CIFL Team in Evansville,IN

[integrity]

just saw on cifl facebook page that the Evansville Rage will join CIFL in 2013. Anybody know anything about this. They have already named a head coach. Think he was a river monster assistant. Think evansville would be a great spot for a new team especially if they play in new ford center.

[Commando678]

He was a great coach for NKY. This is huge and they will hopefully succeed in the new arena!

[integrity]

He was the dline coach and the players he coached loved him, at least the 3 i know. From what they said he had one advantage over most arena coaches he dont bull**** nobody and he tells it like it is. Not many coaches in these leagues that players trust. Bet he will be able to secure a lot of talent in that area with his reputation and that arena.

[Evansville Rage]

Indoor Football Returns to Evansville

Evansville: The fastest game of turf has found its way back to the Tri-State. It was announced today that professional indoor football would once again have a home in Evansville.

The Evansville Rage are the newst addition to the Continental Indoor Football League and will begin play in the league in the spring of 2013. The team has also announced that they will be playing a 5 game exhibition season in the spring of 2012, as a way to introduce the organization to the community. The five exhibition games will be played at Metro Sports Center.

The Rage are owned by David Reed of Arcanum Ohio. Reed plans to move to Evansville, with his family, in June of 2012.

"I am really excited to bring indoor football back to Evansville", Reed said. "We have already gotten a great response from the community and we plan to be in Evansville for a long time."

The Rage have also already hired their head coach, naming Mike Goodpaster to the position. Goodpaster was most recently the Defensive Coordinator of the Northern Kentucky RiverMonsters of the Ultimate Indoor Football League.

"I am honored and excited for the opportunity to start up the Rage", Goodpaster said, "and I hope that we can start and sustain a tradition of success."

Also named to the front office staff is Chip Rossetti. Rossetti has assumed the role as the General Manager of the Rage. Rossetti helped start up the Evansville IceMen, as well as the Evansville Crush Indoor Soccer Team.

"I was thrilled when David called and talk to me about this opportunity", Rossetti said. "I started in the sports business in the world of indoor football and I have been looking for an opportunity to get back into it again. The Rage is going to be an exciting team to watch."

More information about the Rage and their upcoming exhibition season is available on the team wesbite at www.evansvillerage.com. Schedule information, as well as ticket prices will be released in the next few weeks.

The team has also scheduled an open tryout for anyone interested in playing in the 2012 exhibition season. The tryout is schedule for Sunday, January 22nd from 9am to 12pm at Metro Sports Center. More information about the tryout is available on the teams website.

[integrity]

Rossetti at GM, GREAT addition. The rage already have the best coach-gm combo in the league. Very impressed with these signings. Too bad commandos left CIFL i think these guys will pull the players who could be better than them.

[exit322]

A buddy of mine that lives in Evansville told me yesterday he felt this was a joke, given that Rosetti was fired by the Icemen down there. He likened it to what he saw in 2003 out of the Bluecats...which, um...isn't a compliment.

[integrity]

Geary the owner is one of the worst owners in minor league sports!!!! Dont think him letting Rosetti go means much. Geary is such a bad owner that u would think he owned a UIFL team!!!!

[jerry101jlh]

The Blue Cats had a good run, until ownership took directions that led to less than competitive teams on the field and other decisions that left the fan out of the equation. The local press will get behind this team if they give them reasons to do so, but can not expect the press to cover just because they are there.

[newiflfan]

Five game exhibition season in '12-- against other CIFL teams? If so, is that how the league is going to try rounding out the game schedule for the upcoming season?

[bluecatsguy]

The games that the Rage are playing in their exhibition season are not as a part of the CIFL regular season. There will be a game, maybe two, that would take place on a CIFL teams bye week. Other then that, the games that are going to be scheduled are against non-CIFL teams.

[bluecatsguy]

A buddy of mine that lives in Evansville told me yesterday he felt this was a joke.

Oh, and by the way, there were a lot of people that thought bringing minor league hockey to Evansville was a joke. It seems to be working out pretty well, at least up to this point.

[nksports]

Oh, and by the way, there were a lot of people that thought bringing minor league hockey to Evansville was a joke. It seems to be working out pretty well, at least up to this point.

I think the new arena helps the hockey team.

If and when all this I-69 and I-66 stuff ever gets built, Evansville has the potential for some major growth, so in the long term, the market is not one to ignore.

[exit322]

Oh, and by the way, there were a lot of people that thought bringing minor league hockey to Evansville was a joke. It seems to be working out pretty well, at least up to this point.

I know, and given they've had this success after firing Rosetti; lends more credence to my original point, that there's worry this is a joke.

[bluecatsguy]

I think it could also be said that they wouldn't have had any success without the foundation that was laid in the first two years. I think there is a lot of behind the scenes stuff that noone know about.

[integrity]

I think it could also be said that they wouldn't have had any success without the foundation that was laid in the first two years. I think there is a lot of behind the scenes stuff that noone know about.

Thats always the way it is!! Its great to have somebody who knows how to lay the foundation, plus it was huge the head coach they were able to bring in, ive heard he turned down 2 or 3 offers to be the head coach on teams in UIFL and CIFL. Was told Dayton picked Mr.Askew over him, amove they will regret very quickly. dont like the exhibition idea going to be very hard to get players for these games, most of the better ones are already signed. I think evansville will be the dominant team in CIFL within 3 years.

[jwalters]

Chip is a good guy. Geary is a difficult guy to deal with. I am just worried that the rage are literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Icemen pay $11,000 per game plus at the Ford. If the new owner can afford that then great but if not then that is a problem. Both Metro and Swonder are too small. Chip I support this 100% if you need gameday help count me in cause I have weekends off now. I will help out however. I sent you a pm with my new phone number. Just call me and let me know whats up.

[JeffKuntz]

Looks like the Rage will be playing at Swonder..

[integrity]

Swonder is better than the Odeum, not huge but big enough. As i warned a month or two again look at the players they are signing. The coach they hired makes them LEGIT!!!!

[Commando678]

This is what we are doing differently, Front Office Front Office Front Office

Which I include the coach in the front office since he is instrumental in signif players.

The thing that makes us different from everyone else is that we put value in the front office staff and Marketing. You can have a great team and still fail (see predators). Our team is focused on the goal from top to bottom. There is and never will be any "buddy" ball be it players or front office.

[MarshalMan35]

I like the moves this team is making so far. They should be fun to watch.

And let's just say that I wouldn't be too quick to pencil in Saginaw as the league champ just yet.

[JeffKuntz]

This is what we are doing differently, Front Office Front Office Front Office

Which I include the coach in the front office since he is instrumental in signif players.

The thing that makes us different from everyone else is that we put value in the front office staff and Marketing. You can have a great team and still fail (see predators). Our team is focused on the goal from top to bottom. There is and never will be any "buddy" ball be it players or front office.

If I may ask, are you on payroll or a volunteer/intern?

Trying to ascertain just how much front office, front office, front office there is down there..

[Commando678]

I am a volunteer (no indoor team would pay someone to just work on the facebook, twitter and forums)

Owner/GM David Reed: Worked with the Dayton Silverbacks, owns multiple buisnesses.

Assistant GM/Media Relations Doug Brown: to be honest he was just added so I have not had a chance to discuss his past.

Director of ticket sales/marketing Micheal Williams : He has his own buisness of OC sports screening and has provided us with merchandise already.

Director Sponsorships Jermaine Finger: Just look at his body of work. He has busted his tail at getting a first year team great coporate partnerships, including the Minor League Baseball team, Evansville Otters.

Director of Social Media Alex Holcomb: I have been a fan of indoor football for almost ten years and have seen teams fail and succeed and I am working towards a grassroots fan base through conversing with fans.

Head Coach Mike Goodpaster: Look at who he has brought in for a start-up team in a small city. His experience with NKY proves that he can coach guys up and take "superstars" (MVPs and players of the week) and make them a part of a team. He keeps guys grounded and has a bunch of individuals who don't know each other a team within a couple of months. We are lucky enough to have an AFL quality coach, coaching for us.

[JeffKuntz]

Well we should all give the Rage credit for doing something that many new minor league teams fail to do: You have sales people!

And if your corporate guy got another pro sports team to cut the Rage a check (rather than just having a trade/cross-promotion agreement) then the people at the Otters are really dumb, or your guy is a prodigy.

[newiflfan]

Probably going to hurt some feelings and open up a can of worms with this comment, but...

The Evansville Otters do not play affialiated Minor League Baseball. They are an indy team playing in the Fronteer League, not a member of MiLB. I'm not saying that to poh-poh the apparent connection the Rage have them the team, but just want to point out that it's not like this baseball team is on a big league payroll.

[Commando678]

Sorry if it sounded like i meant they were an affiliated team. No they are a member of the Frontier league.

[integrity]

Otters i bet is a cross promotion, think brown was working for the silverbacks not sure. They are starting out better than the normal cifl expansion team. Thought they would be a better version of chic and indy, but from what i have seen so far they are already getting ahead of dayton whos been in existence for 7 years. The player signings and over 20 sponsors on there site are what heve really gotten my attention. was told by my son who goes to Univ of Evansville that they are moving to Swonder because of high demand for tickets. Swonders a little small but is a nice little arena, would rank it 3rd or 4th behind saginaw and port hurn and maybe dayton(Just because of 2,000 more seats).

[Commando678]

The Evansville icemen have an exclusives rights to the Ford Center this season

[JeffKuntz]

The Evansville icemen have an exclusives rights to the Ford Center this season

Don't tell that to the University of Evansville.

[Commando678]

I should have elaborated, for professional sports.