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Interesting Trump trivia RE: USFL

J

JD1976

Athletic Director
Jan 23, 2005
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I just read a piece that mentioned that Trump had basically wooed Don Shula to be his head coach for the New Jersey Generals for the 1984 season but the sticking point was that Shula wanted an apartment in Trump Tower and Trump wasn't willing to include that in the deal. Imagine if that would have gone down.

Speaking of the USFL damn I wish that league would have lasted at least a few more years. I remember as a kid absolutely loving the teams and players. My first ever pro sporting event attended in person was a Maulers game at Three Rivers against Rick Nueheisel and the Denver Gold. Great memories.
 
JD1976 said:
I just read a piece that mentioned that Trump had basically wooed Don Shula to be his head coach for the New Jersey Generals for the 1984 season but the sticking point was that Shula wanted an apartment in Trump Tower and Trump wasn't willing to include that in the deal. Imagine if that would have gone down.

Speaking of the USFL damn I wish that league would have lasted at least a few more years. I remember as a kid absolutely loving the teams and players. My first ever pro sporting event attended in person was a Maulers game at Three Rivers against Rick Nueheisel and the Denver Gold. Great memories.
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It went down the drain because of Trump. ESPN did a special on it.
 
Piranha said:
It went down the drain because of Trump. ESPN did a special on it.
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Yes one of my favorite 30 for 30s but haven't seen it in a while. I don't recall the Don Shula thing being part of it but maybe it was. Need to rewatch that one.
 
JD1976 said:
I just read a piece that mentioned that Trump had basically wooed Don Shula to be his head coach for the New Jersey Generals for the 1984 season but the sticking point was that Shula wanted an apartment in Trump Tower and Trump wasn't willing to include that in the deal. Imagine if that would have gone down.

Speaking of the USFL damn I wish that league would have lasted at least a few more years. I remember as a kid absolutely loving the teams and players. My first ever pro sporting event attended in person was a Maulers game at Three Rivers against Rick Nueheisel and the Denver Gold. Great memories.
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Jackie Flowers had a big game that day, wasn't quite enough for the w though
 
OmarLittle said:
Jackie Flowers had a big game that day, wasn't quite enough for the w though
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The only thing I remember from that day is that the Maulers had a 21-0 half time lead and ended up losing 24-21. Plus I liked the way the PA announcer said Glenn Carano's name everytime he passed the ball.
 
JD1976 said:
Speaking of the USFL damn I wish that league would have lasted at least a few more years. I remember as a kid absolutely loving the teams and players. My first ever pro sporting event attended in person was a Maulers game at Three Rivers against Rick Nueheisel and the Denver Gold. Great memories.
Click to expand...

FWIW, Rick Neuheisel was a San Antonio Gunslinger in his USFL stint - looking at the Maulers' 1984 schedule they hosted both Denver and San Antonio.

The GUNSLINGERS. Now THAT was an awesome nickname!

Between the Gunslingers, Gamblers, Invaders, Maulers, Bandits, Outlaws, Showboats and Blitz --- the USFL did very well in terms of good nicknames.

Bringing this full-circle to Trump ------ there's an awesome book out there called "The $3 League", which is an insider's history (written by one of the executives who worked alongside the Commissioner) of the USFL's 3-year-history. The San Antonio franchise was run absolutely horribly, they were barely making payroll every week. Per an anecdote in the book, Trump stood up and started verbally berating Clinton Manges (the San Antonio owner) for his poor stewardship during some owners meeting. Manges then took out a couple guns from their holsters and threw them on the table, while verbally threatening Trump.

Cooler minds prevailed, but just an anecdote about how (1) the USFL was a true circus at times (guns being thrown around at owners meetings!!!), and (2) the USFL could have literally killed Trump at some point (and forever changed history).
 
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michnittlion said:
FWIW, Rick Neuheisel was a San Antonio Gunslinger in his USFL stint - looking at the Maulers' 1984 schedule they hosted both Denver and San Antonio.

The GUNSLINGERS. Now THAT was an awesome nickname!

Between the Gunslingers, Gamblers, Invaders, Maulers, Bandits, Outlaws, Showboats and Blitz --- the USFL did very well in terms of good nicknames.

Bringing this full-circle to Trump ------ there's an awesome book out there called "The $3 League", which is an insider's history (written by one of the executives who worked alongside the Commissioner) of the USFL's 3-year-history. The San Antonio franchise was run absolutely horribly, they were barely making payroll every week. Per an anecdote in the book, Trump stood up and started verbally berating Clinton Manges (the San Antonio owner) for his poor stewardship during some owners meeting. Manges then took out a couple guns from their holsters and threw them on the table, while verbally threatening Trump.

Cooler minds prevailed, but just an anecdote about how (1) the USFL was a true circus at times (guns being thrown around at owners meetings!!!), and (2) the USFL could have literally killed Trump at some point (and forever changed history).
Click to expand...

The only thing I remember about the USFL was the day Cliff Stoudt came to town to play the Maulers in February I think. This was just a few months after the 1983 season as replacing Bradshaw and having one of the worse seasons ever for a Steeler QB. Needless to say the crowd was pretty brutal that day and having snow in the stands for easy access to launch projectiles didn't help the situation much.
 
JD1976 said:
I just read a piece that mentioned that Trump had basically wooed Don Shula to be his head coach for the New Jersey Generals for the 1984 season but the sticking point was that Shula wanted an apartment in Trump Tower and Trump wasn't willing to include that in the deal. Imagine if that would have gone down.

Speaking of the USFL damn I wish that league would have lasted at least a few more years. I remember as a kid absolutely loving the teams and players. My first ever pro sporting event attended in person was a Maulers game at Three Rivers against Rick Nueheisel and the Denver Gold. Great memories.
Click to expand...
Maulers up 21-0 at the half. Thunderstorm. Maulers Fold to Gold, 31-21.
 
Slick Manager of Champs said:
The only thing I remember about the USFL was the day Cliff Stoudt came to town to play the Maulers in February I think. This was just a few months after the 1983 season as replacing Bradshaw and having one of the worse seasons ever for a Steeler QB. Needless to say the crowd was pretty brutal that day and having snow in the stands for easy access to launch projectiles didn't help the situation much.
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30-18 loss to Birmingham at 3RS in the home opener. Plenty of snow under the seats. WEEP for Stoudt!
 
JD1976 said:
The only thing I remember from that day is that the Maulers had a 21-0 half time lead and ended up losing 24-21. Plus I liked the way the PA announcer said Glenn Carano's name everytime he passed the ball.
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Ja-kee FLOWWWWW-errrrrs!
 
michnittlion said:
FWIW, Rick Neuheisel was a San Antonio Gunslinger in his USFL stint - looking at the Maulers' 1984 schedule they hosted both Denver and San Antonio.

The GUNSLINGERS. Now THAT was an awesome nickname!

Between the Gunslingers, Gamblers, Invaders, Maulers, Bandits, Outlaws, Showboats and Blitz --- the USFL did very well in terms of good nicknames.

Bringing this full-circle to Trump ------ there's an awesome book out there called "The $3 League", which is an insider's history (written by one of the executives who worked alongside the Commissioner) of the USFL's 3-year-history. The San Antonio franchise was run absolutely horribly, they were barely making payroll every week. Per an anecdote in the book, Trump stood up and started verbally berating Clinton Manges (the San Antonio owner) for his poor stewardship during some owners meeting. Manges then took out a couple guns from their holsters and threw them on the table, while verbally threatening Trump.

Cooler minds prevailed, but just an anecdote about how (1) the USFL was a true circus at times (guns being thrown around at owners meetings!!!), and (2) the USFL could have literally killed Trump at some point (and forever changed history).
Click to expand...
Damn, you are right. Well I was definitely at the Gold game. Maybe all these years it was Craig Penrose I was thinking about.
 
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