Georgia Doom a playoff team not in the playoffs, by own decision? Is team on the ropes?
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Tucker Sargent of WMGT-TV 41 NBC in Macon reported Sunday that the Georgia Doom are apparently done for the season, as per a a Tweet from the commissioner of the American Arena League by way of the Arena Football Insider.
“The Georgia Doom informed the league they are opting out of the playoffs. We will follow up as soon as we have more information.”
Sargent’s multiple attempts to contact the team, players, its spokesperson and the league Sunday afternoon and night were unsuccessful.
Hannah Moore, listed as the team’s corporate communications director, had a number of Tweets Sunday on the situation:
The release doesn’t specifically say the Doom aren’t in the playoffs, but indicates as much by saying the team tied for second wouldn’t be the third seed. And there is no explanation as to why the team tied for second isn’t in the playoffs, other than to infer that team ownership was more interested in starting another league team than competing in the playoffs.
The league’s website is hardly maintained – the “weekly results” link on the first page hadn’t been updated since the end of March, and most of the current “news releases” were dated signings by the New England Cavalry. On the Doom’s link, the last news item was a preseason signing of Larry Beavers.
As of late Sunday night didn’t publish the playoff news contained in the email. It had no playoff information in an easily-located spot, like the front page.
The Doom’s website has hardly been maintained all season, or maintained clearly. Currently, it’s front page has a tease for a game played last week, and the first page is dominated by the game played Saturday night, of which no score or details are reported. The last “blog” item was May 20, and game details – let alone stats – are hard to find, if available.
The team fired head coach and general manager Derek Stingley in early May, after four games, and he was replaced as coach by offensive coordinator Gerald Dockery and as GM by chief executive officer Kevin Adkins.
Those changes were also not noted prominently on the website. The team’s Facebook page has been updated consistently – albeit for marketing, with little or no game information – but the team’s Twitter account has been silent since May 21.
There was this exchange on Facebook Saturday and Sunday:
The league itself may be gasping for air. According to oursportscentral.com, a website covering “alternative and minor league” sports, 10 league games have been cancelled since May 26.
The Florida Tarpons, in Lakeland, Fla., cancelled two road games and scheduled a non-league semi-pro game to end the season.
Two East Carolina players were recently suspended for the season recently, one for a cheap shot and one for trying to go after a fan in the stands. Head coach Mook Zimmerman also got in trouble.
Sargent reported on Twitter that more information was expected to be forthcoming at a Monday team meeting.