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Commentary: NIFL daily buzz

by Jerry Hewitt
May 13, 2006 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)


Yes, it's Saturday or at least I think it is. I seem to lose track of the days anymore. Coffee should cure my short term memory loss though. Those that caught the Billings, Wyoming game last night got their price of admission and more in that one. Congratulations to Billings on being lucky two games in a row. Not a knock, luck does figure into wins and losses.

Huh?

OK, it's alright in my book if I pick on the NIFL, make fun of their status as pro or semi pro, but what does this mean? "The NIFL is a low-tier league of indoor (arena) football" That is a statement out of the Kansas City Star in an article about the fan that won the eBay bid to play for the RiverCity Rage in a charity thing. So now I'm sitting here trying to count the tiers in arena/indoor football. AFL, top tier, af2, AIFL, APFL, NIFL, UIF, GLIFL and IFL, middle tier, and true semi pro leagues, bottom tier Way I see it, the NIFL isn't low-tier, it's right in the middle, or supposed to be. Has word got out about my reducing the status of some teams and games as semi pro, thus reducing the NIFL to that lower tier?

Fire updates

I have a couple of new items here. According to one source in Tennessee, things may be far worse than previously brought to light, players have only been paid a portion of their first two checks and are still owed for five games. Mrs. Lamunyon has not paid for any of the following, artificial turf, arena, or uniforms. Also I'm told the team has no away uniforms. Players have had to provide all of their own equipment pads etc. To quote my source on this, "This is the most unprofessional owner I have ever seen. She is an embarrassment to herself." I can't say that I argue with my source, but I might add an embarrassment to all of sports, not just the NIFL.

I had someone email me, claiming to be one of the two owners of record in Rapid City. They told me they'd tell me the real truth on what happened there. Well I was and am interested in another perspective, but that person has yet to tell me anything other than he wants to tell me the truth. I'm waiting.

Can't really add them to the fire watch over this, but Osceola may have a problem winning the rest of the way as we hear players are leaving or looking for other teams. I guess the problem isn't with the organization, just the lack of playing time due to cancelled games resulting in no checks. Interesting twist, no pay due to no games.

Billings survives, again

Saved by a fumble in the closing seconds of big games seems to be becoming a habit for the now 7-1 Outlaws. Just like two weeks ago against the Fever, the Cavalry were down at the Outlaws one with time running out. Get it in the end zone, Cavs win, but on third down, FUMBLE. Outlaws recover, win 51-47. With the win the Outlaws hold on to first in the Pacific North, while the Cavalry drop to 4-4 on the season and further behind division leader Rapid City. Billings stays on the road next week with a short trip West to Bozeman, home of the Big Sky Thunder. Wyoming gets the pleasure of another road trip to Rapid City.

Saturdays line up

Five games are on the card for today, some look like good match ups, others, well .............. Going to be hard for any to live up to the excitement of last nights Billings, Wyoming game though, but I'm sure some will turn out that way.

Our semi pro game of the week is St Joseph at Big Sky. Head Coach Eric Sellers of the Thunder has resigned his couching spot for the week to suit up and show his players how it's done. He couldn't do it on the sidelines or in practice as the Big Sky team hasn't even come close to winning a game. Both teams are 0-7 and if the game is played, someone will get their first win. Our pick is Big Sky, might be close, but the Thunder should prevail.

Beaumont at Montgomery stacks up as a must win for both teams. The Drillers need this game to keep pace with Katy in the Pacific South, while Montgomery just needs the win to stay in the play off hunt. Under new ownership and coaching, the Maulers hope to turn around a season that has been filled with problems. Beaumont should win this game, everything says they should win, but we feel the Maulers may just be rejuvenated enough to pull the upset here which may signal a decline for the rest of the season for the Drillers.

You might want to miss the Arkansas at Twin City game. 2-5 at 0-7 doesn't promise much and with Arkansas still in financial trouble, who knows if their team will even show, might be a group of replacements to fill open roster spots. This is Twin Cuties best shot at a win so far. I say they get number one here.

Cincinnati at Fayetteville looks like a good game on paper. At 6-1 I can't see the Guard slipping at home against the up and down Marshals. I believe there will be a webcast of this game, although I've heard rumors it may be tape delayed.

Palm Beach at Florida appears to be another loser game. The leagues only traveling team, the Phantoms are 0-3 in their shortened schedule, while Florida is all of one game better at 1-4. At least it appears that the match up is equal. Flip a coin, heads it's Florida, tails, Palm Beach.

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 13, 2006


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