AAFL BUZZ

Lots happening at the AAFL in the last few days.

Let's start with Time Magazine. It did a story on the AAFL with lots of great quotes. Here are a few:

"The AAFL is certainly the more innovative concept of the two new Leagues..."

"The other upstart, the fledging All American Football League (AAFL), has a very different model. Funded by San Diego entrepreneur Marcus Katz, the AAFL will play in college football hotbeds on otherwise sleepy spring Saturdays, and feature alums from big-time schools like the University of Florida and University of Tennessee on its pro teams."

"Since there aren't enough NFL spots for all the talented University of Florida football players, the thinking goes, why not have some of them come to Gainesville, suit up in Gator blue, and play for the Florida AAFL team? They'd face off against teams from Tennessee and Alabama, just like the good old days."

Time also said they were puzzled by our league's requirement that all players have a degree to make the team. They said no one cared about that.

That's one of the things people care about the most. At least that is what everyone is telling our players and other league officials over and over and over.

I'll tell you who loves our league's graduation requirement: Schools. The AAFL was the subject of a story on the Chronicle of Higher Education, the bible of the school business.

A few excerpts:

September 28, 2007
A Pro-Football League Whose Players Must Have Diplomas? Not Just a Pipe Dream

A San Diego entrepreneur who struck it rich in the student-loan business is moving ahead with plans to start a six-team professional-football league for NFL rejects, according to the Sports Business Journal.

His idea: Tap into all the rabid college-football fans who don't have much else to cheer for in the spring and summer by fielding teams to play in college stadiums that are otherwise dormant at that time of year.

The league, called the All American Football League, is set to debut in April. It has signed stadium leases with the University of Tennessee, the University of Florida, and municipal fields in Detroit and Little Rock, Ark. The colleges could gain as much as $3-million apiece from the lease arrangements.

Startup football leagues have never fared well, but indoor arena football has had success in recent years.

Another catch: Players must have college degrees. Lots of college-football players walk away from the classroom without their diplomas. But if this league flies, maybe more of them will go back to finish. - Brad Wolverton

And one of the most popular nationally syndicated talk radio show hosts, Hugh Hewitt, posted this on his web site:

The All-American Football League
Posted by: Hugh Hewitt at 9:02 AM

This is a great story. NFL Hall of Famer (and former Browns great though better remembered for his days with the Bills' "Electric Company") Joe DeLamielleure called my attention to the formation of the All-American Football League, which hopes to be playing football in the spring.

See the rest of it here.
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog/Hewitt/default.aspx?mode=post&g=2cb99513-984a-4317-8274-7ef37fecc482&comments=true#commentAnchor.

And hear the interview here:
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/MediaPlayer/AudioPlayer.aspx?ContentGuid=ce95b586-e1b9-45be-a74c-d4cf65bfe196.

Meanwhile, around the league, Coach Shane Matthews has just finished his first tryouts for Team Florida. Lots of buzz about the great Gators and Seminoles. Former Gator and NFL great Chris Doering was a guest on Gators and More, required listening for Gator fans in Jacksonville.

Here's a link to the interview: http://www.gatorsandmore.com/100907/doering.mp3.

Over in Alabama, former Tide greats and future AAFL stars Freddie Milons, Reggie Myles and Rudy Griffin have been talking up a storm at the premier Alabama football web site, rollcrimsontide.com.

Enjoy.

Alabama Greats John Hannah and Ken Stabler have signed on to Team Alabama's Board of Advisors - Joining Auburn great Joe Cribbs who was recently named Team President.

In Florida, fans and media from all over the state got a preview of coach Shane Matthews' Fun and Gun offense during Team Florida's first workout. Lots of speed out there.

Lots more news around the league. But this is all for now.

For more on the AAFL log onto: http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com/