LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Express coach John Hadl and his entire staff will be unemployed come June after being fired by USFL commissioner Harry Usher.
'I'll be a free agent after June 23 along with the rest of the staff,' Hadl said while preparing the Express for tonight's game against the Denver Gold at the Coliseum. 'We've been told they won't pay our contracts after that.'
The Express has been financed by the other teams in the league since the start of the season when the franchise's third owner, Denver businessman Jay Roulier, bailed out. It is estimated that by the end of the season each owner in the league will have pumped about $500,000 into the Express to keep it operating.
The decision to terminate Hadl and the Express staff was made last week by Usher during a visit to Los Angeles.
'The whole situation is negative,' Hadl said. 'We've been told when the season's over they're going to cut the overhead and turn the lights out until further notice.'
Hadl and his assistants have another year remaining on their contracts. It is considered doubtful that the USFL will honor the contracts.
More than a month ago, Usher announced that the Express will be in the USFL next season and would continue to play in Los Angeles. But his efforts to secure an owner for the troubled team have apparently failed, and Hadl isn't so sure there will be a team in Los Angeles next season.
'Who's going to own it?' he said. 'Unless they get an owner, I don't know how they're going to have a team.'
The Express, which won the Pacific Division last year with a 10-8 record, has been plagued with injuries and the front office troubles all season. They are currently 3-11.
Led by quarterback Steve Young's $36 million contract, Los Angeles has the highest payroll in the USFL, an estimated $9 million, but has the league's lowest attendance with an average of less than 9,000 a game.
The Gold routed the Express 51-0 on April 20.
'They have one of the top two or three defenses in the league and, of course, they are explosive on offense with (Denver coach) Mouse Davis' run 'n' shoot,' Hadl said.
Denver, 9-5, is led by second-year running back Bill Johnson, who has rushed for 1,085 yards on 169 carries and has caught 23 passes for 286 yards. Johnson has 13 rushing touchdowns and another in the air.
