Birmingham Wildfire

This article is about the LCFL team, for the 2008 SFL champions, see Warrior Wildfire.

The Birmingham Wildfire was a minor league professional football team that competed in the Southern Conference of the LaBelle Community Football League in 2009. The team president was former Warrior Wildfire owner Leslie Olive, who also served as director of the Southern Conference. The Wildfire played its home games at Legion Field, which began with an exhibition double-header on June 6. Patti LaBelle, who founded the league in 2003 with business manager Damascene Pierre Paul, was scheduled to perform the national anthem, but had to cancel because of illness. She previously had put on a free concert at Boutwell Auditorium on March 14 to promote the league.

In January 2010, an announcement was made on the Wildfire website saying the team would not be returning for a second season. Many of the players moved to two minor-league teams in northern Jefferson County, the Alabama Warriors in Warrior and the Central Alabama Devil Dawgs in Corner.

Mike Clements, who played collegiately at the University of Alabama, was the head coach. He was assisted by offensive consultant Dieter Brock, wide receivers coach Tyrone Prothro, offensive line coach Dennis Alexander, defensive backs coach Lewis Sanders and defensive coach Mark Melvin. The Birmingham Wildfire's dance team was called The Heat.

2009 Season Results

• March 7 & 21: player tryouts at Legion Field
• June 6: Wildfire 38 - Philadelphia Panthers 0 at Legion Field
• June 27: Wildfire 6 - Georgia Tigers 0 at Columbus, Ga (forfeit win)
• July 11: Wildfire 67 - Memphis Panthers 6 at Legion Field
• July 18: Wildfire 69 - Georgia Crush 6 at Legion Field
• July 25: Wildfire 45 - Louisiana Storm 7 at New Orleans, Louisiana
• August 1: Wildfire 30 - Pensacola Lightning 3 at Legion Field
• August 8: Wildfire 35 - Southern California Steelers 16 at Legion Field
• August 22: Wildfire 6 - Port City Monarchs 0 at Mobile, Ala (forfeit win)
• August 29: Wildfire 31 - Georgia Crush 0 at Macon, Ga
• September 13: Wildfire 6 - Louisiana Storm 0 at Legion Field (forfeit win)
• September 19: Pensacola Lightning 17 - Wildfire 14 at Pensacola, Florida
• October 3: Pensacola Lightning 34 - Wildfire 31 (6 OT) Southern Conference Championship at Legion Field

Roster

Wildfire numerical roster is as follows, including position, stats, and collegiate experience:

• 1 Sherman Black, DB 6’2” 203 Concordia College
• 2 Jeremy Schatz, K/P 5’8” 171 University of Alabama
• 6 Shedrick Baker, QB 6’1” 185
• 10 Demarcus Davis, WR 5’10” 186 UAB
• 11 Jevon Grant, WR 6’1” 198 Concordia College
• 12 Darwin Salaam, WR 6’2” 195 University of Alabama
• 13 Taruean Rhetta, WR 6’ 190 Jacksonville State
• 14 Rodney Bivens, QB 6’1” 200 UAB
• 15 Eric Jones, WR 6’ 189 Miles College
• 16 Daniel Dennis, QB 6’3” 212
• 17 Antoine Powers, WR 5’5” 154 UAB
• 18 Kelvin Todd, QB 6’ 180 Georgia Military
• 19 Cedric Austin, DB 6’ 175
• 20 Eric Gray, RB 6’ 206 University of Alabama
• 21 Mike Stinson, DB 6’1” 182 Jacksonville State
• 22 Quenton Allen, FS 6’3” 200 N.C. State
• 23 Antonio Nelson, DB 6’2” 195 Alabama A&M
• 24 Ellis Burns, RB 5’11” 216 Mississippi State
• 25 Cotra Jackson, OLB 6’ 215 N.C. State
• 26 Shawn Manzano, DB 6’1” 190 North Alabama
• 27 Daris Robinson, OLB 6’2” 237 Tusculum
• 28 Aaron Johns, RB 5’11 200 UAB
• 29 Darian Payne, SS 6’2” 220 Alabama A&M
• 30 Shawn Mercer, FS 5’10” 185
• 31 Leornard Banks, SS 6’2” 206 Kentucky State
• 33 Brandon Brown, OLB 5’7” 225
• 34 Earnest Byrd, RB 5’11 205 Samford University
• 37 Eryck Birtchfield, DB 5’9” 163 Morehouse College
• 38 Korey Steele, FS 6’ 184
• 40 Byron James, DB 6’2” 180 Jacksonville State
• 42 Courtney Dailey, ILB 6' 220
• 45 Demarcus Rodgers, OLB 6'1" 262 UAB
• 52 Tavaurus Doyle, DE 6’3” 254 UAB
• 53 Demarcus Waldrop, OLB 5'11" 215 University of Alabama
• 54 Lamond Williams, DE 6’4” 263 Miles College
• 55 Pharris Wright, OG 6’ 270 Southern Miss
• 56 Lloyd Blevins, DE 6’5” 255 Etawamba C.C.
• 58 Carlton Perry, ILB 5’11 245 Tennessee State
• 62 Joshua Curry, OG 6’2” 305 University of Alabama
• 63 Randy Farley, C 6’ 300
• 65 Corinthian Hannon, NT 5’10” 270 Faulkner University
• 67 Sean Johnson, OG 6’2” 302
• 74 Carlton Pippen, OT 6’3” 330 Jacksonville State
• 75 Daniel Young, OT 6’3” 320
• 77 Jeffrey Allen, OT 6’5” 314 Jacksonville State
• 81 Keith Brown, WR 6’2” 188 University of Alabama
• 82 Brent Jackson, WR 6’3” 199 Stillman
• 84 Ronal White, WR 5’10” 167 West Alabama
• 90 Lenner Rogers, NT 6’4” 280 Arkansas State
• 95 Drew Lane, LS 6’1” 242 University of Alabama
• 96 Dominic Lee, DE 6’2 255 University of Alabama

References

• Natta, André (February 26, 2009) "Birmingham Wildfire tryouts upcoming." The Terminal

External links

• Birmingham Wildfire website
• LaBelle Community Football League website