The American Alliance Football League has been done for weeks now. Weeks since the league folded up operations and called it a season, only eight games into the season. Shutting the door on two regular season games and the playoffs. All the hard work, effort and no championship game. This would have been the weekend for the first ever AAF title game. It was going to be played in Dallas. It had been moved there, originally it was going down in Vegas. No worries in either city because it is a game that never happened because the creators never had a good game plan. To rely on a shyster in Carolina who pulled the plug on the whole thing because these rich tycoons were never on the same page.

It’s another football league that bites the dust. It was a league where many of the stadiums were pretty much empty as games played. It did have a pretty good television following. Some will tell you if they had gotten through season one, the league may have survived. This league never got to finish one season, like those other leagues. The game on the field was getting better each week as the season went on. By far this league was better than most of the other leagues before it, that are resting in peace. However they at least can say they had a championship game. You’d love to see the players and coaches just play the playoffs without the the rich tycoons who ruined everything. Just in a undisclosed location, like a turkey bowl with friends and family. It may be too late for that idea.

I believe the Championship game would have been the Arizona Hot shots versus the Orlando Apollos. Which might have been a very entertaining game like they had in regular season when these two met. We will never know because they did not get the proper send off. However we will give the American Alliance the proper send off with the final power rankings ever for the league. You could say it should have been done weeks ago. Very true. We kind of got busy with other stuff. Sorry for the wait. Read them and you decide who should have won the championship.

THE FINAL POWER RANKINGS IN THE AAF

#1.ORLANDO APOLLOS (7-1) Their record says the Apollos were the best team in the league the whole year. The last few games the Apollos were beat by the Hot Shots.You could say the Express should have beat them in the very last game. A bad call from the Ref helped seal the deal for the Apollos against that Express team. They had to comeback and win that one in crunch time. Garrett Gilbert came down to earth and threw two picks in that very last game.

The Apollos still won seven games and that is from having good quarterback play in Gilbert. Even though in his last game he threw a few picks, he still marched his team back down the field to get the go ahead scores. Overall the Apollos have a solid team and I think they would have been in the Championship game. They probably would have been favored whoever they played. Plus the X-factor, their head coach Steve Spurrier.

Spurrier to me was the best coach in the league. His team was well coached. They hardly made mistakes. They never shot themselves in the foot like that Salt Lake City team. With a great offensive team and a defensive team, the Apollos had both. With the coaching of Spurrier, they would have probably won the first ever championship.

#2.ARIZONA HOT SHOTS (5-3) The Hot Shots were hot right out of the gates. Then they cooled off and did not look very good. Then they suddenly caught on fire once again.They were the only team to beat the Apollos. They beat up on the Commanders in the very last game they played. In my opinion they would have gotten to the championship. They might have even won the championship. The defense had some big names that played in the NFL. Steve Johnson was like the Ray Lewis of this team. Minus the murders in Atlanta.

Then Will Sutton down the stretch, former Chicago Bear and Sun devil was having some big games on that Hot Shot defense. On offense they had one of the best receivers in the league, Rashard Ross, who can just fly pass you. Scoring touchdowns and dancing in the end zone was a regular thing. The Hot shots running game was one of the best in the league. John Wolford was either the best or second best quarterback in the league. The team was playing its best as the playoffs were on the horizon.

#3. SAN ANTONIO COMMANDERS (5-3) The whole year the Commanders were the second best team in the league. The Commanders were playing solid on defense. The Commanders offense was doing well. They have a great running back. Logan Woodside was getting better at chucking the ball downfield. They were sizzling red hot as they were beating up on teams. Then suddenly bad quarterback play occurred and the Commanders looked very ordinary. Woodside took a few hits in the pocket. The back up came in to close out the season. With two games left, they could have gotten things turned around and played well in the playoffs. From the eyeball, the quarterback play was definitely on the struggle bus.

The Commanders definitely had the fan support. They had to have had the biggest attendance in the league. The league probably envisioned turnouts across the league like they had in the Alamo dome.

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#4.BIRMINGHAM IRON (5-3) The Iron were not a flashy team.They won by grinding it out each week. Running the football. Passing the ball when needed. They played a solid defense. Especially in the red zone they were one of the tops in the league. They won their last game to qualify for the post season that will never happen. Trent Richardson was a touchdown machine. He was starting to get some bigger runs as the season went on. I love the story of Luis Perez learning to play quarterback watching YouTube. The Iron’s weakness was their quarterback play. It would come and go. The Iron would have probably been eliminated very quickly in post season. But they made it and are one of the top four teams in the league.You feel sorry for Iron coach, Tim Lewis. Spent decades as an assistant coach to finally get a chance at being head coach at the age of 57.

Then he guided his team to the playoffs.Then they canceled the rest of the season. Talk about getting the rug pulled out from under you. The Iron also had this bad ass girl coaching.

#5.MEMPHIS EXPRESS (2-6) If this team had a stable quarterback from week one, they could have been a top team. First they tried the Hack. Christian Hackenberg was awful. Then Zach Mettenberger played well. He got hurt then they went and got Johnny Football. He shared time with the guy who should have started the season as quarterback, Brandon Silvers. Johhny Football did pretty good in limited action, but he was forced out with an injury. Brandon Silvers in his brief time looked like one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. The defense was solid. Loved the play of number 58 DeMarquis Gates at line backer. Reminded me of Wilbur Marshall, Mike Singletary’s former teammate.

He crushed people all season long. The Express had a legit defense in the Alliance. Give credit to Coach Mike Singletary who constructed a nice unit. Definitely we will miss Singletary ranting and raving on the sideline after a bad call by the referee.

Hope he lands another job as a head coach just to see his fiery passion for the game.

#6.SAN DIEGO FLEET (3-5) If Phillip Nelson stayed healthy perhaps this team would have been in the top four. The Fleet had three headed monster in the running game. Thunder, lightning, and the Sankey. They had some talented receivers, especially Nelson Spruce.

The defense was awesome at creating turnovers. Loved the play of AJ Tarpley at linebacker.

The Fleet played very well at home. On the road they played differently. I think the play of Mike Bercovici combined with the War and Peace playbook by Coach Mike Martz were the reasons why their battleship sank. If they would simplify the playbook and maybe less crucial mistakes by their quarterback. Maybe a simple playbook could have kept their number one quarterback on the field. The Fleet definitely had the best helmets in the league.

#7.SALT LAKE CITY STALLIONS (3-5) The Stallions defensive line looked like a group out of the show called the Mayans.

They also had a jumbo offensive line. They were very stout in the trenches. They were the best at stopping the run. They did a great job on the offensive side as well, opening up holes. The Stallions should have won more games than just three. Overall they had a very good defense. They had the best defensive end in the league, Karter Schult. He led the league in sacks. De’Mornay Pierson-El was one of the best receivers in the league as he was gobbled up by the NFL as soon as the Alliance closed the doors on the league. Josh Woodrum was not the worst quarterback in the league. This team failed because they shot themselves in the foot constantly. They reminded me of those Raider teams that led the league in penalties. Stupid cheap shots from their cast of Mayan bikers on the line to keep the other team’s drive going. Lots of other stupid penalties. The quarterback would throw the costly interception in key situations. No discipline at all. They knew how to ring the bell, but none of them ever answered in Salt Lake City.

#8.ATLANTA LEGENDS (2-6) The Legends to me were the worse team in the Alliance. On offense the team could move the ball up and down the field. In the red zone the drives would come to a halt and they settled for the field goals. They constantly turned over the ball. Issues with fumbling the ball were a concern every week with this team. The Legends had their own version of Jekyll and Hyde at quarterback position with Simms and Murray, who ended up splitting time at the end. Their offensive line was like Filene’s Basement’s sales as they could not stop a stampede of women running for the biggest deals on clothes. The defense was the brightest spot on this team. That unit came together briefly with the offense when they had a two game stretch with back to back wins. The team was doomed from the start with the revolving door with the coaching staff.

I will say Aaron Murray still has the hottest wife in the league as a bright spot for the Legends.

Legends also have a player with the best name in the league as another bright spot.

Bug Howard has to have a Beverly Goldberg in his life. He has to be her snuggly little bug..