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1/21/2022 10:45 pm  #1911


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

Enigmajones wrote:

Hopefully Portland can get a team. Did they have good attendance when the Athletics played there?

EDIT: Im blanking on whether or not this happened.

Yea this did happen. The only stadium there is a baseball stadium, which probably had good attendance, but it wasn't a great game with Boston beating the Athletics 23-10.


 

1/23/2022 5:56 pm  #1912


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

1967 Uniform Updates

INDIANA VICTORS

The first decade of Victors’ football has not been the most fondly remembered. The first 8 years are going to be the years fans wish to forget as the team never had a record at .500 or above. They also missed the playoffs in all 8 of those seasons. However, their fortune has turned around in the last two seasons going a combined 15-9 and getting their first playoff win. With the team on the upswing, owner Sammy Kirkdale decided it was a good time for a refresh. While the team will maintain the crest logo as the primary logo, they have introduced a brand new alternate logo. The logo is a torch. Specifically representing the torch that Lady Victory holds at the top of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Indianapolis. The flame on top, in orange, has been drawn from the shape of the flame from the statue. The main part of the torch is made from the shape of an “I” for Indiana and the groves in the torch make a “V” for victors. The new logo’s main purpose was to give the team a proper helmet logo instead of just the numbers. 

Along with the new logo, the team also will get a fresh set of jerseys. The biggest change will be going from a green helmet to a white one. The new helmet features the torch logo and a 3-stripe pattern over the top with two orange stripes and one green stripe. The 3-stripe pattern matches their crest’s 3-stripes as well. The home jersey sees a much more simple look with just a white and orange stripe around the ends of the sleeves. While the white option adapts the 3-stripe pattern front the helmet and pants. Indiana’s new look aims to be simpler and more unified with all the players now sharing the same helmet look.

CANADA

As mentioned before, 1967 is Canada’s 100th birthday, and to celebrate, all 5 Canadian teams will include Canada’s Centennial logo on their jerseys. Ottawa, Montreal, and London, all included the patch in their usual spots on the upper right side of the uniform, however, Halifax needed a different option with the Captain’s patch and their Richard Paul Heart patch taking up the main spots. They decided to include it on the left-hand sleeve instead. Toronto also used the left sleeve as well. However, the reasoning from owner Jerry Anderson was that he thought it looked really cool over top of the stripes and just wanted to go with that look.

PATCH

HALIFAX MARINERS

LONDON TIGERS

MONTREAL ROUGE

OTTAWA ROYALS

TORONTO STEELHEADS


     Thread Starter
 

1/23/2022 6:14 pm  #1913


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

really digging that new victors logo, and I think they look really good in a white helmet. not as big a fan of the mismatching stripes on the home jersey, but all in all, I think it's an upgrade. also surprised at how good toronto's road jersey looks with the red patch on the sleeve. good stuff!



[url=ahsports.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=23]National Dashball League[/url] || [url=boards.sportslogos.net/topic/119263-r/]US Quadball Redesign[/url]
 

1/23/2022 6:46 pm  #1914


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

Loving the Victors logo. 


Owner of the Texas Jackalopes 
2008-2009 AltBA Champions
 

1/24/2022 6:11 pm  #1915


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

That new Victors logo is great and looks good on a helmet.

All the Canadian teams wearing the Centennial logo is a nice touch as well.



 

1/29/2022 8:24 pm  #1916


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

1967 Retirements

HC Emil Riddle - Pittsburgh, PA
Teams/Positions: HC Worcester Athletics (1954-1958), HC Louisville Thunder (1959-1966)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1962)
Awards: 3 Coach of the Year (1954, 1956, 1962)
Record: 82-67-1

It was not a great ending to a fantastic career that Emil Riddle had, but following the 1-11 season, he has decided to step down and call it a career. Riddle’s career started with the Pittsburgh Hammers of the ACFL where he worked his way up to the head coaching role. However, due to some rough seasons in Pittsburgh and disagreements with management, he decided to look for a new opportunity. He would land in Worcester and make an immediate impact taking home Coach of the Year in his first season. He would win Coach of the Year again in 1956 leading the Athletics to a 9-1 record and their long McCallister Cup appearance in the NAAF. After issues arose with the management in Worcester, which included the team trading QB Riley Kiernan and drafting QB Gene Bishop, Riddle left the team and took a job with the Thunder. He quickly made the Thunder into contenders in the West Division. In 1962, he would finally get over the hump and win the McCallister Cup which also went along with his 3rd Coach of the Year. Following the win, he continued to keep the team in contention despite injuries and other issues. In 1965, he would make a run to the final once again but fell short of winning it again. 1966 ended up being his worst season as a coach and knew he was past his best by date. Riddle is one of the best coaches the league has seen. Players loved playing for him, simply because he made them better, he took the time to help everyone on the team. It was too bad he didn’t find more success.

LB Rusty McVee - Brampton, ON - Creator: Thehealthiestscratch
Drafted: 1953 MTL - Round 1, Pick 4
Teams: Montreal Rouge (1953-1956), Long Island Raiders (1957-1960), Providence (1961-1963), Toronto Steelheads (1964-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1953, 1958)
Awards: Rookie of the Year (1953), McCallister Cup MVP (1958), Playoff MVP (1958)
All-Stars: 7 (1954, 1957-1962)
Player of the Week: 8

McVee entered the NAAF with a bang. The hard-hitting Linebacker became an immediate force of terror on the field. So much so that he took home the Rookie of the Year award in his first season, on top of helping the Rouge to their second McCallister Cup. He remained a force throughout the next 3 years, however, the Rouge fell into a rebuild and the LB decided he was done. He would get traded to the Raiders where he continued his reign of terror. He would be the centrepiece of the Raiders’ 3-headed monster of a LB core with Elijah Goldwater and Gene Bensen. He would help Long Island get their first McCallister Cup in 1958, taking home the Playoff MVP and McCallister Cup MVP awards. He continued to dominate with the Raiders, however, the team had to let him go due to the introduction of the Salary Cap. McVee signed with the Gold Stars and helped them reach the playoffs in 3 straight seasons, but did fall just short of the McCallister Cup, losing in the game in 1963. He ended up leaving the Gold Stars after the Cup appearance to return to his home area to play for the Steelheads and got the team to the playoffs in all 3 seasons. McVee finally decided to end his career, which may come as a sigh of relief for many players who feared his hits, a sure sign of respect…I hope. An impressive stat for McVee is wherever McVee went, he also managed to make them into playoff contenders, in his 14 seasons he saw the playoffs in 12 of them.


DL Vernon Spears - New York City, NY - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
Drafted: 1954 LI - Round 1, Pick 1
Teams: Long Island Hawks/Raiders (1954-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1958, 1965)
Captaincy: LI - C (1957-1966)
All-Stars: 7 (1957-1963)
Player of the Week: 4

After being selected with the first overall selection in the 1954 draft, DL Vernon Spears had the tough task of replacing the recently traded DL Sean Bowen. It would be hard to do considering the Hawks were heading into a heavy rebuild. However, he very quickly started to get the team moving forward. In just his second season, he would help the Raiders reach the McCallister Cup. He continued to grow and get comfortable in the defence and the team. Many teammates began to highly respect Spears. This is why he was named the team’s first captain in 1957. From there, he played a vital role in the Raiders' success in the late ’50s. He was able to reign in LB Rusty McVee and get the Raiders their first cup in 1958 and then helped with 2 more West Division titles in the following seasons. Unfortunately, the Raiders could not capitalize on another cup win and had to go into another rebuild. However, with Spears leading the way on defence, it did not take long for the team to find their groove again and went to back-to-back McCallister Cups in 1964 and 1965. They took home the ‘65 title, and go Spears to stay on for one last season. After falling short, the league’s longest-serving captain has finally decided to call it a career. 


DL Olympus Heights - Oshawa, ON - Creator: Thehealthiestscratch
Drafted: 1955 ON - Round 1, Pick 5
Teams: Ontario/London Tigers (1955-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 5 (1958-1961, 1963)
Player of the Week: 5

Heights was selected 5th overall in the 1955 draft after the Ontario Tigers traded back from the 3rd spot. They had their eye on the smart and ever-improving D-lineman. It took him a bit of time to truly kick into gear, but by 1958, Heights was becoming a regular all-star. His favourite place to be in the game was in the backfield, stopping running backs in their tracks and giving QB’s a good reminder to throw the ball. During the Tigers’ run of 3 straight McCallister Cup appearances, Heights was a part of one of the more frustrating D-lines in the league that featured, Dee Floyd, William Collins, and a young Richard Blunt. He certainly was important to the Tigers’ success including 2 Cup wins in 1960 and 1963. His friendly, fun-loving personality tied really well to his leadership on the line, keeping everyone focused but having a good time. Heights retires not really knowing what he will do, but it’s very likely we see him either as a coach or in the press box in the future.


RB Clifford Russell - New York City, NY - Creator: GoRedSox96
Drafted: 1956 ON - Round 1, Pick 3
Teams: Ontario/London Tigers (1956-1966)
Captaincy: LDN - A (1961-1965)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 1 (1962)
Player of the Week: 6

Despite being taken with the 3rd overall selection in the 1956 draft, Russell was not the first RB picked. The top RB was Scott Mallard-White, who went to Montreal with the first pick. Russell was not expected to be quite as good as Mallard-White out of the gate, however, he stole the show during the first season, winning the rookie of the year award in 1956. Russell’s explosive running ability made London’s offence significantly better almost immediately. Every play started to feel like Russell could break off for 20+ yards. Russell would consistently put up around 15 touchdowns a season over the Tigers’ 3 year run of McCallister Cup appearances, being a key piece behind QB Riley Kiernan. Russell was important for the Tigers not only on the field but off as well. He was a pure leader that every player looked up to, which is why he served as the teams’ alternative captain between 1961 and 1965. Even outside of the team he was a role model with his consistent work on civil rights and fighting for equality, and initiative that the London Tigers and the NAAF have been in full support of. Russell spent his entire career with the Tigers, winning 2 McCallister Cups. Unfortunately, his career has been cut short, as he suffered several injuries over his last few seasons which hindered his running ability significantly. Russell plans on continuing his fight for rights off the field but has been open to the possibility of returning to football down the line.


OL Sal Valcano - Fort Drum, NY - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1955 BOS - Round 2, Pick 15
Teams: Boston Independents (1955-1966)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1961)
All-Stars: 4 (1958, 1960-1962)

Valcano was drafted by the Boston Independents, 15th overall in 1955. He was one of the first pieces Boston grabbed to try and kickstart their rebuild. Valcano was not expected to be super talented, but just be a solid piece on the line, but he managed to exceed that. His army background and discipline tied heavily into his ability to get better every day. He became a staple on the line for many years. He earned 4 All-Star nods during the late-50’s and early 60s, during the height of Boston’s most recent success under QB Nathaniel Braddock. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Independents, which did earn him a championship in 1961. He will retire with plans to return home and continue to train and potentially get back to serving.


LB Daniel Carpenter - Toronto, ON - Creator: Wallflower
Drafted: OFU
Teams: Toronto Steelheads (1964-1966)
Captaincy: TOR - A (1964-1966)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 2 (1964-1965)

Carpenter’s time in the NAAF was quite short overall, but he made his mark. Carpenter came over with the Ontario Football Union when it merged with the NAAF. He quickly signed on to remain in Toronto, where he had been terrorizing the OFU. He is the all-time tackle leader for the Lakers, and well the Steelheads now as well. Carpenter was pretty much the LB Scotty Williams of the OFU with his dominant play down the middle. In his time in the NAAF, Carpenter helped the Steelheads reach the playoffs in all 3 seasons he played. His leadership both on and off the field was super important to the success, especially when dealing with characters such as Rusty McVee. Carpenter will not be the greatest NAAF players ever, but his contributions to Toronto sports and football as a whole is certainly worth mentioning.

DB Lou Lake - Hoboken, NJ - Creator: Dan O’Mac
Drafted: 1955 BUF - Round 1, Pick 6
Teams: Buffalo Blue Wings (1955-1964), Indiana Victors (1965), Buffalo Blue Wings (1965)
McCallister Cups: 3 (1957, 1964, 1966)
All-Stars: 1 (1957)
Player of the Week: 2

The Blue Wings took a shot at a young Lou Lake with the 6th overall selection in the 1955 draft. The guy they got was one with great instincts and he was able to make waves fairly early in his career, getting his one all-star appearance in 1957 during Buffalo’s 2nd championship season. Lake continued to lead by example in the Blue Wings’ secondary completing 10 seasons with the Blue Wings and becoming a fan favourite. After getting his second ring with Buffalo in 1964, Lake was a casualty of some roster retooling in Buffalo and was sent to Indiana. He played a single season in Indiana as a veteran leader with a smaller role. After the year, he stated that unless he was able to play one last season in Buffalo, he would just call it a career. His wish was granted and he signed with Buffalo and played an important role in relief for injuries en route to a 3rd championship win in his final season.


LB Gene Bensen - Springfield, MA - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
Drafted: 1955 LI - Round 2, Pick 13
Teams: Long Island Raiders (1955-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1958, 1965)
All-Stars: 1 (1962)
Player of the Week: 1

Bensen started his career after being drafted 13th overall in the 1955 draft. He stepped into the rebuilding Raiders team and got a little lost in the waves originally. His shy and antisocial personality caused him to become a little lost, but DL Vernon Spears helped get him up to speed and by 1958 was a key member of the Raiders 3-headed monster. He continued to roll, getting more comfortable with the team and earned an All-Star nod in 1962. However, his career fell off near the end with injuries affecting his ability to be in the lineup. Bensen had another injury this season which pretty much ended his career with the team and he decided that it would be the end come the offseason. He retires as a 2-time champion and a still well-liked member of the Raiders’ history.


DB Ricardo Salvador - Jamaica Plain, MA - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1955 PRO - Round 3, Pick 18
Teams: R.Providence Gold Stars (1955-1956), Ontario/London Tigers (1956-1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1960, 1963)
All-Stars: 1 (1958)
Player of the Week: 1

The Providence Gold Stars took a chance on a young DB in the 3rd round of the 1955 draft, however, he was certainly a long shot to make it to the roster from the start. After spending the first year and a half on the reserve list, the Gold Stars traded the young player to the Tigers to acquire the famed RB Laurent Brazeau. Salvador immediately jumped into the Tigers lineup and showed what he was made of. While there were mistakes he showed that his instincts served him well and he was able to make plays. The Tigers felt they had a future star on their hands. They were right as Salvador blossomed into their #1 DB for a few seasons which earned him an All-Star nod. He continued to roll, helping the Tigers reach the McCallister Cup 4 times and winning twice. Salvador was a loud and proud member of the Tigers who always seemed to have fun. Though he is still humble and certainly felt that his speed was not where it used to be this season as he was getting beat a little more easily. Thus, he decided to call it a career. 


QB Christian Stewart - Kitchener, ON - Creator: No Name
Drafted: 1952 - TOR.T - Round 2, Pick 10
Teams: Toronto/Ontario/London Tigers (1952-1960), Louisville Thunder (1961), Providence Gold Stars (1962-1963), Toronto Steelheads (1964-1966)
Captaincy: ON/LDN - A (1957-1958)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1960)
Player of the Week: 2

Stewart was the second QB ever taken in a NAAF draft following only QB Riley Kiernan. However, he did not get to be the starter out of the gate as the Tigers had acquired QB Duane Logan earlier in the draft. Stewart would spend his first 4 seasons backing up Logan before he was given the starting job for the 1956 season. While the season got off to a tough start, he managed to help turn the team around in the second half to make the playoffs for the first time in the team’s history. The next season, he hoped to be even better, however, he struggled a bit more in his second season as a starter and the Tigers missed the playoffs after a solid start. In 1958, the Tigers acquired Riley Kiernan from the Athletics, but Stewart remained the starter going into the season. Unfortunately for Stewart, he suffered a major injury in the first game of the season which allowed Kiernan to take over and not look back. Stewart remained with the Tigers despite not being the starter. In 1960, Stewart stepped up after Kiernan was hurt in the final game of the season. Stewart would lead the Tigers to back-to-back playoff wins, including an OT thriller with the Raiders, to get the team back to the McCallister Cup. Kiernan returned for the championship and secured the team’s first championship. After that season, Stewart was given the chance to explore other options. He would be sent to the Thunder for a season, before going to Providence for two. He never got a starting opportunity and eventually returned to Toronto, where his career started and played 3 years for the Steelheads before calling it a career. Stewart will be remembered for probably the best backup performance in the playoffs as many Tigers’ fans will remember his importance to their first championship. 


QB Rigobert St-Hilaire - Montreal, QC - Creator: ZO82
Drafted: 1953 - Round 3, Pick 20
Teams: R.Montreal Rouge (1953-1954), Montreal Rouge (1955-1956), Long Island Raiders (1957-1959), Providence Gold Stars (1960-1961), London Tigers (1962-1964), Montreal Rouge (1965), Louisville Thunder (1966)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1958, 1963)

St-Hilaire was not looked at as a great QB option when he was drafted in 1953, but the Rouge liked the local talent and took a chance. It took a bit of time for St-Hilaire to break into the active roster, but he eventually was there in 1955. That season, he saw the field quite a bit with starting QB Lee Rogers struggling throughout the season. The same story in 1956, as he replaced veteran Bruce Woodard halfway through. Unfortunately, Montreal was not keen on him being a long-term option so they traded him to Long Island along with LB Rusty McVee. St-Hilaire backed up QB Lyle Painter for a few seasons in Long Island, being brought in for trick plays with RB Armando Amaro, who also had previous QB experience and would throw it to St-Hilaire. He eventually went to Providence where he came in for an injured Connor O’Rourke for a few games. He would spend 3 seasons in London where he didn’t see the field but got an opportunity when he returned to Montreal due to a Gene Bishop injury at the end of the 1965 season. This past year, he got another chance in Louisville with QB Leonidas Dumont hurt. He had his worse performance and was even replaced by the 3rd string QB Nikolas Diakos. His running ability that made him more of a threat was no longer there and he struggled because of it. He retires being a consistent backup around the league.


QB Caldwell Higgins III - London, ON - Creator: Darknes
Drafted: 1954 - Round 2, Pick 13
Teams: R.Boston Independents (1954-1955), Boston Independents (1956-1957), Indiana Victors (1958-1960), Worcester/The Athletics/Halifax Mariners (1961-1963), London Tigers (1964-1965), Buffalo Blue Wings (1966)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1966)

Higgins III was drafted in 1954 to be the successor to QB Larry Larson who was in his final season. However, Higgins did need some time to develop, so he remained on the reserve list until the 1956 season. He would start the seasons as the backup but took over for Brian Meadows mid-season. He performed well enough to be the starting QB going into the 1957 season. The season started well, but after a few losses in a row, Higgins was pulled for QB Bart Swayze. Swayze led the team to the playoffs, but crumbled in their game against the Raiders and Higgins took over for the second half. Boston was not satisfied with their QBs and after drafting Nathaniel Braddock, they sent Higgins to Indiana, where he once again got put in mid-season for Duane Logan and played well. He earned the starting job the next season but was pulled midway through after struggling. After 3 years in Indy, Higgins landed in Worcester. He once again took over the starting job mid-season in his first season. He would be the starter for the infamous The Athletics, though splitting time with Michael Benedict and Buck Murphy. In the team’s first season in Halifax, Higgins had his best career season, helping the Mariners stay in the hunt throughout the season, though they inevitably missed the playoffs. Halifax did decide to go younger so Higgins would sign with his hometown club in London, where he never saw much of the field. He was about to retire last season, but Buffalo called and he would be the 3rd string on a championship squad. An up and down career still ends on a high with a big championship win.


Other notable Retirements
TE Paul McDowell - Cliffside Park, NJ - Creator: Cardiac Cardinal - Drafted: 1955 - ON R4: P27
Teams: R.ON (1955), ON/LDN (1956-1963)*, OTT (1963-1964), TOR (1965-1966)
TE Micheal Bowman III - Albany, NY - Creator: MyTeamIsDr.Pepper - Drafted: 1955 - PRO R2: P10
Teams: PRO (1955-1965), LDN (1965), LI (1966)
DL Chester Avery - Oakville, ON - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: OFU
Teams: TOR (1964-1966)
S Daniel Perry - Kitchener, ON - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: OFU
Teams: TOR (1964-1966)
DB Jared Francis - Sudbury, ON - Creator: Cardiac Cardinal - Drafted: 1955 - BUF R3: P19
Teams: R.BUF (1955-1956), BUF (1957-1960), PRO (1961), LI (1962), MTL (1962-1964), LOU (1965-1966)
WR Daniel Irons - Rochester, NY - Creator: Darknes - Drafted: 1956 - BUF R2: P14
Teams: R.BUF (1956), BUF (1957-1966)
RB Don Gregson - Uxbridge, MA - Creator: TigersFan93 - Drafted: 1956 - BOS R4: P26
Teams: R.BOS (1956-1957), LDN (1958-1960), IND (1961-1963), OTT (1964-1965), HFX (1965-1966)
OL Alen Williams - Toronto, ON - Wallflower - Drafted: OFU
Teams: BUF (1964-1966)
DB Bob Ellis - Toronto, ON - GoRedSox96 - Drafted: 1956 - ON R3: P19
Teams: R.ON (1956), ON/LDN (1957-1966)
DL Troy Hunt - Williamsport, PA - Creator: Captain Mort 3D - Drafted: 1956 - OTT R1: P8
Teams: R.OTT (1956), OTT (1957-1963), LOU (1964-1965), MTL (1966)

Last edited by Wallflower (1/29/2022 10:49 pm)


     Thread Starter
 

2/02/2022 8:02 pm  #1917


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

1967 Staff Changes

Emil Riddle’s retirement was the first domino to fall in Louisville. After the rough 1-11 season, they were looking to clean house. GM Calvin Carpenter was fired shortly after Riddle’s announcement. Carpenter had been with the team since they came into the NAAF in 1957. DC Hugo Martinez then also stepped down from his Defensive Coordinator role to pursue new opportunities. Martinez has been Riddle’s DC through his entire career. OC Paul McMahon would not be officially fired from his OC role, but the team would likely be looking at other options.

Louisville was not the only team looking to make big changes. Boston’s embarrassing 2-10 season led to the firing of GM Earnest Bryan. Bryan had a reputation to stay pat unless given direction, so the team is hoping for a new direction.

The hunt for new GM’s saw many names come up. Both teams had 6 total candidates interviewed. Boston was able to narrow it down to 3 options with former Providence GM Allen Hutchinson, former Rouge GM and Boston native, Virgil Gross, and surprisingly former star QB Larry Larson who currently leads the NAAF’s players committee. Louisville had some similar names in their hunt with Allen Hutchinson making it to a second interview, but the finalists ended up being former Victors GM Jacob Harrell and Louisville’s current Assistant GM Robbie Wilson.

Thunder owner Vince Forsyth certainly likes to keep things close to home so in the end, he went with his more trusted candidate and hired Robbie Wilson as the new GM. Wilson will headline the start of a rebuild for the Thunder, luckily he has some scouting background which should help in the evaluation of young talent. As for Boston, owner Benjamin Harris is certainly ready for a more aggressive Boston organization and has hired Allen Hutchinson to be the GM. Hutchinson showed an ability to make the most out of tough situations during his time in Providence, so the hope will be he can do the same for Boston after the horrid season.

Louisville would immediately start their hunt for a new head coach following the appointment of Wilson as GM. However, Boston would join them as Hutchinson’s first move was to fire Johnathan Fox after just one season in the role. Louisville would interview 12 candidates for the role while Boston interviewed 10. The Thunder had 5 finalists in LI OC Levi Bray, IND OC Malachi Knowles, former BOS HC Ben McMillan, IND DC Carroll Moss, and BUF DC Steve Pallard. Bray, Knowles, and McMillan were looked at as the favourites with Bray and Knowles both being very talented and seeming deserving of the role, and McMillan who had a lot of success with the Independents. Boston on the other hand had only 4 finalists in LI OC Levi Bray, LDN OC Dewey Doyle, IND OC Malachi Knowles, and IND DC Carroll Moss. Bray and Knowles were once again the top dogs in this fight, but Dewey Doyle was an interesting change-up. Overall, Boston was hoping to grab an offensive-minded coach to get the most out of QB Nathaniel Braddock. 

At the end of the process, the Thunder ended up hiring Malachi Knowles to be the new HC. The former Boston OL has lots of experience as an OC in the NAAF. He has also been a key factor in several QBs' success. Most notable, QB Nathaniel Braddock’s development, QB Lyle Painter’s MVP Season, and QB Tom Applewhite’s breakout year last season. His offensive mind is a great get for the Thunder.

As for Boston, they would end up with Levi Bray as their new coach. Bray has been with the Raiders for the last 6 seasons after coming over from the ACFL’s New Jersey Chargers. He’s been waiting for a chance to get a head coaching job since and after turning the Raiders’ offence into a strong force he’s been given the opportunity with Boston. 

With all the key pieces in place, there were several other changes to coordinators around the league. Louisville ended up bringing OC Paul McMahon back, but Knowles decided to bring DC Carrol Moss over from the Victors. The two have worked together for many years and they would like to keep it that way. Boston ended up bringing on former Thunder DC Hugo Martinez to rebuild the defence. Martinez is a veteran and should provide a much-needed older voice in the locker room. As for the OC role, Levi Bray would bring in former New Jersey Chargers QB Charlie Shepard to take on the role as OC. Shepard had been the QB while Bray was in NJ and the two got along really well, so Bray knew he would be a great guy to have to help him on offence.

Elsewhere, the Blacksmiths decided to change things up on defence and would hire former Boston DC Arnold Baker. Baker needed a fresh start after having a very antagonistic relationship with Johnathan Fox in Boston last season. Providence would shift to University of Western New York’s OC Gregory Curtis to take on the team’s OC role. It’s a bit of a questionable move, but HC Garrett Boone is hoping to bring a fresh mind to rejuvenate the offence. Indiana needed to fill both of its coordinator roles after both Knowles and Moss left for Louisville. They would hire two former Independent coaches, bringing on OC Lou Granger for the offence and then HC Johnathan Fox to the defence. Granger has shown promise on offence and maybe with more control, can really show what he’s got, and Fox was in Indy for the season before going to Boston, so he should fit in nicely next to the well-respected HC Dannell Willis. Lastly, the Raiders would replace Levi Bray with former NAAF QB Andrew Glover. Glover was known for winning the 1953 McCallister Cup with Montreal and being a great leader in the locker room. He had also spent 1 season in Long Island in 1955. 

TL:DR - New Hires
BOSTON
Out
GM Earnest Bryan
HC Johnathan Fox
OC Lou Granger
DC Arnold Baker
In
GM Allen Hutchinson - previously worked for PRO
HC Levi Bray - from LI OC
OC Charlie Shepard - QB from New Jersey (ACFL); Jersey State QB Coach
DC Hugo Martinez - from LOU DC

INDIANA
Out
OC Malachi Knowles
DC Carroll Moss
In
OC Lou Granger - from BOS OC
DC Johnathan Fox - from BOS HC

LOUISVILLE
Out
GM Calvin Carpenter
HC Emil Riddle - RETIREMENT
DC Hugo Martinez - RESIGNED
In
GM Robbie Wilson - From LOU Assistant GM
HC Malachi Knowles - from IND OC
DC Carroll Moss - from IND DC

LONG ISLAND
out
OC Levi Bray
In
OC Andrew Glover - from LOU QB Coach; former NAAF QB

PITTSBURGH
Out
DC Jerome Morris
In
DC Arnold Baker - from BOS

PROVIDENCE
Out
OC Dean Parrish
In
OC Gregory Curtis - from U of Western New York OC


     Thread Starter
 

2/04/2022 2:03 pm  #1918


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

Good to see Louisville clean house, especially after the bad season.


Owner of the Texas Jackalopes 
2008-2009 AltBA Champions
 

2/07/2022 5:42 pm  #1919


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

1967 Re-sign Stage
*This is a longer format for the re-sign stage, I wanted to try and provide some more information, as this post usually isn't all that exciting. Basically, a rundown of the salary situation heading into free agency and then gives all the players the team extended, which is valuable considering the league is almost entirely community-created prospects now, so you should recognize some names. 

1967 Salary Cap: $615,000
Available Bonus - this is calculated by taking the remaining cap space and removing the total minimum amount of money they would have to spend by giving the remaining slots a minimum wage.

BOSTON INDEPENDENTS
The big deal in Boston was with QB Nathaniel Braddock, who needed a new contract. Braddock was still committed to the Independents and decided to even cut his pay (though only by $2,000), but it does open up a bit more cash for Boston to go after players this offseason. They would bring back some key players especially in the WR core in Evan Clanton and Alexei Dubois signing multi-year contracts.

Roster: 24/40
Cap Space: $211,000
Available Bonus: $91,000

Signings
QB Nathaniel Braddock - 4Y, $38,000 - NTC
OL Graham Chambers - 2Y, $23,000 - NTC
OL Stephane Lloris - 2Y, $12,000
WR Evan Clanton - 4Y, $22,000
WR Alexei Dubois - 2Y, $21,000
WR Davis Benny - 1Y, $8,000
TE Tobias Lindholm - 1Y, $15,000
DL Allen St.Benson - 1Y, $15,000
DL Timmy Kerr - 1Y, $22,000
LB Kyle Essena - 1Y, $10,000
S Ernie Osborn - 3Y, $18,500
S Jack Simon - 1Y, $12,000
K Johnnie Berg - 1Y, $12,000

BUFFALO BLUE WINGS
The Blue Wings had the difficult task of keeping the band together at a reasonable price. The big fish was RB Jimmy Golden who signed on for 2 more years at $35,000, but even LB Randall Lambert and S Wesley Jones both got their own raises. Overall, Buffalo will have very little room to work with for Free Agency.

Roster: 30/40
Cap-Space: $85,000
Available Bonus: $10,000

Signings
QB Jack Owens - 1Y, $15,000
RB Jimmy Golden - 2Y, $35,000 - NTC
RB Théodore Lemieux - 1Y, $15,000
RB Kelvin Terrell - 1Y, $8,000
OL Georgio Stephan - 1Y, $14,500 - NTC
OL Clancy Harrison - 3Y, $14,500
OL Jonah Lucas - 2Y, $12,000
OL Randall Graham - 1Y, $10,000
DL Dennis Hughes - 1Y, $15,000
LB Randall Lambert - 2Y, $20,000
LB Brady O’Conner - 1Y, $12,000
DB Nick Ulbach - 1Y, $16,000
DB Johnny Fairbanks - 1Y, $16,000
S Wesley Jones - 2Y, $28,000
S Manual Ray - 1Y, $7,500

HALIFAX MARINERS
The Mariners seemed to like the team they had put together last season and will look to maintain that core group. They were able to bring back a couple of important players in RB Ronald O’Sullivan, OL Ward Briscoe, and S Jay Shephard. LB Douglas MacDougall also decided to return, as he was happy to play closer to home in the Maritimes.  

Roster: 32/40
Cap Space: $93,000
Available Bonus: $33,000

Signings
QB Jace Beleren 1Y, $10,000
RB Ronald O’Sullivan - 2Y, $26,000 - NTC
OL Ward Briscoe - 2Y, $23,500 - NTC
OL David Alexander - 1Y, $8,000
WR Nick Nacker - 1Y, $13,500
TE Oliver Chandler - 1Y, $15,000
DL Martin Garfield - 1Y, $18,000
DL Chauncy Overstreet - 1Y, $10,000
LB Pepper Burress - 2Y, $18,500
LB Douglas MacDougall - 2Y, $22,500
DB William Quincy - 1Y, $16,000
DB Finnegan Pike - 1Y, $8,000
S Jay Shephard - 2Y, $25,000 - NTC
S Kyle Leonard - 1Y, $15,000
K Albert Wickerweaver - 2Y, $12,000

INDIANA VICTORS
Similar to the Mariners, the Victors were quite satisfied with their squad or the players in their system as they will head into free agency with only 6 slots open. The most important sighting for the team was in QB Tom Applewhite, to which they locked up for 3 years on a relatively cheap contract.

Roster: 34/40
Cap Space: $100,500
Available Bonus: $55,500

Signings
QB Tom Applewhite - 3Y, $25,000
QB Jimm Kidd - 1Y, $12,500
OL Eustace Cloudwell - 1Y, $10,000
DL Fred Webster - 3Y, $20,000
DL Douglas Jackson - 1Y, $8,000
LB Lucas Gladwell - 1Y, $7,500
DB David Jones - 1Y, $12,000
DB Ike Vander Waal - 1Y, $10,000
S Drew Porter - 1Y, $14,500 - NTC
K Ross Poindexter - 2Y, $13,000

LONDON TIGERS
The Tigers have been going through a bit of a regression in the last couple of seasons, but GM Joseph Johnson still seems committed to making the team as competitive as they can be. He retained several veterans like OL Magnus Gunnersson and WR Max Sutton. RB Austin Andrews also signed on for another 3 seasons. 

Roster: 26/40
Cap Space: $164,500 
Available Bonus: $59,500

Signings
RB Austin Andrews - 3Y, $22,000
RB Alex Warren - 1Y, $15,000
OL Magnus Gunnersson - 1Y, $13,000 - NTC
OL Barry Florence - 1Y, $13,500
OL Simeon Clarke - 1Y, $12,000 - NTC
WR Max Sutton - 1Y, $25,000 - NTC
WR Dwayne Alexander - 1Y, $14,000
TE Bob Friesen - 1Y, $8,000
S Neil Graham - 1Y, $25,000 - NTC
S Ezekiel Locke - 2Y, $14,000

LONG ISLAND RAIDERS
The Raiders focused a lot of their energy on keeping together the offensive line, bringing back 4 pending free agents at the start of the season. DB Alexander Bradley also decided to stay with the Raiders and will likely close out his long career with the team. 

Roster: 26/40
Cap Space: $167,750
Available Bonus: $62,750

Signings
OL Forrest Green - 2Y, $18,500
OL Brian O’Leary - 1Y, $17,500
OL Jerry Winecoff - 1Y, $10,000
OL Leroy Hankins - 1Y, $7,500
WR Bernard Sandeirs - 1Y, $12,750
DL Dean Leanman - 2Y, $15,000
DL Abraham Evans Jr. - 1Y, $10,000
LB Ed Krzano - 1Y, $12,500
DB Alexander Bradley - 1Y, $20,000 - NTC
DB Lauri Hayha - 2Y, $18,500
S Eric Willis - 2Y, $22,000

LOUISVILLE THUNDER
It appears the Thunder are aiming for an overhaul as they will have the fewest players on their roster heading into free agency. Only 20 players remain under contract, and only 8 had been re-signed. Luckily for some long-time Thunder fans, they will still have a couple of familiar names returning with OL Bernhard Altermann and S Johnny Berger.

Roster: 20/40
Cap Space: $272,500 
Available Bonus: $122,500

Signings
RB Greg Dix - 1Y, $16,500
OL Bernhard Altermann - 1Y, $18,000 - NTC
WR Chad Anderson - 1Y, $8,000
DL Winfield Winchester - 2Y, $17,500
DL Ernest Hemminger - 1Y, $8,000
S Johnny Berger - 2Y, $35,000 - NTC
S Tom McDougall - 1Y, $10,000
K Frank Hughes - 1Y, $12,000

MONTREAL ROUGE
Montreal was another team that was quite satisfied with their team from last season, most likely since they were in the final. However, they had a lot more work to do to maintain most of the core group. QB Gene Bishop was interestingly signed to only 2 seasons (which might be due to the injuries he has suffered over the last two seasons). Montreal brought both of their RB’s back, and WRs Derek Cross and Yahui Sun.

Roster: 28/40
Cap Space: $126,000
Available Bonus: $36,000

Signings
QB Gene Bishop - 2Y, $36,000 - NTC
QB Joshua Nolan - 1Y, $14,500
RB Scott Mallard-White - 1Y, $20,000 - NTC
RB Hugo Hughes - 2Y, $26,500
OL Maxence Castex - 1Y, $15,000 - NTC
OL Harrison Ward - 1Y, $20,000 - NTC
OL Ross Guillebeaux - 1Y, $10,000
WR Derek Cross - 1Y, $27,000 - NTC
WR Yahui Sun - 2Y, $18,000
WR James Hess - 1Y, $8,000
DL Robin Hill - 1Y, $18,000
DL Harrison Fink  - 1Y, $16,000
LB Wilson Rockwood-Barnes - 1Y, $19,000
LB Jeremy Trudeau - 1Y, $8,000
DB Quentin Xavier - 1Y, $25,000 - NTC
S Frankie Munster - 1Y, $9,500
K Arthur Kettinger - 1Y, $15,000

OTTAWA ROYALS
The Royals' main focus for the re-sign stage was on QB Michael Benedict. They hoped that the 27-year-old could step up and be their QB, but they also wanted to be able to get out of it easily if things didn't work out. A 2 year, $24,000/yr deal was what was signed as the Royals hope to have some stability at the position for the first time since Jean Matieau retired.

Roster: 24/40
Cap Space: $252,500
Available Bonus: $132,500

Signings
QB Michael Benedict - 2Y, $24,000
RB Corbyn Knight - 2Y, $20,000 - NTC
OL Peter Kingsley - 2Y, $14,500
OL Fabrice Beaufort - 1Y, $14,000
WR Julian Santiago - 1Y, $12,000
TE Wayne Bruce - 1Y, $15,000
LB Enzo Morello - 2Y, $14,000
LB Aristofane Zuccaro - 1Y, $10,000
DB Ole Snurlson - 1Y, $9,000

PITTSBURGH BLACKSMITHS
The Blacksmiths are hoping to take the next step towards being a top competing team this season. They focused on keeping the key players on the team like RB Carter Roy, WR Nathan Murray-Lawrence, and S Calvin Hobbes, but also keeping some veterans around like RB Stavros Black and TE Tanner Tint.

Roster: 27/40
Cap Space: $215,000 
Available Bonus: $117,500

Signings
RB Stavros Black - 1Y, $15,000 - NTC
RB Carter Roy - 2Y, $18,000
OL Jimmy McKay - 1Y, $15,500
OL Calvin Forman - 2Y, $15,000
WR Jack Duncan - 1Y, $20,000
WR Nathan Murray-Lawrence - 2Y, $20,000
TE Tanner Tint - 1Y, $17,500
DL Khalid Al-Amin - 1Y, $8,000
DL Howard Grant - 1Y, $16,000
LB Red Clarkson - 1Y, $18,000
DB Ty Boone - 1Y, $18,000
S Calvin Hobbes - 3Y, $20,000

PROVIDENCE GOLD STARS
Providence hopes to build off of a strong season last year to make a return to the playoffs. They brought back several key players like DL Calias McDonough and OL Varo Giovanni. They also gave some good money to some younger key pieces in LB Kenneth Mercer, OL Herman Mecklenburg, and S Paul Christopher.

Roster: 25/40
Cap Space: $168,500
Available Bonus: $56,000

Signings
QB Joel Joeson - 1Y, $10,000
OL Varo Giovanni - 1Y, $21,000
OL Herman Mecklenburg - 2Y, $17,500
WR Doug Piva - 3Y, $15,000
TE Andrew Mathias - 2Y, $15,000
TE Ronald Orwer - 1Y, $8,000
DL Calias McDonough - 1Y, $25,000
LB Kenneth Mercer - 1Y, $17,500
S Paul Christopher - 2Y, $19,000
S Ronnie Kirkpatrick - 1Y, $12,000

TORONTO STEELHEADS
Toronto’s game plan is an uncertain one. They seem to be just maintaining players they like and seeing where it takes them. With all the retirements they faced this offseason, they could be in the most uncertain position since joining the league.

Roster: 28/40
Cap Space: $125,500
Available Bonus: $50,500

Signings
QB Todd Baker - 2Y, $34,000
QB Leif Christiansen - 1Y, $7,500
OL Christopher Weeks - 1Y, $15,000
OL Daren Olsen - 1Y, $12,000
WR Paul Franklin - 1Y, $16,000
WR Kyle Hatherley - 1Y, $7,500
TE Jesse Butler - 3Y, $16,500
DL Dale Rothery - 1Y, $10,000
DB Evan Harris - 1Y, $20,000
S Nick Dixon - 2Y, $12,000
K Bob Randall - 1Y, $15,000

1967 Top 25 Free Agents
1 - WR Piers Key LOU
2 - WR Carter Henderson OTT
3 - LB Sam Wynn PIT
4 - S Peter Sellers PIT
5 - DB Bobby Bastian HFX
6 - DB Jacques Gaul PIT
7 - RB Kendall Morgan LI
8 - OL Kurt Booker HFX
9 - QB Buck Murphy PIT
10 - QB Lee Rogers HFX
11 - OL Stanley Witt BOS
12 - RB Wally Morton HFX
13 - DL Brian Alvagardo BOS
14 - DL Jordan-Eugene White HFX
15 - WR Samuel Petri TOR
16 - DL Steve Hamm PIT
17 - QB Mike Key MTL
18 - QB Landon Ross OTT
19 - RB Cody Barnes LDN
20 - DB Dennis Kirchner PRO
21 - OL Harrold Kera OTT
22 - WR Otto Washington LOU
23 - WR Sam Nash HFX
24 - LB Killian Reed BOS
25 - LB Norman Field PRO

Last edited by Wallflower (2/07/2022 11:10 pm)


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2/13/2022 5:23 pm  #1920


Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

1967 Free Agency Part 1
One of the most active free agency windows in recent seasons saw 23 of the top 25 free agents sign a new deal.

DB Bobby Bastian was one of the most interesting players. The former 7th overall pick never seemed to catch on with the Mariners and entered free agency to find a starting role somewhere else. It is rare to see such a highly drafted player be available at his age, so it attracted many teams. Bastian worked the teams to the best of his abilities. Early deals reportedly were coming in around $15,000-$16,000 for 2 years, however, by keeping more teams in the fight the price went up. By the end, he got a big $63,000 deal with the Thunder which was the largest signing so far this offseason. 

Louisville seemed keen on rebuilding their roster by going out and spending money. Along with Bastian, they added WR Carter Henderson from Ottawa, OL Kurt Booker from Halifax, QB Buck Murphy from Pittsburgh, WR Samuel Petri from Toronto, DB Larry Pickett from Long Island, and young LB Norman Field from Providence. The crazy spending frenzy has the team spending a total of $240,000 ($125,000/year) across all the players they signed. One of the most talked-about signings for the team was QB Buck Murphy. Following signing the contract, Murphy was reported to say: “If you think I’m here just to sit on the bench, think again. That job is open, I’m here to take it.” It may seem that Murphy is going to compete with QB Leonidas Dumont for the starting role this season, however, decisions are likely going to be made at training camp.

QB Landon Ross also hopes to find himself in a similar spot to Murphy with his new team in the Raiders. The young QB is out on the Royals job so he is hoping that maybe he can restart his career with the Raiders and compete with QB Stanley Troyer for the job. However, it is likely to be a difficult battle to win with Troyer being the established QB.

A few players decided to return to familiar places. RB Kendall Morgan and RB Wally Morton both returned to the teams that had traded them at the deadline. Not too much of a surprise as they enjoyed playing in those places and were only traded to give them a better opportunity with teams that had injured RBs QB Lee Rogers (HFX) and RB Cody Barnes (LDN) on the other hand decided to remain with the teams they were traded to. For Rogers, he hopes to be on a team with a chance to win, while Barnes appreciated being closer to his hometown of Sudbury, ON.

WR Piers Key, who has only played for the Thunder, decided to move up to Canada and signed with the Royals. Key is excited about the new situation and stated that the coaching staff and culture of the team were a major lure. DL Jordan-Eugene White also shared Key’s liking of the Royals organization and joined him on a 2-year deal. 

Along with Jordan-Eugene White, there were a couple of 27-year-old DL that ended up creating a bit of a bidding war. However, the winning teams would be Long Island in nabbing former Independent Brian Alvagardo and London signing form Blacksmith Steve Hamm.

LB Sam Wynn also was a high-profile free agent being the top LB when there is a lot of demand at the position. Wynn ended up being caught between signing a large deal with Long Island and Boston. In the end, he would end up signing with the Raiders, hoping to fight for another championship, as well as having his own distaste of Boston being a Pawtucket native and childhood Gold Stars fan. 

Louisville was very active, but so was Boston under their new GM Allen Hutchinson. While a lot of Boston’s signings were bringing back old players, they did add a couple few pieces in OL Harrold Kera, WR Sam Nash, and DB Dennis Kirchner. Kirchner didn’t seem to surprise a lot of people as Hutchinson had liked the player from his time in Providence. The team also added DL Remington Hart who returned to his hometown for one last season of football.

Providence was fairly quiet, but they did sign a pair of former Blacksmiths in S Peter Sellers and DB Elvin Waters. Sellers could be in contention to get some starting time next to S Paul Christopher as Providence hopes to not have so much volatility at the position.

Lastly, Montreal hoped to be a bit more active but the team ended up being on the safer side and brought back DB Malik Davenport and QB Mike Key. However, Key ended up being a difficult player to bring back as he was hoping a team may give him the chance to fight for a starting job after his performance in Gene Bishop’s absence last season. However, in the end, Montreal was the best place for him. The Rouge also attracted LB Damien Savoie, who had always dreamed of playing for the Rouge since he was a kid.

1967 Top Free Agents - Signed
1 - WR Piers Key LOU -> OTT 2Y, $20,000 - NTC
2 - WR Carter Henderson OTT -> LOU 2Y, $21,000
3 - LB Sam Wynn PIT -> LI 1Y, $21,500
4 - S Peter Sellers PIT -> PRO 1Y, $16,500
5 - DB Bobby Bastian HFX -> LOU 3Y, $21,000
6 - DB Jacques Gaul PIT -> LDN 1Y, $13,000
7 - RB Kendall Morgan LI -> BOS 1Y, $18,000
8 - OL Kurt Booker HFX -> LOU 2Y, $19,500
9 - QB Buck Murphy PIT -> LOU 2Y, $19,000
10 - QB Lee Rogers HFX -> HFX 1Y, $17,500
11 - OL Stanley Witt BOS -> BOS 1Y, $10,500
12 - RB Wally Morton HFX -> OTT 1Y, $18,000
13 - DL Brian Alvagardo BOS -> LI 2Y, $12,500
14 - DL Jordan-Eugene White HFX -> OTT 2Y, $15,000
15 - WR Samuel Petri TOR -> LOU 1Y, $19,000
16 - DL Steve Hamm PIT -> LDN 2Y, $15,000
17 - QB Mike Key MTL -> MTL 2Y, $18,500
18 - QB Landon Ross OTT -> LI 1Y, $16,000
19 -  RB Cody Barnes LDN -> LDN 1Y, $16,000
20 - DB Dennis Kirchner PRO -> BOS 1Y, $13,500
21 - OL Harrold Kera OTT -> BOS 2Y, $12,000
22 - WR Otto Washington LOU
23 - WR Sam Nash HFX -> BOS 1Y, $12,000
24 - LB Killian Reed BOS
25 - LB Norman Field PRO -> LOU 2Y, $13,000


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