Minnesota Fighting Pike
Encyclopedia
The Minnesota Fighting Pike were an American football
team that played one season (1996
) in the Arena Football League. The team played at the Target Center
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
. The team colors were green and gold.
|1996 || 4 || 10 || 0 || 4th AC Western || --
|}
The Pike were 0-7 at home, and the average attendance for the 7 home games was 8,894.
The roster was full of players that had played at the University of Minnesota
or other Minnesota colleges and universities. Former Gopher Rickey Foggie
was the quarterback and he struggled adapting to the Arena Football League after many years in the Canadian Football League
. Once during the season he was benched in favor of Southwest State
's Jeff Loots, who threw four interceptions in a game. Loots was playing on his third expansion team in three seasons. Another player from Southwest State was Alvin Ashley
. Perhaps the best-known ex-Pike is kicker Mike Vanderjagt
, later a star in the CFL and NFL.
Ray Jauch
was the head coach. He was assisted by John Coatta Jr. on offense and Frank Haege
on defense.
The team's lack of exposure or advertising was the key reason for the team's folding at the end of the 1996 season. The team did not have a regional television deal to promote their games or have the games advertised in newspapers and other media.
The Pike's final game of the season against the Memphis Pharaohs
was played in Tupelo, Mississippi
, because the Pharaohs had been evicted from their arena. After the game, the Pike ceased operations. There were no announcements nor press releases; players left town and staff did not receive their final paychecks.
The Pike's official mascot was a giant Pike named "Tackle." He was known to "dive" into a promotional hot tub at the arena.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team that played one season (1996
1996 in sports
1996 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
) in the Arena Football League. The team played at the Target Center
Target Center
The Target Center is an arena in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is sponsored by Target Corporation. The arena has a capacity of 20,500 people. It contains 702 club seats and 68 suites....
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. The team colors were green and gold.
Season-by-season
|-|1996 || 4 || 10 || 0 || 4th AC Western || --
|}
The Pike were 0-7 at home, and the average attendance for the 7 home games was 8,894.
The roster was full of players that had played at the University of Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
or other Minnesota colleges and universities. Former Gopher Rickey Foggie
Rickey Foggie
Rickey Foggie is a former quarterback. Foggie was the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for four seasons, before going on to play professionally in – first the Canadian Football League, and then later in the Arena Football League...
was the quarterback and he struggled adapting to the Arena Football League after many years in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. Once during the season he was benched in favor of Southwest State
Southwest Minnesota State University
Southwest Minnesota State University is a public, four-year university that is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It is located in Marshall, Minnesota, United States, a city of 13,000 people. The school has a full-time enrollment of approximately 3,500 students and...
's Jeff Loots, who threw four interceptions in a game. Loots was playing on his third expansion team in three seasons. Another player from Southwest State was Alvin Ashley
Alvin Ashley
Alvin Ashley is a former American football wide receiver in the Arena Football League. He played college football at Southwest Minnesota State....
. Perhaps the best-known ex-Pike is kicker Mike Vanderjagt
Mike Vanderjagt
Michael John "Mike" Vanderjagt , is a professional American and Canadian football placekicker and punter who has played in the Arena Football League, the Canadian Football League and National Football League...
, later a star in the CFL and NFL.
Ray Jauch
Ray Jauch
Ray Jauch was a coach in the Canadian Football League, USFL, and the Arena Football League.A star high school athlete, Jauch played running back for the 1958 National Champion University of Iowa Hawkeyes, leading the nation in yards per carry. He played in the 1959 Rose Bowl against California...
was the head coach. He was assisted by John Coatta Jr. on offense and Frank Haege
Frank Haege
Frank Haege is the current head football coach at Augsburg College. He is also a former coach in the Arena Football League....
on defense.
The team's lack of exposure or advertising was the key reason for the team's folding at the end of the 1996 season. The team did not have a regional television deal to promote their games or have the games advertised in newspapers and other media.
The Pike's final game of the season against the Memphis Pharaohs
Oklahoma Wranglers
The Oklahoma Wranglers was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League that had previously played as the Memphis Pharaohs and Portland Forest Dragons...
was played in Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
, because the Pharaohs had been evicted from their arena. After the game, the Pike ceased operations. There were no announcements nor press releases; players left town and staff did not receive their final paychecks.
The Pike's official mascot was a giant Pike named "Tackle." He was known to "dive" into a promotional hot tub at the arena.
Team leaders
- Leading rusher: Harry Jackson 22 carries, 26 yards and 0 touchdowns
- Leading passer: Rickey Foggie 224-443 for 2,269 yards, 40 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
- Leading receiver: Reggie Brown 79 catches, 964 yards 17, touchdowns
Other media
- The team appeared on the game EA Sports Arena Football as a hidden bonus team.