# 453: The USFL's Memphis Showboats - With Keith Wood

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/good-seats-still-available-7112953/453-the-usfl-s-memphis-showboats-with-keith-wood
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/good-seats-still-available-7112953/453-the-usfl-s-memphis-showboats-with-keith-wood.md
Podcast: [Good Seats Still Available](https://stenobird.com/podcast/good-seats-still-available-7112953)
Published: 2026-07-13T02:02:13+00:00
Episode link: https://goodseatsstillavailable.libsyn.com/placeholder-391
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/goodseatsstillavailable/GSSA_453.mp3?dest-id=480273
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/good-seats-still-available-7112953/episodes/453-the-usfl-s-memphis-showboats-with-keith-wood
Duration seconds: 5564

## Resource

For generations, the city of Memphis chased something bigger than a winning football team. It chased major league status. When the USFL arrived in 1984, the Memphis Showboats became far more than a spring football franchise. For one unforgettable moment, they embodied a city's belief that it belonged on the biggest stage in professional sports. This week, Memphis sports historian and author Keith Wood returns to the show — this time to explore the remarkable story behind his new book " The Memphis Showboats: The USFL Team & the City's Fight for Major League Status ." Together, we trace the city's decades-long pursuit of professional football—from the World Football League's Memphis Southmen to the arrival of the USFL — and examine why the Showboats resonated so deeply with fans despite surviving only two unforgettable seasons. Along the way, we revisit the vision of David Dixon, the influence of John Bassett, the recruiting coup that landed Reggie White, the innovative football mind of Pepper Rodgers, the overlooked brilliance of quarterback Walter Lewis, and the leadership of Steve Ehrhart that transformed the Showboats into legitimate championship contenders. The Showboats lasted just two seasons. Their legend has lasted four decades. Join us as we celebrate one of the USFL's most beloved franchises — and the city that embraced it. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee : https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable The "Good Seats" Store : http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY BUY THE BOOK: " T he Memphis Showboats: The USFL Team and the City's Fight for Major League Status ": https://amzn.to/4pfjaSV SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS ): https://www.royalretros.com/?ref=SEATS Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS ): https://oldschoolshirts…

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