Post by Banana Cat on Jun 27, 2010 22:53:15 GMT -5
NOTE: The actual Colorado Ice records through the years is as follows:
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The Ice will be back in 2011 with their new owner, and he'll be bringing Sanders back for a fifth season as head coach.
UIFThe article below must be counting a pre-season game this year that is not officially counted.
2007 Record 6-9 (Lost in playoffs to Sioux Falls, 6-10 overall)
2008 Record 6-8
IFL
2009 Record 5-9 (Lost in playoffs to Fairbanks, 5-10 overall)
2010 Record 2-12
Total Record 19-40
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The Ice will be back in 2011 with their new owner, and he'll be bringing Sanders back for a fifth season as head coach.
Ice stay positive despite tough season
BY HAP FRY / Coloradoan.com
June 26, 2010
One might be inclined to believe that by now a panic button would have gone off within the Colorado Ice organization.
The semipro football team and member of the Indoor Football League has had four owners and posted a combined 20-40 record in four seasons.
The Ice just finished season No. 4 last week with a 3-12 record, but if you think owner Tom Wigley or coach Collins Sanders are in panic mode, think again.
"I'm not happy, but I'm not unhappy either," Wigley said. "When you're playing with 25 or 30 rookies, you can't expect miracles. I would like to turn things around immediately. I'm not sure what that means in terms of wins and losses, but my goal is to make the playoffs next year."
If that happens, Sanders will be the one who takes the Ice there. Wigley confirmed that Sanders would be back next season.
While Sanders’ record with the Ice has been far from gaudy, he’s been the most stable thing about the organization.
He’s been the organization’s only head coach, and, in fairness, he’s had a limited hand to play with almost the entire time. This season may have been the worst yet.
Wigley became the team’s fourth owner midway through last season after he bought the franchise from previous owner John Cunningham.
The team also suffered numerous injuries, had between 25 and 30 rookies on its roster and played a brutal schedule that included only one game against a team that failed to make the playoffs.
“It was tough to deal with the transfer of ownership midway through the season, but we do finally have a local owner now,” Sanders said. “It’s one of those deals where you can’t look as the glass is half full of the glass is half empty.
“Obviously, we want to have a better record, but we recruited really well. We have a good core group of players coming back.”
At the head of list is linebacker Landon Jones, who not only led the team but led the league in tackles with 140 en route to being recognized as the league’s defensive rookie of the year.
If both Cory Sleeth and Lemans Casimier return, the Ice could have one of the top receiving tandems in the IFL. Quarterback David Knighton also impressed Sanders enough toward the end of the season to enter next year as the team’s starter.
Wigley, meanwhile, refers to himself as being “the fan who bought a football team.”
He’s hopeful that, with more stability, the Ice will be able to turn the corner next corner.
“We need improvement,” Wigley said. “We, or at least past owners, have made mistakes. Hopefully we can learn from them. We need to increase our fan base and sponsorship base. We have a lot of potential.”
BY HAP FRY / Coloradoan.com
June 26, 2010
One might be inclined to believe that by now a panic button would have gone off within the Colorado Ice organization.
The semipro football team and member of the Indoor Football League has had four owners and posted a combined 20-40 record in four seasons.
Thawing out
A look at the Colorado Ice's season records over the years
2010: 3-12
2009: 5-10
2008: 6-8
2007: 6-10
The Ice just finished season No. 4 last week with a 3-12 record, but if you think owner Tom Wigley or coach Collins Sanders are in panic mode, think again.
"I'm not happy, but I'm not unhappy either," Wigley said. "When you're playing with 25 or 30 rookies, you can't expect miracles. I would like to turn things around immediately. I'm not sure what that means in terms of wins and losses, but my goal is to make the playoffs next year."
If that happens, Sanders will be the one who takes the Ice there. Wigley confirmed that Sanders would be back next season.
While Sanders’ record with the Ice has been far from gaudy, he’s been the most stable thing about the organization.
He’s been the organization’s only head coach, and, in fairness, he’s had a limited hand to play with almost the entire time. This season may have been the worst yet.
Wigley became the team’s fourth owner midway through last season after he bought the franchise from previous owner John Cunningham.
The team also suffered numerous injuries, had between 25 and 30 rookies on its roster and played a brutal schedule that included only one game against a team that failed to make the playoffs.
“It was tough to deal with the transfer of ownership midway through the season, but we do finally have a local owner now,” Sanders said. “It’s one of those deals where you can’t look as the glass is half full of the glass is half empty.
“Obviously, we want to have a better record, but we recruited really well. We have a good core group of players coming back.”
At the head of list is linebacker Landon Jones, who not only led the team but led the league in tackles with 140 en route to being recognized as the league’s defensive rookie of the year.
If both Cory Sleeth and Lemans Casimier return, the Ice could have one of the top receiving tandems in the IFL. Quarterback David Knighton also impressed Sanders enough toward the end of the season to enter next year as the team’s starter.
Wigley, meanwhile, refers to himself as being “the fan who bought a football team.”
He’s hopeful that, with more stability, the Ice will be able to turn the corner next corner.
“We need improvement,” Wigley said. “We, or at least past owners, have made mistakes. Hopefully we can learn from them. We need to increase our fan base and sponsorship base. We have a lot of potential.”