This article has an unclear citation style .(November 2024) |
No. 40, 53 | |
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Position: | Linebacker |
Personal information | |
Born: | Corpus Christi, TX | October 29, 1968
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Theodore Roosevelt (San Antonio, Texas) |
College: | Fresno State |
Career history | |
As a player: | |
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
As an executive: | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
2x NAFL champion |
Mark Ricker is a former professional American football player, coach and executive. He has played, coached and been part of the front office staff of several professional football teams and leagues.
Ricker attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was a three-year starter at linebacker. As a senior, he earned first team All-District and first team All-City honors and was selected to play in the San Antonio All-Star game. [1] As a wrestler, he was a two-time state finalist, two-time regional champion and would twice earn All-State honors, including a freestyle state championship. He was selected to the Roosevelt High School Wall of Honor for wrestling [1] A graduate of Fresno State, he was a wrestler and defensive back at the collegiate level in California. He wrestled at Bakersfield College and was a walk-on at Fresno State, before graduating with honors. [2] [1]
After coaching at the high school level in California and Texas, Ricker moved into the professional ranks by becoming part of the front office staff for the North American Football League. He would serve as a regional director and commissioner for the NAFL in 1998 and 1999. [3] [4] [5] He would then move on to become the director of football operations for the San Antonio Matadors of the Spring Football League in 2000. He then became the general manager for the Austin Rattlers of the North American Football League from 2000 to 2002. The Rattlers would win back to back NAFL championships in 2000 and 2001. [6] [7] Ricker would return to the field to play arena football in 2004. He would play for the Texas Thunder of the American Professional Football League and would then sign with the Waco Marshals of the National Indoor Football League [7] In 2007, Ricker was named the head coach and general manager for the San Antonio Steers of the National Indoor Football League. [8] [9] [10] In 2008, he would play arena football for the Wichita Falls Diablos of the American Professional Football League and the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League training camp tryout, but was not signed. [7] Ricker was elected to the Minor League Football Hall of Fame. [11]
The San Jose SaberCats were a professional arena football team based in San Jose, California. The SaberCats had been members of the Arena Football League (AFL) since 1995 ; and until 2015, they belonged to the AFL's National Conference. Over nineteen seasons of play, the SaberCats emerged as one of the Arena Football League's most successful franchises; at the conclusion of the 2015 season, the SaberCats boasted a lifetime regular season record of 198–98. Moreover, the SaberCats had won a total of four AFL Championships. Their lifetime postseason record stood at 19–12.
Freeman Coliseum is a sports and concert venue located in San Antonio, Texas. It has been host to thousands of events including the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, concerts, trade shows, motor sports, circus, professional sports including professional bull riding, basketball, hockey, boxing and wrestling. It was the largest indoor arena in San Antonio until HemisFair Arena opened in 1968. Since then, many top recording artists have made their San Antonio concert debuts at the Coliseum.
The San Antonio Riders were a professional American football team that played in the WLAF in 1991 and 1992. The team played at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio in 1991 and then were forced to move to Bobcat Stadium on the campus of Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, 45 miles (72 km) northeast of San Antonio, for the 1992 season after the San Antonio Independent School District refused to allow the sale of beer at WLAF games or the display of beer advertising at Alamo Stadium. In return, Riders ownership scrapped plans to fund $235,000 in renovations to the Stadium. In June 1991, SAISD officials announced plans for a rent increase on the Riders for the 1992 season. The relationship would last for only one season.
The San Antonio Talons were a professional arena football team based in San Antonio, Texas. They played in the Arena Football League (AFL). Their home arena was the Alamodome, following their relocation to San Antonio for the 2012 season.
John Dutton is a former Arena Football League (AFL) quarterback. He was drafted out of University of Nevada, Reno in the 6th round of the 1998 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. In 2005, he led the Crush to the ArenaBowl XIX title. In 2006, he was on the cover of the EA Sports first AFL video game, Arena Football, making him the first player to pose for the cover. He had been the backup quarterback for the San Jose SaberCats behind Mark Grieb. After Grieb's suffered a season-ending injury earlier in the year, Dutton quarterbacked the SaberCats to a 52–14 victory over the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVI. He was named Offensive Player of the Game for his performance. In June 2009, Dutton was signed by the RiverCity Rage of the Indoor Football League (IFL). On February 12, 2010, it was announced that Dutton had been signed by the Cleveland Gladiators.
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The Fort Worth Sixers were a professional indoor football team founded as 2007 expansion franchise of the National Indoor Football League. The team struggled on the field during its single season in existence. The franchise folded with the league at the end of the shortened 2007 season. The Sixers/Regulators were merged after a meeting with the NIFL league president, the Sixers had a name but no players nor staff Will Williams became the head coach and general manager/president of the Sixers Williams owned the Regulators who played under both names and in two leagues the APFL and NIFL. The NIFL was struggling to stay afloat entering the season, and was simply spread too thin after changing ownership and reorganization attempt before the start of the season. Obtaining home dates was one of the team's biggest problems, as most dates were taken for other events leaving the team to book dates on mostly Sundays with a couple of options Sunday dates were considered bad dates for teams traveling from out of state. Teams proposed by the league (NIFL) in Houston San Antonio and Dallas never materialized also causing travel issues as teams were spread out nationwide, and all mostly having issues preparing for the season, Beaumont was the only other Texas team and the Sixers and Drillers played twice. Both teams also played the Conroe Storm members of the APFL and affiliate NIFL member.
Robert James McMillen, Jr. is a former arena football fullback/linebacker and head coach. He was most recently the head coach of the Los Angeles Kiss of the Arena Football League (AFL). He played his college football at Illinois-Benedictine, and was an AFL fullback/linebacker from 1995 to 2007. He began coaching the sport in 2010, first serving as an assistant for the Chicago Slaughter in 2010, as an assistant with the Rush in 2011, before being named head coach of the Rush in 2011. In 2013, McMillen was elected into the Arena Football Hall of Fame.
Hernandez James "Hunkie" Cooper is an American former football player who was a wide receiver and linebacker for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League until his retirement in 2005. He was previously the wide receivers coach for the San Diego State Aztecs football team and currently is the Director of Football Player Development for the UNLV Rebels football team. He is a two time recipient of the Ironman of the Year award and was voted league MVP in 1993.
The Dallas Diesel is an American football team, founded in 1997, which plays in the Midwest Division of the Impact Conference in the Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL). The team is also known as the DTF Diesel. The team is the 2006 NAFL champion. The Diesel defeated the Nashville Storm 24-19 in the championship game played at the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in October 2006. Kicker Sean Riley was the leading scorer for 2006.
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Maurice "Mo" Purify is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is currently the wide receivers coach for College of the Redwoods. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Nebraska. Purify also played for the Georgia Force, Omaha Nighthawks, Arizona Rattlers, and San Jose SaberCats. Having scored over 150 touchdowns and over 6,000 receiving yards in his career, as well as winning four consecutive ArenaBowls with two teams, Purify is considered one of the best receivers in AFL history.
Kevin Guy is an arena football coach and former wide receiver and defensive back who is the head coach for the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He played his college football at the University of West Alabama, and was an AFL wide receiver and defensive back from 1996 to 1999. He has been a football coach since 2000, and first served as a head coach in 2000 as the interim head coach for the New Jersey Red Dogs. After being the defensive coordinator for the San Jose SaberCats from 2006 to 2007, he became the Rattlers head coach in 2008.
James Marcellus Kendrick was a professional American football player during the early years of the National Football League (NFL) with the Toledo Maroons, Canton Bulldogs, Louisville Brecks, Chicago Bears, Hammond Pros, Buffalo Bisons, Rochester Jeffersons, Rock Island Independents, Buffalo Rangers and the New York Giants. Kendrick was a part of the Bulldogs' 1922 NFL championship team and the Giants' 1927 NFL Championship team.
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Stephen Carr Smith is an American baseball coach and former pitcher. He was a pitching coordinator for the Detroit Tigers. He played college baseball at Baylor University from 1982 to 1983. He was the head coach at Baylor (1995–2015) and Tennessee Tech (2020–2021).
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Bryson N. Williams is an American professional basketball player for Petkim Spor of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the Champions League.. He played college basketball for the Fresno State Bulldogs, UTEP Miners and Texas Tech Red Raiders.