If only the NFL were as kind to Josh McCown as the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League were to him on this special day. Kicking off the 2010 UFL season, McCown and the Hartford Colonials brought professional football back to the Hartford area with a dominant performance -- a 27-10 victory against Daunte Culpepper and the Mountain Lions -- in front of 14,384 fans at Rentschler Field on Saturday.
McCown (shown in photo from last season, when he was with Carolina in the NFL) threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns on 11 of 21 passing, while former UConn standout Andre Dixon chipped in with 94 yards on 21 carries for the Colonials. Markee White, Jason Chery and Lorenzo Booker each recorded touchdown receptions for the hometown team.
Meanwhile, Culpepper completed 21 of his 40 passes for 174 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the losing effort.
The Colonials were in control from the outset: they led 20-0 at halftime and 27-0 early in the third quarter. The Colonials limited Sacramento to just 35 rushing yards -- and kept Cory Ross, the UFL's leading rusher a year ago, to just 16 yards on eight carries.
Beyond the final outcome, the game was more about bringing the pigskin back to Hartford -- and cultivating a worthwhile experience for all in attendance. Between the pregame festivities, to the halftime show that featured B.o.B, to the post-game socializing between players and fans, the Colonials did their part to make it memorable.
"I thought it was a good give-and-take between the fans and the players," Colonials coach/general manager Chris Palmer told The Hartford Courant. "I'm trying to promote football and make it good and build relationships between people. Hopefully ... 10,000 left here and said, "Hey, I'm coming back. They're going to be ambassadors for us."
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