Leak hopes new league is steppingstone



A year ago, Chris Leak had ascended to the peak of his career. By directing Florida to a 41-14 upset win against Ohio State in the national title game, the quarterback from Charlotte experienced what he called at the time "the greatest feeling in the world."

From a football standpoint, it's been downhill ever since.

Leak went undrafted in April. The Chicago Bears picked him up, kept him through training camp and then cut him. No other NFL team was interested (the Panthers, despite starting an NFL-record four quarterbacks this season, made no contact with Leak this fall).

And so the 22-year-old Leak -- whose entire life had been based on football -- found himself without a team. Is he bitter? No. Has he given up on football? No.

In fact, Leak will play football this spring. He will be a quarterback for Team Florida in a new league called the All-American Football League, which begins its season April 12.

"My dream is alive," Leak said by phone from Florida this week. "This league is going to let me and a lot of other guys have the opportunity to showcase ourselves to the NFL."

The AAFL's concept is unique. Every player must have earned a college degree. The six teams -- Florida, Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas -- are in collegiate football strongholds. Many will play games at familiar venues. Leak's Florida squad, for instance, will play three of its five home games at "The Swamp" in Gainesville.

The players will be paid about $50,000 apiece for a 10-game season. San Diego entrepreneur Marcus Katz, who made a fortune in student loans, provides the funding for the AAFL (www.AAFL.com).

The league has a shot. NFL Europe -- where unknown quarterbacks such as Kurt Warner and Jake Delhomme first made their mark -- has closed shop. And basing the league in the pigskin-crazy South is smart.

But a lot of other pro leagues have lost this battle. Remember the USFL, the WFL or the XFL? The AAFL also will face competition from another upstart league, the United Football League, which plans on playing on fall Friday nights in '08.

Certainly, Leak would prefer to have a foothold in the NFL. Although his height -- a shade under 6 feet -- is the big knock against him, I'm surprised he didn't make a practice squad somewhere. He's a winner -- three state championships at Independence and the national title at Florida.

"Obviously, it's disappointing," said Leak, who started in front of eventual Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow in Gainesville. "A guy like myself who started 51 games in college, who won a national title -- I wanted to be drafted. I wanted to make a team. But I feel like the Lord has a plan for me. I feel like I've grown as a person and as a player in the past year."

Leak stayed immersed in football this fall. He kept working out. He watched football constantly on TV.

"I want to be ready," he said.

His coach on Team Florida will be another ex-Gator quarterback, Shane Matthews. It's a long way from there to the NFL. For now, Matthews isn't even guaranteeing Leak will start.

But it's an opportunity, Leak said. He kept using that word.

Leak knows he's not through with big-time football. He just hopes big-time football is not through with him.

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