Columnist Dean Juipe: Wolves are ready to fill XFL’s needs

Dean Juipe

Wednesday, July 5, 2000 | 10:05 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

When Las Vegas acquires its franchise in the Xtreme Football League, which apparently will happen this month, a number of questions will arise. But chief among them is this simple thought: Where will the players come from?

Edwin Rose has the answer.

"We're already here," said the owner of the Las Vegas Wolves semi-pro team. "I really want to do something with the XFL."

Rose, who doubles as a linebacker for the Wolves, doesn't want to sacrifice his team yet he realizes at least a few of his players could help stock Las Vegas' XFL franchise.

Given the stark reality that the XFL is going to have to beat the bushes for competent football players, signing some of the better ones from a semi-pro team that has played for several years has to be seen as a possible solution to one of the new league's primary problems. Rose not only shares that thought, he has attempted to make contact with the XFL through its web site.

"I submitted a proposal to them, although I haven't heard anything back," he said. "But I wanted to let the league know we're interested."

The XFL -- as detailed in the Sun last week -- is currently negotiating with UNLV for use of Sam Boyd Stadium. The league, which has television gold mine NBC as its financial backer, is making plans to debut next February and is already assured of widespread exposure through the huge network.

Ten teams are expected to play in the initial season and, from every indication, Las Vegas will be among the chosen few.

Pro wrestling impresario Vince McMahon is organizing the new league and, by the looks of things, he and NBC will own each of the teams. As for pro wrestling's soap-opera shtick and its merger with football, it remains to be seen if the XFL will emerge as a zany spinoff of wrestling or if its caliber of football can stand on its own.

Either way, Rose is ready to play along.

"I wonder if they'll have scripts," he mused. "If they do, it could leave a sour taste with the players if you're supposed to lose on a 99-yard fumble return on the last play of the game.

"But if it's a matter of just pushing a referee or something like that, I guess I wouldn't mind."

If he sounds overly adaptable, it's probably the result of trying to keep semi-pro football afloat in Las Vegas. The Wolves, as was the case with earlier incarnations such as the Kings and Aces, struggle to make ends meet in a world in which you can't always be sure your opponent will even arrive for a scheduled game. For instance, the Wolves were to have scrimmaged a team called the Seaguin Chargers this past Sunday, but the game was cancelled on short notice.

The Wolves' 14-game season opens July 29 and the team is currently on a three-days-per-week practice schedule.

"We've been talking about the XFL and most of the guys are a little skeptical because we've seen so many leagues come and go in Las Vegas," Rose said. "But there's no b.s. about us. And if the XFL wants to get some people in the stands in Las Vegas, it should put local guys on the field.

"It would be to their benefit."

It would also be a good public relations gambit, which a new league in this city really needs.