Rush QB Michna looking for job in UFL

While the death of one football league appears imminent, Russ Michna looks forward to the birth of another in which he can display his quarterback skills.

The former QB of the Arena Football League's Chicago Rush said he plans on Thursday to drive to Scottsdale, Ariz., where he looks to secure a roster spot with the Las Vegas franchise of the new United Football League, which debuts this fall.

"I have the contract in hand," said Michna, the former Conant High School all-stater who just helped lead the Chicago Slaughter to the championship of the Continental Indoor Football League.

According to various news outlets Tuesday, Michna's former league, the Arena Football League, will fold and declare bankruptcy after 22 years.

James Guidry, the regional director of the AFL players association, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it "seems to be inevitable at this point" that the AFL will soon announce that it has ceased operations. Guidry, speaking by telephone, said the players association will accept the owners' decision.

"We're waiting to see if this decision has been finalized by the AFL," Guidry said.

If the league is dead, Mike Alzamora won't be shocked. Alzamora was one of the Rush's first hires in 2000 and one of its last employees. The team's vice president of communications, Alzamora said he "closed the door" behind him when he left in April.

"I'm not surprised (by Tuesday's news)," Alzamora said. "I'm disappointed. I think it's a shame. I truly believe (arena football) is a great product, especially in places like Chicago, where it's done right. The fans who followed the game loved the game."

Last December, the AFL suspended the 2009 season, but there was optimism that the indoor league would survive and that there might even be at least a partial season in 2010. Management and the players reportedly agreed in principle on a new collective-bargaining agreement in March, and the following month a new business model was put in place for owners to review.

The league had been operating without a commissioner since David Baker abruptly resigned two days before the 2008 ArenaBowl championship game. Owners did not look for a replacement.

"It's too bad because it's a great product and it's a great game for the fans," said Michna, who played for the Rush in 2007 and 2008. "It's too bad they couldn't make it work."

The AFL, whose alumni include former NFL MVP Kurt Warner, was founded in 1987 with the Chicago Bruisers among the charter franchises. The Bruisers folded in 1990, but Chicago secured an indoor-football team again in 2001 with the debut of the Rush, which boasts Mike Ditka as a co-owner.

Under the direction of head coach Mike Hohensee, the Rush captured ArenaBowl XX in 2006. The Rush won the American Conference Central Division in both 2007 and 2008, going 11-5 in its final season.

The Jon Bon Jovi-owned Philadelphia Soul was the last ArenaBowl champion. The Soul appears to have folded for good. Its Web site only posts a simple message thanking fans for their support over the last five seasons. The Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation has been renamed the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.

According to The Associated Press, a disagreement among owners about whether to bring in a private equity firm to invest in the league appeared a major sticking point in December.

"We weren't creating enough revenue. Salaries were going up and without revenue coming in it was a bad business model," Soul wide receiver Chris Jackson told AP. "That's one thing that they wanted to focus on and change some of those things. They tried. They tried to market the league as a whole instead of small franchises likes Grand Rapids vs. L.A. The owners knew there was too much money to be lost."

Alzamora believes Rush management knew how to make its product successful. The team drew crowds of 15,000 per game at the Allstate Arena.

"The Rush really was the model franchise," Alzamora said. "They had owners with deep pockets that were willing to do whatever it took and were willing to grow the product. I know for a fact that owners in other markets weren't as patient."

As for Michna, the UFL presents yet another opportunity for the 28-year-old lefty and Western Illinois graduate, who works for a private software company. Besides the AFL and CIFL, he's also spent time with the NFL's St. Louis Rams and Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

"I'm trying to hit them all," Michna said with a laugh. "I don't know how many (leagues) are left. I just enjoy playing. I'm lucky to be given the opportunity to do so."

• The Associated Press contributed to this report.