Who are you rooting for in the AAF and why?
I have chosen to root for the San Antonio Commanders. The reason being, I love San Antonio and I have always dreamed as a Bengals fan that they would relocate there. This is the closest I will ever get to that dream most likely. I also like their helmets and logo, these are very cool. I could do without their color scheme, but nonetheless that is who I am rooting for and why. Atlanta having Denard perks my rooting interest, but I don’t think he’ll play enough. I also love the Arizona teams nickname. The Hotshots! Hotshots fight Forrest fires in our great country and are incredible heroes that get little credit from the masses. If San Antonio is not playing, I guess I’ll go for Arizona. Glad to have some pretty cool football to watch this weekend.
February 15th, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^
I will post here because the one time I didn’t, I was accused of hiding behind my post. I’m guessing because of the voting structure.
February 15th, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
Football
February 15th, 2019 at 2:17 PM ^
Is "Football" going to replace "Cool, Hook'em?"
February 15th, 2019 at 3:25 PM ^
are counter-tops still in play?
February 15th, 2019 at 1:07 PM ^
Washington Sentinels
February 15th, 2019 at 1:08 PM ^
I am rooting for it to fold, along with the XFL, as soon as is humanly possible.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:13 PM ^
I kind of want it to work. I don't know what exactly it is about the NFL, I can't put my finger on it, but I know that I cannot watch it. I find it really boring and really irritating. I only watch college football. The AAF actually looked vaguely interesting to me and kind of made me want to watch more. It has been a long time since the NFL did that.
February 15th, 2019 at 7:00 PM ^
1. I hope former UM players who are part of this league get some good video and land jobs in the NFL or CFL.
2. I hope innovations are tried and tested out and those that work ultimately make their way over to the NFL.
February 16th, 2019 at 12:55 PM ^
I definitely want it to work, but...I want it to merge with the XFL.
There already isn't enough talent to have 2 leagues.
- (1) 8-Team League, (2) 4-Team Divisions
- Play everyone in your twice (home and away) + (2) home games and (2) away games versus the (4) other teams in the other league (10 regular season games - no bye weeks)
- (1) week off before a 4-Team playoff, both division winners and the next best 2 records...head to head is the tiebreaker, then record versus the 1-seed, and so on.
- No coin toss, high seed always gets to pick if they want to kick/receive.
- Don't start until the first weekend in March...give us a break and let us recharge a little bit. Trying to capitalize off of the NFL Playoff wasn't smart because it's always going to feel like a downer. Give us a few weeks!
- Championship on Memorial Day weekend.
I'd love to see one league with this format and then organically expand like the MLS. Go from 8 to 12 to 16.
Other notes:
- No kickoffs, start on the 25 yardline.Head safety.
- No onside kicks, you get a 4th and 15 from your 25. Convert, and you keep the ball wherever it was downed...just like a normal play. Don't covert and the defense gets the ball where it was downed...just like a normal play.
I would even consider something crazy like no kickers or punters...no FGs or XPs, something like you can go for 1 from the 5...or go for 2 from the 10. And you either go for it on 4th or you punt with a position player. Save $ on roster size, LOL.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:13 PM ^
So Mascending, you’re rooting for a bunch of people to be out of work? Really? Why?
Other than the Michigan hoops game tomorrow at noon, what else is there to watch?
Also, it gives guys a chance to make it back in the NFL by showing their skills. It also creates jobs for all of the people who will be working in the stadiums this weekend. Oh and the guys are getting paid more than they would for almost any other job.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:26 PM ^
That's the opposite of football.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:11 PM ^
The Michigan guys.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:15 PM ^
Salt Lake Stallions. Absolutely no legitimate reasoning behind it. Me and a few buddies picked squads and I liked their cool blue uniform look.
At 0-1 I'm hoping they fire the coach and tank for a better draft pick. Unacceptable.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:16 PM ^
Michigan Panthers. It's been a long 36-year-Championship drought!
(I was only 4 years old, so I don't recall it, but I've been told I was at the 1983 Championship Game in Denver)
February 15th, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
Anthony Carter for the dagger TD! @ 2:44:20 called by Keith Jackson!!
(OHHHHHHH let me tell ya 'bout Keith Jackson. Did you know he died?)
February 15th, 2019 at 3:42 PM ^
had a cousin that played O-line for oakland. saw him out west at the coliseum. i would be curious about the real 'why' as to the USFL folding.
February 15th, 2019 at 4:54 PM ^
The USFL does fascinate me - I've read a number of books on it, including "the $1 league" (written by someone who worked in their corporate offices for 3 years) and the most recent one that came out this past autumn ("Football For a Buck" by Jeff Pearlman).
The primary reason the USFL failed is there was no cohesiveness amongst the owners. Some of them were committed to spring football, some wanted fall football. Some were fiscally responsible, some were fiscal train-wrecks. Some owners had a more "collegial attitude", they prioritized the health of the league over the health of their franchises. Some had a 180 degree opposite attitude.
Michigan was one of the league's premier franchises in 1983-1984. It's fair to view Michigan as the USFL's equivalent of a Pittsburgh Steelers or New York Giants. Al Taubman was a great owner: extraordinarily wealthy, willing to spend $ (though in a responsible fashion), and committed to making the franchise a positive force in the city.
But, once the move to the fall was announced - he wanted nothing more to do with the USFL. He thought a move to go up against the NFL was stupid. He pulled up stakes almost immediately. Michigan merged with the Oakland Invaders after 1984: Oakland actually wound up playing in the last ever USFL game (lost to Baltimore, a.k.a. the old Philadelphia Stars from the 1983 title game, in the 1985 Championship game).
If the league couldn't keep an owner like Taubman, or a franchise like Michigan, happy - well, it was doomed.
February 15th, 2019 at 7:37 PM ^
thanks for that. i have a feeling you synthesized a lot of info into a few paragraphs. curious what would've happened if the TV money back then was anything on par with what we have today, and if that would've been enough to sustain the league.
February 15th, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
Talk about burying the lede...Keith Jackson is dead!?!
February 15th, 2019 at 2:21 PM ^
I went to the divisional playoff against the Oakland Invaders in Detroit--I was in high school at the time and it was a home game.
With those two wins, the Michigan Panthers in the span of eight days have had more playoff wins than the Detroit Lions have had for my entire life.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:26 PM ^
Birmingham Iron, baby. Simple, badass uniforms and they play some real MANBALL.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:36 PM ^
Likewise, simply because of the former. Miami Sharks meets Permian Panthers.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
I don't watch it, so that means I am rooting for no team.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:16 PM ^
Thanks for your usual exceptionally informative contribution.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:34 PM ^
#FleetforLife
Because San Diego deserves a football team.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:43 PM ^
...and because Fleet™ is Vlad's favorite enema
February 15th, 2019 at 1:37 PM ^
Orlando Apollos
1. Steve Spurrier is a National Treasure
2. Deveon Smith went to my rival HS, played (quite well) at Michigan, and has always been a guy I've enjoyed rooting for
3. Their logo is Apollo shooting a mother fucking arrow, LFG
4. Blue and orange are my favorite colors
5. I have $20 riding on the outcome of their season in a pool we created at work
6. I enjoy winning, and the Apollos play their home games in the stadium of the Undefeated 2018 UCF Knights - home field advantage means a lot in football and that field stinks of victory
February 15th, 2019 at 4:23 PM ^
So did you attend Niles, Mckinley? I live in Western, Pa and have some friends who attended Howland. Just curious.
February 16th, 2019 at 8:38 AM ^
JFK Catholic. My dad went to Howland, Mom to Niles McKinley
February 15th, 2019 at 1:42 PM ^
Rooting for some nothing team in in a meaningless league?
Seriously?
February 15th, 2019 at 3:44 PM ^
heed the expert of 'nothing' and 'meaningless'.
he might know, if anyone would....
February 15th, 2019 at 6:10 PM ^
we are emotional slaves to a college football team around these parts. this may not be the place you're looking for
February 15th, 2019 at 1:43 PM ^
Denard. But I have to ask people who are excited about this--what do you see in it? Is it just that you love the game and like to have more of it to watch, maybe added wrinkle that they're playing around with the rules and such?
I just like college football, and rarely find the NFL compelling (though I like to see Brady overcome).
February 15th, 2019 at 2:05 PM ^
I think you just answered your own question. The NFL is nearly unwatchable. I think people are hoping this will be a more entertaining product.
February 15th, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^
The Birmingham Iron.
Two reasons:
1. Ty
2. Isaac
February 15th, 2019 at 2:08 PM ^
where are the games broadcast? i don't pay for tv so unless it is streaming or available over an antenna then i don't get to see it.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:16 PM ^
You're on the internet.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:08 PM ^
Shreveport Steamer....wait, which defunct (or soon-to-be without subsidizing) league are we talking about?
February 15th, 2019 at 2:23 PM ^
There definitely is a set of cities that have had teams in most if not ALL of these various non-NFL leagues. Birmingham, Memphis, Orlando, San Antonio, Shreveport. It is a bit hard to keep track of.
February 15th, 2019 at 8:22 PM ^
Please, please, please let this franchise move to Cleveland.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^
San Diego. Where I live and finally, we have a damn football team.
February 16th, 2019 at 2:03 AM ^
Finally! After all these (2) years of no one going to watch the last football team you had.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^
Atlanta
See my avatar, unchanged since my join date. Denard is #1 on my man-crush list, and because you asked, #2. Mike Hart and #3. Tom Brady.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:21 PM ^
The only correct answer is Atlanta and the reason is DENARD
February 15th, 2019 at 2:24 PM ^
I will be checking weekly to see how guys like Denard and Ty Isaac are doing.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:25 PM ^
I'm rooting for the lack of commercials. It felt great to actually be watching a football game.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:39 PM ^
The Detroit Lions, because I want to be ready just in case they ever move down to the level where they actually might be competitive.
February 15th, 2019 at 3:46 PM ^
i hear the detroit metro y-league has an opening. they might be over the weight limit though.
February 15th, 2019 at 4:16 PM ^
I want to root for Atlanta because they are the closest team to Charlotte but....
1.) I hate Atlanta sports
2.) Uniforms suck out loud
So it is a toss up between San Diego Fleet and Birmingham Iron for no real f*cking reason
February 15th, 2019 at 4:18 PM ^
I think the Los Angeles Xtreme are going to take the title.