The Reaction

Paul Brown, Cincinnati Bengal vice president: “Goodness knows, it gives me more faith than I had in the judicial system. I can guarantee you that Pete Rozelle is really celebrating.”

Jim Kensil, New York Jet president: “The damage award clearly indicates the jury had a full understanding that mismanagement by the USFL and its desire to merge were the reason for the lawsuit.”

Leigh Steinberg, player agent: “The professional football players are best served by two competitive leagues in the United States. Any decision that would help the USFL continue to play independently is a decision that would be hailed by the players. If the result is the USFL has won in essence a moral victory, but ultimately it leads to the dissolution of the USFL it is a sad day.”

Harry Usher, USFL commissioner: “It’s going to be very tough. “It’s like a death in the family.’

Johnnie Johnson, Ram defensive back: “The whole key is that with competition, the salaries escalated. Now they’re going to be rolled back. We’re going to be back where we were before the (USFL) came about. It’s always great to have another league because it creates more jobs for fellow players. And it’s a better position to bargain with for better contracts. It sounds like we’re no longer going to have that.”

Steve Gerrish, spokesman for the USFL’s Jacksonville Bulls: “It’s hard to believe. We won, but we lost. We won the battle and lost the war.”

Wellington Mara, New York Giant owner: “I’m glad there was a lot of intelligence on the jury. The USFL went to great lengths to keep anyone off the jury who had any knowledge of football. They may have outsmarted themselves.”

Jerry Sklar, owner of USFL’s Birmingham Stallions: “We proved our case in court but failed to win any damages. I find that hard to understand. At this point we’ll have to go with that. I was excited when I heard the first part of the decision by the jury when they found in favor of the USFL.”

Joel Finglass, director of sales for USFL’s Baltimore Stars: “Officially, the Baltimore Stars are planning to play football in 1986.”

Bill Tatham, general manager of the Arizona Outlaws: “We’ve proven our case, which is that the NFL has a monopoly. We feel very, very good about that. It vindicates what we have been saying for 3 1/2 years.”

Neal Pilson, CBS vice president: “We’re basically gratified that the TV contracts were not found to be in restraint of trade. We’ve felt all along that the contracts were valid.”

Billy Sullivan, New England Patriot owner: “I don’t think the league will try to scoop up a single player who is under contract, at least until such time as the USFL makes known what its plans are going to be. . . . We didn’t want to respond to threats. We don’t need any of those teams. In New York, we already have two teams. We have two teams in Los Angeles. We have all the teams that we can handle every place in the league.”

William Grimes, ESPN president: “The USFL has stated it will play this fall regardless of the outcome of the trial, and we are proceeding with plans to telecast their games.”

Pepper Rogers, coach of USFL’s Memphis Showboats: “It’s tough to be up for a second and then to be so down. It doesn’t look very good.”

Don Shula, Miami Dolphin coach: “I’m happy for our league, and proud of the way it conducts its business. I’m glad the judge and jury found fit to rule as they did.”

Tony Cunningham, co-owner of USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits: “The NFL was found guilty of conspiring to violate the antitrust laws of the United States. Based on the information we heard of a juror. . . . The jury felt the NFL was guilty and significant damages were due. However, they could not come to a decision so they left it to a judge.”

Lee Corso, coach of USFL’s Orlando Renegades: “We have 4,200 season tickets already. We’re going to play football this fall. We’re ready to play. We not only are going to have a team, we’re going to have our games on ABC on Sunday--that’s my prediction.”

Tom Flores, Raider coach: “Having started in a new league in ’60 where we fought for survival and we did, I’m sympathetic (to the USFL). But as far as the lawsuit, other than that, I have no comment because we were not a part of it. And (managing general partner) Al Davis has not had me involved.”

Ladd Herzeg, Houston Oiler general manager: “I’m not sure we’ve seen the end.”

Tex Schramm, Dallas Cowboy president and general manager: “I can’t say I’m totally elated. That comes after some type of great victory, or some big surprise. This I feel very relaxed about, because I know that justice prevailed.

“I had to sit in that courtroom for a month and a half and hear allegations I knew were untrue and unjust, and to now realize that the jury heard them the same way I did and discarded them, that makes me feel very strong and very good.”

“Do you know what this means? This means that successful a league has been told that it can go on being successful. It means that there’s nothing wrong with being successful.”

Jerry Holmes, New Jersey Generals: “I’m kind of puzzled by the decision. I hope there will be a season. I feel the league is as good as the NFL and would like to play in it. If the situation falls through, I’m prepared to play anywhere.”

Greg Lustig, attorney for General quarterback Jim Kelly: “If the league continues, Jim is with the ideal team and owner. If the league folds, he can sign with Buffalo (which has his rights) or sit out a year and become a free agent. He can afford to because he has a guaranteed contract from Trump for a year.”

Bobby Beathard, Washington Redskin general manager: “I’ve got too many unanswered questions about this right now. I can’t comment.”

Pat Bowlen, Denver Bronco president: “If we had taken a more serious attitude toward expansion a couple of years ago, we probably never would have been in this position. I think it’s imperative that we pay attention to that right now.”

Jojo Townsell, New York Jets: “Sure, I feel sad. I think the USFL could’ve made it if management had been more careful with its decisions.

“They took on six new teams in the second year (when the USFL expanded from 12 to 18 franchises). It was ridiculous. It didn’t give the public a chance to become aware of each team. They didn’t develop individual stars. That wasn’t enough time to develop a legitimate market. Also, competing in the spring was better. I don’t know if they were ready to compete against the NFL.”

Chris Godfrey, New York Giants: “Great news. They (most USFL players) wouldn’t be out of work except for a couple of greedy people.

“I think the original concept did work. We had quite a following in Detroit for a while. In the springtime, there really isn’t much going on. But you had to feel for people like (Giant owner Wellington Mara) when you knew damn well the USFL caused most of its own problems.” Compiled from wire service reports.