Pioneers Forge Shocking Opening Win

Author: Jim Bruning
Date: September 4, 1990

What does it take to make a winner? Some will steadfastly say it is a collection of talent. Some will say, it is good coaching. Others will say it is a combination of both. Yet, there are others, and the Pioneers management is one of them, who will say it is a collection of players who know how to play together.
In short, a winner is a group of players that have chemistry. A team with a clear understanding of the game plan and the ability to flawlessly execute that plan. And right now, that team seems to be the St. Louis Pioneers.
Fans, players and general managers of other teams scoffed at trades made by St Louis. Trading away proven starters for draft picks, young unproven players and players with seemingly little talent. Yet, these players have that intangible, that will to win and the ability to execute a game plan with perfection.
In week One, the powerful Michigan Panthers came to town as favorites. Prognosticators had the Pioneers losing by 20 points. No one argued or seemed shocked at the predicition. St. Louis stepped onto the field for the first game of their young existence having traded away eleven players that were projected to be in the starting lineup. How could players with such a disparity in skill ratings compete?
But compete they did and the Pioneers now find themselves looking for win number two. This week, the opponent is an even more formidible one. The Houston Oilers, ranked number one by the experts....the same experts that predicted the Piioneers would lose by 20 points to the Panthers. But only one thing is certain, in football as in life, we can only guess as to what will happen. So let the experts predict the Pioneers will lose by 20 points. Pioneer players, staff and fans are chomping at the bit for game two and fully expect to come home as they left...undefeated and division leaders.