OT: UFL Update--Hartford Colonials

Until the UFL gets its own space on SBNation, it seems like I’ve got little choice but to discuss my new favorite start-up League with you guys.  Why?  Because it’s the off-season, and without even VY-vs.-KC to debate, well… what else do we have to talk about?  I mean, if I have to listen to one more mindless AP apologist, I’m gonna lose my mind.

So.  Well, I’m just gonna go ahead and tell you that your new favorite UFL team is the Hartford Colonials.  The Colonials started life as the winless (and nigh unwatchable) New York Sentinels last season--under the rather inept leadership of Ted Cotrell, formerly DC of the San Diego Chargers.  Honestly, I was both surprised and dismayed when Cotrell was hired for the Sentinels, and in that regard, well, last year’s winless season was exactly what you’d expect out of a guy whose last tenure was also a colossal failure.  Honestly, last season for the Sentinels was so bad that I ended up canceling my plans to take my kids to one of the games because I didn’t want their first experience with live football to be a total blowout.

Thankfully, this season the Colonials have a new Head Coach and GM.  In the Spartan UFL, that’s dual position held by a single man, Chris Palmer, a CT native as well as a former Cleveland Browns HC and the former Giants’ QBs position Coach.  Eh.  I’ve never heard of anyone else from the staff besides Tony Sporano, the son of the Miami Dolphins’ HC.

Coaching Staff Link:

http://www.examiner.com/x-28793-Hartford-Sports-Examiner~y2010m3d20-Hartford-Colonials-announce-coaching-staff

As far as the players go, the Colonials just announced their “protected” list, the list of the 20 players with whom the team has some kind of initial exclusivity over contract extensions from last season.  The most famous looks to be Safety Tra Battle.   In looking through the news, I see that Battle visited the Titans recently, presumably as part of the team’s “emergency call” list collection.  A lot of the successful UFL players wound up getting called up last season that way. 

Anway, I’ve not heard of anyone else on the team, but it looks like there are a couple of former Texans.

http://articles.courant.com/2010-03-22/sports/hc-golfup0322.artmar22_1_protected-list-ufl

The Colonials play at UConn’s stadium, probably to around 5K spectators if last year’s attendance is any guide.  Season tickets are $100 for 5 games.  Since the stadium is about 45 minutes from my house, I may well buy some, but it depends on the schedule.  Fridays and Weekend nights I would do.  More Thursday night games I won’t. 

Games are televised on Versus and via the Internet on HDNet and the UFL’s official site.