Week 1 ✅ #JoinTheAlliance pic.twitter.com/fupQg9Dj1u
— The Alliance (@TheAAF) February 11, 2019
You thought football season ended after the Super Bowl? You couldn’t be more wrong. We knew the AAF was coming for a long time but weren’t totally sure what to expect. Well, I would call Week One a rousing success. First of all, people watched.
How much do Americans like football? The first game of the AAF on CBS beat the NBA on ABC nationwide in overnight ratings.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 10, 2019
Second of all, there have been some electric appearances from former legends.
Football elitists expecting the AAF to be on par with the NFL make me sick.
You get a FOOTBALL league you can gamble on throughout February, March, and April.
Plus you get Steve Spurrier mic’d up. Quit your complaining https://t.co/5ogGCvnruz
— Jack McGuire (@JackMacCFB) February 11, 2019
Vintage Trent Richardson stat line pic.twitter.com/7V0GL0f6f9
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) February 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/1094711850707677184
Just glorious.
Third of all, there was this electric hit in the very first game in AAF history. The best branding the league could have asked for was this clip going mega-viral and people getting the brutality they love about the game of football.
Now, that's a hit. pic.twitter.com/ndwKkmAr5J
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 10, 2019
Finally, and most importantly, you could bet on these games. It’s gonna take some time to figure out who is actually good and how these games are gonna go but betting on football is my favorite thing in the world so I could not be happier.
AAF Sunday betting lines (Bovada):
Memphis Express +120
Birmingham Iron -3
O/U 46.5Salt Lake Stallions +150
Arizona Hotshots -4
O/U 49.5— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) February 10, 2019
Week One Power Rankings
A look at what went down in Week 1. 🏈 #JoinTheAlliance pic.twitter.com/nIDoMHp7t6
— The Alliance (@TheAAF) February 11, 2019
Some absolute blowouts in Week One but still some exciting football. I’m gonna rank my AAF teams 1-8 every week and no the rankings will not be strictly based on football.
#8- Memphis Express
FINAL.
We’ll bounce back for the hometown fans when we land at @LibertyBowlMem next Saturday. pic.twitter.com/h6Z0YE2cbS
— Memphis Express (@aafexpress) February 10, 2019
When you score zero points in your first ever game as a franchise you are going to get ranked last. Also, their quarterback is Christian fucking Hackenberg and he appears to have only gotten worse since his brief stint with my Jets.
Christian Hackenberg had himself quite the AAF debut yesterday. https://t.co/cnAtkyc7X1 pic.twitter.com/waOz1DKGTB
— Nate (@BarstoolNate) February 11, 2019
Not great. The Express have a lot to work on for next week.
#7- Atlanta Legends
Boom.
The first points in the history of @TheAAF belong to the @AafLegends. pic.twitter.com/SJAyWiU40v
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 10, 2019
The Legends scored the first points in AAF history, then only got 3 more the rest of the game. It turns out Michael Vick might not have the same magic as a coach that he had at QB. These guys flat out stink. Atlanta is back to losing.
#6- San Diego Fleet
San Diego #Fleet QB Mike Bercovici takes a HUGE shot from a Commander. He is a tough guy for getting up from that. Wow. #AAF pic.twitter.com/72EKVsFBf8
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) February 10, 2019
The Fleet were on the wrong side of the most exciting play of the weekend. For that reason, they are at #6 in the Power Rankings this week. They are also the last of the three teams to not score a touchdown in their first game in the league. They have a lot they need to work on, including finding a QB.
#5- San Antonio Commanders
SAN ANTONIO. The Commanders are here. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/gYpbAiDtwX
— San Antonio Commanders (@aafcommanders) February 10, 2019
San Antonio is ranked behind a team that lost because of this picture alone. Your mascot is the Commanders and this is the group of guys you come up with? Absolutely pathetic. It’s like they just went down to WalMart and asked all of the greeters to dress up in costumes from their own store. No intimidation. Do better next week or the winning doesn’t matter, Commanders.
#4- Salt Lake Stallions
Anyone who would like to join the “Day One” club…
Gladly accepting applications all day. #SLvsAZ 🔜
— Salt Lake Stallions (@aafstallions) February 10, 2019
The Stallions may have lost but they did put up 22 points and made some electric plays. They have two QBs that can both play ball and Matt Asiata was a back in the league pretty recently so he’s most likely gonna get going as the season goes on.
The sun is still shining
And we’ve got 9 more weeks of football left to play. LET’S WORK 💪#FullSteedAhead
— Salt Lake Stallions (@aafstallions) February 11, 2019
I think this team is going to be going Full Steed Ahead against some other teams in this league after a tough week one draw.
#3- The Birmingham Iron
https://twitter.com/aafiron/status/1095063059259932672
Throwing a player with airpods in the hype video is what the AAF is all about. Absolutely electric stuff. Stunting on the poors that aren’t in the Alliance. And of course, they have AAF MVP frontrunner Trent Richardson on the roster, who also had the most Trent Richardson statline of all time in their first game.
Halftime: Birmingham 9, Memphis 0. Trent Richardson has 8 carries, 17 yards.
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) February 10, 2019
GOAT.
#2- Arizona Hotshots
That winning feeling! 😏 Nothing like it. #GoShots pic.twitter.com/Rk2rt1VDmh
— Arizona Hotshots (@aafhotshots) February 11, 2019
Some are arguing that this is the most complete team in the league but after watching this video they cannot be given the first place title. This is positively revolting. Have some god damn self-respect boys. Also, the Hotshots is maybe the worst name in the league. They need to work on those two things if they want to sniff the number one spot.
#1- MY Orlando Apollos
I guess the only thing left to do is find out who my @TheAAF team is gonna be!!! Might have to go with @SteveSpurrierUF and the @aafAPOLLOS. Season starts this weekend gotta prep
— Blake (@BlakeyLocks) February 4, 2019
I decided to back the Apollos before the season because of the Ole Ball Coach and they did not disappoint Week One. They were the only team to score 40 points in their inaugural game and the HBC was putting on a show.
Alright timeout. That Apollos trick play TD wasn't the Philly Special. It was the Connor Shaw (@cmshaw14) special from back in 2014.
I think my South Carolina people will enjoy this from Spurrier: pic.twitter.com/nW1uIiO663
— Ben Murphy (@BenMurphyTV) February 10, 2019
Orlando Apollos coach Steve Spurrier had a helpful suggestion for one of his players pic.twitter.com/TbLI9U8I5p
— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) February 10, 2019
This is why he is the best.
Former Texas QB Garrett Gilbert lit it up for my Apollos.
Get you a QB that can do both 😏
🏹#TakeAim | #ORLvsATL pic.twitter.com/ZOIRRY2QfZ
— Orlando Apollos (@aafAPOLLOS) February 10, 2019
I can’t wait for Week Two. It’s not the NFL, it’s not college football, but it is a somewhat competitive football league that is played on weekends and can be gambled on. That’s all we can ask for and the AAF is delivering. Let’s have a season, y’all.
