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Post by exit322 on Apr 23, 2012 22:06:43 GMT -5
djournal.com/view/full_story/18332080/article-Mississippi-Hound-Dogs-future-in-doubt?instance=home_news_right#ixzz1steqlVnFIt's hard to see this ending well for the Mississippi Hound Dogs. The first-year indoor pro football team fell to 1-6 on Saturday night with a third consecutive home loss, 60-25 against the Eastern Kentucky Drillers. That's back-to-back ugly home efforts, after a 60-12 thumping by the Lakeland Raiders on April 7. Saturday's loss assures the team of a losing season – the Hound Dogs have four games left, two at home and two on the road. And while a victory over the Drillers would have provided the Dogs with a possible path to the six-team UIFL playoffs, it's not reasonable to ponder that now. Beyond the question of wins and losses is the issue of the team's continued viability in the Northeast Mississippi market. The official ticket-sales number for Saturday's game was a season-low 780. That's probably close to the actual headcount, and it's way short of the 2,000-plus needed for the team's budget to work. There might have been a FireAnts crowd that small back in the day, I can't say for sure. And it's hard to compare headcounts with the MudCats, as they were more generous with freebie tickets in an effort to get fans in the stands. But budget issues were behind the whispers at midweek that the team might not be in a position to play on Saturday. Road trips – the team goes to Florida this weekend – represent an additional expense with no potential offset from home gate receipts, if any. Hound Dogs officials talked about this inaugural season helping to build toward the team's future in Tupelo. It's hard to see how this season has done anything but bolster the case that Tupelo and Northeast Mississippi still isn't populous enough to support a minor league sports franchise.
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Post by exit322 on Apr 23, 2012 22:07:33 GMT -5
djournal.com/view/full_story/18332080/article-Mississippi-Hound-Dogs-future-in-doubt?instance=home_news_right#ixzz1steqlVnFTUPELO – The Mississippi Hound Dogs indoor pro football franchise is finished playing in Tupelo this season, a victim of insufficient cash to cover its obligations. The United Indoor Football League released a statement Monday night to address the team's status. The league is propping up the Hound Dogs for the remainder of the season to assure that rival teams will get their full slate of home dates. Also, the UIFL announced that Martino Theus will return as head coach for the team's remaining games. Theus said he will assemble a team to play three games, all on the road. The Hound Dogs has two remaining home games on their schedule, but they will not be played here. "We'll pack up our cars and hit the road," said Theus, who lives in Jackson, Tenn. The Hound Dogs fell to 1-6 in their inaugural season on Saturday night, with a 60-25 loss at home to the Eastern Kentucky Drillers. Official ticket sales for the game at BancorpSouth Arena was announced as a season-low 780. BCS Arena official Todd Hunt said the facility would "not lose any money" from the decision to not play the two remaining home games. Details about the current ownership of the team appeared murky over the weekend, as indoor football sources told the Daily Journal that the UIFL was prepared to step in and take over. The team’s general manager, Marty Cooper, said Monday he was unclear about the league’s intentions. “I’m still talking with the league about where we go from here,” said Cooper, who took over ownership of the team earlier in the year. “We’re trying to figure it all out.” The Hound Dogs coach at the start of the day, Eric Bingham, said that out-of-town players had been told they would have to leave the local Days Inn by Tuesday because the hotel had not been paid. “We’ve got guys who have not been paid, the hotel hasn’t gotten paid and I haven’t gotten paid,” Bingham said. “I can’t expect these guys to come out and sacrifice their health and livelihood for nothing. I can’t ask them, I won’t ask them to do that any more.” Mississippi was scheduled to visit the Florida Tarpons on Saturday. The team normally would do light conditioning on Monday, then resume work for the next game on Tuesday. “I know I won’t be there,” Bingham said. “I seriously doubt these guys will be there.” Read more: djournal.com - Mississippi Hound Dogs future in doubt
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Post by Banana Cat on Apr 24, 2012 14:10:46 GMT -5
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Post by malepig on Apr 25, 2012 23:41:20 GMT -5
What a joke my team is in.
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Post by Banana Cat on Apr 26, 2012 0:35:03 GMT -5
What a joke my team is in. I assume you meant to say "What a joke LEAGUE my team is in." So are you still blaming everything on Van Dyke? I'd like to know how Van Dyke is responsible for everything that happened after Haines bought his assets and renamed the league the United Indoor Football League. Haines' misleads (scams) people. He misled Van Dyke, and he misled all the owners that became a part of the United Indoor Football League, who obviously had no clue what they were getting into.
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Post by exit322 on Apr 26, 2012 9:18:50 GMT -5
Yeah, the league's a joke...and its owner owns your team. I'd say the cause of the UIFL problems is pretty well the same cause of the old AIFL (and MAHL, if you want to go there, too) problems.
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Post by malepig on Apr 26, 2012 12:06:41 GMT -5
Unfortunatly being close to the situation( I reallyjust wanted to be a fan) I can say that Cecil mislead Haines when he bought the league. I can say that Haines and Michael Taylor saved the league. As far as Mississippi falling apart Haines should have done a better job with the owner. He is at fault for that. Now the other part I have to deal with. this Saturday there will be a legit 6,000 people at the Tarpons game. The people down here are nuts about a 5-0 team and with odds being they will go undefeated it has been a HUGE boost down here. That is why I have stated and told Haines and Taylor to give up the league thing and merge the strong teams with a league like the PIFL.
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Post by Banana Cat on Apr 26, 2012 18:02:20 GMT -5
If Haines was as innocent in the Van Dyke thing as you think or in any way honorable, he would just become a team owner and join the PIFL next year. Do you think that will happen? ... right, it won't. If he somehow comes into a bunch of money from someone buying the UIFL off him (won't happen), then I could see that play out. But he won't be making enough money as just a team owner, he still needs his money from scamming people to maintain his current lifestyle in Florida.
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Post by malepig on Apr 26, 2012 18:30:28 GMT -5
What lifestyle in Florida? As far as getting money from other teams, he isn't this time. In fact I know how much he got from Cecil and an asistant manager at Mcdonalds get more pay. I also know that the Tarpons going to another league is not out of the realm.
But that also leads to the other problem and that is the fan base down here is loving what he is doing. He is making money because of the product on the field and off the field in promotions. He has taken a market Vallozzi killed, brought it back, and making it better than before.
I'm not defending him but do know his tatcics from the past are not the same as before.
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Post by Banana Cat on Apr 26, 2012 21:19:14 GMT -5
You are defending him, but that's up to you. Who's in charge of the league right now? Who decided which teams could play in the United IFL and the state of those teams? Who brought in semi-pro travel-only teams to bulk the league up team-wise instead of going the PIFL route of having 6 solid teams only, something the UIFL could've easily done with Erie, Cincy, Marion, Florida, Lakeland, and Eastern Kentucky. Who's making Mississippi a semi-pro replacement team instead of folding them? You don't like the current shape of the league, but are ignoring who's orchestrating it and has been orchestrating it. Up to you.
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Post by malepig on Apr 26, 2012 21:30:32 GMT -5
No BC its you who is off base. After Cecil backed out there was no time to merge with a league. Yes Mississipi failed but for you to say Haines scammed is just a lie in this case. I just know more in this case and while the league has fallen into a joke and to blame Haines the way you are for it all is wrong. I will not lie like you BC in this matter.
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Post by Banana Cat on Apr 26, 2012 22:32:38 GMT -5
We will agree to disagree. I will never trust Haines. He has always lied and scammed and now you are saying he isn't and yet the United IFL which he set up (Van Dyke had nothing to do with it) is still scamming people. If he had set up the United IFL like the PIFL, then we wouldn't be having this discussion, but he didn't did he? Actions speak louder than words and Haines' actions are still the same. You trust him if you want, but don't give him any money other than for your season tickets.
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Post by Banana Cat on Apr 26, 2012 22:49:14 GMT -5
Yes Mississipi failed but for you to say Haines scammed is just a lie in this case. I just know more in this case and while the league has fallen into a joke and to blame Haines the way you are for it all is wrong. Ok. Who owns, set up, and runs the United IFL? Who brought Mississippi, Huntington, Western PA, and Rome in and allowed them to play knowing their situations? How are those teams doing and how do they make the league look? Instead of allowing those teams to play, why didn't he go the PIFL route? Who do you blames for all this if not Haines? Name here: _______________ You don't think he misled the owners of all the teams in the league?
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Post by malepig on Apr 28, 2012 9:59:58 GMT -5
Who brought those 4 teams was cecil. I don't blame Haines for all of it. Haines has his share I have never denied that. And you know I want the Tarpons in the PIFL but there was not enough time when cecil's "financial backers" turned out to be a fraud. And I have never denied that those teams look like a loose stool filled with ringworms swirling about in a blue green sea os the toilet with mucous dripping on the sides.
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sonicrules831
Starter
Commandos and Rivermonsters forever!
Posts: 96
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Post by sonicrules831 on Apr 28, 2012 14:15:20 GMT -5
Here's how the UIF will look after the season
FOLDED: Mississippi Rome Western PA/Huntington
6 teams will remain, Cincy, Marion, Erie, Lakeland, EKY, and Florida. I can't believe it was Haines all along. I wish my Commandos were in a good standing league. Apparently the UIFL was a disapointment. Haines, you're a joke!
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