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It is great to see more teams allocating some better players but there are still 9 teams who have given the league nothing. Why should these teams be able to pick up the talent that the league produces.
See a ArmchairGM about this one.
Ps what was your exact position on the Claymores Special teams?
Sure you write an article and we'll consider it !.
On a more serious point I'll just clear this up again. The Special Teams Unit that I was a member of was a front office team to organise ticket sales to fans by fans. Not the special team unit on the Roster of the Claymores... Gee I bet a whole bunch of people will be disappointed.
This young man Steve Papin has been compared to past greats like Billy Sims, Wilbert Mongomery,Wendal Tyler and present day Superstars like Napleon Cuffman,Erik Metcalf,Dave Megget.The only way to describe his running style is BREATHTAKING! A open field player with who leaves defense's grasping for air and looking for ghost whether he is taking handoffs in the backfield or catching passes ,returning punts or kickoff's he is always a threat to score from anywhere. You and the world will soon know what people in Portland Oregon have known all along and that is that he is easliy the most electrafing young man to ever touch a football. The NFL was so unfortunate to miss out on his talents last year so the World League will have the pleasure of Showcasing his talent to the World.If you don't believe me check the stats with Portland State or with anyone who has ever seen him play and they will validate everthing that I have state.
He certainly sounds like a great pick up thanks for the info.
Well Siran IS back... but it seems Steve Papin could well be our future .
Then again, Clive Allen's certainly a better choice than John Fashanu would have been. At first, I thought they were actually talking about Justin Fashanu, which would certainly have been a turn-up for the books, although whatever else you say about him, the guy courts publicity. I remember the season he signed for Airdrie, it was just after the papers had pictures of him with Bet from Coronation Street, the Motherwell fans started singing the Coronation Street theme tune.
From: George Davidson - GCD@netcomuk.co.uk
Guys,
to be honest I am glad to see the back of Hastings - I couldn't bear
another missed extra point. McCallum was a damn good kicker in my
opinion (ie back to back 50+ yarders) and deserved all the action.
My only real game recolection of Torriero was him fumbling on a kick
return that bounced into his arms an stuck there (till the hit!)
no great loss either.
Looking forward to the new seasons - got the seats reserved and the the flag's in the post.
Cheers
george
Well we are about to crank up our campain for Ben Torriero
to be called 'DONKEY' should he make Gladiators
As to the McCallum Vs Hastings Debate personally I think Hastings
was playing in the wrong position. McCallum should have been the
Kicker with Hastings the Punter. But I'm certain that Hastings
was too good an 'icon' to not score points. If they had only
tried a fake FG with the holder passing to Gav in the endzone...
I'm certain things would be different this year
From: Jim Henley - jhenley@cais.com
Doug, thanks for the report on the latest Nationals i n BLUNT VIEWS.Also, you're a knowledgeable guy; could you put together an explanation of the roster protection rules from one season to the next, either in BLUNT VIEWS or the listserv? I'm very unclear on what seems like an important part of the league.
Best,
Jim Henley
Ah Jim.... Well there is an article in the works covering this subject. Hopefully it will arrive asap.
From: Damon Kirby - dk@damon.idiscover.co.uk
Re : Our (BV) Wlaf views
Hey I have just found your page......good stuff.
Couple of points tho' Helsinki should be the next place to get a team. Am.football has been established for over 40 years there, they have the best youth/junior and senior game in europe.
As for the great british peice, your (pages) wishes are coming true as the will be a six team superleague next year , Dave Quincey and been sacked...hence costs will be lower......thing are looking up
Damon
N.F.C.A Webpage administrator
http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/9242/
From : Mario Kreiner - h8751975@gutemine.wu-wien.ac.at
Alarming "NEWS"
The Rhine-Fire-page says that REEBOK dropped out as WLAF´s general sponsor in October! Did you know that?
They say they want to increase their sponsoring of soccer (OH NO!) and tennis instead.....
Fire and galaxy have new team sponsors (SKODA cars), but what about the other teams and the league itself?????
Comments?
I hadn't heard of the Reebok departure. However I fully expect the NFL to have made alternative arrangements. Possible replacement would be NIKE.
As to the SKODA cars sponsorship.... oh dear I do not think that's the Vision the WLAF should be heading for.
From : Alan Gibson - ceeag1@cee.hw.ac.uk
Doug,
Alan here with another plug for Your Claymore (http://yourclaymore.home.ml.org , the next issue will feature a review of the Claymores video) thinly disguised as a response to something in Blunt Views.
Put simply, the NFL/WLAF would have to be absolutely bonkers to abandon Europe again. It's happened once already and is only now beginning to emerge in any strength, if they're stupid enough to shut it down again then they'll lose the faith of the fans for good.
It is for this reason, plus the fact that there are many differences between the American/European and Canadian flavours of gridiron that I don't think the NFL will touch this idea with a transatlantic barge-pole. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some guy in a WLAF office somewhere currently crapping himself lest the rumours of this CFL merger become strong.
All the best,
Alan.
From : Alan Gibson - ceeag1@cee.hw.ac.uk
Doug,
Thought I might as well send you something to include in What's Your Point, as well as trying to get another blatant plug in for Your Claymore (address http://yourclaymore.home.ml.org, not much activity on it now but I've got big plans), about expansion.
I've heard yet another version of the old expansion debate, this time one of the teams mentioned would be based in Prague, with another in Italy and possibly a second Spanish team, presumably to generate a rivalry with the faltering Dragons. Scandinavia is also on the WLAF's hit-list.
I, too, agree that the switch to eight teams should bring a change in the League format. So far, the emphasis has been on introducing a playoff system, but couldn't having the top two teams in the league at the end of the whole season play for the World Bowl be just as good? The World Bowl could also be held in the home city of the team which won it the year before, rather than having some fawning Olympic games-esque bidding/ bribery system. If we introduced this second idea for this season, that would mean that the 1997 World Bowl will be held in ... Edinburgh! Can't be a bad idea, then.
PS. If you ever find out who that guy who called me a gormless twat was, let me know and I'll sort him out.
From: Mario Kreiner - h8751975@gutemine.wu-wien.ac.at
Setback for the WLAF?
I´m a huge Wlaf-fan and i always thougt that the NFL considers it to be a pool for younger NFL-players to develop. Recently i read in CNN-text (if anyone is interested: pp. 550 to 559 covers US- football!!!!!) the the CFL is trying to overcome their HUGE problems by establishing themselves as a "backup-league" for the NFL. The CFL-comissioner wants to get "young NFL-players to develop".
My Q is: So what about the wlaf? does the nfl losing interest in its expansion market? i consider the CFL-plans to be a dangerous threat for wlaf... any comments?
Ed :- I too agree that the CFL's plans could be dangerous if the reports are true. However I doubt the NFL would throw away the WLAF again after investing the money they have. The CFL represents a market of about 20-35 Million people I believe, Europe repesents a market of about 300 Million people. There's a lot of money over here for the NFL they would be fools to ignore it. However they've made mistakes before. Read Armchair GM #3 for a more indepth thought about this.
From: Nick Griffith - ngriff8909@aol.com
Re : Armchair GM #2 Dear Doug,
I'm a big WLAF fan in the U.S. and I like this new web site. I would love to see the 12 European cities you mentioned have WLAF teams, but I have one question. I read that Milan would be an unlikely choice for expansion because of the popularity of AC Milan. Bologna has a better chance of being the "Italian" team. Have you heard anything like that?
Ed :- I haven't heard anything along those lines but it would make sense. Mind you Italy might not get a team as rumours abound of Dublin (host of an 1997 American bowl between the Bears and the Steelers) and perhaps an Northern European team (Sweden or Norway) being the next rounds of expansion .
From: Mario Kreiner - h8751975@gutemine.wu-wien.ac.at
Hi everybody!
I´ve read a few weeks ago that the wlaf will expand to 8 teams
next season. And i´ve also read that they won´t change the
schedule than, which means there would be an 8-team league with
the winner of the first half of the season facing the winner of
the second half in the world bowl game.
to me that is really a nonsense. BRING ON THE PLAYOFFS!!!! if the league has 8 teams, would´t it be a good idea to have two divisions of four teams, (including interconference games), with the first two teams of each divison playing the playoffs (A1 vs. B2 and B1 vs. A2). the winners should play in the World Bowl....
Playoffs is excitement!!! playoffs create media interest!!! Even the media would have a reason to cover more than just the world bowl.....
any comments?????
Mario, Vienna (Austria)
Ed:- Interesting point you have there Mario, personally I think if we do expand (which is looking ever more likely), Play-offs are a must ! Also the site of the World Bowl could be fixed the year before allowing a year long campain to sell tickets. At the moment the WB location is designed to bring in the home fans and increase local awareness, but I don't think that should last long. It's not just the teams were are supposed to be supporting it's the whole GAME.
From : Steve Dalgleish - sdalgleish@ednet.co.uk
I was wondering what everyone else thought about the World League's expansion plans and the latest suggestions over allowing CFL teams join the European League.
If this was to happen, I believe the only workable solution would be to have two completely separate conferences, one in Europe and the other in Canada and possibly Mexico and not have them meet at all. They could then meet for a championship game after the Europeans have played for the existing World Bowl and the Canadaian's have played for the Grey Cup. This would minimise transport costs and prevent the WLAF from going the same way it did in 1992.
regards
Steve
Ed :- Funny you should mention that Steve I'd just finished my
editorial this morning when I opened my mail and found this. For
my views check out Armchair GM #2 . For
the record folks Steve runs
Touchdown Claymores! page
From : Name and e-mail withheld
Re : Blunt View Editorial 1
Doug,
Just read your "Blunt Views" editorial about football in Britain. It's the funniest thing I've read in weeks.
You see, what you and your gormless twat of a co-editor don't realise is that there's only one way that Britball will be saved, and that's for the Monarchs to reign supreme once more. The Monarchs are the whole of Britain's team, the Original And Best. The only thing that the Claymores achieved when the won the World Bowl was to keep football suppressed in this country.
And the Monarchs will be back this year, have no fear. We've got the best coach in the league, we've got the Fridge again too as a coach. Watch out, Claymores, the Original And Best are coming through!
Ed :- Yeah sure.... just remember this Vital Fact Claymores
are 3-1 against the Monarchs...
From: Carl Christensen - beertndr@minn.net
Subject: Keep Criner
Please keep Jim Criner on that side of the Atlantic. This is the man who destroyed the Iowa State University football program when he was head coach there.
[Ed - When we asked for more details Carl replied]
Sorry man. I made it as blunt as I could. :-)
Glad Jim is doing someone some good.
Best of luck
Carl