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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Edward Reese Allen is an American author and television personality. He was the food and wine connoisseur on the Bravo network's television program Queer Eye, and has been the host of the TV cooking competition series Chopped since its launch in 2009, as well as Chopped Junior, which began in mid-2015. On April 13, 2014, he became the host of another Food Network show, originally called America's Best Cook. A retooled version of that show, retitled All-Star Academy, debuted on March 1, 2015. In early 2015, he also hosted a four-part special, Best. Ever., which scoured America for its best burgers, pizza, breakfast, and barbecue. He is a longtime contributing writer to Esquire magazine, an author of two cookbooks, and regularly appears on the Food Network show Beat Bobby Flay and other television cooking shows.
Paul Martin Butcher is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven years, until he retired from the Oakland Raiders. He also played for the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, and he was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL Expansion Draft. He played college football at Wayne State University. Butcher was the Special Teams coach of the XFL's New York/New Jersey Hitmen. His son is Nickelodeon actor Paul Butcher.
Joe Aska is a former American football running back who played for the Oakland Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the New York/New Jersey Hitmen of the XFL.
Russell Arthur Tillman was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1970 to 1977. He played college football for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.
Kirby David Dar Dar is a retired American professional football wide receiver. He played college football at Syracuse as a running back. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted rookie free agent in 1995. He also played for the New York/New Jersey Hitmen of the XFL in 2001.
Edwin Raymond Bailey is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). Bailey attended South Carolina State University and eventually earned his degree at Charter Oak State College. He was the New York/New Jersey Hitmen of the XFL's offensive line coach.
Jeffrey Pollack is an American sports executive and business consultant. After a brief career in politics, Pollack moved into the industry of sports business where he's held executive roles with the NBA, NASCAR, World Series of Poker, Professional Bull Riders, Los Angeles Chargers and XFL.
Dwayne Irving Sabb is a former American football linebacker and fullback in the National Football League (NFL), the XFL and the Arena Football League (AFL).
Chopped is an American reality-based cooking television game show series created by Michael Krupat, Dave Noll and Linda Lea. It is hosted by Ted Allen. The series pits four chefs against each other as they compete for a chance to win $10,000. The series debuted in 2009, and episodes air every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Food Network.
The Best Thing I Ever Ate is a television series that originally aired on Food Network, debuting on June 22, 2009.
Marc Murphy is an American executive chef, restaurateur and television food personality.
Charles "Charley" Puleri is a former professional football quarterback.
Chopped Canada is a Canadian reality cooking television series based on the US series Chopped. The program pits four chefs against each other as they compete to win $10,000 and the title of Chopped Canada Champion. It first aired on January 2, 2014 and last aired on February 11, 2017. In May 2017, the show's producers announced that Food Network Canada had cancelled the show.
Fast Foodies is an American reality television series that premiered on TruTV on February 4, 2021. The series features chefs Jeremy Ford, Kristen Kish, and Justin Sutherland as they attempt to re-create a celebrity guest's favorite fast food item and later make their own take on it. In May 2021, the series was renewed for a second season.
