With the economy in the tanks, and sporting events being a luxury some might not be able to afford in the coming weeks and months, the Arena Football League might be shutting down it's doors. The AFL has already postponed their annual draft, as well as free agency, and the league has issued an official statement going forward. Via AFL.com....

“The AFL is working on long-term structural improvements which have unfortunately delayed some important events, such as the release of the 2009 schedule, the Dispersal Draft, and the beginning of free agency,” said Acting Commissioner ED POLICY. “We thank our fans for their enthusiasm for these events and ask them to be patient a little longer while we finalize our long-term improvements. All AFL teams are working towards winning ArenaBowl XXIII.”

While they obviously want to keep the gates open next season, it's looking more and more like they will be canceling the upcoming, and possibly future seasons. The Denver Post is even reporting that Arena Football could shut its doors if they don't receiving aid by December 19th. While there are still a few franchises that are claiming a solid financial standing, the league has been in trouble for most of the past year. Their deal with ESPN in 2006 was supposed to set them up for the future, but it seems as if even the "Leader" can't save them now.

League's official statement (Arena Football)

I honestly don't have anything wrong with Arena Football, but for some reason I just can't get into it. About the only clips I've ever posted are of referees getting hit in the balls and players or coaches cursing their brains out. Well ESPN is trying their darndest to get you Football geeks into the game, and they're planning on-airing a whole game with the majority of audio coming from on-field action and interviews. Via ESPN PR.....

ESPN2 will present a special “Live-Wired” telecast of Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football that will bring viewers into the arena through additional microphones, locker room access, and wall-to-wall action and sound from the AFL matchup between the Philadelphia Soul and Georgia Force Monday, May 12, at 8 p.m. on ESPN2 and in high definition on ESPN2 HD. The game will also be simulcast on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV.

Analyst Ray Bentley will narrate the game and lead viewers in and out of breaks, timeouts and plays in the red zone, as well as conduct live interviews throughout the telecast. Most of the audio will come from on-field action through commentary from the players, coaches and referees. ESPN2 will utilize sevenseven [sic] microphones total.

I'm not sure if our friend Ray Bentley is the only announcer, but this is definitely an interesting approach. If you played the entire game without announcers I'd probably watch the whole thing, but with Ray asking questions I might just watch a quarter. Either way I'm watching though right?

Maybe Mike & Mike are too busy doing Soap Operas (3 O'clock on CBS!), but the pair isn't going to be back in the AFL booth next year for ESPN/ABC. No that honor will go to the most random collection of analysts and play-by-play guys ever assembled.

The plan seems to be to mix and match three different analysts and three different leads over the four month season beginning March 1st. And your winners are....

Leads: Bob Wischusen, Dave Pasch, and Joe Tessitore
Analysts: Shaun King, Marcellus Wiley, and Ray Bentley

While this is really a random set of announcers none of them are really that bad. As far as PxPers go Wischusen and Pasch are top notch and I think King and Wiley are intelligent and great studio analysts. I'm also convinced that Ray Bentley could be good as well without having Pam Ward dragging him down.

You would think that they would pick one team and go with it but apparently ESPN plans on changing them around for every single game. Here's your schedule if you're into the AFL....

Sat., March 1
Dallas at Georgia- Bob Wischusen, Shaun King and Marcellus Wiley (ABC, 1 p.m.)
Mon., March 3
San Jose at Chicago- Dave Pasch and Wiley (ESPN2, 9 p.m.)
Sun., March 9
Philadelphia at Chicago- Joe Tessitore and King (ESPN2, 1 p.m.)
Mon., March 10
Los Angeles at Arizona- Pasch and Wiley (ESPN2, 11 p.m.)
Mon., March 17
Colorado at Dallas- Wischusen and King (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Sat., March 29
Tampa at Philadelphia- Wischusen and Wiley (ESPN2, 2 p.m.)
Sun., April 6
Chicago at Orlando- Tessitore and King (ESPN2, 2 p.m.)
Mon., April 14
Chicago at Kansas City- Wischusen and Ray Bentley (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m.)
Mon., April 21
Philadelphia at Columbus- Pasch and Wiley (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Mon., April 28
Dallas at Philadelphia- Wischusen and King (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Mon., May 5
Chicago at Tampa Bay- Wischusen and King (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Mon., May 12
Philadelphia at Georgia- TBD and Bentley (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Mon., May 19
Los Angeles at Chicago- Wischusen and Bentley (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Mon., May 26
Georgia at New Orleans- Tessitore and Wiley (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Mon., June 2
New York at Colorado- Pasch and King (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.)
Mon., June 9
Los Angeles at Utah- Pasch and Wiley (ESPN2, 10 p.m.)
Mon., June 16
Colorado at Arizona- Pasch and King (ESPN2, 10 p.m.)
Sun., June 22
Dallas at Chicago- Wischusen and Bentley (ESPN2, 4 p.m.)

Screw Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn going into the Hall. Forget Barry Bonds' 755th. No friends it's time for the event of the year. It's Arena Bowl Sunday...number twenty one!!!

(Side Note: How crazy is it that there have been 21 of these things?)

Coverage begins at 3pm on ABC this Sunday, and Mike and Mike are your host for this momentus occasion. But of course.....that's never enough. What else are you getting you ask?

• -Chats with players/coaches during ArenaBowl week;
• -Merril Hoge will host a live in-game chat, analyzing the game and answering online questions;
• -Scouts Inc. Insider breakdowns highlighting key individual match-ups;
• -Page 2 columnist Mary Buckheit will contribute video clips from Media Day, as well as an all-access look on game day;
• -Senior writer Elizabeth Merrill feature on how ArenaBowl XXI is helping New Orleans reemerge as a marquee sports event city since Katrina;
• -Daily stories from William Bendetson in New Orleans, including an in-depth look at how far the Arena Football League has come in its 21 years;
• -Q&As with Arena Football celebrity owners

That's awesome right! Right. But that's just the week of (so ultimately this has already happened even though I've seen know of it). What happens gameday is just plain amazing....

• -17 cameras covering the game, including:
  • -SkyCam -- overhead remote-controlled camera will provide unique aerial views;
  • -Roaming hand-held RF steadicam will provide crowd shots and specialty shots;
  • -Cameras inside locker-rooms during pre-game and halftime;
• -Players and coaches (three per team) wearing live microphones, offering in-game audio inside the huddle as plays are called and conversations with ESPN commentators;
• -Analysis from ESPN analyst Merril Hoge, who will host an ESPN.com chat throughout the game;
• -Possible booth visit by Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Joey Galloway, co-owner of the Columbus Destroyers.

Holy crap! A possible visit from Joey Galloway?!?!?!?!?! No f'ing way. And Merril Hoge stating that Columbus' QB Matt Nagy is the "most overrated QB in the Arena"? How can you NOT watch?!?!?

Don't Piss Off Bon Jovi (Deadspin)

(Source: ESPN)

Mark Jones will replace Ron Jaworski in the AFL booth starting tonight. Jaws, who is avoiding any and all practice of announcing actual games, said he will be concentrating on Monday Night Football from here on out.

In related news....The AFL is still on TV?

Noticed a funny little throwaway piece on the AFL in the New York Post the other day. Apparently ESPN used to mock the AFL when they would call-in to send highlights for SportsCenter. That's funny I could have sworn I saw an AFL clip yesterday on SportsCenter. Hmm???

Not that we should be surprised, but now that ESPN has bought into the Arena Football League, "SportsCenter" carries AFL news and highlights. Before that, according to a former AFL operative, attempts to have ESPN show AFL highlights were futile: "I'd call the assignment desk and practically be laughed off the phone."

I wonder how NASCAR used to feel?

Baseball Has A Lot of Nerve (New York Post: 3rd Item)