by Alana Klein As it stands that a high majority of my contributions here are based in facts, statistics, standings, etc., what I post about in relation to these topics is objective. However, there will be regular posts — about once a week — in which I will express my (subjective) opinion about a relevant…
Category: Albany Firebirds
Fan Zone Live! – Setting “The Standard” with Coach Ware
We sat down with Coach Ware of the Albany Firebirds, the architect of one of the most dominant runs in modern arena football. Under Coach Ware’s leadership, the Firebirds have yet to suffer a defeat in the AF1 and recently set the all-time arena football record for consecutive victories. How has Albany built a championship…
How Sam Castronova Became Arena Football’s Defining Quarterback
by Howie Hanson Sam Castronova is the best quarterback in Arena Football One. Nobody in the modern arena game combines his production, efficiency, championships, league awards and sustained winning across multiple leagues. The numbers only strengthen the argument. Through his first two regular-season games with Albany this season, Castronova has completed 44 of 65 passes for…
Rebound off the Net: Inside the AF1 w/Albany Firebirds MOATOS Jeff Levack
Joshua sits down with Albany Firebirds MOATOS (Manager of All the Other Stuff) Jeff Levack to talk Arena Football One, the Firebirds organization, and his long history in Albany arena football. From helping lead the Albany Empire to back-to-back championships to becoming one of the most recognizable voices in Capital Region sports media, Levack shares…
Albany’s efficiency, Henry’s arm highlight Arena Football One Week 1
by Howie Hanson The opening weekend of the Arena Football One season delivered what the arena game promises at its best — tempo, space and quarterbacks pushing the pace — while four teams established early footing in the standings. Albany, Oceanside, Kentucky and Oregon all opened with victories, while Nashville had a Week 1 bye….
AF1 opens 2026 season with defending champion Albany atop Fan Zone rankings
by Howie Hanson Arena Football One will open its 2026 season this weekend with four games involving eight of its nine teams, an opening slate that immediately tests roster stability, early identity and the league’s competitive balance. The spotlight lands Saturday night in Albany, where the defending champion Firebirds — coming off a 12-0 title…
The Standard Without Its Star: Albany Faces Life After Castronova
by Howie Hanson The departure of quarterback Sam Castronova to the Houston Gamblers has reshaped the opening weekend narrative for the Albany Firebirds and casts a wider spotlight on roster stability across Arena Football One. Castronova, the league’s most valuable player last season, led Albany to a 12-0 record and championship, establishing the Firebirds as the standard in AF1’s inaugural campaign. His…
Champions Collide Early: Albany, Minnesota Bring Titles and Tension Into Week 1
by Howie Hanson In a league that survives on noise as much as numbers, the first real collision of the AF1 season may have arrived two weeks early. Not on turf. Not under lights. But in the words. Albany Firebirds head coach Damon Ware heard them — the chatter, the edge, the not-so-subtle tone coming…
Howie’s Preseason Rankings – Albany Doesn’t Just Talk About Winning. It Builds It.
By Howie Hanson There’s a difference between a team that wins and a team that expects to. The Albany Firebirds have crossed that line, and that’s why they’re sitting on top of Arena Football One like it’s their front porch. They went 12–0 last season and didn’t flinch once. Not in the regular season, not in the playoffs, not…
Rebound Off the Net: Albany Firebirds Season Preview w/HC Damon Ware
On the latest episode of Rebound Off the Net, the spotlight turns to the Albany Firebirds as Head Coach Damon Ware joins the show for an in-depth season preview. Ware breaks down the Firebirds’ roster construction, key playmakers, and the identity the team is looking to establish heading into the AF1 season. The conversation dives…