Birmingham Thunderbolts
The Birmingham Thunderbolts were a professional football team as part of the XFL's single season in 2001. Playing their home games in Legion Field, the Bolts missed the playoffs in their lone season with a final record of 2-8.
The XFL
The XFL was developed in a partnership between Vince McMahon's WWF and NBC. The league was formally announced on February 3, 2000, with its partnership with NBC announced on March 29. The league was a spring American football league which had 8 teams playing a 10-game regular season. Teams were aligned into two divisions:
- Eastern Division: Birmingham Thunderbolts, Chicago Enforcers, New York/Mew Jersey Hitmen, Orlando Rage
- Western Division: Las Vegas Outlaws, Los Angeles Xtreme, Memphis Maniax, San Francisco Demons
The regular season began on Saturday, February 21, 2001 and run through Sunday, April 8. The season would be without any bye weeks. On each weekend two games were played on Saturday nights and two again played on Sunday with one in the afternoon and one in the evening.
The playoff format consisted of the top two teams in each division. The semifinal playoff games took place on the weekend of April 14-15. The two teams emerging from the XFL semifinal playoffs met at the end of the season in The Big Game At The End. The lone championship game was held on April 21, 2001, in Los Angeles' Memorial Coliseum with the Los Angeles Xtreme defeating the San Francisco Demons for the only XFL championship.
Rules unique to the XFL included no fair catches on punts and kickoffs for the receiving team, no kicking of extra points after touchdowns, allowing a catch to be made with only one foot in-bounds, a shorter, 35 second play clock, and tweaks in overtime rules making them more similar to the college format without sudden-death. Additionally, the XFL was also known for the new camera angles and vantage points seen by television viewers. Some of these new techniques are now used in NFL and college broadcasts.
Additionally, players received bonuses for winning. For each victory during the regular season, players would divide $100,000 in bonus money. For the league champions, a $1 million bonus was divided evenly amongst players.
2001 Thunderbolts
Inception
The team was owned by a partnership between World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. and NBC. Birmingham was announced as a XFL city on August 1, 2000. The name of the team, announced later that August, was initially to be the Birmingham Blast. However it was then changed to Thunderbolts after the Blast moniker did not have a warm reception with the community due to the events of the civil rights movement and the 1998 abortion clinic bombing.
The team's colors were purple, yellow, and white. Their logo was a stylized 'B' with six lightning bolts extending from it. The team was frequently referred to by fans and the media as the Bolts, with most team merchandise only using the Bolts moniker in lieu of Thunderbolts.
The general manager was Tim Berryman with Bob Gates serving as Director of Player personnel. Gerry Dinardo served as head coach. The team was assembled in October that year with the initial practices occurring on November 8.
It was announced on December 11 that all radio broadcasts would be on Classic Rock WZRR-FM 99.5. Rick Burgess and Bill Bussey of the Rick & Bubba Show served as the teams play-by-play announcers along with Jim Dunaway.
Game Results
Date | Result | Score | Opponent | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
February 4, 2001 | L | 22-20 | Memphis Maniax | Legion Field |
February 11, 2001 | W | 19-12 | New York/New Jersey Hitmen | Giants Stadium |
February 18, 2001 | W | 14-3 | Chicago Enforcers | Legion Field |
February 24, 2001 | L | 30-6 | Orlando Rage | Citrus Bowl |
March 3, 2001 | L | 39-10 | San Francisco Demons | Pac Bell Park |
March 11, 2001 | L | 35-26 | Los Angeles Xtreme | Legion Field |
March 17, 2001 | L | 34-12 | Las Vegas Outlaws | Sam Boyd Stadium |
March 25, 2001 | L | 13-0 | Chicago Enforcers | Soldier Field |
March 31, 2001 | L | 29-24 | Orlando Rage | Legion Field |
April 8, 2001 | L | 22-0 | New York/New Jersey Hitmen | Legion Field |
Team Leaders
- Rushing Yards: 539, James Bostic
- Receiving Yards: 827, Sepfret Williams
- Passing Yards: 1238, Casey Weldon
Coaching Staff
Name | Position Coached |
---|---|
Gerry Dinardo | Head Coach |
Dave Arslanian | Offinsive Coordinator/Quarterbacks |
Paul Arslanian | Linebackers |
Mark Brady | Wide Receivers |
Lionel James | Running Backs |
Curley Hallman | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs |
Woodrow Lowe, Jr. | Defensive Assistant |
Rick Rhoades | Offensive Line |
Don Wnek | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line |
Roster
Number | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Andy Russ | K | Mississippi State |
3 | Anthony Derricks | CB | Mississippi State |
4 | Damon Gourdine | WR | San Diego State |
5 | Brad Palazzo | K | Tulane |
7 | Jay Barker | QB | Alabama |
11 | Casy Weldon | QB | Florida State |
13 | Graham Leigh | QB | New Mexico |
16 | Mark Washington | QB | Jackson State |
18 | Keith Franklin | OLB | South Carolina |
21 | David Knott | S | Mississippi |
23 | Sedrick Curry | CB | Texas A&M |
24 | Eric Hickson | RB | Kansas State |
26 | Carlos Jones | CB | Miami |
27 | Chris Shelling | DB | Auburn |
28 | Troy Davis | RB | Iowa State |
31 | Duane Butler | S | Illinois State |
32 | Curtis Alexander | RB | Alabama |
33 | James Bostic | RB | Auburn |
34 | Billy Gustin | DB | Purdue |
35 | Tony McCall | CB | North Carolina |
36 | Fred White | CB | Tennessee |
37 | Eric Sloan | CB | Troy State |
38 | Calvin Jackson | S | Auburn |
42 | Nicky Savoie | TE | LSU |
44 | Fred Perry | OLB | Southern Arkansas |
50 | James Willis | LB | Auburn |
53 | Alonzo Gilbert | OG | North Carolina State |
55 | Patrick Scott | OLB | South Carolina State |
56 | Malcolm Hamilton | LB | Baylor |
57 | Dion Foxx | OLB | James Madison |
58 | Charles Peterson | DE | Hampton |
59 | Jamie Heiner | LB | Northern Colorado |
60 | Mike Mihelic | OG | Indiana |
61 | Justin Burroughs | C | North Carolina State |
63 | Antonio Flemming | OG | Georgia |
65 | Ryan Thomassie | C | LSU |
66 | Matt Hogg | OG/C | Youngstown State |
70 | Jason McDonald | OT | Alabama |
71 | Michael Lies | OL | Kansas |
75 | Allen Mogridge | C | North Carolina |
77 | Mike Edwards | OG | Nevada |
78 | Ozell Powell | OT | Alabama |
79 | Ed King | OL | Auburn |
80 | Stepfert Williams | WR | Louisiana-Monroe |
81 | Kaipo McGuire | WR | BYU |
82 | Quincy Jackson | WR | Alabama |
83 | Joe Douglass | WR | Montana |
84 | Steve Smith | WR | Utah State |
85 | Kevin Drake | WR | UAB |
86 | Ed Smith | TE | No College |
87 | Scott Thompson | TE | Fresno State |
88 | Jahine Arnold | WR | Fresno State |
89 | Alex Hass | TE | Minnesota |
90 | Jarett Loggins | DT | Northern Arizona |
91 | Alton Weaver | DT | Oklahoma State |
92 | Kendrick Burton | DE | Alabama |
94 | Johnny Mitchell | DT | LSU |
95 | Quinton Reese | DE | Auburn |
96 | Jimmy Brumbaugh | DT | Auburn |
98 | Cedric Pittman | DE | Nevada |
99 | Eric Kerley | DT | Alabama |
References
- Birmingham Thunderbolts (2001) Birmingham Thunderbolts 2001 Inaugurral Media Guide.
External Links
- Birmingham Thunderbolts on BirminghamProSports.com
- Birmingham Thunderbolts tribute site