National Conference preview
May 15, 2008Hey, IFL fans! This is the time of the year when championship teams are made and dynasties are born. For most team owners in the IFL, a month off of football is needed after the season ends to rest and relax from all the rigorous work it takes to be a team owner. Then, it’s back to the drawing board.
In effect, every IFL team’s front office becomes a madhouse. Talent is brought in, carefully assessed, and evaluated. Offers are made and then retooled. The calculations are endless. Are we to thin on the offensive line? Can we fit in another free agent at this position? Who is a free agent this year? What key areas are in need of improvement? January is when IFL team owners and general managers are scrambling for new talent and veteran additions to make their team better.
The following National Conference reports and opinions were assembled by multiple observers and fans alike.
Muskego Hitmen
Owner: Jason Huckstorf
Last year’s record: 9-1-1
Established: 2003
Conference: National
Comebacks turned favorites
The Muskego Hitmen enter the 2008 campaign with a chip on their shoulder and a championship-or-die attitude. Jason Huckstorf has been busy all off-season putting together the potential missing pieces to their championship puzzle. The Hitmen have almost everybody from last year’s roster returning, and picked up a couple new additions at the linebacker and wide receiver positions. Just a handful of veterans will not be returning. Derek Daley, last year’s starting quarterback was lost to free agency, and both fullback Nick Seliger and defensive end Jason Henneberry have retired. But what really makes this team great is Head Coach Jason Blawat’s ability to game plan and prepare his team each and every week. This year’s talented squad looks like a contender, and if history is any indicator, you can expect the Hitmen to represent the National Conference in the Ironbowl come August 23rd.
Fond du Lac Crusaders
Owner: Brian Thompson
Last year’s record: 3-5
Established: 2000
Conference: National
Defense is key
The Crusaders started off strong last year, racing to a 2-0 start before nose-diving and losing their next four games. They beat the National Conference powerhouse Madison Mustangs in Week Seven by one point, in a thriller that gave the team proof that they had the talent to hang with top teams. This year’s team is reloaded and has many more talented players thanks to the Crusader pipeline from Lakeland College. In the Crusaders first two wins, the ldquo;Big Blue Wrecking Crewrdquo; grounded opposing offenses to zero points while the Crusaders offense outscored opponents 50-0. The four weeks that followed told a different story, as opponents terrorized Big Blue and scored a combined 75 points. For the Crusaders to be successful, their defense needs to take control; because as evidence suggests, when the defense rocks, the Crusaders roll.
Spring City Cyclones
Owner: Dan Greene
Last year’s record: 4-5
Established: 2004
Conference: National
Weathering the storm
The Cyclones enter the 2008 season as practically a brand new team. The team moved to Waukesha from Oak Creek and was devastated this off-season by free agency as the team lost around 15 players from last year. Instead of panicking, Dan Greene simply went to work and brought in young, talented and hungry players who he hopes will be around for a long time. A lot of teams hate the word ldquo;rebuilding,rdquo; but that seems to be the case here as Greene looks to build a winner for the future. A lot of new faces and youth will be the look of the ‘Clones this year, and whether this team will be a contender, only time will tell.
Madison Mustangs
Owner: Bob Gingras
Last year’s record: 6-4-1
Established: 2007
Conference: National
Third time’s a charm?
ldquo;Next Year’s Teamrdquo; has been the Mustangs’ nickname for some time now. Never short on talent and lead by Adam Smith, one of the youngest and brightest head coaches in the league; they still have no championship to show for it. 2008 looks like ldquo;three times a charmrdquo; for the ‘Stangs, but they must beat their conference nemesis, the Muskego Hitmen, in order to drink champagne in August. Madison will get the chance to beat their arch rivals early in the season, as they face off against Muskego in Week One at home. All-Star quarterback Marques Korpella leads another stellar cast on offense, where the Mustangs usually dare everybody to stop the pass while they light up the skies. The defense is bigger and meaner this year, with multiple key additions made in the off-season. This quality and proud franchise wants an Ironbowl Championship more than anything else, and 2008 looks to be their year to shine.
Milwaukee Venom
Owner: James Medrano
Last year’s record: 3-5
Established: 2002
Conference: National
Healing process
The Venom is coming off a disappointing 3-5 season after enjoying a 7-4 record and a Conference Championship appearance the year before. But before you count Milwaukee out, you should know that the Venom suffered from a lot of injuries, particularly to key starters that could’ve seriously affected their chances at a playoff birth. The Venom is really talented on paper, and lost three games last year by a total of 3 points or less. If the Venom won those three games they would have gone back to the playoffs, and the season could have been considered more of a success. Fate can certainly be cruel. The Venom are going into the 2008 campaign healthy, but whether or not they can stay that way may be the deciding factor in this team’s playoff potential.
West Allis Predators
Owner: Scott Schriener
Last year’s record: 5-5
Established: 2005
Conference: National
Pushovers no more
The Predators shocked the league last year as they compiled a 5-4 regular season record and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. This year, team owner Scott Schriener hopes to build on that success and prove to the league that last year was not a fluke. Future superstar Mike Bernal returns at quarterback as he will try to lead this team back to the playoffs. While West Allis often relied on the arm of Bernal and the legs of Bobby ldquo;Boom Boomrdquo; Windom, the defense also did its part in recording two shut-outs and bullying many battered ball carriers. It will be interesting to see if the Predators can duplicate their regular season success of last year and go further into the playoffs.
New Berlin Panthers
Owner: BZ Rice
Last year’s record: 1-8
Established: 2006
Conference: National
Growing pains
The Panthers limped through a rough 1-8 season last year - tensions ran high and tempers flared. But this is a young team that has the talent to be a potential contender; they just have to put it all together. Without the talented running back Reguize Rhodman, who was sidelined much of the year by injuries, the team’s offense suffered and never seemed to have the balance it desperately needed. The team was shut out four times last year; and the defense, who has been known to fly to the ball and destroy its targets, gave up a whopping 175 points in six games. Team owner BZ Rice has done a great job with his young squad in maintaining a team-first attitude, a definite attribute of true champions. In 2008, this team hopes to put it all together, go out and win football games like the teams of its glorious past.