Not a Total Loss

Only the world’s most poorly updated football (American-style) blog would have its’ first post in months be, on the day of the BCS Championship Game and a couple days before Round Two of the NFL playoffs, about the Arena Football League.

So middle of last month the Arena Football League announced the 2009 season would be suspended. The backstory was that the owners couldn’t agree on bringing in an additional investment group for the league. If I would dig around some, like maybe in the comment boards at Arena Fan or something, I’d try to find out what’s going on, at least in the fan rumor mill. It was fishy when long-time commissioner David Baker resigned a couple days before the Arena Bowl in July of 2008. I doubt it was so he could concentrate on negotiating a contract for his son Sam, a first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons.

I’m quite annoyed by this development. I’ve just moved to New York and was looking forward to spending the odd Spring weekend riding the LIRR out to Uniondale and watching the New York Dragons. However, things aren’t a total loss. The Arena League’s developmental league, af2, is still in business! Hard to believe the penny-ante league originally built out of the corpses of the original Xtreme Football League (not to be confused with the sadly departed XFL) and the Indoor Football League, running in mid-to-small-sized American cities would keep going while it’s parent shut down. Then again costs are a lot lower for them. I just need to see which one of my friends I can convince to go to Albany with me to catch the “rebranded” Firebirds, nee’ Conquest.

Ugggh.

Good thing I don’t do this for a living. In the intervening weeks between my snarky Cedric Benson – Eric Steinbach Boating While Intoxicated post, all kinds of bloggable football stories came out, as well as some stuff from before that I didn’t get around to blogging.  If I were serious about this, I’d blog it in nearly real-time, but really, this is just an excuse to keep my writing skills busy for my own enjoyment.

NFL

The Patriots Spygate came and went. Former team video assistant Matt Walsh met with NFL Commisioner Robert Goodell and turned over his videos of various other team’s signals. The Boston Herald retracted its’ earlier story with the insinuations that there was footage of the Rams pre-Super Bowl XXXVI walk-through. Goodell declared that the NFL done enough and would levy no further penalties on the Patriots. The Patriots insisted they got no extra benefit from the illegal footage. Walsh, interviewed by the New York Times and HBO: Real Sports insists the team did get an advantage from the footage. Senator Arlen Spector (PA) wants an independent investigation. I hope nobody’s taxpayer dollars go into that.

Adam “Pac-Man” Jones got traded from the Titans to the Cowboys and a number of pointless stories, including idle speculation about letting him play some WR emerges.

The NFL owners opted out of the current labor agreement with the NFLPA, opening the possibility of 2010 being an salary-cap free year or a lockout year if no new deal is inked. Details here.

The various mini-camps and (Not That) Optional Team Activities are in process. A variety of guys miss part or all of these to protest various contract and job related things. Most amusingly, Redskins rookie TE Fred Davis oversleeps and misses the Sunday portion of mini-camp.

Former Panthers LB Dan Morgan retired. Former Bucs’ RB Michael Pittman signs with the Broncos for a shot at being the 2008 1K Bronco RB. Overhyped Boston College QB Matt Ryan signs bizarrely early for the top QB and number three overall pick with the Falcons.

Saints DE Charles Grant is indicted for involuntary manslaughter after a February bar fight. Grant was stabbed in the neck during the fight.  The Bengals released long-time knucklehead LB Odell Thurman. It seems a bit unfair, supposedly he missed mini-camp to be at his grandmother’s funeral, but he should be able to find work elsewhere.

The Dolphins and Jason Taylor are surly with each other. Taylor finishes, I think second, on Dancing with the Stars.  The Redskins trade a conditional seventh round pick to the Vikings for DE Erasmus James.

Former Bucs OL Tom McHale, who last played with them in 1992, the year I arbitrarily chose Tampa Bay as my ‘B’ team, dies after using Xanax and cocaine.  Steelers rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall gets mugged in Chicago.

Indianapolis gets the Super Bowl XLVI (46).

College

The BCS quietly passed on a limited playoff system.  Yawn.

Clemson gives Terry Bowden a new contract good through 2014.

The West Virginia – Rich Rodriguez legal war goes to mediation.  Should that fail, the case returns to the judge on November 10.

The NCAA approved applications for two badly needed bowl games to take up late December air-time on ESPNU.  They take place in the homes (but not stadiums) of my two favorite NFL teams: The St. Petersburg Bowl (Big East vs. C-USA) at Tropicana Field, home of MLB’s Rays and the Congressional Bowl (Navy vs. ACC), at either RFK Stadium or Nationals Park.

I didn’t think such a thing was possible, but the NCAA actually rejected an application for a bowl in Salt Lake City.

CFL

Marcus Allen’s younger brother, QB Damon Allen, who had been playing in the CFL for like 800 years, announced his retirement.  Much like Steve DeBerg in the NFL, I think Allen played for most teams in the CFL and probably a couple that have gone out of business.

Arena

Huey Lewis and the News are your Saturday Night entertainment for the Arena Bowl XXII.  The league used pink-striped footballs on Mother’s Day, I guess like MLB used pink bats to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research.

In an odd game I actually watched back on like May 1, Philadelphia Soul DB Eddie Moten intercepted Dallas Desperadoes QB/OC Clint Dolezel three times.  Moten’s previous three INT game was also against Dolezel, back in 2006.  IIRC the broadcasters said Moten has eight career INTs against Dolezel.  Dallas should try to trade for Moten.

The Chicago Rush have filmed a This is SportsCenter commercial for their “parent” company, ESPN.  There have actually been a lot of ads featuring Arena League players, only shown during AFL games of course.  It’s like all the African-American only cast ads I see when I watch the Bayou Classic.

af2

Somehow the af2’s National Conference, Southwest Division has become a pool of mediocrity.  That or the teams are really good and killing each other in division play.  The Corpus Christi Sharks (had some 400 lbs. OL on the roster) and Rio Grande Valley Dorados are tied for first place at 4-4, trailed by the Bossier-Shreveport Battlewings (best af2 team name) and Austin Wranglers (which I think used to be an AFL franchise) both at 3-5.  Dreadfully bringing up the rear of the division are the Texas Copperheads at 1-8.  Good work at having played one more game than the rest of the division and losing it anyway.

Random Note from the St. Patrick’s Day ESPN2 Game.

I caught a couple of minutes the Dallas Desperados 51-40 victory over the Colorado Crush on ESPN2. So Jerry Jones’ team beats John Elway and Pat Bowlen’s team. For some reason the Verizon FioS TV preview of said I should expect a three hour episode of the NFL Live, but I’ve learned not to take that too seriously.

Anyway, would be perpetual Desperados QB Clint Dolezel suffered a shoulder injury all the way back in week one, resulting in Chris “not Aggie, not Buckeye” Sanders taking over the QB job while Dolezel spends his minimum four weeks on injured reserve. This Sanders (from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, T.O.’s old school) is short, even for an Arena QB, 5′ 11″, so he might actually be like 5′9″. Dolezel still calls the play as Desperados offensive coordinator. Marcus Nash, flaming first round bust pick for the Broncos back in 1998, caught a modest 6-62 yards. He’s actually had an excellent Arena League career; most high picks who flop out of the NFL don’t even try the Arena League. His teammate, Arena League lifer Will Pettis, caught a Ricky Sanders-like three TDs in the third quarter (not historic, merely a good game in the pass-skewed Arena League stats) to pull the game out for Dallas. Colorado QB John Dutton apparently hit his first eleven passes. The nominal RB for the Crush (he had 1 carry for 1 yard and a TD) is Robert Thomas, former Cowboy FB.

The af2 season starts next week. af2 is the Arena League’s official minor league affiliate and even I haven’t heard of any of the players. However, I have heard of some of the coaches, often former players building up experience. I’m going to have to do a sweep of af2 and all 89 of its franchises to see who turns up. Former Broncos and Dolphins RB Bobby Humphrey was a head coach for a while in af2, I think for the Birmingham Steel Dawgs or something.

Arena League Starts!

I love the Arena League. I don’t follow it as closely as I used to when there were fewer teams and (ironically) the internet was a lot slower, but I try to keep an eye on it. The days when I was “scouting” for future NFL stars as part of my Mel Kiper wanna-be act are over, but I enjoy the sport.

So the AFL’s second season as part of the Disney/ABC/ESPN family begins today with the Dallas Desperados @ Georgia Force game on the big broadcast network. Actually the Los Angeles Avengers beat the New Orleans VooDoo 59-42 last night, which shows poor scheduling and hype management by the league. Speaking of subsidiaries, the Desperados are owned by the Cowboys, or at least by Jerry Jones. A couple of years ago, one of the Cowboys assistants, I think ST coach Joe Avezanno, spent his offseason as the Desperados HC.

Anyway, I’m going to lazily go through the Division Previews posted on the Arena League’s website and make quips about the players highlighted:

Southern Division -

Georgia Force: DE R-Kal Truluck – This guy with the odd name had a cup of coffee with the Redskins seven to nine years ago. QB Chris Greisen – Thought he might make it in the NFL or give the CFL a shot. I’m sure he’s gotten an NFL camp invite.

New Orleans VooDoo: QB Steve Bellisari – Ohio State is getting good at turning out interesting lower level QBs.

Orlando Predators: DB Kenny McEntyre – Thought he would have made the jump up to the NFL by now, but he’s 10 years in so it’s unlikely.

Tampa Bay Storm: WR/LB Lawrence Samuels – Good Lord, Redskins LT Chris Samuels’ older brother is STILL playing here and was leading receiver last season? He must be 40 by now! At one point I think the Storm offense consisted of Lawrence Samuels getting thrown to by Fred McNair (Steve’s older brother, not that guy who used to play with the Chiefs) and that might have been after having Jay Gruden (brother of Jon) as the QB.

Central Divsion -

Chicago Rush: QB Sherdrick Bonner – Finally leaves the Arizona Rattlers after forty seasons there. Aside from clipboard holding duties with the 1998 alcons Super Bowl team he hasn’t gotten any NFL work. Between #3 Bonner, then 30, starter Chris Chandler, then 33 and #2 Steve DeBerg, then 45, that must have been the oldest QB trio in a Super Bowl. I have a football card of Bonner as the QB for the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football, the early nineties incarnation of what became NFL Europe/Europa. There was also an NBC Dateline piece back in like 1998 or something where some of the Rattlers non-football jobs were profiled. Bonner was a sales agent in the Rattlers ticket office. He loves football. WR/OS Damian Harrell – Arena League WRs struggle in the NFL. Off the top of my head, Mike Furrey is the only one to do well, and he was brought in as a safety. Still, I’m surprised Harrell hasn’t gotten a look.

Colorado Crush: John Elway and I think Pat Bowlen’s joint venture. QB John Dutton – Once a low-level find pick in the NFL, now in the midst of a career in the 50 yard indoor war. DB Chris Angel – He has time to do this and his magic act? Oh, different guy.

Kansas City Brigade: These guys have been in business for two seasons already and I didn’t notice. QB John Fitzgerald – Is this the guy from Lafayette? He was coaching in af2 last season. WR Mike Horacek – Kurt Warner brought this guy into camp with the Rams one year, but he couldn’t hack it. WR Boo Williams – I think this is the big WR from the University of South Carolina and not the guy who was a TE for the Saints.

Grand Rapids Rampage: QB Adrian McPherson – Former wonderboy recruit at Florida State who got into some bizarre gambling and theft charges and got kicked off the team. After a year in the Arena League, I think he got drafted by the Saints and sat on their bench for a year before returning to the Arena League. QB James MacPherson – I nothing about this guy, but he is the back up here. Can they find a McPhearson or MacPhearson to play QB too? This is better than when the Saints had Billy Joe Hobert and Billy Joe Tolliver as QBs.

Western Division-

Arizona Rattlers: Ah, the post-Sherdrick Bonner era begins. WR Siaha Burley – Didn’t he already play for them? QB Jeff Smoker – Awww, he’s down here? It’s more fun for me to crack Waterworld jokes about NFL backups! DL Wendell Gaines – When he was a Cardinal, they actually used him as a goal-line TE. He’s the Rattlers all-time sack leader.

Los Angeles Avengers: They used to sell Spanish versions of their merchandise. One of these days I’m getting my Los Angeles Vengadores t-shirt. I’m not sure I’ve heard of anybody on this team. Some of the names look familiar, but in a vague way. Ha!

San Jose Sabercats: Your reigning Arena Bowl Champions! I think Al Noga finished his football career here, or was a coach. QB Mark Grieb – Another QB I thought might do something in the NFL, but didn’t. You gotta love AFL numbers, Grieb threw 100 TDs last year! The previously mentioned Adrian McPherson threw 51 in five games with Grand Rapids. DL Ronald Jones – Popeye Jones? The great NBA journeyman third string PF? Probably not. I never tire of this joke.

Utah Blaze: DL Dwayne Missouri – I always wanted to form a line with this guy, Winnipeg Blue Bombers DE Tom Canada and Cincinnatti Bengals LS Brad St. Louis. Have former Lions LB Antonio London behind them and get former Ohio State WRs Reggie Germany and David Boston to hang around with them. Yes I’m easily amused and yes, ESPN’s Bill Simmons is going to sue for gimmick infringement if I’m not careful. QB Joe Germaine – Another recent Ohio State guy. Careful up in Baltimore Troy Smith. Did Craig Krenzel just decide to go to medical school? Germaine is a good fit “down” here. WR Aaron Boone – He just signed to be utility IF with the Nationals. It’s hard to be a two sport athlete… OK, I’ll stop. HC Danny White – The sometimes forgotten not that bad Cowboy QB. He was coach of the Rattlers for almost as long as Sherdrick Bonner was QB there.

Eastern Division-

Cleveland Gladiators: Formerly of Las Vegas. HD RedZone Channel and Fox Sports Radio Host as well as Reston’s own Andrew Siciliano was their play-by-play guy. This might fit as Siciliano likes Cleveland, or at least the Indians for some reason. QB Raymond Philyaw – One of several Philyaws playing pro football, he was once the QB for, I think, the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers. Or it was the NY/NJ Hitmen. He’s otherwise an AFL lifer.

Columbus Destroyers: Geez, even Arena teams are leaving Buffalo. Actually, they’ve been in Columbus a while now. DL Kelvin Kinney – Hey! Another guy who had a cup of coffee with the Redskins. A Virginia State (yes, it’s a real school, Division II in Petersburg) boy made good! DL Winfield Garnett – I remember this guy at Ohio State and just figured since he was large and played big time college ball he had NFL stuff. Obviously I’m wrong.

Dallas Desperados – OL Aaron Gibson – Is this the Aaron Gibson who was a RT at the University of Wisconsin at 6′3″ 400 lbs.? I know that guy dropped down in the 350 lbs. range to play, briefly in the NFL. How does have the endurance to play Arena Ball? QB Clint Dolezel – Yet another guy who I thought would make the jump. This is why I scout for fun only. WR/DB Will Pettis – This guy is pretty good for the Arena League. DL Colston Weatherington – I actually thought he was still in the NFL. Needs to hang around Giants FB Madison Hedgecock. QB Chris Sanders – I know nothing about this guy, but if only he were ten years older he could have been throwing to WR Chris Sanders (Ohio State) and TE Chris Sanders (Texas A&M).

New York Dragons – Ah, the old company football team. I used to work for CA, and our company founder bought the former Iowa Barnstormers and moved them to Long Island. QB Aaron Garcia – Sherdrick Bonner of the Barnstormers/Dragons franchise. WR Kevin Swayne – Washed out of camp with the Jets, I think he played in the XFL too. WR Chris Anthony – This guy seems like he’s been there as long as Garcia. WR Damien Groce – back for another round. This is my nominal favorite team in the AFL.

Philadelphia Soul – Jon Bon Jovi and Ron Jaworski’s side project. QB Tony Graziani – I dimly remember a few fools thinking this guy was the Falcons future after Chris Chandler retired. Ha! WR Chris Jackson – Another good AFL lifer. WR Chris Horn – Turns up in the NFL occasionally, years ago I used to have to remember when seeing ‘Horn’ on the fantasy free agent wire that it was this guy not Joe. OL Martin Bibla – He was supposed to have NFL stuff coming out of the University of Miami.

And there you have it. I wonder what Spambots will attempt to link to this?