Their opening game Saturday night at Hornet Stadium was a night of record-making, but that did not help the Mountain Lions as they suffered a loss at the hand of the Las Vegas Locomotives 23-17. The night was warm and the game was a sell-out as over 20,000 fans watched the game, making it the biggest United Football League (UFL) attendance at an opening game and beating last year by over 10,000. Yet despite the overwhelming attendance and inspirational rendition of the National Anthem by Pauletta Pearson Washington (Mrs. Denzel Washington), the game was ominous from the get-go for the Sacramento Mountain Lions when the Locos won the coin toss. After that it was a constant battle. Mounta

Last week I wrote that the Sacramento Mountain Lions were holding open try outs in Sacramento on Saturday May 14 and Sunday May 15. A total of 245 players showed up to the workout, and five would find a spot on the roster on coach Dennis Green’s roster. The Mountain Lions signed Eric Arogbofa (tight end, Tuskegee University), Daniel Catalano (defensive end, Northern Michigan University), JT Gilmore (linebacker, Western Oregon University),Adam Tafralis (quarterback, San Jose State) and Marcus Smith (defensive lineman, University of Arizona) after the Sacramento tryouts. Tafralis grew up in Millbrae, where he starred at Mills High School. After three years at San Jose State (2004-07) he wa

While the NFL and its players await news as to whether or not their season will even occur, the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League will be holding two open player tryouts in Sacramento this weekend. The first tryout will be on Saturday at Foothill High and on the second will be on Sunday at Natomas High. Both tryouts will start at 9 a.m. and finish at noon. If you are worried as to whether they will pick anyone up, don’t be, as they added two players already – tight end Dominique Jones and defensive end Brian Coulter. Both players were picked up in a tryout that was held in southern California earlier in the month. They are looking for players at all positions. Athlet

While Sacramento was recovering from their football hangover that was the Super Bowl, the Sacramento Mountain Lions made Martin Bayless defensive coordinator on Tuesday. In 2010, Bayless was the special teams coordinator as well as the defensive backs coach for Sacramento. The previous year Bayless was the defensive backs coach for the California Redwoods. Bayless played 13 years at Safety in the NFL (1984-1996) and was voted San Diego Chargers Man of the Year in 1990 and 1991 as well as the Kansas City Chiefs NFL Man of the Year in his final season as a pro. After his playing days Bayless spent some time in the Buffalo Bills’ front office as the director of player development in 1998.

While Santa Clause and his elves were getting ready for their busiest time of the year, two Sacramento Mountain Lions added their names to a long list.  Not  the list that Santa uses, but instead, a list of UFL players signed to NFL teams. Fullback ,Tyler Clutts, and Kicker, Fabrizio Scaccia, are the most recent UFLers gone NFL. Clutts is now a member of the Cleveland Browns practice squad while Scaccia finds himself on the 49ers practice squad. I know we’re talking about “practice”, but opportunities like these are what every aspiring pro football hopes for. Clutts, who originally came to Sacramento as a long snapper, had a strong season that paved the way for Sacramento running back,

When Daunte Culpepper was taken by the Minnesota Vikings in 1999 and he put on the purple No. 11 jersey, the party started for him, but that fun only lasted for so long. With guys like Cris Carter and Randy Moss, he was thrown to the lions with lions on his side. Not many young quarterbacks are given an opportunity like that. But for Culpepper and Minnesota it wasn't smooth sailing for as long as they would have hoped. Soon after Carter’s departure, Culpepper would follow suit. In 2005, after he went down with a knee injury, he found himself calling Miami, Oakland and Detroit home in a span of just three years. Since 2006, Culpepper has been in two of the toughest cities to play: Oaklan

Former Sacramento Mountain Lions safety Andrew Sendejo has been promoted to the Dallas Cowboys active roster. He was signed to the Cowboys practice squad on Nov. 24 and he joined the active roster today. The Cowboys cut defensive end Jimmy Saddler-McQueen to open up a spot for Sendejo. Sendejo, a rookie from Rice University and a Texas native, will be in uniform when the Cowboys play at the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, December 5. “It’s awesome being moved up to the active roster and my goal now is to stay there and contribute wherever I can,” said Sendejo, who grew up a Cowboys fan. Sendejo participated in his first practice with the Cowboys today, although it was a light one. He wil

Daunte Culpepper threw four interceptions and fumbled once in the Mountain Lions’ 26-3 home loss to the Las Vegas Locomotives Friday night at Hornet Stadium. In the post-game press conference, Lions Coach Dennis Green was visibly upset at his team’s performance. “We had so many opportunities, and gave them all away,” Green said. Coming off of a bye week and unimpressive rushing games prior to Friday night (just 146 yards rushing on 63 carries in three games), the Lions had a considerably more effective ground game with Cory Ross running for 71 yards on 15 carries and Steve Baylark running for 46 yards on only four carries. Green remarked that his team moved the ball well, with run bloc

Are you ready for some football? Saturday night, professional football made its triumphant return to Sacramento. The 20,000 fans who packed into Hornet Stadium were treated to a barnburner, as the hometown Mountain Lions battled back from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit for a dramatic victory over the visiting Florida Tuskers. For many fans, the evening was a win long before Daunte Culpepper found Rod Windsor deep down the sideline for the game-winning 33-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds remaining. Two hours before kickoff, the parking lots surrounding Hornet Stadium at Sacramento State were packed with joyous revelers, basking in the opportunity to cheer for professional football

  Foothill High School was off the hook on Thursday night. Not only was it host to an open house for the high school (Welcome Back Mustangs!), but your Sacramento Mountain Lions had commandeered the football stadium for their second mock football game of training camp.               We arrived at dusk and found the front parking lot full and street parking at a premium. (Footballs siren song had pulled three friends into the adventure with me).               We entered the front of the campus, and I asked one of the back-to-schoolers where we could find the football field.               "Oh, it's way back there," she replied, pointing off into the distance.               We passed thr

On Friday August 20, the UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions held a special Meet & Greet event for season ticket holders and fans at the team's facilities on the campus of the California State University, Sacramento. Information provided by the Mountain Lions Ticket Sales staff indicated the event was scheduled to take place from 6-9pm. Initial pictures and autographs for fans were followed by player introductions by Head Coach Dennis Green, and performances by the Mountain Lions cheer and dance squad. Thereafter, players and fans reconvened for more pictures and autographs. By about 7:30pm, a few players needed t leave in order to tend to other commitments. Wide receiver Fred Otis Amey, who

Sacramento, CA - Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - The United Football League 2010 Player Draft brought 12 new players to the roster of each of the league’s five teams. With the third selection of the 2010 UFL Draft, Sacramento Mountain Lions Head Coach Dennis Green selected Justin Goltz, quarterback from Occidental College. In the second round, Green added Tavita Thompson, offensive tackle from Oregon State University. In the third round, Green added Tim Clark, defensive back from Oregon State University. The Mountain Lions draft day continued in with the addition of Udeme Udofia, defensive end from Stanford University; Ryan McFoy, safety, converting from linebacker while at Arizona State Univ

The UFL Draft will be held on June 2. It will consist of 12 rounds. Each of the 5 UFL teams will have one pick in each round, thus adding 12 players to each roster. Each team also has 20 players returning from last season under protected status, and looks to add as many as 20 players through free agency. Many of those free agents will come from the NFL. A source close to the league says that as many as 52 players have already been invited to each team’s minicamp. That minicamp is scheduled to begin for all teams on June 8 in Arizona. At the Sacramento Mountain Lions open tryout at Natomas High School on May 15, Head Coach Dennis Green said that each team had 74 total spots on the roster

The United Football League’s Sacramento Mountain Lions second California open tryout was held at Natomas High School on Saturday, May 15. Registration began at 7:30 a.m., and drills continued through the day until shortly after 11:30 a.m. Mountain Lions Head Coach Dennis Green spent most of the day in the middle of the field, turning to monitor various position groups and taking notes that presumably only his assistant could decipher. According to Green, there were approximately 260 athletes participating on this day. The previous tryout was held in San Diego on May 8, and another one is scheduled for San Mateo on May 23. The team roster has 74 total spots, and Green said “there are about

The Sacramento Mountain Lions are about to receive a large dose of credibility and star power.  According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the UFL's Sacramento franchise is in the process of finalizing a contract with former NFL quarterback Daunte Culpepper.  The erstwhile QB, who played in eight games last season for the Detroit Lions, will try to prove that he has still got something in the tank after spending the past five years as an NFL journeyman. A three-time Pro Bowler and one-time Madden NFL cover boy with the Minnesota Vikings, the 6-foot 4-inch, 260-pound quarterback put up huge numbers in 2004, throwing for 39 touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards. He set a record for most combined yarda

West Sacramento, CA – Paris Warren held a brief press conference Friday afternoon alongside River City Gators Head Coach Charlie Ruiz and the Gators owners group regarding his decision to return to Sacramento and to sign with the Gators. After the conference, he sat down for an exclusive Sacramento Press interview. SP: When did you return to Sacramento, and what have you been doing since your return? PW: I came back to Sac in early December 2009. I’ve been training ever since. Been playing lots of basketball, trying to get into basketball shape; football shape is easy. SP: Basketball, are you a Kings fan? PW: Of course I’m a Kings fan, I’m from Sac. I’m looking forward to going to ga

 The United Football League is inviting sports fans in Sacramento to suggest their favorite name for the new professional football team that will play in the state capital when the 2010 UFL season kicks off. Suggestions for team names began pouring into the mailbox of UFL-Football.com following the announcement on March 3 that the Sacramento UFL team will play five home games at Hornet Stadium at Sacramento State this fall. Fans will also have the opportunity to potentially win some great ‘Ultimate Fan Experience’ prizes of four suite passes, and four on-field pre-game passes for a home game, an opportunity to meet head coach Dennis Green on the field during pre-game and PA recognition

 Professional football is coming to Sacramento. The United Football League is moving the California Redwoods from the Bay Area to Sacramento for the fall 2010 season, UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue announced at a press conference today. "It's an exciting day for the UFL," he said. The California Redwoods, which played in San Francisco and San Jose last year, will be relocating to Sacramento for the UFL's second season. The new season marks the UFL's expansion, with two more teams being added and the season length extending from six games to 10. The Sacramento team will be renamed, and fans can submit a team name at the UFL's website. Mayor Kevin Johnson was at the press conference we