Vince McMahon is bringing back the XFL (or whatever he calls it this time). The re-launch is set for 2020.
It failed once, playing just one season in 2001 and leaving behind little but an ESPN "30 for 30."
It will fail again.
McMahon has succeeded at wrestling. He understands that, or used to.
But his bodybuilding league failed. His bodybuilding supplement tanked. He's done OK as a movie producer. The original XFL went bust.
McMahon is arguably the top wrestling promoter ever. It has often seemed to fill him with self-loathing, a sense of shame at being No. 1 in a low-brow endeavor.
So he tries other projects. And fails.
To attempt a football league start-up at 72 seems nuts. But so does McMahon, sometimes.
The timing smacks of cheap opportunism, a McMahon specialty.
NFL ratings are down. Some would tie that into the "take-a-knee" protest movement. Perceived disrespect for the flag, military, etc.
So McMahon will drape his league in the stars and stripes. Player protests will be outlawed. Football for "real Americans." "When it comes crashing down and it hurts inside..."
The ultimate irony will be when Colin Kaepernick lines up behind center. Hello, Johnny Manziel and Tim Tebow!
McMahon's new football league will fail.
No one wants to see bad football. Except in Cleveland.