Despite AFL owners cancelling the 2000 season due to a
pending antitrust lawsuit brought by a group of players
against the league seeking better working conditions, Albany
Firebirds QB Mike Pawlawski said that the players "aren't
backing off" the suit, according to Mark Singelais of the
Albany TIMES UNION. AFL Deputy Commissioner Ron Kurpiers
said that there is "still a slim chance to save the season,
if the players unionize quickly." Pawlawski said that the
Teamsters Union ended its efforts to unionize the players
"because they realized that a union wasn't in the best
interests of the players." But Detroit Fury member George
LaFrance told the AP that the Teamsters "remain very much
involved." Meanwhile, the AFL "is in the process of laying
off employees" (Albany TIMES UNION, 2/26). In St.
Petersburg, Chris Rotar wrote that AFL players' attorney
Jeffrey Kessler said that he will file an injunction today
"to prevent the league from canceling the season."
Kurpiers: "We are committed to cancel. ... The only way to
turn it around is literally for something to happen in days,
and I am not sure that could happen" (ST. PETE TIMES, 2/26).
In Rochester, Bob Matthews: "I can't help but think [AFL]
owners are bluffing and that there will be a 2000 season.
The AFL has made too many positive strides in the last year
to give up" (DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 2/28). In Albany, Steve
Campbell wrote that there is "little reaction" to the
season's end outside AFL markets, and that AFL owners and
players "might want to keep that in mind while they're
sifting through the rubble they made out of the good things
they had going" (Albany TIMES UNION, 2/27).
WILL OTHER LEAGUES BENEFIT? In Orlando, Jerry Greene
asked, "Who benefits if the [AFL] season is dead? Hello,
XFL" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/26). The CFL has "advised its
teams to stand down and not sign any" AFL players (Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL, 2/26). In Wichita, Van Williams wrote that
the AFL's "loss" is the Indoor Football League's (IFL)
"gain," as IFL officials are now looking to sign players
(WICHITA EAGLE, 2/26). Meanwhile, in Naples, FL, Greg
Hardwig wrote that af2 "will still go on" in April with 16
teams competing (NAPLES DAILY NEWS, 2/26). af2
Communications Dir Matthew Eres said that AFL players "will
not be allowed" to play in af2 (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 2/26).
A BAD SIGN? In San Gabriel, CA, Michelle Rester wrote
that 1,400 "risque" billboards the AFL Avengers put up to
promote the team "outraged" some Azusa officials. A few
variations of the signs read, "On April 9, Hundreds Of Men
Will Leave Their Wives For Other Men"; "On April 9, Eight
Oklahoma Tourists Will Be Beaten In Downtown Los Angeles'";
and "On April 9, Sixty-Nine Won't Be Out Of The Question."
Avengers spokesperson John Tamanaha added that there were
"no plans to remove the billboards" before the eight-week
promo was completed. Rester added that some "angry people"
in Azusa "began destroying some of the signs immediately
after they went up" (San Gabriel VALLEY TRIBUNE, 2/26).