NIFL weekly report

by Rocky Larson
Published on June 28, 2001 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)

by Rocky Larson

The NIFL playoff picture is beginning to take shape as the season enters the final stretch. So far half of the eight post-season slots have been claimed while the other half is still up for grabs. Game intensity is reaching new heights as teams jockey for playoff seeding or simply to make the second season at all. This is what football is all about.

Games could hardly get much closer than what was experienced last week in the NIFL. The visiting teams turned the tables on their hosts and snuck away winning five of eight games played last week. Scoring was nip and tuck as the away squads averaged 41 points per game, edging out the home favorites by two points.

I broke even this week on my predictions, managing only a 4-4 mark. On the season that moves my fortune-telling accuracy to 68-28.

Friday, June 29th

• Mobile Seagulls (5-6) @ Tupelo FireAnts (5-6)
  At this point in the season both teams have little more to play for than pride and bragging rights. The Seagulls suffered a humiliating 44-2 stomping at the hands of the Tri-City Diesel, which eliminated their chances of reaching the playoffs. The FireAnts lost a close game to division rival Mississippi that, for all intents and purposes, ended their playoff bid as well. I expect the FireAnts will come out and unleash their frustration (and keep their mathematically tiny playoff hopes alive) by crushing the Seagulls. FireAnts win.

Saturday, June 30th

• Rapid City Red Dogs (10-1) @ Wyoming Cavalry (7-5)
  The Red Dogs have locked up the Pacific Conference title thanks to a Cavalry loss last week. Wyoming is suffering through a 3-game slide and desperately needs to right the ship in their remaining games. Hosting the red-hot Red Dogs isn't a comforting beginning. Expect fireworks from this match up and a Red Dogs win.

• Utah Rattlers (7-4) @ Lake Charles Land Sharks (8-3)
  This is the NIFL Game of the Week as the Rattlers travel to Lake Charles to take on the Land Sharks. The Rattlers are riding a 4-game winning streak (5 if you count a forfeit) and are stoked after beating the Cavalry last week on the road. The Land Sharks aren't a team to be taken lightly and recent skill-position acquisitions could take them far in the playoffs. Expect another shootout. Land Sharks improve to 9-3.

• Sioux City Bandits (4-8) @ Billings Outlaws (6-6)
  The playoff hopes of the Bandits were dashed last week at the hands of their hated rivals the Sioux Falls Storm. To celebrate their loss a brawl followed the game. (Other judges scored Sioux City the winner in the brawl, but I think Sioux Falls landed more punches.) The Outlaws almost pulled off the comeback of the season against the Yakima Shockwave last week but ended up being just short of getting the W. My prediction for this game: Sioux City will get more unsportsmanlike conduct penalties than Billings will. Oh, and Billing will win the game.

• O.V. Greyhounds (8-3) @ River Cities Locomotives (1-10)
  The Greyhounds have all but sewn up the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Conference and are now fighting for playoff position with the Johnstown J-Dogs. The Loco's just want to stop the bleeding. Expect both teams to do what they do best as the Greyhounds win and the Loco's don't.

• Mississippi Firedogs (10-1) @ Louisiana Bayou Beast (1-10)
  Mississippi controls their own playoff destiny for the remainder of their season. The Atlantic Conference title as well as home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is theirs for the taking. The Beast would love to play spoiler but, lets be realistic, that simply will not happen. Expect a beat-down. Firedogs win big.

• Johnstown J-Dogs (9-3) @ Louisiana Rangers (4-7)
  Johnstown can't give any ground to the Greyhounds if they want to keep their hold on the NIFL East. The J-Dogs are not at their best when playing on the road. The Rangers have dropped their last 3 games and would love to play spoiler this week. This game will be better than many people think. J-Dogs win but have to fight for it.

• Southern Oregon Heat (1-10) @ Yakima Shockwave (5-6)
  Things can't get much worse for the Heat. With player losses, financial problems and little success on the field there seems to be a cloud hanging over the entire franchise. Things are all sunshine and rainbows for the Shockwave though as they make a push for the playoffs. The Shockwave keep their hopes alive with a home win.

NIFL Power Poll

In the power poll each team is ranked from 1 to 50 by a panel of "armchair QB" NIFL experts. The scores are then averaged per team and ranked according to power. This week Jerry Hewitt of the NIFL fansite http://www.insideindoorfootball.com is supplying the commentary for the poll.

• 47.7 Mississippi Firedogs 10-1 Taking the number 1 spot away from the Red Dogs. A little higher scoring offense and stingy defense makes the difference.
• 47.3 Rapid City Red Dogs 10-1 Rapid City asked that we redo the numbers figuring a recount would put them back in the number one spot. Hanging chads don't count here, so number 2 it is.
• 44.5 Lake Charles Land Sharks 8-3 Lake Charles would like to know what it takes to be number one in the Power Poll. Our answer, remove Biloxi and Rapid City from the league. Sharks.
• 44.3 Utah Rattlers 7-4 Proving finally they can beat someone other than Medford or Yakima they get rewarded with a high poll ranking.
• 44.3 Johnstown J-Dogs 9-3 You have the best at 1,2 and 3, then the rest. Johnstown is good, but in my book, not a player for the ring.
• 43.3 Wyoming Cavalry 7-5 It's not easy being in the Central. Hard enough to stand up to the Sioux's, Rapid City, and Billings, but to have to deal with Yakima and Utah, well it's just not fair.
• 43.3 Ohio Valley Greyhounds 8-3 The best defense in the league, at least on paper.
• 39.4 Billings Outlaws 6-6 Another playoff hopeful.
• 38.6 Tupelo FireAnts 5-6 They just keep climbing in my book. Turnovers kept them from upending number 1 Biloxi, but playing close counts here.
• 35.8 Sioux Falls Storm 6-6 They used to look like champions, now just hope to have that chance in the 2nd season.
• 31.6 Mobile Seagulls 5-6 Heard in the locker room after last loss, "Can we start the season over?"
• 29.5 Yakima Shockwave 5-6 If all they had to play was Medford, Huntington, Monroe and Billings they could make the playoffs.
• 26.1 Tri City Diesel 5-7 Getting some credibility, with 2 points scored against them in the last two games, near the end of a long season. Forget the fact they're last two opponents have been Sioux City and Mobile.
• 24.0 Louisiana Rangers 4-7 Another one hoping for a peaceful end to a disappointing season.
• 23.6 Sioux City Bandits 4-8 The Bandits motto: "If we can't beat you on the field, we'll take it outside and see who's the winner!"
• 5.0 River Cities Locomotives 1-10
• 4.7 Southern Oregon Heat 1-10
• 2.7 Louisiana Bayou Beast 1-10 These bottom 3. If they were the only 3 in the league, still none would manage a winning record.

National Indoor Football League Stories from June 28, 2001

• NIFL weekly report - OSC Original by Rocky Larson

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.