Just got off the phone with Freedom co-owner Bill Fahlsing, and he said he and Mark Chappuis continue to work to get the team on the field in 2009.
"I feel very confident that what we did was what people would have liked to have seen: We were able to get through the year and go on," Fahlsing said. "But we also want to make sure we take the right steps. If you make a mistake or an err in judgment, something you say and it doesn't come 100 percent true, you get into trouble."
In other words, don't expect any grand pronouncements for at least a couple weeks.
- Fahlsing said a date for the Continental Indoor Football League meetings hasn't been announced yet. CIFL co-founder Eric Spitaleri told me in an e-mail they will be in September. The meetings likely will be in Ohio. I will keep you posted and hopefully be able to attend the meetings next month. We'll see.
- Still no time frame on when season ticket renewals will be sent, Fahlsing said.
- In terms of additional owners, Fahlsing said, "We've got some promises. We don't have any final say."
- Fahlsing said there is an agreement "in principle" with a head coach. All I can say is it's a familiar face.
-- By Stacy Clardie, The Journal Gazette
In my far away opinion, that doesn't sound very promising.
League hasn't set meetings yet, while their strongest teams get wooed by the newly formed IFL (Muskegon and Chicago to name two).
No reason for renewals, because nobody has plunked down a buck to invest. What could possibly change at this point to make them want to be involved, that's what I am curious about. The league is going to get worse over the next few months before it gets better, so the momentum I think has passed for 2009.
Wait for 2010 and see which league (CIFL or IFL) emerges from 2009 as the strongest.
Leagues will fight for Fort Wayne to be in their league, just like they did last year. Freedom Jr. chose the right one for 2008, but it may not be the same in 2010.
Posted by: anitTE | August 22, 2008 at 08:25 AM
We're going to be having a new blog address soon. I'm not sure if you've read any of our other ones (Boiling Point, perhaps?), but the new Extra Points will look like those. I'll keep you posted.
Posted by: Stacy | August 22, 2008 at 07:29 PM
So Stacy, you mean fancy ones like ALL the other teams ALREADY have? Freedom, always the red headed step child of Fort Wayne sports . . . lol.
I see the Wizards have their blog upgraded as well. Anyone know when the new name and colors will be announced? Looking forward to the reactions from Wizards fans . . .
Posted by: Freedom | August 25, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Ahem... Hello? Wow... this hallway is so bare that I hear an echo. I thought I would poke my head around the corner and see what everybody's up to.
I've been following the activities from a far and I'm not sure what to focus on. It's like flying over the ocean. On the surface it appears fairly calm and almost peaceful. But, as you go down below the horizon, there is much activity and many currents in the deep. It would appear that Freedom Jr is like that ocean at this time.
Ok... I've turned off the psychological switch because the last thing I want to do is get a plethora of anti-Happy bloggers telling me I'm pretending to be an expert in psychology. (The truth is, I am... I just don't want everybody wasting time telling me about the obvious.)
All kidding aside. I hope that Freedom Jr is like that ocean analogy. I haven't heard anything more than what has been presented on the blog site. I would imagine that we're going to hear more once the Ohio meeting takes place (or at least I hope we will).
So... hello to everybody out there in Happyville! Keep up the great work and keep posting.
Oh... and one more thing before I go... Brett Favre, what a nut job! He has ruined his 'great ambassador for the NFL' status in just one, short selfish week. Even being a Chicago Bears die-hard fan that I am, there was always this tinge of envy towards Green Bay due to the Brettster. Now, I can truthfully say that once he showed his true colors and seeing what he did to the Green Bay football community... I'm glad he was never a Chicago Bear.
One promising thing for him though, he has now proven that he has the character trait necessary to be the commissioner of AF2... that is, of course, once Uncle Jerry steps aside.
Peace out!
Posted by: Happy Dog | August 27, 2008 at 06:25 PM
anybody know the dates of when the dough has to be into the coliseum to hold the dates for the 2009 season? Or when the league fees are due to hold a franchise?
Has anyone been contacted about doing a green bay/indianapolis indians type ownership group? Buy in for a few thousand dollars and then that group of small investors elects someone to vote as the group on team issues? just curious if any of you guys have been ask or not....interesting.
Posted by: timraiders | August 28, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Tim... Kind of funny you asked that. Ellis contacted me when the ship was sinking and wanted to know if I had a spare $5000 to invest in the team. Or, if I knew anyone else that would like to invest. His "dream" was to get enough people to invest at that level and have numerous owners.
Actually RC was thinking of doing something in the same area as having numerous investors.
I have many ideas about group ownership, but no time to write a novel.
EG
Posted by: FirstDown | August 28, 2008 at 11:14 AM
I heard through the grapevine that THE CANNON MAN was preparing to invade USF Cougar games this fall, starting this Saturday at noon.
Not sure who told me, but I think it was a reliable source ;-)
Posted by: anitTE | September 03, 2008 at 07:43 AM
FREEDOM Update: League Meetings are to be held in Fort Wayne, IN Sept. 27th & 28th. Team ownership of C.I.F.L. will be on the agenda. 2009 Season Schedule will also be a priority. Team owners will be announcing head coach and staff, as well as season ticket renewal, soon.We are looking forward to a great year on and off the field!
Posted by: Bill Fahlsing | September 06, 2008 at 04:56 PM
Thanks for the update Bill!
Posted by: FirstDown | September 08, 2008 at 08:32 AM
Brad H... Are the rumors true? I'm hearing that there's a new guy in the front office and he's from the original Freedom Sr. days. Will you please confirm or deny the rumors? Besides, you were suppose to let this Happy Dog know when you got back into town. I might have to write you a ticket for that violation.
Look forward to hearing from you partner!
Peace out!
Posted by: Happy Dog | September 11, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Hmm . . . Muskegon, Saginaw, Rochester and Leigh Valley were accepted into the IFL today.
Posted by: Freedom | September 12, 2008 at 05:04 PM
Not losing a whole lot. Two huge egos that like to throw their weight around, and two teams that couldn't afford to run a team like the IFL will probably require if they had to.
If the IFL is supposed to be this great league, they didn't show it with this group of teams brought in.
Posted by: Josh Stein | September 13, 2008 at 07:44 PM
The CIFL is nothing special either and is just as big of a joke as this other league could be.
Posted by: Atomic | September 13, 2008 at 08:07 PM
Oh, no, I agree. The CIFL has all kinds of work to do. They say they're getting there - and truth be told they've lost a lot of the owners that were stumbling blocks to become a more professional league - but it's "prove it" time.
Posted by: Josh Stein | September 14, 2008 at 11:54 AM