Lingerie Football League players proud to put skin in the game

In a promotional photo, Danika Brace is wearing black and white lingerie and looking fit for the cover of a Victoria's Secret catalog.

"I love cooking and cleaning," she said. "I'm a very sweet person."

But on a hot August night on the west side of Las Vegas, another side of her is on display. Running on an outdoor practice field, her blond hair tied back by a camouflage bandana, she becomes a female version of Ray Lewis, the NFL player she most tries to emulate.

"I hate to say this, but I'm a total weirdo," she said. "I completely transform into a different person as soon as I step onto the football field. It's a whole different mindset, because you've got to be ready to hurt someone, as bad as that sounds."

Sounds of high-speed collisions fill the two-hour training camp practice, and there's enough drama for HBO's "Hard Knocks." At one point, a player walks off the field with tears in her eyes, only to quickly regroup and return to put the hurt on a teammate.

The Las Vegas Sin of the Lingerie Football League is new to town and presenting a unique type of girl-on-girl action, as in 7-on-7 full-contact football.

Brace, a 5-foot-8-inch linebacker and tight end, played in an all-star game in Canada two weeks ago and came back with a fractured nose.

What started in 2004 as the Lingerie Bowl, a Super Bowl halftime alternative on pay-per-view TV, has expanded into a 12-team league with franchises such as the Cleveland Crush and Los Angeles Temptation.

Hooking up with Las Vegas seems a natural move for the LFL.

"Sex sells, especially coming here to Vegas, that's one of the main things that attracts tourists," said Anthony Bartley, the Sin offensive coordinator. "We're not Sin City for nothing. We're going to have a lot of fun committing that sin, too."

But Bartley and everyone else attached to the Sin emphasize the point that scantily clad women playing tackle football is more than a gimmick. These are not strippers pretending to be athletes, at least not anymore.

"It is not the Bimbo Bowl. You're going to see some real football," Sin coach Dion Lee said. "When the league first started, it was looked upon as the Bimbo League, basically blondes looking good with big boobies and trying to play football. Now it's all about real athletes who look good and can be models."

Tracee Thomas, who ran the 100 meters in 10.9 seconds as a college sprinter at Southern California, is a raw talent with promise as a running back.

Lee also points to Cassandra Strickland, a 47-foot triple jumper, and Sunshine Misa-Uli, who played college basketball as a 6-foot power forward for Houston, as examples of real athletes.

Nikki Johnson, who takes most of the reps as the No. 1 quarterback, is a 2009 graduate of Silverado High School. She has played football for about 10 years, including three years for the Las Vegas Showgirlz, an 11-woman team also coached by Lee.

"She's a national champion flag football player that I recruited when she was 14 years of age," Lee said, in a serious tone.

Johnson drops back, reads defenses, looks off receivers and lets perfect spirals rip with her strong right arm.

"Initially, it's going to be sex sells, and this is what's going to get them out there. But I'm hoping that our skill is going to keep them as fans," Johnson said. "The girls that we have are models and they're very pretty, but I really think our athletic skills are something they're going to be surprised with and they're going to want to support."

Carrie Walters, a standout for the Showgirlz for six years, is a linebacker, receiver and kick returner -- at age 38.

Brace, 23, is one of the league's hottest stars, a combination of sex appeal and athletic prowess.

"She's just a gifted athlete," Bartley said. "She has that killer instinct that is just not taught. It comes deep from within."

Bartley, a coach of women's tackle teams since 2002, added: "Over the years, I've introduced women's football to numerous people, and everybody has been shocked at how well they play. When people come out to watch, they are more mesmerized and amazed, and it draws them to come back for more."

Each LFL team will play four games this season and all will be televised by MTV2. The Sin open Sept. 2 at the Chicago Bliss. In a scheduling quirk, Las Vegas' first home game, at Orleans Arena, is not until Nov. 11 against Los Angeles.

Game are played indoors on 50-yard fields. The players' uniforms consist of shoulder pads, knee pads, sports bras, panties and hockey-style helmets with plastic visors.

"Some people say, 'So you're out there playing football in your underwear?' " Brace said. "It's like a sports bra and spandex, so it's nothing you wouldn't see if you went out to the beach."

Brace starred for the Seattle Mist last season, when LFL players made from $500 to $1,200 per game, depending on the gate and whether their team won or lost. The pay structure is changing for this season, Lee said, and players will be paid "a lot less ... little to nothing."

Obviously, playing football in lingerie is not a full-time job, though it requires that sort of time commitment and often results in painful injuries; broken ribs are common.

"Honestly, the main attraction to the Lingerie Football League is going to be sex appeal. As soon as people see the first couple hits and watch the game unfold, they see this is real football and it keeps them coming back," said Brace, who supplements her skimpy LFL paycheck by working at a golf shop.

"That's a part of understanding that this league is growing right now. If you're a true football fanatic and you love this sport, then you're going to continue to play regardless of the money.

"I love being out there and hitting people."

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.