The Iowa Barnstormers grabbed their first ever win in the Indoor Football League last Monday after taking down the Bemidji Axemen on the road. This week Iowa looks to build on that momentum when they visit the Green Bay Blizzard.
IFL: Barnstormers vs Blizzard for first time since 2010
Despite this being Iowa’s first year in the league, these two teams have met before. Back when both were in the AF2 (A development league to the Arena Football League that eventually folded) they were local rivals who played a number of exciting contests. The Blizzard were the closest geographical team to Iowa during the Barnstormers last season in the league and the two developed a bit of a rivalry.
During one of their last meetings in Iowa, Barnstormer fans heckled the Green Bay bench, which included the players and coaches. (This was when the benches sat in the middle of the field and even crested in the stands. This put fans a small number of footsteps away from the team.)
In another matchup, a player from Green Bay celebrated a touchdown by kicking a football into the stands. The football struck a baby in the head and the player was fined by the AF2/AFL. Fans continued to “boo” the player throughout the night, as the player yelled back at them trying to apologize for his actions.
After the game, Green Bay’s head coach got into a verbal argument with an Iowa fan that was caught on video. The video was posted to youtube, but later deleted. Pending a few personnel changes in Green Bay’s organization, the Blizzard have a new coach coming into this meeting.
Just to add to the drama, Iowa and Green Bay enter the game tied for third place in the United Conference Standings.
Main Photo via Picture Iowa.
