INTENSE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
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|---|---|---|
| ALASKA | CEN TEX | CORPUS CHRISTI |
| WILD | BARRACUDAS | HAMMERHEADS |
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|---|---|---|
| FAIRBANKS | FRISCO | KATY |
| GRIZZLIES | THUNDER | RUFF RIDERS |
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|---|---|---|---|
| LOUSIANA | ODESSA | SAN ANGELO | |
| SWASHBUCKLERS | ROUGHNECKS | STAMPEDE EXPRESS |
Above is the 2008 alignment for the Intense Football League. The IFL added one new expansion team this year, the Fairbanks Grizzlies.
HISTORIC HELMETS
ALASKA WILD
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|---|---|
| 2007 | 2008 - Present |
The Wild are based in Anchorage, AK. They joined the league as an expansion team in 2007. To my knowledge, they are the first professional football team, indoor or outdoor, based in Alaska. At one time, the Wild were linked to AF2. I'm not sure why they ended up in the IFL.
There may be yet another version of the 2008 helmet above with a tapered red stripe. In fact, both versions may have been worn in the same game.
AMARILLO DUSTERS
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|---|---|
| pre 2004 | 2004 |
The Dusters were based in Amarillo, TX. They were by far the most successful team in the league, winning the first championship easily. After the first season, the Dusters left the league to join the AF2. This prompted the league to disband and most of its member teams joined the NIFL for the 2005 season.
The first helmet was displayed at a press conference announcing the team. They may have used this version on the field, but the only photos I have are for the second helmet shown above.
CEN TEX BARRACUDAS
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|---|---|
| 2006 | 2007 - present |
The Barracudas are based in Belton, TX. They were one of three teams to join the IFL when it was resurrected in 2006, as an expansion franchise.
CORPUS CHRISTI HAMMERHEADS
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|---|---|
| 2004 | 2006 |
The Hammerheads are based in Corpus Christi, TX. In 2007, their arena lease was not renewed and they were forced to play their home games in nearby Robstown, TX.
The first helmet was worn by the team during the 2004 season. When the league disbanded, the Hammerheads joined the NIFL and used the second helmet design. They are still using the second design in the revived IFL.
EL PASO RUMBLE
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|---|
| 2004 |
The Rumble were based in El Paso, TX.
The least successful of the original IFL franchises, the Rumble folded following the 2004 season rather than try and join the NIFL. When the league re-formed a year later, they were long gone. There are rumors that the IFL plans to add a new team to the El Paso market in 2008.
FAIRBANKS GRIZZLIES
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|---|
| 2008 - present |
The Grizzlies are based in Fairbanks, Alaska. They are an expansion team for the 2008 season
FRISCO THUNDER
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|---|---|
| 2007 | 2008 - Present |
The Thunder are based in Frisco, TX. They joined the league as an expansion team in 2007.
KATY RUFF RIDERS
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|---|---|
| 2007 | 2008 - present |
The Ruff Riders are based in Katy, TX. They joined the league as an expansion team in 2007.
LAREDO LOBOS
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| 2006 |
The Lobos were based in Laredo, TX. They joined the league as an expansion team in 2006, when it reformed. They left after a single season to join the AF2.
LUBBOCK LONE STARS
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| 2004 |
The Lone Stars were based in Lubbock, TX. A charter franchise, the team joined the NIFL following the 2004 season. They changed their name to the Gunslingers, but suffered setbacks both on and off the field and soon folded.
LOUISIANA SWASHBUCKLERS
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|---|---|
| 2006 | 2007 - present |
The Swashbucklers are based in Lake Charles. LA. They were long time members of the NIFL, originally as the Lake Charles Land Sharks and later the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers. They played against the IFL teams that joined the NIFL in 2005 and left with them to help ressurect the league in 2006.
ODESSA ROUGHNECKS
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|---|
| 2004, 2006 - present |
The Roughnecks are based in Odessa, TX. A charter member of the IFL, they joined the NIFL following the 2004 season. After a single year in the NIFL, they helped reform the IFL and are one of three founding teams still active..
SAN ANGELO STAMPEDE / STAMPEDE EXPRESS
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|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 2006 - 2007 | 2008 - present |
| STAMPEDE | STAMPEDE EXPRESS | STAMPEDE EXPRESS |
The Stampede Express are based in San Angelo, TX. The team began as the Stampede, a charter franchise in 2004.
The Stampede moved to the NIFL following the 2004 season along with the Roughnecks, Hammerheads and Lone Stars. After a rather unsuccessful 2005 campaign the team left to rejoin the revived IFL, were sold and then changed their name to the Stampede Express prior to the start of the 2006 season.
While playing in the NIFL, the team wore a different helmet. See the NIFL section for this version.
COMMENTS
The Intense Football League, or IFL, began in 2004 as yet another small market indoor football league. This particular league was unique in that all the original teams played in Texas. I don't really know much else about this league or it's teams. I assume they used a version of the indoor rules similar to the NIFL.
After their first season, the Amarillo Dusters left the league to join the AF2. The league, which became remarkably weaker after it's most successful team jumped ship, announced a merger with the NIFL for the 2005 season. Most of the remaining teams -- the Corpus Christi Hammerheads, San Angelo Stampede, Lubbock Lone Stars and Odessa Roughnecks -- did end up playing in the NIFL in 2005. Only the El Paso Rumble folded. The Roughnecks were quite successful, going undefeated during the season but losing in the playoffs.
Following the 2005 season, the NIFL under went yet another upheaval and the former Intense League teams chose to leave and re-form the IFL, along with NIFL defector the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers. The Stampede were sold at some point along the way and became the Stampede Express. The Lone Stars, who had changed their name to the Gunslingers while in the NIFL, decided to stay in the NIFL but later folded. Two new teams were announced -- the Cen Tex Barracudas, based in Belton, TX, and the Laredo Lobos. These six teams began play for the 2006 season in April. At one time the NIFL threatened a lawsuit against the teams, but has since backed off.
Following the 2006 season, The Lardeo Lobos left the league, like the Dusters before them, to join the AF2. The IFL didn't even blink this time, however, and added three new teams to take their place, including the first professional team based in Alaska. In 2008, they added a second Alaskan team, the Fairbanks Grizzlies. They plan to add a new team to the El Paso market as soon, and there are rumors of several other cities in Texas, Louisiana and even Alaska and northern Mexico as possible expansion markets.
As I stated above, I believe this is the only example of a league terminating operations for over a year and then coming back and actually playing.
There may be some other helmet variations for these teams. Any information is greatly appreciated.