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The AF2 was the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like its parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup championship in August. The AF2 continued to operate while the AFL suspended operations for its 2009 season. The league was effectively disbanded in September 2009 when no team committed to playing in 2010, but several of the stronger franchises transferred into the reconstituted AFL.
The Green Bay Blizzard is a professional indoor football team based in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, founded in 2003. The Blizzard began play in the Indoor Football League in 2010, after having played the previous seven seasons in af2, the now-defunct minor league of the Arena Football League. They play their home games at the Resch Center. The team's logo represents Bruiser, the team mascot.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers were a minor league arena football team that played in the AF2. The team was part of the East Division in the American conference. The Pioneers were an expansion team for the league's 2002 season, and were the runners-up in ArenaCup VIII and ArenaCup X.
The Quad City Steamwheelers were a professional arena football team. They were a charter member of the AF2 and played their home games at iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois.
Richard Ingold was an Arena Football League (AFL) quarterback who played with the Washington Commandos and the Detroit Drive. He holds the all-time record for most career head coaching wins in af2 history, coaching the Quad City Steamwheelers and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, whom he led to Arena Cup VIII in 2007. His head coaching career also included a partial season coaching the Dallas Vigilantes of the AFL in 2010.
The Augusta Stallions were a professional Arena football team based in Augusta, Georgia. They were one of the 15 original teams to join the inaugural 2000 AF2 season. They started off in the American Conference, before switching to the Southeast Division in 2001, and then the Eastern Division in 2002. In their first year, Augusta went 13-3, made the playoffs, and had the best record in the American Conference. During the playoffs, the Stallions held off a very feisty Carolina Rhinos team that was looking to upset Augusta. During Week 2, however, they lost to the Tennessee Valley Vipers by a touchdown. Had they won, they would have played the Quad City Steamwheelers for the inaugural AF2 championship. In November 2000, Owner Frank Lawrence named Mike Hold the team's new head coach and Darrell Harbin the team's new general manager. Despite going 9-7 in 2001, Augusta failed to make the playoffs. In 2002, Augusta was on fire by winning 11 of its first 12 games, and made the playoffs again. This time, however, they would be stopped in the first round, this time, by the Macon Knights. Being one of the most successful franchises in the AF2, Augusta did the unthinkable, and bowed out of the AF2. Augusta & professional football was thought to be a tough combination to regroup. However, four years after the Stallions final season, the Augusta Spartans were made for the AIFL.
The Richmond Speed were one of the original 15 teams to join the inaugural 2000 AF2 season. They started off in the American Conference in 2000, before going over to the Northeast Division in 2001, then to the Atlantic Division from 2002–2003.
The New Haven Ninjas were an indoor American football team based in New Haven, Connecticut. They were an expansion team in the af2 for the 2002 season. On October 24, 2001, it was announced that Ninjas had won the name-the-team contest over Cyclones, Gladiators, Hawkeyes and ShoreDawgs. Along with the Ninjas, New Haven was joined by the Albany Conquest, Bakersfield Blitz, Cape Fear Wildcats, Fresno Frenzy, Hawaiian Islanders, Mobile Wizards, Mohegan Wolves, San Diego Riptide & the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. New Haven played in the American Conference of the Northeast Division. In 2002, the Ninjas finished 6–10, third in the Northeast Division. Still, that wasn't enough to play football in August. After the 2002 season, the Ninjas folded because the New Haven Coliseum closed, and the experiment for arena football in New Haven was done.
The Fort Wayne Fusion was a 2007 af2 expansion team in the Midwest Division of the American Conference. They played their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which was the former home of the defunct National Indoor Football League/United Indoor Football franchise, the Fort Wayne Freedom.
Marquette Dennison Robinson is a former American football defensive back of the Arena Football League (AFL). He now serves as the Assistant Defensive Coordinator and ( )for the Chicago Blitz of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). He last played for the Chicago Slaughter of the CIFL. He attended the University of West Georgia.
The 2000 AF2 season was the first season of the af2. It was succeeded by 2001. The league champions were the Quad City Steamwheelers, who capped off a perfect season with a victory over the Tennessee Valley Vipers in ArenaCup I. This is the only AF2 season lacking division alignment.
The 2002 AF2 season was the third season of the AF2. It was preceded by 2001 and succeeded by 2003. The league champions were the Peoria Pirates, who defeated the Florida Firecats in ArenaCup III. This is also the first time that both conferences have the same division name. It is also the only season where both conferences have four divisions each, a la the 2002–present era of the NFL.
The 2003 AF2 season was the fourth season of the AF2. It was preceded by 2002 and succeeded by 2004. The league champions were the Tulsa Talons, who defeated the Macon Knights in ArenaCup IV. For the first time ever, AF2 uses the six-division alignment.
The 2008 AF2 season was the ninth season of the AF2. It was preceded by 2007 and succeeded by 2009. The regular season began on Friday, March 28 and ended on Saturday, July 26. The league champions were the Tennessee Valley Vipers, who beat the Spokane Shock in ArenaCup IX.
Antonio Demetric Dingle is an American football defensive tackle for the Cape Fear Heroes of the American Arena League (AAL). He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers. Dingle played collegiately for the University of Virginia before being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. Dingle played for the Packers and Panthers in 1999. On March 25, 2002, Dingle signed with the Carolina Cobras. He has also played for the Rochester Brigade, New York Dragons, Tulsa Talons, Quad City Steamwheelers, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, Central Valley Coyotes, Florida Firecats, and Fayetteville Force.
Jay McDonagh is a former American football quarterback who played four seasons in the Arena Football League with the Buffalo Destroyers, New Jersey/Las Vegas Gladiators and Columbus Destroyers. He played college football at Western Michigan University. He was also a member of the Bologna Phoenix, Green Bay Bombers, Madison Mad Dogs, Quad City Steamwheelers, Colorado Crush and Bologna Warriors.
Samuel Clemons is a former American football quarterback who played one season in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Georgia Force and New York Dragons. He first enrolled at University of California, Berkeley before transferring to Western Illinois University. He attended Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, California. Clemons was also a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Rush, Dallas Desperados and Quad City Steamwheelers.
Cornelius Coe is a former American football defensive specialist who played four seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Indiana Firebirds and Los Angeles Avengers. He played college football at Northern Michigan University. He was also a member of the Quad City Steamwheelers and Peoria Pirates.
Terrance Dotsy is a former American football lineman who played four seasons with the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League. He first enrolled at Ventura College before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley. Dotsy was also a member of the Quad City Steamwheelers of the af2.
The Quad City Steamwheelers are an indoor American football team that began play in 2018. They played their first season as part of the Champions Indoor Football, and then joined the Indoor Football League prior to their second season. Based in Moline, Illinois, the Steamwheelers play their home games at the Vibrant Arena at The MARK. The team announced it would be dormant for the 2021 season due to the arena capacity restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
- ↑ "af2 announces divisional alignment". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. December 5, 2000. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
- ↑ Mike Vergane (August 11, 2001). "An Arena Cup Nailbiter, 55–51". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
- ↑ "Quad City repeats in rubberband battle". www.arenafootball.com/af2. AF2. August 10, 2001. Archived from the original on December 5, 2001. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
- ↑ "ArenaCup 2001 Boxscore". AF2.