Alternate History Sports » North American Association of Football

TheEnigmaticOne · 3/09/2025 8:52 pm

Ottawa has been on a bit of a slump, shame that Underhill hasn't been making the plays he needs to.

Wallflower · 3/16/2025 9:52 pm

1973 Week 9 Transactions

As we inch closer to the trade deadline ahead of Week 12, more deals are being struck.

GOLD STARS ADD FAIRBANKS
The Gold Stars would make a minor move with the Edmonton Rangers to add a depth DB in place of the injured DB Michael Cope. DB Johnny Fairbanks is headed to Providence for the Gold Stars’ 5th Round Pick in 1974. Fairbanks joins his 6th different team and will likely be coming off the bench as the Gold Stars’ DB3 to start.

MONTREAL FILLS HOLE ON D-LINE WITH SARGENT TRADE
Montreal was also in need of some backup due to injuries. With DL Alan Franjkovic and DL Khalid Al-Amin out now, the team needed some help on the D-line. They would add DL Ryan Sargent from Pittsburgh for a 5th Round Pick. Sargent is near the end of his career, but should still shore up the depth in the meantime for Montreal. Pittsburgh was happy enough to part ways with Sargent as it clears a bit of cap to allow the team to potentially make more moves later.

TORONTO AIMS TO SHAKE UP THE O-LINE, BRING IN FORMER 1ST ROUND PICK BARRETT FROM BUFFALO
Finally, a more substantial trade was made as the Toronto Steelheads would acquire OL Ty Barrett from the Buffalo Blue Wings in exchange for a 1974 3rd Round Pick. Toronto continued to try and improve their weaker O-line by bringing over a former 12th overall selection in Barrett. However, Barrett hasn’t quite lived up to the 1st Round selection, but GM Reginald McMahon, who drafted Barrett when he was in Buffalo, still believes in him and hopes he can be a part of the future. The trade also clears up some cap space for Buffalo who is expecting to make some more moves as they shake things up, where they may need to take on salary from other teams.

Last edited by Wallflower (3/16/2025 9:54 pm)

Wallflower · 3/19/2025 4:47 pm

1973 Week 9

Roster Moves
BOS: DL Bill Bailey | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
BOS: DL Greg Cox | Reserve List -> Active Roster
BOS: WR Raul Creek | Waivers -> Reserve List
BUF: OL Hobie McGough | Reserve List -> Active Roster
EDM: DB Kaden Newsbury | Reserve List -> Active Roster
HFX: OL Glenn Capson | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
HFX: OL Joseph Gibson | Active Roster -> Reserve List
LDN: DL Matt Brown | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
LDN: DL Russell Lynch | Active Roster -> Reserve List
MIN: OL Leroy Hankins | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
MIN: OL Clyde O’Neil | Waivers (VAN) -> Active Roster
MTL: DL Khalid Al-Amin | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
MTL: WR Trent Kunard | Waivers -> Reserve List
PRO: WR James Penguin | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PRO: WR Bryson Boyd | Waivers (HFX) -> Active Roster
PRO: DB Michael Cope | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PRO: OL Ted Cole | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PRO: OL Justin Tuckest | Reserve List -> Active Roster
TOR: OL Alec Smart | Active Roster -> Reserve List
VAN: RB Jeremiah Morrow | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
WPG: LB Nate Milton | Waivers -> Reserve List

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Halifax Mariners - 22 @ Indiana Victors - 30 - Victory Stadium - Thursday, August 16, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 37,197
1st Q
7-0: HFX - RTD RB Axel Vandal
7-7: IND - RTD RB Daniel Collins
2nd Q
14-7: HFX - PTD QB Todd Sparrow -> WR Jav Kerrigan
14-10: IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
2nd Q
15-10: HFX - Single K Albert Wickerweaver
15-16: IND - PTD QB Nathan Houle -> WR Jake Abbredezzi
15-23: IND - RTD RB Daniel Collins
4th Q
21-23: HFX - PTD QB Todd Sparrow -> WR Oliver Shephard
21-30: IND - RTD RB Daniel Collins
22-30: HFX - Single K Albert Wickerweaver

The Indiana Victors were able to pick up their 2nd straight win on Thursday Night, topping the Halifax Mariners.
RB Daniel Collins was the star on offence for Indiana, scoring 3 times in the win. QB Nathan Houle continued to string together another solid performance improving to 3-1 as a starter this season.
Halifax still had their moments as they lost their first inter-divisional contest of the season. QB Todd Sparrow was able to give Halifax a lead in the first half, but after a slow 3rd, they fell too far behind.

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Long Island Raiders - 32 @ London Tigers - 23 - Western Fair Stadium - Friday, August 17, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 27,539
1st Q
0-7: LDN - PTD QB Henry Johnsson -> WR Lloyd Lane
3-7: LI - FG K Vic Greatwood
3-10: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
2nd Q
10-10: LI - PTD QB Ivan Sanchez -> WR Larry Mossholder
16-10: LI - RTD RB Scott Norton
3rd Q
16-13: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
19-13: LI - FG K Vic Greatwood
19-20: LDN - RTD RB Jeremy Royal
22-20: LI - FG K Vic Greatwood
4th Q
29-20: LI - PTD QB Ivan Sanchez -> WR Frank Drysdale
29-23: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
32-23: LI - FG K Vic Greatwood

The Raiders extended their win streak to 4 games in a win over their long-time rivals in the London Tigers.
The contest was close throughout with each team trading blows, but the Raiders would eventually begin to pull away in the 2nd half on the back of K Vic Greatwood’s 4 field goals and QB Ivan Sanchez’s arm. The Raiders remain a top the East Division with the win.
The loss is another disappointment for the Tigers who have yet to get a statement win this season with their 4 wins coming against Central division teams below them in the standings. There are potential rumblings that the Tigers may try and shake things up soon as this has been a theme for the last several seasons.

Boston Independents - 31 @ Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - 33 - Riverfront Stadium of Pittsburgh - Saturday, August 18, 1973 - 3:00 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - Attendance: 48,048
1st Q
7-0: BOS - RTD RB Reggie Whitehead
7-7: PIT - PTD QB Louis Vaughn -> WR Taylor Austin
7-14: PIT - PTD QB Louis Vaughn -> WR Justin Anger
2nd Q
14-14: BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Al Allmendinger
14-17: PIT - FG K Dante DiBernardo
3rd Q
17-17: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
17-23: PIT - RTD RB Max Tracy
17-30: PIT - PTD QB Louis Vaughn -> WR Yahui Sun
4th Q
24-30: BOS - RTD RB Reggie Whitehead
31-30: BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Edward Webb
31-33: PIT - FG K Dante DiBernardo

Pittsburgh holds on for 3rd straight win despite O-line injuries and a Boston comeback attempt.
Pittsburgh seemed to be riding the momentum of their back-to-back wins over the Steelheads, getting out to a 17-30 lead, but then the injuries started to pile up with Erik Nelson, Ben Jammin, and Lars Nordssen all leaving the game early. Nelson’s injury was the most concerning as he had to be helped immensely after his knee completely gave out.
Boston would take advantage of the reeling Blacksmiths to come back and take a late lead off of a WR Edward Webb touchdown. Boston felt like they had their 5th straight win in the bag, but QB Louis Vaughn would find a way to get Pittsburgh down the field for a late-game-winning field goal.

SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Buffalo Blue Wings - 21 @ Montreal Rouge - 15 - Mount Royal Stadium - Saturday, August 18, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 46,197
1st Q
7-0: BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Tracy Driscoll
2nd Q
7-7: MTL - RTD RB Bo Frazier
8-7: BUF - Single K Ryan Perch
15-7: BUF - RTD RB Jasper Dickerson
3rd Q
18-7: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
18-13: MTL - PTD QB Martin Michaud -> WR Antonio Villanueva
18-15: MTL - 2PT RB Bo Frazier
4th Q
21-15: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch

Buffalo finally captured their first win of the season following the change at DC, handing Montreal their 4th loss in their last five games.
The Blue Wings’ defence looked much sharper under Lonnie Vincent, the new DC, holding a usually solid offence to just 15 points. The offence was also more steady with QB Charles Lemieux leading the way, while RB Jasper Dickerson ate at the weakened Montreal front.
QB Martin Michaud made his 2nd start for Montreal but had a much worse showing than in the narrow loss to Calgary last week, as he threw 3 interceptions. The performance likely will push Montreal to consider going and getting a different option over the bye week.

Louisville Thunder - 27 @ Ottawa Royals - 18 - Royals Stadium at Brewer Park - Sunday, August 19, 1973 - 1:00 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - Attendance: 44,658
1st Q
0-3: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
7-3: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Casey Coleman
2nd Q
7-6: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
10-6: LOU - FG K Rhys Kupp
10-9: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
3rd Q
17-9: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Casey Coleman
17-15: OTT - PTD QB Drake Young -> TE Luiss de Brands
4th Q
24-15: LOU - RTD RB Neil Bradley
24-18: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
27-18: LOU - FG K Rhys Kupp

Louisville rolled into Ottawa and extended their lead atop the Central division to 2 games and handed the Royals their 3rd consecutive loss.
WR Casey Coleman had a stellar performance, managing to outplay one of the best corners in the league in DB Sergio Alvarez, scoring twice in the win. The defence also made it tough for the Royals’ offence who struggled to finish drives all day long.
The Ottawa offence that was atop the league to start the season has all but vanished over the past 3 games, having been unable to crack 20 points after breaking 30 in 4 of their first 6. It’s a concerning development for the Royals who were in control of the East 3 weeks ago, but are now in the thick of the battle in the middle of the pack.

Toronto Steelheads - 6 @ Providence Gold Stars - 15 - New Providence Stadium - Sunday, August 19, 1973 - 4:30 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - Attendance: 57,338
1st Q
0-1: PRO - Single K Gilbert O’Neill
2nd Q
0-8: PRO - RTD RB Tresean Jones
3rd Q
0-15: PRO - PTD QB Red King -> WR Justin Palmer
3-15: TOR - FG K Frank Hughes
4th Q
6-15: TOR - FG K Frank Hughes

Providence bounced back from their shocking loss to Regina with a defensive win over the Steelheads.
Providence’s offence was still battered from their battle in Regina, hence they struggled against a still formidable Steelheads’ defence. However, their own defence was all over the Steelheads’ offence, only allowing a pair of field goals in the 2nd half.
Toronto’s O-line was being run over by the fantastic Providence D-line, giving QB Ryan Alexander no time in the backfield. That translated into a lot of incompletions, sacks, and turnovers, eventually leading to QB Landon Ross taking some snaps in the 4th.

Injury Report
BOS: DL Wayne Baxton - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
BOS: LB Benjamin Page - Illness - Day-to-Day
BUF: DB Charles Grimm - Tight Hamstring - Day-to-Day
BUF: QB Joel Joeson - Moderate Concussion - 3 Weeks
BUF: RB Robert Irwin - Dehydration - Day-to-Day
BUF: OL Humphrey Hogarth - Mild Ligament Sprain - 6 Weeks
HFX: WR Jav Kerrigan - Dehydration - Day-to-Day
HFX: RB Axel Vandal - Minor Bruise - Day-to-Day
LDN: LB Byron Seabrooke - Contusion - 2 Weeks
LOU: DB Oswald Murray - Illness - Day-to-Day
MTL: OL Mathieu Roy - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
MTL: DB Jean Paul du Pont - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
OTT: DB Tyler Hill - Hip Injury - 4 Weeks
PIT: OL Ben Jammin - Mild Concussion - 2 Weeks
PIT: WR Taylor Middleton - Shoulder Separation - 5 Weeks
PIT: OL Erik Nelson - Major Knee Injury (Torn ACL) - 49 Weeks
PIT: OL Lars Nordssen - High Ankle Sprain - 8 Weeks
PIT: WR Taylor Austin - Tight Calf - Day-to-Day
PRO: LB Nathaniel Lovelady - Sprained Ankle - 2 Weeks
TOR: S Grant Horos - Pectoral Strain - 3 Weeks
TOR: QB Harold Bryant - Strained Hamstring - 2 Weeks

Players of the Week

OFF: RB Daniel Collins IND - 3 Rushing Touchdowns, 98 Rushing Yards

DEF: DL Bartolo Cruz PRO - 3 Sacks, 7 Tackles

Standings
WEST
Vancouver - 6-2
Minnesota - 5-3
Regina - 4-4
Calgary - 4-4
Edmonton - 3-5
Winnipeg - 1-7

CENTRAL
Louisville - 6-2
London - 4-4
Pittsburgh - 4-4
Toronto - 3-5
Indiana - 3-5
Buffalo - 1-7

EAST
Long Island - 7-2
Providence - 6-3
Montreal - 5-4
Ottawa - 5-4
Boston - 5-4
Halifax - 3-6

Power Rankings
1 - Long Island -
2 - Vancouver -
3 - Louisville +4
4 - Boston -1
5 - Minnesota -1
6 - Providence -
7 - Ottawa -2
8 - Calgary +1
9 - Pittsburgh +2
10 - Montreal -2
11 - London -1
12 - Regina -
13 - Indiana +2
14 - Halifax -1
15 - Toronto -1
16 - Buffalo +1
17 - Edmonton -1
18 - Winnipeg -

Week 10 Games
REG (4-4) @ BUF (1-7) - AUG 23 - 7:00 PM ET - Thursday Night Football
LDN (4-4) @ EDM (3-5) - AUG 24 - 7:00 PM ET - Friday Night Football
IND (3-5) @ WPG (1-7) - AUG 25 - 2:00 PM ET
PIT (4-4) @ VAN (6-2) - AUG 25 - 7:00 PM ET - Saturday Night Football
MIN (5-3) @ TOR (3-5) - AUG 26 - 1:30 PM ET
CGY (4-4) @ LOU (6-2) - AUG 26 - 5:00 PM ET
BYE: BOS (5-4), HFX (3-6), LI (7-2), MTL (5-4), OTT (5-4), PRO (6-3)

Wallflower · 3/24/2025 4:56 pm

1973 Week 10 Transactions

WOLVES SHORE UP DEPTH IN TRADE WITH WINNIPEG
With yet another injury in the backfield to RB Jeremiah Morrow, the Wolves needed another RB. They were also hoping for additional help at LB with Shawn Anderson hurt and young LB Casey Miller struggling over the past couple of losses. They would land several pieces in a move with Winnipeg.

The full trade sees the Wolves acquire 29-year-old Surrey, BC product LB Kyrell Warner, as well as two former Wolves in RB Joseph Cook and WR Kendrick Newton in exchange for former 2nd Round Pick, WR Dennis Davtyan, a 1974 3rd Round Pick, and LB Patrick Lennon.

The Wolves get a local kid in Warner to rejuvenate the LB corps while Anderson gets back up to game speed. RB Joseph Cook returns after a couple of years in Regina and Winnipeg and will serve as the backup to RB Richard Morin down the stretch. WR Kendrick Newton mainly comes over to fill the spot left by Davtyan who is going the other way.

Winnipeg takes a bit of a risk with Davtyan, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, meaning he could leave after the season. He wasn’t expected to be able to make it up a deep-depth chart in Vancouver, hence why the team moved him. Winnipeg might have to give him some opportunities down the stretch if they hope to extend him. They also got Lennon back to fill the spot left by Warner.

MONTREAL PULLS THE TRIGGER ON A QB REPLACEMENT FOR INJURED APPLEWHITE
After the injury to QB Tom Applewhite, QB Martin Michaud took over starting duties. Unfortunately, Michaud has so far led back-to-back losses, which put pressure on the Rouge to get a more suitable replacement. They elected to go with a sturdy game-manager in QB Landon Ross, acquiring the 33-year-old along with DB Jim Norbel and OL Bert Sherman from the Toronto Steelheads in exchange for OL Phil Ampertis, a 1974 3rd Round Pick, and QB Brock Jennings.

Ross is a solid choice for the Rouge in a pinch, as he has shown to perform well in the regular season when surrounded by a solid team, as shown from his 8-3 record with the Gold Stars in 1970. Ross just needs to keep the Rouge a float down a difficult final stretch as Applewhite is expected to return ahead of the playoffs. The Rouge added Norbel to fill in a spot left by a couple of DB injuries to Real Monet and Nick Butler, while Sherman is a roster filler for Ampertis.

Similarly to Winnipeg, Toronto lands a player on the last year of their rookie deal. However, the Detroit native, who attended UHamilton, is more likely to stick around a team that has been completely reshaping their O-line. Ampertis is the next piece to the puzzle being one of the more promising long-term pieces they have now.

BOSTON HANDS KERA OVER TO PITTSBURGH FOR ALMOST NOTHING
OL Erik Nelson’s unfortunate season-ending injury has, at the very least, given Pittsburgh a lot of cap room to work with down the stretch. With other injuries to OL Ben Jammin and OL Lars Nordssen, the Blacksmiths were desperate to add any pieces to their O-line. Boston had been trying to move, regressing OL Harrold Kera’s less-than-ideal contract and Pittsburgh, with additional cap space, was willing to take him on. While Boston was more than willing to give Kera to Pittsburgh, they did need to take something back in return, so Pittsburgh gave them a Conditional 5th Round Pick in 1974 that would only go to Boston if Pittsburgh won the McCallister Cup.

3-TEAM TRADE SEES SEVERAL LINEBACKERS HEADING TO NEW TEAMS INCLUDING MAXWELL TREVORROW AND TUUKKA TARIITT
The Royals, Tigers, and Victors would make a 3-team swap that would see several linebackers change teams. The Royals would acquire LB Maxwell Trevorrow and undrafted WR Julius Provenza from Indiana, and a 1974 4th Round Pick from London. The Tigers would get LB Tuukka Tariitt from the Royals. Finally, the Victors would get a 1974 1st Round Pick from Ottawa and LB Garrett DeGraaf from London.

The Royals essentially get an upgrade at LB, acquiring a 26-year-old in Trevorrow, who has been an underrated part of the Victors’ LB corps. Trevorrow is not only a stronger player in recent seasons but also is 2-years younger than the departing Tariitt. Trevorrow also suits Ottawa’s culture, being a hard-working leader. WR Julius Provenza is added depth for Ottawa while WR Charles Toothacre remains out.

With the recent injury to LB Byron Seabrooke, the Tigers added depth with the acquisition of Tariitt. The injury-prone LB has been on the trade radar for over a year now, with Ottawa hoping for a more reliable piece. With the Tigers, Tariitt is set to be more of a depth role once Seabrooke returns which should keep him in action more consistently with a smaller role on the field.

Indiana simply gets a 1st Round pick out of a younger player as they continue their rebuild.

STAHL WAIVES NO-TRADE CLAUSE TO HEAD TO PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh wasn’t done with adding reinforcements to the O-line. They would swing a bit bigger than the earlier Kera trade, acquiring 5-time All-Star OL Viktor Stahl from the Indiana Victors. Stahl intended to finish out his career with the Victors, but after the regime change this past offseason, that became less of a reality. Indiana felt Stahl was a big piece they could move and ended up with a 1974 2nd Round Pick in the trade while retaining $5,000 of his salary. Stahl, while initially resistant to being traded, eventually gave in when he was involved in a meeting with GM Cooper Ellington of the Blacksmiths that seemed to change his mind.

Wallflower · 3/28/2025 6:13 pm

1973 Week 10

Roster Moves
BOS: OL Lewis Murray | Reserve List -> Active Roster
BUF: OL Humphrey Hogarth | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
BUF: OL George Rooney | Reserve List -> Active Roster
BUF: QB Joel Joeson | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
BUF: QB Nathan Stauheim | Reserve List -> Active Roster
EDM: LB Rhett Bradberry | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
EDM: LB Spencer Morrison | Active Roster -> Reserve List
IND: OL Mackens Stevenson | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
LDN: WR Cole Fletcher | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
LDN: WR Jarred Reid | Active Roster -> Reserve List
LI: DB Rutherford Winters | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
LI: DB Dan DeLeon | Active Roster -> Reserve List
MTL: TE Sylvain Leblanc | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
MTL: TE Greg Perry | Active Roster -> Waivers
MTL: DB Nick Butler | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
OTT: DL Skip Chambray | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
OTT: DL Chuck Thomas | Active Roster -> Waivers
PIT: OL Erik Nelson | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PIT: OL Lars Nordssen | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PIT: WR Taylor Middleton | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PIT: WR Lukas Sanchez | Reserve List -> Active Roster
TOR: DB Joseph Ahmed | Reserve List -> Active Roster
TOR: QB Brock Jennings | Active Roster (Trade) -> Reserve List
TOR: QB Curtis Chapell | Reserve List -> Active Roster
WPG: RB Jarius Pederson | Reserve List -> Active Roster

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Regina Wheat Kings - 18 @ Buffalo Blue Wings - 29 - Milton Charles Stadium - Thursday, August 23, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 53,020
1st Q
0-7: BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Owen Paisley
7-7: REG - PTD QB Stanley Evans -> WR Leonard Green
7-10: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
2nd Q
7-13: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
7-20: BUF - RTD RB Jasper Dickerson
3rd Q
14-20: REG - RTD RB Deion Chapman
14-23: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
14-26: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
4th Q
15-26: REG - Single K Mark Mundle
18-26: REG - FG K Mark Mundle
18-29: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch

The Blue Wings picked up their 2nd straight win, beating the Wheat Kings by 11 on Thursday Night Football.
Buffalo’s offence rolled to a 7-20 lead in the first half, while their defence was showing more growth following their coaching change from a couple of weeks ago.
The Wheat Kings were in the game early on a WR Leonard Green touchdown, but their luck from their last win over the Gold Stars was not present, and they fell back below .500.

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
London Tigers - 37 @ Edmonton Rangers - 16 - Forest Heights Park - Friday, August 24, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET/5:00 PM MT - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 28,375
1st Q
7-0: LDN - RTD RB Jeremy Royal
10-0: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
10-3: EDM - FG K Nigel Stewart
2nd Q
17-3: LDN - PTD QB Henry Johnsson -> WR Lloyd Lane
17-10: EDM - PTD QB Mike Key -> WR Stanley McClendon
17-13: EDM - FG K Nigel Stewart
3rd Q
20-13: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
20-16: EDM - FG K Nigel Stewart
27-16: LDN - PTD QB Henry Johnsson -> WR Cole Fletcher
30-16: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
4th Q
37-16: LDN - RTD RB Jeremy Royal

The Tigers’ offence showed their potential in a dominant win over the Rangers.
QB Henry Johnsson performed more like he had last season, throwing a pair of deep touchdowns en route to a very important win that moves the team back into a playoff spot. The defence also picked it up, especially in the 2nd half, only allowing 3 points over the final 2 quarters.
Edmonton was hanging with the Tigers in the first half behind QB Mike Key, but several turnovers and miscues in the 2nd half led to the lopsided final result.

Indiana Victors - 21 @ Winnipeg Falcons - 22 - Provencher Park - Saturday, August 25, 1973 - 2:00 PM ET/1:00 PM CT - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 21,394
1st Q
7-0: IND - RTD RB Ronnie Byers
7-7: WPG - PTD QB Mitchell Nash -> WR Elijah Skinner
7-8: WPG - Single K Jordan Hollingsworth
2nd Q
14-8: IND - PTD QB Nathan Houle -> WR Jake Abbredezzi
3rd Q
14-11: WPG - FG K Jordan Hollingsworth
4th Q
14-14: WPG - FG K Jordan Hollingsworth
21-14: IND - RTD RB Daniel Collins
21-20: WPG - PTD QB Mitchell Nash -> WR Terry Upshaw
21-22: WPG - 2PT QB Mitchell Nash -> WR Terry Upshaw

Winnipeg pulled off their 2nd win of the season following a late-game gamble going for 2-points on their last touchdown of the game.
QB Mitchell Nash returned to the starting role after being benched for Emerson Thompson in their last game. Nash was solid in one of his best performances, throwing a pair of touchdowns and getting the ball to WR Terry Upshaw on the game-deciding 2-point conversion.
QB Nathan Houle was solid once again for Indiana, almost grabbing a 3rd straight win. However, the Victors’ defence was unable to stop the Falcons’ final drive, allowing the struggling team to steal the win.

SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - 27 @ Vancouver Wolves - 32 - Vancouver Exhibition Stadium - Saturday, August 25, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - Attendance: 35,063
1st Q
0-3: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
7-3: PIT - RTD RB Max Tracy
7-6: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
2nd Q
7-13: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> WR Akira Sakamoto
7-20: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> WR Tristian Lewis
14-20: PIT - RTD RB Max Tracy
3rd Q
14-23: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
21-23: PIT - PTD QB Louis Vaughn -> WR Taylor Austin
21-26: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
4th Q
27-26: PIT - PTD QB Louis Vaughn -> WR Justin Anger
27-32: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> WR Keshawn Johnston

The Wolves snapped 2 streaks with a win over the Blacksmiths, ending their own 2-game skid as well as the Blacksmiths’ 3-game win streak.
QB Kevin Westwood continued his stellar season, throwing 3 touchdowns in the win. He also led a fantastic game-winning drive late in the 4th that ended with a catch from the reliable WR Keshawn Johnston.
Pittsburgh found themselves in an early hole, down by 13 in the 2nd, but QB Louis Vaughn was able to lead a comeback in the 2nd half and take the lead in the 4th with a WR Justin Anger touchdown. Defence wasn’t much of a factor in the game for either team, with both QBs on their A game.

Minnesota Serpents - 14 @ Toronto Steelheads - 20 - Anderson Stadium - Sunday, August 26, 1973 - 1:30 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 49,724
1st Q
0-7: TOR - PTD QB Ryan Alexander -> WR Alex Browne Sr.
0-14: TOR - DTD INT DB Dwayne James
2nd Q
3-14: MIN - FG K Ray Bough
10-14: MIN - RTD RB Tyler Kuhn
3rd Q
10-17: TOR - FG K Frank Hughes
11-17: MIN - Single K Ray Bough
4th Q
11-20: TOR - FG K Frank Hughes
14-20: MIN - FG K Ray Bough

Toronto’s defence made a statement by giving the Serpents’ offence a difficult day in an important win at home.
DB Dwayne James made an early statement with his 2nd pick-6 of the season that gave the Steelheads a demanding 0-14 lead. Minnesota inched back into the game in the 2nd quarter, but in the 2nd half, the Steelheads only allowed 4 more points. QB Ryan Alexander did just enough on offence after an early touchdown to give them the win.
Minnesota ultimately had another disappointing performance. Not only for QB Martin Keller, who continues his struggles this season, but even for the backfield that barely managed to get over 60 yards in total. The loss puts Minnesota back down 2 games to Vancouver for the top of the West.

Calgary Predators - 26 @ Louisville Thunder - 34 - Thunder Stadium - Sunday, August 26, 1973 - 5:00 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - Attendance: 45,455
1st Q
7-0: CGY - RTD RB Rocco Peaks
7-3: LOU - FG K Rhys Kupp
7-10: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Orlando Barrack
2nd Q
7-17: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Casey Coleman
7-24: LOU - RTD RB Neil Bradley
3rd Q
10-24: CGY - FG K Billy Eichelberger
13-24: CGY - FG K Billy Eichelberger
13-31: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Casey Coleman
4th Q
19-31: CGY - RTD RB John Drexel
19-34: LOU - FG K Rhys Kupp
26-34: CGY - PTD QB Emmitt Jackson -> WR Ted Jackson

Louisville staved off Calgary's comeback to secure their seventh win of the season, ending the Predators' streak of impressive upsets.
Calgary did get the early lead, but then Louisville’s offence took over, scoring 24 consecutive points including 3 touchdowns. After adding more in the 3rd, the Thunder were well in control of the game, however, Calgary would start to inch back into the game in the 4th.
QB Emmitt Jackson made some big plays as the Predators grabbed 2 touchdowns in the 4th to make it a 1-score game late. They would even get a chance to go for the tie, but Louisville’s defence stood tall.

Injury Report
BUF: LB Basti Gräbner - Wrist Sprain - 2 Weeks
EDM: DL Jared Kendall - Wrist Sprain - 3 Weeks
EDM: WR Stanley McClendon - Contusion - 2 Weeks
CGY: OL Melvin Murray - Torn Muscle - 6 Weeks
IND: OL Marc Clevinger - Tight Calf - Day-to-Day
IND: LB Conrad Kurst - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
IND: DB Byron Knight - Moderate Concussion - 4 Weeks
LDN: WR Lloyd Lane - Pectoral Strain - 3 Weeks
MIN: LB Earl Featherstonhaugh - Fractured Hand - 5 Weeks
PIT: OL Jeff Fedler - Strained Hamstring - 2 Weeks
REG: RB Alex Herbco - High Ankle Sprain - 8 Weeks
REG: DL Winfield Winchester - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
REG: DB Kevin Krane - Minor Bruise - Day-to-Day
REG: S Benny Preston - Mild Ligament Sprain - 4 Weeks
REG: WR Leonard Green - Wrist Sprain - 1 Week
WPG: WR Ryan Conway - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day

Players of the Week

OFF: QB Kevin Westwood VAN - 3 Passing Touchdowns, 310 Passing Yards

DEF: LB Judge Barrett TOR - 1 Forced Fumble, 12 Tackles

Standings
WEST
Vancouver - 7-2
Minnesota - 5-4
Regina - 4-5
Calgary - 4-5
Edmonton - 3-6
Winnipeg - 2-7

CENTRAL
Louisville - 7-2
London - 5-4
Pittsburgh - 4-5
Toronto - 4-5
Indiana - 3-6
Buffalo - 2-7

EAST
Long Island - 7-2
Providence - 6-3
Montreal - 5-4
Ottawa - 5-4
Boston - 5-4
Halifax - 3-6

Playoff Picture
1 - C: Louisville - 7-2
2 - E: Long Island - 7-2
3 - W: Vancouver - 7-2
4 - Providence - 6-3
5 - London - 5-4
6 - Minnesota - 5-4
7 - Montreal - 5-4
8 - Ottawa - 5-4
==============
9 - Boston - 5-4
10 - Regina - 4-5
11 - Pittsburgh - 4-5
12 - Calgary - 4-5
13 - Toronto - 4-5
14 - Edmonton - 3-6
15 - Indiana - 3-6
16 - Halifax - 3-6
17 - Winnipeg - 2-7
18 - Buffalo - 2-7

Power Rankings
1 - Long Island -
2 - Vancouver -
3 - Louisville -
4 - Boston -
5 - Providence +1
6 - Ottawa +1
7 - Minnesota -2
8 - London +3
9 - Calgary -1
10 - Pittsburgh -1
11 - Montreal -1
12 - Toronto +3
13 - Regina -1
14 - Buffalo +2
15 - Indiana -2
16 - Halifax -2
17 - Winnipeg +1
18 - Edmonton -1

Week 11 Games
VAN (7-2) @ WPG (2-7) - AUG 31 - 7:00 PM ET - Friday Night Football
PIT (4-5) @ HFX (3-6) - SEP 1 - 12:00 PM ET
TOR (4-5) @ BUF (2-7) - SEP 1 - 12:00 PM ET
LDN (5-4) @ BOS (5-4) - SEP 1 - 3:30 PM ET
LI (7-2) @ PRO (6-3) - SEP 1 - 7:00 PM ET - Saturday Night Football
MTL (5-4) @ MIN (5-4) - SEP 2 - 1:00 PM ET
OTT (5-4) @ REG (4-5) - SEP 2 - 4:30 PM ET
EDM (3-6) @ CGY (4-5) - SEP 3 - 2:00 PM ET - Labour Day
LOU (7-2) @ IND (3-6) - SEP 3 - 6:00 PM ET - Labour Day

Wallflower · 4/01/2025 6:14 pm

1973 Week 11 Transactions

BOSTON ADDS D-LINE DEPTH IN MINOR MOVE
With the injury to DL Bill Bailey, set to keep the 28-year-old out of the lineup for 5 more weeks, the Independents made a minor move to add some reinforcements. They would acquire 31-year-old DL Douglas Jackson from Calgary in exchange for a 5th Round Pick in this year's draft. Jackson’s cap hit is at the league minimum $10,000, so it is a cheap addition to the roster.

YANCY HARRISON IS HEADED TO REGINA
The Wheat Kings grabbed some fresh legs for their backfield after RB Alex Herbco suffered a season-ending high ankle sprain this past week. They would get Victors’ backup RB Yancy Harrison for a conditional 5th Round Pick. The draft pick only goes to Indiana if the Wheat Kings make the playoffs. The Victors were willing to give away the 31-year-old RB, as they immediately called up 1972 2nd Round Pick, Mark Waters, who was impressive in Semi-Pro ball this season.

TIGERS MAKE BIG SPLASH, WINNING SYLVESTER SWEEPSTAKES
With one year left on his contract with Winnipeg, speedy WR Juwan Sylvester appeared to desire moving on from Winnipeg in the offseason, prompting the team to search for a trade. While Sylvester hasn’t had a lot of opportunities to shine with Winnipeg’s often-struggling offence, those who watch closely know how talented he is. Calgary, London, Long Island, Montreal, and Pittsburgh all made offers to Winnipeg, driving up the price for the 28-year-old WR. Winnipeg was ultimately looking for a 1st Round Pick and a solid prospect/younger player.

In the end, after an injury to WR Lloyd Lane, the London Tigers were desperate not to let another season slip away and added the extra pieces necessary to get a trade done. The Tigers acquired WR Juwan Sylvester, DL Quinton Hextal, OL John Dough, and a 1975 5th Round Pick, in exchange Winnipeg acquired London’s 1st Round Pick, former 2nd Round Pick, OL Derek Butcher, WR James Love, a 1975 4th Round Pick, and DL Louis Morin.

Breaking down the deal, the Tigers get another top-notch WR to pair with WR Cole Fletcher and Lloyd Lane when he returns. Sylvester should have plenty of opportunities to shine with his deep ball speed and QB Henry Johnsson’s cannon of an arm. 33-year-old DL Quinton Hextal decided to waive his No-trade clause to have a shot at competing in what could be his final season. He should provide some depth behind the starting D-line. Finally, OL John Dough is mainly a roster fill for the departing Butcher.

Winnipeg, of course, gets a valuable 1st Round selection along with upgrading a 5th to a 4th. However, the more interesting piece is OL Derek Butcher. The 1971 2nd Round Pick (20th) has developed into a sturdy O-lineman for the Tigers, holding onto a starting role this season. However, the Tigers do have plenty of young O-linemen and were willing to move on from Butcher. Butcher is also expected to enjoy Winnipeg with his love for farm life. WR James Love is also an interesting piece; he returns to his home province after the Tigers selected him in the 5th round of the same 1971 draft. Love hasn’t shown all that much with the Tigers but could be a good depth for Winnipeg. Morin, like Dough, is roster fill going back the other way, however, Morin does return to Winnipeg after spending last season with Ottawa and this one with London.

TIGERS CONTINUE SHAKE UP, SENDING WILKINS TO CALGARY
The Tigers were not done with the moves this week as they continued to shake things up a little bit by sending long-time starting DB Bernard Wilkins to Calgary for DB Bobby Bastian. With the rise of rookie sensation DB Oliver Benson, along with solid play from DB Victor Vratislav, Wilkins found himself riding the bench a lot more this season. So he let GM Martin Gagneaux know that he would prefer to be traded if he wasn’t going to be starting.

Calgary was excited about the opportunity to upgrade their secondary with the addition of an experienced veteran in Wilkins. Wilkins does have 1 more year on his contract after this one, so Calgary will have him for another year even at a bit of a steep $27,500. For the Tigers, moving Wilkins does free up some cap space for next season as they have big extensions expected to be handed to both RB Jeremy Royal and QB Henry Johnsson.

Wallflower · 4/07/2025 6:55 pm

1973 Week 11

Roster Moves
CGY: OL Melvin Murray | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
CGY: OL Tristan Glaukos | Reserve List -> Active Roster
EDM: DL Jared Kendall | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
EDM: DL Lee Frye | Reserve List -> Active Roster
IND: LB Zach Sexton | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
IND: LB Sheamus Desmond | Active Roster -> Waivers -> Reserve List
IND: S Derrick Fayden | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
IND: S Thomas Lofton | Active Roster -> Reserve List
IND: RB Mark Waters | Reserve List -> Active Roster
LDN: WR Lloyd Lane | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
LDN: WR Jarred Reid | Reserve List -> Active Roster
MIN: S Gérard LaCroix | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
MIN: S Alex Spurrier | Active Roster -> Reserve List
MIN: LB Earl Featherstonhaugh | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
MIN: LB Gegard Leblanc | Reserve List -> Active Roster
MTL: TE Greg Perry | Waivers -> Reserve List
OTT: DB Tyler Hill | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
OTT: S Theodore Young | Reserve List -> Active Roster
OTT: DL Chuck Thomas | Waivers -> Reserve List
PIT: OL Harrison Russell | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
PIT: OL Kendrick Holcombe | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
REG: RB Alex Herbco | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Vancouver Wolves - 33 @ Winnipeg Falcons - 16 - Provencher Park - Friday, August 31, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT - Weather: Clear - Attendance: 21,923
1st Q
7-0: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> WR Keshawn Johnston
10-0: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
2nd Q
17-0: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> WR Akira Sakamoto
17-3: WPG - FG K Jordan Hollingsworth
20-3: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
3rd Q
20-6: WPG - FG K Jordan Hollingsworth
23-6: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
4th Q
23-13: WPG - RTD RB Joe Rivers
30-13: VAN - RTD RB Richard Morin
30-16: WPG - FG K Jordan Hollingsworth
33-16: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks

Vancouver kicked off Week 11 by decisively taking down the Falcons to improve to 8-2 on the season.
QB Kevin Westwood was nearly perfect in the first half, only having 2 incompletions en route to giving the Wolves a 20-3 lead. The Vancouver defence was also back to their strong play, holding the Falcons out of the endzone until the 4th when they finally broke free due to solid runs from both RB Joe Rivers and rookie RB Joshua Tomlinson, setting up a Rivers score. However, Vancouver swiftly killed any momentum with a long drive to answer back with a RB Richard Morin touchdown and then held Winnipeg to only 3 more points.

Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - 32 @ Halifax Mariners - 14 - Atlantic Stadium - Saturday, September 1, 1973 - 12:00 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - Attendance: 22,956
1st Q
7-0: PIT - RTD RB Max Tracy
7-7: HFX - RTD RB Axel Vandal
2nd Q
14-7: PIT - PTD QB Louis Vaughn -> TE Jesse Butler
17-7: PIT - FG K Dante DiBernardo
3rd Q
24-7: PIT - RTD RB Max Tracy
25-7: PIT - Single K Dante DiBernardo
25-14: HFX - RTD RB Axel Vandal
4th Q
32-14: PIT - RTD RB Alain Ducharme

Pittsburgh gets an important win over the Mariners to get back to .500 ahead of the final playoff push.
Pittsburgh’s offence was well in control of the game throughout due to a stellar backfield performance from RB Max Tracy, who scored twice. Even RB Alain Ducharme got in on the action with a touchdown in the 4th to put the game out of reach.
Halifax had their own solid performance out of the backfield with RB Axel Vandal scoring twice himself to keep the Mariners in the game to some extent. However, the defence struggled to stop the run-game and QB Louis Vaughn, who was determined to keep Pittsburgh in the playoff hunt.

Toronto Steelheads - 11 @ Buffalo Blue Wings - 22 - Milton Charles Stadium - Saturday, September 1, 1973 - 12:00 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 53,250
1st Q
0-3: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
7-3: TOR - PTD QB Ryan Alexander -> WR Matthew de la Cruz
2nd Q
8-3: TOR - Single K Frank Hughes
8-10: BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Owen Paisley
8-11: BUF - Single K Ryan Perch
3rd Q
8-18: BUF - RTD RB Jasper Dickerson
8-19: BUF - Single K Ryan Perch
4th Q
8-22: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
11-22: TOR - FG K Frank Hughes

Buffalo rattled off their 3rd straight win since starting the season 0-7, handing the Steelheads a tough loss as their playoff hopes start to slip away.
Buffalo’s defence has been a key to the team’s newfound success as DC Lonnie Vincent has turned the unit around, completely improving significantly on their points against per game. The team allowed 31 ppg over the first 7 games but has only allowed 14.67 in the past 3 games. Offensively, the Blue Wings were able to solve the sturdy Steelheads’ defence enough to put up 22 points.
Toronto’s game started well with an early Matthew de la Cruz touchdown, but then the offence completely shut down throughout the rest of the game, only scoring 4 more points.

London Tigers - 26 @ Boston Independents - 23 - Richardson Stadium - Saturday, September 1, 1973 - 3:30 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - Attendance: 45,089
1st Q
0-3: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
3-3: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
2nd Q
3-10: BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Edward Webb
3-13: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
3rd Q
10-13: LDN - PTD QB Henry Johnsson -> WR Juwan Sylvester
10-20: BOS - RTD RB Reggie Whitehead
13-20: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
4th Q
16-20: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
16-23: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
23-23: LDN - PTD QB Henry Johnsson -> WR Cole Fletcher
26-23: LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth

The Tigers made a statement with a big win over the Boston Independents.
Up until this point, the Tigers’ strongest win was against the 4-win Steelheads, and many were very much skeptical of the Tigers heading down the stretch. The team silenced some of the noise with a come-from-behind win over Boston. New WR Juwan Sylvester made an impact with a massive momentum-shifting touchdown to start the 2nd half. Then, WR Cole Fletcher would get the clutch game-tying score in the 4th. The defence would stop Boston, then it was the offence getting the team down into Handsworth range to seal the win.
On the other side of this one, this is a critical loss for Boston who is at risk of slipping behind in the standings due to being 5th in the East. Despite a solid game all around, which saw the team up by 10 multiple times, they failed to hold on and will need to pull it together for 3 important games split between Ottawa and Montreal over the last 3 weeks.

SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Long Island Raiders - 24 @ Providence Gold Stars - 30 - New Providence Stadium - Saturday, September 1, 1973 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - Attendance: 59,915
1st Q
0-3: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill
7-3: LI - RTD RB Scott Norton
7-10: PRO - PTD QB Red King -> WR Leon Hudson
2nd Q
14-10: LI - PTD QB Ivan Sanchez -> WR Nick Spalding
14-17: PRO - RTD RB Bob Sanders
3rd Q
21-17: LI - PTD QB Ivan Sanchez -> WR Larry Mossholder
21-20: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill
4th Q
21-23: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill
21-30: PRO - RTD RB Tresean Jones
24-30: LI - FG K Vic Greatwood

The Gold Stars would flip the East Division back in their favour, defeating the Raiders in a crucial game that might have decided the Division’s winner. Both teams knew the importance of the game, being their only meeting as the winner would have the upper hand in the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The game was back and forth with both offences trading blows, resulting in 7 different lead changes. The Raiders had the upper hand in the 3rd, but Providence’s defence would clamp down and only allow 3 more points the rest of the way. With the defence rolling, Providences’ offence was able to slowly regain the lead on 2 field goals before extending it following a huge interception from S Tom Parrish.
The game is a disappointing result for the Raiders, who have been rolling on a 4-game win streak. With the two teams still tied at 7-3, the Raiders still have a strong chance to win the division, they just might need some help down the stretch.

Montreal Rouge - 25 @ Minnesota Serpents - 16 - Midgard Stadium - Sunday, September 2, 1973 - 1:00 PM ET/12:00 PM CT - Weather: Partly Cloudy - Attendance: 49,368
1st Q
0-3: MIN - FG K Ray Bough
7-3: MTL - RTD RB Bo Frazier
2nd Q
7-6: MIN - FG K Ray Bough
8-6: MTL - Single K Buster McDooley
3rd Q
15-6: MTL - PTD QB Landon Ross -> WR Taylor Karis
15-13: MIN - RTD RB George Seahorse
18-13: MTL - FG K Buster McDooley
4th Q
25-13: MTL - RTD RB Bo Frazier
25-16: MIN - FG K Ray Bough

QB Landon Ross gets Montreal back on track in debut with an important win over the Serpents.
Ross made a start for his 5th different team, becoming the first QB in NAAF history to accomplish the feat. Ross was a sturdy hand all day, dishing one touchdown while complimenting a strong day from RB Bo Frazier out of the backfield. The defence also was strong throughout, led by LB Jean-Christophe Bain, who kept the strong Serpent backfield at bay.
On the Serpents’ side, it was yet another disappointing loss as the team slipped back down to .500 for the 2nd time this season despite having 3 and 2 more wins than losses at 2 respective times this season. QB Martin Keller continued to struggle with 2 interceptions, while the run game was average throughout. There is growing concern in Minnesota with teams catching up to them in the standings.

Ottawa Royals - 36 @ Regina Wheat Kings - 13 - Broad Street Stadium - Sunday, September 2, 1973 - 4:30 PM ET/2:30 PM CST - Weather: Cloudy - Attendance: 16,099
1st Q
0-3: REG - FG K Mark Mundle
7-3: OTT - RTD RB Corbyn Knight
2nd Q
10-3: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
17-3: OTT - PTD QB Drake Young -> WR Chad Anderson
3rd Q
17-10: REG - RTD RB Deion Chapman
20-10: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
22-10: OTT - Safety DL Mathieu Tremblay
29-10: OTT - RTD RB Nikki Yang
4th Q
36-10: OTT - PTD QB Drake Young -> TE Luiss de Brands
36-13: REG - FG K Mark Mundle

Ottawa snapped their 3-game skid with a dominant win over the Wheat Kings.
It was a much-needed performance for the Royals, who needed to shake their 3-game losing streak as they gear up for the final stretch. The offence was back to their early season form, with Young dishing the ball out to all his weapons, while the run game did step it up with a pair of touchdowns on the ground.
Regina was sticking with Ottawa to some extent until the 3rd, but then QB Stanley Evans had to leave early due to cramping, leaving QB Whit Johnson to be sacked for a safety and struggle to get much going in the final quarter. Ultimately a tough day for the Wheat Kings.

LABOUR DAY
Edmonton Rangers - 7 @ Calgary Predators - 29 - Predators Stadium at The Stampede - Monday, September 3, 1973 - 2:00 PM ET/12:00 PM MT - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - Attendance: 31,811
1st Q
0-7: CGY - RTD RB John Drexel
0-14: CGY - RTD RB Rocco Peaks
2nd Q
0-15: CGY - Single K Billy Eichelberger
0-22: CGY - RTD QB Emmitt Jackson
3rd Q
3-22: EDM - FG K Nigel Stewart
4-22: EDM - Single K Nigel Stewart
4-29: CGY - PTD QB Emmitt Jackson -> WR James Johnson
4th Q
7-29: EDM - FG K Nigel Stewart

Calgary dominates Edmonton to keep themselves well in the playoff race heading into the final 4 weeks.
The Predators ran all over the Rangers, scoring 3 rushing touchdowns in the first half while putting up 150 total on the ground between Drexel, Peaks, and Jackson. The offence slowed in the 2nd half, but a WR James Johnson touchdown more than did enough to leave Calgary in a comfortable spot to cruise to the end.
Edmonton did try to shake things up with their own slim playoff hopes slipping away, starting QB Leif Christiansen for the first time. Christiansen struggled to get going in the first half, throwing a couple of interceptions. He did pick it up in the 2nd half, but it was far from enough to get close to Calgary.

LABOUR DAY
Louisville Thunder - 34 @ Indiana Victors - 31 - Victory Stadium - Monday, September 3, 1973 - 6:00 PM ET - Weather: Clear - Attendance: 47,661
1st Q
0-7: IND - PTD QB Nathan Houle -> WR Otto Washington
7-7: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Casey Coleman
2nd Q
14-7: LOU - RTD RB Neil Bradley
14-14: IND - RTD RB Daniel Collins
14-17: IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
3rd Q
17-17: LOU - FG K Rhys Kupp
17-24: IND - KRTD RB Mark Waters
24-24: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Ben Graham
4th Q
27-24: LOU - FG K Rhys Kupp
27-31: IND - PTD QB Nathan Houle -> WR Jake Abbredezzi
34-31: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Ray Howard

Louisville narrowly escapes their Labour Day battle with Indiana to remain unbeaten against the division this season.
The two geographical rivals were locked into a back-and-forth duel that had the Victors surprisingly up by 3 at halftime. Louisville was able to tie it back up quickly, but the ensuing kickoff would be taken back to the house by RB Mark Waters, who was making his debut for the team. Louisville bounced back with the next 10 points to take the lead, but QB Nathan Houle let it fly to WR Jake Abbredezzi to put Indiana back out in front late in the 4th. QB Buck Murphy and the Thunder offence would still come to the rescue, driving the field and getting the game-winning score. Rookie WR Ray Howard would make a stellar grab for his first career touchdown, being the surprise hero.

Injury Report
BOS: OL Terry Pennington - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
BOS: DB Tim McGovern - Broken Collarbone - 10 Weeks
BUF: WR Jimmy Jack - Finger Injury - Day-to-Day
CGY: WR Ted Jackson - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
CGY: QB Kris Hamilton - Finger Injury - Day-to-Day
EDM: LB Frank St. John - Mild Concussion - 2 Weeks
HFX: QB Todd Sparrow - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
HFX: WR Jav Kerrigan - Sprained Ankle - 1 Week
HFX: WR Shay Hopkins - Minor Bruise - Day-to-Day
IND: TE Cole Slawter - Strained Hamstring - 2 Weeks
IND: LB Conrad Kurst - Cramping - Day-to-Day
LDN: TE Lucas Warmer - Hand Injury - 2 Weeks
LI: LB Brent Mayiski - Severe Hamstring Tear - 12 Weeks
LI: LB Callum Owen - Cramping - Day-to-Day
LI: RB Scott Norton - Mild Concussion - 1 Week
MIN: WR Ferdinand Matthews - Broken Arm - 10 Weeks
MTL: WR Antonio Villanueva - Sprained Ankle - 2 Weeks
OTT: OL Matt Helmut - Mild Ligament Sprain - 6 Weeks
PIT: WR Yahui Sun - Wrist Sprain - 1 Week
PRO: TE Kairos Knight - Strained Hamstring - 3 Weeks
PRO: LB Brian O’Flaherty - Mild Ligament Sprain - 4 Weeks
REG: QB Stanley Evans - Cramping - Day-to-Day
VAN: OL Dominic Bissonnette - Mild Soreness - Day-to-Day
VAN: WR Jessie Lambert - Severe Ligament Tear - 11 Weeks
WPG: WR Dennis Davtyan - Minor Bruise - Day-to-Day
WPG: OL Claude Balderson - Strained Hamstring - 2 Weeks

Players of the Week

OFF: QB Buck Murphy LOU - 3 Passing Touchdowns, 385 Passing Yards

DEF: LB Jean-Christophe Bain MTL - 1 Forced Fumble, 12 Tackles

Standings
WEST
Vancouver - 8-2
Minnesota - 5-5
Calgary - 5-5
Regina - 4-6
Edmonton - 3-7
Winnipeg - 2-8

CENTRAL
Louisville - 8-2
London - 6-4
Pittsburgh - 5-5
Toronto - 4-6
Buffalo - 3-7
Indiana - 3-7

EAST
Providence - 7-3
Long Island - 7-3
Ottawa - 6-4
Montreal - 6-4
Boston - 5-5
Halifax - 3-6

Playoff Picture
1 - C: Louisville - 8-2
2 - W: Vancouver - 8-2
3 - E: Providence - 7-3
4 - Long Island - 7-3
5 - London - 6-4
6 - Ottawa - 6-4
7 - Montreal - 6-4
8 - Minnesota - 5-5
==============
9 - Calgary - 5-5
10 - Pittsburgh - 5-5
11 - Boston - 5-5
12 - Regina - 4-6
13 - Toronto - 4-6
14 - Edmonton - 3-7
15 - Buffalo - 3-7
16 - Indiana - 3-7
17 - Halifax - 3-7
18 - Winnipeg - 2-8

Power Rankings
1 - Vancouver +1
2 - Louisville +1
3 - Providence +2
4 - Long Island -3
5 - Ottawa +1
6 - London +2
7 - Boston -3
8 - Montreal +3
9 - Minnesota -2
10 - Calgary -1
11 - Pittsburgh -1
12 - Buffalo +2
13 - Toronto -1
14 - Indiana +1
15 - Regina -2
16 - Halifax -
17 - Winnipeg -
18 - Edmonton -

Week 12 Games
WPG (2-8) @ LDN (6-4) - SEP 7 - 7:00 PM ET - Friday Night Football
OTT (6-4) @ MTL (6-4) - SEP 8 - 12:00 PM ET
PRO (7-3) @ LOU (8-2) - SEP 8 - 12:00 PM ET
*LOU clinches Central Division with Win + LDN Loss
*LOU clinches Playoff Spot with Win + 3 of BOS, CGY, MIN, PIT Losses
CGY (5-5) @ TOR (4-6) - SEP 8 - 3:30 PM ET
HFX (3-7) @ VAN (8-2) - SEP 8 - 3:30 PM ET
*VAN clinches West Division with Win + MIN Loss + CGY Loss
*VAN clinches Playoff Spot with Win + 3 of BOS, CGY, MIN, PIT Losses
BUF (3-7) @ PIT (5-5) - SEP 8 - 7:00 PM ET - Saturday Night Football
IND (3-7) @ LI (7-3) - SEP 9 - 1:00 PM ET
REG (4-6) @ MIN (5-5) - SEP 9 - 1:00 PM ET
BOS (5-5) @ EDM (3-7) - SEP 9 - 4:30 PM ET

QCS · 4/07/2025 7:33 pm

Providence victory and a Buck Murphy POTW, you love to see it!

TheEnigmaticOne · 4/07/2025 8:35 pm

Good to see Theodore Young playing, that's cool to see. Good that Ottawa won, even if Underhill under performed.

Wallflower · 4/09/2025 6:38 pm

1973 Trade Deadline

PROVIDENCE REINFORCES DEPTH WITH ADDITIONS OF HESS AND ESSENA
A few weeks ago, the Gold Stars had a disastrous performance in their WR corps after several top WRs went down with injury. The depth players in WR Mark Taylor and WR Mariano Marino both struggled, so the Gold Stars were on the hunt to change up the depth at the position. Additionally, an injury to LB Brian O’Flaherty added a LB to their shopping list. In the end, they would make a deal with Halifax, acquiring veteran WR James Hess and journeyman LB Kyle Essena in exchange for a 1974 4th Round Pick and WR Mark Taylor. Hess and Essena are both veteran pieces that have high reputations as reliable depth pieces and should give the team more confidence in their depth. Essena will likely play the bigger role between the two with O’Flaherty out. Halifax is okay with adding some depth for next season in Taylor, who still has another year on his deal, along with more draft capital.

BOSTON MAKES GETS McGOVERN REPLACEMENT IN FORMER GOLD STAR PERRY FERRIS
The Gold Stars were interested in acquiring DB Perry Ferris from Halifax to boost their secondary, but the money wasn’t working out, so Providence settled with the previously mentioned deal. Boston would then swoop in and snag Ferris from Halifax in exchange for a 3rd Round Pick and DB Arthur Longsjo Jr.. Boston acquired Ferris to replace DB Tim McGovern who is done for the season. Ferris had plenty of experience as a starter with the Gold Stars earlier in his career. As for Halifax, they do get Longsjo, who has struggled after being drafted in the 2nd round in 1971, being demoted to the reserve list for this season. Longsjo will get the chance to play on the active roster down the stretch with Halifax to show what he’s got.

DE LA CRUZ ON THE MOVE AGAIN TO MINNESOTA AFTER DEADLINE DEAL LAST SEASON
Last deadline, the Steelheads made a deal with the Ottawa Royals that saw the teams swap WRs Sterling Underhill and Matthew de la Cruz. During this season with the Steelheads, de la Cruz has struggled to shine in the Steelheads’ run-heavy scheme. Due to frustration over targets, de la Cruz is likely to test free agency in the offseason, so the Steelheads decided to cut their losses and trade him again. Minnesota would be interested in acquiring the 26-year-old due to a season-ending injury to Ferdinand Matthews. Minnesota would acquire WR Matthew de la Cruz and DL Will Richards in exchange for a 3rd Round Pick and DL Morgan Kneller. Kneller is a former 2nd round pick who is getting a fresh start after struggling early in his career. Richards is the cheaper replacement heading back the other way.

VANCOUVER ADDS JEFFERSON AS LAMBERT REPLACEMENT, EDMONTON GETS TE PROSPECT IN RETURN
Another season-ending injury leads to another trade as Vancouver acquires WR Raymond Jefferson and TE Rick Ruden from Edmonton in exchange for a 1974 4th round pick and TE Simon Leblanc. Jefferson is a solid depth WR who has a lot of on-field experience being a starter for the Wheat Kings for several seasons. He should perfectly fill the hole left by Lambert. Leblanc was a 5th round pick from last year's draft but has worked his way onto the Wolves’ roster in his second season. However, with the Wolves impressed with Japanese rookie TE Taro Ueyama, they were willing to part ways, giving Edmonton a promising prospect at the position for a run-heavy scheme.

PAISLEY AGREES TO WAIVE NTC FOR TRADE TO PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh’s passing game has struggled more than usual this season, and they went ahead with an acquisition of veteran WR Owen Paisley. Despite being 33, Paisley has been a bright spot in Buffalo’s offence this season and should give the Blacksmiths a boost down the stretch. Paisley does have a no-trade clause in his 1-year contract but was willing to waive it if he felt the team was a good fit. The Blue Wings would acquire a conditional draft pick in the trade. The pick currently is Pittsburgh’s 4th Round Pick in this year’s draft, but it will upgrade to a 3rd Round Pick if the team makes the Semi-Finals and Paisley doesn’t miss more than two games due to an injury.

OTTAWA ADDS WALKER-JONES FOR 5TH, PROMOTE SNYDER TO ACTIVE ROSTER
The Royals aimed to shore up their depth by acquiring OL Tony Walker-Jones (with Halifax retaining $4,000 of his salary) from the Mariners in exchange for a 5th Round Pick and LB Braiden Lafrenz. Walker-Jones was a tough player to move due to his salary and declining play, so the Royals were able to get him for a cheap price. Walker-Jones will fill in for an injured OL Matt Helmut. Halifax does get Lafrenz to replace the departing Kyle Essena in the Providence trade. While Ottawa clears out space for 1973 1st Round pick LB Isaac Snyder, who will get the call-up following the trade.

CALGARY BRINGS IN VETERAN O’DOHERTY TO BOOST O-LINE
Toronto had several veteran O-linemen on the trade block, but due to their high salaries, there was very little market for them. However, the Predators, who still have plenty of cap space, were willing to grab one of them. They would acquire OL Paul O’Doherty in exchange for a 4th Round Pick as they will take on his entire $27,000 cap hit for this season. O’Doherty should fit in with Calgary’s scheme due to his strong run-blocking ability.

MINNESOTA AND BUFFALO MAKE LAST-MINUTE TRADE SENDING STETSON TO THE NORTH STAR STATE
Right before the deadline would pass, the Serpents would make one last big move, acquiring LB Willie Stetson, DB Philip Joachim, and a 1974 5th Round Pick from Buffalo in exchange for a 1974 2nd Round Pick, DB Cornelius Walker, and a 1975 Conditional 5th Round Pick. Stetson started the season as a backup for Buffalo in his 2nd year with the team but has played well enough to get back into a starting role. Despite the performance, Buffalo was uncertain about his future position with the team, so they elected to move him for more draft capital. Stetson will fill the hole left by injured LB Earl Featherstonhaugh for the rest of the regular season. Minnesota also acquired former 3rd round pick DB Phillip Joachim, who is another player that just hasn’t quite figured it out and will get a change of scenery while Buffalo turns to other options at the position. The condition on the 1975 5th Round pick is that the pick becomes a 4th Round pick if Minnesota makes the playoffs this season and retains at least one of Stetson or Joachim this offseason.

Index
» Football
» North American Association of Football - NAAF

3/09/2025 8:52 pm #2791

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

3/16/2025 9:52 pm #2792

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

3/19/2025 4:47 pm #2793

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

3/24/2025 4:56 pm #2794

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

3/28/2025 6:13 pm #2795

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

4/01/2025 6:14 pm #2796

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

4/07/2025 6:55 pm #2797

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

4/07/2025 7:33 pm #2798

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

4/07/2025 8:35 pm #2799

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

4/09/2025 6:38 pm #2800

Re: North American Association of Football - NAAF

Index
» Football
» North American Association of Football - NAAF

Board footera