2006 AFL Season
Originally written by GCEDW
In 2006, the Arena Football League entered into the final year of its contract with NBC. Also, the AFL entered into a 12 game contract with OLN, which included the televising of 1 playoff game.
As for team changes, the Kansas City Brigade and Utah Blaze were added as expansion teams. No teams folded, but the New Orleans VooDoo suspended operations temporarily due to Hurricane Katrina. Thus, this would be the following 18 team lineup for the 2006 season:
Dallas Desperados
Grand Rapids Rampage
Chicago Rush
San Jose SaberCats
Los Angeles Avengers
Arizona Rattlers
Colorado Crush
New York Dragons
Las Vegas Gladiators
Columbus Destroyers
Tampa Bay Storm
Orlando Predators
Georgia Force
Austin Wranglers
Philadelphia Soul
Nashville Kats
Utah Blaze
Kansas City Brigade
In addition, the AFL eliminated bye weeks while also returning to the 12 team playoff format abandoned in 2004.
Regular Season
WEEK 1, 2006
Sunday 1-29:
Storm-Soul, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Bob Papa, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Rush-Crush, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Rattlers-Avengers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Ted Robinson, John Jackson, Fred Roggin
WEEK 2, 2006
Sunday 2-5:
Avengers-Soul, NBC, 1:00 (regional). Allen Bestwick, Pat Haden, Marty Snider
Crush-Force, NBC, 1:00 (regional). Eli Gold, Ray Bentley, Fred Kalil
WEEK 4, 2006
Sunday 2-19:
Dragons-Soul, OLN, 3:00. Ari Wolfe, Bill Osborn, Rhea Hughes
WEEK 5, 2006
Saturday 2-25:
Wranglers-Storm, OLN, 5:00. Ari Wolfe, Bill Osborn
Sunday 2-26:
Crush-Soul, NBC, 1:00 (regional). Allen Bestwick, Pat Haden, Marty Snider
SaberCats-Rush, NBC, 1:00 (regional). Bill Webber, Ray Bentley, Mike Adamle
WEEK 6, 2006
Sunday 3-5:
Desperados-Rush, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Bob Papa, Ray Bentley, Mike Adamle
Avengers-Predators, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Soul-Gladiators, OLN, 6:30. Ari Wolfe, Charles Arbuckle
WEEK 7, 2006
Friday 3-10:
Crush-Rush, OLN, 11:00 (tape delay - 8:30 kick). Ari Wolfe, Charles Davis, Mitch Robinson
Sunday 3-12:
Desperados-Storm, NBC, 12:00 (regional). ??, ??
Avengers-SaberCats, NBC, 6:00 (west coast). Ted Robinson, Charles Davis, Raj Mathai
WEEK 8, 2006
Sunday 3-19:
Desperados-Predators, NBC, 12:00. Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Crush-Avengers, OLN, 6:30. Ari Wolfe, Charles Davis, Andrew Siciliano
WEEK 10, 2006
Sunday 4-2:
Rush-Predators, NBC, 12:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Rattlers-SaberCats, NBC, 6:00 (west coast). Ted Robinson, John Jackson, Raj Mathai
WEEK 11, 2006
Sunday 4-9:
Rush-Soul, NBC, 1:00 (regional). Allen Bestwick, Ray Bentley, Otis Livingston
Desperados-Dragons, NBC, 1:00 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Predators-Destroyers, OLN, 6:00 (tape delay - 3:00 kick). Ari Wolfe, Charles Davis, Matt Stewart
WEEK 12, 2006
Saturday 4-15:
Rush-Rattlers, OLN, 10:00. Ari Wolfe, Charles Davis, Andrew Siciliano
Sunday 4-16:
Crush-Brigade, NBC, 1:00. Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
WEEK 13, 2006
Saturday 4-22:
Desperados-Force, OLN, 4:00. Ari Wolfe, Charles Arbuckle
WEEK 14, 2006
Sunday 4-30:
Soul-Dragons, OLN, 1:00 (tape delay - 4/29 7:30 kick). Ari Wolfe, Charles Arbuckle, Bill Osborn
WEEK 15, 2006
Saturday 5-6:
Desperados-Soul, OLN, 4:00. Ari Wolfe, Charles Arbuckle, Rhea Hughes
WEEK 16, 2006
Saturday 5-13:
Rush-Rampage, OLN, 4:00. Ari Wolfe, Charles Arbuckle, Mitch Robinson
Playoffs
FIRST ROUND
Saturday 5-20:
Blaze-Rattlers, OLN, 5:00. Ari Wolfe, Charles Arbuckle, Andrew Siciliano
Sunday 5-21:
Force-Dragons, NBC, 3:00 (regional). ??, ??
Soul-Wranglers, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Ted Robinson, Charles Davis, Roger Wallace
Rush-Kats, NBC, 3:00 (regional). Bob Papa, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
QUARTERFINALS
Saturday 5-27:
Force-Desperados, NBC, 3:30 (regional). ??, ??
Rattlers-SaberCats, NBC, 3:30 (regional). Ted Robinson, Charles Davis, Raj Mathai
Sunday 5-28:
Rush-Crush, NBC, 3:30 (regional). Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
Soul-Predators, NBC, 3:30 (regional). Bob Papa, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
SEMIFINALS
Saturday 6-3:
Rush-SaberCats, NBC, 3:00. Bob Papa, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Sunday 6-4:
Predators-Desperados, NBC, 3:00. Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson
ArenaBowl XX
Sunday 6-11:
Rush-Predators (Las Vegas), NBC, 3:00. Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson, Marty Snider
- NBC televised no games during weeks 3-5, 9 and 13-16