Playoff time for the Gladiators

Congratulations are in order for the AFL's Cleveland Gladiators, who clinched a playoff spot in their first season in the league with a 47-35 win over in-state rival Columbus on Saturday night.

After a disastrous 2-14 campaign last year in Las Vegas, the franchise relocated to Cleveland under new management (including Cleveland hero Bernie Kosar) and with some new key players, including free agents QB Raymond Philyaw and WR Otis Amey. Drawing solid crowds and playing exciting, high-scoring football, Cleveland notched a 9-7 record in the far superior National Conference (American Conference teams went 6-10 and qualified for the playoffs) and secured a playoff berth. Even better is that the club got some help this weekend; losses by intraconference rivals New Orleans and New York mean that the Gladiators will open the postseason at home, where they are 6-2 on the year.

FCF tips its cap to the Gladiators and wishes them luck in the playoffs. Their divisional playoff game is Monday, June 30, at the Q.