Minor League Football System
—1989-1990
1989 MLFS
1989 Minor League Football System Eastern Division
1989 MLFS Eastern Division | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | PCT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*Charlotte Barons | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 462 | 90 | 1.000 |
*Harrisburg Patriots | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 205 | 195 | .600 |
*Pocono Mountaineers | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 177 | 225 | .300 |
Virginia Storm | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 144 | 262 | .300 |
Florida Renegades | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 169 | 335 | .200 |
Ottawa Bootleggers # | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
1989 Minor League Football System Western Division
1989 MLFS Western Division | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | PCT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*San Jose Bandits | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 210 | 216 | .700 |
*Colorado Springs Spirit | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 285 | 225 | .667 |
*Pueblo Crusaders | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 292 | 175 | .600 |
St. Louis Riverboat Gamblers | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 299 | 296 | .500 |
Hayward Outlaws | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 216 | 246 | .500 |
Seattle Express | 12 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 194 | 377 | .083 |
1989 Minor League Football System Playoffs
Date | Home Team | Score | Road Team | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
Quarter-Finals | ||||
28.10.1989 | Colorado Springs Spirit | 35 | St. Louis Riverboat Gamblers | 24 |
28.10.1989 | Pueblo Crusaders | 20 | Harrisburg Patriots | 7 |
Semi-Finals | ||||
11.11.1989 | Colorado Springs Spirit | 19 | San Jose Bandits | 7 |
11.11.1989 | Pueblo Crusaders | 20 | Charlotte Barons | 12 |
Championship Game | ||||
18.11.1989 | Pueblo Crusaders | 21 | Colorado Springs Spirit | 14 |
1990 MLFS Preseason Friendlies v Moscow Bears (USSR)
1990 Minor League Football System International Friendlies v Moscow Bears
Date | Home Team | Score | Road Team | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
02.07.1990 | Tacoma Express | 61 | Moscow Bears | 0 |
07.07.1990 | Oklahoma City Twisters | 54 | Moscow Bears | 0 |
10.07.1990 | Middle Georgia Heat Wave | 28 | Moscow Bears | 0 |
1990 MLFS
1990 Minor League Football System Eastern Division
1990 MLFS Eastern Division | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | PCT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*Charlotte Barons | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 310 | 96 | .900 |
*Bay State Titans | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 226 | 124 | .800 |
Middle Georgia Heat Wave | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 176 | 144 | .600 |
Florida Renegades | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 135 | 213 | .364 |
Harrisburg Patriots | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 133 | 255 | .200 |
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Stallions | 11 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 76 | 260 | .182 |
1990 Minor League Football System Western Division
1990 MLFS Western Division | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | PCT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
*Pueblo Crusaders | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 276 | 110 | .900 |
Colorado Springs Spirit # | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 180 | 218 | .875 |
*Oklahoma City Twisters | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 249 | 49 | .778 |
Fresno Bandits | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 108 | 183 | .400 |
Tacoma Express # | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 68 | 149 | .125 |
California Outlaws | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 95 | 315 | .000 |
1990 Minor League Football System Playoffs
Date | Home Team | Score | Road Team | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Semi-Finals | ||||
22.09.1990 | Bay State Titans | 20 | Charlotte Barons | 21 |
23.09.1990 | Pueblo Crusaders | 21 | Oklahoma City Twisters | 10 |
Championship Game | ||||
29.09.1990 | Pueblo Crusaders | 18 | Charlotte Barons | 24 |
1990 MLFS: 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
MLFS Report
—1989-1990
MLFS Outline
The Minor League Football System (MLFS) aspired to be an official Minor League affiliated to the National Football League (NFL). Following the disatstrous attempts of the World Football League (1974-1975) and United States Football League (1983-1985) the league determined that taking on the NFL was not in its’ interests and decided, in the absence of a proper minor league affiliated to the NFL, to become that minor league. The MLFS re-utilised the ‘Outlaw’ identity of the United States Football League (1983-1985) in its’ team names. 16
MLFS 1989 Season
The MLFS’ first season in 1989 featured 12 teams – An Eastern Division of six teams: four teams in the Appalachian Mountains Region: Charlotte Barons (NC), Harrisburg Patriots and Pocono Mountaineers (both PA), Virginia Storm (VA) plus Florida Renegades (FL) in the Southeast and Ottawa Bootleggers of Ontario, Canada. The Western Division also consisted of six teams: St. Louis Riverboat Gamblers (MO), Seattle Express (WA), Colorado Springs Spirit and Pueblo Crusaders (both CO), and San Jose Bandits and Hayward Outlaws (CA). 17 18
Colorado Springs Spirit featured a Trans Cheerleader on their squad, Shannon Ireland Trump, who claimed to be a niece of former USFL team New Jersey Generals owner and future President Donald Trump. The Colorado Springs Spirit went 8-4 in their inaugural season, reaching the Championship Game after two playoff wins, before being defeated by Pueblo Crusaders. Both teams were from the State of Colorado. 19 20
MLFS 1990 Season
The 1990 pre-season featured three games by MLFS teams versus the visting Moscow Bears – the first ever Gridiron Football team to be formed in the USSR / Soviet Union (now Russia). All three games were won by the MLFS teams with Moscow failing to score a point. 21 22
The 1990 season also featured 12 teams, with numerous moves and replacement teams. The Colorado Springs Spirit started the season 7-0 before Head Coach Pete Riehlman resigned, citing Health reasons, and the same day the MLFS’ leading running back Rick Gales and three-fifth’s of the offensive line left the team. The Spirit forfeited their next game due to being down to 22 players in total, and were duly expelled by the MLFS. The league unravelled, with the Tacoma Express also folding after eight games, leading the MLFS to shorten the regular season to 10 games. Pueblo Crusaders again reached the Championship Game, this time losing to Charlotte Barons 18-24. 23 24
MLFS Legacy
The MLFS folded after the 1990 season, never realising its’ dream of becoming the NFL’s official minor league and the following season, 1991, the NFL instituted its’ own official development (minor) league: the World League of American Football (WLAF) with six teams in USA, one in Canada, and three in Europe. 25 26
MLFS Report 1989-1990
—Trans Cheerleader Shannon Ireland Trump
Shannon Ireland Trump
– Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Trans con artist Shannon Ireland Trump, claiming to be niece of future President, and one-time owner of the New Jersey Generals (USFL), Donald Trump, made the cheerleading team of Colorado Springs Spirit. Ireland Trump’s real name was Charles Daugherty. 27


Trans Cheerleader
– Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
The Colorado Springs Spirit Cheerleading Coach, remarked that while Ireland Trump was chunkier than most cheerleaders, she scored highest in the cheerleading exercises, and therefore made the cheerleading team, explaining that they were not meant to base the team on subjective reasons such as beauty. 28
References & Citations
References
[1] Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024]
[2] Fun While It Lasted (2024) Minor League Football System [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/minor-league-football-system-1989-1990/ [Accessed 13 December 2024]
[3] Fun While It Lasted (2024) Charlotte Barons [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2023/02/14/charlotte-barons-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024]
[4] Fun While It Lasted (2024) Colorado Springs Spirit [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2021/09/17/1989-1990-colorado-springs-spirit/ [Accessed 13 December 2024]
[5] Fun While It Lasted (2024) Bay State Titans [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2018/10/14/1990-bay-state-titans-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024]
[6] Fun While It Lasted (2024) Tacoma Express [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2018/07/03/1990-tacoma-express-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024]
[7] Fun While It Lasted (2024) Oklahoma City Twisters [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2015/07/12/1990-oklahoma-city-twisters-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024]
[8] Fun While It Lasted (2024) Middle Georgia Heat Wave [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2020/09/19/1990-middle-georgia-heat-wave/ [Accessed 13 December 2024]
Footnotes
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Minor League Football System [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/minor-league-football-system-1989-1990/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Charlotte Barons [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2023/02/14/charlotte-barons-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Colorado Springs Spirit [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2021/09/17/1989-1990-colorado-springs-spirit/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Tacoma Express [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2018/07/03/1990-tacoma-express-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Oklahoma City Twisters [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2015/07/12/1990-oklahoma-city-twisters-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Minor League Football System [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/minor-league-football-system-1989-1990/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Charlotte Barons [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2023/02/14/charlotte-barons-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Colorado Springs Spirit [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2021/09/17/1989-1990-colorado-springs-spirit/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Bay State Titans [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2018/10/14/1990-bay-state-titans-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Tacoma Express [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2018/07/03/1990-tacoma-express-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Oklahoma City Twisters [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2015/07/12/1990-oklahoma-city-twisters-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Middle Georgia Heat Wave [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2020/09/19/1990-middle-georgia-heat-wave/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Minor League Football System [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/minor-league-football-system-1989-1990/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Minor League Football System [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/minor-league-football-system-1989-1990/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Colorado Springs Spirit [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2021/09/17/1989-1990-colorado-springs-spirit/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Tacoma Express [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2018/07/03/1990-tacoma-express-football/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Minor League Football System [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/minor-league-football-system-1989-1990/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Greater Northwest Football Association (2024) MLFS [Internet] Available from: https://www.gnfafootball.org/MLFS.htm [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Minor League Football System [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/minor-league-football-system-1989-1990/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Colorado Springs Spirit [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2021/09/17/1989-1990-colorado-springs-spirit/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎
- Fun While It Lasted (2024) Colorado Springs Spirit [Internet] Available from: https://funwhileitlasted.net/2021/09/17/1989-1990-colorado-springs-spirit/ [Accessed 13 December 2024] ↩︎