Front Porch FootballThe AAF’s Debut, How Did it Do?
by Ben Bramhall
This year’s NFL season left a bad taste in my mouth. NO, it’s not because of the Patriots winning another Super Bowl, they were the best team during the postseason. It’s mainly because of the events that occurred before the Super Bowl. To all Saints fans: yes, that was a horrendously bad non-call on an obvious pass interference, but you guys simply failed to win that game and there were many missed calls that favored the Saints. And that’s the thing, the officiating in that game was terrible, but it wasn’t just that game. As the officiating this season was the worst I’ve ever seen in my many years of watching any level of football. Much of this can be attributed to the obscene amount of ambiguity surrounding the rules (even the refs don’t know the rules of the game, at times). Combine that with the constant media drama and the unbelievable pettiness of the NFL (they’ve banned Barstool’s Dave Portnoy from all NFL events because he referred to Roger Goodell as a clown…I wish I was joking), and you get an extremely disappointing NFL season.
The Saving Grace of the AAF
My football fix for the season can’t end like this. I need something. That’s where the AAF (Alliance of American Football) comes in, whose intentions are to serve as both a complement to the NFL and an avenue for players to showcase their potential. The eight teams representing this new league all played this past weekend, kick-starting the AAF’s inaugural season. My verdict so far: it’s actually really good stuff.
First off, the AAF gave a great first impression through televising their two Saturday night games on CBS. I immediately thought “wow, they got a deal with CBS? That’s some really good marketing from the AAF executives.” I, along with many other Americans, would watch the Atlanta Legends go up against the Orlando Apollos, the latter being led by none other than the legendary Ol’ Ball Coach himself, Steve Spurrier.
This alone made me hop on the bandwagon and proclaim myself as one of the first Apollos fans. The game itself? It was a blast! A bit sloppy at first, but then the Ol’ Ball Coach’s “Touchdown or Checkdown” offense REALLY kicked in, and boy was it fun to watch. Spurrier mic’d up was the greatest thing ever and they even ran their own South Carolina version of the “Philly Special,” so of course I’m on board.
The Apollos, with a balanced offensive attack and stout defense, would crush the Legends, 40-6. The other half of the U.S. would watch the San Diego Fleet take on the San Antonio Commanders. This game was a defensive struggle, but the Commanders would ultimately prevail, 15-6.
On Sunday afternoon, we would get our third game of the season between the Memphis Express and the Birmingham Iron. FPF’s Harris Oates actually attended this game, and through multiple Twitter updates, expressed his satisfaction. You can check his Tweets yourself, but like me, he is all in for this new league, and has embraced one of the teams as his own. The Iron’s blistering defense, complimented by a solid offensive effort, would shut out the Express, 26-0. Good show, Mr. Oates. We’ll see you in week 5.
But hey, want something besides a shutout or defensive struggle? How about a more offensive game? That’s what we would get in the Sunday night game between the Salt Lake Stallions and the Arizona Hotshots. Both teams displayed good offense, but the Hotshots would storm ahead, 38-22.
Anyways, enough with my AAF week 1 recap. I like the AAF so far. It’s not perfect, but I like it. Here are my PROS and CONS of the AAF as of right now.
PROS
1. The Overall Play is Actually Not That Bad
How will the product on the field look? This was the biggest question going into these games this past weekend. It was something that absolutely plagued the XFL, which showcased some of the worst displays of athletic ability I’ve ever witnessed in football. It was one of the main reasons why it shut down after one season. What we got this weekend was some good, balanced football. I know I know, you’re wondering how I can say this when we had two blowouts. To be honest, that was the result of some bad QB play from guys like Christian Hackenberg and Matt Simms. The rest of the product was solid. We got to see some big plays on offense and defense, what more do you want?
2. The Unique Rules Are Really Cool
Football is football, and everyone knows the rules for the most part. However, this league does have a few wrinkles in its rulebook. The most noticeable rule is the absence of kickoffs. Instead, offenses start on the 25-yard line. However, if a team wants an attempt at keeping the ball away from the other team, they can attempt to get first down on a 4th and 12. Not impossible, but incredibly risky, as a failure would result in the opposing offense starting with the ball deep in the other’s territory. PATs are gone, so teams must go for two-point conversions. The defense can only rush five players at a time. And finally, the play-clock starts at 35 seconds, as opposed to 40. So, pretty neat. HOWEVER, one great rule is…
3. You Can ACTUALLY Hit the QB
The new NFL rules designed to protect the quarterback are an atrocity. I’m absolutely convinced that if a defender doesn’t slowly lower the QB on a Tempur-Pedic mattress and pillow, pour them a glass of ice tea, and present them with an Olive Garden gift card, he will be flagged, kicked out of the game, fined $100 billion, banned from the NFL, imprisoned for life, and forced to walk naked through the streets in shame, Game of Thrones style (shame…shame). In the AAF, the hits are legal…and they are brutal. During the Fleet/Commanders game, the Fleet QB gets absolutely annihilated to the point where his helmet flies off a couple of yards. The hit was absolutely legal, and no flag was thrown. Hurray! The Legends QB got flattened by an Apollo defender and again, no flag. My point? Both of these plays would have EASILY been fifteen yard penalties in the NFL. Football is a rough sport, NFL. Accept it!
4. Almost No Commercial Breaks. THANK. YOU.
If you ever wondered why the NFL and college football primetime games always seem to end around 3 A.M. every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, it wasn’t because of nagging officiating or teams throwing the ball too much. No, it was because of the commercial breaks. Before every possession, we had to watch the same Bud Light “Dilly Dilly” commercial for the hundredth time, along with a teaser for the newest lazily put together crime drama that is desperately trying to leech off the success of Law & Order: SVU. Just give me the damn football game, please. The AAF apparently heard my complaints because that’s what I’m getting. I also get to watch and hear the entire process of plays that are under review? It’s almost like the AAF actually cares about the fan’s attention, and not just about an extra zero on a paycheck. Keep it that way, please.
5. It Just Has That Genuine Old Fashion Football Feeling to It
It just does. You can really tell that the AAF is trying to make this work, and that the players and coaches are genuinely invested in the process. Unlike the XFL, which tried to be all flashy and cool while futilely competing with the NFL, the AAF recognizes what it is and still tries to produce a solid product. There’s also no drama or pettiness, just good, hard-fought football games. I asked a retired high school football coach, who is an acquaintance of mine, what he thought of the AAF games so far. He told me he enjoys it because “the players are hungry for second chances. It’s basically the effort that you get in college, and I also like the old-school atmosphere.” So, if you are a college football fan who has never really liked the NFL, or an NFL fan that is sick and tired of the drama, then you might enjoy some AAF games.
6. The Players and Coaches are Mic’d Up
I get to listen to Steve Spurrier, who’s words of wisdom are only rivaled by that of Morgan Freeman. I rest my case.
CONS
1. The Talent is Obviously Not Elite
Of course, that’s not what the AAF is designed for. The NFL, with its seemingly limitless flow of cash and resources, will obviously maintain all of its elite talent. The AAF has been designed for players who are either looking for a second chance to showcase their skills or those who’ve never really had the opportunity to show their stuff on a professional level. I view it as something similar to a league filled with middle-of-the-pack SEC teams. The games may be fun, but you know you’re not going to see a ton of spectacular plays. It is what it is.
2. The Team Names Don’t Really Fit the Theme of Football
Even though I claim the Orlando Apollos as my own now, I’m not going to pretend that I’m a huge fan of the team name. Besides the Birmingham Iron (actually a really cool and relevant name), the rest of the team names just seem out of place. They sound like names that you would think would represent a NBA, NHL, or MLS team. Look I get it, this is a major nitpick, but I can’t just sit here and compliment the AAF all night long. I have to critique something, right?
Overall, I think it’s safe to say the debut of the AAF was a success. Fan attendance at the games was actually higher than expected and the T.V. ratings for the Saturday night games were actually higher than a premier NBA game between the Rockets and the Thunder. Don’t get me wrong, this league will never replace my love for the NFL. But, I do get to enjoy so decent football for a little while longer, so I can’t complain. Right now, I would absolutely recommend that you watch these games. Until next time, GO APOLLOS! #TakeAim
Ben Bramhall was born, raised, and currently lives in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He attended Wofford College, and now works as a social studies teacher at Spartanburg High School. He is currently finishing up his masters in school counseling at Gardner-Webb University. However, his true home might as well be the state of Pennsylvania. He is a huge Penn State Nittany Lions football fan. He’s also the Philadelphia Eagles’ biggest fan, which used to be a miserable life of “what ifs” and “oh so close” moments. But after his team won the Super Bowl, he is now a god among men and is never wrong about anything football. If you didn’t like the Philly Special, he doesn’t like you. The 76ers and Orlando Apollos are cool, too. #TrustTheProcess #TakeAim
