Erie Freeze
Encyclopedia
The Erie Freeze was an American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania
.
They were an original member of the American Indoor Football League
in 2005, and advanced to the first AIFL Championship Game. When the league was reorganized into the American Indoor Football Association in 2007, they continued league play until the end of the 2007. Negotiations between the team ownership and the league fell apart in late 2007, and thus put an end to the franchise. They were replaced in 2008 by the Erie RiverRats, who relocated from Pittsburgh, PA.
Factoring in both the Freeze and its successor, Erie was the only market to have an AIFL and AIFA team from the time of its founding in 2005 until its breakup and eventual cessation of operations in 2010.
had one other indoor football team, the Erie Invaders
of the Indoor Football League
, back in 2000. The Freeze played well in the league's inaugural season, earning a 9-1 regular season record and winning a semifinal playoff game against the Canton Legends
. With the victory, the Freeze earned the right to host the league's first American Bowl (the league's championship game) against the Richmond Bandits
. However, the Freeze lost the game 56-30, in part because of six interceptions by quarterback
David Dinkins, who played much of the game with a corneal abrasion. Dinkins, who previously was on the roster of the Buffalo Bills
of the NFL as a utility player, was named the 2005 AIFL MVP with a 60% completion rate, along with 3,000+ passing yards and 812 rushing yards. In addition, head coach Mike Esposito was named 2005 AIFL Coach of the Year.
The Freeze took necessary steps to prepare themselves for another championship run in 2006, which included the re-signings of Dinkins (Quarterback), Johnathan Sitter (Center), JR Cipra (Kicker), Eugene Padgett (Defensive Back), Chris Blackshear (Defensive Back), and Donte Pimpleton (Wide Receiver). Despite signing a three-year contract extension with the team, Mike Esposito did not re-join the Freeze, instead accepting a job as the head coach of the Odessa Roughnecks
of the Intense Football League
, an indoor football league based in Texas. On Friday, January 6, 2006, the Freeze named Jerry "The Condo" Crafts
as the team's new head coach. Crafts played several years as an offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills
, and later for the XFL
's Los Angeles Xtreme
and the Arena Football League's Buffalo Destroyers
.
On Friday, March 31, 2006, the Freeze managed to set some records during their 62-6 onslaught over the Steubenville Stampede
. Freeze defensive back Sam Reynolds recorded a league regular single game record with four interceptions. Also, the Freeze defense recorded 9 turnovers and held the Stampede to a league low 6 points.
On Friday, April 7, 2006, the Freeze was handed their first regular season loss by the Huntington Heroes
, 55-33.
On Monday, April 17, 2006, the Freeze organization made a sudden change at the head coach position. Defensive coordinator David Arnold was named head coach for the remainder of the 2006 season. Today, he remains at the head coaching helm.
Despite a rocky second half of the season, the Freeze ended the 2006 regular season at 10-4 and earned the Northern Conference's #3 seed. Unfortunately, they fell to the eventual-AIFL champion Canton Legends 54-45. The loss made the Freeze 0-3 when they play the Legends in Canton, Ohio
.
For 2007, the Freeze took steps to resign some familiar faces around the Freeze organization, including Roosevelt Benjamin, Chris Blackshear, Shea D’Ambrosio, Manuel Johnson, Sam Reynolds, Dajuan Smith, and Darmel Whitfield. The team lost quarterback David Dinkins to the Pittsburgh RiverRats
, and signed Randall Secky (from nearby Bemus Point, NY
) to fill the void left by Dinkins' departure. The Freeze managed to sign Jovon Johnson
, a Mercyhurst Preparatory School
and University of Iowa
graduate. However, the signing was short lived as Johnson subsequently joined the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
The 2007 season was very difficult for the Freeze, and the team went from playoff contenders in 2006 to the bottom of the league, earning only a 1-13 record. The turnaround was so swift that Freeze owner David Hodas sent out an open letter to the fans thanking them for their support and begging them to stay on board.
Despite the description of the Erie market as "successful", after the end of the 2007 season, the league reluctantly demanded "significant changes" to the Freeze's ownership structure in order for their contract to be renewed. Hodas attempted to sell the team to a new owner, but paperwork problems caused the deal to fall through. As such, on October 8, 2007, the AIFA effectively kicked the Freeze out of the league.
The Freeze were expected to return in 2009 by joining another league (the CIFL was mentioned as a possibility). To compensate for the team being removed, the league arranged for the Pittsburgh RiverRats (who were seeking a new arena) to move from Pittsburgh to Erie thus becoming the Erie RiverRats, along with former Freeze members Dinkins and Cipra. It is assumed the Freeze has since folded.
The team played their home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena
(also the home of the OHL
's Erie Otters
). The name 'Freeze' referred to Erie's frigid temperature in the winter, and also the lake effect snow
from Lake Erie
. The team's colors were black and ice blue. Their official mascot was Freddy, a friendly snow-white yeti
wearing a black jersey, football pants, and boots.
| colspan="6" align="center" | Erie Freeze (AIFL)
|-
|2005|| 9 || 1 || 0 || 1st League || Lost American Bowl I (Richmond
)
|-
|2006|| 10 || 4 || 0 || 3rd Northern || Lost NC Round 1 (Canton
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Erie Freeze (AIFA)
|-
|2007 || 1 || 13 || 0 || 7th Northern || --
|-
|2008 || rowspan="1" colspan="5" style="text-align: center;" valign="middle" |Did Not Play
|-
!Totals || 21 || 20 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
.
They were an original member of the American Indoor Football League
American Indoor Football League
American Indoor Football is a professional indoor football league that has gone through various incarnations since 2005.The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the East Coast of the United States in 2005; after a rapid, and largely failed, expansion effort in 2006, most of the...
in 2005, and advanced to the first AIFL Championship Game. When the league was reorganized into the American Indoor Football Association in 2007, they continued league play until the end of the 2007. Negotiations between the team ownership and the league fell apart in late 2007, and thus put an end to the franchise. They were replaced in 2008 by the Erie RiverRats, who relocated from Pittsburgh, PA.
Factoring in both the Freeze and its successor, Erie was the only market to have an AIFL and AIFA team from the time of its founding in 2005 until its breakup and eventual cessation of operations in 2010.
History
Prior to the arrival of the Freeze, Erie, PennsylvaniaErie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
had one other indoor football team, the Erie Invaders
Erie Invaders
The Erie Invaders was a 2000 expansion team of the defunct Indoor Football League. The Invaders played their home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania. They made the playoffs in their inaugural year under Head Coach and General Manager Gary Tufford...
of the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
, back in 2000. The Freeze played well in the league's inaugural season, earning a 9-1 regular season record and winning a semifinal playoff game against the Canton Legends
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...
. With the victory, the Freeze earned the right to host the league's first American Bowl (the league's championship game) against the Richmond Bandits
Richmond Bandits
The Richmond Bandits were an indoor football team. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football League. In 2005, the Bandits defeated the Erie Freeze to win the AIFL's first-ever American Bowl, completing the year with a combined record of 11-1...
. However, the Freeze lost the game 56-30, in part because of six interceptions by quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
David Dinkins, who played much of the game with a corneal abrasion. Dinkins, who previously was on the roster of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL as a utility player, was named the 2005 AIFL MVP with a 60% completion rate, along with 3,000+ passing yards and 812 rushing yards. In addition, head coach Mike Esposito was named 2005 AIFL Coach of the Year.
The Freeze took necessary steps to prepare themselves for another championship run in 2006, which included the re-signings of Dinkins (Quarterback), Johnathan Sitter (Center), JR Cipra (Kicker), Eugene Padgett (Defensive Back), Chris Blackshear (Defensive Back), and Donte Pimpleton (Wide Receiver). Despite signing a three-year contract extension with the team, Mike Esposito did not re-join the Freeze, instead accepting a job as the head coach of the Odessa Roughnecks
Odessa Roughnecks
The West Texas Roughnecks is a professional indoor football team based in Odessa, Texas that plays in the Lone Star Football League. The team's nickname is a tribute to the oil industry, which has been the source of Odessa's wealth over the past century....
of the Intense Football League
Intense Football League
The Intense Football League was a professional indoor football league that initially began operations in 2004. Its focus was in Texas, but was notable for being the first professional football league to place a franchise in Alaska.-History:...
, an indoor football league based in Texas. On Friday, January 6, 2006, the Freeze named Jerry "The Condo" Crafts
Jerry Crafts
Jerry Wayne Crafts is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma for Barry Switzer and the University of Louisville.Crafts was drafted in 1991 by the...
as the team's new head coach. Crafts played several years as an offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and later for the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
's Los Angeles Xtreme
Los Angeles Xtreme
The Los Angeles Xtreme was a professional American football team based in Los Angeles, California. The team was a member of the XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. The team played its home games in the Los Angeles...
and the Arena Football League's Buffalo Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
.
On Friday, March 31, 2006, the Freeze managed to set some records during their 62-6 onslaught over the Steubenville Stampede
Steubenville Stampede
The Steubenville Stampede was an indoor football franchise, most recently a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. They played their home games at the St. John Arena in Steubenville, Ohio.-2006 season:...
. Freeze defensive back Sam Reynolds recorded a league regular single game record with four interceptions. Also, the Freeze defense recorded 9 turnovers and held the Stampede to a league low 6 points.
On Friday, April 7, 2006, the Freeze was handed their first regular season loss by the Huntington Heroes
Huntington Heroes
The Huntington Heroes were a professional indoor football franchise and member of the American Indoor Football Association. The Heroes played their home games during their inaugural 2006 season at the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse in Huntington, West Virginia before moving to the larger Big Sandy...
, 55-33.
On Monday, April 17, 2006, the Freeze organization made a sudden change at the head coach position. Defensive coordinator David Arnold was named head coach for the remainder of the 2006 season. Today, he remains at the head coaching helm.
Despite a rocky second half of the season, the Freeze ended the 2006 regular season at 10-4 and earned the Northern Conference's #3 seed. Unfortunately, they fell to the eventual-AIFL champion Canton Legends 54-45. The loss made the Freeze 0-3 when they play the Legends in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
For 2007, the Freeze took steps to resign some familiar faces around the Freeze organization, including Roosevelt Benjamin, Chris Blackshear, Shea D’Ambrosio, Manuel Johnson, Sam Reynolds, Dajuan Smith, and Darmel Whitfield. The team lost quarterback David Dinkins to the Pittsburgh RiverRats
Pittsburgh RiverRats
The Erie Explosion is a professional indoor football team. It is a member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League, and plays its home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania.-History:...
, and signed Randall Secky (from nearby Bemus Point, NY
Bemus Point, New York
Bemus Point is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The village is within the Town of Ellery and located along the eastern shore of Chautauqua Lake. The population was 340 at the 2000 census...
) to fill the void left by Dinkins' departure. The Freeze managed to sign Jovon Johnson
Jovon Johnson
Jovon Johnson is an Canadian football defensive back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League....
, a Mercyhurst Preparatory School
Mercyhurst Preparatory School
Mercyhurst Preparatory School, commonly called Mercyhurst Prep or MPS, is a Catholic, coeducational secondary school located in Erie, Pennsylvania. In the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, the school is located behind Mercyhurst College on East Grandview Boulevard...
and University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
graduate. However, the signing was short lived as Johnson subsequently joined the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
The 2007 season was very difficult for the Freeze, and the team went from playoff contenders in 2006 to the bottom of the league, earning only a 1-13 record. The turnaround was so swift that Freeze owner David Hodas sent out an open letter to the fans thanking them for their support and begging them to stay on board.
Despite the description of the Erie market as "successful", after the end of the 2007 season, the league reluctantly demanded "significant changes" to the Freeze's ownership structure in order for their contract to be renewed. Hodas attempted to sell the team to a new owner, but paperwork problems caused the deal to fall through. As such, on October 8, 2007, the AIFA effectively kicked the Freeze out of the league.
The Freeze were expected to return in 2009 by joining another league (the CIFL was mentioned as a possibility). To compensate for the team being removed, the league arranged for the Pittsburgh RiverRats (who were seeking a new arena) to move from Pittsburgh to Erie thus becoming the Erie RiverRats, along with former Freeze members Dinkins and Cipra. It is assumed the Freeze has since folded.
The team played their home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena
Louis J. Tullio Arena
The Louis J. Tullio Arena is a 5,586-seat multi-purpose arena, in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States....
(also the home of the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
's Erie Otters
Erie Otters
The Erie Otters are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League . Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, they have played their home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena since 1996...
). The name 'Freeze' referred to Erie's frigid temperature in the winter, and also the lake effect snow
Lake effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the leeward shores...
from Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. The team's colors were black and ice blue. Their official mascot was Freddy, a friendly snow-white yeti
Yeti
The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
wearing a black jersey, football pants, and boots.
Trivia
- Whenever an Erie Freeze player scores a touchdown at home, the song "Freeze Frame" (by the J. Geils Band) is played.
- In 2008, the Flint PhantomsFlint PhantomsThe Flint Phantoms were a team in the Continental Indoor Football League, playing in the 2008 season. They played their home games at the Perani Arena and Event Center, which was previously home to the Indoor Football League's Flint Flames in 2000, and the playoff home for the defunct Michigan...
played their inaugural game on turf bought from the Freeze. The turf still bore the Freeze name and logo.
Season-By-Season
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Erie Freeze (AIFL)
|-
|2005|| 9 || 1 || 0 || 1st League || Lost American Bowl I (Richmond
Richmond Bandits
The Richmond Bandits were an indoor football team. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football League. In 2005, the Bandits defeated the Erie Freeze to win the AIFL's first-ever American Bowl, completing the year with a combined record of 11-1...
)
|-
|2006|| 10 || 4 || 0 || 3rd Northern || Lost NC Round 1 (Canton
Canton Legends
The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football...
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Erie Freeze (AIFA)
|-
|2007 || 1 || 13 || 0 || 7th Northern || --
|-
|2008 || rowspan="1" colspan="5" style="text-align: center;" valign="middle" |Did Not Play
|-
!Totals || 21 || 20 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
External links
- Official Site of the Erie Freeze (offline)