The In-Vince-able Men

Victoria Sun

Friday, Feb. 2, 2001 | 10:42 a.m.

Who: N. York/N. Jersey at Outlaws Where: Sam Boyd Stadium When: Saturday, 5 p.m. TV: NBC (Ch. 3) Betting line: Outlaws by 4 1/2 Tickets: Start at $18

Vince McMahon oozes attitude.

Not the nasty kind that would make you want to body slam him into the asphalt.

The kind that makes you think he could sell mink coats to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Would you expect anything else from the mastermind behind the wildly successful World Wrestling Federation?

McMahon promises his latest venture, the eight-franchise XFL which begins play on Saturday with NBC as a broadcast partner, will be laced with the attitude that helped save the WWF.

"I think that as far as attitude is concerned, I dare say that by definition we have a new league and are in some ways, at least perception wise, competing with the NFL," McMahon said. "You gotta have a pretty (gutsy) attitude to do that.

"And it comes pretty natural to us in terms of that attitude. But most people don't have that kind of attitude. And I think from the league's standpoint, yes, there's an attitude far different from the NFL hierarchy and the people who run that league, the stuffed suits who turn their back on middle class America.

"So yes, I certainly was born with one and the league has an attitude."

McMahon came up with the idea of starting a professional football league roughly five years ago, but decided that now was the right time to make his vision a reality.

He envisioned a league that would play during the time of year when most other leagues are on hiatus following the Super Bowl. More importantly, he wanted to establish a football league that would bring back the excitement he felt was missing from the "sanitized" NFL.

McMahon knows the success of the new league is dependent upon how football fans receive it, so he has spared no expense at enticing them to watch his product.

With rules designed to keep the length of the games at three hours and fans riveted on every possession, XFL players, coaches and officials are confident football fans will love what they see on TV. Every XFL game will be carried by NBC, UPN or TNN.

For starters, there will be microphones on players and coaches so that fans can hear what is going on inside the huddle and on the sidelines. There will be scantily clad cheerleaders adding extra spice to the production. And there will be 13 cameras -- some of them in places off-limits to the NFL viewing audience (such as the locker rooms and coaching boxes) -- to chronicle the action.

As the Las Vegas Outlaws make last-minute preparations for the XFL opener against the New York/New Jersey Hitmen, set for 5 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium, the players think McMahon has produced another hit.

The season opener, at least, seems to be generating plenty of interest locally. Outlaws officials are expecting a crowd of 26,000 for the league debut, and they're optimistic that once the novelty wears off, the team will have a built a healthy fan base. Season ticket sales went over the 8,000 mark on Wednesday.

Former NFL veteran Keith Jennings said local fans will not be disappointed in the production.

During a private scrimmage between the Outlaws and the Los Angeles Xtreme, the former Chicago Bear was wowed by what he saw. The scrimmage incorporated all of the novelties and gimmicks that McMahon thinks will accentuate a spectator's enjoyment of each game.

"What really convinced me this would work was when I saw all the lights, the pyro (technics)," said Jennings who will play tight end for the Outlaws. "It was wild.

"I'm telling you, if fans don't like this, I don't understand it. You got the fireworks, the pyro (technics), the cheerleaders and probably the best (in stadium) big screen I've ever seen.

"And they've got so many different angles of football to where you feel that you could be in the top of the damn stands and you still feel like you're on the field because of the screen and the mikes on each player. This is very, very, very fan friendly."

In McMahon's opinion, the XFL is just the opposite of what the NFL has become.

While celebrating too flamboyantly in the end zone is discouraged in the NFL and cause for a penalty in college football, the XFL encourages players to show their emotions.

"It's an emotional game," Outlaws running back Chrys Chukwuma said. "Ever since you were little, you were doing things like that (celebrating a good play) and they take it away.

"As long as you're taunting and celebrating with your team, having fun, it should be OK. Because the game is fun. I'm happy you can express yourself in this league if you want to, because sometimes you can't control your emotions."

Or your penchant for swearing in the heat of battle. The television networks will use a five-second delay to mask any unsuitable four-letter words. Although the players aren't used to playing football with microphones attached to their jerseys, some think it will raise the level of excitment.

"As far as players, fans, people that were there, everybody had positive comments," Las Vegas safety Brandon Sanders said. "The players that are (wired), their voices are being projected through the stadium.

"You know what the other player is thinking on the other side from you and gives you a chance, as a spectator, to come into the huddle, into the field of play."

There are also rules variations that in theory will make the game more lively and/or physical. These include no fair catches on punts, no kicking for extra points and no quarterbacks in the grasp.

While all of the extras may sound good, skeptics have questioned what the finished product will look like. Some wonder how McMahon expects people to take the XFL seriously when so much of what the WWF does is scripted.

The XFL also faces a problem with name recognition. Although most of the players have pro football experience, very few are recognizable to the average fan.

For that reason, many media outlets are taking a wait-and-see approach to covering the league until they see what it's all about.

"We'll take a look at the ratings, the attendance, and look at the product on the field," said Bob Eaton, a senior vice president and managing editor at ESPN. "Our viewers are pretty hard-core sports people. It's going to have to fight its way in."

But XFL officials are confident of winning over the skeptics.

NFL legend Dick Butkus, the league's director of football competition, said he would not have gotten involved with the XFL if he thought the football wasn't the real deal.

"That's probably because they don't know or haven't met Vince McMahon," Butkus said of non-believers. "He's a real guys guy, you know.

"I mean, he's laying a lot of his reputation and everything on the line."

Attitude included.