marred by a series of major
   injuries.  They made a strong run at the end, but it wasn't enough.  They
   didn't take any major hits in the offseason, but did pick up some talent.
   RB Fred Small's injury cost him the 1000 yard plateau.  WR Charles Minister
   didn't reach 1000 either.  The offense still has loads of talent.  The defense
   is average, but should be enough to help propel the team to Earth Bowl IV.

Frankfurt Clash
   After three years in Columbus, Ohio, the its off to Germany.  Andretti's days 
   as starting QB are over.  Dexter McNabb has the helm now, but don't count out 
   rookie Yatil Laughton.  RB Roger Dickens once again had a high yards per carry, 
   but didn't get the ball enough.  Look for him to finally break 1000 this year.
   The WRs are good enough to make the Run & Shoot work, but there are no game
   breakers in this bunch.  The OL will still hurt.  Defense is also a problem.  
   DE Howie Green is a force, but he's the only star.  Someone needs to step up
   or you can count on an quick playoff exit.

Italy Dragons
   QB Sean Brooks had a down season last year and the team suffered as a result.
   The Brooks to WR Howie Morris connection wasn't as strong either.  WR Rex Ross
   is a great punt returner, but needs to improve as a reciever.  The OL is weak, 
   altough it shouldn't cripple the team.  Defense doesn't have any stars, but is 
   solid.  If they can cut back on injuries, this team could go places.  Not to
   the championship though.

Amsterdam Renegades
   After three years of bad football and even worse attendance in Rio de Janiero,
   Brazil, the Anacondas have moved to Amsterdam.  RB Marshall Moss and a wild
   bunch of WRs will need to overcome a medicore OL and inconsistent QBs to make
   the new Run & Shoot offense work.  QB Joe Demis did show flashes of talent
   last year.  The DL needs to generate a good pass rush or the talented but
   inexperianced secondary will be picked apart.

Berlin Blitz
   Last year they went 6-10.  They need a miracle to do it again.  This team made
   the most selections in the draft and is still bad.  QB Marcus Musson needs
   to become a team leader.  After three years, the running game still hasn't
   shown up and the WRs aren't getting the job done either.  And there's the
   usual question: will the OL ever learn how to block?  The defense is average.
   The DBs are pretty good, but unless the DL can generate some pass rush they'll
   be toasted.  The LBs have the most of the skills, but few of the smarts.  A
   bright spot is rookie WR Kelly Stapp who could become one of the greatest
   return men of all time.

Tokyo Godzillas
   Tokyo should win a weak Pacific division.  QB Mark Johnson was one of the
   top passers last year and with targets like Christopher Fear, Freddie Heyward,
   and Vance Blundin, things should remain the same.  Kurt Quinlinn has been an
   inconsistant runner, but alot of the blame goes to the OL.  A strong effert
   was made to improve this, but the OL is still undersized.  The defense has a
   few stars in DE William Arbuckle and LB Bronson Wolfe, but these two need a
   better supporting cast before this team has a legitimate shot at a title.

Seoul Power
   Not much power here.  The offense is a huge question mark as the RB will be
   a rotation between rookie Naquan Kull and Dennis Miller, a high pick last
   year.  Robby Stemmons may be getting alot of carries from his FB posistion.
   After a quiet rookie year, Lowell Williams is now at the helm.  Unfortunetly,
   good targets are few.  Seoul is fortunate to have one of the better OLs in
   the league.  The defense, which propelled Seoul to a Earth Bowl appearance
   a season ago, is in decline.  A slim chance at a wildcard berth.

Kobe Destroyers
   The Destroyers, formerly of D.C. and London, are hoping to have some success.
   After Jim Jones and Jonah Marshall failed at QB, 3rd stringer Kelvin Mustoe
   got the nod- at promptly started playing good!  He'll have the helm going
   into the season.  Mohammed Melborne hopes to finally get some blocking from
   his OL.  The recieving corps is the best in team history.  THe OL is much
   better than last year, but still not good.  The DL has been a real enigma,
   especially Sammy Tuten.  They have talent, but don't produce.  Maybe rookie
   DT Dominic Pannier is the missing part of the equation...  The LB corps is
   average and the team wishes they could move Neal Vanorder back to LB.  The
   DBs are better than they've shown in the past.  Hopefully they'll finally
   show it.

Manila Tigers
   The key components haven't changed since the league began.  The underacheving
   Karl Karven is still the QB and Danny (younger brother of Sammy) Salerno
   still gets most of the carries.  Randall Griffin, signed late last year,
   replaces Willis Swayne at FB.  Griffin isn't ready to go full time, so he
   will rotate with Swayne and rookie Neal Fralic.  WR Mark Johnson and TE Tim
   Mitchell are still the only consistent pass catchers.  The OL is still poor.
   The defense is still average and will get toasted half the time.

Australia Surge
   Eduardo Dixon is the starter, but young Reggie Taylor will see time at QB.
   All four QBs have low endurance so injuries could be a problem.  Jerry Larson
   is the main man in the backfield and has show talent in the past.  Rob Sydney
   is a good reciever, but he's the only one.  The OL is typical for the league.
   The DL, though lacking in endurance, usually gets the job done.  The LBs are
   one of the brigher spots on the team, but depth is a little lacking.  The
   DBs have depth, but are still a little slow.  Don't expect alot from this
   team.
