| Georgia Force | ||
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| Conference | National | |
| Division | Southern | |
| Year founded | 2002 | |
| Home arena | Arena at Gwinnett Center | |
| City, State | Duluth, Georgia | |
| Head Coach | Doug Plank | |
| ArenaBowl championships | none | |
| Conference titles | 1: 2005 |
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| Division titles | 2: 2005 & 2007 |
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| Wild Card berths | 2: 2003 & 2006 |
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The Georgia Force is in no way related to the San Antonio Force, which was an Arena Football League team that played only in the 1992 season before disbanding. The Georgia Force is an Arena Football League team based in Duluth that plays in the Southern Division of the National Conference. They are owned by Arthur M. Blank.
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History
The Original Nashville Kats
The team began as the first Nashville Kats team from 1997 to 2001. The original Kats played in the Gaylord Entertainment Center (now Sommet Center) in downtown Nashville and were initially coached by Eddie Khayat in 1997 and 1998, who was succeeded by Pat Sperduto for the balance of the team's time in Nashville. The Kats were the league's Organization of the Year for their inaugural year of 1997, and were in the playoffs for every season of their relatively brief existence, even playing in the ArenaBowl each of their final two seasons, albeit losing both times they reached the AFL's championship game. Virgil Williams, an Atlanta businessman, purchased the franchise for nearly $10 million (US) in December of 2001, and moved the team to Atlanta after the team's previous owners failed to negotiate a favorable lease with the arena's primary tenant and manager, the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators.
Georgia Force
The rechristened Force initially played in Atlanta's downtown Philips Arena, home of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks and NHL Atlanta Thrashers, prior to relocating to suburban Duluth and playing in the Arena at Gwinnett Center for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The team name was chosen through a contest in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Anthony R. Ward submitted the winning name.
Under Williams' three-year tenure as owner, the team made the playoffs one time in 2003. Upon selling the team to Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank in September of 2004, it was announced that the franchise would return to the downtown Philips Arena for the 2005 season in response to fan desires as expressed in a poll. However, following the 2007 season, the Force announced they were returning to the Gwinnett Center in 2008 after signing a 10 year lease.[1] In 2005, the Nashville Kats returned to the league and they acquired all of the pre-move history from the Force, making this franchise a 2002 expansion team. The 2005 season was, by far, the most successful in team history with highlights including a conference-best 11-5 record, and undefeated home record (8-0), a National Conference Championship, and a trip to ArenaBowl XIX. The Force's official mascot used to be a high-tech runner named G-Force, but now, their current mascot is a blue, cuddly monster named Blu[2].
Season-by-season
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 4th NC Southern | -- |
| 2003 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd NC Southern | Won Round 1 (Dallas) Lost Quarterfinals (San Jose) |
| 2004 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 5th NC Southern | -- |
| 2005 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1st NC Southern | Won Round 1 (Tampa Bay) Won NC Championship (Orlando) Lost ArenaBowl XIX (Colorado) |
| 2006 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd NC Southern | Won Wild Card (New York) Lost Divisional (Dallas) |
| 2007 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1st NC Southern | Won Divisional (Philadelphia) Lost NC Championship (Columbus) |
| 2008 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Totals | 55 | 44 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
Head coaches
- Coaches listed are from when the team has been the Georgia Force.
- 2002: Robert Lyles, 1-4
- 2002-2004: Marty Lowe, 17-19
- 2004: Bob Kronenberg, 3-2
- 2005-current: Doug Plank, 37-17
Current roster
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Georgia Force roster
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Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
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Offensive Linemen
Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive Backs
Special Teams
Exempt List
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Notable Players
- Troy Bergeron - OS
- Nate Coggins - DS
- Markeith Cooper - OS
- Dan Curran - FB
- Kevin Gaines - DS
- Jason Gamble - OL/DL
- Nelson Garner - K
- Willie Gary - DS
- Chris Greisen - QB
- Chris Jackson - WR/LB
- Darryl Hammond - WR/LB
- Derek Lee - WR/DB
- Bruce McClure - OL/DL
- Scottie Montgomery - WR/DB
- Earthwind Moreland - WR/DB
- Carl Morris - WR/LB
- Dary Myricks - OL/DL
- Matt Nagy - QB
- Jermaine Smith - OL/DL
- Eric Zeier - QB
- Dialleo Burks - WR
External links
References
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Georgia Force seasons
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| Baseball | MLB: Atlanta Braves, SAL: Augusta GreenJackets • Columbus Catfish • Rome Braves • Savannah Sand Gnats, SCL: South Georgia Peanuts • Macon Music |  |
| Basketball | NBA: Atlanta Hawks, CBA: Atlanta Krunk, ABA: Atlanta Vision • Georgia Gwizzlies, WBA: Atlanta Hardhats • Marietta Storm • Gwinnett Ravia-Rebels • Rome Gladiators, WNBA: unnamed | |
| Football | NFL: Atlanta Falcons, AFL: Georgia Force, af2: South Georgia Wildcats, AIFA: Augusta Colts • Columbus Lions, IWFL: Atlanta Xplosion | |
| Hockey | NHL: Atlanta Thrashers, ECHL: Augusta Lynx • Gwinnett Gladiators, SPHL: Columbus Cottonmouths | |
| Soccer | USL-1: Atlanta Silverbacks, PDL: Atlanta Silverbacks U23's | |
| Roller Derby | WFTDA: Denim Demons, Sake Tuyas, Toxic Shocks, Apocalypstix | |
| College athletics (NCAA Division I) |
University of Georgia • Georgia Southern University • Mercer University • Georgia State University • Kennesaw State University • Savannah State University • Georgia Institute of Technology | |
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| Baseball | MLB: Atlanta Braves |  |
| Basketball | NBA: Atlanta Hawks , WNBA: Unnamed , ABA: Atlanta Vision, CBA: Atlanta Krunk, WBA: Marietta Storm | |
| Football | NFL: Atlanta Falcons, AFL: Georgia Force | |
| Hockey | NHL: Atlanta Thrashers, ECHL: Gwinnett Gladiators | |
| Soccer | USL-1: Atlanta Silverbacks, PDL: Atlanta Silverbacks U23's | |
| College athletics (NCAA Division I) |
Georgia State University • Kennesaw State University• Georgia Institute of Technology | |
