Tri-Cities Fever

Tri-Cities Fever
Founded 2005
Current season 2015
League NIFL (2005-2006)
af2 (2007-2009)
IFL (2010-present)
Conference Intense
Team history Tri-Cities Fever (2005-present)
Based in Kennewick, Washington
Arena Toyota Center
Colors Navy, Vegas Gold, White
              
Owner(s) Teri Carr
President Teri Carr
Head coach Adam Shackleford
General Manager Teri Carr
Championships 1: (NIFL: 2005)
Conference titles 3: (NIFL: 2005, IFL: 2011, 2012)
Division titles 1: (Intense Pacific: 2012)
Playoff berths 6: (NIFL: 2005, 2006, af2: 2007, IFL: 2010, 2011, 2012)
Dancers Fever Dance Team
Mascot Clutch

The Tri-Cities Fever are a professional indoor football franchise in the Indoor Football League (IFL) based in Kennewick, Washington. They are members of the Intense Conference. The Fever joined National Indoor Football League (NIFL) in 2005 as an expansion team. The Fever are owned by Teri Carr, and are currently coached by Adam Shackleford. Since 2005 the Fever have played their home games only at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Washington.[1]

The Fever are the only IFL franchise located in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and they represent the entire Tri-Cities region.

The Fever have won one division title and three conference championships. They have appeared in two United Bowl Championships, most recently the 2012 United Bowl Championship where they were defeated by the Sioux Falls Storm 59-32.

History

National Indoor Football League (NIFL)

The Fever were founded in 2005 as part of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL), and they won their first "Indoor Bowl" championship on July 30, 2005, defeating the Rome Renegades 47-31 in Kennewick.

Move to af2

After the 2006 season, the Fever announced they were leaving the NIFL. On September 4, it was confirmed that they were moving to United Indoor Football, along with the Billings Outlaws and River City Rage.[2] The league was expected to make an official announcement at a press conference sometime on the weekend of September 11, and was also hoping to add the Rapid City Flying Aces and Wyoming Cavalry soon. However, Tri-Cities instead joined the af2 which had in-state rival Spokane.[3]

New ownership, new logo

Failed logo

The new ownership had introduced a new logo, with team colors and uniforms that were reminiscent of the Miami Dolphins on December 13, 2006 (left), but because of general fan dislike, the team announced on January 9, 2007 that they would be switching back to their old color scheme and logo.[4]

Back to the Carrs, on to the IFL

There had been speculation that the Fever would fold after the 2009 season, however, on September 6, it was announced that J. R. and Teri Carr had bought back the team from Texas af2 holdings, ensuring the Fever would return for the 2010 season.[5] Later that month, it was announced that the af2 was shutting down and the new Arena Football 1 (AF1) was taking its place, including the Fever as a charter team. The Fever would drop out of the AF1 however on November 19 as the Tier 2 division, which the Fever were slated to be in, was scrapped by the league due to a lack of teams.[6] So the Fever joined the Indoor Football League based in Richmond, Virginia. The Fever joined former rival (NIFL) and defending IFL champion the Billings Outlaws and new in-state rival the Kent Predators.

Season-by-season

Season W L T Finish Playoff results
Tri-Cities Fever (NIFL)
2005 9 5 0 3rd Pacific West Won Pacific Conference Quarter Final (Wyoming)
Won Pacific Conference Semi-Final (Everett)
Won Pacific Conference Championship (Odessa)
Won Indoor Bowl V (Rome)
2006 9 5 0 2nd Pacific North Won Pacific Conference Quarter Final (Wyoming)
Lost Pacific Conference Semi-Final (Billings)
Tri-Cities Fever (af2)
2007 8 8 0 3rd AC West Lost AC Round 1 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
2008 4 12 0 5th NC West --
2009 3 13 0 5th NC West --
Tri-Cities Fever (IFL)
2010 7 7 0 3rd Pacific North Lost Round 1 (Billings)
2011 10 4 0 2nd Pacific Won Round 1 (West Texas)
Won Conference Semi-Final (Colorado)
Won Intense Conference Championship (Allen)
Lost 2011 United Bowl (Sioux Falls)
2012 12 2 0 1st Intense Conference Won Conference Semi-Final (Colorado)
Won Intense Conference Championship (Wichita)
Lost 2012 United Bowl (Sioux Falls)
2013 6 8 0 3rd Intense Conference --
2014 8 6 0 3rd Intense Conference --
2015* 5 3 0 -- --
Totals 91 78 0 (including playoffs)

Players of note

Current roster

Tri-Cities Fever roster
Quarterbacks
  • 14 Dominique Blackman
  •  7 Mike Box

Running Backs

  • 11 Andrew Pierce

Wide Receivers

  •  8 Michael Edwards
  • 24 Dejuan Miller
  • 34 Kyler Reed
  •  4 Steven Whitehead
  • 10 J. D. Woods
Offensive Linemen
  • 79 Rodrick Gladney
  • 56 Gabriel Hampton
  • 52 Lloyd Morrison

Defensive Linemen

  •  9 Jake Killeen
  • 99 Demonte McAllister
  • 90 Sean McDonald
  • 40 Brandon Rankin
Linebackers
  • 13 Aaron Bellazin
  • 27 Leon Jackson

Defensive Backs

  •  3 Dustin Bell
  • 21 Rudell Crim
  • -- Donterrel Evans
  • 23 Aaron Foster
  •  6 Dontavais Johnson
  • 20 Troy Sanders
  • 22 Lorenzo White, Jr.

Kickers

 Injured Reserve
  •  1 Dennis Kennedy RB
  •  5 Houston Lillard QB

Exempt List

  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated April 30, 2015
25 Active, 2 Inactive → More rosters

Awards and honors

The following is a list of all Fever players who have won league Awards

Season Player Position Award
2013 Lionell Singleton Defensive Back Adam Pringle

All-IFL players

The following Fever players have been named to All-IFL Teams:

Front office and coaching staff

Coaching staff

Tri-Cities Fever staff
Front Office
  • Owner/General Manager – Teri Carr
  • Sales - Travis Vance
  • Front Desk/Ticket Sales - Amy Meyer
  • Marketing/Communication/Social Media - Jeromy Stallings
   Head Coach
  • Head Coach – Adam Shackleford

Offensive Coaches

  • Offensive Assistant – Cleveland Pratt

Defensive Coaches

Head coaches

On April 26, 2009 Head coach Richard Davis was fired after an 0-5 start to the season.[7] On April 27, Pat O'Hara, Head coach of the Arena Football League's Los Angeles Avengers was named Head coach of the Fever while the AFL was suspended.[8] O'Hara was going to remain Fever coach for the 2010 season in the IFL until he was offered head coaching job of the Orlando Predators of the af1. He was replaced by former Spokane Shock head coach Adam Shackleford.

Note: Statistics are correct through Week 8 of the 2015 Indoor Football League season.

Name Term Regular Season Playoffs Awards
W L T Win% W L
Craig Beverlin 2005 0 2 0 .000 0 0
Dan Whitsett 2005-2006 18 8 0 .692 4 0
? 2006 0 0 0 – 1 1
Tony Wells 2007 8 8 0 .500 0 1
Cedric Walker 2008 4 12 0 .250 0 0
Richard Davis 2009 0 5 0 .000 0 0
Pat O'Hara 2009 3 8 0 .273 0 0
Adam Shackleford 2010-present 47 30 0 .610 5 3

Media coverage

Previously 106.5 FM Eagle was the home of the Fever. Currently 610 KONA is the home of game broadcasts and a weekly Fever talk. Also the Tri-Cities Fever was generally the main topic on a local blog talk radio show “Tri-Cities Sports Talk Live with Jeremy Burnham and Braydon Smith.” The Fever have had a few games shown on local television channels, all home games of the 2011 season are viewed on a local FOX channel the following Thursday.

References

  1. ↑ Dial, Tracci (March 7, 2014). "Time Lapse: Toyota Center Changeover From Ice to Turf to Court". Tri-Cities, WA: KNDU. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  2. ↑ http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/09/04/sports/local/25-outlaws.txt
  3. ↑ http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/breaking/story/8411447p-8306334c.html
  4. ↑ http://www.sportstricities.com/sportstc/football/fever/story/8549671p-8443512c.html
  5. ↑ Ben Reynolds (September 6, 2009). "Carrs return to run franchise they began in 2005". www.tri-cityherald.com. Tri-City Herald. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Fever break free from AF1". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. November 20, 2009. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Davis Fired As Fever Head Coach". KNDO.com. KNDO/KNDU. April 26, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  8. ↑ "O'Hara is New Fever Head Coach". KNDO.com. KNDO/KNDU. April 27, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2009.

External links