Birmingham Thunderbolts

Last updated
Birmingham Thunderbolts
Birmingham thunderbolts logo.png
Established2001
Folded2001;23 years ago (2001)
Based in Birmingham, Alabama
Home stadium Legion Field
Head coach Gerry DiNardo
General managerTim Berryman
Owner(s) World Wrestling Federation
League XFL
DivisionEastern
ColorsPurple, yellow, silver [1]
   
Nickname(s)Bolts
League titles0
Division titles0

The Birmingham Thunderbolts were a short-lived springtime American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States.

Contents

Opening Season

The Thunderbolts played in the Eastern Division, with the Chicago Enforcers, Orlando Rage and the New York/New Jersey Hitmen. They finished the only year of XFL play  2001  in last place with the worst record in the league, at 2-8.

The Thunderbolts played their home games at Birmingham's legendary Legion Field. They were coached by Brooklyn-native Gerry DiNardo , a former star player at the University of Notre Dame, and previously head coach at Vanderbilt University and Louisiana State University. Following the collapse of the XFL, he went on to coach at Indiana University. One of DiNardo's assistants with the Thunderbolts was his predecessor at LSU, Curley Hallman, who was Brett Favre's head coach for three seasons at the University of Southern Mississippi.

The team's colors were purple, yellow, and white. Their logo was a stylized 'B' with six lightning bolts extending from it. On the teams helmets, the logo was placed at the front, instead of the customary position on each side, with only the upper three lightning bolts visible. The team was frequently referred to by fans and the media as simply the Bolts. Team merchandise almost always used the shortened Bolts moniker.

Allegedly, the league had originally planned to name the team the Blast; the XFL had named all of its teams with references to insanity and criminal activity, and the name "Birmingham Blast" likewise invoked images of the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church and of Eric Rudolph's 1998 bombing of a local abortion clinic, two tragic events in Birmingham history. As the league soon realized that such a name would have been in extremely poor taste, at the last minute the league changed it to "Thunderbolts," or "Bolts" for short. The team's logo is said to be the same one originally designed for the Blast. The Thunderbolts were unusual in that their nickname was benign.

While XFL players were encouraged to use nicknames instead of their last names on the backs of their jerseys, DiNardo banned Thunderbolts players from doing so.

After losing the opening game to the Memphis Maniax, the Thunderbolts posted wins over the Chicago Enforcers and the New York/New Jersey Hitmen. These would ultimately become the only victories the Thunderbolts would ever see. The Bolts would finish with a 2-8 record.

Birmingham went through all 3 quarterbacks during the season. Former Florida State quarterback Casey Weldon was signed as the starter. Former University of Alabama quarterback Jay Barker was signed as the backup, despite the crowds (averaging only 17,000 fans a game, second-lowest in the league) chanting his name during the home games. Barker would become the starter after Weldon injured his shoulder. Barker suffered a concussion in Chicago when he collided with Enforcers' cornerback Ray Austin while attempting a bootleg run on a broken play. He was replaced by third string QB Graham Leigh.

NBC dropped the XFL after the first (2001) season due to dismal ratings, and the league was disbanded shortly thereafter.

Season-by-season

Season records
SeasonWLTFinishPlayoff results
20012804th EasternOut of playoffs

Schedule

Regular season

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenue
1February 4 Memphis Maniax L 20–220–1 Legion Field
2February 11at New York/New Jersey Hitmen W 19–121–1 Giants Stadium
3February 18 Chicago Enforcers W 14–32–1Legion Field
4February 24at Orlando Rage L 6–302–2 Florida Citrus Bowl
5March 3at San Francisco Demons L 10–392–3 Pacific Bell Park
6March 11 Los Angeles Xtreme L 26–352–4Legion Field
7March 17at Las Vegas Outlaws L 12–342–5 Sam Boyd Stadium
8March 25at Chicago EnforcersL 0–132–6 Soldier Field
9March 31Orlando RageL 24–292–7Legion Field
10April 8New York/New Jersey HitmenL 0–222–8Legion Field

Personnel

Staff

2001 Birmingham Thunderbolts staff
Front office
  • Vice president/general manager – Tim Berryman
  • Director of player personnel – Bob Gates

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches
  • Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs – Curley Hallman
  • Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line – Don Wnek
  • Linebackers – Paul Arslanian
  • Personal Coach John Guimond
  • Defensive assistant – Woodrow Lowe, Jr.

[2]

Standings

Eastern Division
TeamWLTPCTPFPASTK
Orlando Rage 820.800207162L1
Chicago Enforcers 550.500163178W1
New York/New Jersey Hitmen 460.400110145W1
Birmingham Thunderbolts 280.200131217L7

[3]

Birmingham Thunderbolts players

Post-XFL developments

After the league folded, head coach Gerry DiNardo joined the staff of Birmingham sports talk radio station WJOX 690, as did Jay Barker, who also did sports commentary on local CBS TV affiliate WIAT channel 42. Barker currently hosts "The Opening Drive" on WJOX 94.5 in Birmingham with Tony Kurre and former NFL kicker Al Del Greco.

DiNardo returned to his college football coaching roots in 2002 as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers football team. The team was sometimes jokingly nicknamed "The Fighting DiNardos" in his honor. He was fired at the end of the 2004 season. He is currently a studio analyst for the Big Ten Network.

The Thunderbolts were the last playing stop for defensive back Anthony Blevins, after the team folded, Blevins went into coaching at first the high school, then college and NFL levels. In 2023, Blevins was named the head coach of the Vegas Vipers of the re-established XFL becoming one of the only links between the new XFL and the original one.

Team leaders

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XFL (2001)</span> Former American football league

The XFL was a professional American football league that played its only season in 2001. The XFL was operated as a joint venture between the World Wrestling Federation and NBC. The XFL was conceived as an outdoor football league that would begin play immediately after the National Football League (NFL) season ended, to take advantage of the perceived lingering public desire to watch football after the NFL and college football seasons conclude. It was promoted as having fewer rules to encourage rougher play than other major leagues, while its telecasts featured sports entertainment elements inspired by professional wrestling, including heat and kayfabe, and suggestively-dressed cheerleaders. Commentary crews also featured WWF commentators joined by sportscasters and veteran football players. Despite the wrestling influence, the games and their outcomes were legitimate and not based on scripted storylines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Football League</span> Former American football league (1974–1975)

The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 and most of its second in 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The league folded midway through its second season, in 1975. A new minor football league began play as the World Football League in 2008 after acquiring the rights to its trademarks and intellectual property; it folded in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas Outlaws (XFL)</span> American football team in the XFL

The Las Vegas Outlaws were an American football team in the XFL. They played in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons and Memphis Maniax. They played their home games at Sam Boyd Stadium. On February 3, 2001, The Outlaws hosted the first nationally televised XFL game on NBC against the New York/New Jersey Hitmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Enforcers</span>

The Chicago Enforcers were an American football team of the XFL based at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The XFL was begun by Vince McMahon of the WWE and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. NBC dropped XFL broadcasts after the first season in 2001 due to dismal ratings, and the league was dissolved shortly thereafter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orlando Rage</span> Defunct American football team

The Orlando Rage was an American football team based in Orlando, Florida as part of the XFL, begun by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation and by NBC, a major television network in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Demons</span> American football team based in San Francisco, California

The San Francisco Demons were a short-lived springtime American football team based in San Francisco, California. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. Originally they were to be based in San Jose but prior to the start of the season they were moved to San Francisco. They were in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, Las Vegas Outlaws and Memphis Maniax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York/New Jersey Hitmen</span>

The New York/New Jersey Hitmen were an American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Hitmen were the members of the Eastern Division of the XFL. The team played their home games in Giants Stadium of the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

Patrick Joseph Sullivan was an American professional football player and college coach. An All-America quarterback for the Auburn Tigers, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1971 and then played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. Sullivan was a head football coach at Samford University, a position he held from 2007 to 2014. He was previously the head football coach at Texas Christian University (TCU) from 1992 to 1997 and the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from 1999 to 2006. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1991.

Gerard Paul DiNardo is a former American football player and coach. He played college football as a guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish where he was selected as an All-American in 1974. DiNardo served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University (1991–1994), Louisiana State University (1995–1999), and Indiana University (2002–2004), compiling a career college football record of 59–76–1. In 2001, he was the head coach of the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the XFL.

William Casey Weldon is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles in the late-1980s and early-1990s. During his senior season in 1991, Weldon was a first-team All-American and finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Desmond Howard of Michigan. Weldon was selected in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He also played in the World League and for the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the XFL.

Harry Jerome “Jay” Barker is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, earning third-team All-American honors in 1994. After his playing career, he became a Birmingham radio personality.

James Edward Bostic is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers. He played in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles, and also played in the defunct XFL.

James Edward Willis III is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and a former coach in the NCAA and in the NFL. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL draft. He played college football at Auburn. He played high school football at J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville, Alabama. He was the defensive assistant/linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL until his termination on January 5, 2017.

Peter Vaas is an American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at Allegheny College from 1986 to 1989 and at the College of the Holy Cross from 1992 to 1995, compiling a career college football record of 43–41–1. He played football as a quarterback at Holy Cross from 1971 to 1973.

Jimmy Brumbaugh is a former American and arena football defensive tackle / offensive lineman who is the defensive line coach at Coastal Carolina. He played college football at Auburn. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2000 by the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).

Quincy Jackson is a former gridiron football wide receiver. He played college football at Alabama Crimson Tide football. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL).

Steve Smith is an American former arena football offensive specialist. He played college football at Utah State. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Wildcats (XFL)</span> XFL (2020) team based in Los Angeles, California

The Los Angeles Wildcats were a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and was an owned-and-operated member of the second XFL. The Wildcats played their home games at Dignity Health Sports Park. On March 8, 2020, the Wildcats played their final game against the Tampa Bay Vipers, which was the final XFL game before the league suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anthony Blevins is a former American football player and coach who is currently a defensive assistant for the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). Blevins played in the original XFL with the Birmingham Thunderbolts and had been a full-time coach in the NFL from 2013 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Jersey Generals (2022)</span> American football team (2022–2023)

The New Jersey Generals were a professional American football team. The Generals competed in the United States Football League (USFL) as a member club of the league's North division. Though named after the 1980s USFL team of the same name, which played at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Generals never played in New Jersey nor the New York metropolitan area the original Generals represented, instead playing its home games at the USFL's hub at Protective Stadium and Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama in 2022, and at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio in 2023 under the USFL's stadium sharing model. The Generals were one of eight teams that joined the USFL in 2022.

References

  1. "Birmingham Thunderbolts Logo Sheet". SSUR.org. Archived from the original on November 28, 2010.
  2. 2001 Birmingham Thunderbolts Media Guide. XFL. pp. 4–11.
  3. "XFL Standings". USA Today . May 12, 2001. Retrieved February 18, 2011.