The Syndicate

Alliance of American Football

It starts tomorrow night with two inaugural games. They'll be played at the same time and both aired on CBS (starting at 8 PM). I've been looking forward to this for a while, because it'll provide a spring professional football league with better-than-collegiate talent. It might have staying power too, because it's not intended to be an NFL competitor -- instead, it's a developmental league. Its structure and unique rules are really cool, and I can't wait to catch some games. A number of them will even be aired on NFL Network. I hope it can succeed where NFL Europe did not.

This ESPN article breaks down many of the new rules and the league structure pretty nicely. I love that each team will have three NFL and one CFL affiliates, and that outside QBs there won't be a draft. Everything is regional.

I’m very conflicted on who to support. On one hand the Birmingham Iron are affiliated with the Bills and Browns, but also ... the Patriots ...

They also had a player just arrested for soliciting prostitutes and have Oakland’s colors so maybe they can be the heel team.

ColinIsCool wrote: ↑Fri Feb 08, 2019 10:58 pm I’m very conflicted on who to support. On one hand the Birmingham Iron are affiliated with the Bills and Browns, but also ... the Patriots ...

They also had a player just arrested for soliciting prostitutes and have Oakland’s colors so maybe they can be the heel team.

I've decided they're the team I hate. Dumb name, Alabama doesn't need football success, and the only affiliate I'm cool with is Buffalo.

I’m picking Salt Lake City in the West and Orlando in the East as my teams in this league. Salt Lake City is an oddball market and Orlando is affiliated with the Miami Dolphins.

I am happy to see a team in Salt Lake, the North Central and Mountain States need more professional sports teams. The vast swath of land that is the Dakotas, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho have zero major league (MLB, NFL etc) teams. For people in these states, they have to root for SLC, Seattle, Minneapolis or Denver teams (although there are a large vocal contingent of cheeseheads).

I don't love NFL mainly becasue I don't like the league itself, so I might try this.

JJJ what exactly is the game thats being played here? Is it some kind of pick 'em game?

juliets wrote: ↑Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:10 am JJJ what exactly is the game thats being played here? Is it some kind of pick 'em game?

Nothing. This is just for talking about the new league.

JaggedJimmyJay wrote: ↑Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:55 am

juliets wrote: ↑Sat Feb 09, 2019 10:10 am JJJ what exactly is the game thats being played here? Is it some kind of pick 'em game?

Nothing. This is just for talking about the new league.

OOOOH lol no wonder I didn't see game instructions!

One of last night's two games. I had so much fun with this, and it sounds like the fans in San Antonio genuinely cared about the outcome.

Memphis Express @ Birmingham Iron is about to begin on CBS Sports.

Or this stream

[mention]juliets[/mention], a professional football team in Alabama.

JaggedJimmyJay wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:07 pm @juliets, a professional football team in Alabama.

Oh cool thanks JJJ!

This was another fun game, though Memphis looked terrible. There was a really bad call by the replay official (everyone could plainly see an incomplete pass, and he couldn't find the courage to overturn it). That kind of thing is going to need to be shored up pronto, because it can disenchant viewers.

Good opportunity to see the team that has been the best to this point: Orlando Apollos

https://aaf.com/live/GvAONn89aZ2X_rmr18valHdB_XbL