Monday, December 7, 2009

Kurtiss Riggs Signs 3 Year Deal


The Sioux Falls Storm is pleased to announce that Kurtiss Riggs will be back for the 2010 Season of Redemption. Riggs has signed a 3-year contract with the Storm that will see him at the helm through the 2012 Season.

Riggs is entering his eighth year as Head Coach of the Sioux Falls Storm. Under the leadership of Riggs, the Sioux Falls Storm won four consecutive championships from 2005 to 2008. They also put together a winning streak of 40 straight games, which is the longest in professional sports history. In his tenure, Riggs has been named Coach of the Year three times, led the Storm to back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2006 and 2007, and has compiled a career record of 94-23.

"This is an exciting time for this franchise,” stated Storm owner, Todd Tryon. “Under Coach Riggs' leadership, we will be a major contender for the National Championship over the next 3 years."

Riggs began his indoor career as a player for the Sioux Falls Cobras in 2000 and continued playing as a member of the Sioux Falls Storm in 2001. Kurtiss began his coaching duties with the Storm in 2002 as the offensive coordinator, before taking over as head coach in 2003.

Kurtiss is a 1997 graduate of the University of Sioux Falls (USF), where he earned All-American honors after leading the Cougars to the NAIA National Championship in 1996. As a player, Riggs set numerous conference and national passing records.

In addition to his duties as the head coach of the Storm, Riggs has spent the past five years as the quarterback’s coach at USF. In that time, the team has compiled a record of 66-3, won two national championships and after USF’s 48-6 win over Saint Xavier University this past weekend, Riggs will go for his 3rd National Championship on Saturday, December 19 when USF travels to Rome, Georgia to battle Lindenwood University for the title.

Friday, November 20, 2009

TWO ADDITION TEAMS JOIN LEAGUE

TWO ADDITION TEAMS JOIN LEAGUE



Richmond, VA: In a new development this week, the Indoor Football League added two franchises to its recently expanding roster of teams. During a conference call on Thursday November 19, 2009, the IFL Board of Directors voted to accept the Arkansas Twisters and Tri-Cities Fever into America’s Premier Indoor Football League. “It is an exciting period of time in the young history of the IFL,” stated IFL Commissioner Tommy Benizio. “This was a rare opportunity to add two exceptional teams to the league and we are thrilled about what we feel they can bring to the IFL.”



The two new franchises will compete for the 2010 United Bowl along with the 17 returning teams from the 2009 season, and the seven expansion franchises previously announced. The IFL and its 26 franchises make up the largest indoor football league in the United States and is the second largest professional football league behind only the National Football League (NFL).



Arkansas Twisters

The Twisters are entering their 11th season of indoor football and join the IFL after competing in the af2. The Twisters have achieved remarkable success, making the playoffs in 6 out of the 10 years of their existence, including 2 championship trips. The Twisters will play their home games at the Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas.



Tri-Cities Fever

The Fever are entering their 6th season of indoor football and join the IFL after achieving success in both the National Indoor Football League (NIFL) and the af2. In their inaugural season the Fever won the 2005 Indoor Bowl Championship while participating in the NIFL. The Fever will play their home games at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Washington.



The 2010 IFL schedule and division structure is slated to be announced later in the month of November. For further information on these or any other Indoor Football League topics, please visit www.GoIFL.com or call (804) 643-PASS (7277).

Sean Treasure Returns for 2010!

http://www.siouxfallsstorm.com/news-mainmenu-2/1-team/161-sean-treasure-returns-for-2010

The Sioux Falls Storm is pleased to announce that Sean Treasure has officially signed on to lead the Storm running attack in 2010. Treasure will be entering his 4th Season as running back for the Storm. 2009 was a record setting season for Treasure with 812 yards in 13 games setting a Storm single season rushing record. The Storm veteran had a combined 32 touchdowns rushing and receiving. Treasure ended the season 2nd in the IFL in rushing averaging 4.0 yards per carry. "Sean is a workhorse and is vital to our success as we wear down teams late in the game," said Storm owner Todd Tryon. The Minnesota State University-Mankato alum finished second in the league in scoring in 2009 averaging just less than 15 points per game. Storm fans can visit www.siouxfallsstorm.com, and sign up to become a member of Storm Nation to be the first to receive all the exciting Storm news to come on.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Cory Johnsen Returns for 2010 Season!

http://www.siouxfallsstorm.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160:cory-johnsen-returns-for-2010-season&catid=1:team&Itemid=2



Cory Johnsen Returns for 2010 Season!
The Sioux Falls Storm is pleased to announce that veteran defensive lineman, Cory Johnsen, has officially signed to play for the Storm in 2010.

Johnsen will be entering his 5th Season as defensive lineman for the Storm where he is fifth on the Storm career sack list. 2009 was another standout season for the defensive lineman who finished the season with 11.5 sacks, 39 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and a safety.

Johnsen was notably named to the 2009 All-IFL 2nd team.

“Cory is arguably the best noseguard in the indoor game,” said Storm owner Todd Tryon. “We expect another All-IFL season out of Cory.”

The St. Cloud State University alum anchored a stout defensive line that ended 2009 with 41 sacks which tied for most in the IFL. They allowed only 52.9 yards on the ground per game.

Storm fans can visit www.siouxfallsstorm.com, and sign up to become a member of Storm Nation to be the first to receive all the exciting Storm news to come on.

Friday, October 30, 2009

T.B. To Lead Storm in 2010

The Sioux Falls Storm is pleased to announce that veteran quarterback, Terrance Bryant, has officially signed on to lead the Storm back to title contention in 2010.

Bryant will be entering his 6th Season as quarterback for the Storm. In his eight-year indoor career, Terrance has thrown for more than 20,000 yards and 416 touchdowns and led the Storm to four championships.

"I love the direction this bus is headed," said Bryant. "I just wanted to get on and get my seat."

The crafty veteran is coming off another outstanding 2009 season where he led an offense that was 3rd in the IFL in scoring offense (50.9 points per game), 3rd in the IFL in total offense (251.2 yards per game), and guided the team to 11 wins on the field. The Oregon State University alum completed 67.9% of his passes for 2,513 yards and 51 TD's in 2009. He also ran for another 8 TD's and threw only 12 interceptions on the year.

"Terrance is a big piece to this puzzle we are putting back together," stated Storm owner Todd Tryon. "We are counting on his leadership both on and off the field.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

IFL Tips its Hand

IFL posts it's geographic map for the 2010 season
http://goifl.com/teams/geographicmap/

I suppose it's "official" now the IFL adds six teams.

Amarillo
Austin
Richmond
Chicago
Green Bay
La Crosse

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Omaha Beef & River City Rage "Merge"

http://billingsgazette.com/sports/football/professional/arena/article_4686218a-bed4-11de-bc30-001cc4c03286.html

The Omaha Beef will have a decidedly different look for the 2010 Indoor Football League season following a 22-player trade with the suddenly defunct River City Rage, who played the Billings Outlaws in the inaugural league championship game in August.

The deal, which sent 15 players to Omaha and just seven back to River City, was confirmed to The Gazette by Jeff Sprowls, who was co-owner of both teams.

"It is just an outstanding business move" Sprowls said of the trade via telephone Wednesday morning. "There was nothing illegal about it. I talked to the 15 guys we traded for and asked if they wanted to play for Omaha. They all said yes, so we made the deal."

The league requires that the players involved in the trade sit out the first three games of the regular season.

"We do have a rule in the IFL that if you were on a team's 30-man roster at the end of the season and choose to play for another team, you have to sit out three games," said IFL commissioner Tommy Benizio. "We want there to be some continuity to our league."

The trade stems from River City's announcement last week that they will not return to action in 2010. Billings defeated the Rage 72-61 in the inaugural United Bowl on Aug. 15 at Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark.

Sprowls, who co-owned both teams along with his father and brother, said it was time to focus on running just one team.

"We had a lot of things happen in Omaha that shouldn't have happened," Sprowls said. "A lot of money was stolen and we just need to worry about running one team (Omaha)."

The trade immediately makes Omaha the early favorite to challenge Billings for the 2010 IFL title. The Outlaws went 15-2 last season to claim their second league championship in the past four seasons.

Omaha bolstered both sides of the ball in the trade, acquiring defensive backs Paul Simpson, Darnell Terrell, Cornieules "Pig" Brown, Byron Jones, Daryon Bruteley. The ball-hawking quintet combined for 18 interceptions last season.

The Beef also added first-team All-IFL linebacker Joe Bevis, who ranked sixth in the IFL in tackles last season with 721/2.

On the offensive side of the ball, Omaha added quarterback Ben Sankey - who will likely battle three-year Beef starter James McNear for the starting job. Sankey completed 62 of 97 passes for 699 yards and 21 touchdowns during the IFL playoffs, including a 225-yard, eight-touchdown performance in the championship game loss to Billings.

Wide receivers Luke McArdle, Tyrone Timmons and Shawn Piper will join Sankey in Omaha, along with running back Randy Bell. McCardle caught 22 touchdowns last season while gaining just under 1,000 yards (985).

Rounding out Omaha's pickups are linemen Anthony Harris, Richard Birch (DL), Joel Clinger and George Batiste (OL).

River City acquired Brent Hafford, Dorsey Golston, Harold Clewis, Zach Gradoville, Ricky Lebeda, Demitrius Wilbert, Johnnie Taylor in the deal. They were then released, along with the rest of the Rage roster on Oct. 15.

The IFL, which currently consists of 17 teams after River City and Saginaw announced they would not return, is finalizing expansion teams for the 2010 season. The league is expected to have 22 teams in 2010 and plans to announce the schedule next month.

Friday, October 9, 2009

This Week In the IFL

Ryan Minch, Billings Outlaw beat writer and blogger his opened his own blog.

http://thisweekintheindoorfootballleague.blogspot.com

Having his insight and connections are a true asset to the indoor football community.

IFL Likely to Lose Saginaw

Not a huge loss, but puts Muskegon on an island.

http://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw/index.ssf/2009/10/saginaw_stings_future_in_quest.html

A week before the deadline to rejoin the Indoor Football League, the Saginaw Sting have yet to state their intentions to the league office, raising questions about the team’s future.

IFL commissioner Tommy Benizio said Thursday afternoon that he has been unsuccessful in several attempts to contact Sting owner Mike Trumbull. The deadline for teams to join the league for the 2010 season is Thursday, October 15, and so far the Sting have not officially rejoined the league.

“Because we’re so close to the deadline and we haven’t heard from them, we feel it’s unlikely they will play in the IFL next season,” Benizio said.

Benizio said he has left several messages for Trumbull, after Sting management was not present at the league’s owners meetings in August. A message left by The Saginaw News on Trumbull’s cell phone Thursday afternoon went unreturned.

Matt Blase, general manager of the Dow Event Center, said the Sting’s lease at The Dow extends through the next indoor football league season, and that nobody from the Sting has contacted him about changing the lease.

Trumbull told The Saginaw News in late June that he planned to return the Sting to Saginaw, despite a net loss of about $300,000 in the 2009 season for him and partner Esteban Rivera.

The Sting played their first season in 2008 as an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League, and won the league championship. The team moved to the IFL last season, where they finished the season 3-11.

The scope of indoor football across the country has changed since the Sting played their last game. The Arena Football League suspended operations indefinitely in August, after shutting down for the 2009 season. A new league, Arena Football 1, has been formed to take the place of the old AFL, and will begin operations in March 2010.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Austin to Move to IFL

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3908170

The IFL adds a 4th expansion team for the 2010 as the Austin Turfcats move away from Thom Hagar's SIFL. A nice addition for the IFL's southern conference. This move leave each 09 IFL division plus one, pending any defections. The Storm have been mighty quiet. Rumors indicate a few snags along the road of transition, but hopefully nothing that won't get themselves worked out.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Storm Website Gets New Owner, Look

Visited http://siouxfallsstorm.com the other day, and appears it's under construction and has a new owner. Tom Slattery, owner of ultimatestormfan.com and dear friend of Section O has taken over operations.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

BIllings Outlaws win IFL title

The Billings Outlaws completed their predictable, rather easy run to the IFL title when they knocked off a very game River City Rage squad 71-62 in Billings Saturday afternoon. As much as I'm sure the Outlaw fans and player would have preferred to face Sioux Falls again, the Storm's front office missteps early in the season prevented that from happening. Congratulations are in order to Billings. They had a great season loosing only twice, both on the road in Omaha.

Rumors are flying around about what teams will wind up in what leagues next season. if the IFL management is worth a damn, they'll do well do have a next season without loosing any teams, and adding their reported expansion teams.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

IFL adds LaCrosse

LaCrosse, WI signs letter of intent to play in the IFL, awaits league approval. They join Wasilla, AK and Richmond, VA as potential new teams for the IFL next season.


http://www.lacrossespartans.com

http://www.wkbt.com/global/story.asp?s=10856439

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2009/08/06/news/00lead.txt


They fit very nicely into the IFL's current footprint with Sioux Falls, Sioux City, and Bloomington being within 6 hours by car.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Section O Blog

Greetings, welcome to the future 2010 home of the Section O Blog. With the 2009 Indoor Football League one game away from completion, and what could be the most tumultuous off season in recent history ahead of us, I'm hoping to use this space as therapy during the off-season.

The 2009 IFL season had more downs than ups, especially if your a Sioux Falls Storm fan like me. But regardless of what's happened this season it will culminate with the August 15th United Bowl '09. The Billings Outlaws will host the River City Rage in a 2pm kickoff from the Rimrock Auto Arena in Billings, Montana.