Former Team Alabama President Critical Of AAFL Management
Former Team Alabama President Joe Cribbs believes that the All American Football League's (AAFL) central office in Atlanta "micromanaged individual franchises, limiting their ability to market the league and stand on their own," according to Doug Segrest of the BIRMINGHAM NEWS. Cribbs, who along with Team Alabama coach Mike Jones is no longer with the franchise, said, "They've basically shut down most every team with one person left to handle the transition at each franchise. ... I feel I was misled and lied to (about the league's future), and I'm hurt. I live in Birmingham and I have a love for this city and this state. I know what was going on and it needs to come out." Some of Cribbs' specific complaints include the AAFL's ads in Birmingham that "played up the University of Alabama [UA] ... thwarting Team Alabama's efforts to appeal to a broader audience," including fans of Auburn, UAB, Troy and programs in Mississippi and Georgia. Cribbs also complained that the AAFL's choice of uniform "was a mistake." He said that the league "approved the design, but then sent a totally different uniform that looked similar in jersey and helmet style" to UA. Former Team Michigan front-office exec Mark Ouimet said the AAFL central office "totally mismanaged [AAFL CEO] Marcus Katz's dream." Ouimet: "Katz built this league and wanted this league to succeed. For this league to become a dream in 2009, we need to put a (management) team together that understands the players and knows how to manage a league" (BIRMINGHAM NEWS, 3/26).
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