Mississippi MudCats
The Mississippi MudCats were a team in the American Indoor Football Association. They played their home games at BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo, Mississippi.
| Mississippi Mudcats | ||
|---|---|---|
| Established 2007 Folded 2009 Played in Tupelo, Mississippi at the BancorpSouth Arena | ||
| ||
| League/conference affiliations | ||
| American Indoor Football Association (2007–2009) | ||
| Team colors | Green, gold, white, silver | |
| Mascot | Muddy | |
| Personnel | ||
| Owner(s) | Jim Waide | |
| Head coach | Brian Brents | |
| Team history | ||
| ||
| Championships | ||
| League championships (0) | ||
| Conference championships (0) | ||
| Division championships (0) | ||
| Home arena(s) | ||
| ||
History
The team was announced on June 20, 2006. One month later, Todd Ellis, former Georgia Tech football player, was announced as the team owner and president. A name-the team contest was held, and despite Ellis' preference of Tupelo Kings in honor of Tupelo-born Elvis Presley, the team was named the Mississippi MudCats for the state's catfish industry. Brian Brents was announced as the inaugural head coach.
In the 2007 season, the Mudcats averaged over 3,200 fans per game, more than any other team in the AIFA. At the end of the season, civil rights attorney Jim Waide bought the team from Todd Ellis.
The 2008 MudCats lost only one regular season game for best record in the AIFA for 2008 at 13–1. They won their division championship playoff game against the Columbus Lions before losing in the conference championship to the Wyoming Cavalry. In late 2008, owner Jim Waide has said he would not field a team in 2009 due to financial reasons and failed to find new owners.
Season-by-season records
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2nd Southern Div. | Won Conf. Semifinal (Tallahassee) 62–32 Lost Conf. Championship (Lakeland) 62–84 |
| 2008 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1st South Div. | Won Div. Championship (Columbus) 52–50 Lost Conf. Championship (Wyoming) 26–54 |
| Totals | 26 | 6 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
2007 season schedule
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 3 | Pittsburgh RiverRats | Home | Won 54–34 |
| February 10 | Montgomery Bears | Home | Won 57–27 |
| February 17 | Lakeland Thunderbolts | Home | Won 46–36 |
| February 24 | Gulf Coast Raiders | Home | Won 74–45 |
| March 10 | Tallahassee Titans | Away | Won 62–58 |
| March 17 | Florence Phantoms | Home | Won 63–14 |
| March 24 | Baltimore Blackbirds | Home | Won 80–20 |
| April 2 | Montgomery Bears | Away | Won 62–37 |
| April 7 | Carolina Speed | Away | Lost 52–64 |
| April 14 | Tallahassee Titans | Home | Won 80–75 |
| April 28 | Carolina Speed | Home | Won 70–28 |
| May 5 | Lakeland Thunderbolts | Away | Lost 31–54 |
| May 19 | Florence Phantoms | Away | Lost 45–44 |
| May 25 | Erie Freeze | Away | Won 53–47 |
| June 10 | Tallahassee Titans (playoffs) | Home | Won 62–32 |
| June 18 | Lakeland Thunderbolts (playoffs) | Away | Lost 62–84 |