I had fun watching Week 1 of the XFL relaunch! Did you?

I didn’t really know what to expect heading into Week 1 of the XFL’s relaunch.

I didn’t watch much (or any?) of the now-defunct AAF last year. But for some reason I felt compelled to give the XFL a chance.

And, hey, you know what? I’m glad I did!

I thought Saturday’s first two games were fairly entertaining. Between the new rules, the in-game sideline interviews, the surprising transparency behind the officiating and instant replay process, former Eagles players making plays (ex: Elijah Qualls had a big fumble recovery for the DC Defenders) ... there was a lot that held my interest. I never felt tempted to turn the TV off.

The game play itself was admittedly pretty sloppy. Lots of drops, blown coverages, awful throws, etc. In fairness, though, some of that’s to be expected. There are reasons why these dudes aren’t in the NFL. It should also be noted that the XFL didn’t have a preseason and players weren’t allowed to hit during training camp. So, there’s a rust factor to be considered here.

I didn’t watch as much of Sunday’s games. I had the first game on but I was mostly focused on playing Pokemon Sword instead (nerd alert). I guess I had my fill from Saturday’s action. Or perhaps the thrill of the newness already wore off. Or maybe I just really wanted to play my first Pokemon game since Crystal on my Game Boy Advance.

In any case, I do plan to watch more of the XFL this coming weekend. I hardly think it’s some kind of can’t-miss product but I don’t think you’re going to be bored if you tune in. It’s at least worth a try.

Of course, the league would be even more interesting if there was a team based in Philly. Maybe that’ll happen if the XFL proves to be successful enough?

It seems like things are off to a good start!