History of the Arena Football League in Chicago

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The Chicago metropolitan area was also home to the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League, who played at Allstate Arena in Rosemont. The Rush won its first championship in 2006, ArenaBowl XX. [1] Chicago was also home to the Chicago Bruisers from 1987 to 1989, an original team in the AFL's inaugural season in 1987. The Bruisers hosted ArenaBowl II. [2] [3]

The Chicago Rush has been a member of the Arena Football League since 2001, and won ArenaBowl XX, playing in suburban Rosemont, although they now played in Rockford, as of 2013. The team has been defunct since 2013.

Chicago Politicians (1986)

The Chicago Politicians were a team formed in 1986 by Arena Football League founder Jim Foster to play an initial "test game" in Rockford, Illinois, at the MetroCentre. They were defeated by the Rockford Metros, 30–18. The test was deemed successful, as a four-team "demonstration season" was held the next year, and Arena football has been played every year since, although the original Arena Football League itself ceased operations after its 2008 season, and the current organization of that name bought the rights to it in bankruptcy proceedings. Some of the Politicians, went on to play for the Chicago Bruisers and the other charter AFL teams, the Denver Dynamite, Pittsburgh Gladiators, and Washington Commandos.

Chicago Bruisers (1987–1989)

The Bruisers were an outgrowth of the Chicago Politicians, a team put together by Jim Foster to play an exhibition game to prove the feasibility of the sport the previous year. The team logo depicted a bulldog. One of the founders of the Bruisers was former Chicago Bears linebacker and WSCR host Doug Buffone.

The Bruisers were part of the 1987 "Showcase Game", losing to the Miami Vise by a score of 33–30.

The Bruisers took a chance with a young team that averaged 25 years of age. [4] The Bruisers' lost their first game in franchise history, 44–52 in overtime, to the Denver Dynamite. [5] The Bruisers struggled in their second game, giving up 45 points in the first half before losing 23–60 to the Pittsburgh Gladiators. [6] Despite getting off to a 2–3 start, the Bruisers had an opportunity to make it to ArenaBowl I with a win in the final week of the season against the Dynamite. [7] The Bruisers however would lose 35–52. They finished with a record of 2–4 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Chicago Rush (2001–2013)

The Rush made its AFL debut in 2001. The team played its home games at the Allstate Arena (formerly known as the Rosemont Horizon), the same venue previously used by the Chicago Bruisers, one of the four original Arena Football League teams.

The Rush have made the playoffs every year in the franchise's short history, and so far, they have made one ArenaBowl appearance. Mike Hohensee was the franchise's first coach, and he remained the Rush's only coach until becoming the head coach of the Philadelphia Soul in 2011. One year after, Hohensee left the Soul to coach the Iowa Barnstormers.

In their inaugural year (2001), the Rush finished the regular season 7–7 and won their very first playoff game, beating the Orlando Predators 41–26, but lost to the eventual ArenaBowl XV champion Grand Rapids Rampage 53–21. The team featured young players that would become Rush fixtures and fan favorites in the years to come, such as quarterback Billy Dicken, Joe Douglass, Damien Porter and Jamie McGourty, and Riley Kleinhesselink, Cedric Walker, and Anthony Ladd.

In 2006, despite their first losing record of 7–9, the Rush got into the playoffs, receiving the #5 seed in the American Conference.

In the off-season, signed former Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Bishop and Matt D'Orazio to fight to be the team's starting quarterback, and D'Orazio got the game. During the regular season, Chicago started the year at 0–2, but during the season, the Rush picked up defensive back Jeremy Unertl and offensive specialist Bobby Sippio. Both made huge impacts on their respective sides of the ball.

With a 5–9 record, the Rush won its last two games of the regular season to get a playoff spot. In the playoffs, the Rush managed to pull off key upsets. In the Wild Card Round, the Rush defeated the fourth-seeded Nashville Kats 55–47. In the Divisional Round, Chicago managed to pull off a huge upset by taking down the defending champion Colorado Crush, 63–46. In the Conference Championship they upset the second-seeded San Jose SaberCats 59–56, giving the Rush their very first ArenaBowl appearance in franchise history.

In ArenaBowl XX, the Rush defeated the Orlando Predators, 69–61, to give Chicago their first Arena Bowl title. Quarterback Matt D'Orazio was Offensive Player of the Game, wide receiver/defensive back Dennison Robinson took Defensive Player of the Game honors, and fullback/linebacker Bob McMillen was named the Ironman of the Game. With the win, the Rush became the first team with a losing regular-season record to win a championship in any sport since the 1937–38 Chicago Blackhawks.

In 2009, the Arena Football League suspended operations to refinance and restructure its business plan. After a one-year layoff, the AFL and Chicago Rush returned in 2010 with a single entity model. On December 10, 2009, it was announced that the Rush would be returning for 2010 under new ownership as a member of Arena Football 1. The ownership obtained the rights to the name after a court auction granted the AF1 control of the AFL's assets. Two months later, the AF1 decided to adopt the former Arena Football League name.

The 2010 Rush roster would feature many new faces. However, former Rush players quarterback Russ Michna, jack linebacker/wide receiver DeJuan Alfonzo, and linemen Joe Peters, Robert Boss, and Beau Elliot rejoined the team. Also on the roster was wide receiver Samie Parker, Thaddeus Coleman, and kicker Chris Gould.

Chicago returned to the field on April 2, 2010 on the road against the Iowa Barnstormers. The game was broadcast on the NFL Network and Chicago won 61–43. The Rush began the season 4–0 and were in first place in the division at 10–4. However, the team lost its last two games, first to the 1–13 Dallas Vigilantes and then closed out the year on the road losing to the Spokane Shock. It cost the team a chance at the division title and forced the team to go on the road for the playoffs. The team ended the regular season at 10–6, and lost to the Milwaukee Iron in the playoffs.

On November 12, 2012, the Chicago Rush were purchased by a group, headed by Julee White of Testarossa Entertainment, [8] but the purchase was terminated by the AFL three months later due to the ownership's failure to meet league obligations. [9]

On February 7, 2013, the Rush were purchased by Star Rush Football, LLC, an ownership led by private-equity firm manager David Staral Jr. [10] Weeks later, they finalized a deal with Allstate Arena in Rosemont to play all but two home games. [11] The other two home games (June 8 against the Utah Blaze and June 15 versus the San Antonio Talons) will be played at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, Illinois, which hosted the first "test game" for the AFL in 1986. [12] One week before the season opener, the new ownership group introduced the team's new logo and uniforms, which removed the gray from the logo and replaced it with red. [13]

In May 2013, David Staral Jr. bounced a check needed to secure Allstate Arena for two upcoming home games. Upon the news, the AFL took over control of the franchise. [14] Staral later pleaded guilty to Federal bankruptcy and wire fraud charges for concealing that he was undergoing bankruptcy proceedings while in negotiations to buy the team. [15]

On August 1, 2013 the Rush traveled to Spokane, Washington to play the 14-4 Spokane Shock in the first round of the AFL playoffs. They lost to Spokane, 69–47. Three costly turnovers in the fourth quarter sealed the deal. Spokane went on to win another playoff game.

The league has announced that the Rush did not sign a two-year commitment form to play in 2014 or 2015, thus will sit out until further notice. The team's roster was liquidated in a dispersal draft.

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Massachusetts Marauders Arena football team

The Massachusetts Marauders were a professional arena football team that was based in Worcester, Massachusetts. They were a member of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 1988 to 1994. The team was established in Detroit in 1988, as the Detroit Drive and was a member of the AFL in 1988 and in all subsequent years through 1993. The club then moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1994 and played in that city through the end of the 1994 season.

Chicago Rush Arena football team

The Chicago Rush were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. The team played at the Allstate Arena from 2001 to 2013. They were a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League (AFL). Founded in 2001, the team qualified for the playoffs 11 out of 12 seasons and won one AFL championship, ArenaBowl XX in 2006. During their history, the Rush won five divisional titles and competed in the AFL Conference Championship six times, including four consecutive appearances from 2004 to 2007. They also had the largest market in the AFL.

Chicago Bruisers Arena football team

The Chicago Bruisers were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They were founded in 1987 as a charter member of the Arena Football League (AFL). They played their home games at Rosemont Horizon.

Allstate Arena Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, U.S.

Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and Interstate 90, adjacent to the city limits of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened in 1980 as the Rosemont Horizon and seats 17,500 for basketball and 16,692 for ice hockey.

Spokane Shock Arena football team

The Spokane Shock were a professional indoor American football team based in Spokane, Washington, that played their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The team was initially a member of arenafootball2 (af2), the Shock won division titles in all four seasons and ArenaCups in 2006 and 2009 before they joined the Arena Football League (AFL) in its 2010 relaunch. The team advanced to the playoffs three times after joining the AFL, winning ArenaBowl XXIII in their first season, making them the only arena football franchise to win both the ArenaCup and the ArenaBowl.

Mike Hohensee American gridiron football player and coach (born 1961)

Michael Louis Hohensee is a former professional football quarterback who played in the United States Football League, Canadian Football League, National Football League and Arena Football League. He most recently the head coach of the AFL's Portland Thunder. He played college football at the University of Minnesota, and was in the AFL for two seasons, from 1987 to 1988. Hohensee has been a head coach since 1990, beginning at the Washington Commandos. He has served as head coach of eight different arena football franchises, winning ArenaBowl XX with the Chicago Rush in 2006.

Matthew Louis D’Orazio is a former American football quarterback who played in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football at Otterbein College.

ArenaBowl XX

ArenaBowl XX, held on Sunday, June 11, 2006, was played to determine the championship of the 2006 season of the Arena Football League (AFL). For the second consecutive year, the game was played at the neutral site of the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. It pitted the National Conference Champions, the Orlando Predators, against the American Conference Champions, the Chicago Rush. The Chicago Rush won 69–61. This game was televised on AFL on NBC, and was the final game played under the AFL's contract with NBC.

Sports in Chicago

Sports in Chicago include many professional sports teams. Chicago is one of ten U.S. cities to have teams from the five major American professional team sports. Chicago has been named as the "Best Sports City" by Sporting News three times in 1993, 2006 and 2010.

The 1987 Arena Football League season was the first season, also known as the "demonstration season", of the Arena Football League (AFL). The league champions were the Denver Dynamite, who defeated the Pittsburgh Gladiators in ArenaBowl I.

Russ Michna American gridiron football player (born 1981)

Russell Walter Michna is a former arena football quarterback. A two-time league champion of the United Football League (UFL), he is the only player that has been signed to a team in every current major professional football league: National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), UFL and AFL. Michna also played in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL).

ArenaBowl XXII

ArenaBowl XXII was played on July 27, 2008 at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was the 22nd and final championship game in the history of the original Arena Football League. This was the fourth neutral site ArenaBowl in AFL history and the second ArenaBowl in the state of Louisiana. It was the last ArenaBowl before the AFL's economic suspension, until 2010 when the AFL was reformed, continuing on with ArenaBowl XXIII.

The 2010 Chicago Rush season was the tenth season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Mike Hohensee and played their home games at Allstate Arena. For the 10th consecutive season, the Rush qualified for the playoffs. In the conference semifinals, they lost to the Milwaukee Iron, 54–64.

Pittsburgh Power Arena football team

The Pittsburgh Power were a professional arena football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The team belonged to the East Division of the American Conference (AC) in the Arena Football League (AFL). Founded in 2011, the Power was the youngest franchise in the AC. The team played its home games at the Consol Energy Center, which they shared with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. The Power shared the same color scheme as Pittsburgh's other professional sports teams, the Penguins, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, and the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball.

The 2011 Chicago Rush season was the 10th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Bob McMillen and played their home games at Allstate Arena. The Rush finished the regular season 13–5, qualifying for the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. As the 2nd seed, they defeated the Dallas Vigilantes 54–41 in the conference semifinals before losing to the Arizona Rattlers 48–54 in the conference championship.

The 2013 Chicago Rush season was the 12th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Bob McMillen and played their last few home games at BMO Harris Bank Center. The team's first five home games were played at Allstate Arena. The Rush won their division with a 10–8 record, but fell in the conference semifinals by a 69–47 score to the Spokane Shock.

Jim Foster, a promotions manager with the National Football League (NFL), conceived the idea of indoor football while watching an indoor association football match at Madison Square Garden in 1981. While at the game, he wrote his idea on a 9x12 envelope from his briefcase with sketches of the field and notes on gameplay. He presented the idea to a few friends at the NFL offices, where he received praise and encouragement for his concept. After solidifying the rules and business plan, supplemented with sketches by a professional artist, Foster presented his idea to various television networks; he reached an agreement with NBC for a "test game".

Outside of the NFL, the city was represented by the Pittsburgh Americans of the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. It was also briefly represented by the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League, in 1984, and the Pittsburgh Gladiators, of the Arena Football League from 1987 until 1990. A second Arena Football League team, the Pittsburgh Power, played in the Consol Energy Center from 2011 until 2014.

References

  1. ↑ "ArenaBowl XX - Arizona Sports Fans Network". Arizonasportsfans.com. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
  2. ↑ "Chicago Bruisers Team History - 1988". ArenaFan.com. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
  3. ↑ "AFL Box Score: ArenaBowl II - Detroit Drive @ Chicago Bruisers (Jul 30, 1988)". ArenaFan.com. 1988-07-30. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
  4. ↑ "And Now, Your Chicago Bruisers". Chicago Tribune. June 16, 1987. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  5. ↑ Linda Young (June 22, 1987). "So Far, So Good For Arena Football". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  6. ↑ Linda Young (June 28, 1987). "Pittsburgh Bombs Bruisers". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Arena Football Officials Truly A Calculating Bunch". Chicago Tribune. July 24, 1987. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  8. ↑ "New ownership group takes over Chicago Rush". Daily Herald. November 21, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  9. ↑ Danny Ecker (January 31, 2013). "Chicago Rush owner out after less than three months". www.chicagobusiness.com. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  10. ↑ AFL approves new owner for Chicago Rush, The Daily Herald, February 8, 2013
  11. ↑ Chicago Rush to play at Allstate Arena this season, Danny Ecker, ChicagoBusiness.com, February 27, 2013
  12. ↑ Chicago Rush to play 2 Arena League football games in Rockford, Matt Trowbridge, Rockford Register Star, March 1, 2013
  13. ↑ Danny Ecker (March 18, 2013). "Chicago Rush unveil new jerseys, colors". www.chicagobusiness.com. Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  14. ↑ Robert Channick (May 8, 2013). "Chicago Rush owner ousted by league, which takes over team". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  15. ↑ Lee, William (April 6, 2016). "Ex-Chicago Rush owner pleads guilty to federal fraud charges". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
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