Countdown to our 40th season

Commissioner Jeff Lambert will attempt to defend his 2025 JSFL title when we gather for the annual draft.

At 41 days and counting leading up to the 2026 JSFL Draft, we look back at the first gathering

It has been an interesting walk down memory lane the past two weeks as I have been thinking back over the opening season of the JSFL in 1986 as Tirades’s owner Ron Hender and I conspired to lure a three others from the newspaper staff (Ron was the sports editor at the time and I was the news reporter) of The Press Tribune in Roseville.

We also lured a couple of softball buddies from the City of Roseville staff (Tom Hasapis from the inspector’s office and Denny Jones from the Planning Department). The final team owner was a guy named Jim Drago, a longtime newspaper icon from Roseville who went on to do public relations for the main Caltrans office in Sacramento.

We had that first eight-team draft at the balmy apartment of Steve Saville (another news reporter from The Press-Tribune). I remember my first two picks that season were RBs Eric Dickerson (the Rams) and George Rodgers (when they were still known as the Redskins). Ron went heavy on 49ers and walked away with the hat trick of QB Joe Montana, RB Roger Craig and a rookie WR out of Mississippi Valley State named Jerry Rice, who went on to be one of the best receivers in NFL history.

Saville went with a Hall of Fame RB named “Sweetness” in the Bears Walter Payton. Despite those studs on those rosters, the champion that first season was Jon Davis, another staff writer from the newspaper, who loaded up on Miami Dolphis – QB Dan Marino and the Marks Brothers (WRs Mark Duper and Mark Clayton).

The entry fee at the time was not much. Maybe Ron remembers but the caveat we all agreed to was that the winner would host the feast for the Super Bowl (which featured the New York Giants beating the Denver Broncos, 29-20). Jon was a one-time winner (thank god) and he is best known for hosting the worst Super Bowl party in JSFL history. All he served up were some lame chicken wings.

Festivities I know of so far

The particulars you need to know is that the 40^th anniversary Draft is set to kick off at noon on Saturday, August 29, at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas (Commissioner Jeff and our defending champion -- does he hand the trophy to himself? -- is making the arrangements for the particular room). Stay tuned for details.

The worst team from the prior year, Bob's Band Aids, are on the clock and have the first pick once the trophy has been awarded and this year's crop of keepers are announced.

I do know two golf outings are in process. At least six of us (Ron, Bob, Jordan, John and Chuck) will arrive in time Friday, August 28, for an 18-hole journey over The Legacy Golf Club at 10:20 and 10:30 a.m. We likely will play a scramble format between the two groups. We still have room for two more if you want to join us a day early.

Then, we hope to get a few par 3 holes in Saturday morning at Desert Willow before the draft (I can’t reserve tee times until July 30) so if you want to join us for a similar format let me know.

There is also talk of attending the 49ers-Raiders preseason game on Thursday night at Allegiant Stadium. Let Ron know if you are interested in that.