Arena Football League 2008 Preview
By Daniel Perkins

The 2008 season of Arena Football kicks off on February 29th. Arena Football is one of the least watched sports in all of North America ranking just ahead of Major League Soccer and the WNBA. However, in a 17 week season of action packed quick paced football that is almost unknown to the casual sports bettor, the AFL provides numerous betting opportunities to cash in. Before I get into each team individually, I am going to give everyone a quick refresher on the rules of arena ball.
Arena Football is played indoors on a surface that is 85 feet wide and 50 yards long. At each end of the field there is a 8 yard end zone. At the end of each end zone there are rebound nets that are 32 feet high. In the middle of those nets are goal posts that are 9 feet wide with a cross bar of 15 feet (NFL goalposts are 18.5 feet wide and 10 feet high crossbar). Along each sideline there are barriers that are 6 feet high.
There are eight men on the playing field. Players play both offense and defense with the exception of the kicker, quarterback, offensive specialist and two defensive specialists. Four of the eight people must line up on the line of scrimmage each down and three defensive players must be down linemen. One linebacker on either side of centre may blitz. There is no stunting allowed, you must run in a straight line at the QB. Receivers may be in motion prior to the snap.
You have four downs to move the ball ten yards or a score. Six points for a touchdown, one point for a conversion by a placekick, two points for a dropkick or a score by run or pass. Field goal is three points or four points by a drop kick. Safety is two points.
There are four 15 minute quarters with a 15 minute halftime. The clock only stops in the final minute of play for out of bounds plays or incomplete passes.
Kickoffs come from your own goal line. Punting is illegal, on fourth down you can kick a field goal or go for a first down/score. The receiving team can field any kickoff or missed field goal off the rebound nets. Any kickoff out of bounds will be placed at the team’s 20 yard line.
The passing game is the exact same as the NCAA rules. Any ball is live off the rebound nets until it touches the playing surface.
Overtime is possession vs. possession until there is a team that out scores the other.

--Team by Team breakdown schedule:
Arizona Rattlers Feb.13th
Los Angeles Avengers Feb. 13th
San Jose Saber Cats Feb. 14th
Utah Blaze Feb. 15th
Chicago Rush Feb. 16th
Colorado Crush Feb. 17th.
Grand Rapids Rampage Feb. 18th
Kansas City Brigade Feb. 19th
Cleveland Gladiators Feb. 20th
Columbus Destroyers Feb. 21st
Dallas Desperados Feb. 22
New York Dragons Feb. 23
Philadelphia Soul Feb. 24
Georgia Force Feb. 25
New Orleans Voodoo Feb. 26
Orlando Predators Feb. 27
Tampa Bay Storm Feb. 28
2008 OPENING KICKOFF Feb. 29

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Oh, did I stutter? Everybody gone all quiet and shi*? About a minute ago it was like an evening at the Apollo up in this motherfuc*er, now all of a sudden it's quiet as a church.