Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Arena football team}}
{{Afl2 team |
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
name = Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings |
{{Infobox indoor American football team
logo = BossierShreveportBattleWings.gif |
| name = Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings
conference = National |
| logo = BattleWingsAF1.PNG
division = Midwestern |
| helmet = Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings Helmet Logo 2010.png
founded = 2001 |
| founded = 2001
arena = [[CenturyTel Center]] |
| folded = 2010
___location = Bossier City, Louisiana |
| city = [[CenturyLink Center (Bossier City)|CenturyTel Center]]<br>in [[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]], [[Louisiana]]
championships = none
| misc =
 
| uniform =
| colors = Black, silver, teal, white<br>{{Color box|black}} {{Color box|silver}} {{Color box|#003b48}} {{Color box|white}}
| coach = Jon Morris
| owner = Dan Newman
| chairman =
| president = Dan Newman
| general manager =
| mascot =
| nicknames =
| league =
[[AF2]] ({{af2 Year|2001}}–{{af2 Year|2009}})
*National Conference (2001–2003)
**South Central Division (2001)
**Central Division (2002)
**Southern Division (2003)
*American Conference (2004)
**Midsouthern Division (2004)
*National Conference (2005–2009)
**Midwestern Division (2005–2006)
**Southwest Division (2007–2009)
[[Arena Football League]] ({{AFL Year|2010}})
*American Conference (2010)
**[[East Division (AFL)|Eastern Division]] (2010)
| team_history =
*Bossier City Battle Wings (2001–2003)
*Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings (2004–2010)
*[[New Orleans VooDoo]] (2011–2015)
| no_league_champs = 0
| no_conf_champs = 0
| no_div_champs = 2
| league_champs =
| conf_champs =
| div_champs =
*'''Southwest:''' {{af2 Year|2008}}, {{af2 Year|2009}}
| playoff_appearances =
*{{af2 Year|2008}}, {{af2 Year|2009}}
| no_playoff_appearances = 2
| arena_years =
*[[CenturyLink Center (Bossier City)|CenturyTel Center]] (2001–2010)
}}
 
The '''Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings''' were an [[Arena Football League (2010)|Arena Football League]] team based in [[Bossier City, Louisiana]]. They played at the [[CenturyTel Center]] in Bossier City and took their name from the metropolitan area that consists of Bossier City and [[Shreveport, Louisiana|neighboring city Shreveport]] in the [[Ark-La-Tex]] corridor. Playing in the defunct [[af2]] from their inception in 2001 until the league's folding in 2009 (and called the Bossier City Battle Wings from 2001&ndash;2003), the team had its best seasons in [[2002 af2 season|2002]], [[2007 af2 season|2007]], [[2008 af2 season|2008]], and [[2009 af2 season|2009]] having clinched division titles in the latter two years. They were also the only seasons in which the team had more wins than losses. In 2007, the Battle Wings clinched their first-ever playoff berth, beating the [[Arkansas Twisters]] and [[Rio Grande Valley Dorados]] before being beaten by the eventual [[Arena Cup]] champion [[Tulsa Talons]]. Despite having little success in their earlier days, the Battle Wings turned out some players who went on to appear in both the [[Canadian Football League]] and for other teams the [[Arena Football League]], in which the team itself played for a single season after the AFL emerged from [[bankruptcy]] and resumed operations. Following the [[2010 Arena Football League season|2010 season]], the team moved to [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]] for the [[2011 Arena Football League season|2011 AFL]] season and became a successor to the [[New Orleans VooDoo]]. Bossier City was considered as a potential site for the 2024 revival of the AFL, but CenturyLink Center did not have enough open dates to accommodate a team, and thus the Louisiana AFL franchise, also named the VooDoo, was given to [[Lake Charles, Louisiana|Lake Charles]]<ref>.{{Cite web |last=Lowe |first=Megan |date=2023-07-25 |title=Bossier City on Arena Football League radar |url=https://shreveportbossierjournal.com/2023/07/25/bossier-city-on-arena-football-league-radar/ |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=Shreveport-Bossier Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>
The '''Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings''' are a member of the [[af2]] based at [[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]]'s [[CenturyTel Center]]. Started in [[2001]], the best season this team has seen is the [[2002]] season, in which it finished with nine wins and seven losses. The 2002 season was also the only season in which the team had more wins than losses. Despite some tough seasons, the Battle Wings have turned out some players that have gone on to the [[Canadian Football League]], and [[Arena Football League]].
 
==Front office==
 
===Dan Newman===
Dan Newman bought the Battle Wings from previous owner Michael Plaman at the end of the 2003 season. Newman has lived in the Shreveport-Bossier City area since 1970 and graduated from [[C. E. Byrd High School]] in 1971. While Attending [[Louisiana Tech University]], Dan met his future wife of 31 years, Mary Ann. Newman started his career at Louisiana Tech as a sports journalist. For ten years, he served as a play-by-play analyst for the Louisiana Tech University Football Network. Newman also worked as an announcer for [[ESPN]], doing the play-by-play for college basketball games. He retired from his journalism career when he bought the Battle Wings. While in ownership, Newman served on the [[AF2]] Board of Directors Executive Committee, the AF2 Broadcast Committee, and the AF2 Insurance Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.battlewings.com/team/staff/index.html?staff_id=1|title=Owner: Dan Newman|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623054701/http://www.battlewings.com/team/staff/index.html?staff_id=1|archive-date=2008-06-23}}</ref>
 
===Butch Bellah===
[[Butch Bellah]] was the general manager of the Battle Wings from 2007 to 2009, leading the team to their most successful seasons off the field. Butch brought 20 years of experience in advertising, sales, and marketing to the team. Before joining the Battle Wings in January 2007, Butch served as Executive Vice President of Harrison Company. Butch Bellah resigned on November 17, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.battlewings.com/team/staff/index.html?staff_id=9 |title=Butch Bellah |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622194110/http://www.battlewings.com/team/staff/index.html?staff_id=9 |archive-date=2008-06-22 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.battlewings.com/team/staff/ |title=List of Staff |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616095044/http://www.battlewings.com/team/staff/ |archive-date=2008-06-16 }}</ref>
 
==Coaching staff==
 
===Jon Norris===
[[Jon Norris]] was born in [[Wales]] Norris received a bachelor's degree from [[American International College]] and graduated from [[Stratford High School (Connecticut)|Stratford High School]] in [[Connecticut]]. He received his master's degree at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado. Norris had experience in the football community, playing for the [[NFL]] [[Chicago Bears]], the NFL [[New England Patriots]], the [[Arena Football League (1987–2008)|Arena Football League]]'s [[Denver Dynamite (Arena Football)|Denver Dynamite]]. After retiring from football, Norris began his coaching career. He was the head coach for the AF2 [[Tulsa Talons]], leading the Talons all the way to the playoffs in their inaugural season. Norris later became a defensive line coach in the AFL, but after his first season with the [[Oklahoma Wranglers]], the team collapsed. After having minor coaching roles with two other AFL teams, Jon Norris signed with the Shreveport-Bossier Battle Wings as head coach. In 2007 Jon guided the Battle Wings to their first playoff berth in team history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=2 |title=Head Coach: John Norris |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025074300/http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=2 |archive-date=2008-10-25 }}</ref>
 
===Jon Lyles===
Jon Lyles was the final offensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Battle Wings. Lyles, who is from Eastern Texas, led the [[Amarillo Dusters]] to a championship in the [[Intense Football League]] as an offensive coordinator. Lyles also played for in the AF2 for the Bossier City Battle Wings in 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=3 |title=John Lyles |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025074305/http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=3 |archive-date=2008-10-25 }}</ref>
 
===Other coaches===
John Lewis served as an assistant for the Battle Wings. He served as an offensive assistant and special teams coach. He spent six seasons with Battle Wings. Martino Theus coached the defensive backs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=8 |title=John Lewis |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025074321/http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=8 |archive-date=2008-10-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=17 |title=Martino Theus |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025074250/http://www.battlewings.com/team/coaches/index.html?staff_id=17 |archive-date=2008-10-25 }}</ref>
 
==Final roster==
{{transcluded section|2010 Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings season}}
{{#section:2010 Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings season|roster}}
 
==Season-by-season==
{{Main|List of Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings seasons}}
 
==Front OfficeArena==
The team played at the [[CenturyTel Center]] in [[Bossier City, Louisiana]], when it was known as the [[Bossier City Battle Wings]] (2001–2003) and Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings (2004–2010) in the [[af2]].
*Dan Newman (Owner)
*Jim Anspaugh, Jr. (Director of Ticketing)
*Darrel Rebouche (Media Relations)
 
==NotableBecoming Playersthe Voodoo==
On September 14, 2010, it was announced that the Bossier City-Shreveport Battlewings would move to New Orleans and be re-established as the [[New Orleans VooDoo]], taking over all of their stats, records, and mascots.
*J.J. Raterink- QB
*Brandon Campbell- WR/DB
*Chris Thomas- OL/DL
*Anthony Chambers- OS
*Ricky Franklin- WR/LB
*Brian Hazelwood- K
 
==References==
==Season-By-Season==
{{Start NFL SBSreflist|30em}}
|-
|2001 || 7 || 9 || 0 || 4th NC South Central || --
|-
|2002 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 3rd NC Central || --
|-
|2003 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 4th NC Central || --
|-
|2004 || 5 || 11 || 0 || 3rd AC Mid-Southern || --
|-
|2005 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 5th NC Midwestern || --
|-
|2006 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 6th NC Midwestern || --
|-
|2007 || -- || -- || -- || -- || --
|-
!Totals || 30 || 66 || 0
|colspan="2"|
{{end box}}
 
== External links ==
* [http://www.battlewings.com/html/index.php Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings' Official Sitewebsite]
* [http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=clubhouse&team=78 Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings onat ArenaFan.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100220045050/http://voodooreport.com/ VooDoo Report]
 
{{Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings}}
{{af2}}
{{Defunct Arena Football League franchises}}
{{Af2 Defunct}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings}}
[[Category:AF2 teams]]
[[Category:SportsBossier–Shreveport inBattle Wings| Louisiana]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Louisiana]]
[[Category:2010 disestablishments in Louisiana]]
[[Category:American football teams established in 2001]]
[[Category:American football teams disestablished in 2010]]
[[Category:Bossier City, Louisiana|Battle Wings]]
[[Category:Defunct American football teams in Louisiana]]