1973 Retirements

RB Jimmy Golden - Wakefield, QC - Creator: Stickman
College: St-Laurent
Drafted: 1961 - BUF - Round 1, Pick 3
Teams: Buffalo Blue Wings (1960-1970), Indiana Victors (1971), Edmonton Rangers (1972)
McCallister Cups: 4 (1964, 1966, 1967, 1969)
Awards: Most Valuable Player (1964), Offensive Player of the Year (1967), Rookie of the Year (1960), Playoff MVP (1969)
All-Stars: 3 (1964, 1965, 1967)
Player of the Week: 11
It didn’t take long for Jimmy Golden to get going after being drafted 3rd overall in 1960. He would be thrust into the starting job in his first season after RB Johnnie Stafford was traded midseason. He would win Rookie of the Year with a great performance down the stretch. Along with fellow St-Laurent teammate, QB Charles Lemieux, Golden and the Blue Wings would tear up the league over the 1960s. Gold would set the record for most rushing touchdowns in a season with 24 in 1964, earning him the MVP nod for the year. Buffalo would also capture the Cup by the season’s end. Golden continued to put up fantastic numbers en route to 3 more McCallister Cups. He also won OPOY in 1967 after another 20-touchdown season. Golden was a great player on the field, but his “me-first” attitude off the field wasn’t always easy to deal with. Winning and QB Charles Lemieux was able to keep him in check, but in his final years in Buffalo he did lose the starting job to RB Jasper Dickerson due to fumble troubles. Golden elected to leave for Indiana in the offseason, hoping to prove his old team wrong. Unfortunately, he was disappointing in Indiana, and lost the job there too. He would have one last season in Edmonton, but it was clear the gas had run out. Regardless, Golden is one of the best of his generation. Don’t expect Golden to just go away with retirement, the ego needs to be fueled and he is likely to find ways to still be relevant, whether on TV or another way.

QB Lyle Painter - Greenwich, CT - Creator: Dan O’Mac
College: Haynes
Drafted: 1955 - LI - Round 1, Pick 1
Teams: Long Island Raiders (1955-1962), Indiana Victors (1963-1965), Halifax Mariners (1966-1972)
Captaincy: LI - A (1961-1962), HFX - A (1970-1971)
McCallister Cups: 2 (1958, 1968)
Awards: Most Valuable Player (1965), Offensive Player of the Year (1966), Rookie of the Year (1955), McCallister Cup MVP (1968)
All-Stars: 2 (1965, 1966)
Player of the Week: 7
Being drafted to a team that had just gone 0-10 is never an easy way to start a career, but QB Lyle Painter made the most of it when he went on to lead the Raiders to a 6-3-1 record and McCallister Cup appearance in his rookie season. He rightfully earned Rookie of the Year and gave the fans of the Raiders a lot of hope. Painter kept improving along with the team around him and by 1958 was back in the McCallister Cup for a 2nd crack at the Ottawa Royals who had beaten him in 1955. Painter would have a career-defining game, leading the Raiders past the 12-0 Royals to win his first McCallister Cup. Painter led the Raiders to 3 straight West Division titles between 1958-1960 but wasn’t able to get back to the Cup after the 1958 win. After a pair of tough seasons in 1961 and 1962, the Raiders looked for a change and traded Painter to the Victors. Painter would end up as the backup to start with the Victors, but eventually took the job by the end of 1963. He would ink a 2-year deal in 1964 to be the team’s starter while they developed QB Tom Applewhite who they took 3rd overall shortly after. Painter had a tough 1964 season which would lead the Victors to name Applewhite the starter for 1965. However, after just 2 games, Painter was thrown back into the starting job where he would put on a stellar performance, leading the Victors to a 6-4 record in 10 starts, winning the league MVP, and getting them to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They would be bumped in the first round, unfortunately. Despite the MVP season, Painter was not re-signing with the Victors due to Applewhite being their future guy. So he would head up to Halifax for 1966 and immediately turn that team into a fringe contender. He would win OPOY in 1966, coming close to back-to-back MVP wins. Then, in 1968, he would lead the 6-6 Mariners to the McCallister Cup, beating both his previous teams in the playoffs (Raiders and Victors) to capture his 2nd title. In the last couple of years, Painter became a mentor and helped to develop QB Todd Sparrow. He retires with the 3rd most starts All-Time for a QB (184 total) behind QB Riley Kiernan (215) and QB Nathaniel Braddock (186). Painter is expected to stay in Halifax, likely taking on a coaching role with the team.
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WR Ed Edwards - Indianapolis, IN - Creator: Stickman
College: North Indiana
Drafted: 1960 - IND - Round 2, Pick 11
Teams: Indiana Victors (1960-1972)
McCallister Cups: 0
Awards: Offensive Player of the Year (1969)
All-Stars: 8 (1962-1969)
Player of the Week: 6
During the 1960 draft, the Indiana Victors made the selection of WR Alexei Dubois with the #1 pick, but the better WR they would draft came with their next pick at 11, when they took hometown prospect, WR Ed Edwards. Edwards very quickly proved that he was going to be the better WR. By 1962, he had taken the #1 WR position on the team, beating out Dubois for the role. Dubois would later be traded, while Edwards would continue to be a star for the Victors. He helped turn the team around from one that couldn’t taste the playoffs to a consistent participant from 1965-1970. He would also earn OPOY in 1969, catching a career-high 14 touchdowns. He would make his lone McCallister Cup appearance with the team in 1968. Despite chances to chase a cup in his later years, Edwards remained loyal to his hometown, hoping to continue to grow the game in the city. Following his retirement he hopes to continue his journey in the city, helping grow the game and be involved in the community both within his religious circles, but also in youth sports. 

K Henderson Schumacher - Windsor, ON - Creator: I_cooper_my_pants333
College: Detroit Tech
Drafted: 1955 - Undrafted
Teams: Long Island Raiders (1957-1972)
McCallister Cups: 3 (1958, 1965, 1970)
Awards: 4x Special Teams Player of the Year (1958, 1959, 1967, 1968)
All-Stars: 6 (1958, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968)
Schumacher joined the Raiders in 1955, and trained under Hall of Fame K Thomas McFadden on the reserve list, before taking over the job in 1957. Schumacher had big shoes to fill and he filled them well, being a reliable boot for the team over the next decade and a half. He would nearly catch McFadden with 4 Special Teams Player of the Year awards, falling just one short of his mentor. Schumacher also played an important role in all 3 of the Raiders’ McCallister Cup wins thus far. There is an easy argument to make that Schumacher is in the top 3 all-time as a kicker next to McFadden and Tigers’ K Nimrod Handsworth. Schumacher hopes to pay Thomas McFadden’s wisdom forward by remaining as a kicker coach for the Raiders heading into next season. 

DB Joe Robinson - Philadelphia, PA - Creator: Rugrat
College: New England
Drafted: 1960 - WOR - Round 1, Pick 2
Teams: Worcester Athletics/The Athletics/Halifax Mariners (1960-1972)
Captaincy: ATH/HFX - A (1962-1972)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1968)
All-Stars: 2 (1964, 1966)
Player of the Week: 1
It was a very treacherous start to Joe Robinson’s career after being selected 2nd overall by the Athletics in 1960. With the burning of Worcester Stadium, a year as a homeless team, and then the move to Halifax, it was hard to remain focused. However, Robinson emerged as a leader during this time, being named an Alternate Captain by his 3rd season. Robinson took on the leadership role with pride and would lead the team through more tough years following the move to Halifax. He would earn his 2 All-Star nods in 1964 and 1966, being Halifax’s top corner for the better part of a decade. Eventually, the hard work would pay off in 1968 when the Mariners would capture the McCallister Cup, making Robinson a champion. While Robinson lacks some personal accolades overall in his career, he was still one of the best and most respected corners in the league. Much like Ed Edwards, Robinson had opportunities to leave the team late in his career, but remained loyal to Halifax, feeling pride toward the city and what they had accomplished. He is not expected to be going very far, looking to step into coaching or management in the near future. 

LB Victor Falkensteig - Gary, IN - Creator: Wallflower
College: Rockefeller
Drafted: 1962 - PRO - Round 2, Pick 15
Teams: Providence Gold Stars (1962-1972)
Captaincy: PRO - A (1968), PRO - C (1969-1972)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1972)
All-Stars: 2 (1966, 1968)
The Providence Gold Stars would win a bidding battle to trade up to the 15th pick in 1962 to draft Victor Falkensteig. It would turn out to be a great move with Falkensteig making an immediate impact on the Gold Stars’ defence. He helped them reach the McCallister Cup in 1963, but the team came up short. Between 1964 and 1966, Falkensteig would become the team’s top LB and would have several solid seasons on a rebuilding Gold Stars team. He would eventually be joined by LB Kurt Warlock and form a dominant LB Corps. He would earn 2 All-Star nods in the following seasons and was eventually named Alternate Captain in 1968. A year later, he would become the team’s 3rd Captain in their history. Falkensteig would wear the “C” over his last 4 seasons, which saw the Gold Stars emerge as a contender. In his final season, Falkensteig would get a little banged up but returned in time to help the Gold Stars get back to the McCallister Cup. His career would end with his hands being the first to touch the McCallister Cup and raise it for the city of Providence, who had finally ended their drought. To start his retirement, Falkensteig is expected to step away from the game to focus on family, but he will still show his support for the Gold Stars moving forward.

WR Marshall Leonard - Orangeville, ON - Creator: Wallflower
College: St. George
Drafted: 1960 - Ontario Football Union
Teams: OFU - Hamilton (1960-1963), Ottawa Royals (1964-1972)
Captaincy: OTT - A (65-68), OTT (69-71)
McCallister Cups: 0
All-Stars: 2 (1969, 1971)
Marshall Leonard was a young budding star for the Hamilton Steelers of the OFU. When the league folded, many expected the young WR to join the Steelheads, but it didn’t happen. Leonard was displeased that he wasn’t really given at least an offer by the team, but he probably got a better deal when the Ottawa Royals signed him. Leonard would be an immediate injection of life into the aging Royals’ WR corps. He caught 6 touchdowns in his first season from QB Jean Matieau who was playing his last. From that point on, Leonard became the Royals’ top WR where he would remain for the rest of his career, aside from this past season. He would become a leader, being named Alternate Captain in 1965, and then captain in 1969. He would help develop several QBs, willing to work and train into the late hours. He especially clicked with QB Drake Young, leading to great chemistry between the two. Leonard would fall short of a championship in his career with the Royals falling in the 1969 McCallister Cup, but regardless, Leonard is satisfied with his career, having proven Toronto wrong with their choice not to sign him and becoming a star in the NAAF on top of that. Leonard is likely to remain in Ottawa and continue to train with Young and several other players, hoping to be a bit of a personal trainer/coach in the future.

OL Taylor Forbes - Utica, NY - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
College: Western New York
Drafted: 1961 - LOU - Round 1, Pick 8
Teams: Louisville Thunder (1961-1970), Long Island Raiders (1971), Toronto Steelheads (1972)
Captaincy: LOU - A (1967-1969)
McCallister Cups: 1 (1962)
All-Stars: 5 (1963-1965, 1967, 1968)
Forbes entered the NAAF as a hard-working player. From his first season, Forbes was a starter for the Thunder. A workhorse player that pushed himself to the max. He would be rewarded with a McCallister Cup in just his 2nd season. By his 3rd, Forbes became a consistent All-Star, getting 5 nods in his career. His hard work and intelligence would make him into a great leader on the field. Being able to read defensive pressures and make adjustments on the fly. Forbes was eventually named Alternate Captain in 1967. He would carry the “A” up until 1969 when the team changed all 3 of their captains in 1970. With Louisville marching through a rebuild, Forbes elected to move on from the team in 1971, signing with the defending champion Raiders to hunt for a 2nd Cup. Unfortunately, it was the wrong decision with the Raiders missing the playoffs and his former team going on to win the whole thing. Forbes didn’t get as many offers after the ‘71 season due to injuries piling up. He would land in Toronto for his final season, but another injury-filled season would be the sign to retire for Forbes. Forbes may elect to return to school following his retirement to further his education after he was already very successful the first time around. 

WR Evan Clanton - Rome, NY - Creator: Edgeworth
College: Western New York
Drafted: 1962 - BOS - Round 2, Pick 20
Teams: Boston Independents (1962-1967), Indiana Victors (1968), Minnesota Serpents (1969-1971), Boston Independents (1972)
Captaincy: MIN - A (1969-1971)
McCallister Cups: 0
Awards: Breakout Player of the Year (1965)
All-Stars: 1 (1965)
The late-round pick in 1962 had expectations of being a solid role WR for his career. He did just that in the early stages of his career. However, the kid kept on working. Clanton kept getting better and by 1965 was entrusted with being Boston’s top target. He excelled in the role, scoring 10 touchdowns and earning Breakout Player of the Year. Unfortunately, Clanton’s career didn’t remain as high as he would have a bit of a “one-hit-wonder” career. He wouldn’t be able to maintain the form and slip back down to Earth over the next couple of seasons. In 1968, Clanton was given a fresh start and was traded to the Indiana Victors. His performance remained the same with the Victors, being more of the role WR that many expected. Indiana wouldn’t protect Clanton in the expansion draft in 1969, leading to Clanton heading to Minnesota. Clanton’s hard-working mentality was a key factor in being named Alternate Captain in 1969. He would have a solid year in 1969, before taking on a smaller role in the run-heavy offence in the next two seasons. In 1972, he would return to Boston for one last season. He wasn’t a huge factor but still caught one last touchdown from QB Nathaniel Braddock. Despite not being able to sustain his top performance, Clanton was always a highly respected player and did a lot of the “dirty” work and it still paid off in other ways. In retirement, Clanton expects to return to the farm and continue to run his family’s business following his retirement.

QB Lee Rogers - London, ON - Creator: Captain Mort 3D
College: Toronto
Drafted: 1953 - HAR - Round 1, Pick 1
Teams: Hartford/Long Island Hawks (1953-1954), Montreal Rouge (1955), ACFL (1956-1959), Montreal Rouge (1960), Indiana Victors (1961), Ottawa Royals (1962-1966), Halifax Mariners (1966-1967), Indiana Victors (1968-1972)
McCallister Cups: 0
Player of the Week: 1
Finally, we have one of the most interesting careers in the NAAF’s history. Easily the biggest #1 overall pick bust. Rogers was picked 1st by the Hawks in 1953, due to a cannon of an arm, however, he struggled with keeping the ball out of the arms of defenders. Along with his mishaps and a very weak Hawks team, Rogers went a combined 2-16 as a starter in his first two seasons. He was then traded at the 1955 draft after the Raiders took QB Lyle Painter to replace him. He would spend one season in his new home of Montreal before he decided to venture over to the ACFL. He would spend a few years there but returned to the NAAF after not meshing well with the different culture within the league. He would be a journeyman backup upon his return playing for Montreal again and then a year with Indiana. After that, he was dealt to Ottawa for the 1962 season. Rogers would back up QB Jean Matieau, and this is where his career turned around a little. Rogers learnt a lot from Matieau and was able to get his head back in the game. He learnt to be smarter with the ball and regained his love of the game. He would get an opportunity in 1963 with Matieau injured he would lead the Royals to the playoffs and get his lone playoff win, upsetting the defending champion Louisville Thunder in what is the only time a crossover team won a game in the playoffs. After one more year behind Matieau, Rogers was given the starting job in 1965, going on to lead his best season going 5-7 on the rebuilding team. The team did elect to go younger the next season, which would lead to Rogers being traded to Halifax where he would end up backing up QB Lyle Painter. The two had no ill-will from when Painter took Rogers’ job back in Long Island, and Rogers would stay there the next year. Finally, he would land back with the Victors where he has spent the last 5 seasons, playing into his 40s and having too much fun around the game. Finally, Rogers is calling it a career, ending an incredibly wild, but fun career. 

Other Notable Retirements:
TE Tranquille Rousseau - Saguenay, QC - College: St-Laurent - Creator: ZO82 - Drafted: 1962 - LDN - R2 | P19
Teams: LDN (1962-1971), IND (1972) - McCallister Cups: 1 (1963) - All-Stars: 2
Rousseau was a solid player for the Tigers throughout his career, but injuries thwarted what could have been an amazing career.

TE Ryan Hatcher - Halifax, NS - College: Nova Scotia - Creator: idm - Drafted: 1963 - OTT - R2 | P16
Teams: OTT (1963-1968), LI (1969), TOR (1970-1971), BOS (1971-1972) - McCallister Cups: 0 - All-Stars: 2
Hatcher had a promising start to his career in Ottawa, but injuries and regression led to a tough journeyman ending.

DL James Chambers - Edmonton, AB - College: UEdmonton - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: 1961 - WFU
Teams: WFU (1961-1969), EDM (1970-1972) - McCallister Cups: 0 - All-Stars: 2
Chambers’ time in the NAAF has been short, but he still has made an impact with 2 All-Star seasons for Edmonton.

DB Jayson Klyde - Chicago, IL - College: Rockefeller - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: 1960 - MTL - R2 | P14
Teams: MTL (1960-1969), MIN (1970-1972) - McCallister Cups: 0 - All-Stars: 1
Klyde was a big part of Montreal’s defence throughout the 60s, helping them to a couple of McCallister Cup appearances, but eventually was pushed out by younger talent, finishing his career with Minnesota.

S Wesley Jones - Durham, NH - College: Maine State - Creator: Captain Mort 3D - Drafted: 1960 - BUF - R4 | P33
Teams: BUF (1961-1972) - McCallister Cups: 4 (1964, 1966, 1967, 1969) - All-Stars: 1
Jones went from being a 4th round pick to Buffalo’s top safety throughout their dynasty in the 60s, proving that draft position doesn’t make your career.

DB Mordecai King - Hartford, CT - College: Haynes - Creator: Darknes - Drafted: 1961 - BOS - R3 | P27
Teams: BOS (1961-1972) - McCallister Cups: 1 (1961) - All-Stars: 1 - POTW: 1
King was the 2nd DB taken by Boston in 1961, but he became the bigger star, being the flashing ball hawk for the team throughout his career.

DB Lawrence Ralph - Grand Rapids, MI - College: Michigan - Creator: Scratch - Drafted: 1961 - BOS - R1 | P5
Teams: BOS (1961-1970), WPG (1971), VAN (1972) - McCallister Cups: 1 (1961) - All-Stars: 1
Ralph was the first DB taken in the same draft, and he was still very good, being the less flashy side of the coin between the dynamic duo. 

OL Flint Boyer - Hamilton, ON - College: UHamilton - Creator: QCS - Drafted: 1961 - WOR - R1 | P7
Teams: WOR/ATH/HFX (1961-1968), MIN (1969-1970), MTL (1971-1972) - McCallister Cups: 1 (1968) - All-Stars: 1
Boyer was a solid lineman for the Mariners throughout his career, but would also make stops in Minnesota and Montreal following winning his lone McCallister Cup in 1968.

RB Hugo Hughes - Yonkers, NY - College: Haynes - Creator: QCS - Drafted: 1963 - MTL - R2 | P12
Teams: MTL (1963-1968), MIN (1969-1972) - McCallister Cups: 0, All-Stars - 1
Hughes had to fill some big shoes in Montreal after RB Scott Mallard-White retired, and he would be alright, but never quite lived up to it, leading to a move to Minnesota to close out his career.

LB Enzo Morello - Revere, MA - College: New England - Creator: Darknes - Drafted: 1964 - HFX - R3 | P24
Teams: HFX (1965-1966), OTT (1966-1968), MIN (1969-1972) - McCallister Cups: 0 - All-Stars: 1
Morello was a little slow to start his career, but he broke out in Ottawa before having a solid finish as a depth piece for Minnesota. 

OL Aaron Wilkinson - Vancouver, BC - College: Pacific Provincial - Creator: Wallflower - Drafted: 1961 - WFU
Teams: WFU (1961-1969), VAN (1970-1972) - McCallister Cups: 0 - All-Stars: 1

Wilkinson had a strong career prior to the NAAF with Vancouver but then still managed one All-Star season once he did arrive in 1970. 

1973 NAAF League Meetings

NAAF Celebrating 25th Season
The 1973 season marks the 25th season in the NAAF. To honour the event, the league will debut a 25th anniversary patch later this offseason. The patch will be featured on all jerseys for the 1973 season. Some other festivities may also come up later in the season as well.

Ryan Jameson addressed the league. Noting how grateful he was for all the support the league has grown over the 25 seasons. When the league came together with 7 teams in 1949, Jameson had some belief in its success but didn’t exactly imagine the league would become one of the biggest in the world. He was thankful for everyone who has been involved in the league and hopes to keep moving forward and upward. 

NAAF in Expansion Talks with Several Potential Markets to Pair Up with Kansas City
Last offseason, an update on the Kansas City situation was provided with prospective owner, Jacob Cross, being frustrated by the whole process. His financial backing had fallen through, leaving the stadium project unfinished. Cross has been unable to come up with new financial partners but left with the hope that if the NAAF can nail down a potential expansion partner, the bid from KC will have more legitimacy and attract more sponsors. 

During the 1972 season, Commissioner Ryan Jameson has been hard at work speaking with several potential markets for a new team. The current bids all reside in the West in hopes of adding more teams in the West Division Region. Here are the current prospective locations.

Denver, Colorado
The city of Denver is viewed as one of the biggest untapped markets in the country, having little sports attraction thus far. Only one professional team has attempted to put a team in the city, that being a baseball club that joined the North American Baseball Championship in 1963, but after just 6 years had to relocate due to the ownership going bankrupt. The city had invested a lot into the team and built a whole new park downtown for the club but now looks like a big waste. Luckily, the city has allowed Mile High University to use the park in recent years for their baseball team as well as a few attempts at a football setup as well. A new ownership group is stepping up and hoping to bring a baseball team back to the city, but have also turned their interest to the NAAF as well. Plans are already coming together to renovate the park to make it more compatible for football games, adding the ability to change its configuration properly. The untapped market does make it a very interesting opportunity for the NAAF. However, the NAAF should keep in mind that the group’s purpose is baseball first, so they also have to make sure that the team will be taken care of if they do manage to bring a baseball team back as well. 

Seattle, Washington
The other top market is Seattle. Seattle hasn’t been touched by pro football, but they do still have a Hockey club as well as a Baseball team in the city already. There is also a big college following behind Seattle State’s football team, proving that there is a viable football fan base in the city. The current prospective ownership is a lot less prepared than the Denver group, being in the very early stages of the process. Luckily, the market does have some legs, with Seattle State’s already solid stadium being a place where a team could play if needed. That being said, the college may also see a pro team as some competition. There is a history of attempted expansions to the city in the Pacific Football League and Western Football Union, however, they fell through, some believe because of the university, but that is mostly based on rumours. With roughly 1.8 million people in the city, Seattle is a big market and could serve as an immediate rival to Vancouver, but they will probably need some stronger ownership and have some conversations with Seattle State. 

Omaha, Nebraska
NAAF’s conversations with Omaha date back to the 1969 expansion wave. They remain in consideration once again for a potential team. They had been considered as a temporary home for KC’s team while their stadium is finished but were turned down since they wanted a team they could keep. Especially if the potential ownership group was going to have to put money into the team to help Jacob Cross. The NAAF once again returned to the city with the potential for their own team as an expansion partner to KC. Omaha has a stadium option with the field at Major Nebraska University, although, on the smaller side, it is still a very viable location that would be similar to that of London and Halifax with a bit more population in the overall market. However, the smaller market size is once again working against the bid due to Denver and Seattle being much more attractive for their market size. 

The league has also visited Portland, Oregon and Salt Lake City, Utah, but both cities are far from a potential team being ready to go. Both likely needing a new stadium to host a team, as well as having only preliminary interest from prospective owners.

The conversations will continue, but the league hopes that the current progress will lead to some help going Jacob Cross’ way in his ventures to try and fund the completion of the stadium in KC. Cross is getting the unfinished stadium’s progress evaluated to obtain more concrete numbers on how much still needs to be done and how much they need to raise.

New Stadium coming to Pittsburgh, set to Open in 1975
Last offseason, the Blacksmiths were able to secure the lease for Riverfront Stadium of Pittsburgh and in doing so also ended the deal that the Hammers had in place with the city to prevent the Blacksmiths from obtaining a new stadium. Over the 1972 season, a new stadium plan would be put together and officially passed to begin construction in 1973. The location of the new stadium will be just down the river from where Riverfront Stadium currently is. The current proposal does have the stadium set to eclipse 60,000 seats, which would help it join New Providence Stadium as the only NAAF stadium to do so. The Stadium is set to break ground in the spring of 1973 and be completed in time for the 1975 NAAF season. 

Search for New Ownership in Boston continues for Benjamin Harris
Last offseason it was announced that Benjamin Harris would be stepping down from leading the operations of the Boston Independents. Control over the operations of the team had been passed onto Robert Albertson last offseason. He has now been managing the team while Benjamin looks for new ownership. Albertson provided an update on the team's current search. The team’s ownership was initially offered within the family. Ben’s Daughter, Stefanie Anderson, was offered the team first, but she declined with no interest in running the organization amongst her own career and family. Next, the ownership discussion turned to Benjamin’s extended family. His Nephew, Gordon Crawford, showed a little interest in the team but is still considering whether he wishes to take on the responsibility. For now, Ben has continued to extend the search beyond his family, having met with a couple of prospective owners about the possibility of taking on ownership. Albertson remains in charge of the team while the process continues, finally stating that Ben hopes to have at least some idea of who is going to be taking on the team by this time next year. 

1973 McCallister Cup is Headed to Minneapolis, Minnesota
For the first time, the McCallister Cup host vote was held during the League Meetings rather than during the awards voting process. For 1973, the championship game will be heading to the Land of 10,000 Lakes and will be held at Midgard Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. The 50,230-seat stadium opened at the University of Minneapolis in 1969 ahead of the Serpents’ first season. The fan base in the city has steadily increased with each season as Minnesota has had 4 fantastic seasons since joining the league. The University of Minneapolis is also planning on holding more festivities around campus in the lead-up and during the game in connection to celebrating the NAAF’s 25th season. 

TL;DR
- NAAF is celebrating 25 seasons with a patch that will be on all jerseys for the season
- The league has begun expansion talks with several cities to partner up with a KC team, Denver and Seattle are the current front runners with Omaha also in consideration
- Jacob Cross is getting KC’s stadium progress evaluated to understand the remaining cost to finish the project
- The Blacksmiths have worked out a new stadium deal with the city of Pittsburgh and a new stadium is being built, set to open for the 1975 season
- Benjamin Harris continues his search for new ownership in Boston, nephew Gordon Crawford has not decided whether he will take on the team, so the search is being extended outside of the family
- Minneapolis, Minnesota is set to host the 55th McCallister Cup

1972 Awards

Most Outstanding Player
RB Max Tracy - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
It was a close vote between Tracy and Braddock, but by 2 points Tracy earned his 2nd Most Outstanding Player Award. He previously won the award in 1968 with the Toronto Steelheads. Tracy joins the crew of 2-time winners (RB Élisée Marchal, QB Jean Matieau, QB Riley Kiernan, LB Scotty Williams, QB Charles Lemieux, and QB Louis Vaughn), but also becomes the 2nd RB ever to win multiple MOP awards. Another amazing season is awarded as Tracy continues to establish himself as one of the best running backs in NAAF history.

Playoff Most Outstanding Player
DL Bartolo Cruz - Providence Gold Stars
Both DB Neville Falkner and QB Kevin Westwood had cases for Playoff MOP, but Cruz’s performance in the McCallister Cup, plus another great game in the Quarter-Finals earns him the award. Despite this being Providence’s first McCallister Cup win, Cruz is the 2nd Gold Star to win the award with QB Connor O’Rourke winning it in 1963.

Offensive Player of the Year
QB Nathaniel Braddock - Boston Independents
Braddock came close to his ever-elusive 1st MOP award, but as a consolation, he did earn his 3rd Offensive Player of the Year award. While he wasn’t at the top of the leaderboard in stats, he was the most efficient passer with a high completion percentage and a great TD-INT ratio. Braddock is the first player to win the award 3 times. Having many great seasons in his career despite not quite earning that MOP award. 

Defensive Player of the Year
DB Sergio Alvarez - Ottawa Royals
Alvarez’s 11 interceptions net him DPOY, becoming the 2nd Royal to win the award next to teammate DL Bernhard Hartmann. Alvarez is only the 4th DB to win the award, joining Lee Wolfe (3x), Alexander Bradley, and Neville Falkner (3x). 

Special Teams Player of the Year
K Ira Foster - Ottawa Royals
Foster was finally able to earn an STPOY award in his 15th Season at 37 years old. He would lead the league in kicking points by 9 points, securing the award on the final week of the season, scoring 5 field goals. A great year for the kicker, finally earning some recognition. 

Offensive Lineman of the Year
OL Erik Nelson - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
Nelson wins his 2nd consecutive OLOY, leaving only the OPOY award as the only one (that it is possible) to have back-to-back winners. Nelson’s great season did help RB Max Tracy take home the MOP award, another assist for the league's top O-lineman.

Coach of the Year
Tommie Warner - Providence Gold Stars
Warner has turned the Gold Stars right around in just 3 seasons. Taking them from a difficult situation coming out of losing QB Connor O’Rourke to retirement and DB Neville Falkner to Free Agency, and turning them into a consistent contender. He earns his first win of the award, after being a finalist in each of the last 2 seasons. The cherry on top for Warner after leading the Gold Stars to their first championship in 31 years. 

Rookie of the Year
LB Yuri Dragunov - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
Dragunov takes home Rookie of the Year, winning the vote by a large margin. Dragunov was the one rookie who looked like he had already reached an elite level in his first season in the league. He contributed massively to the Blacksmiths’ defence this season and looks to be an elite piece moving forward. Dragunov is the 2nd Blacksmith to win the award, following behind DL Arthur Bradshaw who won in 1968.

Breakout Player of the Year
RB Jeremy Royal - London Tigers
Royal finally had the breakout season that many were hoping he would have. He flashed elite rushing talent for the first time in his career, showing that he can be not only the Tigers’ franchise back, but also one of the best in the league moving forward. Royal is the first Tiger to ever win the Breakout Player of the Year award. 

1972 All-Star Teams

West Division All-Stars
QB Kevin Westwood - VAN (3)
RB Tyler Kuhn - MIN (2)
OL Elias McCarren - MIN (4)
OL Charles Creighton - EDM (3)
OL David Brewington - VAN (2)
OL Charles Schwartz - CGY (2)
OL Claude Balderson - WPG (2)
WR Sebastian Dassler - MIN (3)
WR Keshawn Johnston - VAN (3)
WR Ted Jackson - CGY (1)
TE Johnny Temple - VAN (3)
DL Damian Battles - CGY (3)
DL Caleb Cologne - EDM (1)
DL Albert Sullivan - MIN (3)
DL Derick Parks - REG (1)
LB Claude Clarke - WPG (3)
LB Frank St. John - EDM (1)
LB Shawn Anderson - VAN (1)
DB Austin Sherebernikoff - MIN (2)
DB Madison McGee - REG (1)
S Gérard LaCroix - MIN (2)
S Vernon Redgate - WPG (2)
K Ray Bough - MIN (1)

Central Division All-Stars
QB Charles Lemieux - BUF (5)
RB Max Tracy - PIT (4)
OL Artem Sobakov - BUF (3)
OL Shane Willis - LDN (1)
OL Jean Baptiste Francois - PIT (3)
OL Gordie Hammarstein - LOU (2)
OL Erik Nelson - PIT (6)
WR Casey Coleman - LOU (5)
WR Tracy Driscoll - BUF (3)
WR Lloyd Lane - LDN (2)
TE Rex Williamson - LOU (2)
DL Arthur Bradshaw - PIT (4)
DL Aaron Henderson - LOU (4)
DL Eugene Case - IND (2)
DL Haakon Leichenberg - TOR (1)
LB Everett Lynch - LDN (1)
LB Lincoln Webster - TOR (1)
LB Reuben James - LDN (2)
DB Zed McLaughlin - PIT (4)
DB Dwayne James - TOR (1)
S Charles Clerk - TOR (4)
S Gene Aranda - IND (1)
K Ryan Perch - BUF (3)

East Division All-Stars
QB Nathaniel Braddock - BOS (7)
RB Tresean Jones - PRO (1)
OL Carlton Vanderbilt - BOS (2)
OL Tommy Reynolds - OTT (2)
OL Joseph Samberg - PRO (3)
OL Elliot Barrett - MTL (4)
OL Kane Warwick - HFX (4)
WR Al Allmendinger - BOS (1)
WR Antonio Villanueva - MTL (1)
WR Larry Mossholder - LI (1)
TE Eric Peterson - LI (1)
DL Bernhard Hartmann - OTT (3)
DL Johnathan Ellison - LI (2)
DL Bartolo Cruz - PRO (4)
DL Newton Dalton - PRO (3)
LB Kurt Warlock - PRO (4)
LB Byron Turner - BOS (5)
LB Jean-Christophe Bain - MTL (1)
DB Sergio Alvarez - OTT (5)
DB Lamar Brown - MTL (3)
S Ernie Osborne - BOS (2)
S Marc Bellecourt - OTT (4)
K Ira Foster - OTT (3)

54th McCallister Cup

Roster Moves
PRO: LB Kurt Warlock | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
PRO: LB Cole Kent | Active Roster -> Reserve List

(5) Vancouver Wolves VS. (1) Providence Gold Stars - Milton Charles Stadium - Buffalo, NY - October 22, 1972 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Rain - 9°C | 48°F - Attendance: 53,871
Many Gold Star fans made the trip over to Buffalo to watch their team compete for a title, even with the rain in the forecast. Wolves fans were few and far between the Gold Stars and local Buffalo fans that were in attendance, making it feel more like a home game for the Gold Stars. The rain was increasing as the kickoff festivities continued in what was shaping up to be a wet evening.

1st Quarter
Vancouver would get the ball to start the game but quickly went 2 and out following a dropped pass from WR Akira Sakamoto. Providence took over and didn’t have much success either, getting one 1st down before punting it back. The game continued like this for a while until Vancouver would be the first to catch a break when QB Red King would lose his grip on the football when pulling it back to throw. DL Qian Zhou would land on it after the ball pinballed around the many legs of the O- and D-lines. Vancouver would take over in Providence’s end and put up a field goal to strike first. The sudden turn of events didn’t deter Providence who was able to get down the field themselves and add a field goal to tie the game with RB Tresean Jones starting to get some traction in the run game.
VAN 3-3 PRO

2nd Quarter
The rain started to pick up a little more into the 2nd quarter. However, despite that Providence would be able to get the offence moving. RB Tresean Jones continued to roll out of the backfield, but it was WR Justin Palmer who was able to slip out of a couple of tackles following an 18-yard catch and pick up another 21 yards. After Jones failed to get into the endzone from the 3 on 1st down, the Gold Stars would swing the ball to RB Ronnie Byers who would then punch in the first touchdown of the game to give Providence the lead. On the ensuing kickoff, RB Nikki Yang would return the kick only to lose his grip on the ball allowing DB Nazario Piacenza to pick it up for a big turnover. Providence would once again threaten a touchdown, but WR Leon Hudson would be unable to reel in the touchdown grab, forcing the Gold Stars to settle for a field goal. The game had quickly gone from a tie to a 10-point Gold Stars lead. Vancouver’s offence was really struggling, between dropped passes and a batter O-line that was having a tough time against the Gold Stars’ front. QB Kevin Westwood was running for his life on most plays having to throw the ball out of bounds several times to avoid sacks. However, he was eventually able to slip a tackle and hit WR Keshawn Johnston for a decent gain to get into Providence’s end. However, they didn’t get much further and had to punt. Providence returner, WR Mark Taylor, also had some trouble on the return with the ball slipping through his arms and bouncing into the endzone. Taylor would get back and fall on it, sacrificing the single. Providence would then take the lead into halftime
VAN 4-13 PRO

3rd Quarter
The rain continued to start the 3rd quarter and Vancouver was still getting swamped by the Gold Stars’ defence. RB Jeremiah Morrow would eventually be blown up in the backfield, causing a fumble and taking Morrow out of the game. Providence added to their lead shortly after with another field goal to make it 4-16. Frustration could have easily overcome the Wolves after another turnover, but they remained composed. On the next drive, QB Kevin Westwood was dishing out to his many receivers. He had to get the ball off quickly with Providence still putting on the pressure. It would still work with WR Akira Sakamoto eventually slipping a tackle to get down to the 5. Westwood would then toss a short pass to RB Nikki Yang, who would get into the endzone. Over the time Vancouver rolled down the field, the rain let up, going from consistent rain to a very sparse drizzle. Vancouver’s defence built off of the momentum and longer rest and was able to hold the Gold Stars off on the next couple of drives. However, Providence would also stop the Wolves to hold onto a 5-point lead heading into the final quarter.
VAN 11-16 PRO

4th Quarter
A drizzle remained in the final frame, but the lighter rain seemed to allow for more offensive risk-taking with the Gold Stars starting to move down the field. Vancouver had gained some momentum in the 3rd with a solid comeback, so the Gold Stars felt they needed to put the pressure on offensively. QB Red King went to work and swiftly got the team down to the 16 before he would hit WR Justin Palmer for a touchdown to give Providence an 11-22 lead. Unfortunately, K Gilbert O’Neill’s left foot slipped on the grass as he ran up to kick the extra point resulting in a failed PAT. Vancouver would get a decent return to start the next drive, helping them get to midfield. However, it would end shortly after when DL Bartolo Cruz got to QB Kevin Westwood for the 3rd time in the game. Providence would get the ball back and once again get down the field. O’Neill did get some redemption for his earlier slip-up, putting up another field goal to extend the lead to 11-25. Down 14 with less than half a quarter to go, Vancouver was feeling the pressure, but Westwood remained composed. He would lead another long drive down the field, somehow finding a way past the Gold Stars’ defence. The drive would come to an end when Westwood would hit WR Keshawn Johnston cutting across the field on a post. Johnston would get by S Paul Christopher to get into the endzone to cut the lead in half. The Providence fans collectively held their breath as Vancouver was back in the game. Providence’s offence would try to kill some clock with some conservative offence, but Vancouver’s defence was able to stop them eventually and get the ball back. Time was down to less than 3 minutes as Westwood once again started to lead the offence down the field. As hard as the Gold Stars’ defence tried, Vancouver kept moving, picking up a couple of 3rd down conversions to keep the drive alive. Westwood was looking to threaten a potential game-tying score and dropped back, but was immediately flushed out of the pocket by DL Bartolo Cruz. WR Akira Sakamoto had run his route, but changed direction and looked like he had a window. As Westwood threw, Cruz laid a hit and he couldn’t get enough on it. DB Neville Falkner cut right at it and picked off the pass, running it all the way the other way for a touchdown to put the game to bed. The Providence fans exploded. Vancouver had nothing left in the tank. The Gold Stars had ended their drought. They were champions for the first time since 1941.

Scoring Summary
1st Q
3-0: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
3-3: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill
2nd Q
3-10: PRO - RTD RB Ronnie Byers
3-13: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill
4-13: VAN - Single K Sterling Brooks
3rd Q
4-16: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill
11-16: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> RB Nikki Yang
4th Q
11-22: PRO - PTD QB Red King -> WR Justin Palmer
11-25: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill
18-25: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> WR Keshawn Johnston
18-32: PRO - DTD DB Neville Falkner

Injury Report
PRO: WR Owen Paisley - Day-to-Day
VAN: RB Jeremiah Morrow - 2 Weeks

McCallister Cup MVP

DL Bartolo Cruz - 3 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble, 6 Tackles
Cruz was a thorn in QB Kevin Westwood's side throughout the game. His constant pressure was a key to Providence's success in this game.

Other Notes: QB Red King made some history, becoming the youngest QB (24) to win the McCallister previously held by QB Lyle Painter who was 25 when he won in 1958. King also set a mark by winning all 13 starts he made this season, the only QB to have that many starts and remain perfect in a season. 

1972 McCallister Cup Champions

1972 Season Recap