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Indiana Firebirds

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Indiana Firebirds
Established 1990
Folded 2004
Played in Indianapolis, Indiana at Conseco Fieldhouse
League/conference affiliations
Arena Football League (1990–2004)
  • National Conference (1993; 1995–2000)
  • American Conference (1994; 2001–2004)
Current uniform
Team colorsBlack, royal blue, red, burnt orange, gold, white
           
Personnel
Owner(s)Glenn Mazula
Dave Lageschulte
General managerJoe Hennessy
John Kolner
Head coachMike Wilpolt
Team history
  • Albany Firebirds (1990–2000)
  • Indiana Firebirds (2001–2004)
Championships
League championships (1)
Conference championships (0)
Prior to 2005, the AFL did not have conference championship games
Division championships (6)
Playoff appearances (11)
1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Home arena(s)
This article is about the original Albany/Indiana Firebirds team. For the AF2 franchise, see Albany Firebirds (af2). For the franchise named after the Firebirds, see Albany Firebirds (2023–).

The Indiana Firebirds were a team in the Arena Football League. The team was based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Home games were played at the Conseco Fieldhouse, also the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association.

History

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Albany Firebirds (1990–2000)

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The team was founded in Albany, New York as the Albany Firebirds, and played in Albany from 1990 to 2000.[1][2] At that time, home games were played at the Knickerbocker Arena (now known as the MVP Arena). The team's original ownership group was headed by Joe O'Hara, owner of the Continental Basketball Association's Albany Patroons, who would later become the AFL's second commissioner. In 2020, he revealed that he originally wanted to call the team the Nighthawks, but league founder Jim Foster wanted that nickname for a future team he planned to own after his tenure as commissioner. After getting off the phone with Foster while in Boston, he happened to see a Pontiac Firebird driving down the highway and decided to go with that name.[3]

The Firebirds were very successful during their tenure in Albany. They won six division titles, made nine playoff appearances, and won the 1999 ArenaBowl championship.

Indiana Firebirds (2001–2004)

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On October 19, 2000, the Firebirds announced they would be relocating to Indianapolis.[4] After the move, the Firebirds competed in the Central Division of the AFL's American Conference. The Firebirds were not as successful in Indianapolis as they were in Albany, missing the playoffs twice in four seasons after having made the playoffs in all but two of their first 11 seasons.

The 2004 Firebirds just missed the playoffs after a disappointing 0–5 start. However, they finished the season winning eight of their last eleven games and were considered by some a potential contender for the 2005 Arena Bowl championship led by 2004 Rookie of the Year quarterback Zachary Paget.

However, in early September 2004, Firebirds owner Dave Lageschulte announced that his company, Lags Football LLC, would cease all business operations for the Firebirds. Lageschulte had been actively, but unsuccessfully, pursuing local investors to purchase the Firebirds since he had assumed ownership in 2002.

On September 20, 2004, the date of the announced sales deadline, the Arena Football League announced the termination of the Firebirds franchise and that the players would be made available to continuing AFL teams in a dispersal draft. However, within the week the team was purchased by Scott and Todd Hines, who run H3 Sportsgear, a sportsgear company based in Indianapolis. With AFL approval, it was hoped that the Firebirds could remain operational in Indianapolis. However, this bid floundered due to concerns that the low sale price would devalue the worth of the other 18 franchises. The former Firebirds players were made available in the dispersal draft conducted on October 14, 2004, marking the end of one of the AFL's longest-running franchises.

Resurrection of the Albany Firebirds name

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After the move of the Albany Firebirds AFL franchise to Indiana, an AF2 team called the Albany Conquest took to the field to replace the arena football void left by the departure of the Firebirds. After eight seasons and troubles with fielding a winning team in recent seasons, Conquest owner Walter Robb contemplated shutting down the Conquest franchise. Then, on Friday, October 3, 2008, Robb announced the return of the team for the 2009 season but renamed as the Albany Firebirds in the hopes of "re-branding" the team.[5]

Multiple reports in late September 2023 indicated that a team bearing the Albany Firebirds brand would play in the 2024 season. Ownership would not confirm nor deny the reports but stated that there would be an arena football team in Albany in 2024, either in the revived AFL or the Indoor Football League.[6] On October 2, 2023, the Albany Firebirds were officially announced to be joining the AFL. [7]

Season-by-season

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Season records
Season W L T Finish Playoff results
Albany Firebirds
1990 3 5 0 5th –
1991 6 4 0 4th Lost Week 1 (Detroit 37–35)
1992 5 5 0 3rd Northern Lost Week 1 (Dallas 48–45)
1993 5 7 0 5th NC Lost Week 1 (Tampa Bay 48–34)
1994 10 2 0 1st NC Won Week 1 (Las Vegas 49–30)
Lost Week 2 (Arizona 40–33)
1995 7 5 0 1st NC Eastern Won Week 1 (St. Louis 51–49)
Lost Week 2 (Tampa Bay 56–49)
1996 10 4 0 1st NC Eastern Won Week 1 (Milwaukee 70–58)
Lost Week 2 (Iowa 62–55)
1997 6 8 0 3rd NC Eastern –
1998 10 4 0 1st NC Eastern Lost Week 1 (New Jersey 66–59)
1999 11 3 0 1st NC Eastern Won Week 1 (Grand Rapids 55–45)
Won Week 2 (Arizona 73–47)
Won ArenaBowl XIII (Orlando 59–48)
2000 9 5 0 1st NC Eastern Lost Week 2 (Arizona 53–50)
Indiana Firebirds
2001 9 5 0 2nd AC Central Won Week 1 (Carolina 58–41)
Won Week 2 (Tampa Bay 68–31)
Lost Week 3 (Grand Rapids 83–70)
2002 7 7 0 3rd AC Central Lost Week 1 (Dallas 47–46)
2003 6 10 0 4th AC Central –
2004 8 8 0 3rd AC Central –
Totals 121 91 0 (including playoffs)

Notable players

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Arena Football Hall of Famers

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Albany/Indiana Firebirds Hall of Famers
No. Name Year Inducted Position(s) Years w/ Firebirds
77 Sylvester Bembery 2011 OL/DL 1994–2003
17 Eddie Brown[8] 2011 OS 1994–2003
– Mike Dailey 2012 Head Coach 1997–2003
84 Fred Gayles 2002 WR/DB 1990–1997
? Darryl Hammond 2013 WR/LB 1991–1994
– Mike Hohensee 2012 Head Coach 1994–1996
82 Greg Hopkins 2013 WR/LB 1996–2001
– Glenn Mazula 2000 Owner 1990–2002
? Reggie Smith 2002 OS 1990
? Durwood Roquemore 1999 WR/DB 1991

Individual awards

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All-Arena players

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The following Firebirds players were named to All-Arena Teams:

All-Ironman players

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The following Firebirds players were named to All-Ironman Teams:

All-Rookie players

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The following Firebirds players were named to All-Rookie Teams:

Head coaches

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Name Term Regular Season Playoffs Awards
W L T Win% W L
Rick Buffington 1990–1993 19 21 0 .475 0 3
Mike Hohensee 1994–1996 27 11 0 .711 2 2
Mike Dailey 1997–2003 58 42 0 .580 5 4 Coach of the Year (1999)
Steve DeBerg 2004 0 5 0 .000 0 0
Mike Wilpolt 2004 8 3 0 .727 0 0

Former radio affiliates (6 stations)

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References

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  1. ^ Singelais, Mark (December 11, 2009). "Firebirds won't play 2010 season". Times Union. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  2. ^ Boggie, Tom (June 9, 1990). "Firebirds Host Commandos In Arena Football Opener". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  3. ^ "AFL Rewind: Joe O'Hara". ArenaFan.com. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  4. ^ "Firebirds move to Indianapolis". OurSports Central. October 19, 2000. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "The top 10 of the Double Os". Times Union. December 20, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  6. ^ Singelais, Mark (2023-09-28). "Firebirds back? Arena football returning to MVP Arena in 2024". Times Union. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  7. ^ Haas, Griffin (2023-10-02). "Albany Firebirds returning to AFL". News 10. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  8. ^ Singelais, Mark (February 5, 2011). "Father and son saga at Super Bowl". Times Union. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
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