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2012

 

Northwest Football Loses Original "Big Man"

 

The GNFA is sad to report the passing of former Seattle Rambler and Seattle Ranger Richard Hard.  The original Big Man, Richard was courted by every pro league in the 1960's even though he had limited collegiate playing experience.  The 6'4" 313 lb tackle was one of the largest and most athletic big men of the day.  Signing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964, Richard's heart was really with the kids at the Seattle YMCA where he returned but continued to play football with the local Seattle clubs.  A 1994 inductee to the Pacific Northwest Football Hall of Fame, Mr. Hard's resume was set to be voted on by the GNFA Hall of Fame board in 2013.  We send our condolences to the Hard family and friends.

 

2012 NORTHWEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR

QB Russell Schneider - Portland Monarchs

(click for bio)

 

 

SEATTLE STALLIONS JOIN PACIFIC FOOTBALL LEAGUE

 

Last season an epic GNFA Championship shoot-out took place between the PFL Champion Portland Monarchs and the WWFA Champion Seattle Stallions.  In 2013, the Stallions are going to be members of the elite Pacific Football League making the PFL the strongest league in the Northwest and possibly the entire West Coast.  With a potential alliance between the PFL and the Eastern Washington based WFL, the best teams in Oregon and Washington will reside under one umbrella when the GNFA and the respective leagues kick off around March/April.

 

Some reshuffling of teams has already occurred with the Snohomish Vikings moving to the WFL.  The Oregon Outlaws announced they would cease operations earlier in the fall causing a player movement which could strengthen the South Lane Buzzards enough to put them back in contention for the PFL South crown.  The PFL North loses the Vikings and the South Sound Shockers, while picking up the Stallions.  The North wins with these changes, as the Stallions will expect to be immediate challengers to the Bulldogs top spot in the North while the Vikings and Shockers were near the bottom of the league in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

 

On sponsorship notes, the Shoe U logo on this page is the new weblink to the official athletic shoe supplier to the GNFA teams.  Players should check with their teams for in-season specials from Shoe U or contact Ed and tell him you saw Shoe U on the GNFA site.

 

2012 GNFA All-Northwest Teams

 

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PFL Indefinitely Suspends Pabillano

 

Jason Pabillano, a defensive back with the Vancouver Vipers this past season has been indefinitely suspended from competition in the Pacific Football League.  Pabillano (2) seen below taking a cheap shot on Monarch QB Russ Schneider and then taunting as he walks away, has had a number of run-ins with league officials in the past.  He was indefinitely suspended from the OFL during the 2010 season, but the ban was lifted after the formation of the PFL in 2011.  Pabillano joined the Vipers and has had issues throughout the season with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and involvement in altercations on the field and making threats after games. 

 

With the banishment by the PFL, the GNFA will also uphold the suspension and extend it to any involvement in GNFA Supported Games and Events.  Any teams in the Northwest accepting Pabillano onto their roster will likewise face sanctions by the GNFA.

 

Pabillano (2) Makes a Late Hit on QB Schneider

 

 

 

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Chris Dixon Leads Storm to Indoor Championship and 17-0 Record

 

For the fourth year in a row, the Indoor Football League has named former Eastside Hawks QB Chris Dixon to the 1st Team while handing out All-League honors.  Dixon's team, the Sioux Falls Storm are 14-0 and lead the league in almost every offensive category while Chris broke the single season passing record along with hitting a milestone in passing for his 500th touchdown and topping 20,000 yards for his career in the same game.   For the season, Dixon has passed for 3,321 yards, 67 TD's and 7 INT's.

 

Dixon played one season with the Eastside Hawks after a stand out career at Humboldt State (CA).  After leading the Hawks to a National Title in 2005, he was signed by the Billings Outlaws leading the team to championships in 2006, 2009, and 2010.  The Outlaws folded and after a long courtship by the Wenatchee Venom, Dixon was signed by the Storm and has led them to the first undefeated regular season in IFL history and are back-to-back IFL Champions. The Storm have won 6 Championships since the team debuted as the Cobras in 2000. 

 

View Highlights of Chris Dixon and his Storm Team:

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40 YEARS AGO...

"I'm comin' for ya!" 

These moms donned the gear for a 1973 "Panty Bowl" in West Seattle.  The Bosomed Buddies battled the Greenwood Mod Squad to raise money for youth football teams and live out a dream of playing football...something none were allowed to do during their high school days.  One lady gridder was overheard:  "I didn't even like watching football on TV, but now that I play, I see what makes it so much fun!"  See more pictures here and here.

 

 

2011

  • Monarchs Hope Move to Silverdale Benefits All

  • More Than Semi-Tough, Troops Take Warrior Mentality to Gridiron  (Army Times Story)

  • The Pacific Football League: the future of minor league football. - Branden Shealy

  • Tracking the Rise and Fall of the Edmonds Warriors/Seattle Rangers and the brief Continental Football League. Is History Repeating Itself?

  • Hall of Famer Passes Away

     

     

    The GNFA sends condolences to the family of Ted Stonebridge of Issaquah.  Mr. Stonebridge passed away March 11, 2011 just days after celebrating his 98th birthday.  Mr. Stonebridge led the famous Issaquah Firemen, later named the Alpines during their long run of consecutive league championships in the 160 lb league and the Seattle Community League.  The string was interrupted by WWII but picked up again after and the Alpines won another league title in 1948.  Ted also served as president of the Athletic Club and ran a car dealership.  Mr. Stonebridge was inducted into the 2010 GNFA Hall of Fame in June of last year.

     

     

  • Native American Michael Lee "The Flea" Joseph

     

     

    Marysville Storm.  Who?  The Marysville Storm played briefly in the early 1990's and featured a hometown sports hero nicknamed "The Flea".  Michael Joseph, born in 1971 to the Duwamish, Swinomish, Devils Lake Sioux, Tulalip Tribe and son of Darlene and Harold Jr. played basketball and football for Everett High School and later attended Western Washington University.  A member of the Native Basketball Circuit playing across the US and Canada, his athletic talents took him to the Storm where he had a blast playing football again with his cousins.  Michael became the first coach for the Tulalip Heritage High School basketball team and was an accomplished commercial fisherman, crabber and diver before passing away in 2006 at the age of 34.

  • Rushing Record Corrected. 

     

    Mike Oliphant had been reported to hold a national record 81.0 per carry average in a game (on 2 carries), however a 1985 Auburn Panthers game program recently found, included a game-by-game breakdown of the 1984 season.  Oliphant did have an 81.0 yard average on his first 2 carries which went for 85 and 77 yard TD bursts, but on the official stat line he gained 172 yards on 11 carries.  Oliphant appeared in 4 games for the Panthers in 1984 before enrolling at the University of Puget Sound and later playing for the Washington Redskins and was traded to Cleveland for Ernest Byner in a straight up player trade following the infamous fumble by Byner at the goal line in the 1988 AFC Championship.

  • Tacoma Trauma Women's Tackle Football

     

    Former Seattle Majestic's Players Bring Women's Football Back to Tacoma

     

    When the Majestic's moved to Seattle, some south-enders felt a desire to return home with a team of their own.  The Trauma has been born and the women, many who have 8 years under their belt of playing in the IWFL are putting in work in preparation for the 2012 season.  And part of that preparation involved enlisting one of the Northwest's no-nonsense coaches to help lay the groundwork.  Working as an advisor during the past month, former South Sound Shocker Head Coach Steve Matychowiak organized practices and skills sessions.  "I was tentative about it at first because I've always worked with men and had an expectation of a certain skill set already in place.  What I found was a group of women eager to learn the game and do what is asked of them without questioning it.  That was very refreshing.  No egos, no attitudes towards the coaches, just football."  (Matychowiak). 

     

    Matychowiak called on the expertise of some of his elder Shocker statesmen as assistants during the "camp-like" workout sessions.  David Gomez and Greg Kinnunen, offensive linemen with the Shockers well into their 40's, offered up drill running assistance and session planning to give the Trauma a crash course in schemes and techniques.

     

    Matychowiak, who has other family and work commitments will not coach the Trauma during their season, however Gomez and Kinnunen are considering taking a first step into coaching Women's football. 

     

    Follow the Trauma on their Facebook Page as their Website it being built. for updates and information.

     

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    GNFA Champion Bears to Take 2012 Season Off

     

    Are "National" Bowl Games Kiss of Death?

     

    After winning a hard-fought PFL Championship in 2011, Kitsap County Bears staff has announced a year off from competition.  For the staff and coaches, it could be a welcome break from the rigors of year-around football, but for the players, it will be decision time as other coaches vie for their services and plans to retain them to those teams once the Bears return...."if" they return.  And if they do, will the players return or will Kitsap recruit new blood?

     

    Over the past decade, a few Northwest teams have ventured down the path of traveling across the country for "National" competition only to run into such situations as financial troubles, management changes, or internal strife, that required a "year off" or resulted in the team folding up completely or faring on the sub-par end of the spectrum the following season.  A few examples of the mythical "National Championship" Chase Bug:

     

    2002 Puget Sound Jets travel to Florida, defeat St. Petersburg Sharks - no 2003 season

    2004 Eastside Hawks travel to Florida, defeat Central Penn - no 2005 outdoor season*

    2006 King County Jaguars travel to San Fran, lost to Bay Ticket 49ers - by 2008 6-16 in final 22 games

    2008 Puget Sound Titans travel to Las Vegas, defeat Mile High - no 2009 season

    2009 Renton Ravens travel to Las Vegas, defeat LV Demolition - 13-14 the next two seasons

    2010 Seattle Stallions travel to Las Vegas, defeat Buccaneers - announce no 2011 season

    2010 Tacoma Invaders travel to Las Vegas, lost to LV Titans - 3-7 in 2011

    2010 Bellingham Bulldogs travel to South Carolina, lose to Nashville Storm - 3-8 in 2011

    2011 Kitsap Bears travel to Las Vegas, lose to Pacifica Islanders - announce no 2012 season

     

    * The Eastside Hawks, it should be noted, were moved indoors by owner Sam Adams, for a brief stint before being folded up after massive financial losses.

     

    One of the few modern teams to survive, the "National Chase", has been the Portland Monarchs.  Thus far the Monarchs have traveled to Las Vegas in 2009 and 2010 losing both games, but still going the past three seasons with only one loss to Northwest opponents.  This harkens back to the Auburn Panthers traveling to San Jose two consecutive years, however the Panthers won both outings in one of the most dominant runs in history.  Can the Monarchs ascend to dominance once again, or has their time passed?  Is it time for a new team to rise, only to chase a financially unfeasible outing that is destined to doom the team in the long run?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

 

 

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

  • Spokane Nightmare Call It Quits Amid Rumors of Embezzlement

2002

1999

 

   

 

 
 
 
  © 2008 GNFA GREATER NORTHWEST FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.