I think the new pro league, the AAFL, is a fresh new idea that will serve football fans well. Their requirement that players be college graduates says one thing about this league: It has class.

My friends and I look forward to going to the games.

You better go to an early game because this will not last. It does not stand a chance to make it. No football league that has ever been a semi pro league has ever made it besides possibly traveling around in their own transportation to play at local high schools. It would not matter if the players have GEDs or Doctorates; the level of play and lack of sponsorship from a major network will doom it.

It definitely is an intriguing venture, and I think that with the degree requirement it will serve to enhance the college game. There are guys right now that know they don't have a realistic shot at the NFL, but the possibility of playing in the AAFL will motivate them to complete their degree requirements.

I don't understand why some people consider the AAFL as a "semi" pro league. It's NOT a semi pro, minor league, farm club or anything else but a professional football league. It doesn't seem to compete or want to compete, with any other football program (Arena is NOT football). Any college football fan is thrilled at the possibility to see more football and is happy to support this new idea called The All American Football League. I'm getting my season tickets as soon as they go on sale so I won't be left out like Clinton and the rest of the naysayers, who are probably just soccer fans anyway.

From the AAFL CEO's newsletter:

"Even more than the interviews we did with Kenny Stabler, even more than the Wall Street Journal and New York Times stories, my favorite story came out of (Tennessee) Daily News Journal.

It's about a player who is going back to school to get his degree in
order to play in our league.

http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070722/SPORTS/
707220324/1006

Here's an excerpt:

BACK TO SCHOOL

Former MTSU running back Eugene Gross has an additional incentive to finish his degree. Gross wants to play in the new All-American Football
League, but it requires players possess a four-year degree.

Gross, who recently earned his real estate license, lacks 13 credit hours to graduate with a bachelor's degree in sports psychology. The
All-American Football League is set to start in 2008.

"I want to put the pads on again because I've still got the love for the game in me," said Gross, MTSU's all-time leader in receptions among running backs.

"My agent is trying to get a tryout set up for me, but I've got to focus on school so that I can graduate in December and keep playing."

Gross and former MTSU linebacker Justin Rainey were trying out in a one-day workout for the Buffalo Bills in June when the All-American
Football League were holding open tryouts.

We are hearing about lots of young men returning to school to graduate and get their shot at the AAFL.

And that is fine by me."

With this attitude toward education, from the top, I hope the NCAA supports the AAFL and what they're trying to do.

Hugh Hewitt wrote a very favorable blog about the AAFL today. Hewitt
is the host of a daily nationally-syndicated talk radio show heard in
more than 100 cities across the country. He is a Professor of Law at
Chapman University Law School, the Executive Editor of Townhall.com,
and one of the country's most widely read bloggers at HughHewitt.com.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

The All-American Football League

Posted by: Hugh Hewitt at 9:02 AM

This is a great story. NFL Hall of Famer (and former Browns great
though better remembered for his days with the Bills' "Electric
Company") Joe DeLamielleure called my attention to the formation of
the All-American Football League, which hopes to be playing football
in the spring. From the League's website:

The All American Football League is a for-profit, professional
football league.

Teams will initially operate as divisions of League whose football
operations will be run by a quasi-independent board and General
Manager. Some of the League's teams will be hosted by universities
with Division IA football programs and other teams will play in
independent venues. Games will be scheduled in the spring and early
summer.

League teams will employ only those players who have both completed
their college football eligibility and earned a four-year degree. This
policy is expected to have a very positive impact on
universities’ NCAA Graduation Success Rate and their Academic
Progress Rate. To the extent practical, graduates of host universities
will play for the team hosted by their alma mater.

The League intends that each League team will sell memberships to its
fans and supporters. Members may be entitled to renewable season
tickets in preferred locations, preferred parking, and other
“insider” benefits. The League also hopes to provide
Members access to high-definition private broadcasts of League games.

How smart is this? Of course not all college players will realize that
getting their degree adds to the chance of playing in a key league,
but many will, and that's the whole point of the enterprize (that and
putting on some great spring football.) DeLamielleure sent me this
clip:

Former [Middle Tennessee State University] running back Eugene Gross
has an additional incentive to finish his degree. Gross wants to play
in the new All-American Football League, but it requires players
possess a four-year degree.

Gross, who recently earned his real estate license, lacks 13 credit
hours to graduate with a bachelor's degree in sports psychology. The
All-American Football League is set to start in 2008.

"I want to put the pads on again because I've still got the love for
the game in me," said Gross, MTSU's all-time leader in receptions
among running backs.

"My agent is trying to get a tryout set up for me, but I've got to
focus on school so that I can graduate in December and keep playing."

Gross and former MTSU linebacker Justin Rainey were trying out in a
one-day workout for the Buffalo Bills in June when the All-American
Football League were holding open tryouts.

Someone at one of the networks should be building a reality series out
of this, including the efforts by players like Gross to get their
degrees finished in time to play in the first league.

Perhaps some billionaire with time on their hands who is looking for a
new venture will recognize that this effort not only promises to open
up the world of spring football, but could change the incentives at
the college level profoundly if it succeeds. (The league does,
however, need a franchise in Ohio asap.)

http://www.townhall.com/blog/g/2cb99513-984a-4317-8274-7ef37fecc482