Hohensee leads Rush to ArenaBowl XX berth
June 8, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
LAS VEGAS - MIKE HOHENSEE, head coach of the American Conference Champion Chicago Rush, has spent 20-years in the Arena Football League. After two years as a player and 18-years as a coach, he leads his squad against the National Conference champion Orlando Predators this Sunday at Thomas & Mack Center at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
"It's been a long time coming," Hohensee commented at the ArenaBowl XX kickoff press conference on Wednesday. "The way we started the season no one really expected us to run the table."
After two years spent as the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Gladiators, one of the "original-four" teams in the League, he has spent 18 years as a head coach or assistant coach. Hohensee, the only head coach in Rush history, has taken Chicago to six-consecutive playoff appearances, including two Central Division titles (2002 and 2004) and four straight trips to the AFL semifinal round (2002-06).
Hohensee ranks third all-time with 105 AFL victories, and is only the third head coach in the League history with 100 victories. Right behind Hohensee in coaching victories is ArenaBowl XIX Champion Colorado Crush Head Coach MIKE DAILEY. Dailey and Hohensee have been friends for over 20 years. The two met 21-years ago on the coaching staff at Montgomery College-Rockville in Maryland. Both have spent a great amount of time on the same coaching staff's in the AFL before becoming head coaches of their respective teams today.
With the Washington Commandos in 1990, head coach Hohensee hired Dailey to be his line coach. In Albany with the Firebirds, Hohensee had Dailey serve as Offensive Coordinator for three seasons (1994-96) and in 1991-93 the two served as assistant coaches for the Firebirds.
Last season in the National Conference Championship game, the two best friends faced each other with an ArenaBowl XIX birth on the line. Dailey, the godfather to Hohensee's three children and best man at his wedding, was successful and his Crush team went on to win ArenaBowl XIX.
Going into the game an easily distraught Dailey shared comments with the Denver Post. "I haven't met a finer human being than Mike Hohensee. I have been influenced by a lot of coaches, but if there was one I had to put to the top who really helped me learn the game of football, it would be Mike Hohensee.
"Without him, I'm not where I am today."
Dailey will be in attendance this Sunday at ArenaBowl XX to see if his best-friend, Hohensee, can accomplish the pinnacle of the AFL coaching staple, an ArenaBowl Championship and the Foster Trophy.
Tickets for ArenaBowl XX are available at www.arenabowl.com and start at just $12 per ticket. This is the second-consecutive year Las Vegas has been home to the Arena Football Championship Game. For a complete listing of events and activities surrounding ArenaBowl XX visit www.arenabowl.com for more information.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 8, 2006
- Hohensee leads Rush to ArenaBowl XX berth - AFL I
- ArenaBowl XX quick hitters - AFL I
- Orlando Predators McEntyre named Al Lucas Hero Award winner - AFL I
- Sippio shining in postseason - AFL I
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