Hey Sam, I think you'll find the official line is as follows :- PP were in the process of organising a venue in Texas for the fourth leg of the NPPL. The proposed date for this leg did not clash with CC.
For one reason or another (primarily the weather prospects at this venue) Texas had to be ruled out and the pressure was on to find a new venue....
This led PP to seek out the Samuel Boyd stadium where we all played in Vegas last year.
It's a great venue for sure and allegedly made even better with them laying down an all new grass surface.
Negotiations subsequently opened but the only date available was one that clashed with the CC.
Now I don't think they deliberately arranged a clash but I also think they didn't lose too much sleep over it when they realised it did.
The pendulum of power has swung this way and that over the last year with PP undoubtedly creating a momentum that will now look for expansion as well as consolidation.
It all beggars the question, what the heck are the NXL teams who are unable to gain enough NPPL ranking points gonna do next year ?
What are the Russkies gonna do if Sergey doesn't think the NXL is worth playing?
In my opinion, the Div One Super 7's for 2005 looks as though it's gonna be one helluva league with possibly teams like the Russians, Aftershock, Oakland Assassins, Dave's Ironmen and so on, all looking to be promoted to the pro ranks for 2006.
