AFA News & Media Clips Upon further review, the replacement officials were, indeed, the largest story in sports during the first three weeks of the NFL regular-season. It arguably created more discussion than the Presidential election that takes place in November........... AFA Hall of Famer, Keith Ballard Selected for Induction Into 2012 United States Flag & Touch Football League (USFTL) HoF In June of 2012, the United States Flag Touch Football League (USFTL) paid the Keith"Quick6" Ballard the game's highest honor by selecting him to its National Hall of Fame. Keith was chosen for his significant contributions helping to elevate the game as a player, director, sponsor and youth development coach. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place January 19, 2013 at 1:00 P.M. at Austin-Tindall sports complex, a division of the Disney Wide-World of Sports Complex. Family, friends and youth are welcome to join Coach Keith Ballard at the Disney sports complex's food, fun and Hall of Fame celebration. We look forward to seeing you there! Dolphins legend Larry Little charity golf tournament BY BILL VAN SMITH SPECIAL TO THE MIAMI HERALD Miami and Larry Little are two entities that fit together perfectly. Little, now 67, grew up in Miami, going to the original Booker T. Washington High. He played football for the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent, then was traded to the Dolphins. In Miami, he became a Hall of Fame pulling guard during the Don Shula era.People have not forgotten Little, and Little has not forgotten his Miami roots. They mean too much to him......... I recently participated in this event and had the pleasure again this year of visiting with Larry Little, Elvin Bethea, Bobby Bell, Leroy Kelly, JR Pruitt, Paul Warfield and Steve Perry, President/Executive Director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While I won't share my golfing performance, a great time was had by all :) Dave Burch - AFA President David Burch, Chris Stepp and Kevin Van Valkenburg join "Outside the Lines" to discuss the dangers of average Joes gathering to play what they call "semi-pro" football. Commotio Cordis - Sudden unexpected cardiac death that occurs in young people during sports participation is usually associated with previously diagnosed or undiagnosed structural or primary electrical cardiac abnormalities. Sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation may also occur when a projectile (eg, baseball, lacrosse ball, hockey puck) strikes the precordium of an individual with no underlying cardiac disease. This is termed commotio cordis (CC). AFA now offers AFLAC to members! AFA members now have discounted rates for AFLAC benefits available to them. Aflac pays you cash if you are hurt or sick and compliments any other benefits you already have! This Accident Plan: Pays you cash for services you or a family member may have due to any injury. On or off the job. Pays cash dollar amounts for different treatments. This plan is perfect for players needing accident coverage. ESPN "Outside the Lines'" cross-platform series, "Football at a Crossroads," examines health issues surrounding football at all levels of the sport, from youth football, high school and college football, through semipro and professional football. Bob ... Long-Term CTE Cases Rise Among NFL Players Researchers at Boston University have discovered 28 new cases of chronic brain damage in deceased football players -- including 15 who played in the NFL -- more than doubling the number of documented cases connecting football to long-term brain disease. FOOTBALL SENSOR The Shockbox Impact Sensor for Football is designed to be attached to the inside of a football helmet. The sensor provides an immediate wireless transmission to your Smartphone, via Bluetooth® that the player has experienced a head impact that could result in a concussion. This takes the guess work away from determining when to take a player off the field and seek medical advice. NFL's all-time best undrafted free agent team The "Beer Man" (a nickname given to the New Orleans native due to his job as a beer delivery man before his pro football life) earned a tryout with the New Orleans Saints after stints in semi-pro footballand the Arena League. His sub-4.3 forty speed ... Saddle Up, Charlie:Charlie Wysocki's Journey From Gridiron Glory Into Mental Illness "Saddle-up, Charlie." With those words University of Maryland football coach Jerry Claiborne nudged Charlie Wysocki toward the playing field as the punt return unit headed toward the sideline. Charlie knew what was expected. He would take the hand-off from quarterback Boomer Esiason and rush toward the slice of daylight created by his offensive line, over and over again until he reached the end zone. The Wysocki odyssey is an uneasy voyage, but one that will prove too compelling to miss. RAIDERS CELEBRATE RACINE RAIDERS DAY BY GETTING FITTED FOR CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS Last week, Racine Mayor John Dickert declared December 10, 2012, as Racine Raiders Day in the City of Racine. To help celebrate the occasion, the Texas Roadhouse Restaurant donated 10% of the tab from their evening patrons to the Raiders. The Raiders celebrated the occasion by getting fitted for their 2012 Semi-Pro BCS National Champions rings at the restaurant. Football: Major dreams live on in semi-pro league Inland Valley Daily Bulletin This is minor league developmental football - they don't call it semi-pro anymore - where a collection of athletes from would-be professionals to second-chancers hoping for another shot at the college game do battle every Saturday night. Everyone has a ... Peer-to-Peer Lending Means Everyone Prospers Prosper is the market leader in peer-to-peer lending-a popular alternative to traditional loans and investing options. We cut out the middleman to connect people who need money with those who have money to invest...so everyone prospers! Here's how it works: -Borrowers choose a loan amount, purpose and post a loan listing. -Investors review loan listings and invest in listings that meet their criteria. -Once the process is complete, borrowers make fixed monthly payments and investors receive a portion of those payments directly to their Prosper account AFA SmartPhone App The AFA Smartphone App is now available for download at Google Play. Just click AFA Smartphone App to download.... Ottawa Citizen During the 1980s and '90s the Ottawa Bootleggers played a few seasons in the Empire Football League and of course, the Ottawa Renegades existed from 2002 to 2006, a team name that had little to do with the area history, and a team that many local ... New Semi Pro Football Team in Duluth The Northshore Grizzlies are allowing athletes a chance at gridiron glory at the semi pro level. The Grizzlies are based in Duluth, Minnesota and plan to play in the Northern Elite Football League (NEFL), which includes the Lake Superior Rage, who play ... We have gotten a lot of requests from folks confused about membership in the AFA's Hall of Fame recently. We've even encountered an altered/doctored press release listing someone we've never heard of in an attempt to purchase our ring. It appears that after 32 years, a few folks are still a bit confused regarding hall of fame membership. As a result, we have edited and published a more readable copy of our inductees from day one at American Football Association Hall of Fame Listing American Football Association Hall of Fame Jackets - Now Available !!!....we are pleased to announce that AFA Hall of Fame jackets are now available for purchase directly from Chicago Knitting Mills.....and yes, they do have the plus sizes 2X -- 5X! Just send an email to amerfoot@aol.com to obtain an order form. AFA Hall of Fame Blazers ....because of the positive feedback from our Hall of Fame banquet, we are now making Hall of Fame Blazers available to all current hall of fame members. Please email amerfoot@aol.com if you are interested. Note: Hall of Fame Patches are available upon request for those who would like to update their favorite blazer with this memorable item @$15 each. Just send an email to amerfoot@aol.com........ Wilson NFL Footballs... New Wilson Footballs are now in stock. The price is $65/ball or $390 per case for new balls plus $20 shipping and handling for a total of $410 per case of six...to download form, click Wilson NFL Footballs. AFA Broadcast Channel Goes Live The AFA's live broadcast channel capability for video webcasts is now available for PCs, iPads and, Smartphones. Featured video includes weekly vintage and live video webcasts of events such as the Pottstown Firebirds Super Bowl Special, Kalamazoo Tornadoes AFA Championship, Past AFA Hall of Fame Inductions, AFA Member Game Broadcasts and special announcements. These weekly broadcast will accessible directly from our website and in additional to performances by some of our hall of famers, will also feature AFA sponsors. These broadcasts can also be accessed at......Steve Weed Productions. AFA Membership Programs | 2013 AFA Alumni Club Membership - Are You A Card Carrying Member? AFA Membership is open to anyone and everyone that, at one time or another, had been (or still is) involved with a semi-pro team and/or league. Semi-Pro Football Alumni Club is co-sponsored by the AFA National Association and the Members of the AFA Hall of Fame Alumni. To join Just click AFA Alumni Membership App. Lifetime Membership Opportunity To Be Announced 2013 for AFA Hall of Fame Members! 2013 AFA Team & League Membership Membership applications are now being accepted for the 2013 season. The annual membership fee to join the AFA remains $100 "per team" which provides a benefit package that is easily 10x this fee. Team membership applications can be downloaded by clicking Team/League Membership App American Football Association Benefits, Inc The America Football Association recently established major partnerships with insurance companies to make comprehensive coverage products available for all AFA Alumni. AFA Alumni and where applicable their spouses and dependents, can now apply for insurance at competitive group rates. It's now easy to join the AFA and apply for affordable insurance coverage with a special discount for being an AFA Alumni. For more info, please call 877-624-4485 or email AFABenefitsInc@americanfootballassn.com. | About the American Football Association: The American Football Association is a national 501(c) (3) non-profit, tax exempt corporation in its 32nd year of operation and is dedicated to the advancement of adult (semi-pro) football from coast-to-coast. Our slogan is Semi Pro & Proud®. We are not affiliated with any other national semi-pro/minor league organization (Minor League Football News, American Football News Today, American Football Hall of Fame, Minor Pro Hall of Fame, etc). The AFA, Hall of Fame, American Football News™ and AFA logo design are registered trademarks of the American Football Association. All other AFA-related trademarks are trademarks of the American Football Association. | | |