Tulsa Talons



Years of Existence: 2000-2009
Venue: Tulsa Convention Center (Tulsa, OK)
Accomplishments:
2000 - Playoff appearance
2001 - Playoff appearance
2002 – National Conference Champions, quarterfinal appearance
2003 – af2 Champions
2004 – Southwest Division Champions, semifinal appearance
2005 – Western Division champions, quarterfinal appearance
2006 - Midwest Division champions, quarterfinal appearance
2007 - af2 Champions
2008 - Midwest Division champions, playoff appearance
2009 - Central Division champions, semifinal appearance
Lifetime Record: 134-45
Home: 80-16
Away: 53-29
Neutral: 1-0
Playoffs: 11-8
Average Attendance: 5,220

The Tulsa Talons are the best teams in af2 history. The team has never had anything other than a winning season and has never missed the playoffs. The Talons also boast one of the best home records in league history. Not only have the Talons made the postseason, they continue to win in playoff games since 2002. In 2000, they lost to Tennessee Valley, 49-28. In 2001, they were upset by the Carolina Rhinos in a blowout, 69-35, following a 13-3 regular season. The worst blunder the Talons will be known for came in 2002 against Arkansas. Tulsa came into the game 9-1 and lost by a score of 102-63. The Talons would hold the Twisters to a much more manageable 32 points six weeks later in the playoffs. And with the bad goes the good: The Talons won the Arena Cup in 2003, beating the Macon Knights 58-40. In 2005, the team won the Western Division and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Talons lost to Rio Grande Valley, 65-42, ending their hopes of winning another Championship. The 2006 season was business as usual, as the Talons would go 11-5 and win their fifth consecutive division title. After earning a first round bye in the playoffs, the Talons took on the Arkansas Twisters for the third time of the season. Arkansas had beaten the Talons three weeks earlier, 61-40, and did it again in Tulsa. A Talons two point conversion pass sailed incomplete as time ran out, leaving Tulsa on the short end of a 53-51 score. The Talons were great again in 2007, becoming the first franchise to win 100 games. Justin Allgood took over at quarterback. The Talons lost two games, both to Arkansas. Tulsa outscored opponents 89-22 in the fourth quarter of playoff games en rout to winning their second championship. Jeff Hughley accounted for 346 all-purpose yards and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the WIlkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. The Talons were poised for a repeat championship in 2008, winning eleven of their first twelve games. However, in a game against Rio Grande Valley, starting quarterback Justin Allgood suffered a season ending injury. John Fitzgald was signed two games later and finished out the regular season and postseason. The Talons lost four of their last five games heading into the playoffs. Tulsa hosted Amarillo in the first round of the playoffs and Amarillo would defeat the Talons 65-62, taking a two score lead with just forty seconds remaining. The Talons continued their wild success in 2009, as Justin Allgood would again quarterback the team, with stars such as kickoff return specialist and wide receiver Jeff Hughley and wide receiver Zac Edwards backing him up. Hughley returned four kickoffs and one field goal for touchdowns, averaging 26 yards per kickoff return. He also caught 50 of Allgood's 108 touchdown passes. The only downside of the regular season was the fact that the Talons lost three games to three division champions in Arkansas, Iowa, and Tennessee Valley. The team opened the playoffs at home to rival Oklahoma City. In a 90-75 decision, the Talons won a wild game. Allgood threw for ten scores. The Talons tuned up against Bossier-Shreveport the following week, outscoring the Battlewings 32-7 in the second half to win 59-34. For the first time ever, Spokane and Tulsa would square off. In what some thought would be a battle of two high powered offenses, defense reigned supreme. A last second incompletion thrown by Allgood at the Spokane 11 yard line would seal another ArenaCup berth for Spokane, as the Shock would win, 51-44. Following the 2009 season, the Talons joined the new AF1.