The NMLF season starts with a bang

The inaugural season of National Minor League Football kicked off Saturday with no shortage of excitement. The Breakdown radio show was on hand for the NMLF Game of the Week, (The ATX Tigers vs. The NTX Seminoles) with Kendre Hoggard checking in from the studio with updates from around the league. The 1st ever broadcast was solid, and look for the presentation to get better each week, starting with this week's game: The DFW Xpress hosting The ETX Storm. You can hear the re-broadcast of the game between ATX and The North Texas Seminoles by clicking on to: www.blogtalkradio.com/deependsports . The bar at the top of the page entitled NMLF Radio is the 2nd Half, while the bar below it (also entitled NMLF Radio)is the 1st half. NMLF Radio is on air (live), and on podcast (anytime) for your listening convenience.

NMLF Gametime: Get ready for Saturday Night!

That's right, the NMLF is on the air this Saturday at 6:30 pm! Johnny Cane, Lo Watts, and NMLF Scoreboard correspondant Kendre Hoggard have all the action, as the North Texas Seminoles host the ATX Tigers, in the first ever NMLF Game of the Week. The pregame starts at 6:30 pm, and you can listen at: www.blogtalkradio.com/deependsports .

Creepin' up on ya'

Two days. Two days until the debut of the NMLF. After all the hype, including shots fired at the NMLF and by the NMLF, it's time to ball. (Incidentally, those firing the most shots, are the ones that would never play in the NMLF, and won't be asked to anyway.) Most importantly though, it's time to strap it up and let it go. The players have put the work in, the coaches are finalizing last minute gameplan details, and the fans are ready for the show. Questions abound as the season begins: Can the DFW Xpress breakthrough and get longtime head man Truman Vernon a Magnum Cup? Will the North Texas Seminoles regain the 2004 form (as the Desoto Spartans) that took them to the title game? Can another North Texas team, the Falcons, put aside the division caused by having two teams in a small market at odds with one another, and show that THEY are the class of Wichita Falls? What about West Texas? Are the Drillers the team to beat, or are the Outlaws the best of the west? Does San Angelo have something to say about that? Down in the Hill Country, the Texas Mavericks and the ATX Tigers have the makings of a bloodfeud in a rivalry of two teams separated by one hour, and who's to say which has the upper hand there? The Plano Venom have started fresh as a new team, and bring playoff experience to the table, but will that help in a new league? Do the Lone Star Pitbulls have the gusto needed to win the Magnum Cup? The East Texas Storm are a team with championship aspirations that many people are talking about being in the mix for The Cup, but is that talk preamture? These questions and more will be answered this season as The Chase for the Magnum Cup is on!

NMLF: The next phase

As a player, my rookie year was in the old PSFL in 1995, where I was a teammate of DFW Xpress head coach Truman Vernon with the Dallas Vipers. Later, in 1997 after moving to the Mesquite Falcons in 1996, I played with Dewayne Gordon, a rookie DE, who would later coach the Dallas Xtreme, Desoto Spartans, and ultimately the North Texas Seminoles. Later, the UPFL was formed, and I moved on to the Dallas Titans for the 2002-2003 seasons. The TUFL came on the scene for me in 2004, and I had the chance to play with the Texas Coyotes and Dallas Xpress. Now, I am the Commissioner of the brand new NMLF. You see, leagues come and go, and yes, football leagues existed before the TUFL, and will exist after the NMLF as well. A popular misconception is that our league is trying to take over the TUFL by adding TUFL franchises, and that we are "at war" with them. Not true. I have many friends who coach and play in that league, and I wish them well. The NMLF's existence is not based on the TUFL or its teams. As to those that badmouth the NMLF, they just aren't relevant. People bump their gums and run their mouths all the time, as this is a free country. The NMLF is excited about the coming season, and future seasons, as we have big things planned. I know 2009 will be great, and wait until you get a load of 2010. The NMLF: Truly a higher level.

Inter league games

As the commissioner, I get to visit preseason games on occasion, and I visited an inter league game this weekend between The DFW Xpress (NMLF) and The Dallas Bengals (TUFL) on Saturday. Excellent football game, with good players on both sides. This was the 4th game for the Bengals and the 1ST game for the Xpress. The game ended in a 20-14 win for the Bengals, and after being tied at 14 in the first half, Xpress coach Truman Vernon pulled most of his 1st teamers for the 2nd half. Reports surfaced of the Bengals "loading up" for this game, i.e. recruiting players just for this game, and even one report of a player being paid just to play in this game. In some leagues, this is a common practice. The NMLF strives to avoid this type of behavior, as we believe a TRUE champion does not add players for one game, but instead builds a good roster, capable of winning a title the right way. This is one of the reasons that a game between the NMLF champion and another league's champion just wouldn't work, as the leagues play under different rules. There will always be teams that load up and add players anytime from any team they want, and there will be leagues that allow them to do it, just not National Minor League Football.

Don't miss Saturday Night Lights

On tonight's edition of the show, the announcement of the NMLF All Star Game format, as well as the establishing of the NMLF Offensive and Defensive MVP Watch List. Also, DFW Xpress head coach and CEO Truman Vernon sets the record straight, and ATX Tiger head coach Mike Jordan makes an appearance to discuss the Tigers and The NMLF. Get hot, log on and tune in, tonight at 9pm, as this is sure to be can't miss radio. (Click on the link to the right to listen)