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

[cubsfan2015]

Budd Richardson's (D-IL) Reaction on Anders Bergstrom heart attack

"A few days ago,the founder of the Swedish Football League,Anders

Bergstrom,has suffered a heart attack.I met him after a game in 1950.

After every game,I would go in the stands and talk to the fans.One time,

I was talking to him,he told me his love for American Football even though

being Swedish.We became best freinds and have always had a stable freindship.

Just a few days before the heart attack happened,I was having lunch with him

and we were talking about London's new SFL team.I asked him about if he can set up a successful football league across Europe,he said "it will happen, but we have only scratched the surface of what is to come, and the league will continue to grow, long after I am gone".

But let it not be now.I hope good wishes to the family and the AFA and the SFL

[FFWally]

Bergström Condition Improves

Ft Worth - Anders Bergström has been moved to a private room, and is progressing in his recovery. Due to his poor health, he is expected to spend another 10 days at Harris Methodist in the Cardiac unit, and has been placed on a wellness program.

Uppsala Places Bergström on Medical Leave for 1973 Season

Hammers Interim General Manager C.L. Bergstrom, announced today that due to his fathers continuing recovery, he will be placed on Medical Leave for the 1973 season.

"It is our sole hope that my father takes a year to get his health in order, and take a year to recover and refresh. He has been going full-speed since 1964, and his single minded focus on growing not only the Hammers brand, but the SFL as a league, has taken a great toll on his health."

Uppsala is in the process of building a state of the art training facility across from Rosendals Brandstation (Fire Station), the new Football only stadium will be located on the other side of Rosendalsvägen, with 4 youth fields and a team facility on the campus.

"In honor of my fathers contribution to sport in Uppsala and the Hammers, the strength and conditioning center will be named the "Anders Bergström styrka och kondition centrum" and will open in July"

SFL Announces new C level position

Director of Team Development

SFL Commissioner Anders Ekdahl, announced this morning that with the London franchise joining the league in 1974, The SFL footprint will for the first time stretch outside of Scandinavia, and with this growth the league needs a dedicated office looking at relationships with not only new cities bidding for franchises, but like the London franchise, working partnerships with established AFA teams.

Ekdahl said:

"We have had the time to search for the right fit, one who knows our culture, and has a vision for where the league is going. With that in mind, there was only one person for the job, and that is Anders Bergström. He was in Ft Worth to meet with Coach Fain at TCU, about a position within the SFL as the Director of Player Development."

"Coach Fain will be our liaison with the AFA teams, and will work to match up teams and players not quite ready to have an impact in the AFA. This does not mean the SFL is a development league for the AFA, but it is no secret that it has become a destination for American players looking to make a name and show their worth to the AFA. From Johnny Rosenberger, to the Wahlström brothers, the SFL has developed talent and seen top players returning to the AFA after one or more years in the SFL"

Due to Bergström's current health scare, Coach Fain will work directly with the commissioners office until Bergström is healthy enough to come on board full time.

[cubsfan2015]

Well,I'm glad he's getting better,but I don't know what the effects will be for him.

[FFWally]

He is getting better... the major effects will be better health.

He was 6'1" 265 when he was admitted... and a week later is closer to 250, after being on IV nutrition.

He will get in the gym, and begin cycling with the local club UpsalaCK beginning in September, and become a cycling enthusiast.

Gone will be the 2 packs of cigarettes a day, and the 5th of bourbon a week.

It will become a major part of his life... getting healthy, and cycling.

[FFWally]

From the AFA League Office

Breaking News: Guardians of Cincinnati to send McCreary, 3 others, to SFL

In a deal announced this morning, Guardians owner Grant Blakemore II said that the team would be partnering with the SFL’s Linkoping Jets for the purpose of developing prospects not yet ready for the AFA. The Guardians are waving loan fees for all four players.

Headlining the Cincinnati players to be sent to the Swedish club is QB Larry McCreary, whom the team selected with the 11^th selection of the collegiate draft in April. McCreary was one of most highly-touted prospects in the country as a senior at Tullahoma High School in Tullahoma, TN, and was a starter for both of his years at Tennessee. However, he is known to deal with frustration poorly, and often one mistake will lead to more. His attitude and maturity have also raised concerns. He decided to enter the draft rather than returning for his junior year after an argument with a coach led to a suspension for the 1972 season finale. Blakemore said that the team hoped that McCreary would be able to treat his time in Linkoping as something like another year in college, and come back ready to take the field.

Joining McCreary will be three other young players: safety Gary Gore, receiver Don Stanton, and offensive lineman Robbie “Roz” Rozgonyi. Both Gore and Stanton, who entered the league in the strike-shortened 1971 season, have shown potential. Goreis very fast and strong, but hasn’t adjusted to the speed of the game. Stanton is a tall, lanky, possession receiver, who had a good rookie season, but an offseason ankle injury sapped his already unimpressive speed, and left him as a non-factor in 1972. Rozgonyi, who is 27, has served as a backup since being drafted out of Southern Miss in 1970. He has performed reasonably well, but lacks the size and strength to excel in the AFA.

This arrangement seems to be part of a growing trend. SFL founder Anders Bergrstrom recently suffered a heart attack while in Dallas to meet with Texas Stallions officials, reportedly to discuss a similar deal between the team and his Uppsala Hammers; and rumors have linked the Obero Svartfloodman to both the Pittsburgh Miners and the Minnesota Angels.

How McCreary and the other young Guardians perform in Linkoping could help determine the future of the relationship between the SFL and the AFA.

Official SFL response

In what might be the second worst kept secret among SFL teams, the worst being the ownership change in Linkoping, the said Linkoping Jets have entered into an agreement with the AFA Guardians of Cincinnati to bring raw players up to the level needed for success in the AFA.

League owners are interested to see what kind of advantage this brings to the Jets.

Orebro's Lindholm, also in discussions with at least two AFA teams to create a similar relationship, had this to say about the agreement. "If we want to be on a level playing field with the AFA talent wise, we need to do whatever it takes to seed our league with AFA level talent. "A rising tide raises all ships".

Vastaras's Carl Carlsson said: "we will see if the Jets suddenly become a contender"

C.L Wahlstrom, GM of the Hammers, was more forthcoming in his assessment: "Linkoping has made the first move in this chess match, and it is a solid one. By partnering with Cinci, the Jets have become a favorite solely on the instant upgrade in QB talent. For the Jets to get four players who are either incredible talents, or have proven their worth in the league already, makes them my favorite to win OCIX"

Commissioner Ekdahl, has been aware of the developments for several months, and added: "I expect to see at least 3 more teams sign talent deals with the AFA in the next year, and if this experiment proves successful, any SFL team that goes it alone will be doing so at their own peril as this league has a relegation program"

[cubsfan2015]

I'll wonder if he'll be in the Tour de France.

[FFWally]

Sorry to get behind... bit of a hectic past 2+ weeks.

Resigned as Creative Director of former company... opened my own company, blown away by business in past 2+ weeks

Son had shoulder reconstruction this week, and football season kicked off today... tho I have been working with local youth leagues for the past 2 weeks already, as our HS and youth leagues become one big family... pretty exciting time here.

So... back to the story!!!

[FFWally]

East:

In what was one of the more unusual seasons in SFL history, the highest ranked team coming into the season (Eskilstuna) struggled to a 4-7-1 record, after losing QB #3 Jack Pardue to a career ending knee injury in the closing minutes of their second game. and never recovered, falling to 4-7-1 while still finishing in 3rd overall in defense.

Uppsala, playing like a team on a mission and wearing AB on their sleeves in honor of still recovering founder Anders Bergstrom, had their best regular season since their Championship seasons in the mid 60's.

Stockholm, a surprise Champion in 72, played like it, and wound up winning the Division on tie breakers (Division Record) earning the #1 seed in the playoffs and a first round bye.

Gavle, after looking better in 72 fell back a notch and never competed in the division, but closed out 3-3 in inter-division play.

SOUTH:

Oh the South... coming out of division play all four teams were at 3-3, but only Helsingborg and Kopenhagen managed to split with their rivals and came away tied at the end of the regular season at 6-6, both making the playoffs.

Kopenhagen's Janssen and Jackson found their rhythm late and pushed the Ander's into the playoffs with 5 TD passes in the final 2 games.

Helsingborg, still hasn't found its identity since losing Wahlström to the AFA, but QB Casey Taylor has taken a leadership role and helped turn around the franchise. And in the playoffs, its anyone's game.

Linkoping, even with the infusion of talent from the Guardians (AFA) couldn't get into the playoffs, QB Larry McCreary and receiver Don Stanton showed sparks of brilliance during the season, but couldn't sustain any consistency, as McCreary's immaturity showed up during hte season whenever the team was not performing as he expected. When the team was winning, he was a monster, but the minute he threw an interception, it was off the rails for the young talent. And this kid is talented, there has not been a QB of this caliber since Rosenberger left for the AFA, and he takes exception to comparisons to the other young SFL QB to go to the AFA. "He doesn't have half my talent" but what he has is field presence, and leadership, that McCreary is sorely lacking.

North:

Goteburg only two seasons removed from a championship fell to last place in the Black and Blue Division due to a struggling defense, and the loss of both Knut Knutsson and Bjorn Bjornsson (K2B2) to injuries early in the season and the triple option relies on experienced running backs, and with two all SFL backs coming into the season, the Trolls looked to be back in contention for a championship. But it will have to wait for 1974.

Orebro and Vastaras have turned into the bullies and are poised to make a strong run into the playoffs, with Orebro earning a first round bye after rolling to an 8-4 mark on the season...

Next up, the playoffs!

[FFWally]

WILD CARD WEEKEND

In what was the last year that the SFL would be a truly Scandinavian league, the playoffs didn't disappoint.

Kopenhagen v Helsingborg

Kopenhagen the #3 seed hosted a Helsingborg team that had been given up for dead after a fantastic 3-1 start (their best in the post ZW era) followed by a 2-5 stretch including a three game losing streak. So the book was firmly on the Anders and while they both stumbled into the playoffs, the Danish squad had destroyed Helsingborg in both early meetings 35-7, and 28-3.

The game looked to be another Kopenhagen blowout as the Anders jumped to an early 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter, on #34 Nils Mortensen's two rushing touchdowns, and after a third three and out for the Berzerkers it looked like the game would be over before the second quarter started, but Kopenhagen's Kirby Jackson's sure hands failed him and the Berzerkers forced a fumble on the 5 yard line and it took one play for #4 Ulf Johansson to take the ball in for a TD, and a 14-7 game.

Casey Taylor #9 found #12 Arni Goldman over and over the remainder of the first half ,and the game was suddenly 21-14 at the half

The second half was just a continuation of the second quarter, and the Berzerkers scored 35 unanswered points to win 35-17.

Uppsala v Vastaras

Uppsala hadn't looked this good since the 1966 season, and after missing out on the number 1 seed by a tie breaker, were fired up to get down to business and take care of defensive minded Vastaras, last seasons runner up.

New Uppsala HC Shaun Jackson, the former Minnesota (AFA) receivers coach put a new pass happy system into the normally staid Hammers running focused program, and it has paid off. His first move was signing Stallions backup QB Kirby Smith #3 signed a 2 year deal in August, who was going to be on the bench again, on his third team in 4 years. Former Texas Tech star John Roberts had forgone the AFA draft and signed with Uppsala shortly after his final game wit the Red Raiders, when not one NFL scout had given him the time of day.

Vastaras had gone to the title game last season and looked to get things rolling again in the playoffs, but the regular season had rolled to an unimpressive end losing two of their final three games, and RB Craig Miller had been slowed by a pulled hamstring the final month of the season, and without his counter to Flash Washington's field stretching was evident, as the Reactors couldn't sustain drives, and while the fans and players were confident, head coach Jack Hughes was quietly concerned.

The Game opened in a light snow shower, and neither team made much headway, with Vastaras managing a single first down in the games first 20 minutes. Uppsala hadn't faired much better, but had crossed into Reactor territory early in the second quarter, only to see RB Christian Jackson fumble at the 34 and end the only promising drive of the game.

Late in the first half, Smith found Roberts on a slant and he slipped a tackle at the 35, before cruising into the endzone on a 72 yard touchdown reception.

The Game went into the half at Uppsala 7 Vastaras 0

The second half opened with a Vastaras kickoff return for a touchdown, but a muffed snap leads to a blocked PAT, and an Uppsala 7-6 lead.

With weather clearing the Hammers found some rhythm and for the second time in as many drives went 80 yards for the TD on FB Gary Lewinsky's 1st ruching TD of the season. and a 14-6 lead. The game settled into an offensive showcase and Craig Miller put Vastaras up 20-14 last in the third on a 14 yard scamper.

The fourth quarter was all Hammers and Smith beat up the traditionally stellar reactors defense for 135 yards and two TD's in the quarter to lead the Hammers to the Division Championship Game.

[Darknes]

Not a good game for the Danes, though I'm excited to see a Orebro Helsingborg Odin Cup, should be a wild one up in the stands.

[FFWally]

Its going to be intense

[FFWally]

[Burmy]

NICE...a Helsingborg/Orebro Odin Cup has potential to be the stuff of legend.

[FFWally]

It will be... I have work and Football til this evening around 10. Will post the Odin Cup story before bed...

then on to expansion.

Just an FYI, my business has taken off and I recently suffered a severe concussion while coaching (bad enough I cant remember one play from the game), and have been barred from working on the computer since. I'm still supposed to be limited, but I need to get Odin Cup up tonight.

Thanks for your patience...

[Darknes]

Sorry to hear that Wally, hope you recover well

[FFWally]

I'm working on new gear for our football team today, metallic Silver like our decals on a tee... kinda cool. Head is much better, but the week has been the biggest loss!

[FFWally]

Aalborg, Danmark - Playing in the Odin Cup was familiar ground for the Berzerkers, and a second trip for the upstart Black Riverman, but this Berzerker team had been built on defense, rather than the offensive firepower of the Championship run of the late 60’s, and Orebro after coming up 3 point short in the Division finals the year before, took it to their hated rival in Uppsala to make their first Odin Cup.

The game started in sunny, but breezy conditions in Aalborg, Denmark, the second OC to be played outside of Sweden, and after last years success in London, likely not the last.

Kickoff 1530hrs

Orebro won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, giving the Berzerkers the ball on a short kickoff at the 38 yard line.#9 QB Casey Taylor found rookie flanker #4 Zane Rogers (USC) on a quick slant for 28 yards, giving the Berzerkers the ball at the Riverman 34 less than a minute into the game.

Taylor lined up in the shotgun and found #8 Craig Carson streaking down the sideline for a TD on the second play and the Berzerkers were up by 7 early.

The Rivermen took the ensuing kickoff 47 yards up the left sideline to begin their first series at the Berzerker 43.

Riverman QB #7 Billy Tarkington (AFA Texas) had wrestled the starting job from Fran Kilmer mid season and his ability to scramble away from trouble was a large part of how the team had made it throug the Black and Blue division.

Tarkington took the first snap and hit WR #8 Jan Hellstrom for a short gain to the 39 and then settled into a run first scheme that had the Riverman on the Helsingborg 5 yard line at the 8:00 mark. #28 Sam Herd took the next snap around the left end for a TD and a 7-7 tie midway through the first.

Play settled into a middle of the field, punt and play field position through the rest of the first and into the middle of the second before the Berserkers found a flaw in the Orebro defensive scheme that allowed for quick slants on the weak side, and scored twice in the second on short runs followed by slants that went for 15 yards at a time, and the halftime score was Helsingborg 21 Orebro 7.

Second Half

The weather had changed during the halftime show, and was now blustery with threatening skies, and a drop of 15 degrees had put the temperature at a frigid 27 F with a windchill in the low teens. Orebro was built for the weather with a heavy dose of run and quick short passes that weren't as risky as the Berzerkers aerial assault that had put up 21 in the first half.

This was evident as the Rivermen started at their own 20 after a touchback, and marched 80 yards in 6:21 for their second Touchdown, a 4 yard dive by #22 Lawrence Kutchens (LaTech) and a 21-14 score.

Helsingborg QB Casey Taylor overthrew his first three passes in the 20 mph plus winds and the Berzerkers were forced to punt after a three and out .

Riverman RB Kutchens, and Herd seemed to get better with the declining weather and when the first flurries hit midway through the 3rd, it was the Orebro offense that caught fire.

Orebro went into the now heavy snow with a force that the Berzerker defense had difficulty stopping, and Tarkington took advantage of the 8 in the box defense bent on shutting down the running game, completing every pass in the third quarter, and pulling to within 1 point on two short Bengt Stenerud field goals.

End of 3rd Quarter: Helsingborg 21 Orebro 20

The fourth saw Helsingborg find some kind of offensive rhythm and Taylor looked like the QB who had carried the team through a long stretch of the season. On a third and 15 from the Helsingborg 36, Taylor found his favorite receiver #12 Arni Goldman on a slant with the Riverman on an all out blitz. Goldman took the ball 64 yards for a TD and a 28-20 lead, leaving the Riverman 2 scored down with less than eight minutes to play.

Orebro responded with a 92 yard drive on Sam Herd and Lawrence Kutchens running to pull within one on Kutchens second TD.

HLSB 28 OBRO 27

All the Berzerkers needed was 3 first downs to end the game and managed the first two a little too quickly, as the Riverman played soft, hoping for a quick field goal at the worst, and when Taylor tossed a quick slant, the same slant that had beaten the Riverman all afternoon it was Safety #41 Per Ek who jumped the pass and returned it 58 yards for the Riverman TD.

Helsingborg had one last chance with 1:01 on the clock, and the Orebro defense gave up 2 yards and ended the game on a sack by Helsingborg U21 product Bengt Johansson, and the Riverman were SFL Champions!

Final Score

Orebro 34 Helsingborg 28

[Burmy]

The first of many to come for Orebro...a fitting choice for them to win the last Odin Cup with the SFL as a purely Scandanavian league.

Another great season...looking forward to the London Bulldogs (and their TBD expansion-mates') journey to the SFL!

[FFWally]

The first of many to come for Orebro...a fitting choice for them to win the last Odin Cup with the SFL as a purely Scandanavian league.

Another great season...looking forward to the London Bulldogs (and their TBD expansion-mates') journey to the SFL!

thought you'd like that!

[Darknes]

Woo! Go Orebro!