The Miami Vise were an

arena football Indoor American football, or arena football, is a variation of gridiron football played at ice hockey-sized indoor arenas. While varying in details from league to league, the rules of indoor football are designed to allow for play in a smaller ...

team formed by

Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...

(AFL) founder Jim Foster for the purposes of playing a "showcase game" on February 27, 1987, at the

Rosemont Horizon Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and Interstate 90, adjacent to the city limits of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened i ...

against the

Chicago Bruisers The Chicago Bruisers were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They were founded in 1987 as a charter member of the Arena Football League (AFL). They played their home games at Rosemont Horizon. History Founding (1987) ...

. Chicago's Eddie Phillips scored three touchdowns, including one in the last minute, but the Bruisers fell to the Vise by a score of 33–30. Today, this contest is known as the "showcase" game, as it had far more prestige and fanfare than the original 1986 test game between the

Rockford Metros The Rockford Metros were an Arena football team formed by Arena Football League founder Jim Foster for the purposes of playing a "test game" in Rockford, Illinois in the spring of 1986 at the MetroCentre. The team was named after the MetroCentre ...

and

Chicago Politicians The Chicago Politicians were a team formed in 1986 by Arena Football League founder Jim Foster to play an initial "test game" in Rockford, Illinois, at the MetroCentre. They were defeated by the Rockford Metros, 30–18. The test was deemed s ...

. This was the only game the Vise (whose name was a take on the popular TV series ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann (director), Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ...

'') ever played, and Miami did not get a team in the AFL until 1993. The Vise were not even a Florida-based team to begin with, as they were created out of Foster's imagination and consisted mostly of former college players located in the Midwest. At the time, the players were sworn to secrecy so fans would believe the team was located in Miami. Current Arena League Commissioner Jerry B. Kurz coached the Metros and Ray Jauch coached the Vise.

External links

AFL Official Website
{{Defunct Arena Football League franchises Defunct Arena Football League teams

Vise A vise or vice (British English) is a mechanical apparatus used to secure an object to allow work to be performed on it. Vises have two parallel jaws, one fixed and the other movable, threaded in and out by a screw and lever. A vise grip is no ...

American football teams in Florida American football teams in Miami 1987 establishments in Illinois 1987 disestablishments in Illinois American football teams established in 1987 Sports clubs disestablished in 1987 Arena Football League in Chicago American football teams in Illinois