Sports stats



Commentary: NIFL daily buzz

by Jerry Hewitt
May 27, 2006 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)


Lawsuits galore

I heard a couple of the leagues facing the NIFL patent lawsuit may have filed or are preparing to file countersuits. These suits I understand have more to do with NIFL business practices than anything to do with patents. Maybe in some way the best defense for these leagues is a strong offense Where are the problems again.

Good teams, sponsors, players and fans need to look at where the problems are. Many can save themselves allot of problems and money just by staying away from teams that may be problem areas.

Greensboro, same owner as last seasons Dayton Warbirds, Kissimmee Kreatures, and Daytona Beach Hawgs. Rumors of unpaid players in Greensboro and the league stepping in to keep things going.

Dayton, last seasons owner left things in such a way that new ownership there barely had a chance and appears that eleventh hour deal in getting new ownership resulting in unqualified ownership. I can't look at it any other way when they didn't have the capitol to keep their venue lease.

Tennessee and Montgomery, rumors at the end of last season of unpaid personnel, not to mention an owner that showed less than quality owner ship in Enid, Oklahoma.

Rapid City, NIFL leaderships involvement with a con man that had already caused problems in Cincinnati and Miami in 2005. I'm sorry, I can't buy the "I didn't know" excuse by the NIFL leadership. I wonder if the players in Rapid City are up on their pay now? Don't get me wrong, not blaming the RC people on pay, is my understanding NIFL leadership promised to make good on that.

Palm Beach, no venue lease going into the season as is required before even being accepted as a new franchise by rule. Now a traveling team and maybe even folded.

Arkansas, no venue lease here also and obviously no accounting for the original owners financial viability to have funds to run the team through the season. Twin City, apparently gone, but no rumors of anyone unpaid, but as with Arkansas, no attention paid to whether ownership had the financial means to complete the season.

Big Sky, another one where money to complete the season was not part of the deal. Lincoln/St Joseph, another NIFL bad joke. The original ownership in St Joe that was reported to have been bullied into jumping from the AIFL to the NIFL now gone and new unknown owners there, but apparently the rest of their home games cancelled.

Miami/Florida, their second year and after near folding in 205 given another shot. Even though they appear more stable, still not drawing any fans.

RiverCity, Katy, Beaumont, Tri-Cities, Billings and Wyoming. I really feel sorry for these teams, they deserve better and I hope in 07 they get it. I'd do anything I could to help them find the promised land of indoor football.

The cause

It's pretty easy to spot the problems, all but two new teams either dead or on life support and returning teams with problems had a history of problems. What I don't understand is, if background checks were ran and all the other hoops jumped through, why so many problems? Did the NIFL leadership ignore the basics, lie to other owners to get these teams voted in, or, get this theory, ignored the owners votes on some and just brought the teams onboard anyway. Want the truth, allot of truth to my theory. And in my opinion, that is wrong and demonstrates very poor leadership.

The cure

NIFL leadership needs to be changed or at the very least the rules in the NIFL need changing, meaning make leadership accountable to those who support the league, the owners.

Venues

Just a quick observation. In my opinion any team set up with a venue of less than 3500 capacity is not going to make it. I'd say even 3500 is even a huge gamble.

2007

This is how I see 2007 shaping up. I feel there is going to be major changes in where teams are in more than just the NIFL. I see the southern most teams in the NIFL and AIFL joining in a league of their own. I see some of the northern AIFL teams going to the GLIFL. I see the RiverCity Rage, NIFL, going somewhere, maybe af2 or UIF. I don't know about the Fayetteville Guard, but they better find a home as well. I think Dayton disappears, Cincinnati finds a new home and the announced Toledo NIFL franchise turns into failure before it starts. In the south, I see Katy going IFL and Beaumont caught between a rock and a hard place. In the west Billings and Tri-Cities will make some kind of move I'm sure. Rapid City may be stuck like Beaumont, wanting out, but no place to go. Wyoming needs a new league and appears the UIF may be their only option.

Leagues coming and going.

I think the NIFL and AIFL will see so many changes in teams we won't recognize either, if they even return for 2007. I'm not 100% sure the UIF won't fade this season as well. I keep hearing rumors of major problems, but can't get confirmation. On the UIF I have those who say its rock solid and others who strongly disagree. I also seriously wonder if the IFL won't do the one and done thing again. Leadership seems to be the common problem in all the mentioned leagues according to most.

So who benefits? That's easy, the APFL and GLIFL. Everybody wants to look down on these two leagues as jokes or something it seems, but they could rise to be the top dogs in 2007. There might be 2 or 3 new leagues pop up as well.

Last night

The NIFL did a good job of keeping up with RiverCity's taming of the Bulldogs in the lopsided 74-9 Rage win, but nothing on Florida at Greensboro. I don't think I've seen anything all season on NIFL live so to speak score reporting on any Revolution home game, but that's the Tony P. team, so I don't expect any professionalism from them.

Enjoy the games.

Enjoy the eight, ur 7 games tonight. Almost forgot 2 cancelled and I believe a third as well, even though the official NIFL site still has all eight as taking place. Funny they still have Katy at Twin City as a go, even though on the home page there is a press release from the Copperheads announcing the cancellation. Just funny is all.

Just a note, I'll be out of town this weekend, so no more Buzz till next week and only then if I feel like it or the NIFL gives me reason to vent. Firestorm engulfs all it touches Those that seen the fires exploding into this firestorm already prepared for the fall out. Those who are not prepared are urged to find shelter in the safest league available to you. To not move, to not seek shelter means certain death.

• Discuss this story on the National Indoor Football League message board...

National Indoor Football League Stories from May 27, 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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central