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XFL Is Down But Not Out: Other Triumphant Returns From The Brink

The XFL is on ice, but that ice is quickly melting as summer rolls around. We at XNH have been tracking the bankruptcy/sale process, and there have been some really exciting developments. While Vince McMahon is out, big names like Fox, Disney, and more all appear to be in the running for an acquisition.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest developments, but in the meantime, lets take a look at some of our the great household names that have made comebacks over the years.

Michael Jordan

The G.O.A.T. was on fire. He and the Bulls 3-Peated the championship, and he had led the league in PPG for seven seasons, never dipping below 30 points a game in that span. But then his father passed away, and his world ground to a halt. He quit the game, exhausted.

His retirement sent shockwaves through the sports world, and the city of Chicago went into mourning for their hero. He played minor league baseball for a year, while the Bulls scrambled to maintain their championship identity. Halfway through the ’94-’95 season, they were floundering.

“I’m Back” Jordan answered the call. The rest is history. Another 3-Peat with the Bulls, and he cemented himself as a Basketball legend, riding off into the sunset.

He was a part-owner and president of the Washington Wizards, where he spent years building the team. Yet even that wasn’t enough. He returned for two more years at the age of 38, and still somehow put up great numbers on a struggling team, making the All-Star Team both years.

Even after his 3rd retirement, we could say Jordan is in the midst of another comeback. Having built his brand, he’s worth over $2 Billion today and remains a prominent figure in the sporting world whether he’s golfing, making business moves or donating to charity.

Family Guy

Family Guy debuted in 1999, and ran 3 seasons. Fox decided to not renew their contract after 2001, but after massive support by fans and climbing DVD sales, they brought it back in 2005. Seth McFarlane’s brainchild has been a huge success since then.

The show now has 18 seasons, with a huge fan base, and is reportedly worth over $2 Billion these days. That’s a lot of cash for the humble nation of Petoria.

Futurama

Why the Planet Express stopped flying in 2003, fans of Futurama were rightfully sad. Luckily Cartoon Network picked them up in 2006, and the show ran until 2013 with 10 seasons.

Matt Groening and the Simpsons’ quirky younger cousin has found tons of critical acclaim, and delivered some great laughs, fun sci-fi concepts and some heartfelt moments. All us fans are just glad Comedy Central didn’t leave the show frozen in Dolomite. It’s okay, we’re both tearing up. Push through it buddy.

Peyton Manning

He was 36 years old. He missed a whole season with a neck injury and the 2-14 Colts were done with him. Some questioned whether he’d be the same player ever again.

But Peyton Manning wasn’t done yet. After becoming the most high profile Free Agent in NFL History, he settled down in Denver. The Sheriff got to work, catapulting the Broncos immediately back into Super Bowl contention. With two SB runs, one Lombardi Trophy, his 5th MVP award and records set for both career and single season TDs & yards, its fair to say these were some of Peyton’s best years.

Not bad for a QB who many said was past his prime. Peyton, and the original comeback kid John Elway proved that Denver is a great locale for Hall of Fame passers to ride off into the sunset.

Star Wars

This may be the most controversial opinion I’ve ever published on the site, but I absolutely love Star Wars. All of it. The Original Trilogy made my childhood, and there’s things I really enjoy about the prequels and sequels. I know, nobody hates on Star Wars more than Star Wars fans, except me. I love it.

This franchise has successfully revived itself twice now (1999 and 2015), and beyond the blockbuster movies, a vast range of cult classics have caught on and propelled this franchise to massive success.

From video games like Knights of the Old Republic, to Battlefront and the recent Jedi: Fallen Order, and spin-offs like the wildly popular Clone Wars & Mandalorian series, we can all find reasons why we’re glad Star Wars is back.

Honorable Mentions

The Cleveland Browns

Bell Bottom Jeans

Mike Tyson, maybe?

Fruit Shaped Trix Cereal

The Plague

The Economy, hopefully

Twinkies

I think it goes to show that no matter how things may appear to end, they can always work out and make their return. Through dedication, hard work, and tons of popular support, we’ve seen some of our country’s biggest names and franchises build their own comeback stories. All of us at XFL News Hub are fully invested in the XFL’s future prospects, and we hope all the fans out there are too.

Also, from a business standpoint, investors should see that franchise revivals with strong fanbases will make them tons of money on their end. We’re talking potential billions here. Hint hint.

Any more updates on the sale, and you’ll find them here first!


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Matt Nagashima has been covering the XFL since before the 2019 Draft, and has witnessed history being made as a Credentialed Reporter for the Dallas Renegades. While he is engrossed with the X's and O's, the roster building and more, it has always been his goal to keep the players first in mind in coverage, showing the human aspect of this sport behind all the action on the field. With Dany Garcia and Dwayne The Rock Johnson now at the helm, he's excited to see all the opportunities that this league will create for players to showcase their talent and make their dreams come true.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Peter

    June 18, 2020 at 9:27 am

    With all the negativity being thrown at us by the lame-stream-news and social media, it is a welcome breath of fresh air to read something positive. Thank you!

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