Vipers To See Red at The MARK

Published on July 15, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release


DAVENPORT, Iowa – It has already been labeled as the "Biggest Game in the History of the af2." And as the undefeated Tennessee Valley Vipers (14-0) prepare to depart from the deep south in Huntsville, Ala. and head north of the Mason-Dixon line for their showdown with the 12-2 Quad City Steamwheelers on the main channel in The MARK this Saturday night in the Quad Cities, plans are underway to have the red-eyed Vipers seeing plenty of red when they slither into The MARK on Saturday to prepare for an all out "50-yard Indoor War" between the top teams in the af2.

All fans are requested to don red and wear it to the game. Appropriate noisemakers are also welcome, as The MARK will rock as the Steamwheelers roll.

A special contest for the "reddest of the red" will be conducted by Steamwheelers staff members during the first half as the traverse the seating areas looking for the finalists who are the reddest, wackiest and have the most-creative outfit on.

They will be brought down to the field at halftime for an on-field judging contest competition by Quad City area morning radio personalities Dwyer and Michaels of Q106.5.

The final winner will receive two 2004 season tickets plus a game ball from the historic July 19th game to be autographed by the team after the game.

They will also have their photo taken surrounded by the DeckMate Cheerleaders who will be autographing their Third Annual 2003-2004 Collectors Edition Swimsuit Calendar that will be given away for free to all fans in attendance at the conclusion of the game.

The largest crowd for a ‘Wheelers home game is expected as ticket sales for the contest are brisk and substantially ahead of sales for any game played at The MARK since the 2001 championship season.

One of the reasons that the league office has dubbed this game the "biggest" is in large part due to the Vipers current 14-game winning streak and the Steamwheelers 12-game winning streak. And it just so happens that these two teams happen to be the biggest rivals in the af2 as well.

The Vipers are looking to match the 2000 Steamwheelers record as being the only team to go undefeated in the regular season. That was the inaugural year for the af2 and a season that culminated with the Steamwheelers winning the first ArenaCup over the Vipers 68-59 in the games final minutes before a raucous, sold out frenzied crowd in The MARK of the Quad Cities. It created an immediate rivalry that has grown dramatically since that hot August night in 2000.

The Steamwheelers hold a 5-2 (including post-season play) edge over the Vipers, but fell earlier this season to the Vipers 62-59 at the Von Bron Center in Huntsville, Ala. It was last season that the Vipers handed the Steamwheelers their second home loss in franchise history with a 60-40 defeat over the ‘Wheelers.

"Anyone in the Quad Cities who has the slightest interest in football should not miss this game," head coach Rich Ingold said. "It's going to be a good one."

Steamwheelers Managing Owner/Operator Jim Foster has done some amateur historic research on pro football in the area and believes that this is likely the biggest pro football regular season game since the last in town meeting between the Chicago Bears and Rock Island Independents as members of the fledgling NFL at Douglas Park Field in Rock Island on September 20, 1925. In that game the two teams battled to a 0-0 tie.

Good seats are currently still available at $10, $8 and $5 at The MARK box office or through TicketMaster at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 563.326.1111.

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