Doug Williams will be GM of Norfolk, VA UFL Team

[Dub70s]

After considering Redskins, Doug Williams embraces UFL GM role

I chatted with former Redskins quarterback Doug Williams last week about a variety of topics. Some of our conversation will appear in the newspaper later this week, so keep an eye out for that.

After leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ front office in the spring, Williams became the general manager of the United Football League’s expansion franchise in Norfolk. Before he took that job last month, however, he and Redskins general manager Bruce Allen discussed the possibility of Williams re-joining the organization that he led to the Super Bowl XXII championship.

Williams worked for Allen as a pro personnel executive for all of Allen’s five-year tenure with the Bucs. Last season, Williams was promoted to director of pro scouting.

Considering Williams’ history with Allen and the Redskins, a return to Ashburn seemed like a nice fit. His career ambitions, however, led him in a different direction.

“We never came to a conclusion because when we talked, I told him I had this opportunity to be a general manager,” Williams said. “He knew that that’s what I wanted to do, and he felt like that was a great opportunity for me to go and pursue that angle. When we talked and I explained everything to him, he wasn’t going to jump in my way.”

So instead of reuniting with Allen, Williams will have the opportunity to apply some of the lessons he picked up from Allen in Tampa Bay.

“I wanted the same opportunity that Bruce had,” Williams said. “I wanted to be able to share some things in the morning, go down and sit with my coach and talk about the team and kind of have input on the team. The UFL gives me that opportunity. Norfolk owner Jim Speros afforded me the opportunity to be the general manager. Now I can have a little more of an imprint on what happens with this franchise.”

It seems that Williams, 54, is positioning himself for an eventual move to an NFL general manager position, but that’s not his focus, he says.

“I’m thrilled to death,” he said. “I was in the NFL for six years. No one [in the NFL] walked up and gave me this opportunity. My loyalty lies with the UFL and Jim because he gave me an opportunity to do this. To sit here would be unfair to this whole league, it would be unfair to Jim for me to even look at it from that standpoint.

“I’m a general manager. The bottom line is there’s ‘GM’ in front of my name. It’s an opportunity that I wanted, and I got it. It’s up to me to put it to good use and make the best of it.”

The Norfolk franchise, the UFL’s sixth team, will begin play in 2011. Their nickname and game venue will be announced in the near future.

“The good part about the UFL is we’re not trying to compete [with the NFL],” Williams said. “The NFL is the 800-pound gorilla, and we’re not trying to tackle it. We’re trying to make sure this is a very viable league. I think there’s enough players, coaches and fans out there to make this league a very viable league. The places we are going to play are some of these places that are underserved.”

His progress in the job will be interesting to follow. Even though he’s not eyeing an NFL GM job right now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in that role eventually.

http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/redskinsjournal/2010/07/26/after-considering-redskins-doug-williams-embraces-ufl-gm-role/

I have a new team to root for - "Home Town Team"!

[Hitman21ST]

When does the Norfolk team get a name?

[Stadium-Armory]

One step closer to a future role with the Redskins (reading my crystal ball).

[RenegadeTK]

VERY happy for him. it would have been nice to see him be a part of the franchise, but i am happy he is doing what he's wanted to do. and it's great that he is in our backyard. hopefully we will be seeing him around more.

[Old Dominion Monarch 06]

I have ill feelings towards this team that could potentially (but most likely won't) take away from the following of ODU football. I love that we declined to let them use our facilities, though. I back Doug Williams, but hell.. the UFL man? At this point Hampton Roads nor Virginia need a team unless it's an NFL team. Just go work for ODU football if you wanna get back in the game.........and work for a team that's going to draw over double what your UFL team will in attendance. =]

[TheLongshot]

Old news. I posted this over a month ago.

[Dub70s]

didn't mean to double post......sheeesh!

[bushwack]

I have ill feelings towards this team that could potentially (but most likely won't) take away from the following of ODU football. I love that we declined to let them use our facilities, though. I back Doug Williams, but hell.. the UFL man? At this point Hampton Roads nor Virginia need a team unless it's an NFL team. Just go work for ODU football if you wanna get back in the game.........and work for a team that's going to draw over double what your UFL team will in attendance. =]

This Norfolk team won't take anything away from ODU football. ODU needs to keep getting better and continue to try and field a competitive team in the toughest FCS division, as long as they continue to do that, they will have no problem being the premier football team at least on the southside of the 757.

Also, I don't know if they fully declined to allow the UFL team to use Foreman Field. There was a meeting between the ODU Athletics and Norfolk owner (Spranos) at the Ted last Wednesday morning, but I heard nothing really came from that, unfortunately. I would love to see the Norfolk team use Foreman Field, because they would be using it either on a Thursday or Friday night, and this would help generate revenue for the school, and bring another event to campus.

OD 06, I think you're looking at this UFL team as a competitor, here to steal the spotlight and I don't see it that way. I think the UFL will slowly become a minor league for the NFL, whether they want to admit it or not, and I would love to see the Norfolk UFL team to become the minor league, or farm team for the Redskins, since the Skins are the hometown team in this area.

[Old Dominion Monarch 06]

I don;t know anything about the UFL. Someone told me that they play on Saturdays and that we declined to let them use our field. You're right I am looking at them as a competitor, and I know that's not necessarily the right way to look at it but it's just somewhat annoying to me...we finally get want we want and here's another football show trotting into town.

[Hitman21ST]

I don;t know anything about the UFL. Someone told me that they play on Saturdays and that we declined to let them use our field. You're right I am looking at them as a competitor, it's just somewhat annoying to me...we finally get want we want and here's another football show trotting into town.

I think the UFL is going to be played Thursday through Saturday. I was listening to Tony Mercurio (as bad as he is) when he had on the commish of the UFL and they discussed the schedule.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

I think the UFL is going to be played Thursday through Saturday. I was listening to Tony Mercurio (as bad as he is) when he had on the commish of the UFL and they discussed the schedule.

they are also posturing themselves for a viewing alternative should the NFL strike next year.....

[Old Dominion Monarch 06]

And to be completely honest with you... I don't want the general Norfolk public running rampant through our stadium and campus. Because you and I both know what'll happen to our nice new stadium should they use it.

[MrJL]

I have ill feelings towards this team that could potentially (but most likely won't) take away from the following of ODU football. I love that we declined to let them use our facilities, though. I back Doug Williams, but hell.. the UFL man? At this point Hampton Roads nor Virginia need a team unless it's an NFL team. Just go work for ODU football if you wanna get back in the game.........and work for a team that's going to draw over double what your UFL team will in attendance. =]

Some people, such as myself, just aren't interested in the college game.

[bushwack]

I don;t know anything about the UFL. Someone told me that they play on Saturdays and that we declined to let them use our field. You're right I am looking at them as a competitor, and I know that's not necessarily the right way to look at it but it's just somewhat annoying to me...we finally get want we want and here's another football show trotting into town.

Honestly, after the talks that were had between the Norfolk UFL owner, ODU's AD and other ODU athletics heads, and Global Spectrum managers (company that runs the Ted and Foreman Field on game days); it doesn't appear as if this preliminary discussion may be the last.

From what I was told after the meeting last Wednesday, there isn't much of a chance the UFL team will be using Foreman Field as its stadium, but of course this could always change. The Sportsplex really wants to have the UFL team out there; however, the Sportsplex only has 7,000 seats and it's required that the stadium for the team has to be able to sit 20,000 seats. I don't know where the Norfolk team is going to play, but I wouldn't mind going on a Thursday or Friday night to see a game every now and then.

I understand where you're coming from though, and if this news had come around last year, I would have been livid, because that would have taken some of the luster away from ODU's opening season. I know the fanfare will still be large this year, but I just can't see the excitement being greater than last year, especially for the opening game against Chowan. Even though, I have a feeling September 18th is going to be a wild day at ODU for when William and Mary come down I-64 to start what should be one hell of a rivalry.

[Old Dominion Monarch 06]

Some people, such as myself, just aren't interested in the college game.

Not sure where you're going with that..

[Redskins Anonymous]

I'm sorry to get off point here, but it has always bothered me the way Tampa is and Doug's treatment here by the Buc fans and the Culverhouse family. I apologize for bringing up politics and am not trying to offend or piss off the mods.

Seeing Doug work for the Bucs for the last decade has pissed me off; the city of Tampa doesn't deserve Doug. DC does; this is where he won. Congrats on getting out of Tampa, Doug. If only I could get out of here, too.