This Just In: Arena Football and Your Dallas Desperados Need a Timeout

When even football can't survive, we're officially in a recession.

The Arena Football League - home to your Dallas Desperados - announced this morning that it has canceled its 2009 season because - you guessed it - shitty financial times.

Actually, I believe the official wording is "suspending the 2009 season subject to agreement and cooperation with the Arena Football League Players Association while the League works on developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model."

Like I said, shitty financial times.

NFL Europe has folded.

The United Football League has lost investor Mark Cuban and postponed its launch.

And my calls to the fledgling United National Gridiron League - once upon a time slated to field a Dallas team and play its games in the Cotton Bowl starting next month - have gone unreturned. The web site is now calling for a February 8, 2009 kickoff. We'll see.

No doubt about it, this Christmas it's harder to keep a job, sell a house, launch a football career and force a smile. But, alas, the recession can't take away our memories.

A moment of silence, please, for chicks in chaps. - Richie Whitt