Orlando Predators
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Orlando Predators | ||
|
||
| Conference | National | |
| Division | Southern | |
| Year founded | 1991 | |
| Home arena | Hummer Field at Amway Arena | |
| City, State | Orlando, Florida | |
| Wild card titles | 8: 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 |
|
| Division titles | 7: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2006 |
|
| Conference titles | 7: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006 |
|
| ArenaBowl championships | 2: 1998, 2000 |
|
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Orlando Predators franchise was awarded by the AFL to Davey Johnson, Tracy Allen and Michael McBath on February 28, 1991, and began play that same year, the only year so far that they missed the playoffs. Annually among the league-leaders in attendance, they have qualified for the playoffs 15 consecutive years and have posted 15 consecutive winning seasons, currently (2006) the longest active streak in the AFL. They are currently coached by Jay Gruden, younger brother of prominent National Football League coach Jon Gruden. Jay Gruden was formerly an outstanding Arena Football quarterback, leading the Tampa Bay Storm to four ArenaBowl championships, and then served one year as offensive coordinator for the Nashville Kats prior to becoming head coach of the Predators. Jay was the first quarterback in the AFL Hall of Fame. Orlando won the ArenaBowl in 1998 and 2000 under Gruden's coaching. He then attempted a comeback as a player, but subsequently returned to coaching following the death of his head coach replacement, Fran Papasedero, in a car accident.
The Predators are undoubtedly one of the premier franchises in the history of the Arena Football League, and have a legendary rivalry with Tampa Bay, who moved to St. Petersburg the same year the Predators formed. They have met twice in the ArenaBowl, with Tampa Bay winning in 1995 and Orlando winning in 1998. The rivalry, nicknamed the "War On I-4" after the interstate that connects the two cities, intensified when Jay Gruden, a legend in Tampa Bay's history as their quarterback, became Orlando's head coach. Orlando is tied with Tampa Bay for the longest tenure in a market by a team, and are unique in that they are now (2006) in their sixteenth season of playing in the same venue, Hummer Field at Amway Arena (formerly T.D. Waterhouse Centre), or, as it's called on game days, The Jungle due to the hostile environment from the fans, harsh smoke that fills the arena during the players intro, and a Guns N' Roses song which "welcomes" other teams followed by their impending death. They share Amway Arena with the Orlando Magic of the NBA. The Predators have played in the ArenaBowl a total of seven times, more than any other current team. If you include the Pittsburgh Gladiators' two ArenaBowl games before they moved to Tampa Bay, the Storm is the only team that has more (eight; six as the Storm). The Predators currently compete in the Southern Division of the National Conference.
In consecutive weeks in 1992, the Orlando Predators marked two historic achievements in AFL history. On June 13, 1992, the team defeated the San Antonio Force 50-0. San Antonio kicker Matt Frantz missed six field goals. This is the first game shutout in the history of indoor football. Although there have been shutouts in af2 and other indoor football leagues, it is still the only shutout in Arena League history to date.
The next weekend, on June 19, 1992, the Predators faced the Detroit Drive. Down 42-32 with a minute to go, Barry Wagner caught a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 46 seconds left to play. Detroit answered with a quick touchdown and point attempt to make it 49-40. Barry Wagner caught an onside kick, then caught another touchdown and another two-point conversion to pull the Predators to 49-48. On the next Drive possession, the Predators forced a safety to take the lead, 50-49. The Drive got one more chance, but Wagner made a crucial tackle to win the game for the Predators. A total of seven possessions were logged in the final 46 seconds of the game. The feat was called the Miracle Minute. The team finished 9-1 that season, and went to the ArenaBowl in just their second season of existence.
The team's current mascot is a monster-like human named Klaw whom looks much like the alien (Predator) from the Predator films, with only different coloring.
The Predators will likely move to the New Orlando Magic Arena when it is constructed, currently expected to be finished in late 2010, as plans for the new arena include the demolition of Amway Arena once it is complete. If this is the case, then the Predators will be in a new arena for the 2011 AFL season.
[edit] Notable players
- Earnest Allen - OL/DL
- Bret Cooper - WR/DB
- Reggie Doster - DS
- Jay Gruden - QB
- Joe Hamilton - QB
- Reggie Lee - OL/DL
- Connell Maynor - QB
- Duke Pettijohn - FB/LB
- Jim Sodano - OL
- Jay Taylor - K
- Barry Wagner -WR/DB
- Chris Wallace - QB
- Herkie Walls - WR
[edit] Season-by-season
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7th | -- |
| 1992 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1st Southern | Lost ArenaBowl VI (Detroit) |
| 1993 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1st NC | Lost Week 2 (Tampa Bay) |
| 1994 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1st NC | Lost ArenaBowl VIII (Arizona) |
| 1995 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2nd NC Southern | Lost ArenaBowl IX (Tampa Bay) |
| 1996 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2nd NC Southern | Lost Week 1 (Arizona) |
| 1997 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1st NC Southern | Lost Week 2 (Iowa) |
| 1998 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2nd NC Southern | Won ArenaBowl XII (Tampa Bay) |
| 1999 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3rd NC Southern | Lost ArenaBowl XIII (Albany) |
| 2000 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1st NC Southern | Won ArenaBowl XIV (Nashville) |
| 2001 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 3rd NC Southern | Lost Week 1 (Chicago) |
| 2002 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1st NC Southern | Lost Week 3 (San Jose) |
| 2003 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2nd NC Southern | Lost Week 3 (Tampa Bay) |
| 2004 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 2nd NC Southern | Lost Week 1 (Chicago) |
| 2005 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 2nd NC Southern | Lost Week 2 (Georgia) |
| 2006 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st NC Southern | Lost ArenaBowl XX (Chicago) |
| *2007 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2nd NC Southern | -- |
| Totals | 167 | 90 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
* = Current Standing
[edit] Head Coaches
- 1991-1997: Perry Moss, 59-25 (8-6)
- 1998-2001, 2004-current: Jay Gruden, 66-39 (11-5)
- 2002-2003: Fran Papasedero, 19-11 (3-2)
