Fighting Salukis Team News
The following is a press release issueed by team spokesman and starting quarterback of the Fighting Salukis, Sarat Mikkilineni:
This press release has been issued to report new signees and possible roster moves. First of all, prospect Matthew Manchester has been officially signed to a one year contract worth a reported 57 and a half yen. This makes him the highest paid rookie in the history of the FTBYFL. This contract has prompted scouts to label Manchester the most overrated prospect in all of sports since Lebron James. However, the Saluki Organization feels the money spent on Manchester is money well spent.
The Fighting Salukis are very happy to report that the injury to Pre-season all american tight end Nicholas Spidale is healing faster than first anticipated. We hope he will be ready by week 4 for a huge game against the Crittas+Grubb. Once Spidale regains his health, a trade for Sean Fourney will be further looked into. Fourney worked out with the team and showed a great deal of talent, but had a little bit of trouble with the complicated west coast offense. This is why the Salukis are waiting to acquire Fourney. After Spidale's return, Fourney can leisurely learn the offense without any pressure to perform immediately. However, a talent like Fourney cannot be wasted, so the Salukis are looking into simplifying the offense a little bit. Possible trade bait for Fourney includes wide reciever Tony Sciabarrassi, cash, draft picks, and/or future considerations. Because Sciabarrassi has constantly been asking for a trade, he is likely to be offerred for Fourney once Spidale is back off the Injured List. For the beginning of the season, the Salukis will start with Sarat Mikkilineni, Michael Spix, Justin Montgomery, and Tony Sciabarrassi. Due to the injury to Spidale, we are a little bit short handed. This has been further complicated because newly signed rookie, Matthew Manchester is being held out for undisclosed reasons for the rest of September. The Salukis are looking for a split of games in September, until Manchester and Spidale can return. At this point, we feel that we will be at full strength and have a very successful season. That is all for now.
-September 9th, 2003, 9:31 p.m
The following is a press release issued by team
spokesman and starting quarterback of the Fighting Salukis, Sarat Mikkilineni:
The Salukis are issuing this press release to report major changes to the roster. Blue chip prospect, Karl Kocher was forced to be let go by the Saluki front office due to issues on and off the field. Kocher had disputes with the Saluki front office about his contract and alleged that too much of his contract was based on incentives. Kocher was quite angry at his league minimum base salary and lack of a signing bonus on his contract. On the field, Saluki coaches reported that Kocher lacked field awareness and that the Saluki scouts did not do an adequate job assesing Kocher's talent. Also, Kocher did not seem to have the necessary commitment to the Saluki organization and the FTYBFL in general. His day job at Staples kept getting in the way of Saluki practices and games. It was also recently found that Karl Kocher was 95 years old and the Salukis could not use the much needed roster space on a senior-citizen full back who would last only a couple years in the league.
As a replacement for Kocher and the presently injured Nicholas Spidale, the Salukis are looking into a new prospect, Matthew Manchester. Manchester is a versatile player who can play quarterback, wide reciever, tight end, linebacker, and safety. He was the mvp of the FTBYFL minor league in 2001 as a member of the Saluki farm system. Manchester was on the verge of moving up to play for the Fighting Salukis for the official FTBYFL for the 2002 season but an incident led to the FTBYFL issuing a one year ban against Manchester for violating the substance abuse policy. He was arrested for smoking marijuana during the championship game of the minor league. He has served his one year suspension and has gone through rehab. Manchester would like to say that he recognizes that he has made mistakes in the past and he will not repeat them. The Salukis feel that Manchester's talent on the field is too large to pass him up for his troubles off the field. His terrific mixture of speed and strength will help the Salukis as we work to overcome the injury of pre-season all american Nicholas Spidale. Manchester will play wide reciever for the Salukis and his passing skills as a quarterback will enable the Salukis to try some gadget and trick plays. Scouts are comparing the young talent to Kordell Stewart and Antwaan Randel-El due to his multi-dementional talent. Defensively, he will play safety and cornerback. Because he will likely replace tight end Nick Spidale until his injury heals, fans will see many more 3 wide reciever sets from the Salukis instead of the 2 wide recievers with a tight end. Should Manchester be signed by the Salukis, he will make an immediate impact and may possibly start the season opener due to the injury to Spidale.
On a sadder note, the Salukis report that wide reciever Tony Sciabarassi is once again at odds with management and is desperately asking for a trade. In fact, we are dismayed to report that he worked out with the Crittas+Grubb coaching staff and players. A possible trade for Sciabarrasi involving Crittas+Grubb wideout Sean Fourney, a conditional draft pick and cash is currently being discussed. The Salukis are dismayed that a talent like Sciabarrassi may get away, but a trade will open up spots for prospect Matt Manchester and rookie wideout Justin Montgomery. That is all for now.
-August 29th, 2003 1:55 p.m.
The following is a press release by team spokesman and starting quarterback, Sarat Mikkilineni:
Following the second and final preseason game of the 2003-2004 season, the Salukis are proud of the efforts given by their players. We feel that the preseason has been a huge success with the exception of rather serious injury sustained by preseason all-american tight end Nicholas Spidale. Spidale broke his collar bone in a freak collision near the end of the second preseason game. The team is optomistic that he will return by opening day. However, the Salukis are ready to play without Spidale should that be the situation at hand.
Perhaps the most important move of the preseason came in the front office as the Salukis' management was able win a contract war with starting wide reciever Tony Sciabarrassi. Sciabarrassi was looking to opt out of his contract and sign with the Crittas+Grubb. However, the front office offered new incentives and a new signing bonus to Sciabarrassi in order to recieve his services for the upcoming season.
The starting team of the Salukis wowed spectators throughout the preseason and showed sound mechanics on both sides of the ball. However, fans have yet to see blue chip prospect, Karl Kocher play for the Fighting Salukis. In addition, the other prospect, wide reciever Justin Montgomery who moved up from the farm system has seen only limited action. Although the Salukis have a strong starting team, a large question mark looms over the depth of the team. This question mark will need to be answered quickly, especially with the injury to Spidale.
As the regular season gets closer, we feel that we need to answer questions regarding depth and work on developing a defensive gameplan to slow down the deep passing threats presented by the Crittas+Grubb. We know that we will have to be ready once the season begins as a repeat championship by the Crittas+Grubb could mean an end to the Saluki franchise. That is all for now.
-August 11th, 2003 12:54 AM
