ABILENE RUFF RIDERS BECOME OFFICIAL CHARTER MEMBER OF LSFL
November 9, 2011
LONE STAR FOOTBALL LEAGUE WELCOMES ABILENE FOR 2012 INAUGURAL SEASON
SAN ANGELO, TX. : The Lone Star Football League is pleased to announce on Wednesday, November 9 that the Abilene Ruff Riders have been officially invited to become a charter member of the LSFL for the 2012 inaugural season. The Abilene Ruff Riders become the seventh indoor professional football organization to join the LSFL this fall.
The Ruff Riders organization began play as the Katy Ruff Riders in 2007 as part of the Intense Football League. Following the 2008 season, the Ruff Riders relocated to Abilene, Texas and became an official member of the Indoor Football League. The Abilene Ruff Riders would clinch their first post-season berth in 2009 with a 9-5 regular season record. After the conclusion of the 2010 regular season the Ruff Riders organization joined the Southern Indoor Football League and the team finished with a .500 record (3-3) at home during the 2011 SIFL regular season.
“We are extremely pleased to be a part of the inaugural season of the LSFL. The philosophy, model, and financial structure of the LSFL will help make the Ruff Riders a permanent fixture in the Abilene community. Our fellow partners in the league have many experiences to draw upon in making this league successful. It is with great pleasure and with great appreciation that we are a part of this league. This is an exciting time for indoor football in Abilene and in the state of Texas.” stated Abilene Ruff Riders Team Owner Scott Anderson.
Newly appointed Head Coach Joe Brannen will lead the Abilene Ruff Riders for the upcoming 2012 season. Brannen and Ruff Riders Ownership Representatives will be making a concerted effort to field the majority of the 2012 team with local college prospects from Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University, and McMurry University. Additionally, the Abilene Ruff Riders will be sponsoring a Youth Arena Style Football League for a second consecutive season. In 2011 the Ruff Riders sponsored a league that was comprised of eight teams in a single age division with approximately 168 children involved.
“We are very excited to have Joe Brannen on board as our Head Coach. We as owners feel that Joe has made roots here in Abilene with the community and with our fans. He has shown himself to be a tough competitor and a great leader with a sound football mind. He is a perfect fit for the Ruff Riders.” further stated Abilene Ruff Riders Team Owner Scott Anderson.
"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
Ruff Riders join new league with commitment to local talent
By Steven Berkowsky November 9, 2011
The Ruff Riders emerged from a disastrous season in the Southern Indoor Football League on Wednesday with a new league, new coach, some new owners, a new outlook and a commitment to mine local talent.
The Ruff Riders were officially welcomed Wednesday as a charter member of the new Lone Star Football League at a news conference in Abilene.
In an attempt to make the team more appealing, the roster will consist of a large percentage of local talent.
"We are going to have a concerted effort on the part of our coach and on the part of our ownership to bringing in players from Hardin-Simmons, Abilene Christian and McMurry," said Scott Anderson, spokesman for the ownership group. "We are not mandating, but highly stressing that we have 75 percent of our players from these colleges.
"By doing that, we bring in a fan base that knows and follows these particular players, and we think that will create a great atmosphere for our team and more support for the Ruff Riders from the city of Abilene."
The local talent may not necessarily be playing in town, Anderson added. The team will have a series of local tryouts, with the first Nov. 19 at ACU's Wally Bullington Field.
The new coach is no stranger to Ruff Riders fans. Joe Brannen began 2011 as the team's starting quarterback. After missing much of the season with injuries, he took over as interim co-coach in late May, when coach Shon King departed, and earned the owners' confidence down the stretch to get the job full-time.
As it stands now, the seven-team league, which is based in San Angelo, consists of Abilene, Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, Rio Grande Valley and West Texas (Odessa). More teams could be added before the season, which is scheduled to begin in late March and run through July.
Anderson said the ownership group recognized the need for change following last season. He specified the need for a standardized ticket structure, more experience among owners, making a Ruff Riders game more fan friendly and exciting and more importantly putting a winner on the field.
General admission tickets will be $11 per game, or $60 as a season-ticket package. Ages 6 and younger will get in free, ages 7 to 12 will get in at half price. Discounts also will be offered to military personnel, civil servants and senior citizens. Giveaways will be at every home game.
Recognizing the need for more experienced ownership, the team said goodbye to three of its owners and brought in three men who already own all or parts of other teams: Randy Sanders, owner of the Amarillo franchise; Dale Morris, owner of West Texas; and Joe Kramer, who owns all or part of the Corpus Christi, Rio Grande Valley and Houston franchises.
"They bring financial stability, financial backing, and a lot of new ideas on how to run our game," Anderson said. "It also makes sure that we're not only here in 2012, but we'll see you around here in 2015."
With the league situation, ownership and marketing plan in place, the team will count on Brannen to put a winner on the field. He also will serve as the team's general manager.
Brannen said the 2012 team will bear little resemblance to the squad that went 4-8 in 2011 and missed the playoffs.
"I want to change the culture a little bit," Brannen said. "Sometimes it's easier to bring in fresh than completely retrain.
"The biggest thing I'm excited about in being here is the wealth of local talent we have in Abilene. It's been completely evident to me being out visiting with the college coaches that we develop great relationships with ACU, HSU and McMurry, and we're going to bring in a lot of those guys and give them a shot to play football for us.
"They come from great schools, they're very well coached, and we're excited to have a lot of those guys. We're going to go after them really hard."
"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
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BNDC: Football bandits.
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halaroo: Does anyone know where I can watch away games for the AIF online?
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Doom: this shoutbox at the bottom noone really sees it is prolly why its always quiet
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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.
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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.