Chicago Slaughter
Well, as many of you know, I intern with the Chicago Slaughter pro indoor football team in Hoffman Estates. I spend all day Tuesday in the office, along with Thursday mornings and the occasional Saturday, provided the team doesn’t have a game.
Game days are my favorite. Gee, I wonder why?! I plan to devote my post-college life writing about sporting events and players, so attending games and having nearly unlimited access to players is incredible.
The team is 5-0 thus far, although it seems everyone in the league is out to get us. Our league is the Continental Indoor Football League. It isn’t as high as the Arena Football League or the Arena 2 League (AF2). Usually, players cut from AFL or AF2 come to the CIFL. This year, the AFL is not in existence. Now, the Slaughter is the only indoor football team in Chicago. Players from the AFL team the Chicago Rush have signed with us. We have the best team in the league, by far.
After winning the first game by 60 points, we have noticed other teams have taken quite a few cheap shots at us, or have hit us after the play is dead. This is somewhat uncalled for.
Most recently, our quarterback, former Rush QB Russ Michna, had one record taken away. Keep in mind this is his first year in this league, during the fifth game, Michna tied a league record by throwing eight touchdown passes and passing for 305 yards.
Now, the league is saying he only threw seven passes - one touchdown pass was in fact a lateral. This also takes away two passing yards. While Michna still holds the league record with passing yards at 303, I quite honestly think the league only reviewed his touchdown passes because we are the Slaughter.
We are the best team in the league. We now hold two league records (Kicker Chris Nendick holds the record for most PAT kicks with 12), and are well on our way to breaking or at least tying many more.
The league can’t hold us back. As much as they try, and as unfair as it may seem to other teams, the Rush stars came to us. When the AFL folded, the CIFL teams should have made a stronger push for their local AFL players. The cheap shots are unnecessary. With the Rush players taking a pay cut to play for the Slaughter, injury is the last thing they want. They are clearly playing for the love of the game.
I end my rambling with this… The Slaughter has not played well away. This weekend, they play at Fort Wayne, where I will be the only Slaughter media personnel in attendance. I need the good luck wishes just as much as the team does. I’m finally living my dream, and to be honest, I’m quite nervous!
