The NFL season is over. I am not quite sure what to write about anymore, but then I stumbled upon odds from the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook for something called the Alliance of American Football (AAF).
I actually remember reading about this new league back in the fall. Since football leagues other than the NFL are generally pretty successful, Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian founded this league last spring.
There are eight teams, and the league begins its first 10-week season on Saturday. The championship will be held in late April in Las Vegas.
Luckily, if this league fails, fans of non-NFL leagues will get to watch the XFL in 2020.
Here's a look at AAF futures:
Leading the way are the Arizona Hotshots. They will be rolling out former Oklahoma Sooner and Texas A&M Aggie Trevor Knight at quarterback. Other names that stuck out to me are Scooby Wright at linebacker, and Sterling Moore, Rahim Moore and Dexter McDougle in their defensive backfield. Nick Folk will handle their kicking duties.
Next on the list are the Salt Lake Stallions at +400. They are coached by former 49ers and Arizona State head coach Dennis Erickson. It's unclear who will start at quarterback, though their first pick in the AAF quarterback draft, Josh Woodrum, may get the nod.
Other notable names include Matt Asiata, Kaelin Clay and Sealver Siliga.
Steve Spurrier's Orlando Apollos are one of three teams at +500. His roster isn't exactly illustrious, but he's the most accomplished coach of the bunch and could make something out of nothing. Then again, none of these teams look good on paper so it's tough to tell which teams will be good.
The first games will be aired Saturday on CBS. Surely, bettors will take a crack at this new league.
A couple of rules to note:
- All teams must attempt a two-point conversion after a touchdown, as there are no extra point kicks. This certainly makes the key betting number of seven far less important.
- There are no kickoffs. Teams will begin on their own 25-yard line. Onside kick attempts will be replaced by a 4th-and-10 attempt at the team's own 35-yard line.
- The play clock will run for 30 seconds, not 40.
- There are no TV timeouts and will reportedly be 60% fewer commercials in general, as the league is aiming to complete games in two and a half hours rather than three.
Will this league catch on? History tells us no, though legalized sports betting will certainly give it a better shot.
