Tallahassee Titans

[preeths]

The AIFL's newest team.

[preeths]

Also, the Huntington Heroes will re-join the AIFL Tuesday. We'll have more on the AIFL throughout the week.

[gonzo13]

Is it officially Titans? Because if so, some people have prematurely announced that it was the Tallons.

[FortWayneBballfan]

Also, the Huntington Heroes will re-join the AIFL Tuesday. We'll have more on the AIFL throughout the week.

Why would a team leave a league and then turn around an re-join the league a few weeks later? Is it due to location? I personally did not think that Huntington really fit well in the WIFL as far as its location.

[preeths]

Titans website is up, and we have a link to it on their OSC page. I agree about Huntington. They were essentially on an island by themselves and fit better in the AIFL. The AIFL will have some structural changes, and that may have helped convince them as well.

[Geoff]

The may still be in the AIFL Southern Division.

AIFL North (8)
------------------
Canton
Danville
Erie
Huntington
Johnstown
Pittsburgh
Reading
Srpingfield

AIFL South (6)
------------------
Florence
Lakeland
Montgomery
Richmond
Tallahassee
Tupelo

Undetermined (3)
------------------
Chatahoochee (No lease)
Syracuse (folded but still listed on OSC)
Carolina (No news)

If Carolina becomes reality then there could be an 8 team conference and a seven team conference. But, if not, it would seem better to have two even conferences with Huntington going to the south.

[eagle1]

May still be news of another team from the South joining. Huntington may not be the only WIFL defection.

[11HP20]

Why would a team leave a league and then turn around an re-join the league a few weeks later? Is it due to location? I personally did not think that Huntington really fit well in the WIFL as far as its location.

It still makes a strong statement about a teams dissatisfaction with a league. Maybe after the AIFL deals with everyones dissillusionment things will get better. I can only guess Haines can see what is happening in the NIFL. I'm sure he doesn't want the AIFL to end up the same way. Therefore I'm going to bet things will be done to improve the AIFL. Some people can adapt and others can't. Let's see if Haines is one of those who can.

[FortWayneBballfan]

All leagues start off with headaches, it is a work in progress. The first year, I believe AIFL had six teams and they all survived the first year. Problems started in the 2nd year with new expansion owners. The GLIFL has enjoyed a successful first year, the real test is year two and three. When league owners learn from past mistakes, it helps to create a more successful league. It sounds like the AIFL is recovering alright from past team ownership issues. Changes that will help avoid it becoming like the NIFL.

There is plenty of room for three or four minor league indoor football teams. The GLIFL focuses primarily on the upper midwest(Michigan.) The AIFL focuses on teams south of that area(with the exception of Erie and Canton) and also with a division in the south that hits the south east portion of the country. To early to tell about the WIFL. Outside of knowing the teams involved, nobody knows much anything else about the league. The UIF is all over the place. Expansion is good, but it could turn into the IHL of indoor football. Great cities, but travel expenses will become too high for most minor league teams to afford. The IHL expanded the same way and it destroyed the league. I could see travel costs forcing some teams out of the UIF and into other leagues to keep travel costs down. But not enough teams to completly end the league's existence.

Every league has their positives and their negatives. Some more negatives than others. But not enough negatives to destroy them.

[preeths]

It still makes a strong statement about a teams dissatisfaction with a league. Maybe after the AIFL deals with everyones dissillusionment things will get better. I can only guess Haines can see what is happening in the NIFL. I'm sure he doesn't want the AIFL to end up the same way. Therefore I'm going to bet things will be done to improve the AIFL. Some people can adapt and others can't. Let's see if Haines is one of those who can.

Interesting take. Haines is going to step back into more of a day-to-day operations role, so there will be some changes.

[tony-o]

I believe the AIFL will be a lot different this year, so I'm giving them a second chance.

Also the AIFL stole my fantasy basketball team name(the Florida Titans). Do you think I can sue the AIFL for that? If Jim Terry can...

[Geoff]

Update for today's happenings.

AIFL North (8)
------------------
Canton
Danville
Erie
Huntington
Johnstown
Pittsburgh
Reading
Srpingfield

AIFL South (5)
------------------
Florence
Lakeland
Montgomery
Tallahassee
Tupelo

Undetermined (3)
------------------
Richmond (left league but still listed on OSC)
Syracuse (folded but still listed on OSC)
Carolina (No news)

Definitely gone (1)
------------------
Chatahoochee (WIFL landed lease for 2007)

[Interested Observer]

The last post had Richmond in the south division. Am I missing something or are the bandits swallowing their pride and returning to the AIFL after they in my opinion got shafted last season?

[Geoff]

Good cath. I went by what was listed on OSC. I didn't even think about richmond. THat just makes the south that much smaller.

[gonzo13]

As much as I hate it, Richmond may have hung themselves out to dry...

[FortWayneBballfan]

How did they hang themselves out to dry?

[gonzo13]

Well it's a long story, but I'll do my best.....
Richmond intentionally did not send game films to an opponent. They said it was because they had been recieving game film late all season from various opponents. The league fined Richmond for not sending the tapes.Richmond refused to pay the fine. The league would not allow them to play in the playoffs until the fine was paid, so the Bandits bailed out of the league all together.....Now there may be somebody that has a few more specifics than me, and I may even be wrong about a few things. But that's my understanding of what went down. And now it would appear that they are either not trying, or are having a hard time getting into another league.

[FortWayneBballfan]

If you were a league owner and saw what they pulled, would you want that type of ownership in your league? I do not think I would.

[gonzo13]

You and I are on the same page. The shame of it is, the Bandits put a great product on the field, and they have alot of great fans.

[preeths]

Their best chance of playing this season may be to kiss and make up with the AIFL.

[FortWayneBballfan]

Their best chance of playing this season may be to kiss and make up with the AIFL.

Pucker up! 8)