Professional Indoor Football League (1998)

The PIFL was started by Richard "Dick" Suess. Suess was deeply involved in football on the semi-pro and minor league level, and was editor–publisher of the Minor League Football News. In 1996, he began shopping around the idea of the PIFL, an indoor league created from the top minor league programs around the country. The league was finally formed in late 1997 and began its first season in 1998. The league offices were located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The PIFL was rife with problems from the start. The Colorado Wildcats changed coaches during the preseason. By the third game, many teams were in serious financial trouble and started forfeiting games. The Minnesota Monsters folded after Week 5. Many other teams missed payrolls and this resulted in many players, including some of the best players, quitting. PIFL teams had 22-man rosters and each player made $200 per game.^[2]

In 1999, the PIFL essentially "split" into two leagues. Keary Ecklund, owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, took his two teams and form the Indoor Football League. On January 4, 1999, the remaining teams of the PIFL renamed the league to the Indoor Professional Football League.

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Team	City	Arena	Head coach
Colorado Wildcats	Denver, Colorado	Denver Coliseum	Collins Sanders
Green Bay Bombers	Green Bay, Wisconsin	Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena	Mario Russo
Honolulu Hurricanes	Honolulu, Hawaii	Neal S. Blaisdell Center	Sonny Souza
Louisiana Bayou Beast	Baton Rouge, Louisiana	Pete Maravich Assembly Center	Buford Jordan
Madison Mad Dogs	Madison, Wisconsin	Dane County Coliseum	Dick Adams
Minnesota Monsters	Falcon Heights, Minnesota	Minnesota State Fairgrounds	Ron Simmons
Texas Bullets	Belton, Texas	Bell County Expo Center	Wayne Stigler
Utah Catzz	Orem, Utah	David O. McKay Events Center	Gordon Hudson

Teams	Wins	Losses	PF	PA	PPG	PPA
Louisiana Bayou Beast	13	1	565	400	47.1	33.3
Madison Mad Dogs	10	4	450	371	40.9	33.7
Green Bay Bombers	10	4	585	458	45.0	35.2
Colorado Wildcats	9	5	340	360	34.0	36.0
Honolulu Hurricanes	6	8	449	537	37.4	44.8
Utah Catzz	5	9	343	462	31.2	42.0
Texas Bullets	2	12	322	479
Minnesota Monsters	0	14	122	199

• Minnesota folded after starting 1–4 on the season. PF/PA are for four official games actually played; the other game, which was Minnesota's lone victory, was ruled a forfeit awarded to Honolulu and the points were not counted in standings.
• Texas folded after starting 2–8 on the season. PF/PA are for nine games played.
• Utah forfeited their last game of the season to Madison. PF/PA are for 13 games played.
• Win totals for other teams include seven forfeited games by Minnesota and three forfeited games by Texas.
• Standings do not include exhibition games played by any of the teams.

August 7, 1998 — # 3 Green Bay Bombers 19 at # 2 Madison Mad Dogs 46

August 9, 1998 — # 4 Colorado Wildcats* 51 at # 1 Louisiana Bayou Beast 67 (at Riverside Centroplex)

* Colorado's trip to Louisiana was paid for by the owners of the Bayou Beast

August 15, 1998 — #2 Madison Mad Dogs 41 at #1 Louisiana Bayou Beast 42 (at Pete Maravich Assembly Center)

	Semifinals					Championship
	3	Green Bay	19
	2	Madison	46
						2	Madison	41
						1	Louisiana	42
	4	Colorado	51
	1	Louisiana	63

Following the championship game, the Professional Indoor Football League held an on-the-field awards ceremony. Those honored were as follows:

• Most Valuable Player – Melvin Hill, QB, Louisiana Bayou Beast
• Offensive Player of the Year – Jay McDonagh, QB, Green Bay Bombers
• Defensive Player of the Year – Derric Coakley, DE, Green Bay Bombers
• Coach of the Year – Buford Jordan, Louisiana Bayou Beast
• Executive of the Year – James Shiver, Sr., Louisiana Bayou Beast

The Professional Indoor Football League earlier announced its 1998 All-Star teams as chosen by the PIFL coaches. The Green Bay Bombers lead the list with five first team selections, including top vote getter quarterback Jay McDonagh. He was joined on the offensive first team by teammates Chris Perry and Heath Garland (both receivers), Louisiana's Michael Lewis (WR), Chris Cloud (center) and Matt Huerkamp (kicker), Colorado's Rob Satterly (offensive line) and Utah's Matt Meservy (OL). Green Bay, Colorado and Madison each placed a pair of players on the defensive first team.

• First Team
  • Offense
    • QB Jay McDonagh, Green Bay
    • RB Darnell Brooks, Colorado
    • WR Heath Garland, Green Bay
    • WR Michael Lewis, Louisiana
    • WR Chris Perry, Green Bay
    • OL Matt Meservey, Utah
    • OL Rob Satterly, Colorado
    • C Chris Cloud, Louisiana
    • K Matt Huerkamp, Louisiana
  • Defense
    • LB James Gillyard, Louisiana
    • LB Jeff Veronie, Colorado
    • S Nick Galbreath, Colorado
    • DB Ryan Buchanon, Madison
    • DB Derf Reese, Green Bay
    • DE Derric Coakley, Green Bay
    • DE Tawain Temple, Madison
    • NT Junior Fonoti, Utah
• Second Team
  • Offense
    • QB Mike Tillis, Honolulu
    • RB Byron Allen, Louisiana
    • WR Antonio Chandler, Colorado
    • WR Greg Hooks, Utah
    • WR Kahn Powell, Madison
    • OL Jim Hobbins, Green Bay
    • C Andy Ramos, Honolulu
    • K Bryan Mader, Green Bay
  • Defense
    • LB Joshua Jardine, Honolulu
    • LB Pat Rogers, Louisiana
    • S Jack Phillips, Louisiana
    • DB Keith Ballard, Louisiana
    • DB Falinko Vitale, Honolulu
    • NT Kale Cockett, Honolulu
    • DE Charles Johnson, Louisiana
    • DE Franklin Thomas, Louisiana
• Honorable Mention
  • Offense
    • QB Melvin Hill, Louisiana
    • RB Willie High, Green Bay
    • RB Darnell Jones, Honolulu
    • WR Lee McCormick, Texas
    • OL Brandon Bergstresser, Madison
    • OL Curtis Jones, Utah
    • C Carl Silva, Utah
    • K Doug Beach, Utah
  • Defense
    • LB Junior Tagaloa, Utah
    • LB Jose Salcido, Madison
    • S Nick McDaniel, Utah
    • DB Damon Jackson, Colorado
    • DB Jesse Tann, Colorado
    • NT David Cunningham, Madison
    • DE Jeff Warner, Madison
    • DE Norm Barnett, Colorado