1995 Season

League expands to 16 teams

Commissioner Kirk Pavelich informed the owners in a July 1995 newsletter that he planned to expand the league from 12 to 16 teams. Another change included the alteration of the transaction night policy from previous years. Starting with the '95 season, teams with the worst records and fewest points had the first opportunity to make transactions, via five minute intervals. 

The league office was moved to Madison, OH. Pavelich also announced that 12 of the 16 teams would qualify for the playoffs. The top team in each of the four divisions would automatically advance, as would the eight best remaining teams -- based on record and regardless of division. The division winners would receive first round byes and the Fantasy Bowl would be moved to NFL Week #16 to avoid the dreaded "Benched Star Syndrome." This decision was made to deal with the problem of years past when NFL teams would elect to sit their stars once they had secured a playoff spot.

A final rule change involved the requirement of each owner drafting a team defense, and for the first time in league history, a head coach. As in past years, defenses would only earn points for touchdowns and safeties. Coaches would earn three points per victory.

Comings and goings

Despite accepting a teaching job in Houston, Texas, '94 champion Storm Thomas and his Stormtroopers returned to defend their title. For the first time in league history, all franchises from the previous season returned. Keith Kuratko officially retired the name Punishers and adopted the new moniker Baluchitherium. Joe Nunney decided a change was needed after the Horsemen's 5-9 debut campaign so he switched to the name Black Diamond. Paul Labonte opted to make a change as well, adopting the name Shadow Bandits to replace the Misdemeanors. Finally, Pavelich himself retired the name Young Guns and decided to go with the Midnight Vigilantes.

Pavelich awarded expansion franchises to the Legion of Doom (Dave Barnes), the Psychedelic B's (Bryan Vince), the Callouses (Jody Barth) and the Donikers-DTL (Sam Profio). 

The 1995 Draft

The draft took place on Sunday Aug. 20, 1995, with Baluchitherium selecting QB Steve Young with the first overall selection. Other first round picks included: RB Emmitt Smith (#2 - Stormtroopers), QB Dan Marino (#3 - Midnight Vigilantes), RB Marshall Faulk (#4 - Captain Tripps), QB Drew Bledsoe (#5 - Legion of Doom), WR Jerry Rice (#6 - Assassins), RB Barry Sanders (#7 - Shadow Bandits), RB Natrone Means (#8 - Donikers-DTL), QB John Elway (#9 - Hostile Omish), RB Chris Warren (#10 - Bonecrushers), QB Brett Favre (#11 - Black Diamond), RB Bam Morris (#12 - River Rats), QB Randall Cunningham (#13 - King Salmons), QB Jeff George (#14 - Psychedelic B's), RB Ricky Watters (#15 - Callouses), and QB Warren Moon (#16 - Cosmic Monsters).

Sports Page Highlights

Emmitt Smith sets a new league record for points in a game by scoring 40 in the Stormtroopers' Week One 88-47 win over the Assassins. 

Pavelich began to place more of an emphasis on the league's history as he printed owner's career records and head-to-head records in each edition of The Sports Page.

Keith Kuratko started the heavy trading action of the new year in Week Three, dealing RB Curtis Martin to arch-rival Mike Bell and the Assassins for WR Joey Galloway. Rookie Bryan Vince immediately began to show his gambling style, trading WR Ben Coates to the Shadow Bandits for RB Eric Metcalf. A week later, Vince dealt RB Robert Smith, WR Mike Pritchard, and RB Mario Bates to Black Diamond for WRs Cris Carter and Quinn Early. Two weeks later, Kuratko sent QB Steve Young to Pavelich's Midnight Vigilantes for QB Dan Marino, RB Terrell Davis, and an undisclosed amount of cash. He then turned around and dealt Davis and WR J.J. Birden to the Legion of Doom for standout WR Carl Pickens. Players brought to Baluchitherium immediately scored 57 points while those dealt away netted just 25.

New owner Sam Profio became the first member of the Erie League to fire a head coach when he dismissed Wayne Fontes from the 3-0 Donikers. Profio said: "I figured if Detroit wouldn't do it, I would!" Profio would later go on to match Mike Kuratko's 1993 Hostile Omish for best start in Erie League history as he would win his first eight games.

Storm Thomas predicted during Week Seven that his Stormtroopers would become the first repeat champion in the history of the Erie League. New owner Jody Barth went ballistic over a Sports Page report that the only reason his Callouses are 7-0 is because of a weakened schedule. "You can all kiss my ass," Barth said at the time. "Trying to make me seem like I'm weak or something. I have the most points!"

Blockbuster trades abound

More blockbuster trades took place as the season progressed. Vince and Pavelich hooked up in Week Eight as the Psychedelic B's deal QB Jeff George and WR Quinn Early to the Vigilantes for QB Steve Young. "I think Steve Young is the greatest player in the league," Pavelich said at the time. "But he does me or the team absolutely no good sitting on the bench injured for four weeks. I can't wait for Young to help me in the playoffs. I need to get my ass there first!" 

Profio's Donikers broke the league record for quickest start by drilling the Legion of Doom 74-38 in Week Nine to start the season 9-0. Dan Cisek's River Rats set a league record for fewest points in a game when they lost 55-13 to the previously winless King Salmons during the same week.

Pavelich made his final moves in preparation for the playoffs, swapping QB Jeff George, RB Derek Loville, and WR Andre Rison to the Cosmic Monsters and Black Diamond for QB Brett Favre and RB Craig "Ironhead" Heyward. Vince then made one of the most outrageous trades in league history, acquiring WR Tim Brown from the River Rats for seldom-used RB Napoleon Kaufman. Perhaps as a result of this trade, Cisek and the River Rats were not invited back for the '96 season.

Division Champs

The Legion of Doom (7-5) won the Spade Division, the Bonecrushers (8-4) captured the Club Division, the Callouses (9-3) took home the Diamond Division title, and the Donikers (12-0) won the Heart Division. Profio's squad became the first in league history to go through a regular season undefeated. Dave Bell's Bonecrushers -- the only team in the league to break the 1000 point barrier -- won the regular season points championship with 1001 (83.4 per game) points, a new record for regular season scoring average. Click here to see the rest of the 1995 standings. 

Playoffs - Round One

Click here to read Playoff Previews for Round One.

Mike Kuratko's Hostile Omish lost their fifth consecutive first round playoff game, dropping a 71-61 decision to Captain Tripps. Pavelich's Midnight Vigilantes upended Paul Labonte's Shadow Bandits in the highest scoring playoff game to date, 103-94. Click here for the complete recap of Round One action. 

Playoffs - Round Two

Click here for a preview of Round Two.

Profio's Donikers-DTL defeated Vince's Psychedelic B's 101-95 in overtime, perhaps the most exciting game in the history of the Erie League. The B's would have avoided OT and clinched a victory if RB Eric Metcalf had gained one more receiving yard or if QB Steve Young had gained an additional passing or rushing yard. Click here for the complete recap of Round Two action. Click here for a preview of the 1995 Semi-Finals. Click here for a recap of the 1995 Semi-Finals.

Fantasy Bowl 6

Kirk Pavelich's Midnight Vigilantes (right) won Fantasy Bowl 6 over Sam Profio's Donikers-DTL by a score of 103-80. The Vigilantes, who averaged 92 points in four playoff game victories, won their final nine games to clinch the title. Click here to read the Fantasy Bowl 6 Preview -- Click here to read the Fantasy Bowl 6 Recap. QB Brett Favre was named Most Valuable Player for his 28 point performance (308 passing yards, 15 rushing yards, 4 touchdown passes). For his victory, Pavelich received a check for $463. Keith Kuratko's Baluchitherium defeated Legion of Doom 84-62 to win the third place game.

Joe Nunney won the post-season playoff league, scoring 231 points.

Awards Banquet

After the '95 season, Pavelich called for the league’s owners to vote for General Manager of the Year, Coach of the Year, NFL Most Valuable Player, and NFL Rookie of the Year. Pavelich was voted top GM, Profio won top coach honors, Favre was named MVP, and Curtis Martin of the Assassins took home recognition as Rookie of the Year. The awards were distributed at the Erie League's first annual post-season banquet at the Winking Lizard in Macedonia, held on Feb. 10, 1996.