Tonight is the start of the season. Are you excited ? Are you wondering what the heck in the Alliance of American Football ? Yes, there is another start up football league that is starting tonight.
Got home at 10pm and noticed it was on - I was curious when I first heard about it but expected it to underwhelm - been watching it since the beginning of the 3rd-quarter and it's so-so leaning towards kinda-boring - the stands seem about 70% empty.
CFL is big time different. As I recall 3 downs insted of 4. End zones are 20 yards deep. A wide receiver can be moving forward when the ball is snapped (they get a running start)
Orlando beat Atlanta 40-6 and they have a good-coach (Steve Spurrier who also coached in the USFL as Tampa Bay head-coach) - Orlando may win the championship
Watched a bit of Orlando vs San Diego last night. One QB took a sack that knocked his helmet about 10 yards downfield. Thought it would have been cooler if his head had still been in it. Otherwise it was "meh!"
James posted: "Perversely I wonder if the NFL wants the AAF to survive. It may let some of the air out of the Kapernick supporters."
Without a doubt the NFL wants the AAF to survive. It's another farm system to scout from. The NFL is not the place where players are given much time to develop and mature, except maybe for very high draft picks. Some kids develop later than others and if a 17 year old kid is not there yet, he doesn't even get into a recognizable college program and, hence, no NFL. Then there are the kids who are good enough to get into decent college programs, but still aren't developed enough by 20 or 21 to make the pros. Then there are those who manage to scrape into a late round draft pick, but just don't hit their stride quick enough to survive the cuts. And then...
So fuck yes the NFL wants the AAF to thrive. You can bet that, sooner or later, you'll hear stories about how NFL teams are picking off some of the league's best young talent.
A spring pro league has a chance to survive as longs as they stay within their means. There are enough rabid football fans that will watch any version of the sport. The reason that the WFL and USFL failed was they they didn't stay within their means. They wanted to compete against the NFL, rather than complement it. The AAF will just have to realize that all of it's "stars" will move on to greener pastures. There is a limit to how much it will thrive though. It will always be viewed as minor league, but there is a niche for it.
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I almost went with the San Diego fleet based on them having a battleship on thier helmet but I am sticking with Memphis Express.
Anyone else gonna make a bold prediction?
Goal POsts are in the middle of the end zone.
Field is 65 yards wide
Orlando Apollos 40, Atlanta Legends 6
San Antonio Commanders 15, San Diego Fleet 6.
Didn't watch the games but I did catch the highlights. Not bad.
I remember other upstart football league like the XFL and Arena Football sucked.
XFL is suppose to be back next year, so I've heard.
Such and accomplishment since Orlando played Atlanta! :)
"Yeah no NFL team would sign him. Nor would the AAF... So maybe the dude can't play or overrated himself..."
Without a doubt the NFL wants the AAF to survive. It's another farm system to scout from. The NFL is not the place where players are given much time to develop and mature, except maybe for very high draft picks. Some kids develop later than others and if a 17 year old kid is not there yet, he doesn't even get into a recognizable college program and, hence, no NFL. Then there are the kids who are good enough to get into decent college programs, but still aren't developed enough by 20 or 21 to make the pros. Then there are those who manage to scrape into a late round draft pick, but just don't hit their stride quick enough to survive the cuts. And then...
So fuck yes the NFL wants the AAF to thrive. You can bet that, sooner or later, you'll hear stories about how NFL teams are picking off some of the league's best young talent.