Detroit Thunder
The Detroit Thunder was a professional indoor football team based in Fraser, Michigan. The team was a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. The Thunder were the third indoor football team to have called the Motor City home, following two Arena Football League teams: the four-time ArenaBowl champion Detroit Drive (1988–1993) and the Detroit Fury (2001–2004). In addition, a team called the Motor City Reapers was proposed for the 2007 CIFL season, but the team folded before ever playing a single game. The Thunder were owned by Terrence and Lawrence Foster.
| Detroit Thunder | ||
|---|---|---|
| Established 2012 Folded 2014 Played in Fraser Hockeyland in Fraser, Michigan | ||
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| League/conference affiliations | ||
Continental Indoor Football League (2013–2014)
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| Team colors | Purple, Green, White | |
| Personnel | ||
| Owner(s) | Terrence and Lawrence Foster | |
| General manager | Terrence Foster | |
| Head coach | Terrence Foster | |
| Team history | ||
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| Championships | ||
| League championships (0) | ||
| Conference championships (0) | ||
| Division championships (0) | ||
| Home arena(s) | ||
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Franchise history
2013
On November 1, 2012, the Thunder was officially announced as the CIFL's eleventh team for the 2013 season, but with the Cincinnati Commandos folding, the league was left with ten teams. The team was owned by David and Cynthia Kinsman, who also own the Port Huron Patriots in the same league.[1][2] In addition, the Michigan Cup was announces as the trophy the Thunder, Patriots, and Saginaw Sting would compete for during the 2013 season.[1] On November 9, 2012, David Kinsman announced that the Thunder would be playing their home games at the Taylor Sportsplex in Taylor, Michigan for the 2013 season, with the hopes to move to a larger venue in 2014.[3] In the Thunder's first ever game, the team lost 28–41 to the Patriots.[4] Kinsman moved the Thunder home games to McMorran Arena in Port Huron, Michigan for the remainder of the season. On February 21, just two weeks into the season, Kinsman sold both the Patriots and the Thunder.[5] The Thunder were backed by the CIFL until a new owner was found.[5] Less than a week after the CIFL took over the operations, the Thunder were sold to coaches Terrence and Lawrence Foster.[6] Foster's move as head coach was moving the team back to the Taylor Sportsplex.[6]
2014
In June 2013, the Thunder agreed to terms with the CIFL to return for the 2014 season.[7] The Thunder opened up the 2014 season at the Patriots, who during the offseason signed former Thunder quarterback Mike Akwari. Akwari helped the Patriots defeat his old team by a score of 34-12.[8]
Turf problems at Fraser Hockeyland, the arena the team originally intended to use in 2014, disrupted the season. After moving their first home game to the Perani Arena and Event Center, the team attempted to return to Fraser Hockeyland for the remainder of its home schedule. The Erie Explosion, the first team that would have played the Thunder at Fraser Hockeyland, arrived at the arena only to find that the turf was unfit for play, forcing the Thunder to forfeit; the team ceased operations for the season after that incident.
Notable players
Final roster
| Detroit Thunder roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Kickers
Unknown
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Injured reserve
Exempt list
Practice squad
| |||
Coaches of note
Head coaches
| Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | Win% | W | L | |||
| Terrence Foster | 2013–2014 | 4 | 14 | 0 | .222 | 0 | 0 | |
Coaching staff
| Detroit Thunder staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
|
Head Coach
Offensive Coaches
Defensive Coaches
| |||||
Season-by-season results
| League Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | Wild Card Berth | League Leader |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | ||||||||
| 2013 | 2013 | CIFL | 5th | 4 | 6 | 0 | |||||
| 2014 | 2014 | CIFL | North | 5th | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Totals | 4 | 14 | 0 | All-time regular season record (2013-2014) | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | - | All-time postseason record (2013-2014) | ||||||||
| 4 | 14 | 0 | All-time regular season and postseason record (2013-2014) | ||||||||
References
- "Detroit Thunder Rolls Into CIFL". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. November 1, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
- Joseph Hayes (November 13, 2012). "Joseph Hayes: Kinsmans add second CIFL franchise". The Time Herald. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
- Eric Lacy (November 9, 2012). "New Detroit Thunder owner promises exciting Continental Indoor Football League play for region". www.mlive.com. Michigan Live. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- Joseph Hayes (February 9, 2013). "Patriots drop Thunder, 41–28". The Times Herald. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
- Joseph Hayes (February 22, 2013). "Dave Kinsman sell Port Huron Patriots locally". The Time Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
- "Under New Ownership, Thunder Head Back To Detroit". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. February 26, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- Cory Butzin (June 10, 2013). "Continental Indoor Football League agree to terms with five teams for next season". www.mlive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
- Joseph Hayes (February 8, 2014). "Patriots storm back to defeat Thunder, 34-12". www.thetimesherald.com. Gannett. Retrieved February 17, 2014.