Af1 or IFL

[big play]

i have been offered contracts from both. in my current city we have an ifl team and i have a job here. the other team is in Tampa. im wondering which league will have more exposure for me to try and go further. I trying to decide do i leave my job and go to Tampa and play in af1 or stay and play in my home town. I wanna know which league would present the better opportunity in the long run and i need helping making a decision.

[Independent]

AF1 doesn't have the NFL ties anymore and IFL rules are more conducive to the outdoor game.

[mrsummitcitypigskin]

AF1 isn't even off the ground yet. Lots of ?'s yet to be answered.
Although others on this forum will disagree w/ me, go with the proven
commodity, the IFL.

[indoor fan]

In your unique situation you are better playing in your home town. You will overall make more money, etc. Although the AF1 will be a higher level than the IFL, it is still not at the UFL, CFL or NFL level.

[daytonadan]

The last thing you need is advice from people on message boards, so let me ask you this question: What is the best situation for your family?

[NatePreds05]

i have been offered contracts from both. in my current city we have an ifl team and i have a job here. the other team is in Tampa. im wondering which league will have more exposure for me to try and go further. I trying to decide do i leave my job and go to Tampa and play in af1 or stay and play in my home town. I wanna know which league would present the better opportunity in the long run and i need helping making a decision.

The Tampa Bay Storm are a very stable strong franchise, that has been in arena football since 1991, with 5 arenabowl championships and the winningest coach in the history of arena football in Tim Marcum. You should go for the Arena Football team. Tim Marcum also has been coaching for a long time and has ties with the NFL (for example he is and Jon Gruden are very good friends).

The AF1 will also pay you more than the IFL as the minimum salary is double what the IFL offers.

The other posters on here are IFL diehards trying to stray you by saying the AF1 won't go off the ground.

[Caballo Diablo]

The last thing you need is advice from people on message boards, so let me ask you this question: What is the best situation for your family?
Amen, most here think with their emotions and would be working for a league if they really had the "expertise."

[Caballo Diablo]

Tim Marcum

Position(s) AFL Head Coach/General Manager
Career record 199-83

ArenaBowl wins
1987 ArenaBowl I
1988 ArenaBowl II
1989 ArenaBowl III
1992 ArenaBowl VI
1995 ArenaBowl IX
1996 ArenaBowl X
2003 ArenaBowl XVII

Team(s) as a coach/administrator
1987
1988-1989
1991-1993
1995-present
Denver Dynamite
Detroit Drive
Detroit Drive
Tampa Bay Storm

Tim Marcum is considered to be the most successful coach in the history of Arena Football. Winner of an AFL-record seven ArenaBowl titles, he is a member of the Sports Hall of Fame and is the former head coach of the Tampa Bay Storm. Among his best-known pupils is Jay Gruden, who quarterbacked Marcum's teams to two of his ArenaBowl championships and is now head coach of the rival Orlando Predators. Coaching Record


1987 Denver 4-2
1988 Detroit 9-3
1989 Detroit 3-1
1991 Detroit 9-1
1992 Detroit 8-2
1993 Detroit 11-1
1995 Tampa Bay 10-2
1996 Tampa Bay 12-2
1997 Tampa Bay 8-6
1998 Tampa Bay 12-2
1999 Tampa Bay 11-3
2000 Tampa Bay 8-6
2001 Tampa Bay 10-4
2002 Tampa Bay 6-8
2003 Tampa Bay 12-4
2004 Tampa Bay 9-7
2005 Tampa Bay 9-5
2006 Tampa Bay 5-8
2007 Tampa Bay 8-8
2008 Tampa Bay 8-8


Awards
Marcum has been honored with the following awards:

AFL Coach of the Year (1987, 1998)
AFL Founder's Award (2001)
Arena Football Hall of Fame (1998)

In 2005, the Arena Football League announced that Marcum would be suspended for four games, two in 2005 and two in 2006, for the Tampa Bay franchise's having violated the league's salary cap. He was suspended for a third game in 2006 after violating the terms of his suspension. Dave Ewart served as interim head coach, going 1-1 in 2005 and 2-1 in 2006.

He also gave his players fake championship rings.

The Tampa Bay Storm are a very stable strong franchise, that has been in arena football since 1991, with 5 arenabowl championships and the winningest coach in the history of arena football in Tim Marcum. You should go for the Arena Football team. Tim Marcum also has been coaching for a long time and has ties with the NFL (for example he is and Jon Gruden are very good friends).
Ok, all of this is nice but....... Has being Grudens "friend" helped him or his players move on to the next level?

He asked which would be best for him and advancing to another level.
Tell us, in his long history of ArenaBall how many players has Marcum moved to the NFL? And what would that translate to in percentages of players he's coached? Many coaches have ties to NFL ears, and some of them actually had NFL careere themselves.

It's a very small number of guys moving to the majors, and their talent had far more to do with it than their 50 yard coach. NCAA Div II coaches have a better chance of moving players up than an Indoor/Arena coach.



The AF1 will also pay you more than the IFL as the minimum salary is double what the IFL offers.
Wow, that'll really help. While it's true the AF1 offers $400 vs $200/$250 (not really double unless you're on team that loses every game- lol)

Is $200 per game worth giving up your local job and being separated from your family? Sure, an extra $3,200 per year is nice if it's on top of your current pay but not if it eliminates your current job. If he was one of the guys looking at the $1,00 per game then he wouldn't be here asking.



The other posters on here are IFL diehards trying to stray you by saying the AF1 won't go off the ground.
Not true, don't lie to the man.

Most of the responses sounded unbiased.

Independent said - "IFL rules are more conducive to the outdoor game." Would you agree or disagree with that?

mrsummitcitypigskin said - "the AF1 isn't off the ground yet while the IFL is a proven commodity."

While it's only the IFL's 2nd year most of the teams were existing and merged into the league with no dark years in between.

The AF1 seems to be made up of a couple questionable AFL people and some af2 teams. many of the franchises, even though will have the same name are not the same team/organization.

indoor fan, who is more of an ArenaBall fan said - "In your unique situation you are better playing in your home town. You will overall make more money, etc. Although the AF1 will be a higher level than the IFL, it is still not at the UFL, CFL or NFL level. "

So I have to ask, why are you charging the "others" of being Homers?
You seem to be answering the question with bias and backing it up with irrelevant information.

He didn't ask who was the best or winningest coach. Some love Marcum while others will give you pages of his unethical and even criminal behavior.

Dan was right, none of the leagues will propbably move a player up to the majors. This means which life will be better for his family and total yearly income. Quitting your job and adding expenses to see your family might not be the best decision. If he plays well enough in a league other than the AF1, maybe next season he can get one of the $1,000 per game roster spots.

I don't care where he plays, but I would encourage him to play somewhere. But do it for the love of the sport instead of a chance at the majors. If you're good enough to move up it doesn't matter where you play minor league ball. If you're not good enough will you regret the time you spend away from your family and not furthering your "civilian" career?

[NatePreds05]

I have noticed that numerous people think the AF1 will not get off the ground, that it is an "unproven commodity". It is far from it. All of the franchises (except for Jacksonville) have established histories in other leagues, arena and indoor. Plus the Tampa Bay Storm are owned by the Tampa Bay Lightning, can't have a more stable ownership than that.

As for him losing income, like any minor league football league the team arranges for a job and housing so he is taken care of while playing and he makes a full income.

No one can argue that Tim Marcum is an excellent coach who always has found talent. If this player is successful with him it can move him higher (to the $1000 pay scale or NFL/CFL/UFL). No IFL coach can compare to him.

[daytonadan]

NatePreds05 is correct -- Coach Marcum is the one of the best in the business.

But again BigPlay, don't listen to us. God help you if you do. The bottom line is you know what is best for you.

Football is a matter of being in the right place in the right system at the right time.

Help yourself by compiling a library of your game film and work with your team's PR person in keeping your resume up to date.

And if you're that good, the scouts will find you. My great alma mater, a FCS or I-AA or whatever it is, currently has four players in the NFL -- two have made the Pro Bowl -- and one on a CFL team that was in the Gray Cup.

Best of fortune.

[Caballo Diablo]

I have noticed that numerous people think the AF1 will not get off the ground, that it is an "unproven commodity".
I feel the AF1 will get off the ground and has a chance to be a good league. But it is an unproven commodity. It's the first year of business and we'll just have to see what happens over the next couple of years.



It is far from it. All of the franchises (except for Jacksonville) have established histories in other leagues, arena and indoor. Plus the Tampa Bay Storm are owned by the Tampa Bay Lightning, can't have a more stable ownership than that.
I'm not sure I would say ALL of them are established. Just because you start an expansion franchise and the league allows you to use the name of the former team doesn't mean the new one will be as good, or bad if you will, as the original team under the same name.

Bouchy has been around the sport but is new to ownership. Some question his character. He's got 2 teams and his brother another. Ferraro, let's see, New Jersey, Las Vagas, Cleveland, some would say he's a shyster. We could go through all the teams one by one but I'm not trying to prove any negative points.

I'm just saying there are always reasons for concern in minor league sports. The af2 was successful and we were told that was the business plan they would follow. Things have changed and expenses are mounting. I hope it all works out but I'm taking a wait and see attitude. Put a team in my town and I'll buy tickets.

Tampa has new ownership, fortunately it's people that have done it before.

As for him losing income, like any minor league football league the team arranges for a job and housing so he is taken care of while playing and he makes a full income.
Housing and meals are a great extra, but all teams do not supply all players with real jobs on the side. Even if they did, is it the same pay as the job back home? Is the career advancement better at the new job or the one back home? Will the team cover the cost of bringing in the family for visits, etc.

All we were saying is he needed to examine his complete circumstances, not just which team or league is better. lots of variables with different meanings to different people.

No one can argue that Tim Marcum is an excellent coach who always has found talent. If this player is successful with him it can move him higher (to the $1000 pay scale or NFL/CFL/UFL). No IFL coach can compare to him.
I've never disputed Marcums coaching record, I questioned if he has a better success rate of moving guys up. If a player has the talent to play at a higher level it will be seen no matter if he plays Indoor or ArenaBall.

A lot of it depends on the position, WR will have better stats in ArenaBall, but DB's will look pathetic. That's from the system and rules, not necessarily the greatnes or ineptness of the player. A running back will look a lot better playing Indoor Ball.

Some players are mediocre on one team and great on another and vice versa. Did he improve or flop that quickly? Or was it the system around him that helped him flourish or fail?

As we discuss a hobby he's trying to make life changing decisions. Once again, it's all about an honest perspective, not Homerism.

[daytonadan]

Yes, 2010 is off to a start fresh on the OSC indoor football boards

[NatePreds05]

Bouchy has been around the sport but is new to ownership. Some question his character. He's got 2 teams and his brother another.

I bring this back up to show you that Bouchy has been owning teams for a lot longer than you think. Check this out: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-57766559/new-arena-football-league.html

Bouchy has been involved with arena football for over a decade, and owned or led the Predators for numerous years (a stable and successful franchise). So I would not call him "new" to the business.

[Caballo Diablo]

Yes, Bouchy was a minority owner and President, by the way also kicked out by the majority owner of the Preds for his unscrupulous behavior both in the front office and in the stands. Most Pred fan's I've talked with were happy to see him go.

There's far more involved to be the majority owner and overseeing the entire ball of wax. Last year, oh wait, they didn't play last season. The year before in AZ was his first year in this position. And how did that TV deal work out? I'll bet it attracted the masses in droves and pulled in huge ratings. It almost saved the league from itself, didn't it? Did I say he was NEW to the Business? Has his ethics or attitude changed? And you guys love to smack raidermac over his attitude. Bouchey makes raidermac look like a sweetheart - lol

You are aware of his fighting with fans in the stands and unleashing profanities during these tirades uncaring about the children listening or projecting an unprofessional perception of the franchise and it's front office.
But I guess he learned this type of language towards the crowd from Gruden - lol