By Darin In the latest episode of Pigskin Dispatch, host Darin Hayes welcomed Mr. Keith Wood, author of the new book The Memphis Showboats: The USFL Team and the City’s Fight for Major League Status. The conversation dives deep into the high-stakes, big-money world of the 1980s USFL—a league that didn’t just play in the spring; it actively “invaded” NFL territory and won.
The “Minister of Defense” and the USFL Star Power
When you talk about the Memphis Showboats, you have to start with Reggie White. Before he was the “Minister of Defense” for the Eagles and Packers, White was a local legend at the University of Tennessee who chose the USFL over the NFL.
As Keith Wood explains, the USFL was a legitimate threat because it had the capital to sign marquee talent. The league famously landed three straight Heisman Trophy winners and future NFL icons like Steve Young, Jim Kelly, and Doug Flutie. In Memphis, White was joined by standout quarterback Walter Lewis, Paul “Bear” Bryant’s first Black starting quarterback at Alabama.
A City Left at the Altar
A recurring theme in Wood’s research is Memphis’s long, often heartbreaking quest for “Major League” status. The city hosted exhibition games and even the World Football League’s Memphis Southmen (or Grizzlies) in the 1970s. Elvis Presley was famously a regular at those WFL games, but despite the star power and solid attendance, the NFL continually passed over the city.
The Showboats represented more than just a sports team; they were Memphis’s best shot at proving it belonged in the big leagues. Backed by the deep pockets of cotton magnate Billy Dunavant, the Showboats built a roster that was undeniably NFL-caliber. In fact, following the 1985 season, twenty players from that Showboats roster were still playing in the NFL five years later.
Innovation and the “What If?” of Professional Football
The USFL was a hotbed for innovations that we now take for granted in the NFL. The league pioneered:
- The Coaches’ Challenge: Using red flags and instant replay for officiating.
- Two-Point Conversions: Standardized long before the NFL adopted the rule.
- TV Partnerships: USFL Commissioner Chet Simmons, a founder of ESPN, secured the league’s broadcast future, effectively creating the blueprint for “Sunday Night Football.”
The Legal Fumble
The league’s demise is often blamed on a move to the fall and a disastrous lawsuit. While the USFL technically won its antitrust case against the NFL, the jury famously awarded it only one dollar (trebled to three dollars by law). Keith Wood suggests that had the trial been held in Memphis—rather than New York City—the outcome might have saved the league and led to a merger similar to the AFL-NFL deal of the 1960s.
Get the Book
If you want to dive deeper into the quarterback controversies, the colorful coaching of Pepper Rogers, and the political maneuvering to bring the NFL to Tennessee, Dr. Wood’s book is a must-read.
- Title: The Memphis Showboats: The USFL Team and the City’s Fight for Major League Status
- Where to Buy: Available on Amazon and McFarland Books.
- Special Offer: Visit keithbwoodauthor.com for a signed copy and a special discount for Pigskin Dispatch listeners.
As they say in Memphis: Go Boats!