AAF League

white is right

white is right

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Truthteller said:
FD, just went over to AAF.com and found that Fleet tickets go for between $20 and $65 each*. Those up front seats are at the highest end -- $65. They seem to be filled with heavyset Mexicans and their anchor kids. That's probably 4 to 5 per group, which means about $300 to $350 to attend a bush league game. Very little doubt they are not getting those prices.

AAF goes out of their way to announce "Paid Attendance". But what does "Paid Attendance" really mean? In the WNBA, for example, once or twice a year the New York Liberty used to sell out Madison Square Garden, despite having a small season ticket base (less than 1,000?). Turns out corporations or wealthy individuals used to buy up 15,000 (or more) for $1 each and handed them out for free. You'd literally see MSG filled to the brim with young, raucous black kids on one or two weekdays, each summer. Okay, they sold out the arena, but that $15,ooo (or so) the Knicks made from the "sellout", probably didn't even pay the costs of ticket takers, vendors, security guards, air-conditioners, janitors, ect. MSG finally throw in the towel and rid themselves of the all hood-rat team recently.....My guess is the AAF is up to similar shenanigans as the WNBA, yet still has poor attendance.




rb, Salt Lake starts 4 whites on defense and Luke Carrezola plays a lot as well. It's a miracle they have so many whites on defense considering caste stooges Dennis Erickson (HC) and Randy Mueller (GM) run that team. You'd be hard pressed to find a more ardent Caste clown than Mueller**, during his NFL career! Offensively, they are very Caste and unwatchable. Jake Weineke would've probably been their best offensive player, but we knew the drill? Hopefully he excels in Montreal and makes a couple million dollars in Canada -- that's assuming he has a ten year career, like Greg Ellingson and Luke Tasker seem to be heading towards.

_____________


I've noted before this league is full of former black NFL Draft busts. I think Christian Hackenberg (2nd round) is really the only white draft bust I can think of. Perhaps some might count ex-Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar? But the number of black draft busts in this league is stunning. Some are in their 30's and still trying to hang on. I guess you can't blame them, considering most are unemployable outside "feetsball"?

Here's an example: https://aaf.com/news/apollos-dl-worthy-seizing-opportunity-in-the-alliance




* https://www1.ticketmaster.com/san-diego-fleet-vs-arizona-hotshots/event/0A00558182F00E69

** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Mueller
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Really except for extremely rare cases you don't head in the wrong direction when it comes to getting back to the NFL or any of the other 3 major leagues. The path to the NFL is to rise from a league like this(or lower leagues).

So many of these guys like Trent Richardson might be doing this because they are delusional about their dwindling abilities or are so financially desperate that this is the only way avoid bankruptcy.

PS if this were say baseball or even hockey playing a minor league that payed 80K wouldn't be that bad a deal if you can budget the money properly but football with the long term health implications really doesn't make much sense for players on the slide like Richardson, less you are quarterback or kicker.
 
PHillisFan

PHillisFan

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I was not expecting Gruden to cut Jordy. You can't tell me that Ellington and Harris are better than Jordy. Patriots would have been a perfect spot.
 
Truthteller

Truthteller

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It's becoming crystal clear after 6 weeks that the only quarterback in this league that seems to be close to NFL caliber is Garrett Gilbert, who actually played in the Carolina Panthers' final game of the 2018 season. Former NFL quarterback Zach Mettenberger was flashing NFL skills after he replaced a struggling Christian Hackenburg, but he suffered a severe ankle injury and could be out a long time? Zach was injured by Karter Schult -- sacked first play of the game. Schult continues to lead the AAF with 7 sacks in 6 games.

Mettenberger was replaced by ex-Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers, who had quite a rapport going with the teams "deep-threat" Reece Horn. He finished the game with 8 receptions for 129 yards. Horn currently ranks 6th in the league in total receiving yards.
I was hoping the Silvers/Horn combination would continue to thrive, but it appears Wiggy Manziel, recently cut by the Montreal Alouettes, signed with the AAF and was assigned to Memphis.

Elsewhere, former Oregon State and Alabama receiver Rich Mullaney returned from a knee injury and had a nice game for the mostly black Arizona Hotshots: 6 catches for 73 yards. Arizona continues to ignore Phillip "Scooby" Wright at linebacker, as he's mostly been relegated to punt coverage (no kickoffs in AAF). Any chance "Scooby" would use the AAF to get back to the NFL, seems like a pipe dream......Nelson Spruce continues to struggle with childhood friend/teammate Mike Bercovici throwing to him. Only 3 catches for 23 yards. He was thriving with Phillip Nelson, until the ex-Minnesota quarterback was injured. San Diego definitely needs an upgrade at quarterback. I'm surprised the AAF didn't steer Football Manziel towards the Fleet?

Announced Paid Attendance week 5:

San Diego: NA/Yet?

Orlando: 18,358

Atlanta: NA/Yet?

Salt Lake: 8,150



PS if this were say baseball or even hockey playing a minor league that payed 80K wouldn't be that bad a deal if you can budget the money properly but football with the long term health implications really doesn't make much sense for players on the slide.
Click to expand...

By the way WIR, went over to CFL.ca the other day to checkout the rosters in Canada. Taking out the quarterbacks (most kickers are Non-Import), I'd say close to 90% of the "Imports" (aka Americans) on most teams in the CFL seem to be black. The Ottawa Red Blacks, who lost in the Grey Cup, are the only team that has more than a few token white "Imports", and they don't have a lot. Calgary, for example, has only black "Imports", minus two white quarterbacks. You are talking about 40 black "Imports" for the Stampeders, compared to 2 white "Imports"? That is simply stunning! About half (or a bit more) of the "Non-Imports" (aka Canadians) are white. Take them away, and Calgary is as black as Grambling, Alcorn State or the 2017 Oakland Raiders!

As we discussed, it seems most whites aren't going get their brain scrambled (concussions, CTE) for the cash these CFL teams are offering. That's not even getting into the joint damage that could/should afflict them them as early as 40 -- severe knee, shoulder, back, hip problems. Outside of quarterbacks, you mostly only see young whites (26 and younger) that are using the CFL to get to the NFL, where they can potentially make millions. Once that NFL window closes, most whites just retire from football rather than stay in the CFL. White veterans like Luke Tasker (WR), Greg Ellingson (WR) and Adam Bighill (LB) types are much more the exception than the rule in Canada. I think the same the thing is at play in AAF. Once whites see the NFL is no longer possible, most leave.
 
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Truthteller

Truthteller

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The big news for week 7 is the performance of two wide receivers. Only 3 white receivers in the entire AAF. All three are impact starters. Former Los Angeles Ram Nelson Spruce is starting to play like expected. Last few week's Memphis Express "deep-threat" Reece Horn is playing like he wants to be in the conversation for the AAF's Offensive MVP.

Nelson Spruce: 12 receptions for 146 yards https://aaf.com/news/spruce-sets-alliance-record-with-12-receptions-against-hotshots
Reece Horn: 7 receptions for 113 yards and 1 TD https://aaf.com/news/three-takeaways-from-the-express-comeback-victory


With ex-NFL bust Christian Hackenburg firmly ensconced on the bench and former NFL quarterback Zach Mettenberger injured, Reece Horn is thriving with young, unknown ex-Troy star Brandon Silvers at quarterback. The last two weeks, since Silvers took over, Horn has 15 receptions for 242 yards. Wiggy Manziel made his debut with Memphis, completing 3 of 5 attempts for 48 yards (none to Horn). He also scrambled 2 times for 20 yards. I wish him luck, but I seriously hope he does not eat into Silvers playing time. Silvers might be a "no-name" compared to Manziel, but he seems to be a better quarterback and absolutely deserves to start over the 2014 NFL 1st round pick.

Former NFL players Adam Archuleta and Maurice Drew have both praised Horn as a "legit deep-threat" and have spoken glowingly regarding his game. Hopefully at least one NFL team gives him a fair shot to make a roster. In terms of comparisons, Horn really reminds me (a lot) of a former UCLA star named Sean LaChapelle. He was a big, fast, gregarious and super confident wide receiver in college -- a white Keyshawn Johnson? So much so, that he did the unthinkable for a white receiver -- he declared early for the NFL in 1993, fully expecting to be picked in the top rounds. He lasted until round 5 and never seemed to get a real shot with the woeful Los Angeles Rams, who already had one speedy white wide receiver entrenched on the roster (Todd Kinchen).

The early 90's were a very dark time for white wide receivers and I wonder if having two white receivers on the same team was deemed "too taboo" for NFL teams? Anyhow, LaChapelle was screwed over by the Rams. He eventually got lost for a couple seasons, until he went to NFL Europa and won the league's offensive MVP. With that success, Kansas City eagerly signed him and he played real well in 1996 when he was allowed to play*. But somehow, someway he just disappeared after that season from a Chiefs team filled with terrible wide receivers? Caste slut deluxe Marty Shottenheimer, who cut rookie Wes Welker in 2004, basically ended Sean's career at 26 years old. And none of the other loathsome 29 teams (at that point) bothered to claim him?


* https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LaChSe00.htm
 
Shadowlight

Shadowlight

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With three regular season game weeks left along with the playoffs culminating in the championship on April 27th it will be tough sledding.

Just think with tennis and golf getting into a full swing and the NBA and NHL regular seasons ending soon with their playoffs looming the AAF will suffer even further in the coming few weeks. And I haven't even brought up their biggest obstacle. Baseball gets underway for good starting today.

I am a ravenous sports fan and even I couldn't watch it after the first weekend. Truthteller has been keeping us informed but the overall lack of white presence has been a detriment. Issues with "NFL "practice type players" being barred from the AAF is just another nail in the coffin.

XFL anyone? That sounds like another bad idea. On paper a late winter early spring league sounded like a nice fix for football fans who longed for more after the NFL concluded. But in practice it just doesn't seem to be working.

I realized I don't want to watch football "throughout the entire year."

Football fans like me are more interested in the draft at this time of year.

Not sure they will make it for another season. My guess is it will fold.
 
Leonardfan

Leonardfan

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With the league folding AAF players are allowed to sign with NFL teams. So far I have seen nothing for the notable white standouts Truthteller has been tracking here.
 
Deceptive Speed

Deceptive Speed

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Yup indeed the aaf is closing operations, but there's good news to this with good amount of standout white players signing on with NFL teams.
 
Shadowlight

Shadowlight

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I never want to see another half ass offshoot "pro" football league ever again.

Several things the AAF underestimated. While the timing seemed ripe, starting the AAF right after the Super Bowl and trying to catch the prevailing football fever, which seemed like a good idea on paper, they forgot the part that like a man who has just consummated sex, the "interest level" for the immediate time being drops off dramatically. In other words fans are drained after the Super Bowl.

But far more problematic were the NFL post season rituals. First there is the free agency frenzy which lasts about two weeks. Then there is the NFL combine which is now a big TV event for fans like me. Then the pro days and the non stop NFL draft chatter. Most fans are more interested in which QB is rising up the draft than a league that seems vaguely foreign.

As the diehard fans focused in on all of the above NFL related events there was little or no room left to concentrate on an offshoot league.

I am a perfect example. I checked in on it out of curiosity the first weekend, noticed it seemed nearly as caste as a the Southeastern Conference and said to myself I have other sports stuff I would rather be watching including draft stuff.

Of course once baseball kicked in and March Madness etc. they just couldn't compete.

End result? Lights out.
 
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