Editing XFL (2001) (section)

===Jersey nicknames===
The XFL allowed its players to wear a nickname on the back of their jersey, as opposed to the legal last name most professional sports leagues have required since the 1960s. Players could change the nickname any time they wanted, and a few players chose to change the nicknames on a weekly basis depending on their opponent. The league's use of [[#Skycam and Bubba Cam|backfield camera angles]] gave these nicknames even greater exposure. Nevertheless, two teams, Orlando<ref name=letsplayfootball>{{cite web |url=http://www.pressconnects.com/story/sports/college/purdue/football/2017/07/27/lets-play-football-follows-purdues-jeff-brohm/514924001/ |title=Jeff Brohm's XFL mic drop moment follows him to Purdue |agency=Gannett News Service |first=Mike |last=Carmin |date=July 27, 2017 |access-date=November 29, 2017}}</ref> and Birmingham, imposed policies that forbade players from using nicknames. Orlando's ban was voted upon by the players, although Jeff Brohm objected. Birmingham's players were banned from doing so by coach [[Gerry DiNardo]], a notoriously strict disciplinarian more accustomed to coaching at the college level. DiNardo previously alienated players at [[Vanderbilt Commodores football|Vanderbilt]] and [[LSU Tigers football|LSU]] and later did so at [[Indiana Hoosiers football|Indiana]] with his iron-fisted rule. The Thunderbolts were the only professional team he would ever coach.

[[Rod Smart]], a running back who played in the first XFL nationally televised game, was the first player to gain notice from his nickname, "He Hate Me."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/aug/11/mlb-players-weekend-nickname-jerseys-age |title=MLB's nickname gimmick won't solve baseball's mounting age issues |newspaper=The Guardian |place=UK |date=August 11, 2017 |access-date=August 11, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Fans love 'He Hate Me'"/>