Commentary: NIFL daily buzz

by Jerry Hewitt
Published on May 10, 2006 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)


After reviewing last weeks games, reading a couple emails from less than happy fans and taking a look at the upcoming week's games I started thinking, has the NIFL given up on being a pro league?

Professionalism

250 reported fans show up to watch a game where only one set of goal posts have been set up, the turf is rippled from not being properly laid and the soft boards fall off when contacted during the game. In another game, fans are told prior to kick off they have to return any balls that come their way, no security is in the house to prevent problems when a fight breaks out on the field and at least one fan runs on the field to join, their are no soft boards to protect the players, game starts 45 minutes late, no play clock, players benches open to the fans and the nightmares go on and on.

I get reports like the above more often than in years past and read them in the media as well. I have always had a saying since adopting the NIFL as my league of choice, when does professional stop being just a word?

And now this

St Joseph @ Big Sky, a scheduled game for this week or was on the schedule, was even a part of this weeks games on the NIFL "official" website, suddenly disappeared. Was the game cancelled? Was it so unimportant since both teams are 0 and whatever that we don't play it? Are both teams gone, as in folded? St Joe can't afford to make the trip? Or what? My point is, don't fans have some right to know why this games has apparently been cancelled?

To further the who plays confusion. Charleston at Dayton. OK, we know Dayton lost their venue, old news, but also reported they were looking for a new home. This game shows up on the NIFL website, only to disappear with the Thunder, Cyclone game. What the f is the deal?

Granted, the NIFL owes us no explanation, but geez folks, how about a little common courtesy here. Give us a clue will ya? I mean heck, even a bs press release would be something.

Pro or semi pro

There are good teams in the NIFL that try their best to act as professional as possible and I commend them on that, but more and more teams are bringing the level of the league down to semi pro standards and the league, yes the league is helping in this downward move.

Well, its their league, not mine, guess they can do whatever they want with it. But in this writers opinion, they should stop referring to it a professional and call it what it is, semi pro.

On the horizon

Rumor has it that at least three new leagues may pop up for 2007. Hopefully the founders of those leagues will take the word professional and put it into their leagues as more than just a word. Maybe some hope for the sport yet to up its image if they do. One has to wonder if these leagues can even field enough teams, but I feel they can, after all a couple existing leagues out there are these new start ups best advertising. Due to questionable business practices, they are inviting their good teams to look elsewhere for 2007.

My weekend plans

Like any of you care, right? Well I do and really don't care what you think. If my plans hold, I'll catch Billings at Wyoming on Friday and Tri-Cities at Rapid City on Sunday. Both of these games will go on in a very professional manner, which I've pointed out is getting rare in the NIFL. Might be the last "professional" NIFL games I ever see.

Which is which this weekend?

Semi pro games on tap, Beaumont at Montgomery and Twin City at Arkansas. Pro games, Billings at Wyoming, Cincinnati at Fayetteville, Palm Beach at Osceola, Tri-Cities at Rapid City and Lakeland at Florida.

Fire watch

No one added to our fire watch but the fires are still closing in on Louisiana, burning a little cooler. It would appear that the winds have calmed some, but maybe the calm before an even bigger fire breaks.

Parting notes

Time for a change folks, no question about it, but I wonder if anybody capable of making change is listening. And to maybe call out those who have the power to make a difference, to make the changes needed, I wonder, do you have what it takes to make the right decisions or cower as in years past. Blunt I know, politically correct, maybe not, but exactly as I see it.

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National Indoor Football League Stories from May 10, 2006


The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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