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

[Burmy]

We know what my predictions are...but I'm halfway expecting a surprise twist too.

[FFWally]

Breaking News - Stockholm

After what was to be a typical expansion cycle went wildly out of control, league officials met with both Tier I and Tier II cities to explain the decision to allow Koln to make an immediate jump to the Danish L2 division. This led to all but the top 4 teams under consideration demanding equal rights and the option to forgo expansion votes, and just join L2, which currently gives teams the ability to play into the SFL every 4 years, but could see the play in changed to a biennial advancement/relegation cycle.

This leaves only Paris, Dublin, Helsinki and Aalborg vying for the three places, and a new division of L2 being created in Benelux/Germany, with Amsterdam, Normandy, Antwerpen and Koln. and including Tier II, Brussels, Hamburg, Marsailles, and Rotterdam (Norman Conference) The Current L2 consisting of 16 teams grows to 32 (4 Swedish/Danish/Norwegian L3 teams advance to L2) and will be divided into two 16 team conferences.

The exact conference realignment will be announced next week, and the L2 season will be delayed by 2 weeks as all leagues involved will be involved in the moves.

This also pushes forward the alignment throughout Europe to create an American Football Federation, led by the SFL.

This is a developing situation, and while vast in scope only pushes forward an aganda set forth nearly a year ago.

More information this evening, and a surprise announcement from the SFL on the Expansion Cities.

London may not be an expansion city after all?

- Jan Hulström

[cubsfan2015]

Welcome to the modern era of the SFL.

If London does not get a city,there will be some pretty mad people (including me).

[Burmy]

*sighs* But London announced they were joining at the end of the Odin's Cup game they hosted...that is gonna be a REALLY bad look, and I suspect we might see some things taken to court if London gets denied.

[FFWally]

SFL Headquarters - Stockholm

Earlier today, a reporter for the Stockholm News reported that London may not be an expansion team after all... that news was correct, London is not an Expansion team. But, London was never an expansion team.

For the past couple years we at the SFL central office have been supporting the Linkoping, formerly Lund professional football team. SAAB AB pulled all support from the Lund team, and the Aircraft division paid to bring the team to Linkoping, with the hopes of securing partners outside of the SAAB family of businesses. Due to the nature of the move, multiple owners joined together to fund the Linkoping team for 2 seasons, with the idea of moving the team to the continent in 1974.

This was the plan from the outset of the move, and while numerous owners publicly berated the management for the move to Linkoping, they were behind the scenes working with Uppsala owner Anders Bergstrom to move the team to London.

When Cincinnati owners reached out to family in London, the seeds were sewn, and the London Bulldogs were born. For those who follow the expansion process, there was never a team in London to make a bid, there were no London Bulldogs fans clamoring for an expansion team, but the leadership of the SFL knew hat a London franchise was vital to growing the league, and gaining prestige in the eyes of the Yankees who created the game.

Therefore... the London Bulldogs are the new branding of the now twice relocated Lund Gripen/Linkoping Jets.

So what does this mean for expansion?

There will be 4 expansion clubs joining the league for 1974

Dublin Gaels

Helsinki Turisas

Paris Crusaders

Aalborg Reds

All four teams have sporting credentials to begin play in 1974 at a high level, and financial resources to sustain them through the transition into SFL schedules.

There has already been an expansion draft, and a few notable players have moved to the expansion squads.

Player movements, and League schedule will be released on Sunday.

[Burmy]

*M. Night Shyamalan voice* WHAT A TWIST!

Either way, welcome Dublin, Helsinki, Paris and now Aalborg to the SFL! Some spectacular rivalries await...

[Darknes]

Dublin v London
London v Paris
Aalborg v Copenhagen
Helsinki v Stockholm v Oslo

So many new clubs allow for much bigger football, it should be spectacular football ahead for the SFL

[FFWally]

The Season has been played, and while some of the major players have kept rolling through the league, at least a few have taken a major step backwards, and a few teams came out of the gates at 4-0 or 5-0, only to finish at 8-8 or worse, and at least one team started 0-3 and made the playoffs.

This season saw a 25% increase in teams, yet no increase in playoff teams. Making it harder to get in this year, but 6 exceptional teams, and the playoff scores were all within 10 points, and one of the best Odin Cups of all time!

New Team Uniforms will be posted throughout the week in no particular order

Schedule for Results Postings

• Nordic Conference Results - Monday Morning
• Continental Conference Results - Tuesday Morning
• Wild Card Games - Wednesday Morning
• Conference Championship Games - Thursday Morning
• Odin Cup - Saturday Morning

[Darknes]

I wonder how the conferences are gonna look

[FFWally]

NORDIC CONFERENCE

With the loss of Linkoping, and the addition of Helsinki, the new Nordic Conference has the appearance of the old SFL minus the Skane teams, but appearances are not what they seem.

Baltic

Uppsala came into the season firing on all cylinders and rolling through the division until game 6 when Helsinki's #68 Greg Ellers (Houston AFA) took out Hammers QB #3 Kirby Smith on a brutal sack, that saw Smith knocked out of the game with a badly sprained right wrist and miss the following 5 games, in which the Hammers went from 5-0 to 6-5. Backup QB Jack Holmstrom managed games well, but just didn't have that magic Smith has with his bookend receivers #22 Roberts and #82 Ek, and the defense while playing well, couldn't depend on 30+ points a game and lost by 2, 4, 1, 6, and 7 over that stretch.

Smith returned for the final three games and went 2-0-1 over that stretch including a 21-21 tie with the Berzerkers in a thrilling game played in the a blizzard in Uppsala.

Stockholm, coming off a shocking loss to Helsingborg in the Division finals last season started out 2-1, but lost their first six road games before righting the ship and winning their last two road games, and 6 of their last 8, to finish 8-6, missing the playoffs by 1/2 game when the Hammers won their final game at Aalborg 32-28.

Gavle, went 1-6 to start the season and parted ways with their second coach, and hired Johnny Rosenberger as the interim HC a move which saw them win 3 strait, and get to 4-6, but then lose their last 4 in heartbreaking fashion, on a punt return for TD, a goal line stand that would have won their second to last game, but then on the last play of the game, fumble the snap and have it recovered for a game winning TD by Aalborg at home, and the other two games saw the Goats up with less than 5 minutes left, only to lose the games on miraculous catches.

Rosenberger said after the last game, "I have a great job with BBC2 and am not sure I am the man to bring the Goats back to Glory again... but, I am seriously considering the opportunity." What does Rosenberger bring to the Goats? A Championship mindset, one that has been lacking since he returned to the AFA nearly 5 years ago.

Helsinki... Defense, Defense, Defense. Home field advantage was what won the Turisas the Division, after going 7-0 at home, the Blue and White only managed 2 wins on the road at Hapless Gavel, and at Svea Champion Eskilstuna, but it was enough to see the Finnish side win the Division and former USC QB #8 Billy Hart (Texas) become a star in Finland, and across Europe, as he threw for 3,000 yards, and ran for nearly 500 on the season. Hart was nearly unsackable, and with a defense led by former ALL AFA DT Greg Ellers, the Turisas were a force.

In the New Svea Division, it was ALL Eskilstuna, in a Division that saw three teams finish 6-8 the most interesting being Goteburg, which had 3 game winning and losing streaks twice during the season!

Eskilstuna rode their 30 year old QB #3 Jack Pardue to the division title as he transitioned from a passing offense to a more run based version with Miami loaner #32 Orin Simpson. The not quite ready for AFA running back proved to be everything people thought he was coming out of Pittsburgh, rushing for 1587 yards and scoring 18 TD's the majority of which came from outside the 20 yard line.

Eskilstuna defense was steady as always and only stumbled when budding superstar, Orin Simpson showed why he was in the SFL this season and fumbled at inopportune times. Simpson led the league in rushing TD's and Fumbles, with 12! Roughly 1 fumble every 18 carries, a rate that will likely never be eclipsed. But his upside was so huge, Coach White had to live with the issue.

Orebro managed to lose every road game, after starting 3-1, and looking like the Orebro of the past 3 seasons, they lost 6 of their next 7 winning only a close game over Stockholm in Orebro. No Coaching changes are anticipated, but player changes are coming, after seeing the proud franchise essentially fold up tent at mid season.

[Darknes]

Probably I'll be supporting Helsinki, Dublin and Orebro as the league grows on.

[Burmy]

I LOVE seeing this unfold...and seeing Dublin and Helsinki win the division title in their first season!

Looking into putting together an AFA Universe Wiki (which would include all the AFA and SFL teams)...will keep you informed on that and what info I'd need.

[Veras]

I've actually been thinking about that, too, I just haven't pursued it because it would be such an astoundingly massive project.

[FFWally]

That would be a huge undertaking...

[Burmy]

That would be a huge undertaking...

It would, but I'd be willing to look through the pages of both threads and put together the basic framework...

[Veras]

That would be a huge undertaking...

It would, but I'd be willing to look through the pages of both threads and put together the basic framework...

Hit me with a PM so we can discuss what you have in mind.

[FFWally]

Crazy thing this season is there were really only 3 bad teams, parity really took over, and the Championship caliber teams from other leagues proved that they are really ready to compete in the SFL.

For the most part the expansion teams were overwhelmingly the best teams in their leagues, so saying that the French, or Irish leagues were on par would be a stretch, but of the leagues, Ireland has the most comprehensive development program, with a national youth program, versus a team based program.

[FFWally]

CONTINENTAL

Where the Nordic looks like the SFL of old, the Continental is made up entirely of teams that have come to the SFL through expansion, or relocation. And the Continental represents the future of the league, if it is to become the AFA of Europe.

Soder

Malmo continues to struggle, and after yet another losing campaign are now 21-39-2 since going 7-4-1 in 1969, and giving Helsingborg a battle in the first round of the playoffs. Malmo supporters, those that actually still attend games have been wearing bags over their heads, with messages to ownership about firing the coach and GM, and wondering where their team will be in 4 years.

In response, Malmo ownership group chairman Hans Beck has reportedly fired Head Coach Greg Buckley, and hired Ystad Falcons head coach Kurt Wallander, Wallander took the Falcons from L3 doormats in 1971 to league Champions in 1972, and finished 3rd in L2 Sweden for 1974. His ability to analyze opponents weaknesses, and adjust his offense to exploit those weaknesses, had Wallander in high demand, and it was only a matter of time before one of the SFL teams pulled the trigger on the eccentric, and reportedly alcoholic Head Coach.

Malmo could be a very different team in 1975, and for supporters of the Seamen, the change couldn't have come soon enough.

The two Danish rivals split their two games with the home team winning both in blowouts, and if not for a tie with Helsingborg by the Reds, would have both finished with identical 7-7 records. Aalborg was the only expansion team with primarily native athletes, and to make the move to SFL without a US heavy squad showed exactly how solid that program was heading into play.

The biggest surprise was the team responsible for producing 4 SFL starting QB's over the past few seasons, was their former AFA next great QB Bob Reilly, out of Boston College, who had been a second round pick for Boston, but a torn ACL in the 1968 training camp saw him leave the league after only one season in IR, and when Chicago took a look at him in 1969, their team physician said he would never play a meaningful down of AFA football.

Reilly spent the next two seasons coaching High School football and teaching math in New Hampshire, before a call from Aalborg head Coach Arni Riis convinced him to drive down to NYC and go through a workout for Aalborg GM Sven Beckdahl. Both were impressed enough with his mobility that he was offered a contract and housing for the 1972 season, with an eye on 1974 expansion, and the need for a premier player to get them into the league. Reilly gave them that "dude" and his first season in SFL play proved that the flyer Riis had taken on the player everyone had given up on, was gold.

Helsingborg HC Gabe Roman continues to put a dominating Defense on the field, and again found unheralded gems in #18 Kevin Hinderman, a speedy Defensive Back out of Abilene Christian and #89 Bengt Svensson a home grown DE from Helsingborg U21 to replace retiring starters, #8 Bjorn Johansson and #97 Carl Carlsson. Upgrading an already stout defense in the process, as the Berzerkers gave up only 15 ppg and were a penalty away from a 10 win season.

Offensively, Casey Taylor continues to be a steady hand at QB, but age is starting to show and he missed 3 games with injuries, giving young #11 Danny White, the teams punter a chance to show what it was capable of in the future. White threw for 851 yards 7 TD's and 2 Int's in three games, and makes Helsinki's offense dynamic and vertical.

Norman

The division everyone in Europe was watching proved to be not only solid, but very evenly balanced, with three 8 win teams, and only Paris at sub .500 for the season.

Paris came out in week one slinging the football with #7 QB Jacques Hinault throwing for 3 first half TD's, and they looked like the French Champions, but a knee injury with less than a minute left in the first half took the budding superstar out of the game, and at halftime, it was announced that Hinault had torn his ACL and was done for the season.

Hinault's injury led to a complete collapse, and Paris would lose its first six games before finishing the season at 4-10 under backup and rookie #13 Jacques DeMolay, whose trial by fire proved to be painful, but not fatal to the team. DeMolay won 3 of his last 5 against middle of the pack teams, and if Hinault is unable to play again in 75, has proven to be a solid if not stellar QB.

Oslo again was solid, and a sweep of London put the Dragar in the playoffs for the first time since playing in the Odin Cup in 1970.

A solid running game and sound gap control defense gave the Crimson and Green enough to slide into the Wild Card for 1974, and rookie running back #34 Eric Davis (Stanford) finished 3rd in rushing with 1279 yards, and scored an incredible 19 TD's with only 1 fumble, on a garbage carry during a blizzard versus Helsingborg, in yet another home loss. (2-5 home record).

The Dragar suffered through a late season collapse when both right side Offense lineman went down with season ending injuries, and star Defensive End #99 Brock Higins (Cal) broke his tibia, and missed a shocking 5 games, coming back with his leg heavily wrapped for the last game against Vasteras, in which he had 3 sacks, 17 tackles and a forced fumble, that sealed the win and a WildCard slot for the injury decimated Dragar.

Dublin/London, the two teams everyone wanted to see square off, didn't disappoint, and while London took the set, both games were incredibly close with London winning in Dublin on a #3 Tom Turner 53 yard field goal as time expired, and an equally crushing pick 6 by Cincinnatti loaner #4 Gary Gore, with Dublin driving for the winning TD late in the 4th in London.

London won their last three to finish just behind Dublin, and only a tie by the Gaels kept London out of the playoffs in their first season.

[Burmy]

As I said before, I am PUMPED to see how the Gaels do in the postseason! Could this be the year we see the first non-Swedish Odin Cup winners?

[FFWally]

Eskilstuna - One would assume that Eskilstuna v Uppsala would be one of the most repeated playoff matchups in league history, but this is the first post season meeting since Uppsala won and went on the the Odin Cup in 1969. Eskilstuna traveled to Uppsala in week 9 and took home a 21-13 victory, in what was a typical defensive slugfest between these teams. (Average margin over the series is 5, with the home team owning a slight advantage, and an over under of 32ppg)

In typical mid december fashion the weather in Eskilstuna was blustery, and cold, with frequent snow squalls blowing through every couple of hours prior to the game. This changed at kickoff, when the skies cleared somewhat and the wind died down to a gentle breeze. One strong enough to keep the fans chilled, but perfect weather for two teams with high octane offenses looking to score a lot of points.

Eskilstuna won the toss and elected to take the second half kickoff, giving Uppsala the ball at the 35 after a nice runback by #82 Freddie Ek, the longtime Hammers receiver.

Uppsala marched downfield quickly led by QB #3 Kirby Smith and his two favorite receivers #22 Roberts, and Ek, but scored on a 23 yard run, set up by Uppsala's monster left side of #64 Kulwicki, and #74 Androjewski, by #19 Christian Jackson, the 5th year started out of Northwestern. The Jones kick was good and it was 7-0 Hammers 7 minutes into the game.

Eskilstuna would have to find a way to get pressure on the Hammers left side, if they were going to have a chance of stopping the #1 scoring offense in the league.

After a short kickoff, the Steelman took their turn powering down the field, with a run first offense, with #30 Johansson and #32 Simpson bludgeoning the Hammers defensive line before a holding call turned a Simpson TD into a 3rd and 22 at the 30 yard line. Simpson took the 3rd down pitch around right side nad powered for a 12 yard gain to the 18, but the 35 year old Jan Mortensson kick was wide left and the score stayed Uppsala 7 Eskilstuna 0.

The second quarter looked like it was a replay of the first with the exception of the holding call,and Simpson took a pitch 28 yards untouched on a 3rd and 1, when Johansson fooled everyone in the stadium into thinking he had the ball on the option, and both defensive ends crashed hard on the big fullback, allowing Simpson to jog into the endzone with less than a minute left in the half.

Halftime Uppsala 14 Eskilstuna 7

The 3rd quarter featured 298 yards of offense, and 4 touchdowns, with Smith to Roberts sounding like a broken record, though it was Ek who got both TD's on slants, and for the Steelman, a short field on the second possession of the 2nd half led to a Johansson TD, when wary of the toss, the left end went wit htehpitch and left a gaping hole the big Swede rumbled through to bring the score to 28-21 with :05 left in the third.

The game looked to be over when on the first play of the 4th quarter, Smith found Roberts across the middle for a 58 yard TD, and a 35-21 score, but that would be the end of the scoring for the Hammers, and Eskilstuna would suddenly find a passing game when it mattered most.

The 30 year old #3 Jack Pardue found the Helsingburg U21 product #8 Greg Lind wide open streaking down the right sideline on the next possession and hit him in stride to bring the game to 7 points at 35-28, with 8 minutes left in the contest.

#94 Harvey Martine, the former Houston (AFA) player found a flaw in the Polish Duo's scheme and began exploiting it, with a delayed rush that split the pair, not once, but three times on the next drive, dropping Smith for losses on all three plays, and forcing the Hammers to punt with under 6 minutes remaining. Their inability to run the ball late was beginning to change the course of the game, and Eskilstuna took over at the 45 yard line, with time to tie the game.

Pardue faked a handoff to Simpson and rolled around the right side for 15 yards before being forced out of bounds and then handed off to Johansson for 6, giving the Steelmen second and 4 at the 34 yard line, but Simpsons run left them short of the first with the ball at the 31 yard line.

Mortensson hit the 48 yard field goal into the wind and brought the Home team within 4, and 4:46 on the clock.

Uppsala tried to salt away the victory with a sustained drive that had the Hammers at the Eskilstuna 38 with the clock under two minutes, when inexplicably Smith dropped back for a pass and was crushed by Martine as he tried to pitch the ball. Field general #58 Buck Henry was on a Mike Blitz and scooped the ball at the 45 and scored the game winning TD!

All of the air had gone out of the Hammers and when Eskilstuna pulled the onside kick, no one was there to recover for Uppsala, and the game was won.

Dublin - In what was a shocking end to the season for Oslo 1-3, barely hanging on to beat Vasteras 23-21 and hold off a surging London team that had looked like the class of the Continental through 6 games, then lost 4 straight, but won their last three and sat waiting on the Oslo result late Sunday night, failing to make the playoffs, but with a huge chip on their shoulders for the 75 season, and a suddenly strong offense leading the way.

On a wet and windy Irish afternoon, it was the Dragar who found out about sad Irish tales, early and often.

Taking the kickoff in a driving rain, the Dragar returner couldn't find a handle and then lost the ball when former Uppsala DB #4 Curly Jackson (UCLA) blasted through the return wall and ripped the ball away, then pounced on it at the Oslo 14 yard line.

QB #7 Bob Reilly found Belfast native and Dublin receiver #86 Jack Johnston for a TD on the games first play, and a quick 7-0 lead. This was all it took to get hte Dublin crowd, many, already drunk on Guinness from the pregame festivities.

The second possession didn't end much better as second year QB #14 Dag Hanssen threw an interception deep in Dublin territory, after rookie, #43 Eric Davis had taken three straight hand offs for first downs into Gael territory.

Reilly, the feel good story of the season, wasted no time in driving the Gaels back into Oslo territory and then pitching to Billy McGuire, the Notre Dame product, and expansion draft (Stockholm) pick for a 16 yard touchdown late in the second Quarter, giving the Gaels a 14-0 lead at the end of the 1st quarter.

The second started better for Oslo when former Whales DE #99 Brock Higins sacked Reilly for a 12 yard loss and Dublin was forced to punt the ball deep in their own territory. Rookie #8 Bjorn Bjornssen took the punt at his 39 and returned it to the Dublin 17 before #5 Stewart Klem, the only German in the playoffs pushed him out of bounds.

4 plays later Davis took a pitch 7 yards for a touchdown and cut the lead in half 14-7.

Dublin had another opportunity to score late in the half, but 3 holding penalties wiped out would be touchdowns, on the drive.

Dublin 14 Oslo 7 - Half

The third quarter started slowly, with heavy rain keeping the passing games of both teams in check, and each side punting 3 times each before Dublin again found some offense, and on a 3rd and 1 from their 47, it was Billy McGuire who found a hole and raced 53 yards for a 21-7 lead as the seconds ticked off in the third.

After Oslo punted again, it was #19 George Williams out of Southern University who found the end zone on a 74 yard reception, and Dublin was in control 28-7.

With less than 4 minutes left Dublin punted the ball away and let the budding star Davis return it for a Touchdown, which set off Dublin Coach Jack Johnston (no relation) who said after the game, "you can't take plays off.. that will kill us in the Championship next week".

Dublin 28 Oslo 14