USFL head coach sparks controversy for firing player over his food preference

[AZProgressive]

A United States Football League (USFL) head football coach is at the center of controversy after a video surfaced online showing him firing a player over his food preference.

The video clip, posted on social media over the weekend, showed Pittsburgh Maulers head coach Kirby Wilson meeting with running back De’Veon Smith in a hotel room at the league’s headquarters in Birmingham, Ala.

Wilson, a former running back coach for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, proceeds to tell Smith that he was cut from the team due to violating protocols after asking to have pizza for lunch instead of the chicken salad that was served. Wilson noted that Smith’s disrespect toward team officials over the matter led to his dismissal from the franchise.

“He crossed the line, so we had to deal with it,” Wilson said in an interview.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/3272255-usfl-head-coach-sparks-controversy-for-firing-player-over-his-food-preference/

[SergeStorms]

1. The USFL.

Destined to fail. Again.

[Rebl2]

5. Yep

[exboyfil]

2. Was it asking for pizza

or what he said when he was denied pizza. He might not have been fired for his food preference but for his behavior when told no.

[jimfields33]

3. True.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. " in a hotel room at the league's headquarters in Birmingham, Ala."

Bad writing or low budget operation?

[SergeStorms]

6. A bit of both....

I think. This "second league" crap has always been low budget chicanery, that's why Trump got involved initially.

He thought he'd parlay ownership of an USFL team into a NFL team ownership and save a lot of money over following the usual NFL ownership strategy.

The NFL didn't fall for this Trumpian gambit and went it's usual route for expansion. I think Trump actually litigated this decision by the NFL (as is Trump's way with everything) and lost (which is most always the result of Trump's litigation), and ended up losing tons of money, as usual (but those losses are always tax deductible).

This USFL crap is destined to fail again. People don't want to attend semi-pro football games in the summertime.

[AZProgressive]

7. They actually won the lawsuit

But the jury only awarded them 1 dollar.

[SergeStorms]

8. That's even better.

His legal fees probably cost him a fortune. Not that he pays lawyers, but you know.

[Xavier Breath]

9. I remember when that ludicrous "award" was announced.

I was a teen at the time and a big fan of the USFL. The talent was there, and the NFL off-season always seemed like an eternity, so I loved the idea of spring football and watched it every week. I decided to be a Michigan Panthers fan since they were the closest team to me, and damned if they didn't win the first championship.

Trump's idea to play in the fall was a dumb one, and I was hoping they'd come to their senses and stick to playing in the spring instead of going head-to-head with the NFL and college ball. But, that jury's joke of an award ended any such dream.

I'm watching the game that's on right now, and it's entertaining, but I doubt I'll invest too deeply in it. I enjoyed the "Alliance of American Football League" a few years back, only to watch that go belly-up, too.