My first thought on the game last night was; Where is Russel Hill? Why not start the season with the guy who led you to a championship? I will say, he Dan end up doing much better than Huff when he got on the field.
Secondly, there was a good turn out...especially for a weekend with a bunch of playoff hockey to go to.
The Venom look so much like the Tennessee Valley Vipers that I thought I had taken a time machine to the game.
There were a good amount of Nashvillians in the crowd; which was great and is nothing but good for the league. Im hoping the rivalry reaches some climactic peaks (ie: great, intense playoff games).
It's good for the Venom to be successful, because Nashville being such a big market, I feel like it'll be good for the visibility of the league.
I'm hoping the Hammers can get stuff together by the time they travel north two hours; payback is sweet.
Thoughts on the first game
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LewInDenver
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The Oregon Hammers.. er... the Alabama Ducks... er
The Oregon Duck helmets are AWFUL! Great first week for the noobs as they pound the old guard!
OUT
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VinnyTheViper
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[quote=""Androo402""]My first thought on the game last night was; Where is Russel Hill? Why not start the season with the guy who led you to a championship? I will say, he Dan end up doing much better than Huff when he got on the field.
[/quote]
Russell Hill was in Atlanta this weekend for a CFL tryout, he came over to Huntsville only as a emergency QB. He had not taken a snap in practice because he had not been in practice. He only went into the game because Huff struggled so badly in the third quarter.
[quote=""Androo402""]
Secondly, there was a good turn out...especially for a weekend with a bunch of playoff hockey to go to.
[/quote]
For a championship team, I would have expected better attendance, it was OK, but nothing like the Vipers days, maybe 3,008 is as good as it gets these days, final four games were also going on in addition to the local hockey playoffs, probably hurt attendance a little.
[quote=""Androo402""]
The Venom look so much like the Tennessee Valley Vipers that I thought I had taken a time machine to the game.
[/quote]
The reason those uniforms looked like the old Vipers was because it was the old Vipers uniforms, those were the 2010 Alabama Vipers AFL uniforms, all you have to do is screen new logos on the breast plate and both sleeves and you cover the old snake logos on the jerseys.
The Hammers have a lot of work to do if they are going to have any chance of repeating, hopefully Saturday night will serve as a clear wake up call, Nashville executed better than us, we tended to beat ourselves, no points offensively in the third quarter, that will get you beat almost every time.
[/quote]
Russell Hill was in Atlanta this weekend for a CFL tryout, he came over to Huntsville only as a emergency QB. He had not taken a snap in practice because he had not been in practice. He only went into the game because Huff struggled so badly in the third quarter.
[quote=""Androo402""]
Secondly, there was a good turn out...especially for a weekend with a bunch of playoff hockey to go to.
[/quote]
For a championship team, I would have expected better attendance, it was OK, but nothing like the Vipers days, maybe 3,008 is as good as it gets these days, final four games were also going on in addition to the local hockey playoffs, probably hurt attendance a little.
[quote=""Androo402""]
The Venom look so much like the Tennessee Valley Vipers that I thought I had taken a time machine to the game.
[/quote]
The reason those uniforms looked like the old Vipers was because it was the old Vipers uniforms, those were the 2010 Alabama Vipers AFL uniforms, all you have to do is screen new logos on the breast plate and both sleeves and you cover the old snake logos on the jerseys.
The Hammers have a lot of work to do if they are going to have any chance of repeating, hopefully Saturday night will serve as a clear wake up call, Nashville executed better than us, we tended to beat ourselves, no points offensively in the third quarter, that will get you beat almost every time.
Last edited by VinnyTheViper on Mon Mar 31, 2014 2:17 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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CrimsonVette
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Lots of work to do if the Hammers are going to be a top team this year. defense was a big problem IMO. Little to no QB pressure, very shaky DB coverage of the Venom WRs. That number 4 is going to be a very good player, the Hammers had no answer for him at all.
If your QB can not at least manage the game wins are going to be hard to come by. He did great the first four drives all resulting in TDs, then who knows what happened, he looked like a totally different player. He has got to step it up a few notches or Dean will need to find a quality replacement and quick.
IMO, attendance was a shame for a championship team especially considering that last Saturday in a game that had no impact on anything the Hockey team drew 4, 900 plus fans. I don't get it, I like hockey but I love football. If this trend continues look for Arena/indoor football to leave Huntsville, maybe for ever. That would be a great shame considering the history of Arena ball in this city.
Another issue, and I speak for myself only. Our owners need to pick ONE team and support it fully. I understand trying to grow the league but IMO our ownership is spread way to thin.
Last but by far not least. The refs did not cost the Hammers this game, the Venom did a fine job of that all by themselves. The officiating at this game was the worst by far of any game I've ever watched in an Arena and thats around 200 games now. They can not even spot the ball correctly. The guy spotting the ball will walk up a yard or two then back a few then finally spot it someplace he only thinks it should be. The back judge #16 has the best seat in the house all he ever does is stand in the endzone and get paid to watch the game. He allows all kinds of holding, interference, picks and any other infraction you can think of. It's like he was not issued a flag, the guy is utterly useless as an official. I hope all you other fans don't have to put up with this level of garbage officiating in your buildings but here in Huntsville there is no other description other than completely incompetent. Rant off.
If your QB can not at least manage the game wins are going to be hard to come by. He did great the first four drives all resulting in TDs, then who knows what happened, he looked like a totally different player. He has got to step it up a few notches or Dean will need to find a quality replacement and quick.
IMO, attendance was a shame for a championship team especially considering that last Saturday in a game that had no impact on anything the Hockey team drew 4, 900 plus fans. I don't get it, I like hockey but I love football. If this trend continues look for Arena/indoor football to leave Huntsville, maybe for ever. That would be a great shame considering the history of Arena ball in this city.
Another issue, and I speak for myself only. Our owners need to pick ONE team and support it fully. I understand trying to grow the league but IMO our ownership is spread way to thin.
Last but by far not least. The refs did not cost the Hammers this game, the Venom did a fine job of that all by themselves. The officiating at this game was the worst by far of any game I've ever watched in an Arena and thats around 200 games now. They can not even spot the ball correctly. The guy spotting the ball will walk up a yard or two then back a few then finally spot it someplace he only thinks it should be. The back judge #16 has the best seat in the house all he ever does is stand in the endzone and get paid to watch the game. He allows all kinds of holding, interference, picks and any other infraction you can think of. It's like he was not issued a flag, the guy is utterly useless as an official. I hope all you other fans don't have to put up with this level of garbage officiating in your buildings but here in Huntsville there is no other description other than completely incompetent. Rant off.
Last edited by CrimsonVette on Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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VinnyTheViper
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Agreed, the officiating in the game was putrid at best, whatever the PIFL paid the zebras for the game, it was too much, and yes the backjudge was the biggest offender, he missed holding calls, pass interference calls, and a face mask call that was right in front of him. The backjudge is not a first year official, he was like this last year, the league needs to get this official corrected or they need to get rid of him, he is a joke.
All of that said, as bad as the officiating was, it by no means cost either team the game, the Hammers did enough wrong to lose the game on their own.
All of that said, as bad as the officiating was, it by no means cost either team the game, the Hammers did enough wrong to lose the game on their own.
Last edited by VinnyTheViper on Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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VinnyTheViper
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[quote=""LewInDenver""]The Oregon Duck helmets are AWFUL! Great first week for the noobs as they pound the old guard![/quote]
I do not know that there were AWFUL but I prefer last year's New York Jets knockoff with the yellow bird head over the Oregon Ducks knockoff. The helmet last season was a more classic look IMO.
I do not know that there were AWFUL but I prefer last year's New York Jets knockoff with the yellow bird head over the Oregon Ducks knockoff. The helmet last season was a more classic look IMO.
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LewInDenver
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VinnyTheViper
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Trenton has the best looking uniforms in the three history of the league bar none, although I have yet to see what the Georgia Fire uni's look like. Trenton scored a big touchdown with the red, white and blue color scheme, they seemed to get the right amount of each color such that the uniform really pops. I even think that the chrome blue helmet looks sharp. Good job by the Freedom organization.
Another issue, and I speak for myself only. Our owners need to pick ONE team and support it fully. I understand trying to grow the league but IMO our ownership is spread way to thin.
[/QUOTE]
So what did the owner do? The players get paid the same. The gm runs the office. The coach (oh yeah he has won 2 championships) picks the players ..... the owner spent more money advertising in a week than any other being on multiple tv stations, multiple radio stations, and triple the social mefia budget.......if it werent for owner's involvment with the other teams we would not have the settup we have today.
Coach Dean is a winner. Usually you need to beat him early.
As for the business side the Hammers are NOT co owned by the building and cannot offer the "corpoate packages" the hocky team can. The Hammers have gradually performed better finacially each year, BUT indoor football is never about ROI. Folks need to be glad with what they have!
[/QUOTE]
So what did the owner do? The players get paid the same. The gm runs the office. The coach (oh yeah he has won 2 championships) picks the players ..... the owner spent more money advertising in a week than any other being on multiple tv stations, multiple radio stations, and triple the social mefia budget.......if it werent for owner's involvment with the other teams we would not have the settup we have today.
Coach Dean is a winner. Usually you need to beat him early.
As for the business side the Hammers are NOT co owned by the building and cannot offer the "corpoate packages" the hocky team can. The Hammers have gradually performed better finacially each year, BUT indoor football is never about ROI. Folks need to be glad with what they have!
