I know its the NIFL but

[Dilbert]

Ok I must post this article on my Cincinnati Marshals. Its quite an intresting story. I know its the NIFL but still

Still a pro despite no pay

Paul Daugherty

Askew ignoring Marshals' woes

You want a professional athlete who shuts up and plays? Who really doesn't care about the money? How could you care about the money when you make less per game - $200 - than Donald Trump does between breaths?

That is, when you get paid. The Cincinnati Marshals of the National Indoor Football League have been paid sporadically. If Rayshawn Askew depended on his football income to live, he'd die.

Maybe you recall Rayshawn Askew. He set the career rushing record at Winton Woods High and did the same at Division II Elizabeth City State, where he graduated in four years with a 3.6 grade-point average. He would like to go to medical school "after I'm done chasing this football dream."

The kid "who's got the best outlook on life," said his admittedly biased mom, Debbie. "He's a man of integrity. Nothing derails him."

He's got it all. All but the good breaks. Coming out of Winton Woods in 1997, he committed orally to Purdue, then the head coach resigned two days before signing day. The new coach fired the old recruiting coordinator; there went Rayshawn's oral commitment.

He starred at Elizabeth City. He also played for three coaches in four years. When Askew needed a reference for NFL scouts, everyone was too busy packing. He's in his third year in the NIFL and leads the league in touchdowns and total yards. He's tied for the lead in putting up with junk such as not getting paid what was promised.

It's not criminal what has happened to Askew and his teammates, at least not in the legal sense. But it's the worst sort of cynicism to prey on someone's dreams for your personal benefit. It's a too-long story to detail here; suffice to say the Marshals' original owner, one H.P. Patterson, since departed for parts unknown, bought a lot of things he couldn't pay for, including Askew's services.

Patterson signed Askew for $600 a home game and $500 on the road, in addition to the league $200 a game. When Patterson bolted nearly three months ago, so did Askew's deal.

If cynicism were a crime, lots of management types connected with the NIFL would be hanging upside down from their thumbs.

Even league president Carolyn Shiver admits: "Some (owners) are trying to do this for a fast buck. But they are giving (players) a chance to move forward."

The Marshals flew to Wyoming for their last regular-season game. The league that can't spare a dime, brother, for its talent is so far-flung that a team from Ohio is making trips to near Yellowstone and back. For that three-day excursion, the players were given exactly $15 in meal money. "You can't eat all the meals you'd like to on $15," Askew admitted. Maybe after practice, the Marshals went dumpster-diving.

Askew overlooks this. He overlooks every cheap, petty, mismanaged thing that surrounds his football life, which is everything. He wants to win a championship. He wants to play in the NFL. The vision is still clear enough that the junk is scattered clouds.

Every athlete has this need to compete, to perform, to win. With most, it's buried beneath layers of money, piles of pampering and a huge portion of self-entitlement. That's not the case with Askew.

"The opportunity," he says. "You can't (replace) that. The dream you've had since you were 6. Nothing's promised to you. When things turn bad, you have to learn how to fight through it. You can't be fearful of failing if you're trying to succeed. We've been failed by certain people. But we fought through that."

Did we mention they're still playing? Your Cincinnati Marshals face the Fayetteville (N.C.) Guard on Saturday night, in the second round of the playoffs. They're three wins from winning it all, even if they haven't been paid on time, haven't had a home game in a month and get less meal money than a traveling Little League team.

"Borderline ridiculous," says Ed Biles, the Marshals' former coach, who quit last month because he wasn't getting paid. Biles says he's still owed $1,840. (Shiver says the league owes Biles nothing.)

"I almost shed a tear every time they play," says coach Tony Wells. "I really admire these kids. I played in Arena 1 eight years. I wouldn't have done what they've done."

Meanwhile, Rayshawn Askew keeps the faith. He spent Wednesday afternoon

This is from the Cincinnati Enquirer

The Marshals beat Fayetteville last night and advance to the Conference Championship to play Rome for a chance to play in the Indoor Bowl. This just amazes me.

[OB33]

I respect any and all players who play for the love of the sport.

Maybe not the nerf ball they use But I still respect the players.

[Discrim]

any owner who gets off on screwing over his players this bad should be forced to live in a cardboard box holding up a WILL WORK FOR FOOD sign for the rest of his life

[Dilbert]

Now one player has put up $20,000 and another put up $5,000 so the Marshals could host the Conference championship game. The Game was origionally scheduled to be played in Rome because The Marshals could not afford the arena, The Marshals have the better record anyway.

[Ez Street]

NIFL is a piece of crap. No wonder Kansas Koyotes Owner Ralph Adams started his own league.

The APFL may have had it's struggles, but it's working its way to being better than the NIFL, who is just surviving off expansion team fees.

If you want to succeed you will have a better chance of being a regional league. The APFL has done that and are starting to see the compition increase.

[DEAD!]

any owner who gets off on screwing over his players this bad should be forced to live in a cardboard box holding up a WILL WORK FOR FOOD sign for the rest of his life

Hey, don't give them any ideas. I need all the food I can get

[GMac]

and the Marshalls are dirty dirty logo thieves... DIRTY...

[KCScout76]

the Marshalls are dirty dirty logo thieves

Blame Mr. Patterson - convict and dirty B*st*rd who should be hung by his own

intrails, after his body has been used by the Marshalls for a tackling dummy.

God love the guys who, "play for the love of the game" - I admire Mr. Askew.

[Dilbert]

the Marshalls are dirty dirty logo thieves

Blame Mr. Patterson - convict and dirty B*st*rd who should be hung by his own

intrails, after his body has been used by the Marshalls for a tackling dummy.

God love the guys who, "play for the love of the game" - I admire Mr. Askew.

Didnt the logo come from when they were in Waco?

[Redlands, CA]

Question: I thought Mark Hamister owns the Cincy team or was that AF2?

[redsfan39]

man this guy has some heart. someone should make a movie out of this, of course it wouldnt be the nifl lol.....

[quantum]

Some people say he has heart. Others would say he needs to move on already...

[pcgd]

Some people might say its time to move on. A part of me agrees with that, mainly because I did. I was an above average catcher. I played good defense, ok bat, but I had a good arm. Acurate and strong, I mean I was throwing low 80's from my ear down to second. There is still and always will be a part of me that wonders "what if?" What if I had put my whole self into pitching instead of catching? What if I threw like a pitcher with a full motion? Could I hit high 80's? What if I decided "Screw design, I'm going for it" and didn't quit to finish my degree early?

Overweight and haven't throw seriously in a few years, I still feel that pull of the sport. There's a part of me that dreams that I could start playing Adult league ball and get back in shape, and then try out for a low minor league club and fullfill my life long dream. Its crazy, but sports do that to you. There are people that just can't help it.

I don't think I have what it takes to get back there. That's what amazes me about people like this. They put their whole lives on hold to play a sport. They aren't making any money on it. I bet they aren't pulling down a decent income in their other job either. What job lets you take off as much as these athletes have to that isn't part time? But they do it. They pull it off. All for the love of the game. You have to admire that.

[KCScout76]

I too have wanted to return to the game of football. Coaching is great but it isn't the same. However I am in the same shape Mr. Incredible was at the start of that movie. I'm not Mr. I - so there won't be any return to glory.

By the way pcgd - nice website. I checked it out last night. I need to have you do some work $$ for me in the future.

[Discrim]

at this point even coaching would be a step up for me...though like you scout, I'm feelin the pull to get back into playing shape. I know one thing, I can get into halfway decent playing shape (basically, I only need to build up stamina and I'm good)