This is a review of ESPN’s 30 for 30 presentation of “Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL?” Directed by Mike Tollin, the documentary goes over the short history of the USFL starting in 1983 as a spring football league and ending in 1988 after a failed attempt to sue the NFL and force a merger.
Tollin clearly points the finger at Donald Trump as the villain who tampered with a good thing. Trump bought into the USFL in 1984 as owner of the New Jersey Generals. He made his feelings clear that he wanted to move the league from the spring into the fall and into direct competition with the NFL. Tollin feels Trump’s aura and persona hoodwinked other USFL owners into following him into a reckless journey into the night.
Tollin also anoints the late John Bassett, owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits as the hero who pleaded fiscal sanity with his fellow league owners and wanted to keep the USFL in the spring.
The documentary had interviews with several USFL stars, who later made names for themselves in the NFL, Doug Flutie, Steve Young, Jim Kelly, coach Jim Mora and executive Carl Peterson. In addition, we hear from former ABC Sports announcers Keith Jackson and Jim Lampley who both had roles in calling the USFL on network TV.
Tollin who produced the USFL’s weekly highlights programs for the league had a unique perspective from the inside. He uses his experience to educate the viewer on what made the league a success with fans, but does not pull punches on some of the problems the USFL had, such as expanding too quickly in its second year of existence and of course, cash flow.
However, Tollin notes some of the highlights such as the Tampa Bay Bandits which Bassett owned and where the fans embraced the team. Also, the league was able to sign noted Heisman Trophy winners Herschel Walker, Mike Rozier and Doug Flutie, giving the NFL a bidding war for talent.
The documentary’s climax is an interview between Trump and Tollin, two men who used to be friends. It’s clear now that Trump has little regard for Tollin, his days in the USFL and spring football.
Current Los Angeles Dodgers radio announcer Charley Steiner had one of the best quotes stating that Trump wanted to be a big shot and the best way to do that was to buy his way into the back pages of the New York sports sections with the Generals. Trump responds by saying that he helped to make Steiner by hiring him to be the radio voice of the Generals. However, Steiner has later hit back saying he was hired before Trump bought the team.
Overall, this is another good effort by ESPN in its hopes to “trump” HBO’s sports documentaries. However, it’s not as strong as last week’s “The Band That Wouldn’t Die.” I give this a solid B.
“Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL?” premieres tonight on ESPN at 8 with multiple replays throughout the week.
