Page 31 - Fl Stats News Today

One of the more interesting features of this years AFL experience is how every team is like an expansion team. Each has a handful of AFL veterans sprinkled in with rookies and players from other leagues. Each team has a new start and new faces, and each team will have to prove their worth to their fans, because what fans were accustomed to may not be what they get.

As we celebrate our Independence this week (here in United States, anyway), we are reminded of the blessings that have been bestowed upon us over the last 242 years.

All season long, the mantra for the Albany Empire has been,

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Predators have been in existence for 24 seasons. They have made playoff appearances in 21 of those season, have made the ArenaBowl in seven of the 21, and have captured a pair of championships. Yet when the team takes the field on Saturday night against the hated Jacksonville Sharks, it will do so without an owner. Sources have told ArenaFan.com that David Pearsall, who took managing control of the Preds in the middle of last season, is no longer with the team.

On Wednesday, the Orlando Predators announced the signing of WR Bobby Sippio. I'm not going to take anything away from the Kissimmee product, as he has put together one of the most illustrious careers that a receiver could have in AFL history. In just four years, Sippio put together an average of 87.5 catches, 1,274.3 yards, and 35.0 touchdowns per season, and he did so in what amounted to be the most talented Arena Football era ever.

The great Casey Stengel used to say that

As reported on ArenaFan on Monday night, the Orlando Predators have been sold. On Tuesday, the Predators are expected to formally announce that the new owner is none other than one of their former owners, Brett Bouchy.

It goes without saying that I've been Mr. Doom and Gloom about the Arena Football League pretty much since the day the doors opened up once again in 2010. I've been the eternal naysayer, the man who has been there reporting on every transgression this league has had and calling out every wrongdoing over the last five years.

Three weeks ago, the Albany Empire suffered their worst loss and also experienced their worst quarter of the season against the Philadelphia Soul. In their regular season finale, they returned the favor.

The Orlando Predators were beaten in the 51st edition of the War on I-4 against the Tampa Bay Storm 53-35 on Saturday night, but the breaking news coming out of Orlando has to do with the man that presumably was set to become the starting quarterback. Sources have told ArenaFan that QB Chris Dixon separated his shoulder on a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of the loss.