https://twitter.com/allbrightnfl/status/...09824?s=21

Take that FWIW. Additionally today came and went and the AAF has not announced they’re closing shop.

They seem to be trying to leverage the NFLPA to access players not on NFL 53 man rosters.

(03-29-2019 04:19 PM)Potomac Wrote:  https://twitter.com/allbrightnfl/status/...09824?s=21

Take that FWIW. Additionally today came and went and the AAF has not announced they’re closing ship.

They seem to be trying to leverage the NFLPA to access players not on NFL 53 man rosters.

Makes sense, that was my first guess. The ploy sure set the twitter world afire though.

AAF has announced they are "suspending operations", whatever that means.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/2642...1st-season

(04-02-2019 12:07 PM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  AAF has announced they are "suspending operations", whatever that means.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/2642...1st-season

hmmmm, that's too bad.....but really does anyone care that much. It is difficult to find TV revenue needed to support football which is very expensive when other major sports are in the prime of their season (NBA, NHL, NASCAR) and MLB just cranking up.

Josh Wells resigns with the Jaguars

https://www.jaguars.com/news/official-we...IsJrjpcIlY

(04-02-2019 12:47 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 12:07 PM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  AAF has announced they are "suspending operations", whatever that means.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/2642...1st-season

hmmmm, that's too bad.....but really does anyone care that much. It is difficult to find TV revenue needed to support football which is very expensive when other major sports are in the prime of their season (NBA, NHL, NASCAR) and MLB just cranking up.

I admittedly didn't watch a single game but I feel bad for our two Dukes that were on the Orlando team and getting paid to play the game they love.

I am actually pretty bummed about the AAF. It was actually good football. The big problem they had in my opinion was marketing. It was very hard to find anything about AAF. You couldn't find it on some sports web sites. There was almost nothing to remind people aside from twitter and player accounts.
Orlando was my team, and there were times when I wanted to watch them but had no idea when they were playing or how to find them. When I did find a game, I usually watched and enjoyed it.
It's really a shame they couldn't afford to finish the season.

The XFL is supposed to be starting up next year. The thing they did really well was marketing so I don't think that will be a problem there. Hopefully they can learn from their mistakes in the past and the mistakes of the AAF and be successful.

The thing I didn't like about the AAF was they tried a few things that were a little too gimmicky for me (e.g., no extra points, all 2PT conversions). That was straight out of the old XFL playbook. No kickoffs was alright, and I loved the idea of the 4th and 12 "onside kick" attempt.

(04-02-2019 12:07 PM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  AAF has announced they are "suspending operations", whatever that means.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/2642...1st-season

Probably means suspending pay/work for all players, coaches, and most of the staff, while keeping a skeleton crew, and executives trying to decide what their path forward is.

It looks like the CEO and others didn't agree with this move, so almost wonder if its not just upping the stakes with the NFLPA. Could be a way for Dundon to try to win the concessions they think they need.

https://www.cbssports.com/aaf/news/aaf-o...st-season/

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/repor...ate-visit/

Moreland article.

“We believe the Giants will target him and select him if he is still on the board at No. 95 overall in the third round of this draft class.”

Holy smokes. Normally I’d say that’s some BS but the reasoning they gave is fairly solid.

For reference, JMU's top 4 draft picks of all time:

1984: Gary Clark, 2nd round, 55th overall
1996: Charles Haley, 4th round, 96th overall
2000: Curtis Keaton, 4th round, 97th overall
2013: Earl Watford, 4th round, 116th overall

(04-02-2019 06:09 PM)Anders Wrote:  “We believe the Giants will target him and select him if he is still on the board at No. 95 overall in the third round of this draft class.”

Holy smokes. Normally I’d say that’s some BS but the reasoning they gave is fairly solid.

They also said they wouldn't be surprised if he came off the board earlier. Would love to have play 15 minutes from where I live but the Giants are a dumpster fire for at least the next 2-3 years

(04-02-2019 08:59 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  For reference, JMU's top 4 draft picks of all time:

1984: Gary Clark, 2nd round, 55th overall
1986: Charles Haley, 4th round, 96th overall
2000: Curtis Keaton, 4th round, 97th overall
2013: Earl Watford, 4th round, 116th overall

Gary was selected from the supplemental draft (USFL) that year, not the college draft.

(04-02-2019 01:13 PM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 12:47 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 12:07 PM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  AAF has announced they are "suspending operations", whatever that means.

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/2642...1st-season

hmmmm, that's too bad.....but really does anyone care that much. It is difficult to find TV revenue needed to support football which is very expensive when other major sports are in the prime of their season (NBA, NHL, NASCAR) and MLB just cranking up.

I admittedly didn't watch a single game but I feel bad for our two Dukes that were on the Orlando team and getting paid to play the game they love.

I agree it is unfortunate for them, but all the quotes I have heard from players realize it is a business and this is life, time to move on.

Oh and not too mention College basketball is big in the late winter/early spring. I think it is tough to find the niche for another pro-league regardless of the sport. There are only so many entertainment dollars, sponsorship dollars, and TV dollars to go around. This is kind of how I thought this would go unless the NFL was on board to make it a true 'minor league' situation.

I watched parts of a few games and noticed a lot of NFL veterans on each roster, so I assume the competition was the equivalent of a double or triple A baseball team. Would the showing a guy like Ankrah had get him a training camp invite or UDFA contract? Has there been any talk like this?

(04-03-2019 07:43 AM)jmutoml757 Wrote:  I watched parts of a few games and noticed a lot of NFL veterans on each roster, so I assume the competition was the equivalent of a double or triple A baseball team. Would the showing a guy like Ankrah had get him a training camp invite or UDFA contract? Has there been any talk like this?

Except for the occasional QB or kicker, it's very rare for a rookie that gets cut to get another camp invite, let alone make it onto a squad. Makes Johnny Football all the more infuriating- he's a f#@kup that doesn't deserve the talent and second chances he's been given.

I'm not sure we even see many CFL stars transition to the NFL like we used to?

(04-03-2019 07:38 AM)ShadyP Wrote:  This is kind of how I thought this would go unless the NFL was on board to make it a true 'minor league' situation.

This is really what it takes in today's world of TV being too scared to invest in new ventures and fans being too scared to waste their time following anything other than what they perceive as "the highest level".

The NFL would have to financially support it similar to how the MLB has their relationship with MiLB.

(04-02-2019 12:48 PM)JMUSteeler Wrote:  Josh Wells resigns with the Jaguars

https://www.jaguars.com/news/official-we...IsJrjpcIlY

re-signs not resigns

(04-03-2019 10:54 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 12:48 PM)JMUSteeler Wrote:  Josh Wells resigns with the Jaguars

https://www.jaguars.com/news/official-we...IsJrjpcIlY

re-signs not resigns

Thank you for that. I skimmed the article and wondered why it seemed that way.