Saginaw Sting
| Saginaw Sting | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Founded | 2008 |
| Current season | 2012 Saginaw Sting season |
| League | CIFL 2008 IFL 2009[1] UIFL 2011 CIFL 2012-present |
| Team history | Saginaw Sting 2008-2009 2011-present |
| Arena | Dow Event Center |
| Based in | Saginaw, Michigan |
| Team colors | Green, Orange |
| Owner | Stuart Schweigert, Rob Licht & Tom O'Brien |
| Head coach | Fred Townsend |
| General Manager | Rob Licht |
| Championships | 2008 CIFL Champions 2011 UIFL Champions |
| Division titles | 2008 CIFL Atlantic Division |
| Dancers | Stingers[2] |
| Mascot | Stanley Stinger[3] |
| Broadcasters | Donald Mathews Ray Clark |
| Local media | Michigan Region Sports Network |
The Saginaw Sting are a professional Indoor Football team based in Saginaw, Michigan. The team is currently a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. They began play in 2008 as an expansion team in the CIFL and then moved to the Indoor Football League for the 2009 season. They suspended operations for the 2010 season before becoming an inaugural member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League.[4] The following season they were suspended by the UIFL and re-joined the CIFL. The Owners of the Sting are Stuart Schweigert, Rob Licht and Jim O'Brien. The Sting play their home games at The Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan.
They are one of only a few teams to ever win a championship in multiple leagues (CIFL in 2008 and UIFL in 2011).
Contents |
[edit] Franchise history
[edit] 2008: Expansionship
The team began play in 2008 as an expansion team in the rapidly growning CIFL. Original Team owners were Mike Johnson, Mike Trumbull, and Esteban Rivera, who also owned the Kalamazoo Xplosion.[5] The team was led by former Michigan State quarterback, Damon Dowdell, who led the league in passing yards (2,190), touchdowns (54) and completion percentage (62%). Nick Body was Dowdell's favorite target, leading the league in receptions (78), yards (1,005) and touchdowns (31). Despite their offensive numbers, neither player won Offensive Player of the Year or the CIFL MVP. The duo led the Sting to a 10-2 regular season and a playoff birth. On June 29, 2008, the Sting defeated the Xplosion 41-37 to win the CIFL Championship Game.
[edit] 2009: Moving to the IFL
A number of Sting and Xplosion players indicated at the end of the 2008 season that wages were in arrears from the owners. This led to an investigation of Johnson in his roll as Sting General Manager. Trumbull, owner of Triple Threat Sports in Battle Creek, and Rivera, a Battle Creek police officer, have offered a deal to split ownership of the two teams, with Trumbell and Rivera owning the Sting, and Johnson receiving the Xplosion. Trumbull and Rivera have indicated that they plan for the Sting to move to the new Indoor Football League.[1] The Sting looked to have put together a promising team with the re-signing of QB Damon Dowdell, and signing 2007 CIFL MVP, WR/RB Robert Height, but the team fared poorly on the field in the IFL.
[edit] 2011: Return to action
After not fairing well during their only season in the IFL, the Sting For the 2011 season, the team was purchased by San Diego based business man, Mike Esposito. Esposito announced that the team would play in the newly formed Ultimate Indoor Football League, which Esposito was also the league's commissioner. He hired Stuart Schweigert as the Sting's Director of Player Development.[6] The Sting went on to win the Ultimate Bowl, with quarterback Tommy Jones setting several UIFL passing records and claiming the Ultimate Bowl's MVP honors.
[edit] 2012: Return to the CIFL
On November 11, 2011, the Sting were acquired by Schweigert, Rob Licht and Jim O'Brien. The new ownership announced the same day that they would be moving the team back to the CIFL.[7] On December 29, 2011, the Sting announced that 2011 interim head coach Vince Leveille would return as the full-time head coach for the 2012 season,[8] but just 11 days before the team's first game, Leveille stepped down as the head coach, citing that his full time job made him unavailable to do both. Defensive Coordinator Fred Townsend took over as the team's head coach.[9]
[edit] Notable Players
[edit] Current Roster
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Saginaw Sting roster
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs Wide Receivers
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Offensive Linemen
Defensive Linemen
Linebackers
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Defensive Backs
Kickers
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Injured Reserve
Exempt List
Practice Squad
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[edit] Awards and honors
The following is a list of all Saginaw Sting players who have won league Awards
| Season | Player | Position | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Tommy Jones | Quarterback | 1st Team All-UIFL |
| 2011 | Phillip Smith | Linebacker | 1st Team All-UIFL |
| 2011 | Mike McFadden | Defensive Lineman | 1st Team All-UIFL |
| 2011 | LaVaughn Macon | Wide Receiver | 2nd Team All-UIFL |
| 2011 | Eric Brim | Offensive Line | 2nd Team All-UIFL |
| 2011 | Steve Michalek | Offensive Line | 2nd Team All-UIFL |
| 2011 | Tommy Jones | Quarterback | UIFL Offensive Player of the Year |
| 2011 | Tommy Jones | Quarterback | UIFL Ultimate Bowl I MVP |
[edit] Noteable Coaches
[edit] Head coaches
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2011 Continental Indoor Football League season.
| Name | Term | Regular Season | Playoffs | Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | Win% | W | L | |||
| Karl Featherstone | 2008-2009 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 3 | 0 | |
| Jason Lovelock | 2009 | 1 | 10 | 0 | .091 | 0 | 0 | |
| John Mize | 2011 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vince Leveille | 2011 | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | 2 | 0 | |
| Fred Townsend | 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | |
[edit] Coaching staff
| Saginaw Sting 2012 staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coach
Offensive Coaches
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Defensive Coaches
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[edit] Season-By-Season
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw Sting (CIFL) | |||||
| 2008 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2nd Atlantic West | Won AD West Finals (Marion) Won AD Championship (Lehigh Valley) Won CIFL Championship (Kalamazoo) |
| Saginaw Sting (IFL) | |||||
| 2009 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 4th United Atlantic | -- |
| 2010 | Did Not Play | ||||
| Saginaw Sting (UIFL) | |||||
| 2011 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2nd UIFL | Won UIFL Semifinals (Northern Kentucky) Won UIFL Championship (Eastern Kentucky) |
| Saginaw Sting (CIFL) | |||||
| 2012 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Totals | 27 | 19 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Mancina, Greg (2008-09-12). "Saginaw Sting ready to join new league while owners work to split their differences". The Saginaw News (Saginaw, Michigan: Booth Newspapers). http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/sports/index.ssf/2008/09/saginaw_sting_ready_to_join_ne.html. Retrieved 2008-0-16.
- ^ Brandt, Patti (2008-04-07). "Local women find high-energy fun on Saginaw Sting dance team". Bay City Times (Booth Newspapers). http://blog.mlive.com/bctimes/2008/04/local_women_find_highenergy_fu.html. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ^ Mancina, Greg. "Saginaw Sting football team begins season". Saginaw News (Booth Newspapers). http://blog.mlive.com/saginawnews/2008/03/saginaw_sting_football_team_be.html. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ^ UIFL Website - Teams
- ^ Morgan, Wes (2008-04-18). "Xplosion owners juggling two teams". Kalamazoo Gazette (Booth Newspapers). http://www.mlive.com/sports/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/120851041126370.xml&coll=7&thispage=1. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ^ Stuart Schweigert gets chance to spread football wings as Saginaw Sting director of player development
- ^ Kyle Austin (November 11, 2011). "Local ownership group, including Stuart Schweigert, purchase Saginaw Sting indoor football team". http://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw/index.ssf/2011/11/local_ownership_group_includin.html. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
- ^ Kyle Austin (December 29, 2011). "Vince Leveille to return as Saginaw Sting head coach". http://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw/index.ssf/2011/12/vince_leveille_to_return_as_sa.html. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ^ Kyle Austin (March 7, 2012). "Vince Leveille steps down as Saginaw Sting coach, Fred Townsend to replace him". http://www.mlive.com/sports/saginaw/index.ssf/2012/03/vince_leveille_steps_down_as_s.html. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
[edit] External links
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