Team Alabama: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 13:11, 9 February 2024

Team Alabama was the provisional name of a professional football team scheduled to begin play in 2009 as one of 8 charter members of the All American Football League (AAFL).

The formation of the league, founded by millionaire Marcus Katz and former NCAA president Cedric Dempsey, was announced in July 2006. The league hoped to build on existing regional rivalries, rooted in college football. NCAA rules of play would be followed and teams would be located primarily in college towns, employ former college players, and use local college colors. Players would have to have exhausted their college eligibility and earned a degree. They would earn a flat salary, $5,000 per game initially, to be paid by the league. Six "franchise players" on each team would be eligible for up to $50,000 more, capping player salaries at $100,000 per year.

Birmingham was awarded one of six charter teams. Home games would have been played at Legion Field for the 2009 season. National tryouts for Team Alabama were held on July 26, 2007 at Legion Field. Negotiations to contract former Mississippi State head coach Jackie Sherrill to coach Team Alabama faltered shortly before an expected announcement. The team then turned to NFL Europa veteran and three-time World Bowl champion Mike Jones, who was hired in late November. The initial season was set to begin on on April 12, 2008, but was postponed in March until 2009.

Although the league stated that Team Alabama hoped to attract fans from both Alabama and Auburn, marketing for the new team has overwhelmingly leaned toward Crimson Tide supporters.

On March 26, 2008, Jones and team president Joe Cribbs were placed on "unpaid administrative leave". Cribbs was very critical of the perceived micro-management of the team by the league and stated at that time that he would probably not return to the team.

Roster

Signed players included:

Alonzo Ephraim, former Alabama and Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman.
Marcus Spencer, former Alabama and Canadian Football League defensive back.
Kendall Mack, former Auburn offensive lineman.
Ahmaad Galloway, former Alabama and NFL Europe running back.

drafted players

(6th) Josh Sewell (OL)
(7th) Scott Scharff (DL)
(18th) Ben Brielmaier (OL)
(19th) Daryl Whittington (DL)
(30th) Alex Obomese (DL)
(31st) Nick Smith (OL)
(42nd) Grant Steen (LB)
(43rd) Antwaun Carter (RB)
(54th) Terrance Robinson (LB)
(55th) Nathan Bennett (OL)
(66th) Jared Newberry (LB)
(67th) Travis Manigan (DL)
(78th) Robert Ortiz (WR)
(79th) Reggie Myles (DB)
(90th) Saleem Rasheed (LB)
(91st) Freddie Milons (WR)
(102nd) Marcus Spencer (DB)
(103rd) Karibi Dede (LB)
(114th) Jeffrey Dukes (DB)
(115th) Tre Smith (RB)
(126th) Brian Balazik (QB)
(127th) Joel Babb (WR)
(150th) Kody Bliss (P)
(151st) Gerald Dixon (DB)
(162nd) Terry Jones, Jr (TE)
(163rd) Ernest Respress (DL)
(174th) Rob Austin (OL)
(175th) Franklin Lloyd (DL)
(186th) Josh Chambers (DL)
(187th) Kerry Johnson (WR)
(198th) Darius Williams (TE)
(199th) Cedric Norman (WR)
(210th) Clifford Carter (WR)
(211th) Earthwind Moreland (DB)
(222nd) Dennis Davis (DB)
(223rd) Jeremiah Russell (WR)
(234th) Reginald Austin (DB)
(235th) John Niklos (RB)
(246th) Abdul Howard (DB)
(247th) E. Z. Smith (OL)
(258th) Gabriel Helms (DB)
(259th) Marvin Townes (RB)
(270th) Keith Willis (TE)
(271st) Rico Reese (DL)
(282nd) Mark Anelli (TE)
(283rd) Kevin Eakin (QB)
(294th) Marcus Thomas (OL)
(295th) Jermaine Harris (LB)

References

Segrest, Doug (March 26, 2008) "Team president, head coach no longer with AAFL team." Birmingham News.
Segrest, Doug (March 13, 2008) "AAFL season postponed." Birmingham News.
Segrest, Doug (October 23, 2007) "Familiar names Sherrill, Stabler, Cribbs, Hannah, Lemak involved in Birmingham team." Birmingham News.
Solomon, Jon (August 1, 2006) "Birmingham in talks with pro team at Legion Field". Birmingham News.
CSTV (July 26, 2006) "All American Football League Aims To Keep College Spirit Going". [1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''All American Football League''', or '''AAFL''' is a spring, professional football league announced in July [[2006]] for play beginning in spring [[2008]]. Founded by former NCAA president Cedric Dempsey, the league will not try to compete with the established NFL, but rather develop as a more regional league.
+[[Image:AAFL logo.png|right|150px]]
+'''Team Alabama''' was the provisional name of a professional football team scheduled to begin play in [[2009]] as one of 8 charter members of the '''All American Football League''' ('''AAFL''').
-The league will consist of eight teams playing football under college rules. All players within the league will have to exhaust their college eligibility and have graduated to be eligible for play. Players will have annual salaries of $100,000 to be paid by the league in an effort to control player salaries, which has been the downfall of many other upstart, football leagues.
+The formation of the league, founded by millionaire Marcus Katz and former NCAA president Cedric Dempsey, was announced in July [[2006]]. The league hoped to build on existing regional rivalries, rooted in college football. NCAA rules of play would be followed and teams would be located primarily in college towns, employ former college players, and use local college colors. Players would have to have exhausted their college eligibility and earned a degree. They would earn a flat salary, $5,000 per game initially, to be paid by the league. Six "franchise players" on each team would be eligible for up to $50,000 more, capping player salaries at $100,000 per year.
-Birmingham has been awarded one of the inaugural teams to play at [[Legion Field]] for the [[2008]] season. The national tryouts for the league were held on [[July 26]], [[2007]] at Legion Field.
+Birmingham was awarded one of six charter teams. Home games would have been played at [[Legion Field]] for the [[2009]] season. National tryouts for Team Alabama were held on [[July 26]], [[2007]] at Legion Field. Negotiations to contract former Mississippi State head coach [[Jackie Sherrill]] to coach Team Alabama faltered shortly before an expected announcement. The team then turned to NFL Europa veteran and three-time World Bowl champion [[Mike Jones]], who was hired in late November. The initial season was set to begin on on [[April 12]], [[2008]], but was postponed in March until 2009.
-==External link==
+Although the league stated that Team Alabama hoped to attract fans from both Alabama and Auburn, marketing for the new team has overwhelmingly leaned toward Crimson Tide supporters.
-* [http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com/Alabama.html AAFL's Alabama team] official website
+On [[March 26]], [[2008]], Jones and team president [[Joe Cribbs]] were placed on "unpaid administrative leave".  Cribbs was very critical of the perceived micro-management of the team by the league and stated at that time that he would probably not return to the team.
+===Roster===
+Signed players included:
+* [[Alonzo Ephraim]], former Alabama and Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman.
+* [[Marcus Spencer]], former Alabama and Canadian Football League defensive back.
+* [[Kendall Mack]], former [[Auburn Tigers football|Auburn]] offensive lineman.
+* [[Ahmaad Galloway]], former Alabama and NFL Europe running back.
+====drafted players====
+# (6th) Josh Sewell (OL)
+# (7th) Scott Scharff (DL)
+# (18th) Ben Brielmaier (OL)
+# (19th) Daryl Whittington (DL)
+# (30th) Alex Obomese (DL)
+# (31st) Nick Smith (OL)
+# (42nd) Grant Steen (LB)
+# (43rd) Antwaun Carter (RB)
+# (54th) Terrance Robinson (LB)
+# (55th) Nathan Bennett (OL)
+# (66th) Jared Newberry (LB)
+# (67th) Travis Manigan (DL)
+# (78th) Robert Ortiz (WR)
+# (79th) [[Reggie Myles]] (DB)
+# (90th) [[Saleem Rasheed]] (LB)
+# (91st) [[Freddie Milons]] (WR)
+# (102nd) Marcus Spencer (DB)
+# (103rd) [[Karibi Dede]] (LB)
+# (114th) [[Jeffrey Dukes]] (DB)
+# (115th)  [[Tre Smith]] (RB)
+# (126th) Brian Balazik (QB)
+# (127th) Joel Babb (WR)
+# (150th) [[Kody Bliss]] (P)
+# (151st) [[Gerald Dixon]] (DB)
+# (162nd) [[Terry Jones, Jr]] (TE)
+# (163rd) [[Ernest Respress]] (DL)
+# (174th) Rob Austin (OL)
+# (175th) Franklin Lloyd (DL)
+# (186th) Josh Chambers (DL)
+# (187th) Kerry Johnson (WR)
+# (198th) Darius Williams (TE)
+# (199th) Cedric Norman (WR)
+# (210th) Clifford Carter (WR)
+# (211th) Earthwind Moreland (DB)
+# (222nd) Dennis Davis (DB)
+# (223rd) Jeremiah Russell (WR)
+# (234th) Reginald Austin (DB)
+# (235th) John Niklos (RB)
+# (246th) Abdul Howard (DB)
+# (247th) E. Z. Smith (OL)
+# (258th) Gabriel Helms (DB)
+# (259th) Marvin Townes (RB)
+# (270th) Keith Willis (TE)
+# (271st) Rico Reese (DL)
+# (282nd) Mark Anelli (TE)
+# (283rd) Kevin Eakin (QB)
+# (294th) Marcus Thomas (OL)
+# (295th) Jermaine Harris (LB)
 ==References==
-* Solomon, Jon (August 01, 2006) "Birmingham in talks with pro team at Legion Field". Birmingham News.
+* Segrest, Doug (March 26, 2008) "Team president, head coach no longer with AAFL team."  ''Birmingham News''.
+* Segrest, Doug (March 13, 2008) "AAFL season postponed." ''Birmingham News''.
+* Segrest, Doug (October 23, 2007) "Familiar names Sherrill, Stabler, Cribbs, Hannah, Lemak involved in Birmingham team." ''Birmingham News''.
+* Solomon, Jon (August 1, 2006) "Birmingham in talks with pro team at Legion Field". Birmingham News.
 * CSTV (July 26, 2006) "All American Football League Aims To Keep College Spirit Going". [http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/072606abe.html]
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Alabama, Team}}
-[[Category:Professional teams]]
+[[Category:Professional football teams]]
-[[Category:Football teams]]
 [[Category:Legion Field]]

Team Alabama: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 13:11, 9 February 2024

Roster

drafted players

References

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