Tri-Cities Fever Position Height Weight College/Pro Experience Action Oliver Young WR 6'4 210 South Carolina State University/NFL-Panthers Sign
Last Edit: Mar 20, 2012 4:39:53 GMT -5 by Banana Cat
"Minor league pro football is a weird universe filled with bounced checks, unpaid bills, empty promises, out-right lies, empty arenas, endless women, endless booze, occasionally drugs, endless trips on rented buses to towns on the outskirts of the Big Time and, for one night a week, a football game." -- Bill Shea
KENNEWICK -- Ask anyone in the Tri-Cities Fever organization to describe themselves over these last two seasons, and the word "Family" comes up often.
So maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise when Fever owner Teri Carr got a text message from former receiver Tre Young last week.
"He said 'Mom, I want to come home.' "
Carr told Young he needed to talk to Fever coach Adam Shackleford, who made the move Monday when he signed the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder.
Young had been with the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League until March 12, when he was waived after spending some time on the Injured Reserve list for turf toe.
Young passed his physical Monday and is likely going to play Thursday when the Fever (3-0) travels to play the Everett Raptors (1-2) in an Indoor Football League game.
To make room for Young, Shackleford had to waive receiver Larrone Moore.
"We felt like we upgraded," said Shackleford. "We felt like we have four talented receivers (including Steven Whitehead, Giovanni Stanley and Edward Berry). There are times where we've been dressing four receivers for games. There's going to be competition at receiver, and that's good."
In the 26-year-old Young, the Fever get a guy who played 15 games last season (including playoffs), catching 81 passes for 943 yards and 24 touchdowns, helping lead Tri-Cities to the IFL championship game, where it lost 37-10 to Sioux Falls.
Young remembers that feeling last July, losing to the Storm.
"You come so close to the title, and then you lose, it's just bitter," he said Monday. "I pretty much had my mind made up that if things didn't work out (in the AFL) I wanted to come back here."
Young said he enjoyed playing for the Fever so much last season.
"I felt like I had known Coach Shack for a long time when I met him last year," Young said. "And actually when I got to meet Miss Teri and everyone else here in the organization, it pretty much felt like I was at home. Now that I'm back, it feels the same way."
Young watched the team practice Monday morning because he hadn't cleared his physical yet (that happened Monday afternoon). But he liked what he saw.
"The guys are focused," he said. "It isn't all about me. I just want to come here and help these guys out any way I can."
Because this may be it for Young, who felt he gave it his best with the Sharks.
"I felt I put my best foot forward," he said. "But then I suffered a turf toe injury. The team had to get its numbers down. It's tough, because I was actually almost going to be a starter there. Unfortunately I got hurt."
Still, it gave Young the confidence that he felt he could play with anyone.
"For a football player, there should be a mentality that you want to move up the ladder," Young said. "This year for me, I feel I can make an NFL roster. But if I wasn't going to be able to move up, well .... I have a son back home. I told myself that if the NFL wasn't going to work out, then I pretty much need to move on."
So he'll take a chance with the Fever again, hoping to get another title shot, and maybe a chance at the NFL.
"I know Coach has the players in place," said Young. "Championships are all that should matter. Anything less than a championship won't do."
"Minor league pro football is a weird universe filled with bounced checks, unpaid bills, empty promises, out-right lies, empty arenas, endless women, endless booze, occasionally drugs, endless trips on rented buses to towns on the outskirts of the Big Time and, for one night a week, a football game." -- Bill Shea
Administrator: #LFL-US Pacific Cup: Seattle Mist 27, Los Angeles Temptation 25 (FINAL) #IndoorScores
Dec 7, 2013 2:03:30 GMT -5
Banana Cat: This board was revised and updated on 7 December in preparation for the 2014 season. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
Dec 7, 2013 6:38:21 GMT -5
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CF4L: Grand Island is up 13-0 early on over Lincoln
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CF4L: 19-0 GI after a quarter.
Feb 10, 2014 20:38:55 GMT -5
Banana Cat: Did you go to the game CF4L?
Feb 17, 2014 11:34:51 GMT -5
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Feb 21, 2014 21:21:56 GMT -5
BNDC: Football bandits.
Mar 2, 2014 17:26:50 GMT -5
dubyaessoh: Sure is quiet in here this year!
Mar 14, 2014 19:15:50 GMT -5
halaroo: Does anyone know where I can watch away games for the AIF online?
Mar 22, 2014 9:53:41 GMT -5
Doom: this shoutbox at the bottom noone really sees it is prolly why its always quiet
Apr 12, 2014 19:11:41 GMT -5
Banana Cat: Everyone's on the facebook group now too, which makes it even more quiet. This shoutbox was quiet when it was at the top this past year, so maybe I should just shut it down.
Apr 14, 2014 20:55:38 GMT -5
Bring Back CFL to KC: so what are the guess about chances for indoor football back in kc
Sept 8, 2014 20:19:30 GMT -5
superpicker: Merry Christmas to all.
Dec 25, 2014 9:29:43 GMT -5
superpicker: Happy New Year 2015 to all fans, friends, players, owners, coaches and anyone else involved with the great sport of Indoor Football.
Jan 10, 2015 12:00:39 GMT -5
superpicker: Happy 2016 to all fans, friends, players, owners, coaches and anyone else involved with the great sport of Indoor Football.