Those in the know in Salem say it was kind of like trying to play football blindfolded, when the United Gridiron Football League posted a news release on their website last week announcing the Salem area would receive a team, and begin play in the spring of 2010.
Carey Harveycutter, Salem’s Director of Civic facilities, wasn’t happy no one from the UNGL called before sending out that press release. “It would’ve been nice for somebody to call me or at least send me the press release so I would’ve been prepared when the media called me,“ said Harveycutter.
Harveycutter said he still supports the team coming to Salem (to the field-turfed municipal football stadium), but he just hopes for better communication in the future. (The UNGL had a false start in Salem earlier this year when it pulled the plug on a 2009 season, citing shaky financing.)
“It doesn’t instill a whole lot of trust in the way they’re doing business,“ said Harveycutter, who added that he had a recent conversation with someone at the league office. “Until we have a contract and deposit, we’re not going to do anything here.“
The league’s website was indeed confident about the future of minor league football here, saying “the Virginia Swarm will be its sixth team to begin play in the professional developmental football league’s 2010 Inaugural Season. The Swarm, planned to be based in the Salem VA area, will join the North Carolina Comets, Georgia Slashers (Columbus), Alabama Blackbirds (Birmingham), Miami Scorchers, Ohio Marauders (Akron/Cleveland) and teams soon to be announced in Texas and Louisiana.
140 players participated in the league’s first-ever regional mini-camp recently, which featured talent from major college programs like Ohio State, Florida State, Iowa and Syracuse. It is expected that the majority of UNGL players will come from colleges throughout the country as well as from free agents with NFL potential. All participants must be at least 21 years old, and be no more than five years removed from the expiration of their college football playing eligibility. The UNGL will play by all NFL rules and referee standards.
(from media partner WSLS-10 and UNGL website)
