Post by Dragon Fan on May 17, 2007 16:55:30 GMT -5
Indoor league releases players
Replacements likely to finish Demolition's season
BY LAURA MABRY
DANVILLE — Danville Demolition players and coaches learned their fate Tuesday night when owner John Christner released them from their contracts and paid them what they were owed for the team’s inaugural season.
“I’m done now. He said he didn’t have the funds to pay me,” now-former Demolition coach B.J. Luke said this morning. “He brought in everyone, all the coaches and released everybody.”
Luke wasn’t surprised.
“We’ve had some issues,” he said, adding the players lost their housing in the last week. “They made sure all the kids were paid up. That’s what was most important to me.”
Although he’s no longer part of the American Indoor Football Association, Luke expects the Demolition to have to play the last two games of its season with replacement players to fulfill its contract. He didn’t know where those players might come from. The AIFA consists of 14 teams, with its headquarters in Montgomery, Ala.
The last games are scheduled for May 24 at home and June 2 in Pennsylvania.
Luke said he considers his dismissal “a graceful way to finish up.”
He appreciated Danville’s welcoming attitude toward the start-up team.
“We had some nice crowds. You always hope for a little more. The people who came enjoyed themselves,” Luke said.
Luke said he did not know how to reach Christner for comment this morning.
Although some passersby saw police at the David S. Palmer Arena last night, Luke said officers were there merely as a precaution surrounding the announcement.
He said the players didn’t cause any problems.
The Demolition featured as many as 23 players, 18 of whom dressed for recent games, Luke said. The team had three coaches, as well.
Arena general manager Peter Blackmon said this morning he had received no official notification of the team’s situation.
Replacements likely to finish Demolition's season
BY LAURA MABRY
DANVILLE — Danville Demolition players and coaches learned their fate Tuesday night when owner John Christner released them from their contracts and paid them what they were owed for the team’s inaugural season.
“I’m done now. He said he didn’t have the funds to pay me,” now-former Demolition coach B.J. Luke said this morning. “He brought in everyone, all the coaches and released everybody.”
Luke wasn’t surprised.
“We’ve had some issues,” he said, adding the players lost their housing in the last week. “They made sure all the kids were paid up. That’s what was most important to me.”
Although he’s no longer part of the American Indoor Football Association, Luke expects the Demolition to have to play the last two games of its season with replacement players to fulfill its contract. He didn’t know where those players might come from. The AIFA consists of 14 teams, with its headquarters in Montgomery, Ala.
The last games are scheduled for May 24 at home and June 2 in Pennsylvania.
Luke said he considers his dismissal “a graceful way to finish up.”
He appreciated Danville’s welcoming attitude toward the start-up team.
“We had some nice crowds. You always hope for a little more. The people who came enjoyed themselves,” Luke said.
Luke said he did not know how to reach Christner for comment this morning.
Although some passersby saw police at the David S. Palmer Arena last night, Luke said officers were there merely as a precaution surrounding the announcement.
He said the players didn’t cause any problems.
The Demolition featured as many as 23 players, 18 of whom dressed for recent games, Luke said. The team had three coaches, as well.
Arena general manager Peter Blackmon said this morning he had received no official notification of the team’s situation.
