Mississippi Fire Dogs (1999-2002)
Indoor Professional Football League (1999-00)
National Indoor Professional Football League (2001-02)
Biloxi, MS Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Team Achievements
Overall Record: 34-26
Playoffs: 2000, 2001
Championships: 2000, 2001
With spring beginning it means the start of baseball season. But it also allows fans who didn’t get their football fix in the fall, a chance to watch one of the many spring football leagues. Whether it be the indoor leagues or the XFL or UFL, or whatever it’s called now. There is plenty of football to keep fans entertained year round.
With many rumblings of a new spring football team to take up residence on the Gulf Coast. I wanted to spotlight a forgotten football team that once played before packed houses in the Coast Coliseum over two decades ago. The Mississippi Fire Dogs, who played four seasons from 1999-2002.
In late 90’s the Arena Football League was extremely popular. The fast paced, high scoring, up tempto style made it extremely popular amongst the extreme sport fans, as an alternative of the NFL. Players like Kurt Warner got their start playing on the 50 yard field inside arenas. The AFL teams often played in major arenas in big league cities. To capitalize on the popularity of the AFL, there was several lower level, low budget leagues beginning to take root in smaller medium sized cities throughout the country. The Mississippi Fire Dogs were in one of these leagues; the Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL). The IPFL played with a white football and the league’s slogan was “Great Football. No Gimmicks”.
The Fire Dogs first game was April 8, 1999 in Biloxi with a win against the Louisiana Bayou Beasts. Despite playing in a smaller league the Fire Dogs played against teams from as far away as Idaho, Portland and Omaha. The team had a nice local following thanks in part to several notable names associated with it. Former Saints player John Fourcade served as the team’s starting quarterback, as well as the head coach.
The Fire Dogs had considerable success during the first two years. In the inaugural year the Fire Dogs finished 9-7, but narrowly missed the playoffs. In 2000 the Fire Dogs also finished 9-7, but advanced through the playoffs to defeat the Portland Prowlers to win the 2000 IPFL Championship in front of sold out crowd at the Coast Coliseum. Which also happened to be the final IPFL game played, as the league would fold shortly thereafter.
The team would move to a new league for the 2001 season, the National Indoor Football League. Though, Fourcade would also not be associated with the Fire Dogs anymore. Instead Irvin Favre, the father of Brett, served as the Head Coach and General Manager. It was also common to see Brett walking around the Coliseum during some of those games, something I distinctly remember as kid
Despite playing in a new league the Fire Dogs would have their best season ever finishing 13-1 behind the arm of Moss Point native and former Mississippi State Quarterback Derrick Taite, who win the League MVP that year. Tait would lead the Fire Dogs to the NIFL’s Championship Game the Indoor Bowl with a win over the Wyoming Cavalry. Tait wouldn’t return for 2002 season, instead former Kent State quarterback Stu Rayburn would take over the reigns. The Fire Dogs would finish the season with a dismal 3-11 record. On July 6, 2002 the Fire Dogs would play their final game in a loss to the Tennessee Thundersharks and then the Fire Dogs would fold shortly thereafter. And football has not been played inside the Coliseum since that day on July 6, 2002.
Last year it was announced that the team named would be revived with a new Semi-pro team beginning play in Biloxi nicknamed the Fire Dogs. It is unknown when that team will begin play or where they will play at.
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