COLORADO YETI HALL OF FAME
The Early Era (S1 - S15)
The Early Era (S1 - S15)
So, this has been a long time coming, huh?
Those of you who have been around a while may remember dropbear’s post inaugurating the Colorado Yeti Ring of Honor (see his original post here) with Boss Tweed and Jonathan Saint. Well, it was my job to continue the tradition - so I’m going to reboot it with the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
This post is going to catch us up honor the members of the Yeti who were here from the beginning - players who retired between S1 and S15. This covers the original team reaching the first Ultimus, the Logan Noble scandal, and the 0-32 team, culminating in the S13 NSFC Championship and through the S15 expansion.
You cannot tell the history of the early Colorado Yeti without mentioning their keystone - running back Boss Tweed. Tweed carried the Yeti offense on his back, and in his six seasons with the team he ran 1,732 times for a total of 6,151 rushing yards - the most in team history. Despite the Yeti not having much success in his tenure, Tweed kept his head down and led by example, being one of the team’s hardest workers and continuing to be the only effective method for the Yeti offense to move the ball. Tweed put together an unbelievable five straight seasons over 1,000 yards rushing and was the league rushing yards leader in S3 and S5.
His Yeti career came to an end in S7, when he was traded to the Yellowknife Wraiths as the Yeti underwent a full rebuild. Tweed switched to the other side of the field and played linebacker for the remainder of his career, winning the Ultimus in S8. Boss Tweed was elected to the ISFL Hall of Fame in S12.
Tweed was the silent leader of the team, and his accomplishments putting the team on his back make him an enshrinee in the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
Yeti Accolades:
- S1 NSFC Champion
- 2x (S3, S5) Rushing Champion
- 5x 1,000 yard seasons (S2, S3, S4, S5, S6)
- 1st Team Career Rushing Yards (6,151 yds)
- 1st Team Career Rushes (1,732 att)
- 5th Team Career Rushing Touchdowns (23)
- 4th Team Career All-Purpose Yards (11,367 yards)
- 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th Team Season Rushing Yards (S3 - 1,375 yds, S5 - 1098 yds, S6 - 1059 yds, S2 - 1054 yds)
Where Boss Tweed was the stalwart of the offense, Jonathan Saint was the figurehead of the early Yeti defense. The linebacker was a force to be reckoned with for all ten of his seasons, finishing top five in Yeti forced fumbles, sacks, tackles, forced fumbles, and tackles for loss overall, standing at the top of the team record books until the emergence of future Yeti HOFer Mo Berry. Saint was a captain of the Yeti for many seasons, and played an integral part in the many rebuilds of the early era Colorado Yeti.
Jonathan Saint retired from the league after S10. Despite never being the flashiest player, Saint was elected to the ISFL Hall of Fame in S14.
Saint was the first Yeti-for-life, and his position as general of the defense earned him a spot in the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
Yeti Accolades:
- S1 NSFC Champion
- S1 Linebacker of the Year
- 1st Team Career Forced Fumbles (14 FF)
- 2nd Team Career Sacks (80 sck)
- 3rd Team Career Tackles (963 tck)
- 3rd Team Career Fumble Recoveries (9 FR)
- 4th Team Career Tackles for Loss (48 TFL)
- 4th Team Season Sacks (S1 - 14 sck)
- 5th Team Season Tackles (S4 - 128 tck)
The most impactful players don’t always show it on the stat sheet, and Antonio Sandoval is a prime example of this for the Colorado Yeti. Picked first overall in the S3 draft, Sandoval was given the expectations of becoming one of the all-time greats on the defensive line, and a leader of the team. He quickly delivered, quickly becoming part of the team’s leadership structure as a key team captain. On the field, Sandoval was a constant threat to players off the edge, finishing with the most tackles for loss in Yeti history. While Sandoval’s S4 season was statistically better, he managed to win the league’s Defensive Lineman of the Year award in S10.
After 8 seasons, Sandoval retired a Yeti for life in S11. His leadership and penetration ability off the edge help solidify Sandoval as an easy inductee to the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
Yeti Accolades:
- S10 Defensive Lineman of the Year
- 1st Team Career Tackles for Loss (72 TFL)
- 5th Team Career Forced Fumbles (10 FF)
- 4th Team Season Tackles for Loss (S4 - 16 TFL)
With its second pick of the draft (and the second overall!), Colorado managed to select one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time in Andre Bly Jr. Immediately upon arriving at the Yeti training camp, Bly solidified himself as a leader of the team and was elected captain in his rookie season. The team trusted him on the outside alone to cover the league’s best receivers, and were rewarded in Bly’s six seasons with 24 interceptions (#1 in team history) and 111 passes defensed (#2 in team history), as well as the most pick-sixes in team history. Bly was also an elite talent as a kick and punt returner, topping the team records in punt return yards and touchdowns and finishing top 3 in team history in kickoff return yards and touchdowns. Bly’s last full season with the Yeti was his best, finishing the year leading the league in interceptions and being voted Defensive Back of the Year.
Following a contract dispute, Andre Bly Jr. was traded to the Philadelphia Liberty in S11. He then went to the Orange County Otters in free agency, winning the S12 and S13 Ultimus with them. Bly then signed with the Baltimore Hawks, winning the S15 Ultimus before retiring. (The Yeti made an attempt to sign him in S16, but the contract was disallowed for mysterious reasons by the league office.) Bly was elected to the ISFL Hall of Fame in S19.
Andre Bly Jr.’s prowess as a defensive back and his leadership off the field earn him a spot in the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
Yeti Accolades:
- S10 Defensive Back of the Year
- S10 Interception Champion
- 1st Team Interceptions (24 INT)
- 2nd Team Career Passes Defensed (111 PD)
- T-1st Team Defensive Touchdowns (4 TD)
- 1st Team Punt Return Yards (1,237 yds)
- 3rd Team Kick Return Yards (4,886 yds)
- T-2nd Team Kick Return Touchdowns (3 TD)
- 1st Team Season Interceptions (S10 - 9 INT)
- 2nd, 3rd Team Season Passes Defensed (S8, S10 - 23 PD)
- 1st Team Season Kick Return Yards (S6 - 1,254 yds)
- 1st Team Season Punt Return Yards (S10 - 406 yds)
Haruki Ishigawa, affectionately known as the “Tackle King”, was drafted to the Yeti in the shortened S4 Draft, and became one of the most consistent players in Yeti history. Over his 10 seasons, Haruki was consistently ranked in the top five tacklers in the league, twice having the most tackles in the league. He finished 2nd in career tackles as a Yeti (only recently passed by Tony Gabagool) as well as 4th in Yeti career sacks. Haruki was also opportunistic, forcing the second most fumbles as a Yeti and recovering the most. A leader on and off the field, Haruki was a well respected captain of the team and often the voice of reason to a young, feisty, and oft-losing Yeti team. Towards the end of his career, he helped guide the Yeti to the S13 Ultimus game.
Ishigawa was traded to the Baltimore Hawks for the last half of the S14 season, as the Yeti were liquidating in preparation for their next big rebuild. Haruki's consistency and leadership place him as a cornerstone of the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
Yeti Accolades:
- S13 NSFC Champion
- S10, S11 Tackles Champion
- 2nd Team Career Tackles (994 tck)
- 4th Team Career Sacks (61 sck)
- 1st Team Career Fumbles Recovered (13 FR)
- 2nd Team Career Forced Fumbles (13 FF)
- 1st, 4th Team Season Tackles (S11 - 144 tck, S10 - 130 tck)
Howard Miller’s career was ultimately cut short by an early retirement, but he still goes down as one of the best wide receivers in team history. Drafted first overall in an S7 draft class full of mostly busts, Miller made an immediate impact for the Yeti leading the team in receptions and receiving yards despite fellow star Dwayne Aaron being two years his senior. Miller quickly locked down the WR1 role on the team, and with this promotion he also earned the position of captain from his fellow teammates. Miller’s magnum opus came in S11, where as a result of injuries he had to play both WR1 and CB1 on top of his return duties - literally never leaving the field. Miller led the league in receiving yards AND interceptions on his way to the S11 Most Valuable Player award. His S11 season was so good that the league banned future wide receivers from playing cornerback. Miller ends up with the second most career receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in Yeti history, and also finished with the most career kick return yards and touchdowns.
Miller was traded to the Baltimore Hawks for the back half of his last season along with fellow Yeti HOFer Haruki Ishigawa. While his short career cost him a spot in the ISFL Hall of Fame, his contributions to the team on and off the field place him in the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
Yeti Accolades:
- S13 NSFC Champions
- S11 Most Valuable Player
- S11 Wide Receiver of the Year
- 2x (S10, S11) League Receiving Yards Leader
- S11 League Interceptions Leader
- 2nd Team Career Receptions (538 rec)
- 2nd Team Career Receiving Yards (9,051 yds)
- 2nd Team Career Receiving Touchdowns (50 TD)
- 1st Team Career Kick Return Yards (7,071 yds)
- 1st Team Career Kick Return Touchdowns (4 TD)
- 5th Team Career Points Scored (336 pts)
- 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th Team Season Receiving Yards (S11 - 1,437 yds, S10 - 1,430 yds, S9 - 1,347 yds, S12 - 1,321 yds, S13 - 1,288 yds)
- 2nd, 3rd Team Season Receiving Yards (S10 - 89 rec, S11 - 85 rec)
- T-2nd Team Season Receiving Touchdowns (S10, S12 - 11 TD)
- T-2nd Team Season Kick Return Touchdowns (S10 - 2 TD)
- T-2nd Team Season Interceptions (S11 - 7 INT)
Micycle McCormick (#32)
@infinitempg
Kicker/Quarterback
S6 - S15
ISFL Hall of Fame
S6 - ROUND 3 - PICK 18
@infinitempg
Kicker/Quarterback
S6 - S15
ISFL Hall of Fame
S6 - ROUND 3 - PICK 18
Micycle sux lol
Micycle McCormick was taken as a flyer pick in the late S6 draft, though was taken ahead of fellow kicker Forfeit who many considered the better kicker. This criticism fueled Micycle, and it paid off quickly for the Yeti. One of the lone bright spots of the 0-32 Yeti, Micycle set a then league record 22 straight games without missing a kick (only just broken this season by Venus Powers) between S7 and S8, earning the S8 Kicker of the Year award. McCormick excelled as a kicker and punter, finishing first in team history in field goal percentage, punting yards, punts inside the 20, and punting average on his way to winning two Punter of the Year awards. An injury after the S10 season combined with the departure of quarterback Ryan Applehort meant that Micycle made the move to his old high school and college position, quarterback. McCormick played five more seasons at the position and finished top in team history in passer rating and completion percentage, and second in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Micycle retired after the S15 season, citing lingering injuries. His eliteness as a punter, kicker, and quarterback, as well as his contributions as a captain off the field earned him a spot in the ISFL Hall of Fame in S19 and earns him a spot in the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame.
Yeti Accolades:
- S13 NSFC Champions
- S8 Kicker of the Year
- 2x (S9, S10) Punter of the Year
- 1st Team Career Points Scored (524 pts)
- 1st Team Career Punting Average (47.6 yd/punt)
- 1st Team Career Punting Yards (3158 yds)
- 1st Team Career Punts Inside the 20 (68 punts)
- 1st Team Career Field Goal Percentage (93.0%)
- 2nd Team Career Extra Points (134 xp)
- 2nd Team Career Field Goals (106 fg)
- 1st Team Career Pass Completion Percentage (61.6%)
- 1st Team Career Passer Rating (86.6)
- 2nd Team Career Passing Yards (20,852 yds)
- 2nd Team Career Passing Touchdowns (131 TD)
- 1st, 3rd Team Season Punt Average (S10 - 50.3 yd/punt, S8 - 49.3 yd/punt)
- 1st Team Season Field Goal Percentage (S7, S9 - 100%)
- 4th Team Season Extra Points (S10 - 44 xp)
- 2nd, 4th Team Season Field Goals (S8 - 28 fg, S10 - 25 fg)
- 1st, 2nd, 5th Team Season Passing Yards (S14 - 5,007 yds, S11 - 4,433 yds, S12 - 4,019 yds)
- 3rd, 4th, 5th Team Season Passing Touchdowns (S14 - 31 TD, S11 - 29 TD, S12 - 28 TD)
Thus concludes our enshrinees from the early era of Colorado Yeti football. A lot of these guys aren't around anymore unfortunately, but I hope you all see this! Speaking for myself, I definitely miss you guys and the locker room we had back in the day. Hopefully this generation of Yeti are making you proud.
Tune in next time when I (eventually) enshrine members from more recent years to the Colorado Yeti Hall of Fame!
(Also yes I'm submitting these GFX, sig-size version are here)