How The XFL’s Opening Scramble Was Decided On

Bruce Prichard opened up about the XFL on the most recent episode of his podcast, and he said that the original network intended for the XFL was UPN or Spike TV. Therefore, the initial plan was to align themselves with CBS, and not Ebersol’s NBC Sports. UPN and TNN (not Spike TV, soon to be the Paramount network) still hosted the B-games, but the deal with NBC brought it to another level. Bruce also went on to say the letters XFL didn’t mean anything and his impression of Vince McMahon coming up with options that XFL could stand for is pure money.

Bruce said that although XFL was a foolish name, it was better than TNA’s X-Division because “at least the XFL had a black and red football” implying that there was no differentiation between the X-Division and the rest of the angles and matches on TNA.

Bruce said that as soon as he heard rumblings of the XFL he tried to stay as far away from it as possible because he had already been a part of Vince’s attempts at bodybuilding, martial arts and other outside ventures. Although he was eventually sucked into the XFL five days before the very first game when Stephanie told Bruce that he and Brian Gewirtz were going to be joining them in the first weekend.

He also told a story about Michael PS Hayes going off on the head of WWE Studios as he asked him, “Hey, I’ll tell you what I do, I make money for this company. What the f*** do you do?”

He said that Vince popped huge for the remarks.

Bruce said that he didn’t care or want to know about the XFL for fear that he would get brought into the project. Bruce said that employees were assured that there wouldn’t be a crossover between wrestling and football employees, but apparently that didn’t last.

Prichard said he was told that, even though he was joining Vince during the XFL’s first week, but Vince said he needed everyone to come up with ideas about football. Bruce said that the subject of conversation on the way to the first XFL game was what to do as an alternative to the traditional coin toss.

When Conrad asked Bruce if he’s trying to say that the XFL’s opening scramble was decided upon on an airplane on the way to the league’s first game ever, Bruce confirms that it is true that it was created on the Wednesday before the first game.

Is is important to remember that all this happened in the same time frame as WWF buying WCW and WrestleMania 17. Therefore Vince’s plate was very full at the time.

Bruce said that Michael PS Hayes came up with naming it the scramble. Bruce also said that Brian Gewirtz was tasked with writing player promos for people that he knew nothing about and had never met. Bruce explained how Vince initially wanted the XFL players to introduce themselves on the microphone in between plays.

Bruce also said that all of the camera innovations like the sky-cam (X-Cam) or the “Bubbacam” were devised on the way to the first game as well.

Bruce explained that the “Bubbacam,” which was named after the legendary camera man, was operated by someone else, but Bubba still showed up to work for the XFL. However, he couldn’t be medically cleared because Stone Cold Steve Austin accidentally kicked his face in while jumping off of a car during a backstage brawl. Prichard said that Austin’s foot went right into Bubba’s mouth and he lost a bunch of teeth in the process, but he never lost his shot on the camera.