Post by Banana Cat on Mar 9, 2011 0:09:14 GMT -5
UFL will play one more season and fold. Only thing that may enable them to last longer is the NFL not playing.
hamptonroads.com/2011/03/norfolks-rome-stymied-cashstrapped-ufl
hamptonroads.com/2011/03/norfolks-rome-stymied-cashstrapped-ufl
Norfolk's Rome stymied by cash-strapped UFL
3 March 2011
The United Football League has been sued again for non-payment – this time by the Mayo Clinic for $224,500. That, on top of $250K sought by a Sacramento PR firm and Mark Cuban, who claims the UFL defaulted on a $5 million loan.
Because that dovetails with depressing tales that have leaked out regarding players still awaiting payment, I caught up with Norfolk’s Bobby Rome, who played for the Las Vegas Locos last UFL season.
The Locos won the championship and the $20,000 per man bonus that came with it. But guess what? Aw, you guessed. Correct -- Rome and his teammates are still waiting for their bonus checks from a championship won in November.
“It’s getting pretty ugly,” Rome, who is back in Norfolk, said Thursday. “Some guys are talking lawsuits and stuff like that. I don’t think I’ll take it that far, but it’s rough, waiting on money that you expected to be there four months ago.
“The last we heard, they told us the end of February. But here it is March 3 and there’s been no word.”
Rome said he has a 5-year-old daughter and his fiance is pregnant and that “it’s tough when you’re waiting for the money and they’re not communicating with you. It makes you upset, not just about the money but the lack of communication with players is totally unacceptable.”
Rome, like most UFL players, was paid $50,000 before taxes for the UFL season. But he said he only got his check for the last regular-season game a month ago, even though that game was played last Nov. 20.
UFL spokesman Michael Preston continues to hold the party line in various news reports: “Payments are being made to vendors and there will be a 2011 season.”
Rome actually does believe the latter, at least, especially with the NFL about to shut down. He said he is training to perform for NFL scouts at North Carolina’s pro day at the end of the month. Rome, from Granby High, played at UNC. But Rome, a fullback, said he keeps in touch with Vegas coach Jim Fassel and that he expects to return to the Locos if he has no NFL option.
“I pray the UFL gets everything together,” Rome said. “I wish they’d really just take a look at the players and understand we’re the ones taking the biggest hits. I’m fresh out of college, I’m trying to pay my bills, but you start to owe people money, too. It’s tough keeping everything going when they’re lingering that check over our heads and giving us the run-around, I feel like.”
3 March 2011
The United Football League has been sued again for non-payment – this time by the Mayo Clinic for $224,500. That, on top of $250K sought by a Sacramento PR firm and Mark Cuban, who claims the UFL defaulted on a $5 million loan.
Because that dovetails with depressing tales that have leaked out regarding players still awaiting payment, I caught up with Norfolk’s Bobby Rome, who played for the Las Vegas Locos last UFL season.
The Locos won the championship and the $20,000 per man bonus that came with it. But guess what? Aw, you guessed. Correct -- Rome and his teammates are still waiting for their bonus checks from a championship won in November.
“It’s getting pretty ugly,” Rome, who is back in Norfolk, said Thursday. “Some guys are talking lawsuits and stuff like that. I don’t think I’ll take it that far, but it’s rough, waiting on money that you expected to be there four months ago.
“The last we heard, they told us the end of February. But here it is March 3 and there’s been no word.”
Rome said he has a 5-year-old daughter and his fiance is pregnant and that “it’s tough when you’re waiting for the money and they’re not communicating with you. It makes you upset, not just about the money but the lack of communication with players is totally unacceptable.”
Rome, like most UFL players, was paid $50,000 before taxes for the UFL season. But he said he only got his check for the last regular-season game a month ago, even though that game was played last Nov. 20.
UFL spokesman Michael Preston continues to hold the party line in various news reports: “Payments are being made to vendors and there will be a 2011 season.”
Rome actually does believe the latter, at least, especially with the NFL about to shut down. He said he is training to perform for NFL scouts at North Carolina’s pro day at the end of the month. Rome, from Granby High, played at UNC. But Rome, a fullback, said he keeps in touch with Vegas coach Jim Fassel and that he expects to return to the Locos if he has no NFL option.
“I pray the UFL gets everything together,” Rome said. “I wish they’d really just take a look at the players and understand we’re the ones taking the biggest hits. I’m fresh out of college, I’m trying to pay my bills, but you start to owe people money, too. It’s tough keeping everything going when they’re lingering that check over our heads and giving us the run-around, I feel like.”