ESPN Films 30 for 30: Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL?

Don't Forget the USFL...
This is an excellent, little, "biography" of the short and bumpy life of the United States Football League. Since the league started nearly thirty years ago, and vanished within three short seasons, many younger football fans today may not even remember the league, or the fact that it was a proving ground for many (later) NFL stars; Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie, and many others.
This ESPN film also makes Donald Trump look exactly like the league-killing, ego-maniac putz that he actually was (and is).
Only one quibble: nary a mention of the Denver Gold and its owner, Ron Blanding. He caught a great deal of flack, back in the day, for being cheap, and not spending his team into oblivion to get a couple big-name players. But he actually had it right. The Gold was the only team that made money, and stuck to the owners' original financial plan.
Still, the whole ESPN 30 for 30 series was great, and this entry is one of the best.

Outstanding!! Don't forget this fine film by Mike Tollin (or the USFL)!!
Mike Tollin, a former league employee (who
helped 'make' The Donald, in a football
sense, recaptured in this important film,
a very important part of football, and my
first job out of college. Thank you very
little, Donald Trump. And I won't be voting
for you for President! Pick Up On It!

A great look back at a rival football league and how Donald Trump helped kill it
Just as the USFL is a footnote today, the documentary of it has been overlooked amid the other "30 for 30" films. That's a shame as this hour long feature is a fun look back at the creation of the United States Football League, an attempt at summer football that began in 1983 after pulling off the shocking signing of college star Herschel Walker. The league did have surprising success thanks to exposure on a young ESPN and some actually good players and games. Michael Tollin helped the USFL create their video packages and thus his direction gives unique insight to the league (if a bit self-serving on it success). He delves less on how it began and more on how it fell apart as owners (especially Donald Trump) made the mistake of reaching too far too soon, wanting to go head-to-head with the NFL before they were ready. The highlight of the doc is Tollin meeting Trump today, the man incredibly rude and arrogant, claiming he was the only one who could make the USFL a success and literally...

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