Bloomington Edge

The Bloomington Edge are a professional indoor football team based in Bloomington, Illinois. While it was in operation, the team hosted home games at Grossinger Motors Arena. Originally named the Bloomington Extreme, the team was a member of United Indoor Football (UIF), and joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2009 during the UIF and Intense Football League merger. They left the IFL for the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL) in 2013, and in 2015 the CPIFL merged with the Lone Star Football League (LSFL) to create Champions Indoor Football (CIF), where Bloomington did not follow and joined X-League Indoor Football (X-League). Following the 2015 season the Edge joined the CIF. The Edge then announced it had rejoined the IFL for the 2018 season, but a court ruling prevented the team from joining the league until 2019, however, they were not included in that season's schedule.

Bloomington Edge
Established 2005
Folded 2019
Played in Grossinger Motors Arena
in Bloomington, Illinois
www.bloomingtonedge.net
Bloomington Edge logo
League/conference affiliations
Team colorsNavy blue, red, silver, white
                   
MascotSpike
CheerleadersLady Edge
Personnel
Owner(s)Shane Wells
General managerCharles Welde
Head coachJohn Johnson
Team history
  • Bloomington Extreme (2006–2011)
  • Bloomington Edge (2012–2018)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (1)
  • 2008
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (8)
  • 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017
Home arena(s)

An ownership group headed by Shane Wells announced they had bought the Edge and planned on joining the American Arena League for the 2020 season, but lost out on the lease to the arena to another tenant. The edge currently do not have a home arena and have subsequently folded for the time being. The team is likely to relocate in the future.

Franchise history

United Indoor Football: 2006–2008

The Bloomington Extreme began as an expansion team in United Indoor Football in 2006 led by head coach Ted Schmitz. They missed the playoffs in their first season, but improved to an 8–7 record in 2007 before losing to the Lexington Horsemen in the Eastern Conference championship. Schmitz was then named an assistant general manager and Kenton Carr was hired as head coach for 2008.[1] The Extreme went 7–7, but were first place in a weak Eastern Conference. They won their first conference title and went on to the United Bowl where they lost to the Sioux Falls Storm.

The UIF merged with the Intense Football League in the 2008 offseason to create new Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2009.

Indoor Football League: 2009–2012

The Extreme were added to the United Conference following the merger. The Extreme signed former Florida State and NFL wide receiver Peter Warrick signed a one-year contract. The team went 10–4 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Wichita Wild. In the 2010 season, the Extreme started with a 3–5 record and fired head coach Kenton Carr. The team then finished the rest of the season undefeated under former coach Ted Schmitz before losing to Wichita again in the first round of the playoffs. In October 2010, team owner Ed Brady announced that Mike Murray was hired as the team's new head coach for the 2011 Bloomington Extreme season.[2] Murray had been the Extreme offensive coordinator in 2006. The Extreme went 9–5 and lost to the Omaha Beef in the first round of the playoffs.

The Extreme against the Alaska Wild in 2009

In November 2011, the team was purchased by Jim Morris, who had been a minority owner of the team.[3] The team agreed with change the name of the franchise to the Bloomington Edge as a tie-in to the Ford Edge.[3] Morris hired Kenton Carr as the head coach for the 2012 Bloomington Edge season.[4] The Edge finished the regular season 10–4, earning the third seed in the United Conference playoffs. The Edge then ended with another first round loss in the playoffs the Green Bay Blizzard, 30–51.[5]

Champions Professional Indoor Football League: 2013–2014

For the 2013 Bloomington Edge season, the team was owned by Bloomington Blaze owner Sandra Hunnewell and played in the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL).[6][7] The new ownership retained coach Carr and the team missed the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural season.

Just 12 days after the conclusion of the 2013 season, Edge owner and team president, David Holt and head coach Kenton Carr mutually agreed to part ways.[8] Holt replaced Carr with John Johnson, who had been the team's offensive coordinator under Carr.[9] Under Johnson for the 2014 Bloomington Edge season, the team went 5–7 and still missed the playoffs.

X-League: 2015

The Edge announced they were joining X-League Indoor Football in October 2014.[10] The Edge were acquired by Omar Khokhar at the end of the 2015 season.[11] The team's season was abruptly ended and the league's X Bowl II championship game advanced to June 6 after the Cape Fear Heroes were suspended by the league.[12]

Champions Indoor Football: 2016–2017

On August 19, 2015, the Edge announced that they were moving to Champions Indoor Football (CIF).[13] The Edge returned to the postseason for the first time in four seasons, going 7–5. The Edge won their first round playoff game against the Sioux City Bandits 65–45, but lost in the North Division Championship 51–52 to the Wichita Force.

On September 9, 2016, it was announced that head coach John Johnson and the Edge had mutually agreed to part ways.[14] On September 13, 2016, the Edge announced that former Extreme linebacker and Spokane Empire defensive coordinator, Ameer Ismail was named the team's new head coach.[15] Ismail lead the Edge to another 7–5 season, clinching another playoff berth. The Edge lost 30–43 to the Omaha Beef.[16] Twelve days later, Ismail and the Edge agreed to part ways citing "different visions."[17]

League issues and hiatus: 2018–present

On August 23, 2017, Nick Ruud was named the next Edge head coach.[18] On September 12, 2017, the Edge announced that they were moving back to the Indoor Football League.[19]

However, the CIF then attempted to sue the IFL and the Edge for leaving the CIF after the Edge had already signed league affiliation agreements with the CIF for 2018. While the CIF did drop the lawsuit against the IFL due to legal retaliation,[20][21] it filed for an injunction against the Edge from participating in the IFL for breaking the terms of their signed affiliation agreement. A temporary injunction from participation was granted on January 31, 2018, with the court ruling determining that the Edge had been offered a bribe from the owner of the Arizona Rattlers to break their contract with the CIF.[22][23]

On February 6, the Edge announced that it would continue to operate independently of a league for the season.[24] In the same press release, the Edge also announced that John Johnson would return as head coach.[25] However, the court ruling prevented the Edge from playing any games during the spring of 2018 as long as the CIF season length, forcing the Edge to only schedule exhibition games during the summer.[26] After their summer season, Edge owner Omar Khokhar announced the franchise was for sale and could relocate.[27]

In 2019, the Wells Sports Group lead by Shane Wells announced it had purchased the Edge franchise. On October 22, 2019, they announced their intentions to join the American Arena League (AAL) for the 2020 season and were still in negotiations with Grossinger Motors Arena for a lease.[28] However, the arena instead agreed to a lease with the semiprofessional indoor football team, Midway Marauders, as the Marauders had been in negotiations with the arena before Wells had initiated any conversations.[29]

Logos and uniforms
The Extreme in a game against the Alaska Wild in May 2009.

From the team's inception until 2011, the team was known as the Bloomington Extreme, with the having been derived from a naming rights deal with local auto dealer Extreme Motors. In the 2011–12 offseason, the team was sold to Jim Morris (owner of a local Sonic Drive-In franchise and of the Premier Basketball League's Central Illinois Drive), with a naming rights deal with another auto dealer; this time Heller Ford would acquire said rights, giving the team its new Edge nickname (derived from the Ford Edge automobile).

Players of note

Current roster

Bloomington Edge roster
Quarterbacks
  •  7 Caleb Holbrook

Running backs

  • -- Theron Allen
  • -- Ricky Lewis Jr.
  • -- Anthony Martin II

Wide receivers

  • -- Samson Anguay
  • -- Shaquille Brooks
  • -- Devin Childress
  • 85 Brandynn Clark
  • -- Brendon Felder
  •  2 Marcus Lewis
  • -- De'Carlos Poole
 Offensive linemen
  • Currently vacant

Defensive linemen

  • -- Herbert Gonzales II
  • -- Rusmin Nikocevic
 Linebackers
  • -- Brad Blumenshine
  • -- Cameron Hall
  •  5 Dontae McCoy

Defensive backs

  • -- Jason Johnson
  • -- Serge Kona
  • 21 Mitch Moore
  • -- Kiante Northington
  • -- Dorian Polk
  • -- John Williams III

Special teams

  •  1 Luke Hanold
 Reserve lists
  • Currently vacant
  • Rookies in italics
  • Roster updated October 31, 2017
  • 23 Active, 0 Inactive
→ More rosters

All-League selections

Season-by-season results
League Champions Conference Champions Division Champions Playoff berth League leader
Season Team League Conference Division Regular season Postseason results
FinishWinsLosses
2006 2006UIFCentral 2nd510
2007 2007UIFEastern 4th87Won Round 1 (Rock River) 43–30
Lost Divisional Championship (Lexington) 49–67
2008 2008UIFEastern 1st77Won Divisional Finals (River City) 57–23
Lost United Bowl IV (Sioux Falls) 35–40
2009 2009IFLUnitedCentral 2nd104Lost Divisional Round 1 (Wichita) 37–46
2010 2010IFLUnitedCentral North 2nd95Lost Round 1 (Wichita) 48–61
2011 2011IFLUnitedGreat Lakes 3rd95Lost Round 1 (Omaha) 34–39
2012 2012IFLUnited 3rd104Lost United Conference Semifinal (Green Bay) 30–51
2013 2013CPIFL 6th57
2014 2014CPIFL 6th57
2015 2015X-League 5th53
2016 2016CIFNorthern 2nd75Won Northern Round 1 (Sioux City) 65–45
Lost Division Championship (Wichita) 51–52
2017 2017CIFNorthern 3rd75Lost Northern Conference Semifinal (Omaha) 30–43
Totals 8769All-time regular season record
38All-time postseason record
9077All-time regular season and postseason record
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gollark: So why do you DISAGREE with VEGETARIANISM?
gollark: (or maybe I'm only ironically a vegetarian and instead I eat fungi)
gollark: (I mean, in reality, I'm a vegetarian, but I had to say it)

References
  1. "Extreme names Kenton Carr new head coach". OurSports Central. December 6, 2007.
  2. Deacon, Joe (October 21, 2010). "New Extreme coach Murray retains assistants". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  3. Deacon, Joe (December 6, 2011). "Extreme sold, name changing to Edge". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  4. Deacon, Joe (January 11, 2012). "Edge enter new era with Carr hiring". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  5. "Edge season comes to an end in Green Bay". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. June 23, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  6. "Blaze Owner To Buy Edge, Team To Play In New League". CPIFL.org. Champions Professional Indoor Football League. October 12, 2012. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  7. Deacon, Joe (October 12, 2012). "Bloomington Edge sold to Blaze owner, changing to new league". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  8. Joe Deacon (June 20, 2013). "Carr out as coach of Edge football team". The Pantagraph. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  9. Joe Deacon (July 3, 2013). "Edge promote Johnson to head coach". The Pantagraph. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  10. "X-League Gains Edge". OurSports Central. October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  11. "Bloomington doctor to own Edge". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. May 30, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  12. "Edge season over as X-League skips to title game". The Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  13. Joe Deacon (August 19, 2015). "Edge moving to CIF for 2016 indoor football season". Bloomington Pantagraph. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  14. "Edge, head coach Johnson, agree to part ways". Bloomington Pantagraph. September 9, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  15. Joe Deacon (September 13, 2016). "Edge tab former standout linebacker Ismail as new coach". Bloomington Pantagraph. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  16. "Edge fall in playoff opener as Dunn calls it a career". Bloomington Pantagraph. June 10, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  17. Joe Deacon (June 22, 2017). "Edge, Ismail parting ways after one season". Bloomington Pantagraph. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  18. Joe Deacon (August 23, 2017). "Ruud takes over as head coach of Edge". Bloomington Pantagraph. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  19. "Edge switch back to Indoor Football League". Bloomington Pantagraph. September 13, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  20. "Tryon addresses legal aspect of switching leagues". KWSN. October 5, 2017.
  21. "CIF Commissioner Issues State of the League Address". Salina Scoop. October 4, 2017. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  22. "TEMPORARY INJUNCTION BARS RENEGADE TEAMS FROM LEAVING C.P.I.F.L." KSCJ. January 31, 2018.
  23. "Ironmen will be independent in 2018, due to ruling that leaves them without a league". Local Sports Journal. February 6, 2018.
  24. "Barred from IFL, Edge to play as independent". The Pantagraph. February 6, 2018.
  25. "Edge Kick Off 2018 Training Camp". Bloomington Edge. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  26. "Ruling sacks Edge spring season; team pushes plans to summer". The Pantagraph. February 22, 2018.
  27. "Bloomington Edge seeks new ownership; relocation possible". The Pantograph. September 25, 2018.
  28. "Bloomington Edge indoor football team preparing to return in 2020". The Pantagraph. October 22, 2019.
  29. "Bloomington gets new indoor football team in Midway Marauders". The Pantagraph. December 13, 2019.
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