Hi, This is a Scathing CIFL Article

[exit322]

http://www.mlive.com/sports/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/118155360771420.xml&coll=7

[preeths]

You're right, it is scathing. I believe it is also unfair to a degree. For one, the writer needs to take a look at our old friend the NIFL if he wants to see a true train wreck. Compared to that league, the CIFL is a bastion of stability. He also touts Kalamazoo as the fiscal "Mr. Rogers" (?) of the league, but doesn't mention the teams that are doing better than the Xplosion financially. The player with the made-up bio is overblown. If you deal with football for any length of time, you'll run into many guys who fake NFL resumes. I've run into dozens who've faked USFL experience.

That's not to say there aren't problems in the CIFL. The Pirates owner is crazy if he expects any attendance increase after declaring the franchise will move. The Springfield and Steubenville situations are large messes, and the Rochester owner needs to learn how to treat people. Still, with just two weeks remaining, there is a very high probability that the CIFL will complete its season. Hopefully, it will re-evaluate things in the offseason and make necessary changes.

[ChampionOfSteel]

You're right, it is scathing. I believe it is also unfair to a degree. For one, the writer needs to take a look at our old friend the NIFL if he wants to see a true train wreck. Compared to that league, the CIFL is a bastion of stability. He also touts Kalamazoo as the fiscal "Mr. Rogers" (?) of the league, but doesn't mention the teams that are doing better than the Xplosion financially. The player with the made-up bio is overblown. If you deal with football for any length of time, you'll run into many guys who fake NFL resumes. I've run into dozens who've faked USFL experience.

That's not to say there aren't problems in the CIFL. The Pirates owner is crazy if he expects any attendance increase after declaring the franchise will move. The Springfield and Steubenville situations are large messes, and the Rochester owner needs to learn how to treat people. Still, with just two weeks remaining, there is a very high probability that the CIFL will complete its season. Hopefully, it will re-evaluate things in the offseason and make necessary changes.

The CIFL has not completed its season in the spirit of the law. It used scab players for Stampede/Springfield games. Season ended as we know it the day that happened.

Next question! (as they say in the fan conferences)

[preeths]

Nothing short of perfection satisfies you anyway, so I guess in your eyes no team or league has every completed the season.

[ChampionOfSteel]

Nothing short of perfection satisfies you anyway, so I guess in your eyes no team or league has every completed the season.

Ridiculous.

{Removed by admin}

[preeths]

Ridiculous. A good word for the vast majority of your nitpicky, nonsensical posts.

[daytonadan]

Words that describe CoS posts that start with "N"

[exit322]

Equally surprising such a scathing review came from a UHL city, no less.

[preeths]

Equally surprising such a scathing review came from a UHL city, no less.

I found that funny, too.

[DanTheFan]

Ironically doesn't this wuote describe the "wacky" world of Indoor Football to a T?Hollywood has yet to come up with a script wackier than the work of non-fiction this fledgling sport has penned over it's history.

[exit322]

At least he botched the spelling of "its" to help the overall quality there.

[cRUSHer]

actually , I found the article to be far too lenient.
Kindly , even.

[exit322]

Ironically doesn't this wuote describe the "wacky" world of Indoor Football to a T?

These last couplea seasons, it certainly does. Too bad there's probably not a league out there that's going to stabilize anything.

[preeths]

I don't know that I'd say that. UIF has done a good job for a couple of years now, the WIFL looks like it will complete its inaugural season without any cancellations, the IFL appears as if it will do the same for the second year in a row, and the AIFA has improved over last season's AIFL. I see things generally improving.

[timman19]

Interesting article. I hear the NJ Revolution franchise is a joke. It will be interesting to see if the league lives to see next season, and, if so, how many teams will fold and how many expansion teams they can set up. I think NJ will be gone.

[exit322]

I don't know that I'd say that. UIF has done a good job for a couple of years now, the WIFL looks like it will complete its inaugural season without any cancellations, the IFL appears as if it will do the same for the second year in a row, and the AIFA has improved over last season's AIFL. I see things generally improving.

I suppose you're right here. I still want to see another year of improvement out of everywhere to say the game is improving in general.

[exit322]

Interesting article. I hear the NJ Revolution franchise is a joke. It will be interesting to see if the league lives to see next season, and, if so, how many teams will fold and how many expansion teams they can set up. I think NJ will be gone.

You're right; NY/NJ isn't one of the more stable organizations out there. They do everything that's asked of them, though.

[Dogs-Glads-Xtreme]

Actually contradicting what the last two post have said about the Revs, I have heard they are actually financially quite stable and actually have flown to a few of their away games.

[Tatonka]

They've flown to alot of their away games, and are always complimented on how they carry themselves both on and off the field.

Would we like to see them more competitive? Of course. Does their GameDay Experience need some work? It appears so... but don't ever call the Revs franchise a joke. Week in and week out we never have to worry about whether or not the Revs will play their games.

[timman19]

That's all well and good about the Revs. But, no one goes to their games and very few people around here (I live in North Jersey) even know they exist. I have never seen them advertise in the newspapers so I don't know how they expect to ever draw fans into their building.

[TideGM]

As for NY/NJ being stable money wise...I have issues with the fact that 1) they made players provide equipment, 2) no trainers, 3) They car pooled to the game vs the Tide, 4) their turf was worse than ours. With all these things any team could be making $$.

I believe they are not paying their coaches and the owner is also playing. I would also like to know how much they were paying their players.

Ex-TideGM

[exit322]

Two of them, Hanratty and DeFalco.

[Dogs-Glads-Xtreme]

As just a fan I do not know about the details of them making their players have their own equipment. I do know though that this season the Revolution have never needed another team trainer from what I saw and always seem to have someone either a player or a coach who can take care of it.

I find it funny though that Timman seems to know about the team a lot through the rumors but never actually attended a game himself eventhough he claims to live in Northern New Jersey just like me.

Let me also add to the former Tide GM if Hanratty is such a joke then why did he win the player of the week honors against YOUR former team? By seeing this team play over seven times I can tell you that both Hanratty and Defalco can play ball with some of the top players in the CIFL no matter what their relationship with the team is. Also to the ex-Tide GM let me ask you about some of your problems that I saw when you guys played against the Revs.

1. How much media attended your game? One writter from a local weekly newspaper, while the Revs have been in two top fifty newspapers (Star-Ledger and NY Times).

2. I think anyone can debate that the Tide had the same quality of turf as the Revolution.

3. How come fans were not allowed onto the field after the game? How come there was less then 500 people in attendance?

I'm not associated with the Revs, you can ask Josh, but I do find it quite funny that no one seems to want to give this team a chance or they like to put them down. They are still my hometown indoor football team and I will stick up for them.

[exit322]

Yeah, Jake's not affilliated with the Revs.

I don't know about the stuff in Chesapeake, but the stuff in Battle Creek (and as such, NY/NJ) shouldn't have been allowed to have been played on in any way, shape, or form.

And do read the whole thing, Jake. Jeff's the FORMER GM of the team, not the current one. Been that way for awhile.

[TideGM]

Jake,

Some issues I can address, but some I cannot because my issues with the Tide are not resolved.

1) I never called the QB from the NJ team a joke. My point is that owners playing is directly related to the Revs record the past 2 seasons. Owners shouldn't play...owners shouldn't coach....I think having the owners playing in NJ is saving them $ on their payroll....

2) I said your turf was worse than ours....ours was bad..NJ was worse...

3) As far as only 1 paper being at the game...we have been featured in pretty much every newspaper in the state and washington post. So, I think we have you beat on that one.

4) As for the 500 fans...I cannot comment

5) Players or coaches should not be taking care of players injuries. I have seen players severly injuried and if not for having a quality trainer on staff these players could have been hurt worse. This is something that puts the CIFL at risk to lawsuits for lack of quality medical coverage at games.

6) The fans not allowed on the field was an arena call. I did not support it, but they make the rules.

7) You got fed for free by OUtback Steakhouse. Tide wins!

[exit322]

Is the turf that these teams use really that bad?

The stuff in Battle Creek was 1/4 (at most, might have been 1/8) inch thick indoor-outdoor-style turf (mostly indoor soccer stuff, but not even thick enough to use for that). Also, it barely had enough to go into one end zone, such that BC had to buy indoor-outdoor stuff out of a Home Depot, and that stuff was barely as thick as cheap cardboard.

[timman19]

I find it funny though that Timman seems to know about the team a lot through the rumors but never actually attended a game himself eventhough he claims to live in Northern New Jersey just like me.

.

In response, yes, I live in North NJ and specifically in Wayne. I know what I know about the Revs only from what has been posted on the message boards. I don't claim to be an expert. My point was that I have not yet seen this team advertise anywhere so how can people go if they don't know the team exists? I thought about going but my kids wanted to go see baseball instead.

I compliment you for going to some home games and my guess is that tickets were easy to come by. I have to work some weekends so that makes going rough.

[exit322]

It'd be hard to make up something like that, ml.

[Dogs-Glads-Xtreme]

Okay let me start some of with some comments to everyones post above, and yes that free outback was quite good and I don't know if I should be honored that you could somehow remember me. Let me also add that I'm not here to start a war or battle with anybody.

1. Personally, I feel that the Tides and Revs set up is basically at the same level because the Revs have made some excellent strides in securing the turf . Our dasherboards are equipped much better while your turf is a bunch load more secure to the surface.

2. I did not know about that being the arenas decision on fans being allowed on the turf so I do apologize for putting the blame on you all.

3. I hope that Timman can come to a game and see if he likes it because the Revs do have some great loyal fans who have traveled through out the Northeast supporting the team, and the "Tim Lawrence Fan Club" is always a sight to watch.

[Dogs-Glads-Xtreme]

Also I would like to add one point to my previous post above concerning DeFalco and Hanratty. I would like to add that if I thought Hanratty and/or DeFalco were not capable of playing at this level and saw them gaining significant playing time then I would be one of the first yelling and posting about how ashamed I am to support this team, BUT from what I've seen the Revs owners that play can play ball at this indoor football level and have showed it from the praise they have received from other teams and the league.

[Dogs-Glads-Xtreme]

Nah, I am not 100% sure but these people are all related or know Tim Lawrence and they all come in #20 Jerseys and sometimes he had up to 30 or so people rooting for him it's pretty cool.

The Kennel Club guys I'm not sure whatever happened to those bunch of guys, but I think I've seen one or two previously at games but not the group in general. They were some GREAT fans.

[timman19]

[QUOTE=3. I hope that Timman can come to a game and see if he likes it because the Revs do have some great loyal fans who have traveled through out the Northeast supporting the team, and the "Tim Lawrence Fan Club" is always a sight to watch.[/QUOTE]

I'd like to but at this point, next season. Assuming, of course, that the Revs are still playing there. From what I have read in your postings, they should be back next season.

[Dogs-Glads-Xtreme]

Yes, the Revolution should be back next season and also if you're a minor league fan Morris County has landed the Newark Express of the ABA in a venue move. Last nights game though was probably one you did not want to attend, on the field wise, but the free plastic mini footballs was a pretty nice touch.

[RevolutionX]

You call the Revs Organization a joke? What do you base that on your wealth of football knowledge? Yeah, they need to make some changes, but you have to walk before you can run and this is not the NFL. Yeah, the season hasn't gone the way they would have imagined, but remember, they traveled to all games last year, this year they have a home and practice facilities and next year, I guarantee you'll see vast changes and improvement. You really do not know the effort the players and coaches and owners have put into this season So, if you really think they are a joke, try out and see if you could play and if not, stop monday morning quarterbacking them and try giving a little support or even contact them and financially sponsor them to make it better. If your a fan, don't abandon ship. Things can only get better, just wait and see in 2008.