Fictional History of SFL (AFA Universe) 1975: The SFL will return in November 2016

[FFWally]

It was an amazingly well managed year for Lindholm and his Svart Flödman, and with that success look for him to go after athletes in the US as well as some giants from Eastern Europe.

1972 will get interesting, and brings the first look at upcoming relegation.

[FFWally]

Office of the Commissioner

Stockholm, Sweden

24 May 1972

Stockholm - Earlier this afternoon I was notified of the signings of two Polish Olympic weighlifters who defected while attending the 1972 Baltic Powerliting Championships in Stockholm, by the Uppsala Hammers.

Tomasz Kulwicki the Polish 110kg+ Champion, and Szymon Androjewski also 110kg+ left their rooms early Saturday evening to sight see in Gamla Stad, and did not return. Hammers owner Anders Bergström met the pair at a small cafe and escorted them to the Swedish Olympic Sports complex, where they announced their defections.

The two athletes have been staying at the guest quarters in the SFL offices in Stockholm, and as planned signed with the Hammers this morning, before Bergström took them to their new apartments in Uppsala.

Kulwicki and Androjewski are both expected to play offensive guard for the Hammers, and will spend the summer working with position coaches to get them ready for American Football.

​Uppsala will issue a separate press release in the coming days.

SFAF/SFL Commissioner,

Anders Ekdahl

Stockholm, Sweden

[Darknes]

Well then..Quite the move by Uppsala.

[FFWally]

Carl Johansson (Uppsala Free Press) - Could there be a British team in the SFL's future?

On Sunday, Anders Bergström was seen touring the Uppsala Hammers facilities with noted British Author Sir Arthur Dole, and several members of the British Royal Sports Federation. When asked about the tour, Bergström smiled and said, "when we expanded into Denmark and Norway, we were only testing the international appetite for American Football".

Does this mean London will be the next city to get an expansion team? Only time will tell, and the 1975 Expansion Vote will likely include one or more international teams. There is also a rumor of the Jets losing favor with the SAAB group, and after moving the SFL team from Lund, there is a chance that the team could be prime for relocation yet again under new ownership.

Could this be the real reason for the visit? And would league owners waive the penalties to put a team in the London television market, and open the league to a lucrative TV contract with the BBC?

Bergström was also asked about the two Polish lifters living in team housing outside of Uppsala, near Dalby.

"Hammers football has been missing an element central to today's game, and that is an athletic and more importantly powerful offensive line. This is not a one year project, and we understand that these two giants of men will need a full year to be prepared for the American game. They may not look it, but both were solid footballers before finding their niche in weightlifting. I fully expect them to be all SFL inside of 3 years, their foot speed and incredible strength will allow them to make mistakes and still get the job done".

He also noted that the team was scouting in other countries for players they believe can put the Hammers on top for years to come.

[neo_prankster]

Carl Johansson (Uppsala Free Press) - Could there be a British team in the SFL's future?

On Sunday, Anders Bergström was seen touring the Uppsala Hammers facilities with noted British Author Sir Arthur Dole, and several members of the British Royal Sports Federation. When asked about the tour, Bergström smiled and said, "when we expanded into Denmark and Norway, we were only testing the international appetite for American Football".

Does this mean London will be the next city to get an expansion team? Only time will tell, and the 1975 Expansion Vote will likely include one or more international teams. There is also a rumor of the Jets losing favor with the SAAB group, and after moving the SFL team from Lund, there is a chance that the team could be prime for relocation yet again under new ownership.

Could this be the real reason for the visit? And would league owners waive the penalties to put a team in the London television market, and open the league to a lucrative TV contract with the BBC?

Bergström was also asked about the two Polish lifters living in team housing outside of Uppsala, near Dalby.

"Hammers football has been missing an element central to today's game, and that is an athletic and more importantly powerful offensive line. This is not a one year project, and we understand that these two giants of men will need a full year to be prepared for the American game. They may not look it, but both were solid footballers before finding their niche in weightlifting. I fully expect them to be all SFL inside of 3 years, their foot speed and incredible strength will allow them to make mistakes and still get the job done".

He also noted that the team was scouting in other countries for players they believe can put the Hammers on top for years to come.

If the BBC can't work out a deal, look for their arch rival ITV to take a chance, much like how ABC took the chance on Monday Night Football in 1970.

[FFWally]

Carl Johansson (Uppsala Free Press) - Could there be a British team in the SFL's future?

On Sunday, Anders Bergström was seen touring the Uppsala Hammers facilities with noted British Author Sir Arthur Dole, and several members of the British Royal Sports Federation. When asked about the tour, Bergström smiled and said, "when we expanded into Denmark and Norway, we were only testing the international appetite for American Football".

Does this mean London will be the next city to get an expansion team? Only time will tell, and the 1975 Expansion Vote will likely include one or more international teams. There is also a rumor of the Jets losing favor with the SAAB group, and after moving the SFL team from Lund, there is a chance that the team could be prime for relocation yet again under new ownership.

Could this be the real reason for the visit? And would league owners waive the penalties to put a team in the London television market, and open the league to a lucrative TV contract with the BBC?

Bergström was also asked about the two Polish lifters living in team housing outside of Uppsala, near Dalby.

"Hammers football has been missing an element central to today's game, and that is an athletic and more importantly powerful offensive line. This is not a one year project, and we understand that these two giants of men will need a full year to be prepared for the American game. They may not look it, but both were solid footballers before finding their niche in weightlifting. I fully expect them to be all SFL inside of 3 years, their foot speed and incredible strength will allow them to make mistakes and still get the job done".

He also noted that the team was scouting in other countries for players they believe can put the Hammers on top for years to come.

If the BBC can't work out a deal, look for their arch rival ITV to take a chance, much like how ABC took the chance on Monday Night Football in 1970.

That is an interesting thought. The whole GB move opens up the league to the rest of Europe, and success in London will be a huge key to how the league expands, or if it becomes a Scandinavian only league, which is not a bad thing, but I know Bergstrom and the others see it as a league that can become a bookend to the AFA in the long term, uses the AFA model and doesnt try to reinvent the wheel.

[Veras]

I'm curious what the league administration looks like. Is there a central league office, or are league decisions made by something resembling the Owners' Council that ran the AFA in its early years?

[FFWally]

Currently, the League has a Commissioner Anders Ekdahl, who has quite a lot of power, this came about after Lund lost their team to Linkoping 2 years ago.

Ekdahl, comes to the league from ten years with the Premier Fotboll League in Stockholm, and his office moves a total of two city blocks to SFAF headquarters. His background is in growing the Swedish Association Football federation and putting in place new relegation/elevation programs that have enhanced the strength of Swedish Association Football (Soccer).

Additionally, his leadership in establishing a loan/purchase program has given the Swedish Fotboll league a boost on competition level, with top level european mainland players being loaned to the league, and developing players finding an easier path to the top tier leagues in Britain, Germany and Italy. It is this skill set that will allow the SFAF to grow and develop players.

The Commissioner is all powerful, and in the case of the Linkoping franchise move, laid down the law, and made it virtually impossible for a team to move without approval of the owners council. But, he has the power to make deals, and levy fines to players and organizations.

The Power Structure works like this:

Commissioner - Ekdahl

Owners Ligan

Swedish Athletes Federation - AF

Arbitration is done by the Commissioner's office

[FFWally]

Sorry for the delays... son graduated HS, Spring Football Camp and tons of family have made for little leisure time.

Uppsala has made a bold move in their look... this is the Logo comp with new and old helmets, look for the complete update early in the week.

[FFWally]

The season will be broken into 2-3 posts over the next 2 days... with the Odin Cup being played in London and two surprise finalists.

It is the lowest scoring Odin Cup since OCI in 1965, but was still a thrilling game with a compelling story.

[FFWally]

VS

1972 Season

London Kickoff

After an offseason filled with bold moves, the 1972 season kicked off with a game at London’s Sansa Stark Park (Knights Watch FC) in front of 32,591 between Stockholm and Copenhagen.

This would be the first of 6 games outside of the current SFL footprint, with games scheduled in London, Dublin, Aberdeen, Antwerpen, Köln, and Paris, the league looks to build brand awareness, as well as gauging initial interest in further expansion.

Stockholm, ever the disappointment in the SFL come into the season looking for a playoff spot for the first time since playing in Odin Cup I seven seasons ago. For the SFL to continue its expansion, a successful Stockholm team is a must, and after making a coaching change mid season 1970, the team responded with a 6-6 campaign in 71 missing the playoffs by a single game.

Copenhagen followed in the recent fast starts by Helsingborg, and Oslo found itself a title contender last season, but couldn’t make it out of the first round, and looks to make a title run in 1972.

With a massive promotional campaign, and partnership with Knights Watch FC that will see the SFL Championship played in the same stadium led to a opening weekend SFL record 32,000+ fans for the first game played outside of Scandinavia.

Swedes and Danes showed up in National colors, with a smattering of Green and Silver Vikings jerseys in the stands, and cyan blue shirts of the Danish team made for a colorful crowd.

The Brits were intrigued, and had only seen replays of the SFL Championships and AFA Championship games on their BBC version of World Wide Sports. Former American AFA Champion and Gavle Goats Legend Johnny Rosenberger was the color analyst, alongside former AFA Gladiators great LB Stanley McKay, who has an improvised rapid fire way of setting up the plays, and an innate ability to get the audience involved in the game, no matter how good or bad it is.

While McKay was never the best linebacker in the league, he wears three Victory Bowl rings and is the Gladiators all time leading tackler, which goes back 90 years! His knowledge of the game, and relatability is a perfect for a virgin audience.

Given two hours to the game introducing the American game, and the Swedish, now Scandinavian League to the Brits, Rosenberger and McKay give a masters level class on the game that even a child could relate to, and with the help of Monty Python star, John Cleese, a Brits perspective or more accurately, lack of perspective on the game .

Cleese uses sketch comedy to make the American game relatable, and humorous, not quite what Bergström had in mind, but the draw of Cleese’s star power brings ratings only dreamed of, and when he sticks around to insert his own British brand of play by play, the game is an incredible success.

The Game

Stockholm head coach Gabe Roman comes into his second season with a defense led by Knut Lundin #56 fresh off all SLC honors, and a drive to bring respectability to the Vikings.

New QB Karl Scheile comes to the Vikings from the Danish L2 team Alborg Reds and grew up in Allentown, PA where he was expected to be the next great QB to come from steel country, but his parents divorced when he was 15 and he went with his father to Denmark, and at 16 took over on the A-Team for the Reds, competing with players from 18-30 years old, and immediately showed dominance, great field vision and the ability to avoid contact while delivering pin-point passes. His only real weakness was the deep ball, and after 3 years with the Reds, his strength gave him the ability to make the 40 yard post routes a lethal weapon.

Schiele entered the game as the youngest starting QB in the league at 20 years old, and Coach Gabriel in his second year with the Vikings intended to get him a few reps a game to ease him into the season, that was until Miles Odom his AFA signing from Texas went down with a career ending knee injury the third day of camp, and Schiele won the job by a huge margin.

After a 30 minute pregame ceremony and team introductions, the game kicked off at 1530 to an incredible TV Audience in Great Britain as well as the Scandinavian network coverage, and some scattered coverage in Europe.

Copenhagan took the kickoff and it was quickly apparent the 6-6 season of the Vikings was no fluke, as veteran and longest tenured Stockholm player, #4 Steve French sat on a slant and took it 30 yards for an early 7-0 lead.

Copenhagen was a little more successful in its second possession with a 12 yard run by rookie FB #34 Nils Mortensen that got the Danes on their feet, but the next play was a disaster as Jan Jansen threw his second pick of the game and put Stockholm in business at the Anders 43.

Vikings rookie running back #32 Darryl Lowe out of TCU took the ball up the middle for 23 on his first carry as a professional and it appeared the Vikings would be up 14 - 0 with barely 2 minutes gone in the first quarter.

But, Anders DE #89 Brad Baker crushed Scheile, forcing a turnover, and the Copenhagen squad immediately drove 80 yards for a TD to tie the game at seven on a Mortensen 14 yard run.

Going into the second quarter, Stockholm was beginning to control the clock, and Roman’s ball control mentality fit with his young team, and took most of the pressure off of the young QB and firmly on the shoulders of the offensive line and rookie RB Darryl Lowe.

After a scoreless second quarter, the fanfare stretched the halftime into what seemed like hours to the players, but the teams were here for a show, and that is exactly what the fans got in the second half.

Stockholm took the second half kickoff and drove the length of the field, using short passes and power running to confuse Copenhagen, and on 3rd and 7 from the Copenhagen 10, Scheile hit second year WR #19 Brett Jackson on a slant for the TD and a 14-7 lead.

Not to be outdone Copenhagen methodically drove 50 yards before settling for a 45 yard FG by #1 Knut Johansen and the game was within 4 points again.

Each team scored again in the quarter and the fourth began with Stockholm up 21-17.

Copenhagen found a rhythm in the fourth and began to wear down Stockholms defense, and it looked like the same old Vikings were going to blow a 4th quarter lead for the 18th time in the past 4 seasons, until MLB #52 Knut Lundin blitzed on 3rd and 15 and forced an errant pass that #4 Steve French picked and cruised untouched for a 73 yard return and TD, giving the Vikings a 28-17 cushion, with 6:32 in the game.

Unlike previous years, the Vikings didnt sit back and play prevent defense, they went for the throat and on a 3rd and 1 from their 42, Vikings DE #85 Allen Minter took Mortensen down for a 5 yard loss and the Anders were forced to punt.

Stockholm used the running game of Lowe to grind out 60 yards and with :22 on the clock and the ball on the Anders 6, Scheile took a knee and the Vikings had managed to beat a team picked by 10 to beat them.

After the game, Vikings Head Coach Gabe Roman gave all the praise to his veteran Defense and young offense, saying, “Im not the one on the field, those boys just refused to lose anymore…”. And, when asked about the season, he said “It’s our intention to end the season right here, in December”

The full 1972 Season update will be Up tonight

The 1972 Playoffs Will be up Tuesday

The 1972 Odin Cup will be up Wednesday

Look for the seasons to be broken into 3 reports beginning in 1973

[FFWally]

First look at the 1972 Uppsala Hammers new Uniforms, as well as the promotional bumper sticker showing up on Volvo's and SAAB's across Uppland.

[Veras]

I love the color scheme. Very 70s San Diego Chargers. But I think you made a mistake on the away jersey. It looks like the stripes aren't the same on the front and back of the sleeves. I vote for the one with the gold. Additionally, I think you should change the sock stripes on the away to match the home. Having that little bit of gold to break up the two-tone blue adds a lot.

[FFWally]

1972 Regular Season

After a record breaking beginning to the season, the familiar faces came out and did as expected, with the exception of the reigning champion Trolls, who fell to 0-4, before finally putting an end to the Vikings incredible start that saw them only two games from tying last seasons win total before fall really takes hold.

But Goteburg’s rough start would only foretell of the greatest fall of any Odin Cup champion in the first decade of the SFL, as the Trolls would manage only 4 wins all season. Defensive production fell off and while they still led the league in rushing, it was the inability to score quickly that led to their demise.

On the other side of the table was Orebro, who like Helsingborg before them, cruises to a 9-3 record and the number 2 seed, on strong QB play and a defense led by rookie defensive end #92 Wade Robinson (USC) 6'5" 255, the number three pick of the SF Whales draft pick of the AFA draft. Robinson, set a single season record with 16 sacks, and amazing 43 QB pressures in only 12 games. His run defense was stellar as well with 62 tackles and 4 forced fumbles.

Stockholm, long the eternal rebuilding project started the season with an improbable win in London, and rode that statement game to the playoffs for the first time since their only Odin Cup in 1965, and while Uppsala was rebranding, Gavle was rebuilding and Linkoping was looking to move yet again, Stockholm rode solid defense and a young QBs arm to the playoffs.

Kopenhagen won the south again with a bread and butter approach, keep it simple and do what works for you style, going 7-5 and nudging out a gritty Helsingburg team that won its last 6 games after going 1-5 in the first half of the season. It was those non division games that cost Helsingborg a playoff spot, losing out to Stockholm and Vasteros and Uppsala on head to head tie breakers. But, the fact that the team was in the playoff hunt in week 12 bodes well for the 2 time Champions.

Gavle has suddenly fallen on hard times after being the most dominant team in league history two seasons in a row, and after going 2-2 in the early season began experimenting with a new offense, one that relies on a short passing game and a power I backfield.

While the season was a total bust for the Goats, it did produce a potent running game with AFA castoff #24 Hector Gonzalez (Texas) leading the East in rushing, and after 3 year starter #55 Dee Lewis went down with a torn bicep tendon in week 5, second year pro #54 Tank Johnson (NC State) led the team in tackles and shored up a struggling defensive squad.

Vasteras rode a defensive minded team to respectability in its first season, but offense was an issue, and the team found its rhythm in 1972 behind former All L2 QB John Johnson, two way WR Kevin "Flash" Washington, and RB Craig Miller.

Where the Reactors were all defense their first season after an injury to Johnson in camp, it was a balanced team that marched into the playoffs on a 4 game winning streak, and Craig Millers legs.

For the second time Mike Thomas led the league in TFL and tackles with 125, a shocking 10 tackles a game, on a team with solid defensive players. But everything funnels to the Mike linebacker and this Mike, was phenomenal in 1972.

After what was the most interesting season to date the playoffs looked to be equally surprising.

First Round Playoffs:

Wild Card Games

Stockholm @ Kopenhagen -2

Saturday 1500 hrs

Uppsala @ Vasteras -6

Sunday 1200 hrs

Division Championships Sunday Dec 24th

@ Orebro

1230 hrs

@ Eskilstuna

1730 hrs

[Darknes]

Nice GoT reference in the London Stadium, Go Orebro!

[FFWally]

The Playoffs and Odin Cup will be up shortly...

Nice GoT reference in the London Stadium, Go Orebro!

Thought you might like that.

[FFWally]

Sorry for the delay with 72, between kids graduation and spring football I have been off my A game. Then 4 days a t camp with no data... back on track now.

Some very interesting updates coming:

1972 L2 play in games with bottom 2 from SFL

League begins the push in earnest to expand beyond the Scandinavian roots...

Major connection to an AFA city in the very near future.

Most of htis begins in the 72-73 off season

[FFWally]

1972 Playoffs

Wild Card Weekend

Stockholm @ Kopenhagen

Of the two wildcard games this was the one most were watching, as Kopenhagen, the South Division Champion was facing the surprising Vikings in their first home playoff game ever.

Anders fans were looking for revenge after the game in London to start the season, and the Kopenhagen squad came out looking for blood.

The Vikings, led by 20 year old QB #11 Karl Scheilehad been the most improved team in the league for 1972, even with only a 2 game improvement in wins over 1971, the team won the games it should have, and were never out of a single game, proving that the bold move towards a pro style offense and trusting a 20 year old signal caller was the right move.

Anders MLB #55 Sven Petersen had been the best defensive player in the southern division, and opened the game with a crushing hit on rookie running back #32 Darryl Lowe, the Vikings most consistent player through his rookie campaign.

Lowe, the powerfully built tailback went head to head with Petersen, and lost, dropping the ball in what appeared to be a knockout blow for the young TB. But smelling salts and a quarter on the sideline would be all the recovery he would need to return to a much different game, than the one he left on the games first offensive play.

Petersen’s hit turned into the games first big moment, and saw the Anders offense take only 3 plays to capitalize on the turnover, and give the Anders a 7-0 lead after the other rookie running #34 Nils Mortensen back, took his first carry 32 yards to the house.

The Vikings stunned by the loss of their young RB looked out of sync for the remainder of the first quarter, and could only manage 3 first downs as the Anders Defense turned up the pressure on Scheile, and forced another turnover after it appeared that the Vikings had found a rhythem late in the first.

The Second quarter began with the Anders Jan Jansen finding #19 Kirby Jackson (TAMU) on a slant that went for 78 yards and a TD, and a 17-0 lead. And it appeared that the Anders would avenge their earlier defeat to the Vikings in glorious fashion… but, then Lowe came back into the game.

After giving up 17 early points, Vikings stalwart defensive back, #4 Steve French told the rest of the team, that this was his last season, and he was not going out like this, and the defense responded with a three and out, after the Vikings offense managed a short drive that left the Anders backed up against their goalline.

Lowe, still visibly shaken ran out onto the field and the Stockholm faithful, who had traveled across the country for their first playoff game in 7 seasons exploded into the teams fight song.

On first and 10, Scheile dropped back and handed to Lowe on a draw that went for 14 yards, and ended with Anders DB #24 Carl Mikkelsen out cold on the field.

Lowe got up, and pointed at Petersen and the game was on.

After his worst start as a pro, Lowe rumbled for 168 yards and 3 TD’s over the next three quarters, and what had appeared to be a rout, turned into a decisive statement game for the Vikings, and their young star Darryl Lowe.

Vikings 27 Anders 17

Uppsala @ Vasteras

In what appeared from the outset to be a game of closely matched teams, the line being Vasteras by less than a TD, the game was arguably over in the first five minutes of the first quarter!

Uppsala, the 2 time Champions, and perennial playoff team came into the game off a 3 game winning streak and had thoroughly destroyed Vastaras in the third week of the season 38-6, so expectations in Uppsala were high, and what happened was shocking.

Vasteras opened the game with #2 Kevin “Flash” Washington running back the kickoff 89 yards, for a TD, and a 7-0 lead.

Washington was an All American at USC, but his diminutive size 5’6” 155 made him a late round pick by the Angels, and he chose to head to Sweden and a much better contract, with the careers of the Wahlstrom brothers, and JR fresh, it was an opportunity to show that his size was not going to make him any less effective in the SFL than it did at USC.

Uppsala, looked to regroup and moved the ball quickly downfield before #99 Jake Smith ripped the ball from QB Greg Wathen (UMass) and had a 10 yard gap before any of the Hammers noticed he was gone.

62 yards later he had scored his first TD of the season, and the Reactors were up 14-0 without ever having the offense set foot on the field.

On the ensuing kickoff, Uppsala tried a reverse and ended up stuffed at the 8 yard line, and the wheels were falling off.

On first down, LB #52 Mike Thomas jumped a bubble screen and took the ball in for the TD and a 21-0 lead at 11:52 of the first Qtr.

Uppsala was down three TD’s in the first 3:08 of the game, and still no Offense from the Reactors.

After a three and out, Vasteras QB #12 John Johnson, found swedish standout receiver #18 Bengt Johansson across the middle for 15 yards, followed by a 42 yard scamper by #22 Craig Miller (SMU) that put the Reactors in scoring position yet again, and Johnson wasted little time in finding Johansson again on the goalline and a 28-0 lead with 10:01 left in the first quarter.

Suddenly a game, with most of the money was riding on Uppsala had become a rout and Johnson’s stat sheet showed 3/3/26 1TD. He didnt throw the ball again the rest of the game, and Miller ended the day with 16 carries for 189 yards and 2 TD’s.

Uppsala scored two TD’s late when Hughes put in his reserves en masse and pulled all his stars, in preparation for a game at Orebro.

Reactors 42 Hammers 14

[Burmy]

Looks like we got QUITE a rivalry between the Swedes and Danes' capital city teams! Hopefully Finland can join the fun someday.

Orebro's sitll my favorite to win it all.

[Darknes]

Hopefully Orebro can capture that first Odin Cup, curious to see where the Expansion chips fall.