Rochester Raiders

USFootball team
color1 = silver
color2 = black

pixels = 150px
founded = 2006
league = GLIFL/CIFL (2006-2008)
AIFA (2008)
IFL (2008-present)cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3655867 |title=Rochester Raiders To Withdraw From CIFL |accessdate=2008-09-22 |date=08 |year=2008 |month=06 |format=html |work=Our Sports Central.com |publisher=OurSports Central |location= |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

history = Rochester Raiders 2006-present
arena = Blue Cross Arenacite web |url=http://www.rnews.com/Story_2004.cfm?ID=55614&rnews_story_type=18 |title=Raiders Move to Blue Cross Arena |accessdate=2008-09-22 |work=R News |publisher=Time Warner Cable |date=2007-11-19 ]
city = Rochester, New York
colors = silver & black
owner = Dave McCarthy
Bob Bartosiewicz
Thurman Thomas
president = Matt DiManno
coach = Eddie Long
championships = 1 (2007)
titles = 2 (2007, 2008)
cheerleaders = Rochester Raiderettes
dancers = Raider Treasure Dancers
mascot =

The Rochester Raiders are a former member of the Continental Indoor Football League, and currently of the Indoor Football League.cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3655867 |title=Rochester Raiders To Withdraw From CIFL |accessdate=2008-09-22 |date=08 |year=2008 |month=06 |format=html |work=Our Sports Central.com |publisher=OurSports Central |location= |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

History

2006 was the inaugural season for The Rochester Raiders in the newly created Great Lakes Indoor Football League. They played their inaugural season home games at the ESL Sports Centre in Rochester, New York, then moved to the Main Street Armory for the 2007 season, and played 2008 season at the Blue Cross Arena. cite web |url=http://www.rnews.com/Story_2004.cfm?ID=55614&rnews_story_type=18 |title=Raiders Move to Blue Cross Arena |accessdate=2008-09-22 |work=R News |publisher=Time Warner Cable |date=2007-11-19 ] Dennis Greco, on loan from local East Rochester High School, is their head coach. The team's roster features Syracuse University standout Wide Receiver Maurice Jackson (who won the inaugural GLIFL Wide Receiver of the Year Award), QB Matt Cottengim (the league's inaugural MVP), Darius Smith (the league's inaugural Return Man of the Year), and in January 2006, they signed 2-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien to a one-game contract.

On July 28, 2007, the Raiders won the CIFL Indoor Championship Game, defeating the previously-unbeaten Michigan Pirates by a score of 37-27 at Rochester's Blue Cross Arena. Mike Condello was named Game MVP.

On June 8, 2008, the Raiders withdrew from the CIFL playoffs after the Flint Phantoms failed to show up for a Sunday afternoon game.cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3655867 |title=Rochester Raiders To Withdraw From CIFL |accessdate=2008-09-22 |date=08 |year=2008 |month=06 |format=html |work=Our Sports Central.com |publisher=OurSports Central |location= |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] The team then immediately moved to the American Indoor Football Association, and played two exhibition matches there, but then announced a move to the IFL instead. Speculation among fans and league personnel on CIFL message boards is that some Raiders players will play with the new af2 team in Buffalo, NY - which shares ownership with the Raiders - starting in 2009. As part of the deal, Thurman Thomas, who is the other investor in the Buffalo af2 team, will also acquire a share of the Raiders.

Trivia

* The Raiders got their name from a flag football team from the same area. There have been a small number of fans concerned with copyright between the team's logo and the Oakland Raiders. Because the Rochester team never plays in California, this is not believed to be of real concern.
* The Raiders are one of two 2006 teams in the GLIFL that held a television contract, with WBGT-CA, a low-power network. Games have since been moved to Time Warner SportsNet 26.

Current coaching staff consits of Eddie Long, Raheem Miller, Ed Moody, and Larry Long.

Rebuilding for another run

Recently the Raiders announced the re-signing of key personnel from their championship run in 2007.

QB’s- Mike Mikolaichik, Matt Cottingem, Omar Baker ;RB’s- Jamil Porter, Dee Glanton ;WR's- Maurice Jackson, Chris Carter, Noah Fahrenbauch, Derrick Dyer ;OL- Mike Kallfeltz, Eric Jendryaszek ;LB’s- Jason Coley, James Vann ;DL- Terrence Dawson, Tom Parks ; DB- Chris Shaw, Darius Smith, Makis Whitaker, Jeff Richardson ;K- Adam Lanctot ;

With all these key players coming back, the Raiders have also added in free agency…

TE/DE- TJ Cottrell (son of Ted Cottrell, defensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers);WR- Darryl Fragger (Port Huron);RB- Felix Joyner (Port Huron);DL- Steve Flemming (Port Huron); RB/WR- Mark Bly (Miami Valley);LB- Brenton Brady (Miami Valley);

Returning essentially the entire starting line up of the 2007 CIFL championship team, and adding some key free agents, it looks like the Raiders are making another run at a CIFL championship. In the 2 year history of the CIFL the Raiders have played in both championship games, losing the first, and winning the second.

Season-By-Season

-
colspan="6" align="center" | Rochester Raiders (GLIFL)
-
2006 || 8 || 4 || 0 || 2nd League || Won Semifinal (Lehigh Valley)
Lost Great Lakes Bowl I (Port Huron)
-
colspan="6" align="center" | Rochester Raiders (CIFL)
-
2007 || 10 || 2 || 0 || 1st Atlantic || Won AD Semifinal (Chesapeake)
Won AD Championship (New England)
Won CIFL Indoor Championship Game (Michigan)
-
2008 || 12 || 0 || 0 || 1st Atlantic West || Suspended/Missed Playoffs
-
colspan="6" align="center" | Rochester Raiders (IFL)
-
2009 || -- || -- || -- || -- || --
-!Totals || 34 || 7 || 0
colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
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2007 Season Schedule

2008 Season Schedule

References

External links

* [http://www.rochesterraiders.com/ Rochester Raiders web site]
* [http://www.ciflstats.com/leaguestats/2006/ROC.HTM Raiders' 2006 Stats]
* [http://www.thestatguys.com/CIFL/ROC.HTM Raiders' 2007 Stats]