Buffalo Blitz
 | |
| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2015 |
| League | AIF (2015) Independent (2016) |
| Team history | Buffalo Lightning (2015–present) |
| Based in | Irving, New York |
| Arena | Cattaraugus Community Center |
| Colors | Navy, Gold, White |
| Owner | John Augustine Bob Guenther |
| Head coach | Mook Zimmerman |
| Championships | (0) |
| Conference titles | (0) |
| Playoff berths | (0) |
| Website | BuffaloLightning.com |
The Buffalo Lightning is a professional indoor football team based in Buffalo, New York. The Lightning are, as of 2016, an independent squad. The club was established in 2014 as an expansion team in American Indoor Football for the 2015 season.
History
In April, 2014, it was announced that American Indoor Football would be coming to the Buffalo, New York market.[1][2] John Augustine, a longtime figure associated with the semi-professional Buffalo Gladiators of the Northeastern Football Alliance, is leading the Lightning (the team was initially identified as the “Gladiators” in the earliest mentions, but that team name was removed and eventually replaced by Lightning well before the 2015 season). On March 2, 2015, the team announced that the Cattaraugus Community Center, a Seneca Nation-owned facility primarily used for box lacrosse and located on the Cattaraugus Reservation in Irving, New York, 30 miles south of Buffalo, would be their home venue for the 2015 season.
The Lightning jumped to the Supreme Indoor Football for the 2016 season.[3] The league abruptly broke down in winter 2016 before it began play; the Lightning still intend on playing a 2016 season, against teams being assembled as the year progresses. The Lightning's season began April 30, 2016.
Some time after the 2016 season, the team's Webmaster lost contact with the team after failing to get payment for his services and left a disparaging (and misspelled) manifesto mocking the team's management on their Web site.
Players of note
Current roster
Template:Buffalo Lightning roster
All-League players
The following Lightning players have been named to All-League Teams:
- K Jimmy Allen (1)
- DE Mook Zimmerman
Coaches of note
Head Coaches
Note: Statistics are correct through week 1 of the 2016 season.
| Name | Term | Regular Season | Playoffs | Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | Win% | W | L | |||
| Willie Burnett | 2015 | 1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | 0 | 0 | |
| Mook"Hollywood" Zimmerman | 2016-present | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | |
Statistics and records
Season-by-season results
Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.
| League Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Wild Card Berth | League Leader |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason Results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | ||||||||
| 2015 | 2015 | AIF | 7th | 1 | 7 | 0 | |||||
| 2016* | 2016 | IND | N/A | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Totals | 5 | 7 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2015) | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | - | All-time postseason record (2015) | ||||||||
| 5 | 7 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2015) | ||||||||
* Season currently in progress
2016 season results
- All games listed are home games.
- April 30, 2016: vs. Cincinnati Bulldogs, 45–0 win[4]
- May 7, 2016: vs. Hamburg Hornets (Northeastern Football Alliance), 74–0 win[4]
Games were also scheduled for May 14, and June 4, 13 and 23. No opponents were found for those dates and those games were assumed to be cancelled.
References
- ^ "AIF to Buffalo". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. April 28, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
- ^ Cody Butzin (March 17, 2015). "Saginaw Sting playing in national indoor football league with pro talent in 2015". www.mlive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ^ "Buffalo Lightning Bolts into Supreme Indoor Football". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. December 15, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ a b http://www.oleantimesherald.com/sports/columnists/grove-and-rinko-receiving-major-grid-opportunities/article_df85e8c4-1982-11e6-b8a7-e7ccd9dc606a.html
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