Colorado Crush
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| Colorado Crush | ||
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| Conference | American | |
| Division | Central | |
| Year founded | 2003 | |
| Home arena | Pepsi Center | |
| City, State | Denver, Colorado | |
| Head Coach | Mike Dailey | |
| ArenaBowl championships | 1: 2005 | |
| Conference titles | 1: 2005 | |
| Division titles | 2: 2005 & 2006 | |
| Wild Card berths | 2: 2004 & 2007 | |
Colorado Crush is an Arena Football League team that began play as a 2003 expansion team. The Crush play in the Central Division of the American Conference.
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[edit] History
The team is based in Denver, Colorado and play at Pepsi Center, which also serves as the home to the National Lacrosse League's Colorado Mammoth, the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association. The principal owner of the franchise is Denver Broncos legend and Hall of Famer John Elway (Co-Owner and Chief Executive Officer), with Stan Kroenke, owner of the Nuggets, the Avalanche, Pepsi Center, the Altitude Sports network and the majority Broncos owner Pat Bowlen as a minority owner. The Crush compete in the Central Division of the American Conference. After a horrendous 2003 inaugural season, in which they finished 2-14, the Crush rebounded to go 11-5 and make the playoffs in their second year. On June 12, 2005 they won ArenaBowl XIX (19) in Las Vegas' Thomas & Mack Center over the Georgia Force 51-48, in only their third year of existence.
In their fourth year, the Crush ended up 11-5, with the AC Central title for the second year in a row. In the Divisional Round however, the Crush lost in an upset to the fifth-seeded (and eventual ArenaBowl champion) Chicago Rush 63-46.
The team's mascot is an animorphic bull named "Crusher."[1]
[edit] Highlights
- On Sunday, June 12, 2005, the Crush hosted the American Conference Championship game against their division rival, the Chicago Rush. Colorado had the lead late in the game 43-40 and DB Rashad Floyd managed to intercept a TD pass from QB Matt D'Orazio, but it turns out that he was called for holding. Chicago would tie the game with kicker Keith Gispert's 17-yard field goal. In overtime, the Crush would get the win with QB John Dutton completing a 22-yard TD pass to WR/LB Antowone 'Andy' McCullough, sending them to ArenaBowl XIX (where they would eventually win). On the AFL's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown, this game is at #20.[2]
- On Friday, February 6, 2004, in a Week 1 contest against the Las Vegas Gladiators, the Crush were still looking for their first home win in franchise history. In the final 12 seconds of the game, the Crush would have QB John Dutton compelete a 7-yard TD pass to WR Damian Harrell (with a failed two-point conversion), recover an onside kick, and have Dutton complete a 33-yard pass to Harrell. With 12 points in 12 seconds, Colorado would win 43-42 and get their first-ever win at home. On the AFL's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown, this is at #15.[3]
- On Saturday, February 5, 2005, in a Week 2 home game against their division rival, the Grand Rapids Rampage, QB John Dutton would throw a franchise-best 8 touchdowns in a 72-56 win, yet this was overshadowed by Rampage QB Michael Bishop becoming the very first player in AFL history to run for 100 yards in a single game. On the AFL's 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown, this is at #12.[4]
[edit] Season-by-season
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 4th AC Western | -- |
| 2004 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 2nd AC Central | Won Week 1 (New Orleans) Lost Semifinals (Arizona) |
| 2005 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st AC Central | Won Week 1 (San Jose) Won AC Champioship (Chicago) Won ArenaBowl XIX (Georgia) |
| 2006 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1st AC Central | Lost Week 2 (Chicago) |
| 2007 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AC Central | Won Wildcard (Kansas City) Lost Division (San Jose) |
| 2008 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Totals | 47 | 41 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
[edit] Current & Former Players
- Jose Davis - QB
- John Dutton - QB
- Todd Hammel - QB
- Damian Harrell - OS
- Ahmad Hawkins - WR/DB
- Evan Hlavacek - WR/DB
- Delvin Hughley - WR/DB
- Brandon Kirsch - QB
- Willis Marshall - WR/CB
- Van Montgomery - CB
- Kyle Moore-Brown - OL/DL
- Saul Patu - FB/LB
- Clay Rush - K
- Rich Young
[edit] Trivia
The team's main color and name are in reference to the Denver Broncos 1970s defensive squad (the "Orange Crush" ).
Denver was host to one of the four charter teams, the Denver Dynamite, which won the first-ever Arena Bowl in 1987.
Van Montgomery from the TV show Reba (TV series) plays for the Crush at the end of his football career
[edit] External links
Colorado Crush seasons
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|---|---|
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Image:Flag of Colorado.svg | Sports teams based in Colorado
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|---|---|
| Baseball | MLB: Colorado Rockies PCL: Colorado Springs Sky Sox |
| Basketball | NBA: Denver Nuggets NBA D: Colorado 14ers |
| Football | NFL: Denver Broncos, AFL: Colorado Crush UIF: Colorado Ice |
| Hockey | NHL: Colorado Avalanche CHL: Colorado Eagles • Rocky Mountain Rage |
| Soccer | MLS: Colorado Rapids PDL: Colorado Rapids U23's |
| Lacrosse | MLL: Denver Outlaws NLL: Colorado Mammoth |
| Inline Hockey | PIHA: Westminster Blizzard•Littleton Fire• Pike's Peak Prowlers •Ft Collins Catz•Colorado Springs Thunder |
| College athletics (NCAA Division I) | Air Force • Colorado • Colorado College • Colorado State • Denver • Northern Colorado |
