Margulies had taken countless hard hits over three seasons in the Legends (neé "Lingerie") Football League. She had seen things that troubled her, too: low and non-existent pay; inadequate equipment that put her and other athletes at unnecessary risk; a micromanaging league owner, Mitch Mortaza, who sometimes seemed more concerned with players' physical attractiveness than their football ability.Still, Margulies loved football. So she figured she'd do what she always had done: get back up and continue on."That's when I was like, 'Whoa! That's not right!' and fell back down," she said. Temptation assistant coach Scott Talanoa knew something was wrong, too."I was the first one on the field," Talanoa told VICE Sports. "I was hovering over her, and the first thing she says to me is, 'What does my face look like?' I said, 'Melissa, you look as beautiful as always.'"What came out of her mouth, I'll never forget: 'Scott, you need to shut the fuck up because my face is broken.'"
Growing up, Margulies played a little of nearly every sport she could. While she was seriously into soccer, track and volleyball, her parents encouraged her to try everything—softball, tennis, even horseback riding. A natural athlete, she hardly needed encouragement."I loved being part of a team," Margulies said. "I'm a very competitive person, and I love being physically active." She didn't think about football, though, until eleventh grade, when she started attending a high school with a varsity squad."Once I had a team to follow and cheer for, that's when I was like, 'OK, I'm in love with this sport. Wish I could play.'"USC recruited Margulies to run track. During the golden years of Trojan football, she excelled: She made the Pac-10 championships in the 800 meters, and the Pac-10 All-Academic squad. After graduation, however, reality hit Margulies, as it hits nearly all female athletes: There are almost no opportunities for women to compete outside of college."A friend of mine who'd played volleyball at USC somehow found out the LFL was having tryouts," she said. And so both women attended. All they knew ahead of time was that they were supposed to wear something that would show they'd look good in the LFL uniform: A bikini-style top and bottom trimmed in lace, garters and bows—plus socks, kneepads and minimalist shoulder pads, cut to show cleavage.
LFL uniforms have evolved from their lace-and-bow beginnings. Well, sort of. --Photo by Ty Schalter
Margulies' trouble with the league started in the first half of her first game, back in August 2010. On a blitz, she wrapped up and dragged down the other team's quarterback, who landed on top of Margulies. She got up woozy and disoriented, and was immediately benched.
"Those who stay, will be champions. And also maybe get paid someday." --Photo by Ty Schalter
Mortaza's zealous, possessive micromanagement pervades every aspect of the LFL. Name a hat and Mortaza wears it: owner, commissioner, even color commentator. His official title is "Founder & Managing Partner," but there are no other partners, no Board of Governors or Executive Committee to report to. The LFL is his ship to steer; those who aren't on board with that are thrown off.It began in 2004 as the Lingerie Bowl, a screwball pay-per-view stunt with models in lingerie quote-unquote playing football during the halftime of Super Bowl XXXIX. It was successful enough that there was a Lingerie Bowl II, and III, but grander plans for subsequent games—including, per the Broward-Palm Beach New Times, playing in a Las Vegas nudist resort—failed to coalesce. In 2009, Mortaza re-envisioned the game as the championship match of an actual competitive league, and assembled ten teams across the country.Unlike most sports leagues, there is no local ownership or executive staff; Mortaza oversees nearly everything directly through the league's Las Vegas headquarters. Head coaches, reporting to Mortaza, run the squads. Over six LFL seasons, 18 different teams have operated in the U.S, of which six are active; a seventh (19th) has been anounced for next spring. There have also been off-again, on-again satellite leagues in Canada and Australia."Our biggest challenge has been simple," Mortaza wrote to VICE Sports in response to emailed questions. "Awareness and educating future fans that this indeed is a real sport, played by real athletes. Unfortunately, we do not have the massive UFC/WWE type budget or funding to create awareness and education of the public. However, with our recent deal with NBC Universal and the launch of our national reality series, 'Pretty. Strong.', we feel the series will be the 'lightning rod' to potentially launch the LFL as a mainstream sports franchise."
If you coach in the LFL, you work for Mitch Mortaza. --Photo by Ty Schalter
When I replied I'd already spoken with active, satisfied players and coaches, Rodriguez relented. Not only did the LFL issue a credential, but on gameday granted me sideline access and made select players available for pre-game interviews.As the contracted production crew began to set their cameras up, a freak downpour brought out the best in the hustling LFL staffers—and the worst in Mortaza. During a break in the rain, he walked across the waterlogged field and snapped.
Mitch Mortaza. Courtesy YouTube
Quarterback play is key to any football league's credibility. In warmups, Temptation quarterback Ashley Salerno and the Mist's KK Matheny both impressed. Matheny (listed at 5'2") has excellent mechanics, and zips passes to all areas of the arena-sized field. Anyone who loves football would have loved watching Matheny and Brace work through the route tree.Having established their football bona fides, then, the two squads stripped down to bikini tops, wiggled into their cut-down, peek-a-boo shoulder pads, and strapped on hockey helmets.On the opening series, Brace rolled an ankle. The game was stopped, and Brace helped to the sideline. Any doubts about these players' toughness or athleticism were erased on the following defensive stand, when Brace—when did she come back in?—hunted down a scrambling Salerno, launched high in the air and engulfed the ducking quarterback.On the following series, Temptation defensive end Theresa Petruzielo answered:Deep into the second quarter, the Temptation were up 16-0—but Matheny and the Mist rung up two quick touchdowns right before halftime.Up on the concourse, I found Gaxiola's father Hector chatting animatedly with Salerno's father, Chris, a former Temptation coach. They complained about Mortaza running the game clock, and allowing the Mist to call a phantom third timeout before one of their touchdowns.Echoing a complaint I heard from players, families, fans and local sports media, Salerno said Mortaza's dictatorial leaves local marketing entirely to players, families, fans, and local media. Mortaza either doesn't have the resources or inclination to promote teams through in-market TV, radio, or print channels, instead fomenting buzz online and relying on coaches and players to entice crowds.
Linebacker Leanne Hardin receives treatment for a broken nose. --Photo by Ty Schalter
Margulies was knee-deep in a grueling rehab schedule when the Lingerie Football League was rebranded.She'd ruptured her ACL and MCL, as well as tearing her meniscus, while practicing for the Australian leg of the 2012 All-Fantasy World Tour, embarked on after the 2011 season. Still on her parents' medical coverage at the time, she got help from supplemental insurance she believes was provided through MTV.Just weeks before, Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson suffered a similar injury; Margulies was inspired by his remarkable recovery. She got another boost when Mortaza pushed the 2012 regular season back into April 2013, getting the league out from under the shadows of the NFL and NCAA. He also seemed to realize serious sports fans couldn't take "lingerie football" seriously: going forward, the first "L" in LFL would stand for "Legends."
LFL players don't wear football pants, but the woman who waves the celebratory post-touchdown flag does. --Photo by Ty Schalter
Moving the goalposts, several LFL veterans said, is Mortaza's M.O. There was always vague talk of better equipment, more functional uniforms, compensation just around the corner.
LFL sideline reporter Audra Marie looks on as Leanne Hardin receives additional medical treatment. --Photo by Ty Schalter