Arena Legend LaFrance Hired As Riptide General Manager
April 30, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)
San Diego Riptide News Release
SAN DIEGO â The San Diego Riptide announce that Arena Football legend George LaFrance has been named as the team's first general manager.
"The walls, the scoring, the music and the overall atmosphere of ArenaBall make this game so much different and so exciting and unique," says LaFrance, "I love this game...that's why I stayed in it for a dozen years."
LaFrance brings 12 years of Arena Football experience with an impressive resume that includes five ArenaBowl championships, three ArenaBowl MVPs, two league MVPs and over 30 AFL records. He has been named to the AFL All-Decade Team, 15th Anniversary Team, All-ArenaBowl Team and is considered one of the greatest players ever to play Arena football. He will be eligible for the AFL Hall of Fame later this season.
"The fans is what Arena Football is all about," said LaFrance. "The players go to the fans instead of the fans coming to the players â that's what's so special about ArenaBall."
With the Riptide, LaFrance will thrive for excellence on the field and throughout the San Diego community. He is committed to bringing the same mentality and philosophy that won him five Arena championships to the Riptide organization.
"San Diego has great fans and they deserve to have a great product on the field and off," states LaFrance. "We will work hard to reach out to the community and provide San Diego a fan-friendly atmosphere."
LaFrance retired from the indoor game in 2000 as the AFL's all-time leader in all-purpose yards, kickoff return yards, missed field goal returns and combined return yards. He finished third all-time in receptions, receiving yards, receiving TDs and overall scoring.
"George LaFrance is one of the first great players of Arena Football. He is known internationally and has been beloved by the fans in every city that he has played," said Arena Football Commissioner C. David Baker. "I know that as the general manager of the San Diego Riptide, he will build the same kind of fan-friendly organization that he did as a player."
He spent 1988-93 with the Detroit Drive. The Drive won ArenaBowl titles from 1988-90 and in 1992. LaFrance earned league MVP and ArenaBowl MVP honors his second season, the four-game season of 1989, where he led the AFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns, but suffered a torn ACL in 1990 and missed the entire season. He rebounded in 1991 and was again named the league's Most Valuable Player with a then-record 19 receiving TDs, however, the Drive lost to the Tampa Bay Storm in the ArenaBowl.
"As a player, I prepared myself to work in the front office after my career," said LaFrance. "I recommend all players to prepare themselves for their careers after football."
The following year, LaFrance led the Drive back to the championship game and was named ArenaBowl MVP. In 1993, the Drive again reached the title game for their sixth straight season, but lost to Tampa Bay 51-31. That would be LaFrance's last game as a member of the Drive. In March of 1994, he was traded to Tampa Bay, where he spent 1994-99 with the Storm.
With the Storm, LaFrance split time with another AFL legend, Stevie Thomas, but the duo still put up impressive numbers. However, with two stars the caliber of LaFrance and Thomas neither again earned league MVP or All-Arena status. They did receive awards that were more important in 1995 and 1996. LaFrance was named ArenaBowl IX MVP and Thomas received the same honor a year later when the Storm beat the Kurt Warner led Iowa Barnstormers 42-38 in ArenaBowl X.
LaFrance's 1998 season at the age of 32 was perhaps one of the best in Arena history. Despite catching just 65 balls on the year, 35 of them went for touchdowns. That means an amazing 53.9% of his catches went for scores, which is the highest in any pro football history.
In 2000, he moved on and played with the New Jersey Red Dogs and in his final year he became the first AFL player and second pro football player (Walter Payton was the first) to compile 20,000 career all-purpose yards. In his final AFL game a week later, LaFrance set another AFL record with 14 kickoff returns and his 397 all-purpose yards rank second all-time in AFL history.
Last year, he served as an offensive consultant for the af2's Rochester Brigade, where Riptide QB Kane Claunch played before coming to San Diego. He was with the Brigade for the final two games of 2001. Rochester was 2-12 before LaFrance arrived and finished 2-0 with him aboard.
"He exemplifies class and knows the game in and out. He's the best there is," said Claunch. "He taught me how to read Arena defenses and will bring his Arena experience to all aspects of our organization."
The Riptide return home to the San Diego Sports Arena this Saturday to take on the Louisville Fire with kickoff at 7:00 PM. Tickets start at just $5 and can be purchased at the Sports Arena box office, any TicketMaster location or online at ticketmaster.com.
• Discuss this story on the arenafootball2 message board...
arenafootball2 Stories from April 30, 2002
- Zimmerman Wins af2 Honors - af2
- Arena Legend LaFrance Hired As Riptide General Manager - San Diego Riptide
- Teddy Bear Toss Night - Mohegan Wolves
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
