Bakersfield Blitz
Encyclopedia
The Bakersfield Blitz were a professional arena football
team based in Bakersfield, California
. They are a 2004 expansion member of the af2
and play their home games at Rabobank Arena
.
In 2002, the original Blitz was owned by Casey Wasserman
, owner of the Arena Football League team Los Angeles Avengers
, who owned and managed the team for two seasons. In 2004, the team was sold to an investment group that moved the team to Fresno to become the Central Valley Coyotes
, while a new Bakersfield Blitz was formed. In 2005, the af2
owned the team, and was operated by the owner of the Bakersfield Condors
.
In 2006, a combination of local Bakersfield and professional sports investors bought the franchise from the af2
. Since that time, season ticket sales increased by over 25% per year, and the team won their first-ever playoff game in 2006. However, the Blitz unexpectedly folded after the 2007 season
. Although this followed a season in which two players faced rape
charges, it is unclear what role, if any, this played in the Blitz's folding.
Jeff Allen, Dr. Vip Dev, William Edwards, Scott Erwin, Dr. Todd Farrer, Scott Garrison, Scott Hacker, Clayton Koerner, Paul Press, Fred Prince, Joel Shaddy, Andrew Watkins, SportsGelt,LLC among others.
He was transported by ambulance to Via Christi St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:37 p.m. CT on July 19, 2003. His body was transported to the Sedgwick County Coroner's office to have an autopsy performed to determine the cause of death.
The passing of Yearwood rocked the AF2 family. The game was tied 7-7 in the first quarter when Yearwood came out of the game allegedly claiming that he wasn't well. He collapsed shortly thereafter.
The league declined to comment on the cause of death, pending an official autopsy, though some reports in the local media indicated it may be heart related.
playing the Boise Burn, two members were arrested and charged with crimes related to the July 8, 2007 rape of a young woman in a hotel room in Boise. The players arrested were Maurice Ronald Troutman, 25 and Rennard Reynolds, 30 both of Long Beach, California. Boise police arrested Troutman on July 8, for the alleged rape and Reynolds on July 9, for an alleged burglary connected to the alleged rape. The Blitz team cooperated with Boise police and delayed leaving Boise until the investigation was completed.
Maurice Troutman's rape case was overturned by the Supreme Court. Documents show he never wanted to or tried to take advantage of the woman. Court documents also show she never was tested to see if she had taken Ambien and Alcohol. In Idaho it is illegal to engage in sexual intercourse with someone under the influence of alcohol, drugs e.t.c, because they cannot give consent while having these things in there system; which was why he was charged in the first place.
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
team based in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
. They are a 2004 expansion member of the af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
and play their home games at Rabobank Arena
Rabobank Arena
Rabobank Arena is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena, Bakersfield, California, USA. Located downtown at the corner of Truxtun Avenue and N Street, it was built in 1998, and was originally known as Centennial Garden. The city-owned arena sold naming rights to the Dutch cooperative bank Rabobank in...
.
In 2002, the original Blitz was owned by Casey Wasserman
Casey Wasserman
Casey Wasserman is an entertainment executive, sports agent executive and owner of the former Arena League football team, the Los Angeles Avengers. Born Casey Meyer, he is the son of the Los Angeles socialite and philanthropist Lynne Wasserman. Casey's parents were divorced and he took his...
, owner of the Arena Football League team Los Angeles Avengers
Los Angeles Avengers
The Los Angeles Avengers was an Arena Football League team based in Los Angeles, California from 2000 through 2008. They folded on April 19, 2009.-History:...
, who owned and managed the team for two seasons. In 2004, the team was sold to an investment group that moved the team to Fresno to become the Central Valley Coyotes
Central Valley Coyotes
The Central Valley Coyotes are a professional arena football team and were a charter member of Arena Football 1. The team currently is not in a league...
, while a new Bakersfield Blitz was formed. In 2005, the af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
owned the team, and was operated by the owner of the Bakersfield Condors
Bakersfield Condors
The Bakersfield Condors are a minor league ice hockey team based in Bakersfield, California. The team plays in the Pacific Division of the ECHL's Western Conference. The Condors join the Houston Aeros as an affiliate of the Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League...
.
In 2006, a combination of local Bakersfield and professional sports investors bought the franchise from the af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
. Since that time, season ticket sales increased by over 25% per year, and the team won their first-ever playoff game in 2006. However, the Blitz unexpectedly folded after the 2007 season
2007 af2 season
The 2007 AF2 season was the eighth season of the AF2. The regular season began on Friday, March 30 and ended on July 28. The league champions were the Tulsa Talons, who defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in ArenaCup VIII.-Standings:...
. Although this followed a season in which two players faced rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
charges, it is unclear what role, if any, this played in the Blitz's folding.
Owners
These were the owners at the time the Blitz ceased operations:Jeff Allen, Dr. Vip Dev, William Edwards, Scott Erwin, Dr. Todd Farrer, Scott Garrison, Scott Hacker, Clayton Koerner, Paul Press, Fred Prince, Joel Shaddy, Andrew Watkins, SportsGelt,LLC among others.
Yearwood death
On July 19, 2003 The Bakersfield Blitz reported the untimely death of Bakersfield Blitz Fullback/Linebacker Julian Yearwood. Yearwood, 31, who collapsed in the team bench area during the Saturday game against the Wichita Stealth at Kansas Coliseum in Wichita, Kansas. Emergency medical personnel worked on resuscitating Yearwood for over 20 minutes before he was taken off the field on a stretcher.He was transported by ambulance to Via Christi St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:37 p.m. CT on July 19, 2003. His body was transported to the Sedgwick County Coroner's office to have an autopsy performed to determine the cause of death.
The passing of Yearwood rocked the AF2 family. The game was tied 7-7 in the first quarter when Yearwood came out of the game allegedly claiming that he wasn't well. He collapsed shortly thereafter.
The league declined to comment on the cause of death, pending an official autopsy, though some reports in the local media indicated it may be heart related.
Season-by-season
| ArenaCup Champions ArenaCup The ArenaCup is the af2's championship game. For the league's first five years, it was held at the arena of the higher seeded team. However, the 2005 ArenaCup was the first to be played at a neutral site in Bossier City, Louisiana. The 2006 ArenaCup was played in Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San... |
ArenaCup Appearances | Division Champions | Playoff Berth |
| Season | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason Results | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | ||||||
| Bakersfield Blitz | ||||||||
| 2004 | AF2 | National | Western | 1st | 11 | 5 | Lost NC Semifinals (Peoria Peoria Pirates The Peoria Pirates were a professional arena football team that last played in af2, the minor league to the Arena Football League. They played their home games at Carver Arena, part of the Peoria Civic Center in Illinois, and were coached by Mike Hohensee... 38-36) |
|
| 2005 | AF2 | National | Western | 4th | 6 | 10 | ||
| 2006 | AF2 | National | Western | 3rd | 9 | 7 | Won NC Round 1 (Central Valley Central Valley Coyotes The Central Valley Coyotes are a professional arena football team and were a charter member of Arena Football 1. The team currently is not in a league... 45-37) Lost NC Semifinals (Spokane Spokane Shock The Spokane Shock is a professional arena football team of the Arena Football League from Spokane, Washington, USA. They play their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena... 50-47) |
|
| 2007 | AF2 | American | West | 7th | 6 | 10 | ||
| Total | 32 | 32 | (includes only regular season) | |||||
| 1 | 2 | (includes only the postseason) | ||||||
| 33 | 34 | (includes both regular season and postseason) | ||||||
Notable players
- Nick Onaindia - FB/LB
- Bobby Pesavento - QB
- Rennard Reynolds - OS
- Alex Wallace - DS
- Leo Sullivan - OL
- Chad Elliot - QB
- Maurice Troutman- DL
- Eric Mahanke - WR/LB
- DeRonn Finley- WR/DB
- Nathan Munson- WR/DB
- Ben R. McCombs- DL
- Wil Goff- DL
- Gabriel Crecion-OL/DL
- Kevin Lacey - OL/DL
Rape Allegations
While in Boise, IdahoBoise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
playing the Boise Burn, two members were arrested and charged with crimes related to the July 8, 2007 rape of a young woman in a hotel room in Boise. The players arrested were Maurice Ronald Troutman, 25 and Rennard Reynolds, 30 both of Long Beach, California. Boise police arrested Troutman on July 8, for the alleged rape and Reynolds on July 9, for an alleged burglary connected to the alleged rape. The Blitz team cooperated with Boise police and delayed leaving Boise until the investigation was completed.
External links
Maurice Troutman's rape case was overturned by the Supreme Court. Documents show he never wanted to or tried to take advantage of the woman. Court documents also show she never was tested to see if she had taken Ambien and Alcohol. In Idaho it is illegal to engage in sexual intercourse with someone under the influence of alcohol, drugs e.t.c, because they cannot give consent while having these things in there system; which was why he was charged in the first place.