Erie RiverRats

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Erie RiverRats
Erie RiverRats logo
Founded 2007
League American Indoor Football Association
Team History Erie RiverRats (2008-)
Pittsburgh RiverRats (2007)
Arena Louis J. Tullio Arena
Based in Erie, Pennsylvania
Team Colors blue, gold, navy
President Jeff Hauser
Head Coach Shawn Liotta
Championships 0
Division Titles 0
Dancers ERIEsistables
Mascot None

The Erie RiverRats are a team of the American Indoor Football Association. The team plays its home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Contents

[edit] History

The RiverRats began play in 2007 as the Pittsburgh RiverRats, playing that season's home games at the Rostraver Ice Garden in Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania.

The RiverRats played their first game on February 3, 2007 on the road in Tupelo, MS but lost 54-34 to the Mississippi Mudcats. Their first home game was on February 18, 2007 which they lost 35-28 to the Reading Express.

Pittsburgh won its first home game by beating the Danville Demolition 47-21 on March 4, 2007, and then won its first away game by beating Danville a second time, on March 9, 2007, by a score of 34-29.

Andrew Haines founded the RiverRats and sold the majority of the team to Jeff Hauser before the first game in 2007. Andrew is currently a minority owner.

The majority owner of the Pittsburgh RiverRats organization was Jeff Hauser, a Long Island (NY) native with local ties to the Mon Valley and a 1987 graduate of the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh.

On August 20, 2006, the RiverRats signed quarterback David Dinkins, formerly of the Erie Freeze of the AIFA, and designated him as the team's franchise player for the 2007 season.

The team finished their inaugural season at a respectable 7-7 record, good for fourth place in the Northern Conference and a wild-card playoff berth. Unfortunately, the Rats were eliminated in the first round, losing 42-24 to the eventual conference champions Reading Express.

On January 8, 2008 the RiverRats announced they would be leaving the Mon Valley in favor of Erie for the 2008 season. They will replace the city's previous AIFA team, the Erie Freeze. [1] The RiverRats have several Freeze connections, including many of the Freeze's best players: QB/WR David Dinkins, cornerback Jovon Johnson (himself an Erie native), ace kicker J.R. Cipra, center Jonathon Sitter, and defensive tackle Roosevelt Benjamin. League owner Michael Mink stated that he considers the RiverRats to be a consolidation of the original RiverRats and the Freeze[2] with the team retaining the RiverRats name, franchise and management structure.

The team signed Rod Rutherford, a former NFL backup, as the starting quarterback in the middle of the 2008 season. It is said that Dinkins recommended Rutherford to the team, and Dinkins (who originally was playing quarterback) moved to wide receiver to accommodate his arrival. Since Rutherford's arrival, the team has been 7-1.

2007 in Pittsburgh

2008-present

[edit] Fun Facts

  • When Erie scores a Touchdown at home, "Jump Around" by House of Pain is played.

[edit] Season-by-season

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

Season W L T Finish Playoff results
Pittsburgh RiverRats (AIFA)
2007 7 7 0 4th Northern Lost NC Round 1 (Reading)
Erie RiverRats (AIFA)
*2008 10 3 0 1st EC Northern --
Totals 17 11 0 (including playoffs)

* = Current Standing

[edit] 2007 Season Schedule

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 3 Mississippi Mudcats Away Lost 34-54
February 18 Reading Express Home Lost 28-35
February 23 Canton Legends Away Lost 11-45
March 4 Danville Demolition Home Won 47-21
March 9 Danville Demolition Away Won 34-29
March 17 Johnstown Riverhawks Away Lost 13-43
March 30 Johnstown Riverhawks Home Won 47-42
April 14 Florence Phantoms Home Won 66-60
April 21 Huntington Heroes Away Lost 34-55
April 28 Canton Legends Home Won 62-33
May 6 Reading Express Away Lost 40-57
May 12 Erie Freeze Away Won 52-45
May 19 Erie Freeze Home Won 86-72
May 25 Huntington Heroes Home Lost 26-69
June 9 Reading Express (Playoffs) Away Lost 24-42

[edit] 2008 Season Schedule

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 9 Carolina Speed Home Won 42-21
March 15 Canton Legends Away Won 38-24
March 22 Columbus Lions Away Won 54-48
March 31 Reading Express Home Lost 34-44
April 11 Huntington Heroes Away Lost 24-54
April 18 Baltimore Mariners Home Won 55-40
April 25 Baltimore Mariners Away Won 49-17
May 3 Canton Legends Home Won 50-48
May 9 Huntington Heroes Home Won 47-43
May 17 Huntington Heroes Away Won 52-31
May 24 Florence Phantoms Away Lost 27-57
May 31 Canton Legends Home Won 45-37
June 7 Reading Express Home
June 14 Reading Express Away

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.erieriverrats.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=175&Itemid=1
  2. ^ This Week in the AIFA radio show. Our Sports Central. 17 January 2008.

[edit] External links

American Indoor Football Association
Eastern Conference North Division East Division
Baltimore Mariners Carolina Speed
Canton Legends Fayetteville Guard
Erie RiverRats Florence Phantoms
Reading Express Huntington Heroes
Western Conference South Division West Division
Augusta Colts Arizona Adrenaline
Columbus Lions New Mexico Wildcats
Florida Stingrays Utah Saints
Mississippi Mudcats Wyoming Cavalry
AIFA Championship Bowl | Indoor football | Arena football
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