Friday, June 24, 2005

For Immediate Release:
Media Contact:
Steve Geiselman Office 765-210-2419

Websites:
indianamustangs.org (team)
mcfl.org (League)

Team Address:
PO Box 485
Kokomo, IN 46903

Home Field:
Tri-Central High School
2115 West County Road, 500 North
Sharpsville, IN

Mustangs Host Jamboree on Saturday
The Indiana Mustangs are hosting a Jamboree this Saturday, June 25th, at Tri-Central High School. The Jamboree will include six teams, five from Indiana and one from Illinois, representing four different leagues. The teams will compete in a round-robin scrimmage that will allow each participant to play three different opponents. The activities begin at 4 pm and the teams participating are as follows: Indiana Mustangs (MCFL), Kosciusko County Mustangs (IFL), Randolph County Cougars (MFL), Force of Illinois (MSFL), Lake County Steelers (MSFL) and Indiana Titans (MSFL).

Tri-Central's football team will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs during the Jamboree as well as providing concessions with all proceeds going to support the Tri-Central Booster Club. Admission is FREE and fans are welcome to bring their lawn chairs and sunscreen to enjoy some great football and probably one of the largest assemblies of adult amateur football in semi-pro history.

On Saturday morning, the Mustang cheer team will be washing cars at Dan Young in Tipton, IN. If you need a car wash, stop by Dan Young Saturday morning and the dealership will feed you while the cheerleaders wash your car for a goodwill donation. The cheer team is still accepting girls from 9 - 12 years old for the 2005 season. For more information, please contact the cheer coach, Lana Cruz at 317-770-3885.

The Mustangs are still looking for players, volunteers and sponsors. Please contact James Stamper @ 765-451-0790 if you are interested in becoming involved with the team this year.

Jamboree Schedule - June 25th 4 pm
We are excited to be hosting the first annual amateur football Jamboree this Saturday, June 25h at 4 pm. The Jamboree will be played at Tri-Central High School located in the cornfields of Indiana. Listed below are directions to the stadium from each teams' home city. The gates will be open to the stadium by 2 pm, and we are planning to have two certified trainers on site for taping. The trainers will be charging a nominal fee of $3 per item taped or $5 for both ankles. With 6 teams on site and over 200+ ball players participating in this event, we are going to need to stage teams for use of the locker rooms, showers, etc. We will forced to have a couple of teams finish up early, so they can get into the locker room, shower and head over to the pizza party. Therefore after your team showers, please make sure the players DON'T HANG around the field...we need the players to drive to the Ultimate Place 2B, so they can get a head start on the pizza party...by staging the teams, we can better accommodate everyone without having a mad rush for showers and pizza's.

DIRECTIONS
Tri-Central HS is located in the north part of Tipton County, approximately 6 miles

PARKING LOT
Please park ALL VEHICLES in the parking lot outside of the field just west of the school. There will probably be little league baseball games going on the same day, so you may have to park some distance away (additional parking is available in front and behind the school). Please watch for children and drive carefully. Our team has already been accused of driving recklessly on school grounds and this behavior will not be tolerated...reckless drivers will be arrested and any Mustang player caught driving bad on school property will be suspended from the team!

TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL PLAYER PICTURES
We have scheduled our team and individual player pictures prior to the scrimmage. I have spoke to our photographer, and he is willing to take individual pictures for other teams or players if anyone is interested. Our team photographer can print individual football cards or theme prints with your picture on the front of Sporting Magazine like Sports Illustrated. However, in order to have your picture taken, players should complete the attached order form and bring cash or checkbook. He will then mail your order directly to your home within 10 - 14 working days. If you want your own football card, this photographer does an excellent job and is very reasonable...if you are interested in having pictures, please complete and bring the attached form:

CONCESSIONS
Tri-Central Football & Booster Club will be selling concessions including grilled hamburgers, brats and hot dogs.

MOTEL
The Marriott Courtyard is our recommended motel for any players planning to stay overnight. I have negotiated a special room rate of $69 + tax (just mentioned you are coming to town for the Jamboree football game) and the motel is within walking distance of the Ultimate Place 2B. This is a very nice motel in Kokomo, and I am asking each person who stays there to please be respectful of the other guests staying in the motel. Please remind each player that he is representing their respective team, league, community and our beloved sport.

For your special rate, please call the motel directly and mention the JAMBOREE (do NOT call the 800 number...this is a local discount):

Marriott Courtyard
765-453-0800

SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULE
Field 1 - Main Field
4:00 - 4:30 pm
Indiana Mustangs - Force of Illinois
4:40 - 5:10 pm
Randolph County Cougars - Lake County Steelers
5:20 - 5:50 pm
Kosciusko County Mustangs - Indiana Titans

Field 2 - Practice Field
4:00 - 4:30 pm
Randolph County Cougars - Indiana Titans
4:40 - 5:10 pm
Kosciusko County Mustangs - Force of Illinois
5:20 - 5:50 pm
Indiana Mustangs - Lake County Steelers

Field 3 - 7x7 Field
4:00 - 4:30 pm
Kosciusko County Mustangs - Lake County Steelers
4:40 - 5:10 pm
Indiana Mustangs - Indiana Titans
5:20 - 5:50 pm
Randolph County Cougars - Force of Illinois

PARTICIPATING TEAMS:
Indiana Mustangs, MCFL
Primary Contact: James Stamper
Telephone: 765-451-0790
E-mail: james.a.stamper@delphi.com <mailto:james.a.stamper@delphi.com>
Wearing Orange home jersey

Randolph County Cougars, Midwest Football League
Primary Contact: Zeb Sutton
Telephone: 765-857-2570
E-mail: zsutton@peoplepc.com <mailto:zsutton@peoplepc.com>
Wearing home jersey

Kosciusko County Mustangs, Interstate Football League
Primary Contact: Bart Brower
Telephone: 260-244-6811
E-mail: browerfamily5@yahoo.com <mailto:browerfamily5@yahoo.com>
Wearing Orange home jersey

Indiana Titans, Mid-States Football League
Primary Contact: Delane Richhart
Telephone: 574-291-2406
E-mail: jgomez@jenkens.com <mailto:jgomez@jenkens.com>
Wearing White away jersey

Force of Illinois, Mid-States Football League
Primary Contact: Joey Gomez
Telephone: 708-359-4554
E-mail: DRichhart@indianatitans.com <mailto:DRichhart@indianatitans.com>
Wearing White away jersey

Lake County Steelers, Mid-States Football League
Primary Contact: Bob Crowder
Telephone: 219-741-3434
E-mail: bob34jr@aol.com <mailto:bob34jr@aol.com>
Wearing White away jersey

James A. Stamper
Delphi Electronics & Safety
P.O. Box 9005
Kokomo, IN 46904-9005
765.451.0790
765.451.0733 (fax)
E-mail: james.a.stamper@delphi.com <mailto:james.a.stamper@delphi.com>

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Story of Eagles walk-on Vince Papale coming to big screen

Friday, June 17, 2005


By PHIL ANASTAISA
Courier-Post Staff

Hollywood Scene I: Guy walks into a big shot producer's office pedaling a script based on a 30-year-old bartender who makes his local NFL team in an open tryout.

Hollywood Scene II: Guy tumbles into the street, thrown out the door as his improbable script flutters through the air behind him.

"If you took this script to a Hollywood producer and it wasn't a true story, you would get kicked out of the office," said Mark Ellis, coordinating director for the football scenes for an upcoming movie based on the stranger-than-fiction experiences of Vince Papale, an Eagles rookie in 1976.

Ellis has worked on sports movies such as The Longest Yard, Miracle and Jerry Maguire but never has heard a story like this one.

Papale lived it, and still sometimes has a hard time believing it.

"When I look back, it's even more amazing," Papale said. "At the time, I guess I was kind of in a fog. Now that I think about it, I can hardly believe it happened.

"Dreams do come true."

To recap: Papale was a bartender and substitute teacher who showed up at an open tryout and made the Eagles as a reserve wide receiver and special-teams dynamo. He was a real-life Rocky, a likable neighborhood guy who made the local team.

Papale spent three years with the Eagles, making his mark in kick coverage for a team that was slowly emerging as an NFL power under coach Dick Vermeil. Papale still holds the NFL record for the oldest rookie to make a team without having played college football, excluding kickers.

"We used to compete for `Who's Nuts? ' T-shirts," Papale said. "Guy would make a big play on special teams, make a big hit or big block, they'd get a `Who's Nuts?' T-shirt.

"Now the production company that's doing the movie, they named it `Who's Nuts Productions.' "

Walt Disney Pictures is distributing the movie, which is titled, Invincible. Shooting starts July 27 in locations around Philadelphia, and open casting calls this weekend and next will provide an opportunity for local folks to earn a part in the movie.

Papale, now closing on 60, still has the energy and enthusiasm of the guy who made the Eagles as a walk-on. He's deeply involved in most aspects of the movie, from script development to locations to wardrobe to the football scenes that Ellis hopes to make as realistic as the stuff we see on Sunday afternoons.

"It's surreal," said Papale of watching his story come to life on the big screen. "It's freaking me out. It's off the chart for me, for my family."

Said Ellis: "You take Vince's energy, his passion for life and this city and this football team, and then you take this story, and you put it all in a pot and it literally cries out to be on the big screen."

Papale works as an account executive for Sallie Mae, the nation's No. 1 college loan company. He'll soon begin touring the country, and speaking to high school kids about "holding fast to your dream."

Papale said producers hope to have the movie in theaters by September 2006, timed for the start of another NFL season.

The big question: Who's Vince, circa 1976?

Tom Cruise? Brad Pitt?

"How about Danny DeVito? " Papale said.

CASTING CALL FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Film By Who's Nuts Productions And Distributed By Walt Disney Studios

 

 

Seeking Football Players Between The Ages of 18 - 35 Years Old For A Major Motion Picture To Be Filmed In Philadelphia, PA.
PLOT:
Based on the true story of Vince Papale, a 30 year old bartender who made Philadelphia's professional football team in an open tryout in 1976. Vince still holds the record as the oldest rookie to play pro football (excluding kickers) without ever having played college football.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED!!!

To Pre-register please go to
http://www.reelsports.net/join_us.html

 

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Fwd: American Football Association Hosts Successful 25th Annual Semi-Pro Football Hall Of Fame Induction Dinner...

   
  
A message from AFA.

This is a message from AFA.



I thought the following story would be of interest to you.

American Football Association Hosts Successful 25th Annual Semi-Pro Football Hall Of Fame Induction Dinner

To read the entire story, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb248968.php.


Best Regards,

AFA

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

AFA Website AFA Press Release June 08, 2005
AMERICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION HOSTS SUCCESSFUL 25TH ANNUAL SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION DINNER
Media - contact Dave Burch at AFA National Office
(877) 624-4485 or (941) 388-3510
(e-mail) amerfoot@aol.com (or) usafoot@aol.com
(website) http://www.americanfootballassn.com/


The American Football Association hosted a very successful Silver Anniversary Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Dinner at the Oakbrook Terrace Hilton Suites/Drury Lane Conference Center on Saturday, June 4th in conjunction with its 2005 National Semi-Pro Football Convention/Seminar/Trade Show.

�It only seems fitting that we took our Hall of Fame Induction Dinner back to the Chicagoland area where we gave birth to the American Football Association two and a half decades ago in 1980,� said the AFA president and Hall of Fame founder, Ron Real. �While we moved the AFA national headquarters from Oakbrook, Illinois to Sarasota, Florida 10 years ago, it made sense to celebrate our 25th anniversary back in the city where it all began. Ironically, this years induction dinner was held at the Oakbrook Terrace Hilton Suites/Drury Lane Convention Center right next door to where the AFA national office was located more than 10 years ago�, added Real.

The Silver Anniversary 25 year Reunion �Huddle� cocktail party, held at the Hilton Suites on Friday evening (June 3rd) for all those previously enshrined into the AFA�s unique semi-pro football brotherhood, provided an opportunity to network with old friends.

Saturday morning (June 4th) found team and league representatives attending a convention and seminar specifically geared to the semi-pro level of the sport. Seminar speakers consisted of AFA Hall of Fame �Legends� who have been very successful on the semi-pro level. These �Legends� shared experiences with their peers and reaffirmed their commitment to being �Semi Pro and Proud�.

The trade show portion of the AFA convention provided an excellent opportunity for many team and league decision makers (team presidents/owners, GM�s, league commissioners) to network with companies familiar in football circles such as Wilson Sporting Goods, Adams USA, Neuman Gloves, Jostens Championship Rings & Awards, DJ Orthopedics, Cutter Gloves, Immersionware and Sadler Sports Insurance Company.

Special Guest Dinner Speaker was Hub Arkush - Publisher of Pro Football Weekly and Nationally Syndicated Radio/TV Sports Show Celebrity. Hub was very instrumental in helping the AFA get established 25 years ago and the Arkush Cup was named after his late father, Arthur, who founded Pro Football Weekly and was a true supporter of semi-pro/minor league football prior to his untimely death in 1978.

During the induction dinner, a record number of inductees were enshrined into this years hall of fame class. With 39 new inductees accepting their Hall of Fame �Legends� plaques and their AFA/HOF �Semi-Pro and Proud� commemorative rings - the AFA Hall of Fame total membership has now reached the 500 mark.

Of the 39 new inductees honored, 14 acquired their semi-pro reputations on football fields in Illinois while another 5 gained their peer popularity in Wisconsin. The AFA�s birth state (Illinois) now leads the nation in the number of total inductees over the past 25 years with 88. Pennsylvania is second with 62 enshrinees while Ohio has 44 - followed closely by New York with 33, Massachusetts 31, Wisconsin 30 and California�s 27.

The American Football Association proudly presented the following as new inductees into the AFA Semi-Pro Football (click here)
http://www.prweb.com/prfiles/2005/04/22/232487/2005HALLOFFAME.htm

The AFA is a national 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit corporation dedicated to the advancement of adult, junior and youth football in the United States. The AFA currently monitors the game action of nearly 800 semi-pro football teams playing in more than 65 different leagues coast-to-coast. Those leagues and teams provide playing venues for some 75,000 post high school and college players, coaches, trainers, officials as well as team and league administrators having a burning desire to continue their football careers. All for - �the love of the game�.

We express appreciation to all who attended and supported this weekend of events as it was a great time shared by all. By the way, if you have event photos that you would like to include in our on line photo album, just email them to amerfoot@aol.com.
2005 American Football Assoc Hall of Fame Photo Album (click here to view)
Visit our website for more links, info and live chat.  American Football Association

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Sunday, June 05, 2005

AFA Hall of Fame Photo Album





2005 American Football Assoc Hall of Fame
(1 album)
If you can't see the link, copy and paste the following directly into your browser:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=9z859ave.278hzune&x=1&y=-gsdzha

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