Post by The Grim Reaper on Apr 29, 2008 9:13:49 GMT -5
Huntington indoor football team carrying on
Apr 28, 2008 @ 08:54 PM
By DAVE WALSH
Herald-Dispatch.com
HUNTINGTON — For now, the Huntington Heroes are still an operating franchise in the American Indoor Football Association.
The team did not make the trip to Florence (S.C.) on Thursday for its Friday night game against the Phantoms amidst financial conflicts. Head coach Teddy Keaton resigned Saturday.
Team owner Brent Blankenship said it will be business as usual Tuesday when the Heroes begin preparations for a Saturday night home game against the Fayetteville (N.C.) Guard at Big Sandy Superstore Arena. Huntington is 5-2 in the AIFA Eastern Conference East Division. Fayetteville is 1-4.
Carlos Clayton, an assistant under Keaton, is the new head coach.
“Financial issues are still here,” Blankenship said. “It will be a struggle until we get established.”
The latest chapter in the ongoing financial saga happened Thursday night before the players were to board the bus for the trip to Florence. Blankenship met with the players and said he paid them in cash, making them up to date through the Canton game (April 19). All coaches, except Keaton, were paid as well.
“Teddy will be paid,” Blankenship said.
After the incident, Blankenship said he wanted an assurance from Keaton that it wouldn’t happen again.
“I have to have confidence,” he said, calling the coach his battlefield commander. “I have a vision where I want this team to be.”
Instead of a reply, Keaton, who led the Lakeland (Fla.) Thunderbolts to the AIFA championship in 2007, offered his resignation.
“If there are repercussions for not getting on the bus, I’m willing to accept them,” Keaton said. “I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. I appreciate what they gave to the team up to this point. I don’t want to tear this organization down. They’ve tried to hold it together.”
Under Keaton, the Heroes were 4-0 at home.
“The fans. I love them,” Keaton said. “I’ve met some of the best people here. I hope they push forward.”
The question now is who will show up today for practice?
Charles Gunnings, the Huntington defensive coordinator under Keaton, is the new head coach of Fayetteville. He took over Sunday.
Gunnings was joined with the Guard by Heroes players Wilmont Perry (running back), Jay Jackson (wide receiver) and defensive backs Deleon Raynor and Jesse Parker.
The Guard had a 12-0 record under Gunnings in 2007. He left the team after a contract dispute with majority owner Richard King.
Blankenship dismissed Heroes offensive coordinator Kenny Johnson.
Chris Barnes, an offensive lineman in his third year with the Heroes, left Monday for the Lexington Horsemen, who play in Af2.
“I can’t say for sure yet, but it looks like I probably played my last game in Huntington,” the former Marshall lineman said. “I really loved it in Huntington and I’m sitll going to go to school and get my masters. We had an incredible team and we were going to win it. It’s a tragedy the type of team we had and what happened to it. If anyone can bring it back, it will be Coach Carlos.”
Barnes, too, believes the money issues helped create the divide.
“I think some people think it was a game that should be played for free,” Barnes said. “There were definitely some outside circumstances. As of right now, I am current but some people couldn’t weather the storm and it tore the team apart. It seems like the ownership wants to make it happen. It was just my time .
“The Canton game, there was a lot of drama before the game and for us to come together like that and annihilate them was the last stand of the family. The team I had committed to was gone so that’s pretty much where I was at.”
Apr 28, 2008 @ 08:54 PM
By DAVE WALSH
Herald-Dispatch.com
HUNTINGTON — For now, the Huntington Heroes are still an operating franchise in the American Indoor Football Association.
The team did not make the trip to Florence (S.C.) on Thursday for its Friday night game against the Phantoms amidst financial conflicts. Head coach Teddy Keaton resigned Saturday.
Team owner Brent Blankenship said it will be business as usual Tuesday when the Heroes begin preparations for a Saturday night home game against the Fayetteville (N.C.) Guard at Big Sandy Superstore Arena. Huntington is 5-2 in the AIFA Eastern Conference East Division. Fayetteville is 1-4.
Carlos Clayton, an assistant under Keaton, is the new head coach.
“Financial issues are still here,” Blankenship said. “It will be a struggle until we get established.”
The latest chapter in the ongoing financial saga happened Thursday night before the players were to board the bus for the trip to Florence. Blankenship met with the players and said he paid them in cash, making them up to date through the Canton game (April 19). All coaches, except Keaton, were paid as well.
“Teddy will be paid,” Blankenship said.
After the incident, Blankenship said he wanted an assurance from Keaton that it wouldn’t happen again.
“I have to have confidence,” he said, calling the coach his battlefield commander. “I have a vision where I want this team to be.”
Instead of a reply, Keaton, who led the Lakeland (Fla.) Thunderbolts to the AIFA championship in 2007, offered his resignation.
“If there are repercussions for not getting on the bus, I’m willing to accept them,” Keaton said. “I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. I appreciate what they gave to the team up to this point. I don’t want to tear this organization down. They’ve tried to hold it together.”
Under Keaton, the Heroes were 4-0 at home.
“The fans. I love them,” Keaton said. “I’ve met some of the best people here. I hope they push forward.”
The question now is who will show up today for practice?
Charles Gunnings, the Huntington defensive coordinator under Keaton, is the new head coach of Fayetteville. He took over Sunday.
Gunnings was joined with the Guard by Heroes players Wilmont Perry (running back), Jay Jackson (wide receiver) and defensive backs Deleon Raynor and Jesse Parker.
The Guard had a 12-0 record under Gunnings in 2007. He left the team after a contract dispute with majority owner Richard King.
Blankenship dismissed Heroes offensive coordinator Kenny Johnson.
Chris Barnes, an offensive lineman in his third year with the Heroes, left Monday for the Lexington Horsemen, who play in Af2.
“I can’t say for sure yet, but it looks like I probably played my last game in Huntington,” the former Marshall lineman said. “I really loved it in Huntington and I’m sitll going to go to school and get my masters. We had an incredible team and we were going to win it. It’s a tragedy the type of team we had and what happened to it. If anyone can bring it back, it will be Coach Carlos.”
Barnes, too, believes the money issues helped create the divide.
“I think some people think it was a game that should be played for free,” Barnes said. “There were definitely some outside circumstances. As of right now, I am current but some people couldn’t weather the storm and it tore the team apart. It seems like the ownership wants to make it happen. It was just my time .
“The Canton game, there was a lot of drama before the game and for us to come together like that and annihilate them was the last stand of the family. The team I had committed to was gone so that’s pretty much where I was at.”