The USFL began play this week as the latest to attempt to succeed as a spring professional football league. It didn’t get off on the right foot.
While the football players would probably prefer people be talking about the play on the field, the most viral video today comes from the Fox behind-the-scenes ‘United By Football” which is documenting the league Hard Knocks style. This week’s show features Pittsburgh Maulers head coach Kirby Wilson cutting a player because of his lunch order.
In the video he calls in running back De’Veon Smith to tell him he’s being cut for disrespecting someone on staff because Smith asked for a different lunch order. Then he proceeds to not even allow Smith to defend himself, literally saying nothing Smith can say will matter. That he’s already cut.
Bro got cut by a USFL team for ordering pizza instead of a chicken salad??? lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/Vo7n7HD0PU
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 18, 2022
“Unfortunately, unfortunately — hear me out — unfortunately the cost of doing business I’m going to have to let you go,” Wilson said before Smith uttered a word.
“I can tell you what happened exactly,” said Smith, when finally given a chance to speak.
“It’s not important,” Wilson replied. “It’s not important, it’s already happened.”
Never mind the irony that Wilson starts this with “Hear me out” while literally not extending Smith the same courtesy. But “it’s not important”?!? How exactly is the player’s account of what happened not important?
I’d argue it’s of the utmost importance. At least it would be in a normal environment where a coach wasn’t trying to throw his weight around and abuse his power to make an example out of someone.
Sometimes a little power is a very bad thing. And it could explain why despite Kirby Wilson coaching running backs for over two decades at the NFL level, he was never promoted.
Wilson entered the NFL coaching ranks as a running backs coach with the Patriots in 1997. And 23 years later in 2020, he was still coaching running backs, then with the Raiders.
Wilson announced his retirement after the 2020 season. He had been out of football for a year when the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers came calling to make him their head coach. And on day one he embarrassed himself while likely alienating his team.
These young men are clinging to a lifelong dream of playing professional football. And toying with their lives for a power trip is disgraceful.
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