Richmond Bandits
Encyclopedia
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. During that inaugural year, head coach Rik Richards, offensive coordinator Brent Williams, and line coach Steve Criswell led one of the league's most potent offenses and a defense that led the league in takeaways. Starting quarterback Will Burch led the team to a 4-1 record, including a 94-point outburst at Johnstown, before being replaced by Robbie Jenkins due to ineffectiveness in game 6. Damon "Redd" Thompson, Bryan Still, DeAndre Green, and Marcel Willis were the team's top receivers. Lawrence Lewis anchored the defense. The Bandits played their home games in the Richmond Coliseum
. Also affiliated with the team are the Bandivas, the dance team for the Bandits, and mascot Billy the Bandit.
Despite ending up 12-2 (second in the S.C.) in their second year, they were unable to agree on issues concerning the league and their rules. Their team owner stated that the Bandits will no longer be part of the American Indoor Football League http://www.richmondbandits.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=148&Itemid=2.
Because they were unable to join any other indoor league and there's was potential to bring back the Richmond Speed
, it's most likely that the Bandits have disbanded.
In their last year in the AIFL, WR Redd Thompson was named the 2006 Southern Conference Offensive MVP.http://www.americanindoorfootballleague.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=616&Itemid=2
|2005 || 9 || 1 || 0 || 2nd League || Won American Bowl I (Erie
)
|-
|2006 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 2nd Southern || Forfeited (Raleigh
)
|-
!Totals || 23 || 4 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
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, the Bandits defeated the Erie Freeze
Erie Freeze
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...
to win the AIFL's first-ever American Bowl, completing the year with a combined record of 11-1. During that inaugural year, head coach Rik Richards, offensive coordinator Brent Williams, and line coach Steve Criswell led one of the league's most potent offenses and a defense that led the league in takeaways. Starting quarterback Will Burch led the team to a 4-1 record, including a 94-point outburst at Johnstown, before being replaced by Robbie Jenkins due to ineffectiveness in game 6. Damon "Redd" Thompson, Bryan Still, DeAndre Green, and Marcel Willis were the team's top receivers. Lawrence Lewis anchored the defense. The Bandits played their home games in the Richmond Coliseum
Richmond Coliseum
Richmond Coliseum is an arena in Richmond, Virginia, where the SPHL Richmond Renegades played until the 2008-2009 season and the SIFL Richmond Raiders will play starting with the 2010 season. It is also the venue for various large concerts. The arena opened in 1971 and holds 13,500 people. A...
. Also affiliated with the team are the Bandivas, the dance team for the Bandits, and mascot Billy the Bandit.
Despite ending up 12-2 (second in the S.C.) in their second year, they were unable to agree on issues concerning the league and their rules. Their team owner stated that the Bandits will no longer be part of the American Indoor Football League http://www.richmondbandits.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=148&Itemid=2.
Because they were unable to join any other indoor league and there's was potential to bring back the Richmond Speed
Richmond Speed
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. In 2000, Richmond went 7-9 and missed the playoffs. ...
, it's most likely that the Bandits have disbanded.
In their last year in the AIFL, WR Redd Thompson was named the 2006 Southern Conference Offensive MVP.http://www.americanindoorfootballleague.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=616&Itemid=2
Season-by-season
|-|2005 || 9 || 1 || 0 || 2nd League || Won American Bowl I (Erie
Erie Freeze
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...
)
|-
|2006 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 2nd Southern || Forfeited (Raleigh
Carolina Bombers
The Carolina Bombers were a professional indoor football team based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. They would have been a charter member of the World Indoor Football League...
)
|-
!Totals || 23 || 4 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)