Recap

Winter closed in on New Jersey as temperatures dropped and a 22 mph wind which made it freezing and feel like 6 degrees fahrenheit were the talking points of as game that was won by Keith Franklin’s 12 yard Fumble Return for a touchdown with 3:32 left.

Errors were the main aspect of a game which featured five turnovers on interceptions or fumbles, with New York / New Jersey scoring on Mike Archie’s one yard run after Casey Weldon threw an interception on the Bolts opening drive. The next Hitman series was halted after Duane Butler, the former London Monarchs cornerback stripped Hitmen halfback Keith Elias of the ball on the five yard line. It was probably the most important play of the game.

The fans left early, with only 5,000 at the fulltime whistle as the cheeleaders, in white halter tops, pinstripe hot pants and full-length leather coats, opened most of the time, continued to brave the weather along with the players, who complained that the playing surface was like ice.

Stepfret Williams was the Bolts star, setting up a seven yard touchdown from Weldon to Quincy Jackson in the second quarter with a 70 yard reception, and returning a punt 95 yards for a touchdown later in the third quarter. These touchdowns were followed by Mike Archie’s second one yard touchdown run, bringing the Hitmen to within one point, but their comeback was halted by Franklin’s fumble return for touchdown and then on the final drive of the night Chris Puleri’s fourth and 14 pass from the Birmingham 19 yard line fell incomplete in the endzone.

Fans thought the football was lacking despite the entertainment offered and with the wind chill and the attendance dropped as much as the temperature as 36,458 fans at kickoff fell to 5,000 at the end. Vince McMahon, owner of the World Wrestling Federation, joint owners of the XFL with broadcaster NBC, had to admit the league was a “work in progress”.

Scorers

1st Quarter

HIT – Mike Archie 1yd Run  6-0

2nd Quarter

BIR- Quincy Jackson 7yd Pass from Casey Weldon (PAT Good) 6-6

3rd Quarter

BIR – Stepfret Williams 95yd Punt return (Kaipo McGuire 2XP Pass from Casey Weldon) [08:12] 6-13

4th Quarter

HIT – Mike Archie 1yd Run [08:14] 12-13

BIR – Keith Franklin 12yd Fumble Return 12-19

LOGO REFERENCES

[1] Official XFL Wayback Machine (2001) Xtreme_Logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20011024192051im_/http://www.officialxfl.com/images/smalllogos/Xtreme_Logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

LOGO REFERENCES

[2] Las Vegas Outlaws Wayback Machine (2001) oultaws_logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20010301185743im_/http://www.lasvegasoutlaws.com/images/oultaws_logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

[3] Official XFL Wayback Machine (2001) Xtreme_Logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20011024192051im_/http://www.officialxfl.com/images/smalllogos/Xtreme_Logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

[4] Official XFL Wayback Machine (2001) Maniax_Logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20011024192051im_/http://www.officialxfl.com/images/smalllogos/Maniax_Logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

[5] Official XFL Wayback Machine (2001) Demons_Logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20011024192051im_/http://www.officialxfl.com/images/smalllogos/Demons_Logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

[6] Birmingham Pro Sports (2021) logo birmingham thunderbolts [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/birminghamthunderbolts/logo%20birmingham%20thunderbolts.jpg [Accessed 11 August 2021]

[7] Official XFL Wayback Machine (2001) Enforcers_Logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20011024192051im_/http://www.officialxfl.com/images/smalllogos/Enforcers_Logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

[8] Official XFL Wayback Machine (2001) Hitman_Logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20011024192051im_/http://www.officialxfl.com/images/smalllogos/Hitman_Logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

[9] Official XFL Wayback Machine (2001) Rage_Logo1 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20011024192051im_/http://www.officialxfl.com/images/smalllogos/Rage_Logo1.gif [Accessed 11 August 2021]

REFERENCES

NEWSPAPERS

[10] First Down (2001) XFL February 8-14, 2001. pg. 22

[11] First Down (2001) XFL February 15-21, 2001. pg. 20

[12] First Down (2001) XFL February 22-28, 2001. pg. 14

[13] First Down (2001) XFL March 1-7, 2001. pg. 14

[14] First Down (2001) XFL March 8-14, 2001. pg. 16

[15] First Down (2001) XFL March 15-21, 2001. pg. 16

[16] First Down (2001) XFL March 22-28, 2001. pg. 16

[17] First Down (2001) XFL March 29-April 4, 2001. pg. 17

[18] First Down (2001) XFL April 5-11, 2001. pg. 

[19] First Down (2001) XFL April 12-18, 2001. pg. 

REFERENCES

IMAGES

[20] Birmingham Thunderbolts (2001) XFL Logo [Internet] Available from: https://www.birminghamprosports.com/birminghamthunderbolts/logo%20xfl.jpg [Accessed 20 July 2019]

WEBSITES

[21] Remember the XFL (2017) XFL Final Standings [Internet] Available from: http://sites.google.com/site/rememberthexfl/standings [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[22] Remember the XFL (2017) Weekly Results [Internet] Available from: http://sites.google.com/site/rememberthexfl/weekly-results [Accessed 31 December 2019]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Donie, Nigs, Ian Breathnach, Alan Gray, Mark Mahon, Mark, Denis Culhane, Willie Winters

ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 11 August 2021

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020-2021

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved. The Logos and Photos used in this article remain the property of the organisations and individuals which own the copyright and are used here for educational and information purposes only.