Per the Duluth News Tribune comes this report that two players for the apparently aptly named Lake Superior Rage have been banned for life from the semi-pro Northern Elite Football League (thanks to Ron H. for the heads up):

A bizarre and eventful season for the Lake Superior Rage took another twist when the Northern Elite Football League announced Tuesday that two Rage players would be banned for life after a bench-clearing brawl on Saturday in Eau Claire, Wis.

NEFL president Nicole Isaac confirmed the banned players are former Minnesota Duluth wide receiver Lashawn Bullock and veteran semi-pro kicker Ryan Rodriguez. In addition, Lake Superior defensive back John Davis and three Eau Claire Crush players were given three-game suspensions. The Rage also were placed in "bad standing," meaning they may have to play their postseason games on the road this season despite being undefeated at 7-0.

According to a press release, league officials interviewed both teams, reviewed media accounts and descriptions of the game and video provided by WEAU TV-13 in Eau Claire. They determined one Rage player punched an Eau Claire coach and another struck an opposing player with his helmet.

The fight reportedly started after an Eau Claire player received a personal foul penalty for a late hit on an onside kick in the fourth quarter of a game that was effectively already decided (the Rage won 41-22). It escalated when Crush coach Fred Hoversholm was punched by a Rage player.

"A team does not leave a bench and charge our bench. You don't do that," Hoversholm told the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. "Everything was under control. We got flagged for a late hit, and next thing you know, their players are over swinging helmets at our guys who don't have helmets on."

We don't love what happened. But we do love this story.

Oh, and did you want video? Because there's video. (Thanks to @Rmeule for the link).