Post by elbandito on Dec 26, 2011 22:21:47 GMT -5
Bandito, you have spoken well when you stated that the Tulsa team should be pretty good. I don't know where you got the info that they are going to sign former af2 or AFL players from the old team from or that there will be players from the local colleges. I believe ownership is ATTEMPTING to get these guys. The fact is in this league, you get what you pay for. There are a small percentage of these players that will play for little or no pay that is offered in the APFL. If the ownership can afford to pay these players, then they may be able to get some former AF2/ AFL Talons players. THe former coach...I seriously doubt he would want to take a pay cut to coach this team. I'm pretty sure he was being paid well to coach the Talons. Besides that, if I were the owners, I would like a fresh start..new team, new name, new coaches, new players. I guess time will tell. However, there are some players that have been playing for the local area semi-pro teams who are great athletes and could make the transition to indoor football just like some of the players and coach faulkenberry made the transition from the Iowa Sharks to the Bandits. New teams are always mysterious and exciting so I look forward to seeing how this new team will impact the APFL.
I absolutely have no idea who they will sign, but I know they have the potential to sign a lot of talent. As you said, it's up to ownership to seal the deal. Just having TU in town means there are going to be top level talent within the radius every season. If ownership is willing to pay the top end (is it still 200 per game) and if they are able to stress to the players that this is an opportunity to advance their careers, they have good shot.
I actually heard that this ownership group is the one that had the Oklahoma City franchise in the NIFL the past season or two so hopefully they set their bar high and don't think the APFL will be a cheap alternative to make a few bucks.
I don't think Allner will coach the team in Tulsa either. Although I also know he didn't want to quit coaching. He had an opportunity to move with the Talons to San Antonio. He turned it down because he has a newborn, just bought a house in Tulsa, and his wife's family is close by. The Iowa Barnstormers offered him their head job thinking he'd consider it since his family is close to Des Moines, and he turned them down too. A couple other AFL teams offered him as well after last season. I'm sure he wants to coach and he obviously loves Tulsa, but whether or not he'd view this as a job he wants or if they would even want him, I have no idea.