Just for fun pick your top 5 greatest teams in order from 1-5!!! I'll start it.
1..MADISON COUNTY CHIEFS
2..SOUTHBEND STAMPEDE
3..MORGAN COUNTY BRONCOS
4..ALLEN COUNTY EXPLOSION
5..INDY TORNADOES
Madison county cheif
Morgan county broncos
stampede
south central broncos
Allen county explosion
but I'm partial I played for 3 of those teams. And probably should of put the old tornadoes in there.
SB Stampede(thee best)
AC Explosion
Evansville Vipers
Old Tornados
Cheifs
Been around awhile so i've seen some good teams.
1) stampede(never got beat by a team in
indiana)
2) Evansville Vipers
3) chiefs
4) xplosion
5) broncos
CMART!!
WHATZZUP?
That list is on point. Actually, the Stampede only lost to one team period in league play. D** the torpedoes. And by torpedoes, I mean COL. Love n hate 'em at the same time. :)
Great group of guys.
Anyone seen Robert Redd?
Hendricks
I would have to put the Lafayette Lions in that list. Thay bet the South Centrol Broncos like 2 or 3 years in a row when thay was on there winning streak!
Thanks
Dennis Morris
Long Snapper
Minor League Football News Hall Of Fame "Class Of 2009"
AFA Hall Of Fame "Class of 2010"
What's up Hendricks, Lewis here from the old COL. A few of us are still playing with the Ohio Valley Warriors, and our starting QB this year was none other than Robert Redd. He had a great year and led us to the championship game where we lost to Lima. We are headed to Florida in January to play a bowl game. Frazier, Marshall and Akins are all still playing with us here. Those battles we used to have were classic and the Stampede would take the #1 spot on my poll for sure. #2 on my list would be the 1995 Kokomo Mustangs who for part of the season were ranked #1 in the country. Chiefs would follow at #3 with Broncos a close 4. I would put the Tornados at #5, which may be a little low, but I have honestly not not seen them since their redevelopment in the NAFL and to judge them on their old FFL days would be an injustice as I know they have improved dramatically.
LEWIS!!! WHATZZUP!??
Good to hear from you! And great to hear about RR! Tell him I said hey.
Thanks for the prop, I miss Fraz and all those guys too.
I remember that Kokomo Mustangs team of '95. I was with the River City Rhinos with Brian Clawson that year and I hated playing them. Paul Carter right, left and down our throat.
If this were about Ohio, there are ALLOT of great teams there, but you guys are DEFINATELY at the top. Not only for play, but for how you guys were off the field also.
Hendricks
Kinda odd nobody mentions the Cutters they were champs in two different leagues and only one person said the Indiana Mustangs. The rhinos,xplosion,flyers, cardinals were some great teams too but the consistency was never there.
Kinda odd nobody mentions the Cutters they were champs in two different leagues and only one person said the Indiana Mustangs. The rhinos,xplosion,flyers, cardinals were some great teams too but the consistency was never there.
The Cutters were only the Champs in one league.
Mine would be:
1 Kokomo Mustangs
2 Indy Tornadoes
3 Lafayette Lions
4 Madison County Chiefs
5A Allen County Explosion
5B south Central Broncos
Thanks
Dennis Morris
Long Snapper
Minor League Football News Hall Of Fame "Class Of 2009"
AFA Hall Of Fame "Class of 2010"
nice to see the xplosion getting a little love. like most teams on the list im sure you felt hated by everyone during your winning times lol i know we were
There is a reason that the Cutters were not mentioned in this thread and there are a couple reasons,
First off the Cutters while having two very good teams never had a dominating team, they never had a season where they just flat out were above all the others. Perfect example of this was the 2010 Generals team who completely dominated every game they played this year yes the Cutters lost and keep it close but come on they were up 14-0 with about 4 minutes gone in the game and didn't finish the job those points were emotion points.
Second they won championships in only one league not two as stated, they won the IFL in both 2008 and 2009 BUT in both of those games they were close with them winning by one point both years and in 2009 had a missed field goal or a holding penalty not happened the Generals would have won that game.
The Cutters have never had an unbeaten season, their first year in 2007 they wound up losing in the semi-final game to the Adams County Patriots and finsihed with a 7-3 record with two of those losses coming to the JT coached Dragons.
In my humble opinion the best semi-pro teams I can remember since I started following semi-pro in 2000 are these teams now please note I said since the year 2000 I mean no disrespect to any team or any group of players.
These are in no specific order they are just who I think are the best.
Indianapolis Tornados
Adams County Patriots
South Central Broncos ( a very dominating team )
The Indiana Generals ( one loss in regular seasona nd preseason combined over the past two years. )
Lima Warriors ( what a game it would have been if they would have accepted the Generals offer to play. )
Noble County Wolfpack
Yes I know that is six but I put the Wolfpack in at the last minute they are surviving in a market with many teams they have good coaching and committed players and they are a very good football team in both their first two years.
I also want to throw out a special mention here to the Blitz team and organization they seem to always have low numbers and not much talent depth wise but they come play every week and they have a ton of heart.
I'll also throw this out I think the Indianapolis Tornados have an excellent organization behind them year in and year out, the Generals have done better the past three years but they seem to have a decent group or people supporting them now.
They don't get the sponsors they should but that may be their own fault.
That is a very good point about the cutters and I agree. But using that arguement txt arguement the patriots shouldn't be included on this list. Yes they had two very good years and some very solid years but their success is almost identical to the cutters. I'm not disrespecting either team I'm just sayn if you arnt going to include the cutters then you shouldn't include the patriots.
There is a reason that the Cutters were not mentioned in this thread and there are a couple reasons,
First off the Cutters while having two very good teams never had a dominating team, they never had a season where they just flat out were above all the others. Perfect example of this was the 2010 Generals team who completely dominated every game they played this year yes the Cutters lost and keep it close but come on they were up 14-0 with about 4 minutes gone in the game and didn't finish the job those points were emotion points.
Second they won championships in only one league not two as stated, they won the IFL in both 2008 and 2009 BUT in both of those games they were close with them winning by one point both years and in 2009 had a missed field goal or a holding penalty not happened the Generals would have won that game.
The Cutters have never had an unbeaten season, their first year in 2007 they wound up losing in the semi-final game to the Adams County Patriots and finsihed with a 7-3 record with two of those losses coming to the JT coached Dragons.
In my humble opinion the best semi-pro teams I can remember since I started following semi-pro in 2000 are these teams now please note I said since the year 2000 I mean no disrespect to any team or any group of players.
These are in no specific order they are just who I think are the best.
Indianapolis Tornados
Adams County Patriots
South Central Broncos ( a very dominating team )
The Indiana Generals ( one loss in regular seasona nd preseason combined over the past two years. )
Lima Warriors ( what a game it would have been if they would have accepted the Generals offer to play. )
Noble County Wolfpack
Yes I know that is six but I put the Wolfpack in at the last minute they are surviving in a market with many teams they have good coaching and committed players and they are a very good football team in both their first two years.
I also want to throw out a special mention here to the Blitz team and organization they seem to always have low numbers and not much talent depth wise but they come play every week and they have a ton of heart.
I'll also throw this out I think the Indianapolis Tornados have an excellent organization behind them year in and year out, the Generals have done better the past three years but they seem to have a decent group or people supporting them now.
They don't get the sponsors they should but that may be their own fault.
LOL
Thanks
Dennis Morris
Long Snapper
Minor League Football News Hall Of Fame "Class Of 2009"
AFA Hall Of Fame "Class of 2010"
If the thread is best ever in Indiana history my list would be:
1. Kokomo Mustangs 93-95 ranked in the top 10 even as far as #1 in the Nation for 5 weeks. Loss to eventual national Champs Racine Raiders.
2. Indy Tornadoes even before they won the NAFL Championship they were a solid team.
3a. South Central Broncos (very dominate team of their era. First team in Indiana to beat the Kokomo Mustangs)
3b. Lafayette Lions (mid 90's)
4. River City Rhinos (a split of the Mustangs in the mid 90's)
5. Madison County Chiefs
In this era:
1. Tornadoes
2. Cutters
3. Generals
4. Adam County Patriots
5. Bearcats
I have been following this thread for a few now just to see some of the different opinions. I think they all have merit but it's like trying to compare the Steel Curtain defense of the '70s Steelers and the Chicago Bears D in '85. Or the saying that that the 49ers of the 80's were better than the Colts or Patriots of the last 10 years. Even with all of those teams playing in the NFL they didn't play each other even 1 time to know who may have been the better team. Without some kind of commonality it's nothing more than speculation as to who the best teams in semi pro would be. But i'm going to give it a shot too. Just for fun!
My number one team over all would be the
Tornados from 07 or 08, sorry I can't remember which year they were so dominate they wouldnt have been beaten by any other team in this state.
#2 The '07 Patriots, we only allowed 1 team to score an offensive T.D on us during the entire MFL season(the Cutters put up 3 offensive T.D.s in the semi's and had a chance to tie it up as time expired)
#3 South Bend Stampede of 02 or 03, I played against them and they were stacked. I think they faced C.O.L. in the championship that year.
#4 S.C. Broncos during their 3 year streak. I never got to see them during that time, but, for a team to be that competitive for that long. . .they had to be good.
#5 Toss up:
02-04 Xplosion(Bulldogs),
08-09 Cutters,
06-07 Dragons
09-10 Generals
Indiana Mustangs, Vipers
I'm kind of basing my rankings on a 1 game head to head scenario. But again, its all subjective and just fun to talk about! If you think about it, there have been some very strong teams competing in this state for a very long time!
Here's to a future that can be just as fun!
I love this game
Wayne,
Hey buddy, how is ya?
Who were you with in '02-'03 VS the Stampede?
Hendricks
Brian, if I remember rite I was with the Mercer County Cougars. Can't honestly remeber if I was there or still with the Thunder. I've been hit in the head tooo many times to be able to remember much more than gettin handled by the Stampede and the grizzlies a couple times!
Well, you got revenge on me with the Patriots, and yeah, they rank up there with some of the best.
I do remember playin the Cougars. They had a HUge QB and we though he was like "Battleship Lorenzen" with the Kentucky Blue and all..
Ahh, to be young and handsome again. (well, I was never handsome)
Hendricks
I totally agree with you Dennis regarding the Indiana Mustangs of the mid 1990's and early 2000's, the Indianapolis Tornados of the mid to late 2000's, and the Lafayette Lions of the late 1990's as the best AAA teams in Indiana Semi Pro football history.
I also agree with you Shawn (Mustang 24) that the South Central Broncos, Madison County Chiefs, and the Allen County Explosion are the best AA teams in Indiana Semi Pro football historically speaking.
Mike Michelakis, OL/DL/LS
Butler Univ. Bulldogs '94 PFL Champs
Kokomo Mustangs '95 MCFL West Champs
I also agree with you Shawn (Mustang 24) that the South Central Broncos, Madison County Chiefs, and the Allen County Explosion are the best AA teams in Indiana Semi Pro football historically speaking.
Mike Michelakis, OL/DL/LS
Butler Univ. Bulldogs '94 PFL Champs
Kokomo Mustangs '95 MCFL West Champs
I started playing with the Lafayette Lions in 2001 the last year the Lions was in the MCFL we was (1W 9L Overall) (0W 8L League). We moved to a new league in 2002 the Original Midwest Football League and went (3W 4L Overall) (3W4L League) that year. In 2003 (10W 3L Overall) (8W 2L League)went to the league championship, 2004 (9W 2L Overall) (7W 1L League) went to the league championship, 2005 (8W 3L Overall) (6W 2L League) went to the league championship. 2006 we moved to the MidStates Football League and went (5W 5L overall) (4W 4L League). We then folded after that season. But the Indiana Mustangs with there body of work over the years are #1 by far!
Thanks
Dennis Morris
Long Snapper
Minor League Football News Hall Of Fame "Class Of 2009"
AFA Hall Of Fame "Class of 2010"
American Football News Hall of Fame "Class of 2011"
Thanks for clarifying Dennis, regarding the Lafayette Lions in the mid 2000's versus the late 1990's. I was thinking of the Lafayette Generals who were good at that time. The second version of the Indy Tornados of the 2000's were much better than the version from the 1990's, just like the Lafayette team was better in the more recent decade as you alluded to.
I played for the Indiana Mustangs in '95-'97 after my college days at Butler University from '91-'94. Of course in '95, we were MCFL Western Champs at 10-0 and #1 in the final AFA reg. season polls, and finished 12-2 overall. This followed the Kokomo Mustangs teams that were '93 MCFL Central Champs at 9-1 and 11-2 overall and '94 MCFL South Central Champs at 9-1 and 10-2 overall. We were MCFL Western runners up in '96 at 11-3 overall and in '97 at 8-4 overall.
Mike Michelakis, OL/DL/LS
Butler U. Bulldogs '91 & '92 MIFC Champs
Butler Univ. Bulldogs '94 PFL Champs
Kokomo Mustangs '95 MCFL West Champs
Hey Mike, I play OL for the Mustangs now. Coach Stamper has told us about that '95 season. Would have been awesome to be around then!
He said he met with some of the lineman from that season, says everyone is in great shape and tried to get them to come back and play!
Dear Soph 67,
Thanks for the invite back to play again. James has hit me up quite a few times to play again, via phone, email, the internet, or even in person when checking out games. However, I am enjoying "retirement" as a strength coach and personal trainer now. Thus, the name "former baller". Despite not playing any longer, I will always be an Indy Mustang at heart!
Mike Michelakis, OL/DL/LS
Butler Univ. Bulldogs '94 PFL Champs
Kokomo Mustangs '95 MCFL West Champs
How can there be a discussion of the five best semi-pro teams "ever" in Indiana without mentioning the Indianapolis Bears of the 70's. For more information on the Indianapolis Bears and the NAFL, I recommend reading "Semi-Football - Love Stories of the National Amatuer Football League" By Matt Schroeder.
