Shackleford out as head coach of the Spokane Shock

Huge news from the Lilac City if you're an arena football fan. Coach Shackleford - who took the Spokane Shock to two Arena Cups and won one of them - is out as coach. He will be replaced by former Shock player and assistant coach Rob Keefe.

Adam Shackleford is out as head coach of the Spokane Shock and he will be replaced by former Shock standout Rob Keefe, The Spokesman-Review has learned.

The Shock, who are on the verge of moving into a new league that is expected to compete at the highest level of arena football, issued a press release late Wednesday morning announcing Shackleford won’t be back for a fourth season as head coach. Spokane went 19-1 in Shackleford’s final season, winning the ArenaCup title last month in Las Vegas.

“We really gave ‘Shack’ a month to get off the (ArenaCup) championship and come back down and get ready for next season,” Shock majority owner Brady Nelson said. “Unfortunately we didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy the championship because we know we’re playing in this new league and it’s going to take another level or commitment and work.

“The more and more we started working toward our goals, the more we felt we wanted to go in a different direction.”

Shackleford was disappointed with ownership’s decision.

“I wanted to be here, I planned on being here and was still working hard, and I was fired,” said Shackleford, who coached Spokane to three division championships, two conference championships and one ArenaCup title in three seasons. “I don’t want anybody to think this is what I wanted.”

I'm not going to jump to any conclusions here without any facts, but the news itself is very stunning since he won the Arena Cup Championship last year. Wow.

Shock to join AFL 2.0

It looks like Spokane has just gone big-time... as the Shock are looking to join the new Arena Football League that will be forming in the ashes of the AFL.

“I was asked every single year: Would you ever join the AFL? And I always said, ‘No, it wouldn’t make any sense.’ Under the new scenario, it does make sense and I think we’re going to have a chance to play in a little bigger pond and have the big boys come to town and see what it’s like to play in our building.” Nelson said he can’t discuss specifics because details are still being worked out, but the new league could have 12-15 teams, including four former af2 franchises, several from the defunct AFL and a few expansion teams. Former af2 teams could include Spokane, Tulsa, Iowa and Milwaukee. Utah, Arizona, San Jose, Orlando, Tampa Bay and Chicago – all part of the AFL, which folded after the 2008 season – have been mentioned as candidates for the new league.

And pay will be improved... kind of.

Players in the top-tier league likely would make $400 per game for the first season, up from the $200 (plus $50 for a win) per-game salary in af2.

An official announcement isn’t expected for at least a week or two. The new league hopes to announce a schedule sometime in October.

Can't wait to see what happens with this.

Epic Video: Shock are the Champs!

In case you missed it this weekend, here are highlights from the Spokane Shock winning their second af2 championship.

Photos from Spokane Shock victory over the Boise Burn

The AFL probably won't return

Apparently Spokane is the last, great stronghold for Arena Football.

The president of the Tampa Bay Storm announced (via Facebook) that the AFL "will not be returning." Probably ever. Surprisingly, not playing the 2009 season didn't help to turn things around! Does this mean they file for Chapter 5.5 bankruptcy?

I was worried about this. What does this mean for the Spokane Shock of the af2? The minor-league for the AFL is strangely still alive a kicking (probably because they have a much more realistic financial model) but now where the heck would their players go from here?

Obviously there needs to be a minor-league system for the NFL because they just disbanded NFL Europe, so does the af2 tweak some things and become the main feeder league? Or is that crown for the UFL?

Interesting news, I think this really puts in the af2 (are they the af1 now?) in a strange situation.

Game photos from last night's playoff victory for the Shock