Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
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Rob Holecko
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Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
SPORTPUCK NETWORK NEWS
by Greg Dickman
Sunday, March 28, 2021
The Atlanta Flying Fleet players, led by QB Billy Joe Culpepper and WR D'Larious Thubbins-Declaude staged a walkout of Saturday's walk through practice and have said they won't play Sunday in protest of the state of Georgia's lawmakers passing a bill that some say is meant to suppress voting access. The Flying Fleet are scheduled to host the Toronto Terror at 1 p.m. today at CPCU Field in Atlanta.
Team management has opened up a dialogue with the players and are looking at all options, whether that be postponing today's game or looking at alternate sites to play this and possibly remaining games scheduled for Atlanta, forfeiting the game, or playing today in Atlanta as scheduled with backup players. Management supports the team's civic involvement and doing what they believe in, but have told the team that if the league does not grant a postponement or a rescheduling, that it could result in a forfeit. It also believed they wouldn't be able to put together a roster of backup players in this short of time, nor is it believed that would be within league rules. Also it may be hard recruiting a full roster of replacement players that would be willing to take the field in opposition of the team's player leadership.
The Fleet are 1-4 and players voted unanimously to the walkout yesterday. The team has ownership ties to the UWFFL's Greenville (SC) Pointers so it is believed that Fluor Field may be an option as well as Mobile and Birmingham, Alabama, however it is believed that none of the alternate sites would be able to host a game with only a six hour notice and logistically the earliest a game may be able to be rescheduled would be Tuesday.
Said Culpepper, "If forfeiture is the only option, than so be it, but we, and I believe I speak for all of the players, when I say that we will not step foot on the playing field in the State of Georgia unless this voting restriction law is overturned or rescinded."
The Atlanta Flying Fleet await word from the league as to our options.
by Greg Dickman
Sunday, March 28, 2021
The Atlanta Flying Fleet players, led by QB Billy Joe Culpepper and WR D'Larious Thubbins-Declaude staged a walkout of Saturday's walk through practice and have said they won't play Sunday in protest of the state of Georgia's lawmakers passing a bill that some say is meant to suppress voting access. The Flying Fleet are scheduled to host the Toronto Terror at 1 p.m. today at CPCU Field in Atlanta.
Team management has opened up a dialogue with the players and are looking at all options, whether that be postponing today's game or looking at alternate sites to play this and possibly remaining games scheduled for Atlanta, forfeiting the game, or playing today in Atlanta as scheduled with backup players. Management supports the team's civic involvement and doing what they believe in, but have told the team that if the league does not grant a postponement or a rescheduling, that it could result in a forfeit. It also believed they wouldn't be able to put together a roster of backup players in this short of time, nor is it believed that would be within league rules. Also it may be hard recruiting a full roster of replacement players that would be willing to take the field in opposition of the team's player leadership.
The Fleet are 1-4 and players voted unanimously to the walkout yesterday. The team has ownership ties to the UWFFL's Greenville (SC) Pointers so it is believed that Fluor Field may be an option as well as Mobile and Birmingham, Alabama, however it is believed that none of the alternate sites would be able to host a game with only a six hour notice and logistically the earliest a game may be able to be rescheduled would be Tuesday.
Said Culpepper, "If forfeiture is the only option, than so be it, but we, and I believe I speak for all of the players, when I say that we will not step foot on the playing field in the State of Georgia unless this voting restriction law is overturned or rescinded."
The Atlanta Flying Fleet await word from the league as to our options.
Rob Holecko- Posts : 708
Join date : 2011-06-10
Age : 49
NeauXone and 92Mafia like this post
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
Given that the Toronto players are already in Atlanta, the ball is in their court. If they want the game to remain as scheduled, then Atlanta will either forfeit, or put 11 players on the field for every play. If Toronto is open to moving the game out of state TODAY, the game will be played at 6:30 this evening at the closest viable out of state stadium.
I will need a response from Toronto by 11:30AM EDT, otherwise the game will stay as scheduled (11:30 because likely the Toronto players will be starting warm up routines by then).
I will need a response from Toronto by 11:30AM EDT, otherwise the game will stay as scheduled (11:30 because likely the Toronto players will be starting warm up routines by then).
Austin Snelick- Posts : 1713
Join date : 2020-10-24
Age : 29
Location : Maryland
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Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
Statement from Atlanta Flying Fleet ownership:
"We are proud of our players who are standing up for something they believe in and will stand behind them 100%. We thank the GSL Commissioners Office for being willing to consider an alternate location and a rescheduling of today's game. If the Toronto Terror are willing to agree to the rescheduling, we have procured the use for today of Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, for a potential 6:30 pm EDT (5:30 P.M. CDT) kickoff. We will have transportation available for all players, league officials staff, media, and all support personnel that will depart from Gate A of the stadium at 2:15 p.m. EDT.
If Toronto is unable to agree to the rescheduling, the Fleet are prepared to accept a forfeit loss.
The field for today's potential rescheduling will have the usual Auburn field markings as there will not be any time to add GSL or Flying Fleet markings to the surface. We are efforting to provide to the press a diagram of today's field, if anybody in the Gridiron Field Database family has any access to the Auburn field, it will be appreciated.
Any fans with tickets to today's game will receive a refund as well as free priority admission into today's game in Auburn. There will also be a limited number of free tickets to today's game made available on a first come first serve basis and we thank the Auburn University athletic department for helping us with that.
We thank our fans for understanding and hope they too understand the importance and necessity of equality for all and how important free and fair equal access to voting is for all our citizens in this great nation of ours.
We will work with the league on potentially moving the remainder of our home schedule to Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina, until or unless there is a resolution with this situation in Georgia to our players' satisfaction.
Thank you again for your understanding."
"We are proud of our players who are standing up for something they believe in and will stand behind them 100%. We thank the GSL Commissioners Office for being willing to consider an alternate location and a rescheduling of today's game. If the Toronto Terror are willing to agree to the rescheduling, we have procured the use for today of Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, for a potential 6:30 pm EDT (5:30 P.M. CDT) kickoff. We will have transportation available for all players, league officials staff, media, and all support personnel that will depart from Gate A of the stadium at 2:15 p.m. EDT.
If Toronto is unable to agree to the rescheduling, the Fleet are prepared to accept a forfeit loss.
The field for today's potential rescheduling will have the usual Auburn field markings as there will not be any time to add GSL or Flying Fleet markings to the surface. We are efforting to provide to the press a diagram of today's field, if anybody in the Gridiron Field Database family has any access to the Auburn field, it will be appreciated.
Any fans with tickets to today's game will receive a refund as well as free priority admission into today's game in Auburn. There will also be a limited number of free tickets to today's game made available on a first come first serve basis and we thank the Auburn University athletic department for helping us with that.
We thank our fans for understanding and hope they too understand the importance and necessity of equality for all and how important free and fair equal access to voting is for all our citizens in this great nation of ours.
We will work with the league on potentially moving the remainder of our home schedule to Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina, until or unless there is a resolution with this situation in Georgia to our players' satisfaction.
Thank you again for your understanding."
Last edited by Rob Holecko on Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:54 am; edited 1 time in total
Rob Holecko- Posts : 708
Join date : 2011-06-10
Age : 49
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
This game has been moved to Jordan-Hare Stadium at 6:30PM EDT / 5:30PM CDT.
As for the field design, Jordan-Hare Stadium is grass, and isn't painted this time of year, so just the basic field markings are being painted on the field now.
As for the field design, Jordan-Hare Stadium is grass, and isn't painted this time of year, so just the basic field markings are being painted on the field now.
Austin Snelick- Posts : 1713
Join date : 2020-10-24
Age : 29
Location : Maryland
Rob Holecko likes this post
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
An unfortunate situation for sure Rob, we definitely do not like to see these things happen. Just finding out about this now, The Terror did not want to accept a forfeit win and we are glad the game is going ahead.
Curtis
Toronto Terror
Curtis
Toronto Terror
Curtis- Posts : 337
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Location : Newfoundland, Canada
Rob Holecko likes this post
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
Curtis wrote:An unfortunate situation for sure Rob, we definitely do not like to see these things happen. Just finding out about this now, The Terror did not want to accept a forfeit win and we are glad the game is going ahead.
Curtis
Toronto Terror
What can I say? My players are "woke".
Rob Holecko- Posts : 708
Join date : 2011-06-10
Age : 49
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
This is what I was able to come up with for Jordan Hare Stadium, With just the lines and "Basic" Pro Numbers. (The main lines are painted in. The "Pro" hashmaks and numbers are done in athletic chalk). You will also see very faint College hashmarks and tick marks for the college numbers. As Auburn is preping for their spring game.
John
John
sfcom1- Posts : 480
Join date : 2021-01-10
Age : 58
Location : Phoenix, AZ
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Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
sfcom1 wrote:This is what I was able to come up with for Jordan Hare Stadium, With just the lines and "Basic" Pro Numbers. (The main lines are painted in. The "Pro" hashmarks and numbers are done in athletic chalk). You will also see very faint College hashmarks and tick marks for the college numbers. As Auburn is prepping for their spring game.
John
Very nice. The one thing I haven't been able to figure out is the number font for Jordan-Hare.
https://i.imgur.com/mk9N1oq.jpg
Austin Snelick- Posts : 1713
Join date : 2020-10-24
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Location : Maryland
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rbronish- Posts : 388
Join date : 2020-10-25
Age : 40
Location : Virginia Beach
Rob Holecko, Austin Snelick, NeauXone, 92Mafia, sfcom1 and Rafael Menoncin like this post
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
Awesome! Good team work on this one
Austin Snelick- Posts : 1713
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rbronish- Posts : 388
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Location : Virginia Beach
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Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
rbronish wrote:I threw together a template for Fluor Field if you need it too
I really appreciate it, however Fluor Field & Greenville, SC doesn't meet GSL regulations, and the Fleet continue to seek other accommodations in what is turning out to be a developing situation.
However, the UWFFL's Greenville Pointers appreciate it as well, and I will forward this field template on to them, as I believe they are in need of it!
Rob Holecko- Posts : 708
Join date : 2011-06-10
Age : 49
92Mafia and Curtis like this post
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
I have to say the quality of field designs here on the GSL board is tremendous.
Perhaps, A GSL Fields Database might be in order eh, Austin
Perhaps, A GSL Fields Database might be in order eh, Austin
sfcom1- Posts : 480
Join date : 2021-01-10
Age : 58
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Rob Holecko likes this post
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
I was thinking the same thing. Would make looking at all the fields a bit easier.sfcom1 wrote:I have to say the quality of field designs here on the GSL board is tremendous.
Perhaps, A GSL Fields Database might be in order eh, Austin
NeauXone- Posts : 440
Join date : 2020-11-01
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Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
NeauXone wrote:I was thinking the same thing. Would make looking at all the fields a bit easier.sfcom1 wrote:I have to say the quality of field designs here on the GSL board is tremendous.
Perhaps, A GSL Fields Database might be in order eh, Austin
Believe me, that's something I thought about doing a while ago, that's just too much work for what I have time for at the moment.
Austin Snelick- Posts : 1713
Join date : 2020-10-24
Age : 29
Location : Maryland
Re: Atlanta Flying Fleet Players Stage Walkout
Austin Snelick wrote:NeauXone wrote:I was thinking the same thing. Would make looking at all the fields a bit easier.sfcom1 wrote:I have to say the quality of field designs here on the GSL board is tremendous.
Perhaps, A GSL Fields Database might be in order eh, Austin
Believe me, that's something I thought about doing a while ago, that's just too much work for what I have time for at the moment.
If I was better in coding I could do it. But alas, I have been real busy as well. The Home Depot Virtual Center has been going nuts. ;-)
Last edited by sfcom1 on Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:04 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : spelling)
sfcom1- Posts : 480
Join date : 2021-01-10
Age : 58
Location : Phoenix, AZ
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