News broke just last night (8/3) that everyone's guilty pleasure, the Arena Football League, will file for bankruptcy and fold, ceasing operations forever. This is a sad day for not only AFL fans, but fans of America. Let's take a look at the glorious gimmick's well traveled past...
The AFL has been around since it's first official year of 1987 (the year of my birth) and has had it's fair share of diverse names and locations. The first year of AFL play saw four teams battle each other (I guess) and hasn't looked back since (until now...)
1987
The Denver Dynamite were the first ever Arena Bowl champs after defeating the Pittsburgh Gladiators by a score of 45-16 (this is arena football, where is all the points Pittsburgh?) The Dynamite were lead by quarterback Marty Mornhinweg. Yes, that Marty Mornhinweg... The other two inaugural teams of the AFL were the Chicago Brusiers and the Washington Commandos. Gotta love 1987 logo's. It looks like I could create better logos in MS paint.
1988
The new year came, and the Commandos and Dynamite left. However, the AFL gained four new teams: Detroit Drive, Los Angeles Cobras, New England Steamrollers, and the New York Knights. The Detroit Drive won Arena Bowl II, no one cared.
1989
Another year came, more teams left. The Steamrollers got steamrolled, the Knights were un-knighted and the Cobras were tamed (sorry that's all I got folks). BUT, the Dynamite and the Commandos each pulled Brett Favre's and returned to the AFL for it's 3rd season. The Commandos moved from Washington to Maryland. No one noticed. The Drive won Arena Bowl III, still no one cared.
1990
This was the year that Big D got into the Arena act with their team, the Dallas Texans (haven't we seen this before?) Also Albany, New York got into the act. I'm still not sure why. The Chicago Bruisers left never to be seen again and the Drive won their 3rd straight Arena Bowl. The Drive for Five was on (that was too easy)
1991
Florida gets in on the cash cow that is the Arena Football League and adds two teams of it's own: the Orlando Predators and the Tampa Bay Storm (formally Pittsburgh Gladiators). Two other teams joined up as well in the New Orleans Night and the Columbus Thunderbolts. Washington (they moved back from Maryland) again retired from the AFL but was quoted as saying "If someone calls on November 1st, who knows?" Tampa ends The Drive for Five as they upend Detroit in AB V.
1992
In a big year for the AFL, five new teams signed on to make the league total of teams 12. Arizona Rattlers, Charlotte Rage, Cincinnati Rockers, Sacramento Attack and San Antonio Force joined, Denver Dynamite left, and Columbus moved to Cleveland. Detroit won AB VI making Lions fans jealous.
1993
This was a dead year for the AFL as they saw no new teams join but two teams die. New Orleans and San Antonio decided that their cities did not need an AFL team (mistake) and Sacramento became the Miami Hooters. Seriously. Tampa wins the AB, but the age old question remains, if no one sees it or cares, does it actually happen?
1994
Fort Worth Cavalry, Las Vegas Sting, and the Milwaukee Mustangs joined the AFL party in 1994 with the Cincinnati Rockers and Dallas Texans folding. Sad day for the city of Detroit as four-time AB champs Drive move to Massachusetts and become the Marauders. The Rattlers win their first AB. Arizona is ecstatic.
1995
The AFL expanded to 13 teams and the following teams joined the league: Connecticut Coyotes, Iowa Barnstormers (of Kurt Warner fame), Memphis Pharaohs, St. Louis Stampede and the San Jose SaberCats were now in. Cleveland suffers another sporting heartbreak as they lose the Thunderbolts and the teams in Fort Worth and Massachusetts get suspended (probably for having lame names). The Storm with their 3rd AB in dramatic fashion (actually I have no idea how the game ended)
1996
The year of the fish as two teams move to different locations and name their teams after sushi. First Las Vegas moved to Anaheim and called the Piranhas and Forth Worth moved to Minnesota and became the Fighting Pike. I know what you are thinking, and yes I attended one arena game. I don't really remember it, only remember that they played in the target center (does it count then?) Also Texas got back into the mix with the Texas Terror and the Hooters were no more. They were renamed the Florida Bobcats. The Storm repeat as AB champs tying the Drive for most ever with 4.
1997
Lots of movement for the AFL in this season. Say hello to the Nashville Kats, New Jersey Red Dogs, and New York's new team of the minute, the CityHawks. Four teams left the AFL, never to be heard from again. They were the Charlotte Rage, Connecticut Coyotes, St. Louis Stampede, and the Minnesota Fighting Pike (a tear was shed) Also Memphis moved to Portland and became the Forest Dragons. The Arizona Rattlers win another AB. Yay.
1998
Massachusetts makes yet another comeback (cue Jim Ross saying "MY GOD, THE MARAUDERS WILL NOT QUIT!") only this time they come back as the Grand Rapids Rampage. Say goodbye to the Anaheim Piranhas and the Texas Terror. The Piranhas go extinct while the Terror get a makeover. Houston Thunderbears is much better...Orlando takes the jug home (or whatever it is) as AB XII champs.
1999
The Buffalo Destroyers (dug down deep for that nickname) joined the AFL and partied like it was 1999. New York became the New England Sea Wolves (what is a sea wolf anyway?). That's pretty much it. I think everyone was nervous for Y2K or something. Albany Firebirds won their first AB and threw the biggest party that no one attended.
2000
The Cobras return to the AFL, only this time they are located in Carolina and Los Angeles gets a new team called the Avengers. Portland gets rained out and the franchise washes down to Oklahoma where they become the Wranglers. Brett Favre signs an endorsement deal with the Wranglers thinking it is the jeans but once he finds out that its for the AFL he retires....Orlando wins the AB again after being denied the previous year. Good for them.
2001
Two members of the Original Four return. Chicago Rush and Detroit Fury enter the picture after not being represented in the AFL for years. Hip-Hip Hooray! Sadly, the same joy is not had by Albany, Iowa and New England as their teams move to Indiana (Firebirds), New York (Dragons), and Toronto (Phantoms) respectively. New Jersey changes their name to the Gladiators (like this is an original name). The hard work that the city of Grand Rapids did finally paid off as they were AB XV champs.
2002
Contraction hit the AFL in 2002 (too bad the Twins beat contraction, man just think about that. The Twins were almost no more. Hard to imagine now) and teams in Florida, Houston, Milwaukee and Oklahoma were contracted from the league. At the same time the Dallas Desperado's enter the league (yeah that makes perfect sense) The Nashville franchise moves to Georgia and become the Force. The San Jose SaberCats win their first AB but the people of San Jose were too busy watching hockey.
2003
Colorado Crush enter the league and Toronto gets suspended (for being Canadian). New Jersey moves to Las Vegas but thankfully they keep the Gladiators nickname so no one else can have it. The Tampa Bay Storm become the greatest franchise in AFL history, winning their 5th AB. I'd like us all to take a moment of silence in remembrance of the Drive for Five joke I made earlier...
.......
...
thank you
2004
Remember how only two years ago, the AFL had to contract four teams? Well that doesn't mean you can't just add three more, two years later. Welcome to Austin Wranglers, New Orleans VooDoo, and Philadelphia Soul. For those that did not know, Jon Bon Jovi was a majority owner of the Soul. He obviously saw the financial opportunities that come with owning an Arena Football League team. The Buffalo Destoryers became the Columbus Destroyers and the SaberCats win another AB in the highest scoring AB yet to date (69-62). Bon Jovi rocks.
2005
The Katz are back, Jack. Nashville regains an AFL franchise because they missed their first one. And since they missed them so much they resurrected the Katz nickname. Detroit's team doesn't last as they fold along with Indiana and Carolina. Colorado wins their first AB, which is also the first AB played on a neutral field (Las Vegas). Not surprisingly this is also the year that the least amount of people attended an Arena Bowl...
2006
Two more teams join the AFL (contraction?) as teams spring up in Utah (Blaze) and Kansas City (Brigade) while the VooDoo get put on hold for the year. Chicago Rush win their first Arena Bowl defeating the Orlando Predators in the 2nd highest scoring AB (69-61, ooh so close guys, maybe next year)
2007
Nothing much happened this AFL season. The VooDoo were back in the league and then the city got hit by Katrina. Coincidence? SaberCats win the AB again...wooo
2008
This is the final year of the AFL (as we come to learn two years later) and boy was it a good one. The Katz once again get put on hold and the Austin Wranglers actually moved down a league into the AFL2 (yes there are two AFL leagues. AFL2 would be the D-League of Arena Football) Bon Jovi takes home the AB and everyone is happy, except for the owners because they soon will vote to suspend the AFL for the 2009 season.
There you have it, the illustrious history of the Arena Football League. Where else will you see wide receivers in motion towards the line of scrimmage? Where else will you see this stat line, 258 yards passing and 8 TD's? Where else will you see a more meaningful field goal from 35 yards out? No where anymore. AFL will be missed (maybe?).
Lots of movement for the AFL in this season. Say hello to the Nashville Kats, New Jersey Red Dogs, and New York's new team of the minute, the CityHawks. Four teams left the AFL, never to be heard from again. They were the Charlotte Rage, Connecticut Coyotes, St. Louis Stampede, and the Minnesota Fighting Pike (a tear was shed) Also Memphis moved to Portland and became the Forest Dragons. The Arizona Rattlers win another AB. Yay.
1998
Massachusetts makes yet another comeback (cue Jim Ross saying "MY GOD, THE MARAUDERS WILL NOT QUIT!") only this time they come back as the Grand Rapids Rampage. Say goodbye to the Anaheim Piranhas and the Texas Terror. The Piranhas go extinct while the Terror get a makeover. Houston Thunderbears is much better...Orlando takes the jug home (or whatever it is) as AB XII champs.
1999
The Buffalo Destroyers (dug down deep for that nickname) joined the AFL and partied like it was 1999. New York became the New England Sea Wolves (what is a sea wolf anyway?). That's pretty much it. I think everyone was nervous for Y2K or something. Albany Firebirds won their first AB and threw the biggest party that no one attended.
2000
The Cobras return to the AFL, only this time they are located in Carolina and Los Angeles gets a new team called the Avengers. Portland gets rained out and the franchise washes down to Oklahoma where they become the Wranglers. Brett Favre signs an endorsement deal with the Wranglers thinking it is the jeans but once he finds out that its for the AFL he retires....Orlando wins the AB again after being denied the previous year. Good for them.
2001
Two members of the Original Four return. Chicago Rush and Detroit Fury enter the picture after not being represented in the AFL for years. Hip-Hip Hooray! Sadly, the same joy is not had by Albany, Iowa and New England as their teams move to Indiana (Firebirds), New York (Dragons), and Toronto (Phantoms) respectively. New Jersey changes their name to the Gladiators (like this is an original name). The hard work that the city of Grand Rapids did finally paid off as they were AB XV champs.
2002
Contraction hit the AFL in 2002 (too bad the Twins beat contraction, man just think about that. The Twins were almost no more. Hard to imagine now) and teams in Florida, Houston, Milwaukee and Oklahoma were contracted from the league. At the same time the Dallas Desperado's enter the league (yeah that makes perfect sense) The Nashville franchise moves to Georgia and become the Force. The San Jose SaberCats win their first AB but the people of San Jose were too busy watching hockey.
2003
Colorado Crush enter the league and Toronto gets suspended (for being Canadian). New Jersey moves to Las Vegas but thankfully they keep the Gladiators nickname so no one else can have it. The Tampa Bay Storm become the greatest franchise in AFL history, winning their 5th AB. I'd like us all to take a moment of silence in remembrance of the Drive for Five joke I made earlier...
.......
...
thank you
2004
Remember how only two years ago, the AFL had to contract four teams? Well that doesn't mean you can't just add three more, two years later. Welcome to Austin Wranglers, New Orleans VooDoo, and Philadelphia Soul. For those that did not know, Jon Bon Jovi was a majority owner of the Soul. He obviously saw the financial opportunities that come with owning an Arena Football League team. The Buffalo Destoryers became the Columbus Destroyers and the SaberCats win another AB in the highest scoring AB yet to date (69-62). Bon Jovi rocks.
2005
The Katz are back, Jack. Nashville regains an AFL franchise because they missed their first one. And since they missed them so much they resurrected the Katz nickname. Detroit's team doesn't last as they fold along with Indiana and Carolina. Colorado wins their first AB, which is also the first AB played on a neutral field (Las Vegas). Not surprisingly this is also the year that the least amount of people attended an Arena Bowl...
2006
Two more teams join the AFL (contraction?) as teams spring up in Utah (Blaze) and Kansas City (Brigade) while the VooDoo get put on hold for the year. Chicago Rush win their first Arena Bowl defeating the Orlando Predators in the 2nd highest scoring AB (69-61, ooh so close guys, maybe next year)
2007
Nothing much happened this AFL season. The VooDoo were back in the league and then the city got hit by Katrina. Coincidence? SaberCats win the AB again...wooo
2008
This is the final year of the AFL (as we come to learn two years later) and boy was it a good one. The Katz once again get put on hold and the Austin Wranglers actually moved down a league into the AFL2 (yes there are two AFL leagues. AFL2 would be the D-League of Arena Football) Bon Jovi takes home the AB and everyone is happy, except for the owners because they soon will vote to suspend the AFL for the 2009 season.
There you have it, the illustrious history of the Arena Football League. Where else will you see wide receivers in motion towards the line of scrimmage? Where else will you see this stat line, 258 yards passing and 8 TD's? Where else will you see a more meaningful field goal from 35 yards out? No where anymore. AFL will be missed (maybe?).
No comments:
Post a Comment