Top 10 Indoor Football Stories from 2008
by OurSports Central staff
December 30, 2008 - Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL)
1. UIF/IFL MERGER
The merger of the United Indoor Football and the Intense Football League dominated the indoor football scene most of the season after the two leagues came together to stage a joint championship game and then sped up a merger.
After a long quiet period, the IFL has released a schedule and hired Gary Tufford as Exceutive Director and Tom Bryan as Director of Officials to regain its momentum heading into 2009.
2. LOUISIANA FINISHES PERFECT SEASON
One year after a 15-1 season, the Louisiana Swashbucklers claimed perfection by going undefeated to win their second straight Intense Football League championship. There was some controversy when Swashbuckler coach Darnell Lee activated himself as a back-up quarterback for the team's two-game Alaska swing, but the Swashbucklers were dominant otherwise. The team concluded its perfect run by beating Corpus Christi on the road, surviving a tight semifinal game with Odessa then convincingly dispatching Corpus Christi again in Intense Bowl IV.
3. SIOUX FALLS WINNING STREAK SNAPPED BUT STORM WIN UIF AGAIN
The unquestioned success of the Sioux Falls Storm continued in 2008, even though on March 29th, the Storm lost to the Omaha Beef 34-18, ending a 40-game winning streak and giving them their first loss since 2005. They went on to win their fourth United Bowl later that season against the Bloomington Extreme
4. LOUISIANA MEETS SIOUX FALLS IN INTERLEAGUE GAME
The match-up between Louisiana and Sioux Falls in the first UIF/IFL championship game was hyped as an indoor version of Super Bowl I. Sioux Falls defeated Louisiana 54-42 in a tight game decided in the fourth quarter. The date of the game was moved back to allow the IFL to reschedule its post-season after one of its teams had an arena conflict.
5. SIFL STARTED UP
Regarded as one of the most successful franchises in indoor football, the Louisiana Swashbucklers stirred up the pot when they announced they were leaving the newly-formed IFL to spearhead the creation of the Southern Indoor Football League. While critics said it had everything to do with egos, Swashbuckler owner Thom Hager countered by maintaining it was a business decision and that the SIFL's business model was and will be more efficient and conducive to profit than that of the IFL. The SIFL set up shop in two former NIFL (Houma and Lafayette) markets as well as Austin (Tex.) and added a pair of Houston-based clubs. Many of the former Intense Football League front office staff have switched over as well.
6. IFL, UIF, AIFA, CIFL COMBINE FOR ONLY ONE CANCELLED GAME
For the sport of indoor football, having only one cancelled game IS a major story. The AIFA, Intense and UIF went unscathed. Only the CIFL regular season finale between Flint and Rochester was not played. The AIFA had to use a travel team once when Huntington players wouldn't go on a road trip.
7. FLORENCE PHANTOMS' RESURGENGE LEADS TO AIFA TITLE
A team that was in complete disarray both on and off the field pulled off the sport's best feel-good story when the Florence Phantoms overcame a 1-4 start and won the AIFA championship by dismantling the Wyoming Cavalry 48-12 before 5,000 fans in the Florence Civic Center. Omar Jacobs threw four touchdown passes and rushed for two more en route to MVP honors. After the season, though, both the coach and GM resigned, but GM Bennie King has since returned.
8. FRED JACKSON CONTINUES TO REPRESENT
Indoor Football's reputation has been enhanced by the play of former Sioux Falls Storm star Fred Jackson with the Buffalo Bills. Now in his second season, Jackson appeared in all 16 games, rushing for 571 yards and three touchdowns while catching 37 passes for 317. He scored the game-winning touchdown for Buffalo against Denver and finished the year with a 136-yard rushing effort against New England.
9. ROCHESTER'S ROTATING LEAGUES
The Rochester Raiders started the season in the CIFL, spent time in AIFA and finally settled in the IFL.
10. CIFL DOWNSIZES TO EIGHT TEAMS
The CIFL went from 14 teams to 8 for 2009 after losing some teams to the IFL and folding before regaining Wheeling and Huntington.
Southern Indoor Football League Stories from December 30, 2008
- Top 10 Indoor Football Stories from 2008 - OSC Original by OurSports Central staff
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.
