The Erie Freeze was an American indoor football team based in Erie, Pennsylvania .
53-570: They were an original member of the American Indoor Football League in 2005, and advanced to the first AIFL Championship Game. When the league was reorganized into the American Indoor Football Association in 2007, they continued league play until the end of the 2007. Negotiations between the team ownership and the league fell apart in late 2007, and thus put an end to the franchise. They were replaced in 2008 by
106-540: A Mercyhurst Preparatory School and University of Iowa graduate. However, the signing was short lived as Johnson subsequently joined the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers . The 2007 season was very difficult for the Freeze, and the team went from playoff contenders in 2006 to the bottom of the league, earning only a 1–13 record. The turnaround was so swift that Freeze owner David Hodas sent out an open letter to
159-704: A forgettable 2014 season that saw the expansion club finish 2-16. The next year, however, the Redblacks finished first in the CFL East Division and Johnson was named an Eastern All-Star for the fifth time in his career. Johnson was signed by the Montreal Alouettes on February 10, 2016. Johnson played in all 18 games during his first season with the Alouettes. Johnson was released by the Alouettes on June 17, 2017 as teams trimmed their rosters down to 46 players for
212-528: A league regular single game record with four interceptions. Also, the Freeze defense recorded 9 turnovers and held the Stampede to a league low 6 points. On April 7, 2006, the Freeze was handed their first regular season loss by the Huntington Heroes , 55–33. On April 17, 2006, the Freeze organization made a sudden change at the head coach position. Defensive coordinator David Arnold was named head coach for
265-698: A massive reorganization took place as Morris and Michael Mink set up a new league, which absorbed all of the remaining AIFL franchises, and Haines was ousted. (Haines would go on to create the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League in 2007, before similar stability problems led to the forced divestiture of that league as well. Haines would, in April 2010, announce he was relaunching his league as the Ultimate Indoor Football League beginning in 2011 and revived two defunct former AIFL teams.) The league took on
318-572: A rapid, and largely failed, expansion effort in 2006, most of the league's remaining teams jumped to the new AIFA (the rest joined the short-lived WIFL ). The AIFA expanded throughout existing territory and, in 2008, expanded into the Western United States . The league legally divided into two entities to allow for a partial merger with the Southern Indoor Football League , which resulted in all of its Eastern teams merging into
371-402: A team full of talented defensive backs who led the league in fewest passing yards allowed, holding opponents to the lowest pass completion percentage, and led the league with most team interceptions. Johnson accomplished this with teammates such as Jonathan Hefney , Alex Suber , and Brandon Stewart . Johnson continued to play at a high level for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Through 6 seasons with
424-581: The 95th Grey Cup championship team, although he did not play in the game itself. At the end of February in 2008, he was signed by his hometown Erie RiverRats of the AIFA . In early 2007 he had signed to play with the city's previous AIFA franchise, the now defunct Erie Freeze , but did not play for the Freeze and decided to play for the Steelers instead. Johnson was signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of
477-680: The Canadian Football League in April 2008 and started 17 of 18 games during the 2008 CFL season . He led the Bombers in defensive tackles with 57 and added 3 INTs. He then returned to RiverRats for the 2009 AIFA season following a contract signing in January 2009. He was still under contract in the CFL however the season starts later in the year which would allow him to play in the AIFA. After only one game, it
530-717: The Casper Events Center , saw the Reading Express defeat the Wyoming Cavalry for their first title, 65–42. As the 2010 season approached, AIFA continued to expand its nationwide footprint. Expansion franchises had been added in Richmond, Virginia ; Yakima, Washington ; Wasilla, Alaska (believed to be the smallest city in America to host a national professional football franchise) and Wenatchee, Washington . The moves gave
583-617: The Erie Explosion , played for eight additional consecutive seasons in Erie before suspending operations in early 2016. The team played their home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena (also the home of the OHL 's Erie Otters ). The name 'Freeze' referred to Erie's frigid temperature in the winter, and also the lake effect snow from Lake Erie . The team's colors were black and ice blue. Their official mascot
SECTION 10
#1732852621369636-588: The Erie RiverRats , who relocated from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Erie was the only market to have an AIFL and AIFA team from the time of its founding in 2005 until its breakup and eventual cessation of operations in 2010. Prior to the arrival of the Freeze, Erie, Pennsylvania had one other indoor football team, the Erie Invaders of the Indoor Football League , back in 2000. The Freeze played well in
689-662: The National Arena League . Cedar Rapids' former coach stated an intent to form a new indoor team for Cedar Rapids, while Montero confirmed any action the former coach is illegitimate and "will not affect the Cedar Rapids River Kings". On November 5, 2024, the AIF named Mike McCoy as commissioner. McCoy had previously spent the 2024 season as deputy commissioner of the Arena Football League and previously had been
742-634: The Yakima Valley Warriors left, the AIFA ceased operations; it said that it would attempt to relaunch in 2012 with eight to 12 teams in at least two regions of the United States. As of June 2011, Morris had released a statement indicating he still represented the AIFA when he purchased the assets of the Fayetteville Force . On October 27, 2011, the AIFA announced it was relaunching as American Indoor Football (AIF). The move came in light of
795-465: The AIF. In response, AIF owner Jim Morris announced on July 18, 2016, that the AIF was ceasing operations immediately. He also announced his support of the new Arena Developmental League (which later changed its name to National Arena League before its inaugural season) and hoped the new league would take on many of the former AIF teams. The Buffalo Blitz (formerly the Buffalo Lightning) used
848-505: The AIFA a much more significant presence on the West Coast of the United States . To accommodate this, and to keep travel expenses down, for the 2010 season the AIFA adopted a scheduling system that effectively treated the Eastern and Western conferences as separate leagues, with no regular-season crossover between the two conferences. The league also secured a television contract with AMGTV, which
901-719: The AIFA effectively kicked the Freeze out of the league. The Freeze were expected to return in 2009 by joining another league (the Continental Indoor Football League was mentioned as a possibility). To compensate for the team being removed, the league arranged for the Pittsburgh RiverRats (who were seeking a new arena) to move from Pittsburgh to Erie thus becoming the Erie RiverRats, along with former Freeze members Dinkins and Cipra. The Freeze quietly folded shortly thereafter. The RiverRats, later rebranded as
954-601: The American Indoor Football Association name at the same time. The 2007 season was relatively successful for the league, as all 112 scheduled games were played and no teams folded mid-season, a major improvement over the past two seasons (when the AIFA was known as the AIFL). The AIFA Championship Bowl I was a neutral site game held in Florence, South Carolina . In addition, the league held its first All-Star Game
1007-522: The Blue Bombers, Johnson amassed 363 tackles, 8 special teams tackles, 23 interceptions, 8 fumble recoveries and 7 defensive touchdowns. Following the 2013 Johnson, age 30, was not re-signed by the Bombers, becoming a free agent on February 11, 2014. On February 12, 2014, Johnson signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League . He recorded the first two sacks of his career during
1060-703: The CIFL, AIF split into two conferences, one bearing the American name and the other (which includes both CIFL refugees) named the Continental Conference. The conference names were changed to Northern and Southern for the 2016 season. The 2016 season saw the league grow from nine teams to a total of 28 announced teams. However, only 21 teams ever played a league game that season, including four teams that folded midseason and several other teams cancelling scheduled games. The Columbus Lions , which joined for 2016, would finish
1113-584: The Freeze named Jerry "The Condo" Crafts as the team's new head coach. Crafts played several years as an offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills , and later for the XFL 's Los Angeles Xtreme and the Arena Football League 's Buffalo Destroyers . On March 31, 2006, the Freeze managed to set some records during their 62–6 onslaught over the Steubenville Stampede . Freeze defensive back Sam Reynolds recorded
SECTION 20
#17328526213691166-557: The Freeze organization, including Roosevelt Benjamin, Chris Blackshear, Shea D’Ambrosio, Manuel Johnson, Sam Reynolds, Dajuan Smith, Dave Smith, and Darmel Whitfield. The team lost quarterback David Dinkins to the Pittsburgh RiverRats , and signed Randall Secky (from nearby Bemus Point, New York and the former starting quarterback for the UB Bulls ) to fill the void left by Dinkins' departure. The Freeze managed to sign Jovon Johnson ,
1219-529: The SIFL and the AIFA only maintaining its western teams. The league's western component, which remained separate of the merger, had indicated it would play as the AIFA West for the 2011 season but ceased operations January 2011. The league announced it would be relaunching as American Indoor Football in time for spring 2012. After the 2016 season , the AIF ceased operations with the former AIF owner stating his support for
1272-529: The Steelers' special teams recording 1 tackle and 1 assist. He was released from the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 27, 2007. The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed Johnson on October 5, 2007, to a contract and placed on their Developmental Squad. He made his CFL debut on October 21, 2007, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats . In total, he dressed in eight games while playing in two. He was a member of
1325-676: The deal, Morris would acquire the rights to the Eastern Conference teams and merge them into the SIFL, while Mink would retain the western conference teams, rights to the AIFA name, and television contract, the last of which was extended through 2013. The AIFA West originally announced that it would begin its season with four teams, beginning in March 2011, after the Tucson Thunder Kats announced it would be suspending operations until 2012. As of January 2011, no schedule had been released, and
1378-689: The dissolution of the SIFL and its breakup into the Professional Indoor Football League and the Lone Star Football League . AIF announced its intentions to absorb the three remaining SIFL teams not in either the PIFL or LSFL (the Harrisburg Stampede , Trenton Steel and Carolina Speed ), as well as the remaining teams that would have participated in the AIFA West. AIF intended to launch an amateur division as well. In 2015,
1431-639: The eastern United States . Two teams played all of their games on the road, and the regular season was cut short two weeks because of teams being unable to secure venues for playoff games. In the 2005–06 offseason, the league changed its name to the American Indoor Football League, while nine expansion teams entered the league and a tenth (the Rome Renegades ) joined from the National Indoor Football League . The 2006 season
1484-438: The fans thanking them for their support and begging them to stay on board. Despite the description of the Erie market as "successful", after the end of the 2007 season, the league reluctantly demanded "significant changes" to the Freeze's ownership structure in order for their contract to be renewed. Hodas attempted to sell the team to a new owner, but paperwork problems caused the deal to fall through. As such, on October 8, 2007,
1537-407: The final commissioner of Champions Indoor Football . Two rule changes appeared to be inspired by Canadian football rules: Jovon Johnson Jovon Johnson (born November 2, 1983) is an American college football and former Canadian football defensive back . He is the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for Gannon University , positions he has held since 2024. He
1590-558: The game with a corneal abrasion. Dinkins, who had been on the roster of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League , as a utility player, was named the 2005 AIFL MVP with a 60% completion rate, along with 3,000+ passing yards and 812 rushing yards. In addition, head coach Mike Esposito was named 2005 AIFL Coach of the Year. The Freeze took necessary steps to prepare themselves for another championship run in 2006, which included
1643-693: The last game on the practice roster. He has also been a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers , Erie RiverRats , Ottawa Redblacks , and Montreal Alouettes . Johnson played his high school ball (and basketball) at Mercyhurst Prep in Erie, Pennsylvania , graduating in 2002. He attended the University of Iowa as a 4-year starter in the Hawkeyes' secondary. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers after cornerback Chidi Iwuoma and linebacker Richard Seigler were placed on injured reserve . He spent all of his playing time on
Erie Freeze - Misplaced Pages Continue
1696-616: The league absorbed the remains of the Continental Indoor Football League , picking up the Saginaw Sting and Chicago Blitz from that league; the CIFL Web site became a redirect to AIF's. (The two other surviving teams from that league chose to play in other leagues: Erie decided to join the PIFL, while the Marion Blue Racers fulfilled an earlier promise to join the X-League ). In homage to
1749-590: The league after winning the most recent AIF Championship in 2016. Several of the AIF's teams were not listed on the league site after the 2024 season. The league has its roots in the Atlantic Indoor Football League, which began play in 2005 under the leadership of Andrew Haines. The first team to join the AIFL was the Johnstown RiverHawks . The league began with six teams, all of them based in
1802-652: The league announced that the Columbus Lions , the last team to win the AIF Championship in 2016, were returning to the league. On August 24, 2023, the league announced that the Amarillo Venom would return and join the AIF for the 2024 season. On September 11, 2023, the league announced that an expansion team to be based in Albany, Georgia , would also join the AIF for 2024 as its eighth franchise. On September 29, 2023,
1855-643: The league announced the Beaumont Renegades as their ninth team for the 2024 season, but on October 30, the league announced that the Renegades will play an exhibition schedule only in 2024, and will join the league full time in 2025, while the AIF granted West Virginia Miners release from the league after change in the team ownership group. After season's end in 2024, the remaining teams of AIF were listed in other leagues, with Corpus Christi joining Arena Football One and Harrisburg, Amarillo, and Columbus joining
1908-678: The league created a Western Conference. In 2007, the team farthest west was based in Mississippi ; in 2008, the team farthest west was based in Arizona . Three of the four teams who had won the league championship to that point were no longer active league members. The 2009 season culminated in AIFA Championship Bowl III, hosted by the Western Conference champion Wyoming Cavalry on July 25, 2009. The game, played before 6,500 fans at
1961-486: The league in 2007 did not return for the 2008 season , including the 2007 champion Lakeland Thunderbolts . The AIFA became the third league since 2004 (excluding the folded WIFL and NIFL before its folding) to lose its standing champion (the 2004 NIFL champion Lexington Horsemen left to join the newly created UIF and later were in af2 , and the 2006 champion Billings Outlaws also left to join two years later). However, nine teams signed on to begin play in 2008, and
2014-584: The league informed the remaining three teams that there would not be a fourth team representing Eugene, Oregon as the league had earlier promised. The league attempted to work out a schedule with the remaining three teams, but the Reno Barons and Stockton Wolves were unwilling to go forward with such a schedule and broke from the league. Both teams operated as the two-team "Western Indoor Football Association" in 2011, each playing whatever semi-pro teams were willing to face them in addition to each other. With only
2067-409: The league signed a three-year national television broadcast, mobile phone broadcast, and webcast licensing agreement with Simply 4Me Incorporated (d.b.a. SimplyMe TV). However, that deal was subsequently cancelled. Later in the season, FSN Pittsburgh agreed to pick up the remaining games; Erie, Pennsylvania -based Image Sports Network was also involved with the league. Eight teams participating in
2120-530: The league's inaugural season, earning a 9–1 regular season record and winning a semifinal playoff game against the Canton Legends . With the victory, the Freeze earned the right to host the league's first American Bowl (the league's championship game) against the Richmond Bandits . However, the Freeze lost the game 56–30, in part because of six interceptions by quarterback David Dinkins, who played much of
2173-478: The official AIF football in their press announcement upon joining the Can-Am Indoor Football League , which was created by announced AIF 2017 expansion team Vermont Bucks . The Can-Am also used the AIF footballs in games during their only season. On July 3, 2023, John Morris announced that the league would indeed relaunch in 2024 with four new teams: Cedar Rapids River Kings , Corpus Christi Tritons , RiverCity Rage and West Virginia Miners . On August 4, 2023,
Erie Freeze - Misplaced Pages Continue
2226-500: The re-signings of Dinkins (Quarterback), Johnathan Sitter (Center), JR Cipra (Kicker), Eugene Padgett (Defensive Back), Chris Blackshear (Defensive Back), Dave Smith (Defensive Line), and Donte Pimpleton (Wide Receiver). Despite signing a three-year contract extension with the team, Mike Esposito did not re-join the Freeze, instead accepting a job as the head coach of the Odessa Roughnecks of the Intense Football League , an indoor football league based in Texas. On Friday, January 6, 2006,
2279-435: The recently created Arena Developmental League . In 2021, league owner John Morris announced he planned to relaunch the AIF for the 2022 season, though no games would be played. In 2023, it was announced that the league was relaunched by president and commissioner John Morris with four new teams: the Cedar Rapids River Kings , Corpus Christi Tritons , RiverCity Rage and West Virginia Miners. The Columbus Lions rejoined
2332-442: The remainder of the 2006 season. Today, he remains at the head coaching helm. Despite a rocky second half of the season, the Freeze ended the 2006 regular season at 10–4 and earned the Northern Conference's #3 seed. Unfortunately, they fell to the eventual-AIFL champion Canton Legends 54–45. The loss made the Freeze 0–3 when they play the Legends in Canton, Ohio . For 2007, the Freeze took steps to resign some familiar faces around
2385-540: The same weekend, also in Florence. League owners stated that the neutral site was chosen so that both games could be televised to obtain nationwide exposure for the league. The league then expanded nationwide; some individual teams were able to acquire several players with NFL experience, a sign that the league had achieved a level on par with leagues such as af2 . The league earned a major television contract as well: On September 17, 2007, The American Indoor Football Association owners John Morris and Michael Min announced that
2438-448: The season undefeated and win the championship. The Lions then announced that they were leaving the league due to the league's instability, especially in the Southern Division where the Lions were the only team that did not have a cancelled or rescheduled game. On July 7, 2016, the Lions' owners announced the formation of a new league, the Arena Developmental League . On July 13, the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks also announced they were leaving
2491-442: The start of the season. On June 19, 2017, the Roughriders announced that Johnson had been added to the team's practice roster. Johnson dressed for all 18 games for the Riders and contributed with 39 defensive tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble. Following the season Johnson and the Riders agreed to a contract extension. Johnson signed a one-day contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on March 2, 2020, to retire with
2544-414: Was "Freddy", a friendly snow-white yeti wearing a black jersey, football pants, and boots. American Indoor Football League American Indoor Football ( AIF ) is a professional indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America. The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the East Coast of the United States in 2005. After
2597-428: Was found out that there was a clause in Johnson's contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers that prevents him from playing with any other team. With that, he returned to Winnipeg. The 2011 Winnipeg Blue Bombers season proved to be a successful one for Johnson, helping to lead the Bombers to their first division title in ten years. He was part of a noteworthy Bombers' defense that had self-titled itself 'Swaggerville' and
2650-449: Was marred by the folding of two teams, and the league used semi-pro teams to fill scheduling vacancies. The league was briefly acquired by Greens Worldwide , Inc., the owners of the amateur North American Football League, during the 2006 season, but they terminated the contract soon afterwards. Nine teams left the league after the season, including four who split off to create the short-lived World Indoor Football League . On October 2, 2006,
2703-417: Was named the CFL East Division 's most outstanding defensive player. Following this, Johnson was named a CFL East Division all-star for the third consecutive time, as well as being named to his second CFL All-Star team a short time later. Johnson followed this up with an appearance as the first defensive back to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award. He won the award as the standout player on
SECTION 50
#17328526213692756-417: Was the winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award in 2011 while with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers , becoming the first defensive back to win the award in the league. He is also a two-time CFL All-Star and five-time CFL East Division All-Star. In addition, he was a member of the 2007 Saskatchewan Roughriders that won the Grey Cup , though he spent little time on the active roster and finished
2809-424: Was to syndicate a "Game of the Week" package to regional sports networks and its network of low-powered broadcast stations. In 2010, the Baltimore Mariners completed the league's first-ever perfect season by winning all fourteen regular season games and winning AIFA Championship Bowl IV. The AIFA arranged a split and partial merger with the Southern Indoor Football League after the 2010 season. As part of
#368631