Once again, a "startup" professional football league hits the sports world.  This time, however, there's very little fanfare, and almost no publicity.  You have to look pretty long and hard to get any information regarding this little league.  It does have, however, a television contract with the cable channel Versus, and some ideas that may allow it to be a successful league.  The league's entire premise is an interesting one - essentially it will be a "minor league" football league.  That by itself may make allow it to succeed where other leagues have failed miserably.

The only league that successfully challenged the NFL was the AFL.  But, drawing parallels between that war won't work here.  The AFL was an 8-team league starting in major cities, and quickly drew interest before the days of the internet and access to instant information.  The USFL, born before the days of the internet as well, attempted to fight the NFL on a level playing field.  Ultimately they lost because summer football interested few people, and while it was a drain on talent for a year or two, it didn't get a serious football because no one took it all that seriously.  Finally, the XFL was a collosal failure because it was more of a gimmick from the word go than anything else.  The "He Hate Me" guy may be the enduring image of this league, although the over-field camera innovation was one quickly copied by the entire NFL.

The UFL is starting small, working diligently, and most importantly, making sure that they don't do anything to startle the 800-pound gorilla that is the NFL.  One thing is certain regarding the NFL - they attack vigorously anything it perceives to be a threat to its existence - or revenue flow.  The UFL won't do anything like that.  It won't attempt to do battle with the NFL on Sunday or Monday - where it would lose anyway.  It won't attempt to strip the NFL of its elite talent - which given the salary parameters of the league, it can't do anyway.  No, it's entire being is to be a "try out" place, where the coaches are all NFL-caliber, and the league office and teams are stocked with NFL-caliber or ex-NFL people.  The league is starting small, aiming high, but right to the self-imposed ceiling.  It won't attempt to go through that ceiling because if it does, it then becomes a challenger to the NFL, and that's not something the UFL can afford.  Now, or ever.

What the UFL will offer is professional-quality football between four current teams.  The players won't be widely known.  The draft won't be covered by the NFL Network, ESPN, FoxSports or any other national media outlet.  The league will get a few off-handed remarks here and there, perhaps only with its "inaugural championship" game, but otherwise it'll remain strictly minor league.  Which, if it plays its cards correctly, will satisfy a niche that has gone unfilled for a long time.

When it comes to the NFL, a "rags to riches" story is virtually unheard of.  It just doesn't happen - there is too much at stake to take a chance on a "maybe" guy and give him the time to flesh out his skills and make something of himself.  Kurt Warner is only the most famous of the rags to riches stories, and yes, they do occur, but not with any regular frequency.  It leaves borderline guys without any future prospects.

Let's say that you're a very talented athlete, but raw in many ways.  The NFL gives you a long, hard look, but for various reasons you're neither drafted nor offered a free agent shot at making the team.  Your football career is over.  Now, however, you are offered a shot at making a UFL team.  There, working with top coaches, you are given your opportunity.  Let's say that you are able to make an impression.  Now, you've gotten an opportunity to show the big market that you're capable of playing the game, that your perceived strengths are stronger than people thought, and your perceived weaknesses are not as bad.  You are now offered a free agent contract with the NFL, and if things work out...who knows?  The point is that without the UFL you don't get that opportunity.  So, if I were Chase Daniel or Harrell, I'd think long and hard about playing in the UFL if I got the opportunity.  It's not like I'm going to hitch onto an NFL team.  And maybe I never will; but without the UFL's existence, I'd never get a chance to prove that I'm capable of playing, reading and recognizing in NFL-type offenses and defenses. 

That's what will probably make the UFL a semi-successful league for some time to come.  If it takes off, and finds followers, and sees some promotions from the UFL to NFL, then you can bet that the UFL will find a wider following.  Some football-mad towns (or those large enough to support a team) will get expansion franchises.  It wouldn't one day surprise me to see a 16-team league and have some kind of transfer agreement in place between the UFL and NFL.  Imagine the fears that would subside in the NFL level - now you can theoretically take a supremely talented but exceptionally raw athlete and stick him in the minors for a year or two of seasoning.  He won't make NFL-level salaries, won't cost you more than whatever the UFL's limit is, and maybe even not cost you a cent if he's immediately designated for assignment in the UFL.  Either way, you have secured his rights should this player blossom into a true talent.  For that, you have incurred virtually no costs at all. 

When the 4-team league (San Fran, Vegas, NYC & Orlando) kick off their inaugural season, you can bet NFL brass will be watching with some level of interest.  It's a one or two-year tryout, this UFL.  If they succeed, do some good things, and show that it's capable of standing on its own and offer a way to build future talent, the NFL will get even more interested.  Just don't expect a lot of national attention here.  Even though this country is nuts about football, a minor-league game between Vegas and Orlando won't generate a ton of interest.  But it might generate enough; for the UFL, "enough interest" is the same as the NFL's "standard interest."  For the UFL, "enough" is truly enough.