Birmingham Thunderbolts
Encyclopedia
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
.
, 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
.
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, but changed the name at the last minute when it was considered to invoke images of the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church
and of the 1998 bombing of a local abortion
clinic, two tragic events in Birmingham history. The teams logo is said to be the same one originally designed for the Blast.
While XFL players were encouraged to use nickname
s 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 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 concept after the first (2001) season due to dismal ratings, and the league was disbanded shortly thereafter.
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 currently co-hosts ESPN Radio College GameDay
on Saturdays in the fall
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. This team was part of the failed XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
begun by Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
of World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, a major television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
network in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The only season
The Thunderbolts played in the Eastern Division, with the Chicago EnforcersChicago Enforcers
The Chicago Enforcers were a short-lived American football team based in Chicago, Illinois at Soldier Field. 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...
, Orlando Rage
Orlando Rage
-Statistical leaders:* Rushing yards: 387, Derrick Clark* Receiving yards: 659, Dialleo Burks* Passing yards: 998, Brian Kuklick-Awards:-Honors:...
and the New York/New Jersey Hitmen
New York/New Jersey Hitmen
The New York/New Jersey Hitmen were a short-lived American football team based in Giants Stadium of the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey....
. 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
Legion Field
Legion Field is a large stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football, but is occasionally used for other large outdoor events. The stadium is named in honor of the American Legion, a U.S. organization of military veterans. At its peak...
. They were coached by Brooklyn-native Gerry DiNardo
Gerry DiNardo
Gerard 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...
, a former star player at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, and previously head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
and Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. Following the collapse of the XFL, he went on to coach at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
.
The team's colors were purple, yellow, and white. Their logo was a stylized 'B' with six lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
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, but changed the name at the last minute when it was considered to invoke images of the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church
16th Street Baptist Church
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama which is frequented predominately by African Americans. In September 1963, it was the target of the racially motivated 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four girls in the midst of the American Civil Rights...
and of the 1998 bombing of a local abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
clinic, two tragic events in Birmingham history. The teams logo is said to be the same one originally designed for the Blast.
While XFL players were encouraged to use nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s 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
Memphis Maniax
The Memphis Maniax was an American football team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The team was part of the XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States...
, the Thunderbolts posted wins over the Chicago Enforcers
Chicago Enforcers
The Chicago Enforcers were a short-lived American football team based in Chicago, Illinois at Soldier Field. 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...
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
Jay Barker
Jay Barker is a former professional American football quarterback, and a current Birmingham radio personality.- Football career :...
was signed as the backup, despite the crowds 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 concept after the first (2001) season due to dismal ratings, and the league was disbanded shortly thereafter.
Staff
| 2001 Birmingham Thunderbolts staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Curley Hallman Hudson "Curley" Hallman is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi and Louisiana State University , compiling a career record of 39–39.-Early years:Growing up near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Hallman aspired to play for... |
|||||
Birmingham Thunderbolts players
- 80 Stepfret (Step) WilliamsStepfret WilliamsStepfret Williams III is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. He was also the leading receiver in yards in the XFL.-References:...
WR college (LA-Monroe) played three seasons in the NFL seeing time with the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
before joining the XFL
- 33 James Bostic RB college (Auburn)
- 81 Kaipo Mc Guire WR college (Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
) Mc Guire played in NFL EuropeNFL EuropeNFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
in the summer of 1999 with the Barcelona DragonsBarcelona DragonsThe Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
before spliting the 2000 season playing for the NFL's Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and the CFL's Montreal AlouettesMontreal AlouettesThe Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
- 89 Damon Gourdine WR college (San Diego State) Son of motown singer Little Anthony of Little Anthony and the Imperials. Gourdine played for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2000 before joining the XFL
- 32 Curtis "Cool Curt" Alexander RB college (Alabama) Alexander was on the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
practice squad for the 1999 season before joining the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the 2000 season
- 82 Quincy Jackson WR college (Alabama) Jackson played in the Arena Football League in 2000 with the Albany Firebirds before joining the XFL
Post-XFL developments
After the league folded, head coach Gerry DiNardoGerry DiNardo
Gerard 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...
joined the staff of Birmingham sports talk radio station WJOX
WSPZ
WSPZ — branded SportsTalk 570 — is a sports radio station licensed to Bethesda, Maryland and serving the Washington metro area. It has a daytime power of 5,000 watts....
690, as did Jay Barker, who also did sports commentary on local CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
TV affiliate WIAT
WIAT
WIAT, virtual channel 42, is the CBS-affiliated television station in the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston/Gadsden, Alabama television market. Licensed to Birmingham, it broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 30, although through the use of PSIP, the station's virtual channel number is...
channel 42. Barker currently hosts "The Opening Drive" on WJOX
WJOX
WJOX WJOX WJOX (690 AM, "Jox 94.5" (simulcasting WJOX-FM) is an all-sports radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama, with daytime licensed power of 50,000 Watts and 500 Watts at night. WJOX is the Birmingham affiliate of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide Sports Network (football only),...
94.5 in Birmingham with Tony Kurre and former NFL kicker Al Del Greco
Al Del Greco
Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...
.
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 currently co-hosts ESPN Radio College GameDay
ESPN Radio College GameDay
ESPN Radio College Gameday is a day-long talk radio show on ESPN Radio covering the day's college football games. It is heard every Saturday during the season from noon until 7 p.m. ET. Some programs originate from the ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut; others are on location from game sites,...
on Saturdays in the fall
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
.
Team leaders
- Rushing yards: 539, James BosticJames BosticJames Edward Bostic is a former American football running back, played football at Auburn University, in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles, and the defunct XFL....
- Receiving yards: 827, Stepfret WilliamsStepfret WilliamsStepfret Williams III is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. He was also the leading receiver in yards in the XFL.-References:...
(also led league) - Passing yards: 1238, Casey WeldonCasey WeldonWilliam Casey Weldon is a former professional American football player. Weldon is best known for being the quarterback for Florida State in the late-1980s and early-1990s. During his senior season in 1991, Weldon finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Desmond Howard of Michigan...