Pythons schedule set for 2005 campaign
Published on January 9, 2005 under United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Tennessee Valley Raptors News Release
Huntsville, Ala. â The Tennessee Valley Pythons will open their inaugural 2005 United Indoor Football home season against the Tupelo Fireants on Saturday, April 16 with a 7:30 kickoff at the Von Braun Center.
It will be the first of eight homes for the Pythons after they open the season March 18 on the road against South Division foe Evansville and visit the Dayton Warbirds on April 2.
The home schedule is highlighted by a midseason four-game homestand and a pair of home games to close out the regular season. The Pythons will face Evansville and Ohio Valley three times â twice each on the road â and host two of three games with Tupelo.
"We're going to have our hands full,'' Pythons coach Dick Adams said. "The quality of this league is something else and it should be a battle every weekend.
"The early road games are going to be tough, but we'll have some time to evaluate our program before opening up at home."
Tennessee Valley joined UIF with one thing in mind â stability alongside strong franchises that have long been established in the sport of indoor football. The UIF franchises â excluding expansion Dayton â have been the cream of the crop in their former leagues.
Tennessee Valley thrived in arenafootball2, winning four straight division championships and playing for the league title in 2000. The Pythons 2005 slate includes last season's National Indoor Football League champ Lexington and an Ohio Valley team that went 12-4 as NIFL division champs.
Peoria was a constant power in af2, winning one league title and advancing to the league championship last season. Omaha posted a winning record on its way to the NIFL postseason, as did league runner-up Sioux Falls, Sioux City and Fort Wayne.
"I think it's a great schedule,'' Pythons owner Art Clarkson said. "The road trips are short and that's nice for our fans that like to travel. I think we'll establish a great rivalry with Tupelo and Lexington will be a terrific trip.
"This is going to be a tough year in a lot of ways because we're going to face some veteran teams and seven of the 12 in our league have been in business for five years. It's going to be a challenge and we'll have to elevate our game to another level in order to be as dominant as before. We'll have to step it up to be competitive in this league."
TENNESSEE VALLEY PYTHONS
2005 SEASON SCHEDULE
Friday, March 18, 2005 7:00 p.m. @ EVANSVILLE BLUECATS
Saturday, March 26, 2005 BYE
Saturday, April 02, 2005 6:00 p.m. @ DAYTON WARBIRDS
Saturday, April 09, 2005 BYE
Saturday, April 16, 2005 7:30 p.m. TUPELO FIREANTS
Saturday, April 23, 2005 6:30 p.m. @ OHIO VALLEY GREYHOUNDS
Saturday, April 30, 2005 7:30 p.m. PEORIA ROUGH RIDERS
Friday, May 06, 2005 7:05 p.m. @ TUPELO FIREANTS
Saturday, May 14, 2005 7:00 p.m. @ EVANSVILLE BLUECATS
Saturday, May 21, 2005 7:30 p.m. LEXINGTON HORSEMEN
Saturday, May 28, 2005 BYE
Saturday, June 04, 2005 7:30 p.m. EVANSVILLE BLUECATS
Saturday, June 11, 2005 7:30 p.m. OHIO VALLEY GREYHOUNDS
Saturday, June 18, 2005 7:30 p.m. DAYTON WARBIRDS
Saturday, June 25, 2005 @ LEXINGTON HORSEMEN
Saturday, July 02, 2005 6:30 p.m. @ OHIO VALLEY GREYHOUNDS
Saturday, July 09, 2005 7:30 p.m. TUPELO FIREANTS
Saturday, July 16, 2005 7:30 p.m. OMAHA BEEF
ALL TIMES ARE CST
United Indoor Football Association Stories from January 9, 2005
- Pythons schedule set for 2005 campaign - Tennessee Valley Raptors
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