Nashville Kats
Encyclopedia
The Nashville Kats were an Arena Football League
team, located in Nashville, Tennessee
. They were last coached by Pat Sperduto
, who coached the team's original incarnation to two ArenaBowl
appearances prior to the original franchise's move to Atlanta in 2002 (then becoming the Georgia Force
). Sperduto also coached the second incarnation of the Nashville Kats following their return to the Arena Football League as an expansion team in 2005. The Nashville Kats have been rumored to return to the Arena Football League
in 2012.
. The team's logo featured an anthropomorphic tabby wearing a 1950s-style leather jacket, holding the neck of a guitar
in one paw and juggling a football with the other.
The Kats 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 (including the second incarnation of the team). 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. The team's success in the playoffs led to consecutive appearances in the ArenaBowl
(XIV and XV) each of the original team's final two seasons, although they were unable to win the AFL's championship in either appearance.
After being unable to reach favorable agreements with arena management and the primary tenant, the Nashville Predators
of the National Hockey League
, majority owner Mark Bloom sold the franchise in December 2001 to Virgil Williams, an Atlanta
businessman, for nearly $
10 million. The team's departure from the Nashville market was not related to lack of success neither on the field nor at the box office, but rather their inability to negotiate a favorable lease with the Predators. Following the move to Atlanta, this team would be rechristened the Georgia Force
.
, the owner of the Tennessee Titans
of the National Football League
, purchased the rights to an expansion franchise in Nashville (along with the Kats identity). Initially, Adams was unable to negotiate a lease with the Nashville Predators
to return the team to the Gaylord Entertainment Center (formerly Nashville Arena). Because Nashville Municipal Auditorium
and Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym
are unsuitable for arena football (Municipal Auditorium's floor was too small to contain the field of play and Vanderbilt had a dry policy for athletic events), Adams explored the idea of building his own mid-size arena (roughly 10,000 seats) to host the Kats and compete with the Gaylord Entertainment Center for concerts and smaller sporting events. Ultimately, the Predators agreed to a deal with Adams during the summer of 2004. Following the new agreement, Adams announced that the expansion Kats would begin play for the 2005 season and would return to the arena the original team called home.
While the majority of the new team was owned by Adams, country music singer Tim McGraw
was brought in as a minority investor. McGraw, his wife Faith Hill
, and their children were often seen on the first row of sideline seats along the south endzone. As a tie-in with McGraw, the PA
system played his hit "I Like It, I Love It
" following a Kats touchdown.
and in the CFL
with the Montreal Alouettes
. The revived logo was almost identical to the original logo. The noteworthy exceptions were the ball (which was drawn as the lighter colored, brown-with-blue-stripe ball used in the AFL at that time) and the color scheme of the logo, which was slightly modified to mirror the team colors of the Tennessee Titans. New team uniforms also adopted the Tennessee Titans color scheme, going from the dark blue/silver/white combination of the original team to a new scheme including "Titans" light blue/red/white. The new team also introduced a new in-arena mascot named Kool Kat, a cat clad in a jersey and shorts that often performed daredevil stunts during breaks in the game.
The new Kats' first season started horrendously. After an opening victory on the road, it took until week 8 for the franchise to record another victory. But after that, the Kats won their next five games, and finished the season with a 6–9–1 record. The 41–41 tie at the Dallas Desperados
on April 8 was only the second in AFL history, and prompted the League to change its overtime rules to eliminate ties before the start of the 2006 season.
Nashville finished the 2006 regular season with an 8–8 record; good enough to earn the team a playoff berth. The Kats lost in the opening round to the Chicago Rush
.
The Kats finished the 2007 season with a 7–9 record and just missed the playoffs after a Utah Blaze
win in the final week of the season.
On October 10, 2007, after months of speculation, owner Bud Adams
decided to shut down operations for the second time in Nashville Kats history. While ticket sales had been good initially, the team struggled at the box office following its poor performance in the 2005 season (the first season of the expansion team).
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
team, located in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. They were last coached by Pat Sperduto
Pat Sperduto
Pat Sperduto is an American football coach and executive who was the final head coach of the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League as well as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League...
, who coached the team's original incarnation to two ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
appearances prior to the original franchise's move to Atlanta in 2002 (then becoming the Georgia Force
Georgia Force
The Georgia Force are an Arena Football League team based in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States that plays in the South Division of the American Conference. The team is owned by Doug MacGregor and Donn Jennings...
). Sperduto also coached the second incarnation of the Nashville Kats following their return to the Arena Football League as an expansion team in 2005. The Nashville Kats have been rumored to return to the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
in 2012.
Original Nashville Kats (1997–2001)
The team began as the Nashville Kats in 1997. The original Kats played in the then-named Nashville Arena (AKA "The Alley") in downtown Nashville. The team was named for the 1967 hit "Nashville Cats" by The Lovin' SpoonfulThe Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
. The team's logo featured an anthropomorphic tabby wearing a 1950s-style leather jacket, holding the neck of a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
in one paw and juggling a football with the other.
The Kats 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 (including the second incarnation of the team). 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. The team's success in the playoffs led to consecutive appearances in the ArenaBowl
ArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
(XIV and XV) each of the original team's final two seasons, although they were unable to win the AFL's championship in either appearance.
After being unable to reach favorable agreements with arena management and the primary tenant, the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, majority owner Mark Bloom sold the franchise in December 2001 to Virgil Williams, an Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
businessman, for nearly $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
10 million. The team's departure from the Nashville market was not related to lack of success neither on the field nor at the box office, but rather their inability to negotiate a favorable lease with the Predators. Following the move to Atlanta, this team would be rechristened the Georgia Force
Georgia Force
The Georgia Force are an Arena Football League team based in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States that plays in the South Division of the American Conference. The team is owned by Doug MacGregor and Donn Jennings...
.
The birth of the expansion Nashville Kats (2001–2005)
Shortly after the original team's departure from Nashville, Bud AdamsBud Adams
Kenneth Stanley "Bud" Adams, Jr. is the owner of the Tennessee Titans' National Football League franchise. He was instrumental in the founding and establishment of the former American Football League. Adams became a charter AFL owner with the establishment of the Titans franchise, which was...
, the owner of the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, purchased the rights to an expansion franchise in Nashville (along with the Kats identity). Initially, Adams was unable to negotiate a lease with the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
to return the team to the Gaylord Entertainment Center (formerly Nashville Arena). Because Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Nashville Municipal Auditorium
The Nashville Municipal Auditorium is an indoor sports and concert venue in Nashville, Tennessee...
and Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym
Memorial Gymnasium (Vanderbilt University)
Memorial Gymnasium is a multi-purpose facility located in Nashville, Tennessee. Usually called Memorial Gym or simply Memorial, the building is located on the western end of the Vanderbilt University campus. It was built in 1952 and currently has a seating capacity of 14,316...
are unsuitable for arena football (Municipal Auditorium's floor was too small to contain the field of play and Vanderbilt had a dry policy for athletic events), Adams explored the idea of building his own mid-size arena (roughly 10,000 seats) to host the Kats and compete with the Gaylord Entertainment Center for concerts and smaller sporting events. Ultimately, the Predators agreed to a deal with Adams during the summer of 2004. Following the new agreement, Adams announced that the expansion Kats would begin play for the 2005 season and would return to the arena the original team called home.
While the majority of the new team was owned by Adams, country music singer Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
was brought in as a minority investor. McGraw, his wife Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
, and their children were often seen on the first row of sideline seats along the south endzone. As a tie-in with McGraw, the PA
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
system played his hit "I Like It, I Love It
I Like It, I Love It
"I Like It, I Love It" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. The song was McGraw's ninth single overall, and his third number-one single on the Hot Country Songs chart...
" following a Kats touchdown.
The new Kats take the field (2005–2007)
The second incarnation of the Nashville Kats began play in 2005 at the then Gaylord Entertainment Center, the home of the original Kats team. When the Kats were revived as an expansion team, the new team re-assumed from the Georgia Force all Nashville Kats history prior to the franchise's move to Atlanta. This was an arrangement similar to the one made in the NFL with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and in the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
with the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. The revived logo was almost identical to the original logo. The noteworthy exceptions were the ball (which was drawn as the lighter colored, brown-with-blue-stripe ball used in the AFL at that time) and the color scheme of the logo, which was slightly modified to mirror the team colors of the Tennessee Titans. New team uniforms also adopted the Tennessee Titans color scheme, going from the dark blue/silver/white combination of the original team to a new scheme including "Titans" light blue/red/white. The new team also introduced a new in-arena mascot named Kool Kat, a cat clad in a jersey and shorts that often performed daredevil stunts during breaks in the game.
The new Kats' first season started horrendously. After an opening victory on the road, it took until week 8 for the franchise to record another victory. But after that, the Kats won their next five games, and finished the season with a 6–9–1 record. The 41–41 tie at the Dallas Desperados
Dallas Desperados
The Dallas Desperados were a professional Arena Football team. The Desperados played in the Southern Division of the now-defunct Arena Football League from 2002 to 2008....
on April 8 was only the second in AFL history, and prompted the League to change its overtime rules to eliminate ties before the start of the 2006 season.
Nashville finished the 2006 regular season with an 8–8 record; good enough to earn the team a playoff berth. The Kats lost in the opening round to the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
.
The Kats finished the 2007 season with a 7–9 record and just missed the playoffs after a Utah Blaze
Utah Blaze
The Utah Blaze is a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competes in the West division of the Arena Football League. Home games are played at the EnergySolutions Arena.-The original Utah Blaze :...
win in the final week of the season.
On October 10, 2007, after months of speculation, owner Bud Adams
Bud Adams
Kenneth Stanley "Bud" Adams, Jr. is the owner of the Tennessee Titans' National Football League franchise. He was instrumental in the founding and establishment of the former American Football League. Adams became a charter AFL owner with the establishment of the Titans franchise, which was...
decided to shut down operations for the second time in Nashville Kats history. While ticket sales had been good initially, the team struggled at the box office following its poor performance in the 2005 season (the first season of the expansion team).
Notable players
- James Baron - OL/DL
- Cornelius BonnerCornelius BonnerCornelius Bonner is an American football wide receiver playing for the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League. The 6 feet tall and 190 pounds receiver played college football for the University of Cincinnati....
- WR - Jason Bratton - FB/LB
- Darryl HammondDarryl HammondDarryl Hammond is a retired arena football Wide receiver / Defensive back in the Arena Football League....
- WR/LB - Ron CarpenterRon Carpenter (safety)Ron Carpenter is a former professional American football player who played defensive back for five seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings. New York Jets, and St. Louis Rams....
- WR/DB - Jeff RussellJeff RussellJeffrey Lee Russell is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played 14 years from 1983 to 1996. Russell played for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League and the Texas Rangers, Oakland A's, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, all of the American League...
- WR/DB - Cory Fleming - WR/LB
- Rupert GrantRupert GrantRupert Grant is a former Arena Football League fullback/linebacker most recently with the now defunct Nashville Kats. His nickname is "Dogghead". During his time in the AFL, Grant has also played for the Detroit Fury and Orlando Predators...
- FB/LB - Dan Alexander - FB
- Ahmad Hawkins - DS
- Tyronne JonesTyronne JonesTyronne Jones is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans VooDoo in the Arena Football League. He previously played for the Nashville Kats, the Philadelphia Soul, and the Georgia Force.-College years:...
- WR/DB - Andy KellyAndy KellyAndy Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the Arena Football League. He played in the AFL for fifteen seasons. He also played for two seasons for the Rhein Fire of the former World League of American Football....
- QB - James BrownJames BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
- QB - Tyrone Jones - OS
- T. T. ToliverT. T. ToliverAntoine 'T. T.' Toliver is an Arena Football League player who is currently a member of the Orlando Predators. Specializing in kick return, he has 3,485 yards and 82 touchdowns in his career. His career began with the Tampa Bay Storm from 2002-2005. He was traded during the season to the Nashville...
- WR/LB - Joseph Minucci - OL/DL
- Robert Gaddy - OL/DL
- Aaron Hamilton - OL\DL