Nice logos.

Way to go Tropics!

September 22, 1988—Detroit Free Press
“AAFL’s Detroit Mustangs Begin to Form Roster”
 
Today marked the beginning of a new era in Detroit sports history, as head coach Walt Michaels announced the players culled from the 8 founding AAFL franchises in the league’s expansion draft.  While most are not big-name players, due in part to the structure of the draft, which allowed each AAFL team to protect 10 players and pull 1 more into protected status whenever they lost a player.  There are some names which will be familiar and who may end up as starters for the Mustangs.  Among them are former Cowboy QB Steve Pelleur, Nebraska DT Danny Noonan, Safety Kevin Porter, RB Alonzo Highsmith. and one of the better kickers in the AAFL last year, former St Louis Rampage kicker John Carney.
 
Chicago, the league’s other expansion team, had the first pick and did exactly what everyone expected, selecting the surprisingly unprotected former ALL-USFL linebacker Sam Mills from the New York Knights. They followed this up by signing some other larger name players such as former Sooner RB Spencer Tillman, DT Ray Childress, OT Gary Zimmerman and another LB, Gary Plummer.  Their QB selection was former Colorado State Ram Kelly Stouffer, who spent 1988 as the backup to Steve Young with the Colorado Rangers.
 
We expect a lot more news over the next few months as the territorial and rookie drafts, along with AAFL free agency impact the Mustangs roster.
 
 

February 12, 1989—Sporting News AAFL 1989 Preview
“Lots of change as All-American League Grows”
 
After what can only be described as a raging success in their first season, in which the new league clearly benefitted from the 1987 NFL work stoppage, the AAFL gears up for a second go.  In 1988 the league blasted past anticipated attendance, TV and revenue projections, nearly breaking even, something the USFL was never able to achieve in its short 3 year run.  As fans, hungry for football after a long hiatus between the 1986 NFL season and the 1988 spring season, poured into AAFL stadiums, players also became available to the league on a scale never before seen.  This year, however, with the NFL back, things may be different.  The NFL has just finished off their 1988 Fall season, one which still saw quite a bit of resentment from fans, with attendance down 17% leaguewide.  Even the Super Bowl, which pitted the Cincinnati Bengals defeat the Chicago Bears 17-14, was not completely sold out.  Meanwhile, the AAFL, which had signed many of its players to 2 year initial contracts, did not see a sudden exodus of players.  Likewise, the flow of players from the NFL to the AAFL slowed considerably after the hemorrhaging we saw in 1987.  

As 1989’s season prepares to kick off next month, the new AAFL rosters remain mostly young rosters, with plenty of players signed from the territorial and rookie drafts.  There are a few NFL players who swapped leagues, but there was certainly more intra-league swapping within the AAFL than inter-league swapping with the more-established NFL.  As we look at the prospects for each AAFL squad, we will try to highlight the makeup of their roster heading into the preseason.
 
EAST
 
ATLANTA (5-8 in 1988)
New Acquisitions: QB Neil Lomax PHO (NFL)
Rookies to Watch: RB Tim Worley (Georgia-TERR), DE Dennis Byrd (Tulsa—ROOK), DT Tracy Rocker (Auburn-TERR), WR Lawyer Tillman (Auburn-TERR) and CB Donnell Woolford (Clemson-TERR)
 
Outlook for 1989:  The Legion solved their biggest problem from 1988, QB play by snagging veteran gunslinger Neil Lomax from the relocated Phoenix Cardinals of the NFL. Lomax will lead an offense that hopes to continue to pound the rock with RB Herschel Walker. They signed Tim Worley, another former Bulldog from Georgia after seeing how they struggled when Walker went down to injury midseason last year.  They also tried to relieve some of the pressure on WR Hassan Jones by bringing in speedy Auburn product Lawyer Tillman.  On the defensive side, the key remains DT Michael Dean Perry, but their pick up of DE Dennis Byrd from Tulsa could help Perry face fewer double teams.  Overall, the Legion were not a particularly active team on the waiver and trade wire, and we are simply not sure they have done enough to improve the squad, however, with Walker and Lomax on the offense, they may just surprise some people.   PROJECTED FINISH:  8-6,  2nd in East
 
NEW YORK (4-9 in 1988)
New Acquisitions: QB Todd Blackledge (KC—NFL)
Rookies to Watch: RB Robert Drummond (Syracuse-TERR), WR Tony Martin (Mesa St.—ROOK), C Mark Stepnoski (Pitt—TERR), G Steve Wisniewski (Penn State-TERR), and S Louis Oliver (Florida—ROOK)
 
Outlook for 1989: After abysmal QB play from rookies Mark Vlasic and Don McPherson in 1988 it was clear that NY was going to go after a QB.  They signed off-again, on-again KC Chiefs starter, and former Penn State star Todd Blackledge to try to jumpstart their offense.  Blackledge brings leadership, but the offense, now with a 3-headed backfield with Dozier and Drummond lined up behind FB Ironhead Heyward, still lacks firepower.  This is a 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust offense in a league that saw Orlando dominate with a wide open passing attack.  The line should be stronger with the addition of two stud rooies in Wisniewski and Stepnoski, but the wideout position is still in question.  On defense, the Knights took a risk in not protecting MLB Sam Mills, and they lost out.  Mills signed with Chicago in the Expansion Draft.  While we still like 2nd year player Shane Conlan on that D, there is not a lot else to impress.  Both the D-backs and D-line look thinner than last season.  Not a good sign for the Knights.
PROJECTED FINISH:  4-10, 4TH in East.
 
ORLANDO (11-2, League Champions in 1988)
New Acquisitions: DE Jumpy Gaethers (Saints-NFL)
Rookies to Watch: RB Marion Butts (FSU-TERR), S Bubba McDowell (Miami-TERR)
 
Outlook for 1989: The champs are still one of the best-looking teams in the league. They were not highly active in the waiver or free agent market, though the addition of former Saint Jumpy Gaethers will almost certainly help their DL get more pressure on opposing QB’s.  Early on it looked like they would have issues, losing RB Alonzo Highsmith to Detroit in the expansion draft, but the signing of FSU steamroller gives the Tropics a solid 1-2 punch with Rodney Hampton.  The only other significant signings were rookie DB’s Darryl Henley (UCLA) and Bubba McDowell (Miami), and maybe new punter Chris Mohr (Alabama), though the Tropics hope to once again have little need for a punter.
PROJECTED FINISH: 12-2  1ST in East
 
WASHINGTON (8-5 in 1988)
New Acquisitions: TE Mark Bavaro (Giants-NFL), K Chip Lohmiller (Rangers-AAFL)
Rookies to Watch: RB Cleveland Gary (Miami-ROOK), DE Jeff Lageman (UVa-TERR), DB Bo Orlando (WVU-TERR)
 
Outlook for 1989: While the Warriors did not go for as many big names as some teams, they were strategic in trying to improve their squad.  Mark Bavaro will  provide Warrior signal caller Don Majkowski with an ideal safety valve, while RB Cleveland Gary (who somehow was not taken by Orlando in the Territorial Draft) should help provide a bit more big-play potential than either Barry Word or Paul Palmer did last year.  The defense remains the strength of the squad, though there was quite a bit of turnover in the backfield.  New acquisitions at CB and S will have to step up.  A lot will still fall on LB Darryl Talley, though new DE Jeff Lageman from UVa should help add some muscle to the D-line.  We like the slow and steady style of the Warriors, but still expect a bit of a setback this year. 
PROJECTED FINISH:  7-7, 3rd in East.
 
CENTRAL
 
CHICAGO (Expansion Team)
New Acquisitions: QB Kelly Stouffer (Rangers-AAFL), RB Spencer Tillman (Rampage—AAFL), WR Stanley Morgan (NE-NFL), DT Ray Childress (Rawhides-AAFL), LB Sam Mills (Knights—AAFL), LB Gary Plummer (Sharks-AAFL)
Rookies to Watch: QB Chuck Hartlieb (Iowa-TERR), WR Danny Peebles (NC State-ROOK), G Doug Widell (BC-ROOK)
 
Outlook for 1989: As an expansion team, you hope to snap up enough talent to be competitive, you don’t expect to snag one of the league’s biggest names, but that is what Chicago did when they used their first pick in the Expansion Draft to sign LB Sam Mills.  Adding another strong LB in former Shark Gary Plummer is just gravy after signing Mills.  Defense is likely to be the strength of the Hogs, although a line with experienced Tackle Gary Zimmerman and rookie bulldozer G Bob Kratch from Iowa may also be able to make some things happen on Offense.  We are not sold on either Chicago QB, though Hartlieb played well in his final season at Iowa. The running backs are also somewhat dubious, with rookie Keith Jones of Illinois and the underwhelming Spencer Tillman.  It was a smart move for the Hogs to bring in NFL veteran WR Stanley Morgan, but we worry that he will not have much to do if either Hartlieb or Stouffer cannot manage the offense efficiently. 
PROJECTED FINISH:  5-9, 4TH in Central
 
DALLAS (6-7 in 1988)
New Acquisitions: WR Ernest Givens (Oilers-NFL)
Rookies to Watch: WR-RB Erick Metcalf (Texas-TERR), G Jerry Fontenot (A&M-TERR), CB Ray Crockett (Baylor-TERR), CB Robert Massey (NC Central-ROOK)
 
Outlook for 1989: No team is happier about AAFL expansion than the Dallas Rawhides.  After finishing 2nd but out of the playoffs in the West, they now get to join a division with 2 expansion teams.  The Rawhides focused mainly on defense in this year’s offseason, signing new DBs and upgrading their DLine as well.  On Offense the biggest new name is Ernest Givens, who comes up the highway from Houston in the NFL.  Cody Carlson now has a new target, and maybe two, if Texas rookie Erick Metcalf lives up to the hype.  At the very least he will impact the return game for the Rawhides, which was sub par in ’88.  We are still not sure they are a true contender, but at least in the Central they stand a good chance of taking a division title.
PROJECTED FINISH:  9-5, 1st in Central
 
 
DETROIT (Expansion Team)
New Acquisitions: QB Steve Pelleur (Sasquatch-AAFL), RB Alonzo Highsmith (Tropics-AAFL), TE Hoby Brenner (Saints-NFL), G Jeff Zimmerman (Tropics-AAFL ),  LB Van Waiters (Legion-AAFL ), S Kevin Porter ( Tropics-AAFL), and K John Carney (Rampage-AAFL)
Rookies to Watch: QB Billy Joe Tolliver (Texas Tech-ROOK), RB Mark Green (ND-TERR), WR Andre Rison (Mich St.-TERR), WR Hart Lee Dykes (Ok State-ROOK), LB Quintus McDonald (Penn St—ROOK)
 
Outlook for 1989: Detroit is looking to score some points as an expansion team in 1989.  Not only did they go after the top offensive players in the expansion market, names like Alonzo Highsmith of the Tropics and QB Steve Pelleur from Seattle, but they were aggressive in the rookie and territorial rookie drafts, signing two of the top receiving prospects in this year’s crop of NCAA players, Michigan State’s Andre Rison and OK State’s Hart Lee Dykes.  This, along with the signing of disgruntled New Orleans Saints TE Hoby Brenner, gives the Mustangs a lot of power under the hood. Problem is they did not spend so freely to acquire linemen.  Their O-line has only Jeff Zimmerman as a name player, and their D-line seems even weaker.  I like LB Van Waiters, but he is not a gamechanger.  The same for CB Rodney Thomas.  So, expect Detroit to score on big plays, but to have trouble sustaining drives and holding the opposition down. 
PROJECTED FINISH:  6-8 3RD in Central
 
ST. LOUIS (7-6 in 1988)
New Acquisitions: DE Leonard Marshall (Giants-NFL)
Rookies to Watch: RB Dave Meggett (Towson-ROOK), DT Tony Woods (Oklahoma-TERR), LB Eric Hill (LSU-ROOK), and S Steve Atwater (Arkansas-TERR)
 
Outlook for 1989:  The signing of Leonard Marshall away from the Giants was a huge coup for the AAFL and the Rampage.  Marshall will pair up with LB Brian Bosworth to cause nightmares for opposing defenses.  Add in the exciting rookie Steve Atwater at SS and this may be the best defense in the league.  But can the offense keep up.  Little-heralded jitterbug RB Dave  Meggett is really the only significant addition to an offense which did not exactly blow the barn doors open last year.  David Archer is solid at QB, and Kelvin Bryant is again capable of a solid year, but this St. Louis squad looks like a team that will be in a lot of 14-10 games, but on what end of that score?
PREDICTED FINISH:  7-7 2nd in Central
 
 
WEST
 
COLORADO (9-4, League Runner Up in 1988)
New Acquisitions: WR Louis Lipps (Steelers-NFL), RB Kevin Harmon (Legion-AAFL)
Rookies to Watch: TE Wesley Walls (Ole Miss-ROOK), T John Hunter (BYU-TERR), DE Wayne Martin (ARK-ROOK), LB Broderick Thomas (Nebraska-TERR), K Pete Stoyanovich (Indiana-ROOK)
 
Outlook for 1989:  The Rangers came very close to taking it all in 1988, but could not contain the firepower of the Orlando Tropics in the All-American Bowl.  So, what do they do for 1989, they bring in their own firepower, signing WR Louis Lipps away from the NFL and adding RB Kevin Harmon from Atlanta.  But is it enough?  It may be if the defense can improve even just a little.  Bringing in a good looking rookie LB from Nebraska, Broderick Thomas will help, as will a revamped secondary with 2 new starters to go alongside standout Solomon Wilcots.  The Rangers looked at every position and sought to upgrade, even trading away kicker Chip Lohmiller and signing Indiana standout Pete Stoyanovich.  We expect it is enough to be a serious contender, especially with Steve Young and Thurman Thomas in the fold for another year.
PROJECTED FINISHl:  10-4 1st in West
 
LOS ANGELES (5-8 in 1988)
New Acquisitions: RB Sammy Winder (Broncos-NFL), 
Rookies to Watch: DE Trace Armstrong (Florida-Trade with Oakland), QB Rodney Peete (USC-TERR), RB Eric Ball (UCLA-TERR), WR Alfred Jackson (SDSU-TERR), S Carnell Lake (UCLA-TERR)
 
Outlook for 1989: The Stars seem to lack exactly that, stars.  We loved wideout Flipper Anderson last season, and adding rookie Alfred Jackson should help free him up even more.  We also agree that they needed to bring in some NFL talent at RB, but are not sold that Winder is the guy they should have gone after.  And there are still doubts about QB Damon Allen, who may be challenged by USC’s Rodney Peete this year.  On defense, there is not much to be excited about beyond the continued play of LB Ken Norton Jr.  Carnell Lake is a solid add from UCLA, but the Stars still need to look to their defensive line, which was a weakness in 1988 and still looks problematic. Adding Trace Armstrong, who they got in trade from Oakland is a start, but is likely not enough.  And, of course, being run as a league-run team after former owner Adolph Taubman headed off to lead the new Detroit franchise means that the Stars are unlikely to be big movers and shakers until they can get a new ownership group in place.
PROJECTED FINISH 4-10, 4TH in West.
 
OAKLAND (3-10 in 1988)
New Acquisitions: QB Steve Bono (Stars-AAFL), (RB Christian Okoye (Chiefs-NFL)
Rookies to Watch: WR Don Beebe (Chadron St.-ROOK), DT Natu Tuatagaloa (Cal-TERR), DE Tony Tolbert (UTEP-ROOK)
 
Outlook for 1989:  In their first season just about everything that could go wrong for the Oakland Sharks did go wrong.  They have talent, but that talent has to be more consistent and avoid injury.  If they can stay healthy, and if the rookie influx on the D-Line can play up to their potential, the Sharks could have a very tough defense to run against.  We love the combo of Romanowski and Nickerson at linebacker, and we expect new DE Tony Tolbert to help shore up the D-Line alongside the “Siamese Samoans” Noga and Tuatagaloa on the right side of the line.  Add to that hard hitting Chuck Cecil, who was 2nd in the league in INTs in ’88, and this could be a rough side to play against. On the offense, the key is whether or not Steve Bono can grow into the QB position.  He struggled in LA and was replaced by CFL standout Damon Allen, but can he take the job from oft-injured incumbent Jack Trudeau.  Signing the Nigerian Nightmare away from the Kansas City Chiefs will help a lot. And don’t sleep on rookie WR Don Beebe from tiny Chadron State. This guy is flat out fast.  He could easily take the lid off opposing defenses, creating space underneath for veteran Vance Johnson.   We see a bright future in Oakland, if, and only if, they can get consistent QB play and avoid last year’s injury bug.
PROJECTED FINISH:  8-6, 2nd in West
 
SEATTLE (7-6 in 1988)
New Acquisitions:  RB Lydell Carr (Rampage-AAFL), LB Kevin Greene (Rams-NFL)
Rookies to Watch: QB Eric Wilhelm (Oregon St-TERR), G Mike Utley (Wash St-TERR), DE Matt Brock (Oregon-TERR), LB John Roper (A&M-ROOK)
 
Outlook for 1989: Seattle is in the rough position of a team that essentially treaded water as others may have swum past them.  They were solid in 1988, but not elite, and they seem to have had a weak draft this year, with a weaker talent pool in their territorial draft than others, and not a great performance in the general rookie draft.  The biggest acquisition, and one which will help immediately, is the signing of pass rushing LB Kevin Greene away from the LA Rams of the NFL.  Greene will bring energy and dynamism to the 3rd down packages on defense, but he is not a 3 down backer.  On offense, the development of Chris Chandler in his second year will be key.  We know the Sasquatch can run the ball with Rueben Mayes (and now Lydell Carr in relief), but they did not bring in anyone to remove double coverage from WR Mark Ingram.  This looks like a team that with the same level of talent as last year can be leapfrogged by teams which were more aggressive. 
PROJECTED FINISH:  6-8, 3rd in West.
 
OUR PREDICTION FOR THE 1989 CHAMPIONSHIP:   Orlando meets Colorado again in the All-American Bowl, and this time the Rangers hold on for the win.  

Last edited by Wideright (3/01/2020 11:58 am)

June 14, 1989—Sports Illustrated
“Prepare for the Playoffs”
 
Once again the upstart AAFL has come through with another season of high quality football, has surpassed expectations and seemingly has found a place in the American sports marketplace.  The season ended on a high note, with sellout crowds across the league as the final two playoff spots were up for grabs.  Oakland, last year’s sad sacks, just missed the playoffs as a comeback attempt at Colorado fell just short, while in Dallas a season-ending win over division-leading St. Louis, in St. Louis, catapulted the Rawhides into the Playoff Play-in game. 

In the East Orlando held off Atlanta to take the crown while New York lost their final three games to fall away from playoff contention.  The 2nd division title came at a hefty cost, however, for the Tropics, as league leading QB Jim Kelly had to leave the Tropics’ final game against the Knights with what appears to be a significant injury to his non-throwing shoulder.   While head coach Steve Spurrier tried to be optimistic about the team’s bye week and the chances that Kelly could return for the divisional round, the Tropics may need to plan on going into a tough playoff game with untested 2nd year QB Kerwin Bell as the starter.
 
Things look far more optimistic in Colorado, where the combination of Steve Young and Thurman Thomas has rocketed the Rangers to the #1 seed.  Add to that a hard-hitting defense, led by Solomon Wilcots and Tim Jackson in the defensive backfield, and the sturdy play of Johnny Holland and Kurt Gouveia at linebacker, and the Rangers look primed to return to this year’s All-American Bowl, a game that will be played in Denver’s Mile High Stadium, thanks to Colorado wrapping up the #1 seed.
 
So, the question now, at least outside of Orlando, is whether or not any of the other 3 playoff teams can spoil a Colorado-Orlando rematch.  Dallas will face off against the Legion in Atlanta this week for a chance to continue on.  It is a tough matchup for a Dallas D that has had trouble against the run.  With Herschel Walker having another strong year, and now balanced by the passing of Neil Lomax, the Legion will present a tough obstacle for Cody Carlson and Dallas.  The winner will face the Rangers, while in the other divisional game the St. Louis Rampage, led by LB Brian Bosworth, say they hope to go up against Kelly, but we all suspect that the Boz would much rather deal with Kerwin Bell at QB for the Tropics.  On offense, St. Louis will rely on RB Kelvin Bryant to try to keep the pressure off QB Stan Humphries.  Humphries is at his best when the play action game feeds off of a successful ground game, but seems to struggle if the team cannot establish a consistent ground attack.
 
Our predictions:  We are choosing a home win for Atlanta over Dallas, but a short-lived feel-good story for Atlanta as they lose to Colorado in Denver.   The St. Louis-Orlando game is harder to pick, since we simply do not yet know if Jim Kelly will be a go or a scratch.  If he is good to go, we expect the Tropics to roll, but if not, this could be a really tight game. We are still seeing a rematch of the A-A Bowl from last year, but this time we are going to pick the Rangers to take it all.  They were dominant in the rematch vs. Orlando early in the season, and they come into the playoffs the healthier and hotter team.
 
FINAL STANDINGS 1989 SEASON
 
EAST
Orlando:      11-3 (4-2), #2 Seed
Atlanta:         9-4-1 (3-3) #4 Seed
New York:     7-7 (3-3)
Washington:  4-10 (2-4)
 
CENTRAL
St.Louis:        10-3-1 (5-1) #3 Seed
Dallas:             8-6 (4-2) #5 Seed
Detroit:            5-9 (2-4)
Chicago:         3-11 (1-5)
 
WEST
Colorado:        12-2 (6-0 )#1 Seed
Seattle:             7-7 (2-4)
Oakland:           7-7 (2-4)
Los Angeles    : 4-10 (1-5)
 
1989 LEAGUE LEADERS
PASSING                              YARDS   TDS        INTS
Kelly-ORL                             3756       31           7
Lomax-ATL                           3654       27           11
Young-COL                           3178       22           9
Chandler-SEA                       2828       23           13
Humphries-STL                     2772       19           5
Majkowski-WSH                    2653       18           12
Blackledge-NY                       2428       16           9
Peete-LA                                2252       18           14
 
RUSHING                             YARDS   TDS
Thomas-COL                        1428       8
Mayes-SEA                           1277       9
Walker-ATL                           1221       11
Bryant-STL                            1021       5
Rozier-DAL                             941         6
Okoye-OAK                            935         8
Butts-ORL                              878         6
Highsmith-DET                      845         4
 
RECEIVING                          REC        YARDS   TDS
Haynes-ATL                            87           1145       6
Irvin-ORL                                85           1201       8
Anderson-LA                          77           1011       4
Jeffires-STL                            71           951         2
Nattiel-ORL                            64           925         4
Morgan-CHI                           61           778         4
Lipps-COL                             58           824         6
Rison-DET                             54           765         3
 
INTERCEPTIONS               
Wilcots-COL                        8
Massey-DAL                        6
Blades-ORL                         5
E. Allen-LA                           5
Cecil-OAK                            4
Vaughn-CHI                         3
Hasty-SEA                           3
5 tied at…                            2
 
SACKS  
Nickerson-OAK                 13
Haley-DAL                        12.5
Taliaferro-DET                   9
Byrd-ATL                           8.5
B. Thomas-COL                8
Joyner-DAL                       6
Gaethers-ORL                  5.5
Bosworth-STL                  4.5

ZO82-- Sorry, ancient secret.  Cannot reveal that.