History
In 1997, Dan DeVos was granted an expansion AFL franchise for the 1998 season, and was awarded the remains of the dormant Massachusetts Marauders franchise out of bankruptcy court. That team's first incarnation, the Detroit Drive, had been the league's first dynasty; the Drive had advanced to the ArenaBowl in all six years they played in Detroit, winning four times. They moved to Worcester, Massachusetts for the 1994 season before folding. Due to the four-year period of dormancy, the Rampage did not claim the Drive/Marauders' history as their own. Grand Rapids was the smallest market in which the AFL had a franchise at the times of its first/2009 disbanding.
The Rampage played in the Van Andel Arena, which is also the home of the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins. They competed in the Central Division of the American Conference.
The Grand Rapids Rampage started play in 1998 under coach Michael Trigg. In 2001, with notable players Clint Dolezel, and Terrill Shaw, the Rampage went on to win their first ArenaBowl. This game was broadcast live on the ABC Network.
The Rampage's official mascot was a Rhinoceros named Blitz. [1]
The Rampage had a rivalry with the Nashville Kats, one which dates back to the original Kats. This rivalry solidified with the Rampage's defeat of Nashville in ArenaBowl XV. [2]
The Rampage also shared a rivalry with the Chicago Rush, known as the Amtrak Classic, after the Amtrak railway system which connects the two cities. On July 6, 2008, the Amtrak Classic added an interesting chapter as the Rampage, losers of their last six meetings with Chicago, defeated their heavily favored opponents on the road. Grand Rapids entered the game as a 6 seed, and upended the #1 seeded Rush 58–41, in a game of controversial penalties and brawls.
On March 5, 2010, it was announced that the Rampage were officially out of business and had no plans to return. [3]
The Colorado Crush were an arena football team based in Denver, Colorado. They began play as a 2003 Arena Football League expansion team. The Crush played in the Central Division of the American Conference until the Arena Football League suspended operations in 2009. They were last coached by Mike Dailey and owned by a coalition of Denver sports figures led by John Elway.
The Los Angeles Avengers were an Arena Football League team based in Los Angeles, California, from 2000 through 2008. They folded on April 19, 2009.
The Orlando Predators were a professional arena football team based in Orlando, Florida and member of the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was most recently owned by Orlando Predators LLC, a company owned by David A. Siegel, and played its home games at Amway Center.
ArenaBowl XV was the 2001 edition of the Arena Football League's championship game, pairing the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Central Division with the Nashville Kats of the Southern Division. The Grand Rapids offense, led by quarterback Clint Dolezel and MVP Terrill Shaw, was able to outmatch the Nashville defense, and Grand Rapids won the game, 64–42.
Clint Dolezel is an American football coach and former professional arena football player in the Arena Football League (AFL).
ArenaBowl '91 was the Arena Football League's fifth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #2 Tampa Bay Storm (8-2) against the #1 Detroit Drive (9-1). The Storm were in their first season in Tampa, Florida since moving from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and having spent their first four seasons as the Pittsburgh Gladiators, while the Drive were trying to win an unprecedented fourth-straight ArenaBowl title.
ArenaBowl VIII was the Arena Football League's eighth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #3 Arizona Rattlers (8–4) of the American Conference against the #1 Orlando Predators (11–1) of the National Conference. The Rattlers were making their first ArenaBowl appearance in their three-year history, while the Predators were in their second ArenaBowl in their four years in the league.
ArenaBowl X was the Arena Football League's tenth ArenaBowl. The game featured the #2 Tampa Bay Storm of the National Conference against the #1 Iowa Barnstormers of the American Conference. Both teams ended their regular seasons at 12–2, yet Iowa had a better conference record. For the Storm, they were hoping to get their fourth championship title in six overall appearances, while the Barnstormers were trying to win their very first league championship game.
The 2007–08 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Drake University in the 2007–08 college basketball season. The team was led by first-year head coach Keno Davis. In 2006–07, the Bulldogs finished 17–15. Drake improved upon their first winning season since the 1986–1987 season, making their first NCAA tournament appearance since their run to the Elite Eight in 1971 and their first postseason appearance since their National Invitational tournament appearance in 1986.
Angel Estrada is a former American football wide receiver and defensive back for the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League. He played college football at West Virginia University.
The 2009–10 Ohio State Buckeyes women's basketball team represented The Ohio State University in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Buckeyes, coached by Jim Foster, successfully defended their Big Ten Conference regular-season and tournament championships. They advanced to the NCAA tournament, losing in the second round to Mississippi State.
The 2009–10 Georgia Lady Bulldogs basketball team represented the University of Georgia in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Lady Bulldogs compete in the Southeastern Conference.
The 2009–10 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's hockey team represented the University of Minnesota in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I women's hockey season. The Golden Gophers were coached by Brad Frost and played their home games at Ridder Arena. The University of Minnesota hosted the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Ice hockey Tournament's championship game on March 21, 2010 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. It marked the third time that Minneapolis hosted the Frozen Four. The Golden Gophers are a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and attempted to win their fourth NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship.
The Quinnipiac Bobcats women's ice hockey represented Quinnipiac University in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. The Bobcats were the most improved team in the NCAA. At season's end, the squad had won 19 contests, a 16 win improvement compared to the 2008–09 season, when Quinnipiac won only 3 games. The Bobcats set a school record with conference wins (11), and hosted a postseason game for the first time in the program's history.
The 2009–10 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Drake University during the 2009-10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team, which plays in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), was led by second-year head coach Mark Phelps and played their home games at the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs finished the season 14–19, 7–11 in MVC play and lost in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament to Northern Iowa.
The 2009 Big East football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 5, 2009, to January 2, 2010. The Big East Conference consists of 8 football members: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, and West Virginia. Cincinnati won the Big East Championship for the second consecutive year and was invited to the Allstate Sugar Bowl where they lost to Florida 51–24. Overall, the Big East went 4–2 in Bowl Games.
The 2013 America East men's lacrosse tournament was the 14 edition of the America East Conference men's lacrosse tournament and took place from May 2 to May 4 at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook, New York. The winner of the tournament received the America East Conference's automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. Four teams from the America East conference will compete in the single elimination tournament. The seeds were based upon the teams' regular season conference record.
The 2018–19 Arkansas State Red Wolves men's basketball team represents Arkansas State University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Red Wolves, led by second-year head coach Mike Balado, play their home games at the First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, Arkansas as members of the Sun Belt Conference.
