Bauer returns as Xplorers Director of Player Personnel
November 8, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Memphis Xplorers News Release
SOUTHAVEN --- The Memphis Xplorers of af2 announced today that Chris Bauer will return as the team's Director of Player Personnel. Bauer and Head Coach Danton Barto assembled the 2005 edition of the Xplorers that won the ArenaCup and produced 11 players that have signed to play in the AFL for the 2006 season.
"We are glad to have Chris back for the 2006 season," Barto said. "I believe it was amazing what we accomplished last season. We put together a championship team with 11 players moving up to the AFL. Having a person with Chris' knowledge of personnel back in the fold will help us get off on the right foot in defending our championship."
Bauer, 37, will be entering his second season with the Xplorers organization and is happy to be coming back to help Memphis defend their title.
"I am excited to be coming back," Bauer said. "I enjoy working with Danton and, frankly, I am surprised that he didn't get a shot with an AFL team after last season. He should get a lot of the credit for being extremely innovative with player signings and creating the ideal af2 model for what this league is all about. We believe in signing young players with tremendous up-side that might only be with us for maybe a season or less. They come here knowing that they will have a good chance of moving up due to the fact that we have had guys go to every higher league and stick."
The process of putting a team together to defend the Xplorers' ArenaCup is underway and both Barto and Bauer are energized about trying to put an even better team on the field in 2006.
"Chris and I have already started the process for the upcoming year and I am excited about the players that are interested in the Xplorers," Barto said. "We got off to a good start yesterday with the assignment of a very talented defensive lineman in Jordan Brumbaugh and more assignments will come in the next several weeks."
"I feel good about our recruiting for next season so far," Bauer said. "Over the next couple of months, we will unveil the key components at key positions that will give us a good chance to repeat. We are excited that we might be able to produce an even better bumper crop of potential NFL, NFL Europe, AFL and CFL players than last season."
Bauer, a 1990 Bucknell grad, has extensive experience in the area of professional football personnel and scouting. In 2004, he was the Director of Scouting for the AFL Indiana Firebirds. He has been the Director of Player Personnel and Special Teams Coach for both the Mohegan Wolves and New Haven Ninjas of af2. Bauer began his football career as an assistant to AFL Director of Operations Jerry Trice in 1997. Two years later, he co-developed Arena Scouting and Personnel (A.S.A.P.), a league-wide bulletin that recommends future players. Following the 2004 season, he created S.C.O.U.T. which stands for "Sophisticated Computer Optimization Utilizing Talent."
Bauer has also met with front office personnel from the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins to discuss his proprietary salary cap and player performance models.
Bauer lives in Connecticut with his wife and three daughters.
The Memphis Xplorers...2005 ArenaCup Champions
The Xplorers will defend their Arena Cup Championship in 2006 and you can be in on the action. The season begins on April 1 at Tennessee Valley with the home opener on April 8 versus the Florida Firecats.
Season Tickets are available now and begin as low as $56. Don't miss all the action of the "50-Yard Indoor War." For season ticket information call the Xplorers office at 662-342-1755.
arenafootball2 Stories from November 8, 2005
- Wolves sign two from tryout camp - Manchester Wolves
- Bauer returns as Xplorers Director of Player Personnel - Memphis Xplorers
- Dusters Announce Next Free Agent Tryout Camp - Amarillo Venom
- Manchester Wolves Fan Appreciation Day - Manchester 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.
