Information AboutPifl |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PROFESSIONAL INDOOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE | |
| defunct american football leagues | |
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The PIFL was started by Richard "Dick" Suess . Suess was deeply involved in football on the semi-pro/minor league level, and was editior/publisher of the Minor League Football News. In 1996, he began shopping around the idea of the PIFL, an indoor league created from the top minor league programs around the country. The league was finally formed in late 1997 and began its first season in 1998. The league offices were located in Las Vegas, Nevada . The PIFL was rife with problems from the start. The Colorado Wildcats changed coaches during the preseason. By the third game, many teams were in serious financial trouble and started forfeiting games. The Minnesota Monsters folded after Week # 5. Many other teams missed payrolls and this resulted in many players, including some of the best players, quitting. In 1999 , the PIFL would essentially "split" into two leagues. Keary Ecklund , owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs teams, and an owner/operator of Ecklund Carriers of Neenah, Wisconsin (a trucking company), would take his two teams and form the Indoor Football League (IFL). On January 4, 1999, the remaining teams of the PIFL renamed the league to the Indoor Professional Football League ( IPFL ). 1998 PIFL TEAMS
1998 PIFL FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
THE LAWSUIT: ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE V. PIFL In February of 1998, the Arena Football League sued the PIFL for allegedly infringing its trademarks, copyrights and patent. The PIFL answered and denied the Arena Football League's allegations. Late in June 1998, the Arena Football League filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction before Judge Harry Leinenweber in Federal Court in the Northern District of Illinois. The Motion was set for hearing on July 21, 1998. On July 20, 1998, the PIFL and its league members filed their response, which included video tapes and other evidence refuting the Arena Football League's allegations. On July 22, 1998, the day after receiving the PIFL's legal papers, the Arena Football League withdrew its Motion for Preliminary Injunction in a lawsuit in Federal Court in Chicago . This ended the Arena Football League's efforts to challenge the practices of any competing professional "indoor" football league and clarified that its patent essentially applied to its end zone rebound nets, not any and all efforts to play American football indoors. On November 12, 1998, The Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) and the Arena Football League reached a settlement agreement in the lawsuit brought by the Arena Football League against the PIFL for patent infringement. As part of the settlement, all present and future PIFL teams have agreed to honor the patents, trademarks, copyrights and net structure of the Arena Football League, and in return the Arena Football League has withdrawn its motion to seek a restraining order to prevent the PIFL from playing its games. Additionally, the PIFL has agreed to use the following disclaimer, "PIFL and its teams are not affiliated, sponsored or associated with the Arena Football League or any of its member teams," on all official publications. Professional Indoor Football League Commissioner Mike Storen stated, "The Professional Indoor Football League is happy to acknowledge the uniqueness of the Arena Football League's patented net system and method of play on the basis that this settlement will allow the Professional Indoor Football League to expand in an orderly fashion." PIFL PLAYOFFS August 7, 1998 - # 3 Green Bay Bombers 19 @ # 2 Madison Mad Dogs 46
1998 PIFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Sat. August 15, 1998 #2 Madison Mad Dogs 41 at #1 Louisiana Bayou Beast 42 F at Pete Maravich Assembly Center - Baton Rouge, Louisiana . AWARD WINNERS Following the championship game, the Professional Indoor Football League ( PIFL ) saluted its best with an on-the-field awards ceremony. Those honored were as follows: Most Valuable Player - Melvin Hill , QB, Louisiana Bayou Beast Offensive Player of the Year - Jay McDonagh , QB, Green Bay Bombers Defensive Player of the Year - Derric Coakley , DE, Green Bay Bombers Coach of the Year - Buford Jordan , Louisiana Bayou Beast Executive of the Year - James Shiver, Sr. , Louisiana Bayou Beast The Professional Indoor Football League earlier announced its 1998 All-Star teams as chosen by the PIFL coaches. The Green Bay Bombers lead the list with five first team selections, including top vote getter quarterback Jay McDonagh. He is joined on the offensive first team by teammates Chris Perry and Heath Garland (both receivers), Louisiana's Michael Lewis (WR), Chris Cloud (center) and Matt Huerkamp (kicker), Colorado's Rob Satterly (offensive line) and Utah's Matt Meservy (OL). Green Bay, Colorado and Madison each placed a pair of players on the defensive first team. 1998 Professional Indoor Football League All-Stars
PIFL EUROPEAN DIVISION The PIFL proposed European Division was set to kick off in November 1998 with teams in England and Ireland . A six-team tournament was planned for August 22, 1998 in Manchester , England. Terry Smith was the PIFL European League Director and was the head coach of the Great Britain Spartans . The Spartans were a very successful Europe an minor American football club, trying to move up to the pro level. The Spartans played two exhibition games in the US on April 27, 1998 at the Madison Mad Dogs and on April 29, 1998 at the Green Bay Bombers . They lost both games, 12-29 to Madison and 34-55 to Green Bay. The proposed European Division, however, never actually started play. RETURN OF THE PIFL The PIFL was trying to return with "The League of Dreams" in 2007. The league was originally going to begin play in 2007, but the owner realized that progress had not been made in time, so he moved it to 2008. "The League's base of operations will be located in San Angelo, TX. Our plan is to move the majority of the operations to Las Vegas within the next year." The final game of the '08 season had been renamed to the "CHAMPIONSBOWL I". The reincarnation of the PIFL has past on, as evident of the official website. [http://www.piflfootball.com (No longer active) |
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