Sequel outlives the original

The Arena Football League is gone, apparently forever. As Andrew said: Calling off an entire season is never a good idea. However, oddly enough, its spinoff league, AF2, remains a thriving concern, with 25 teams spanning such cities as Manchester, Corpus Christi, and Peoria. There is one odd clash with the NFL: AF2's Green Bay Blizzard. As AF2 heads to the playoffs, my money is on the 15-1 Spokane Shock.

Arena Football laid to rest

Okay, so maybe that title is an exaggeration, but I can't be too optimistic after the Arena Football League announced it was suspending operations for the 2009 season. Professional sports leagues that take a year off and then come back successfully are few and far between -- I can't think of a single example off the top of my head.

Now, Arena Football was never a model of stability. Franchises moved, were created, and folded pretty much every season. But still, it had managed to keep running for decades, which is more than a lot of pro sports leagues can say. I thought 'running for decades' meant 'solidly established.' I guess I was wrong.

David & I went to an Arena League game a few years ago at Nassau Coliseum. It was a lot of fun, but we got free tickets in a luxury box, which may have added to our enjoyment. We certainly weren't inspired to make the tough schlep out to Nassau again.

Oh well, at least now the initials AFL belong to their rightful owner...