Around the Arena League

by Kats Press Release
September 28, 2000 - Indoor Football League 1 (IFL 1)

Kats Press Release

News & Notes From Around The League

CHICAGO EXPANSION TEAM HIRES HOHENSEE AS HEAD COACH

Sept. 28 - The Chicago Arena Football Team announced the hiring of Mike Hohensee as the team's first Head Coach. Hohensee joins the Chicago Arena Football Team after spending the last two seasons as Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel of the Arena Football League's New England Sea Wolves, owned and operated by Madison Square Garden. Hohensee led the Sea Wolves to an 8-6 record and the franchise's first playoff berth during the 2000 season.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to come to Chicago," said Hohensee. "The Arena Football League is ready to take its next major league step, and Chicago must be part of its future. Alan Levin and the rest of the ownership group, as well as the management team, are committed to putting a winning product on the field. With their support, I plan on achieving that goal."

Hohensee has spent a total of 12 seasons coaching in the Arena Football League. Chicago will be his fifth stop as head coach. His previous head coaching experiences include the Washington Commandos (1990), the Albany Firebirds (1994-96), the Anaheim Piranhas (1997) and the New England Sea Wolves (1999-2000). In his seven seasons as a head coach Hohensee has compiled a 44-44 regular season record, reaching the playoffs four times during his career. Hohensee began his coaching career as an assistant for the Chicago Bruisers in 1989 before becoming the youngest head coach in league history for the Washington Commandos in 1990.

Hohensee was the starting quarterback at the University of Minnesota in 1981 and 1982, and was named team MVP both seasons. He will be inducted into the University's Athletic Hall of Fame in November. After graduation, Hohensee played professional football for the Washington Federals of the USFL, the Ottowa Rough Riders and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL and the Pittsburgh Gladiators of the AFL, where he is credited with throwing the first touchdown pass in AFL history. Hohensee also saw action with the Chicago Bears during the 1987 season.

The Chicago AFL expansion franchise is expected to unveil its nickname and logo in the coming weeks.

New England is now left searching for a replacement for Hohensee just as the free agency signing period opens on Sunday.

Arenafootball2 and IFL May Merge

(by Joe Kusek, The Billings Gazette)

It was reported earlier this week that Orlando Predators Entertainment, Inc., was negotiating to buy the 21-team IFL from league founder Keary Ecklund. The purchase price is rumored to be $11 million.

OPE would reportedly likely own four or five former IFL franchises and convert them into teams for Arena Football2, a minor league subsidiary of the Arena Football League.

The AFL2 pays approximately the same as the IFL and has been studying the northern plains region recently. Potential AFL2 teams from the IFL include Casper, Wyo., Billings, Mont. and Bismarck, N.D.

No one answered the phone at OPE headquarters in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday and Ecklund was not available.

"I'm not going to confirm or deny the rumors," said Tom Tomaszewski, director of TNT Media, Inc., which represents the IFL. "We have been approached throughout the year with presentations to buy a team, to buy groups of teams or merge.

"It's like a dry-cleaning business. When does it go up for sale? As soon as the doors open for business. You have to look at potential offers. We're a business, we have to explore ideas. When and if we get to that point, if something is going on and it's something worthwhile, we'll tell everybody. We'll be happy to share the news."

JACOBS LIKELY TO LEAVE ALBANY

(By Mark Singelais, Albany Times-Union)

All-Arena Football League lineman Joe Jacobs all but ruled out returning to the Albany Firebirds next season, indicating that he'll probably sign with the Los Angeles Avengers on Sunday, the first day that free agents are allowed to sign contracts.

Jacobs, a first-team all-AFL selection each of his past three seasons with the Firebirds, said Wednesday that location will play a major role in his decision. Los Angeles is situated only about 100 miles away from Jacobs' off-season home in Palm Springs.

"Probably Los Angeles,'' Jacobs answered when asked which team he was leaning toward. "It's a great organization and it's real close to home. And they want to win games.''

The Avengers were 3-11 as an expansion team last season, but Jacobs said the team will be active in the free-agent market. There are 158 players eligible for the league's first-ever signing period, which is for veterans with four or more years of experience.

Jacobs said he's gotten "tremendous offers'' from Los Angeles, San Jose and Buffalo. He still might visit San Jose this week.

Including Jacobs, the Firebirds have eight players who are free agents. One is quarterback Mike Pawlawski, who said Wednesday he hasn't received any offers.

It seems highly unlikely he'll be back, given the disputes he's had with management. The Firebirds may seek a quarterback through free agency.

AFL SHOPPING SEASON OPENS

With the recent ratification of the Collective Bargaining Agreement by the AFL Player's Union, all AFL four-year and beyond veterans are considered free agents and are now able to negotiate contracts with any team they choose for the 2001 season. Unrestricted free agents may not officially sign with teams until October 1. There is no deadline for signings prior to the start of next season.

Currently and until January 5, 2001, any of the AFL's 19 coaching staffs may sign players from any of the 15 teams in arenafootball2 (af2).

A complete list of AFL free agents:

• ALBANY – FB/LB Tim Brown, WR/LB Greg Hopkins, OL/DL Joe Jacobs, OL/DL Kyle Moore-Brown, QB Mike Pawlawski, DS Derek Stingley, FB/LB Leroy Thompson, OL/DL Mark Valvo.

• ARIZONA – QB Sherdrick Bonner, WR/LB Hunkie Cooper, DS Cecil Doggette, OL/DL Brian Drummy, WR/DB Randy Gatewood, WR/LB Jai Hill, OL/DL Kelvin Ingram, OL/DL Darrin Kenney, FB/LB Bob McMillen, FB/LB Ron Moran, K Bjorn Nittmo, OL/DL Mark Tucker, DS Cedric Walker.

• BUFFALO – WR/DB David Andrews, OL/DL Wilky Bazile, OL/DL Sylvester Bembery, K Mike Black, WR/DB Anthony Bridges, WR/DB Eddie Brown, FB/LB Tony Burse, OL/DL David Caldwell, WR/DB Willie Culpepper, OL/DL Flint Fleming, WR/DB Weylan Harding, OL/DL Jerold Jeffcoat, FB/LB Tony Jones, OL/DL Jim Spencer.

• CAROLINA – FB/LB Michael Kelly, WR/DB Adrian Lunsford, WR/DB David McLeod, QB Fred McNair, OL/DL Jerry Sharp.

• FLORIDA – OL/DL John Dixon, WR/LB Bernard Edwards, QB Clemente Gordon, QB Todd Hammel, WR/LB Bernard Holmes, WR/DB Darren Hughes, OL/DL Eric Miller, WR/DB Otis Mounds.

• GRAND RAPIDS – OS Michael Baker, FB/LB Les Barley, OL/DL Tony Bowick, OL/DL Murray Garrett, DS Darius Hadley, QB Craig Kusick, OS Cleveland Pratt.

• HOUSTON – WR/DB Rodney Blackshear, OL/DL Joe Burch, QB Clint Dolezel, QB Robert Hall, OL/DL Michael Harrison, QB Mike Hold, DS Larry Jones, OL/DL Deryl Lane, WR/DB Stan Petry, DS Dwayne Zackery.

• IOWA – FB/LB Larry Blue, OL/DL Vern Broughton, OL/DL Toney Catchings, WR/LB Leonard Conley, QB Aaron Garcia, OS Mike Horacek, OL/DL Garry Howe, OL/DL Anthony Hutch, WR/BD Carlos James, FB/LB John Motton, FB/LB Basil Proctor, WR/DB Chris Spencer.

• LOS ANGELES – OL/DL Kevin Carroll, FB/LB Andy Chilcote, FB/LB John Clark, FB/LB Brian Easter, OL/DL Victor Hall, WR/LB Bruce LaSane, FB/LB Travis Pearson, QB Scott Semptimphelter, OL/DL Rob Stanavitch.

• MILWAUKEE – WR/DB Alvin Ashley, FB/LB Lincoln Coleman, WR/DB Gary Compton, OS Lamart Cooper, WR/DB Herb Duncan, OL/DL Steve Houghton, FB/LB Jeff Savage, K Kenny Stucker, K Steve Videtich, WR/DB Wayne Wade.

• NASHVILLE – OL/DL James Baron, WR/LB Cory Fleming, OL/DL Carlos Fowler, OL/DL Robert Gaddy, WR/LB Darryl Hammond, QB Andy Kelly, WR/DB Jeff Russell.

• NEW ENGLAND – WR/DB Kerry Brown, WR/DB Charlie Davidson, DS Corey Dowden, OL/DL Tony Henderson, WR/DB Pierre Hixon, OL/DL Nate Johnson, FB/LB Daren Williams.

• NEW JERSEY – WR/DB Chris Barber, OL/DL Jerome Brown, QB Rickey Foggie, OS George LaFrance, OL/DL Otis Moore, OL/DL Matt Steeple, OL/DL Robert Stewart.

• OKLAHOMA – K Daron Alcorn, OL/DL Tom Briggs, OL/DL Chris Butterfield, OL/DL Eric Drakes, WR/DB Brian Greene, QB James Guidry, QB Jeff Loots, QB Ron Lopez, FB/LB Ron Perry, WR/LB Melvin Phillips, OL/DL Lorenzo Reed, DS Mark Ricks.

• ORLANDO – OL/DL Ernest Allen, OL/DL Webbie Burnett, WR/DB Bret Cooper, QB Connell Maynor, QB Pat O'Hara, WR/LB Stevie Thomas.

• SAN JOSE – OL/DL Howard Butler, FB/LB Derrick Chachere, OL/DL Sam Hernandez, WR/DB Tommy Jones, OL/DL Ramon Luster, FB/LB Leonard Nelson, OS Steve Papin, OL/DL Sai Poulivatti, WR/DB Jerry Reese, WR/LB Barry Wagner, QB Scott Wood, OL/DL Lucas Yarnell.

• TAMPA BAY – QB Ron Adams, OL/DL Terry Beauford, FB/LB Andre Bowden, WR/LB James Bowden, QB John Kaleo, FB/LB Cedric McKinnon, QB Mike Perez, WR/DB Lawrence Samuels, WR/DB Tracy Sanders, OS Larry Ray Willis, WR/DB Antoine Worthman.

Indoor Football League 1 Stories from September 28, 2000

• Around the Arena League - OSC Original by Kats Press Release

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