Veterans Looking to Retire

[Mike]

Fort Wayne (AP)- A strong cadre of veterans are looking at their relationship with Father Time and thinking it might be time to retire. Rumours are swirling about the following players:

HB John Hall (HON). The Go-To Guy who holds the record for single-season rushing (1423 yards in 2011) is starting to feel the effects of all those tackles. This year he was 8th in the league in rushing and had a great 5.7 yds/carry in a losing effort against BLK Hills. In career, he is 8th, but the guys above him have either 2000 extra yards or are younger. Besides a Gold Cup ring, Hall has little to play for.

QB Higgs, WR Copeland, DE March (POR) These great players had an average year, probably because they were hung over from drinking from the Gold Cup so much!!! 2004, 2007, got lucky in 2008 against Fort Wayne, 2010. Higgs is all-time passing leader, March is all-time sacking leader, Copeland all-time receiving leader. But, at 13, the clock is ticking.

QB Strickland and HB Blake (COL) #12 all time in passing, #2 all time in rushing, these two are old, but carried the team to the Final Four this year. Won the Golden Cup in 2005, 2006 together.


QB Kurt Warner, HB Grant.(PEO) Warner went to the playoffs twice, and Grant won the rushing title at least once. Good effort in 2010 made it to the final four. But has the fight gone out of these players/ Warner was a good player, but didn't meet the expectations of greatness in Fargo.

DT Eric Drakes (PEO) 75 sacks in career, this guy had 3 tackles 2 sacks in an overtime Gold Cup loss in 2007 for MOB.

(To be continued...)

[Mike]

QB Shaun King (MOB)- after a great rookie season, this hotshot QB is going to sign either in the NFL or, using his pitching arm, with the yankees.

DT Burt, DT Bynes, LB FLeming (MIS). These aged warriors have seen it all...except a championship. Fleming has 63 sacks and is 30th all time in tackles. EJ burt has 61 sacks. These gentlement will be missed, as their Defence was 4th in rushing yards given up. However, teh team was tied for worst in stoppiing rushing TDs as they gave up 20 last year, so perhaps some more younger blood is in order.

QB "Big" Willie Totten, OL Noble, Brown, Hough, K Hurley(LOU). While Big Willie might not have the best career ranking, but a shiny ring says it all. In 2009, Totten beat MIS, got knocked out against FWS but was still the #1 QB, then passed over HON to win the Gold Cup. 13th all time in fumbles isn't great. I don't know when the OL guys came, but they dont' have a Gold Cup with LOU. Hurley wona ring with LOU that year and is #2 in scoring behind POR K Biancamo. (who I forgot to write about with POR!)

DT Newman and S Williams (DAY) Have these guys done anything but simply serve on a -just-out-of-the-playoffs-again-team?

LB Sargeant (CON). Oldie but a goodie. 42 in career tackles. Twin brother of Broderick Sargeant in HON.

QB Fourcade, S Cotman, DT Bemberry, Bembery was acquired in a trade late in the season to help FWS win the championship. Cotman, #13 in tackles in career, was there through the tough times in FWS years ago. Fourcade helped the team through a dark year, then skillfully guided FWS to two Gold Cups, appearing in 4 Gold Cups I believe with FWS.

QB D'Orazio. Don't know much about this guy. Struggled in LOU for awhile.

WR Jarrell, S James. Great players for STV, don't know why they are so low in the roster! James is 4th in active interceptors, Jarrell is 28th in receiving. STV couldn't trade these oldies but goodies away???

This list was dedicated to Kevin Fillman, GM HOn, whose young pups HB Alexander, DE Payton and DB Hlavcek will retire this offseason.

[portland]

YES we've got a team older than dirt, but to say portland's big three had off years isn't quite accurate. check it "oot":

Higgs (13) 428-303-4 70.8 3,699 8.6 80 24 tds 111.9


Copeland (13) 98 1,267 12.9 48 9 tds


March (12) 12 sacks

[TC]

YES we've got a team older than dirt, but to say portland's big three had off years isn't quite accurate. check it "oot":

Higgs (13) 428-303-4 70.8 3,699 8.6 80 24 tds 111.9


Copeland (13) 98 1,267 12.9 48 9 tds


March (12) 12 sacks

I'd take "off years" like that ANY season!

-TC

[Fargo Freeze]

Good analysis of Fargo Mike.

The Freeze have gotten old real quick and it looks like there will be several retirements this off season, whether on their own volition or thru the harshness of the front office. Fargo gathered a couple extra 'day one' picks in anticipation of various retirements.

One accolade that hasn't been mentioned is that Warner was the fasted to 40, 000 passing yards. Quite a feat considering the quality of team fielding during his watch.

Cheers,
John
Fargo Freeze

[Green Bay Bombers]

I watched D Orazio on TV in an AFL game this season and he was exactly as advertised in the FIFL... rushed for a TD, kept his team in the game. Can't diss him in the big ones just because LBB did...

PS a large number of our players still figure in the AFL this season...