Donald Trump is carrying a multimillion dollar chip on the shoulder of his tailor-made three-piece suit and has dared the Giants to knock it off. He has a natural desire to be king of football in the New York area, but acquiring the crown may unfortunately be damaging to the United States Football League. He seems determined to hurt the league he wanted so much to help.
Trump owns the New Jersey Generals and has spent millions to make them winners, but he's still not satisfied. He's challenged the Giants to a game, and has guaranteed $1 million to charity if the Generals lose. He wants to be king in the New York area at any cost.
There is one major drawback to such a game. The Giants and Generals play in different seasons.
A minor setback for Donald Trump. Switch the USFL season to the fall and go head-to-head with the National Football League. Then the teams will play at the same time.
Inferior thinking from a man obviously quite smart. There would be stadium conflicts, fan conflicts and television conflicts. What Donald Trump sees as beneficial to himself and the Generals would mean almost certain death to the rest of the USFL teams.
"He's way out of line and premature," said Philadelphia Stars' Owner Myles Tanenbaum. "We're not near coming to a decision like that."
The New York Times ran a story last Sunday saying that the USFL will switch to fall football in 1987. Although Trump wasn't named in the story, it's source is attributed to him. He carries so much clout in the New York area that when he speaks, writers listen, print and, frequently, pay the penalty. They are taken to task for publicizing unfounded rumors.
According to Tampa Bay Owner John F. Bassett, that story is one.
"I can't believe from the interpretation of the Times how it can be duped so easily by Donald Trump," said Bassett. "The story was totally and completely wrong."
"It was out of line," said Tanenbaum. "I, for one, am against such a move, and there are many others."
Carl Peterson, president and general manager of the Stars who was director of player personnel for the NFL Eagles for six years, feels such a move won't be determined by the owners. Television will have the final say.
"When we signed our television contract, it was because they wanted to do football in the spring and summer," Peterson said. "Maybe they won't want another league in the fall.
"The National Football League ratings on ABC, CBS and NBC were all down last year, and two leagues playing at the same time will only dilute the ratings more. I don't think they would want us going head-to-head."
Blame Donald Trump, even though the Times didn't. When Los Angeles gave Brigham Young quarterback Steve Young a $40 million contract over 43 years, he gave Herschel Walker what he considers "in the long run" an even better contract. Being based in New York, the biggest television market in the country, his word in football has become law. He carries too much clout, obviously.
"As far as I'm concerned, and I'm a member of the league's executive committee, the prospect of us moving to a fall schedule is remote," said A. Alfred Taubman, owner of the defending champion Michigan Panthers. "In my opinion, outside of Mr. Trump, who is vociferous about it, there isn't anyone in this league who will confirm the fact they want to move to a fall schedule. The other 17 owners joined this league on the basis of a spring schedule. We've made it on a spring schedule."
While the USFL still struggles in some areas of the country, it has become solidly established in Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Birmingham, New Orleans, Denver, Michigan and New Jersey. Despite smaller crowds than usual last weekend, more than two million fans have paid to see the first 72 games of the season.
"I'm livid about that story," said Bassett, who is chairman of the USFL Executive Committee. "I'm trying to negotiate a television contract, and to have this come out at this time is like shooting me in the stomach with a machine gun.
"To release a falsehood that the league has voted to do this is totally irresponsible."
Naturally, Arizona Coach George Allen sides with Trump. They're from the same mold, each apparently desiring the world as his own.
"I hope the story is true," Allen said Sunday after his Wranglers had defeated Trump's Generals 20-3 in Giants Stadium. "I didn't get into this league to be in the minor leagues. I don't think we have to wait until 1987 to switch. I think that is too far down the line. I would like the move after next season. I enjoy this very much."
A decision concerning a possible switch in seasons must be made by the league Executive Committee of Trump, Taubman, Tanenbaum, Bassett and Tad Taube of the Oakland Invaders. As Carl Peterson said, however, the final decision almost certainly will be made by television. That's one thing Donald Trump doesn't control . . . yet.