By Scott Barkley
Baptist Press
MORRISTOWN — Alan Duncan had plans for a professional football career after his years as a placekicker for the University of Tennessee ended in 1980. And while those plans did not have go as originally intended, they led to service on the foreign mission field as well as having an impact on athletes alongside the guy he knew as “Big Reg.”
Those memories began flooding back for Duncan, associate pastor for church growth at Manley Baptist Church, when he saw a commercial for the United States Football League (USFL) season while watching the Super Bowl in February.
The USFL season, which opened April 16, will test the success (or lack thereof) rate for spring football leagues.
This is the second attempt by the USFL to make it as a league. Its first year, 1983, brought the signing of several big-name players from the college and pro ranks. A league-wide decision led by then-New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump to confront the more-established NFL head on and move to the fall, however, ultimately led to the USFL’s undoing after the 1985 season. [Read more…]