The USFL Trivia Quiz

Answer: David Dixon

David Dixon was a former owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints who wanted to create a new gridiron league which would play games in the spring and summer. He announced the formation of the USFL in 1982 with play to begin the following year.
Trump, Tanenbaum and Diethrich were the respective owners or part-owners of the New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Chicago Blitz.

Answer: Tim Spencer

Tim Spencer was a running back who was drafted second overall out of Ohio State by the Chicago Blitz. Spencer played the 1983 season with the Blitz before moving to the Arizona Wranglers and then the Memphis Showboats. He would finish out his pro career with the San Diego Chargers of the NFL from 1985 to 1990.

Answer: Michigan Panthers

The Michigan Panthers defeated the Phildelphia Stars 24-22 at Mile High Stadium in Denver. The Panthers shared the Pontiac Silverdome with the NFL's Detroit Lions. Despite this early success, the team would survive for only one more season in Michigan before being absorbed by the Oakland Invaders in 1985.

Answer: Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the NFL but instead chose to sign for the Houston Gamblers. He led his team to the Central Division championship, and was awarded the league's MVP award. After the USFL folded he would eventually sign for the Bills and led them to four successive Super Bowl appearances.

Answer: Arizona Wranglers

The Stars, coached by Jim Mora and quaterbacked by Chuck Fusina, had an excellent 16-2 regular season record, and capped off the season by defeating Arizona 23-3 in the championship game, held in Tampa. Unfortunately for Philadelphia fans, despite this success, the team would relocate to Baltimore for the 1985 season due to stadium issues.

Answer: Oklahoma Outlaws

The Oklahoma Outlaws were a 1984 expansion team based in Tulsa. With themselves and the Wranglers both losing money and plagued by low attendances, a merger was decided upon. The "new" team would be called the Arizona Outlaws and would play the 1985 season in Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe.

Answer: San Diego

The Boston Breakers shared Nickerson Stadium with Boston University in 1983, before relocating to New Orleans for the 1984 season, where they shared the Superdome with the NFL's Saints. For the 1985 season, the team were on the move again, this time to Portland, Oregon, where they played home games at Civic Stadium.

Answer: Herschel Walker

Herschel Walker, a star running back at the University of Georgia, signed for the New Jersey Generals in 1983. He led the league in rushing yards in both 1983 and 1985, and was voted league MVP in the latter season. After the USFL folded, Walker signed for the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.
None of the other three players listed ever played in the USFL.

Answer: Oakland Invaders

The very last game in USFL history took place on July 14th, 1985, at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The Baltimore Stars defeated the Oakland Invaders 28-24. Kelvin Bryant scored the league's last-ever touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars thus won two of the three championships in the history of the USFL.

Answer: NFL had to pay the USFL a single dollar

The final death-knell for the USFL came on July 29th, 1986. A federal court awarded them a token one dollar in damages (plus court costs), ruling that the league were as much responsible for their own failings as the NFL was.