By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 11, 2008

While Wednesday's developments regarding the Arena Football Leauge's
future was hailed by Storm principal owner Dr. Bob Nucci as a step in
the right direction, it did very little to ease the minds of one very
important group in the league – the players.

The AFL board of directors voted Wednesday "not to suspend the 2009
season at this time" according to a statement from the league, a
result that does keep players' hopes alive to take this field this
season but still leaves them in limbo on whether or not they will
have a job in what is currently a very tough economy.

"I'm just trying to stay positive," Storm veteran lineman Nyle Wiren
said. "It's hard to do, but there's nothing else you can do."

Reports began to swirl nationwide this week of the league's impending
doom, and they certainly caught the players' attention, both Wiren
and Storm quarterback Brett Dietz said. And while the tumultuous
times will continue for the AFL players until a definitive response
from the league regarding the 2009 season is issued, the most recent
developments – including statements made Wednesday evening by Tampa
Bay Storm head coach and general manager Tim Marcum that the 2009
season would be played – were deemed positive.

"It's definitely good news," Dietz said, "but I don't want to put all
my eggs in one basket just yet."

Added Wiren: "At least they're talking about it, which is a big
thing."

The players seem willing to do their part to keep the league afloat,
including taking a reduction in salary. Grand Rapids Rampage veteran
Ahmad Hawkins, the team's AFL Players Association union
representative, told The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press that players have
agreed to a pay cut – reducing the salary cap from $2 million to $1.4
million.

Wiren, the Storm's AFLPA union rep, said the topic of pay cuts had
been among those discussed by the league's union reps but that
nothing had been agreed upon or finalized. Still, the idea seems like
it would meet little resistance from around the league, both Dietz
and Wiren said, adding they've spoken with several other players
about the issue.

"A lot of guys right now would take the pay cut and play rather than
not play at all. That's kind of making sense. We want to keep the
league," Dietz said. "I would agree to [a pay cut]. Of course,
there's a certain line you would have to draw and I don't know where
that line would be."

A quick resolution to the current dilemma seems to be the most
important to the players. The AFL's statement Wednesday night offered
no timetable for a resolution but rather "the board [of directors]
will continue to meet regularly to examine any and all long-term
structural improvement options for the AFL."

And if the announcement that comes is a positive one, Dietz said the
AFL won't miss a beat despite all the recent postponements regarding
various league operations, such as the compilation and release of the
2009 schedule and the start of free agency.

"If anyone can have a quick turnaround, it's the arena league," Dietz
said. "We've been preparing like we're going to have a season. It's
not like we're a new league starting from scratch."