Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Wednesday 3 april 2019

season ends

Continued from Page 18 sioned it as a development
league for the NFL with sev-
The league had teams in eral rules tweaks designed
Orlando, Atlanta, San Di- to speed up play and make
ego, Phoenix, Salt Lake it safer.
City, San Antonio, Birming- There were no kickoffs or
ham and Memphis. PATs. Teams had to go for a
Several hours before the two-point conversion after
letter was sent, Memphis touchdowns.
quarterback Johnny Man- “We were headed to a tre-
ziel tweeted : “If you’re an mendous run of success,
AAF player and the league beginning with Saturday’s
does dissolve. The last game leading into the Final
check you got will be the Four on CBS,” Polian told
last one that you get. No the AP. “Our league on the
lawsuit or anything else will field has prospered and
get you your bread. Save grown.
your money and keep The football’s gotten bet-
your head up. It’s the only ter, and that’s a tremen-
choice at this point unless dous tribute to the coaches
something drastic hap- and players and GMs and
pens.” front office staff and all the
Manziel said in another other people who have
tweet: “Just the reality of done a phenomenal job.”
this unfortunate situation.. Polian later said in a state-
great concept, good ment that when Dundon
football on the field and took over, it was his and
fun for fans to watch. Just Ebersol’s belief “that we
not enough money to go would finish the season,
around which has been pay our creditors and
the main problem with make the necessary ad-
“other” leagues for a long justments to move forward
time.”The letter said em- in a manner that made
ployees would be paid economic sense for all. The In this March 17, 2019, file photo, San Diego Fleet tight end Gavin Escobar (89) makes a critical
through Wednesday. momentum generated by first down catch on fourth and long over Birmingham Iron defensive back Max Redfield (20) late in
The AAF seemed to have our players, coaches and the second half of an Alliance of American Football game in San Diego.
a better chance of surviv- football staff had us well associated Press
ing than other alternative positioned for future suc- coaches were Steve Spur- lion in the AAF shortly after technical glitch in its payroll
leagues, such as the USFL cess. Regrettably, we will rier, Dennis Erickson, Mike play began. At the time, system that was fixed.
and the World League, be- not have that opportunity.” Martz and Mike Riley. Ebersol said reports the Al- The AAF aspired to be a
cause of the people and While it clearly wasn’t NFL- However, there were signs liance was short on cash league for players with
philosophies involved. caliber football, it was of trouble in a league put and needed a bailout NFL hopes, but it could not
Polian and co-founder entertaining and helped together in less than one from Dundon in order to reach agreement with the
Charlie Ebersol, a television fill the post-Super Bowl year. make payroll were untrue. NFLPA to use players at the
and film producer, envi- void. Among the league’s Dundon invested $250 mil- He said the league had a end of NFL rosters.q

Cuba releases first group of players eligible for MLB

BY MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN CBF and the Major League players under contract to Tuesday. “We’re doing this and rickety boats in the
associated Press Baseball Players Associa- clubs in Japan, South Ko- in the spirit of moving for- years before Cuba aban-
HAVANA (AP) — The Cu- tion specifies 25 percent rea and Taiwan. ward the implementation doned a hated exit permit
ban Baseball Federation re- of the signing bonus will Only players under con- of the deal, with the goal requirement for most of its
leased its first group of play- go to the CBF as a release tract to the Cuban federa- of developing the potential citizens. The agreement
ers able to sign contracts fee. Cuban players also tion are covered by the of Cuban and international comes despite rising ten-
directly with Major League pay a 4% income tax on agreement, and the Cu- baseball, and, above all, sions between Cuba and
Baseball organizations, and foreign earnings. No likely ban federation agreed to fighting human trafficking,” the Trump administration,
some could be playing in stars were apparent on the release all players 25 and the Cuban Baseball Fed- which is accusing Havana
the United States this year. list, but more notable play- older with at least six years eration said in a statement. of providing military and in-
The 34 players are 17 to 25, ers included 22-year-old of professional experience. A former Cuban federation telligence support to Ven-
classified as international Raidel Martinez Perez and They would be classified as player under contract to ezuelan President Nicolas
amateurs under MLB rules 23-year-old Liván Moinelo international professionals a MLB club may return to Maduro, whom Washing-
and eligible to sign minor Pita, who have played under MLB’s labor contract Cuba during the offseason. ton is trying to overthrow.
league contracts. professionally in Japan; with the players’ associa- He can play in Cuba during Negotiations for the Cuba-
Minor league salaries start 17-year-old infielder Loi- tion and not subject to in- the offseason only with his MLB agreement date back
at $850 a month but sign- del Chapellí Zulueta; and ternational amateur sign- MLB club’s consent. to former U.S. President
ing bonuses for top players 18-year-old pitcher Norge ing bonus pools. Without a formal path Barack Obama’s detente
can exceed $1 million while Carlos Vera Aldana. The Cuban federation may from Cuba to the major with Cuba and opponents
hundreds of players sign for The agreement, which runs at its discretion release leagues, hundreds of top of the Cuba government,
$10,000 or less. through Oct. 31, 2021, al- younger players to sign mi- players have left the island like Sen. Marco Rubio, have
The deal announced in lows Cubans to sign under nor league contracts with for good, many making pledged to try to overturn
December by MLB, the rules similar to those for MLB organizations, as it did harrowing crossings on rafts it.q