Battle Creek Crunch

Battle Creek Crunch
Founded 2005
League Great Lakes Indoor Football League
Team history Battle Creek Crunch (2006)
Based in Battle Creek, Michigan
Arena Kellogg Arena
Colors Black, Orange, White
              
Owner(s) Mike Powell
Head coach Bob Kubiak
General Manager Mike Powell
Championships 0
Dancers Illegal Motion

The Battle Creek Crunch were a professional indoor football team based in Battle Creek, Michigan. The team was a charter member of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League joining the league in 2006 as an expansion team. The Crunch were the first professional indoor football team to be based in Battle Creek. The Crunch were owned by Mike Powell. They played their home games at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Franchise history

The Crunch were announced to the City of Battle Creek in September 2005 that they would begin play in 2006 as an expansion team in the newly formed Great Lakes Indoor Football League by owner and general manager, Mike Powell. On September 27, 2005 the team named Bob Kubiak as their Head Coach.[1] The Battle Creek Crunch office is officially open to the public on January 16.[2] In their first ever game, the Port Huron Pirates defeated the Crunch by the score of 62-22.[3] The team was also featured on ESPN.com, as writer Ted Kluck tried out for the team. He participated in the first game as a long snapper for two extra point attempts.[4] Kluck wrote a book called, Paper Tiger which captured the entire 2006 season from a player's prospective.[5] Despite the team's lackluster 4-6 record, the team qualified for the playoffs as the league's 4th and final seed. The team was eliminated from the playoffs by the Port Huron Pirates by a score of 74-3. Despite the team's struggles on and off the field, Eric Gardner was named the inaugural GLIFL Defensive Back of the Year.

2006 GLIFL standings

2006 Great Lakes Indoor Football League
Team W L T PCT
Port Huron Pirates-y 10 0 0 1.000
Rochester Raiders-x 7 3 0 .700
Lehigh Valley Outlawz-x 5 5 0 .500
Battle Creek Crunch-x 4 6 0 .400
Marion Mayhem 4 6 0 .400
New York/New Jersey Revolution 0 10 0 .000

Even though they hoped to play in 2007, financial troubles and the forming of the Kalamazoo Xplosion marked the end of the Crunch's only year of existence.[6][7]

Logos

The team name refers to Battle Creek's position as the corporate headquarters of the Kellogg's cereal company. The tiger in the logo is derivative of Tony the Tiger.

Players of note

Roster

Battle Creek Crunch roster
Quarterbacks
  • 14 Ken Kubiak
  •  7 Tim Kubiak

Running Backs

  •  2 Chesaurae Rhodes

Wide Receivers

  •  4 Richard Gills
  • 15 Brian Wright
Offensive Linemen
  • 61 Kyle Lacksheide
  • -- Chris Gillette

Defensive Linemen

  • 37 Anthony Allsbury
  • 87 Chris Montgomery
  • 92 Harry Petaway

Linebackers

  • 25 Ted Kluck
Defensive Backs
  •  1 Shawn Blackmon
  • 10 Eric Gardner
  •  5 L. J. Parker
  •  6 Chris Roberson

Kickers

  • 18 Brent Selent
Injured Reserve
  • Currently vacant

Exempt List

  • Currently vacant

Practice Squad

  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
updated June 24, 2006
18 Active, 0 Inactive, 0 PS

→ More rosters

[8]

Awards and honors

The following is a list of all Battle Creek Crunch players who have won GLIFL Awards.

Season Award Player Position
2006 Defensive Back of the Year Eric Gardner Wide Receiver/Defensive Back

Coaches of note

Head coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2006 Great Lakes Indoor Football League season.

Name Term Regular Season Playoffs Awards
W L T Win% W L
Bob Kubiak 2006 4 6 0 .400 0 1

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
2006 2006 GLIFL 4 6 0 Lost GLIFL semifinals (Pirates) 3–74
Totals 4 6 0 All-time regular season record (2006)
0 1 - All-time postseason record (2006)
4 7 0 All-time regular season and postseason record (2006)

References

  1. "Battle Creek Crunch announce first Head Coach". September 28, 2005. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  2. "Crunch News and Notes - January". January 16, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  3. Randy Snow (April 8, 2006). "Crunch Lose Opener to Pirate". Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  4. Ted Kluck. "A day in mini-camp". Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  5. Paper Tiger:One Athlete's Journey to the Underbelly of Pro Football. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  6. "None".
  7. "None".
  8. "Quest for Great Lakes Bowl I - Battle Creek Crunch Season Preview". March 28, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2012.

External links

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