Katy Copperheads Season Thread 2006 [Archi<a href="http://www.devils-shadow.com/forums/wii-iso-downloads/47653-kiss-death-wii-iso-downloads.html" title="Free Wii ISO Downloads">v</a><a href="http://www.devils-shadow.com/forums/xbox-360-isos/" title="Free Xbox 360 ISO Downloads">e</a>] - OurSports Central Independent and Minor League Sports Forums

ronaldoswalt

03-29-2006, 09:33 AM

By BRIAN SIMMONS

bsimmons@katycourier.com

MONROE, La. — Katy coach Bryan Blake called the game bittersweet, but it earned his team a winning record.

The Copperheads used a strong third quarter to pull out a 45-30 victory over the Twin City Gators at the Monroe Civic Center.

"We still haven't played Copperheads football," coach Blake said.

"We made so many mistakes and we're lucky to win the game. We should put teams like that away. We kept them in the game the entire game."

The Copperheads improved to 2-1, while Twin City fell to 0-2.

Katy quarterback and former University of Louisiana at Monroe Indian Ryan Breedlove at times seemed determined to make his former college town remember his name in his first start as a Copperhead.

After a shaky first drive, Breedlove finished the night with 121 yards and four touchdowns on 11-23 passing. Blake stayed the course with Breedlove partly to keep the quarterback's confidence up, he said.

"It was a good time, coming back (to Monroe)," Breedlove said. "After that first drive — (Blake) could have pulled me after that one, but we settled down as a team. More importantly, myself, I settled down. I still made some mistakes, but we overcame it and the whole team really got us the victory."

Fellow former ULM Indian Jason Deml caught four passes for 38 yards and a touchdown, giving him four on the season.

Blake said he was trying to spark the offense, which had been struggling the past two weeks, so he went with Breedlove over Marc Saldana, who started the first two games. Blake plans to use both quarterbacks throughout the rest of the season, he said.

Some of the mistakes Blake spoke of were the 13 penalties for 87 yards that thwarted the offense all night.

The other mistakes were kinks the Copperheads are still trying to work on offense.

The first half saw Katy muster just 65 yards

"I told my guys at halftime, if we want to be mediocre, we can," Blake said. "But I hand-picked everybody in there and that's not what I brought them here for."

Copperheads receiver Darrick Wallace started the third-quarter surge by returning the half-opening kickoff to the Gators' 14-yard line. After a couple penalties against his team, Wallace got the ball again on a 21-yard touchdown catch.

Katy defensive end Anthony George recovered a fumble in Gator territory, then Kerry Henderson soon ran for a nine-yard score.

In less than five minutes, Katy's three-point halftime lead grew to 35-18.

At running back, Katy went with Bam Morris for the first half and Henderson in the second.

Morris finished with 37 yards on seven carries, while Henderson had 23 yards and a touchdown on seven attempts.

The Gators seemed to catch the same special teams bug Katy had for the first two weeks of the season. The Copperheads blocked two extra-point attempts and Twin City had a bad snap on another attempt.

Meanwhile, Katy kicker Whitney Hillin went 6-for-6 on extra points and nailed a 30-yard field goal.

The Gators played keep away during the first half, controlling the ball for about 16 of the first 22 minutes. Their first touchdown came on a 1-yard run by quarterback Gary Cooper. After missing the extra-point attempt, kicker Teddy Garcia squib kicked and the Gators recovered. With the help of a pass interference and personal foul call against Katy, Twin City marched back down the field to take a 12-7 lead on a two-yard run by Mike Mitchell.

Until the 5:12 mark of the second quarter, Katy's lone score came on a blocked field goal by Robbie Walker. LeBrandon Shepard recovered the ball in the end zone to put the Copperheads up 7-0 in the first quarter.

The Copperheads complete their two-game road trip with a contest at Beaumont on April 1.

ronaldoswalt

03-29-2006, 09:38 AM

http://copperheads.lonestargridiron.com/

link to podcast of copperheads games

ronaldoswalt

03-29-2006, 09:41 AM

http://www.tsrnsports.com/Broadcast/Broadcast-Schedule-2002.htm

LINK TO COPPERHEADS GAMES ON THE WEB

ronaldoswalt

03-29-2006, 06:33 PM

Copperheadfans.com start Copperhead Tradition

(KATY, TX. – March 28, 2006,) Ribs dripping in barbecue sauce…hot wings slathered in sweet and spicy goodness…juicy brats with glaze. These are just a few good eats that can be found a Katy Copperheads tailgate party. Now, tailgaters can earn prizes for tailgating with copperheadhfans.com at the next home game versus the Arkansas Stars at the Merrill Center on April 8 at 7 pm kickoff. Tailgating will begin at 3 pm.

This is a tailgate for all Copperheads fans. We are doing this to celebrate the Copperheads inaugural season, and to promote the fan base and the great Texas tradition of tailgating. We will be set up in our regular tailgating style as if we were at Reliant at a Texans game, cooking and serving food. Everything the game day experience is in the lot, except we know have our own team in Katy! More information can be found on the Katy Copperheads at www.katyprofootball.com and at www.copperheadfans.net, which also will have extensive tailgating information forthcoming.

Over 2000 fans of the Copperheads may come to celebrate with us. FILO tailgaters from the Houston Texans will be hosting the first tailgate and welcome all to come and participate with us, either with their own setup or to see how tailgating is done. Canopies are planned in case of inclement weather.

Free game tickets will be given to the first five fans that arrive to the copperheadfans.com event.

Members of copperheadfans.com and the Copperhead coaching staff will also select the game MVP, who will a game bonus and special recognition from the fan club postgame.

“I spent many years smelling all the great tailgating going on prior to my favorite football games,” said copperheadfans.com member Doc Halliday. “Now I’m making up for lost time since last fall and I’m loving this contest since it’s all about putting together indoor football and grilling which makes for great tailgating.”

Tailgaters are as passionate about their food as they are their Copperheads. In fact, nearly half of all tailgaters set up shop in the parking lots of their favorite teams 6-10 times per season and 50 percent roll into the parking lot 3-4 hours before a football game, with plenty of time to grill up their secret recipes before the game.

This is a great opportunity to get involved with your favorite team the Katy Copperheads. Also prizes for the Super Fan will be given at the pregame function. Awards will be given in divisions for adults both male and female and will carry the honor of King and Queen Copperhead, also a children’s division for ages 10 and under will be given.

The Katy Copperheads will play a 14 game schedule in 2006 consisting of seven home and seven away games. The home games will be played in the Leonard E. Merrell Center on the following dates:

• Saturday, March 11th, 2006 (Beaumont)
• Saturday, March 18th, 2006 (St. Louis)
• Saturday, April 8th, 2006 (Arkansas)
• Saturday, April 22nd, 2006 (Montgomery)
• Sunday, April 30th, 2006 (Bozeman)
• Friday, June 9th, 2006 (Monroe)
• Saturday, June 24th, 2006 (West Palm Beach)
For more information please contact J. Ronald Oswalt at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

ronaldoswalt

03-31-2006, 09:51 AM

go to --- www.katyprofootball.com --- site as been revamped and will be updated daily ----- go copperheads beat drillers

ronaldoswalt

03-31-2006, 01:51 PM

By BRIAN SIMMONS - KATY COURIER

bsimmons@katycourier.com

Off the field, the best bet to catch Copperheads linebacker Kailan Williams is the hotel where he stays or the gym working out.

Katy coach Bryan Blake said Williams takes care of his business and goes home.

That's a far cry from the wild man on the field who leads the NIFL in tackles with 25.

"Kailan is like a caged animal out there," Blake said.

Williams collected 10 tackles, including one for a loss, and forced a fumble against Twin City on Saturday. He also added a four-yard touchdown catch.

Williams came to Katy after playing for Blake in Lubbock last year. In 2004, he signed with the St. Louis Rams. He was with them for four months until he was released before the season started.

Williams, a Tucson, Ariz. native, then went back to Missouri State to finish up his degree.

The Copperheads have benefited from Williams' decision to pursue indoor football, as he has become known as the heart and soul of the defense to the coaching staff.

The transition to indoor football moved Williams to a safety-like linebacker from the safety position he played in college. Williams is 6-foot-1 and weighs 201 pounds, but is made for linebacker in the NIFL.

"There's very limited running plays you can have," he said. "It's either coming up the middle through the guards or coming outside. There's a few different ways to block them, but besides that, it's coming up the middle or outside. That's the reason for us having a smaller linebacker like myself."

Another adjustment Williams made when making the switch to the NIFL was being surrounded by walls on the field.

"The walls play a big factor," Williams said. "For the most part, I don't feel them during the game. After the game, you definitely do feel the collisions with the walls."

With the walls come the fans, who are much closer to the game in the NIFL, which Williams said he enjoys. He said it brings a whole new level of excitement to the game.

Along with the position of linebacker comes responsibility of leadership as well. Williams calls the defensive checks on the field.

"I feel that I have led by example, for the most part," Williams said. "I make the mistakes that everybody else makes, but I do try to lead by example. I feel that I have done a pretty good job. Obviously, there's room for improvement always, but I do feel like a leader."

The defense is coming along, Williams said. As with any new team, it's taken a while for the guys to get used to each other. Once they accomplish that, Williams said he feels the squad will be more consistent rather than covering well for four plays and giving up big yardage on the fifth.

"With the comfort factor, you expect a player to be where he's supposed to be and you know he's going to be there once you get to know him," Williams said. "Right now, we're not to that comfort level. We're not real sure, so we're trying to make plays for other people and I think that's where we're making mistakes."

As the Copperheads enter Week 4 of their first NIFL season, the defense is ranked 15th out of 22 teams in total defense, but gave up just 174 yards in Monroe last week, thanks in part to that game-breaking performance provided by Williams.

"You can tell he's been in an NFL camp before," Blake said. "He's a step ahead of everyone else."

ronaldoswalt

03-31-2006, 04:35 PM

http://home.columbus.rr.com/cfrankings/nifl.html -- link to bradley - terry nifl rankings --- these are updates weekly

ronaldoswalt

04-02-2006, 10:37 PM

Late-game interception, TD run pulls Drillers ahead of Copperheads

By: CODY PASTORELLA, Special to The Enterprise 04/02/2006

BEAUMONT - Down 46-42, the Katy Copperheads had the ball with 1:50 left to play in the fourth quarter at Ford Arena on Saturday night.

In a game where defensive stands were absent, the question was whether Katy would leave enough time for Beaumont to have another offensive possession.

But those thoughts came to a screeching halt when the Drillers' Shock Davis picked off Ryan Breedlove and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown that put Beaumont up 53-42 and ended all hope for Katy.

"The defensive line held their ground, everybody was good on coverage, and I was in the right spot at the right time," Davis said. "I read the quarterback's eyes and then went for the interception. Once I caught it, it was showboatin' time from there."

Davis was the Drillers' all-purpose man in his team's second meeting with Katy this season. When running back Rolland Hayes went down late in the fourth quarter while the Drillers trailed 42-40, Davis stepped in at running back.

He picked up 3 yards and a first down on his first carry. Then on his second touch out of the backfield, Davis went around the left side of the line for 5 yards, made a guy miss for another 15 and then cut back to his right for the final 6 yards to give his team a key 26-yard touchdown run.

"My offensive line did all the work," Davis said. "All I had to do was make one guy miss. The offensive line played perfect. That was excellent execution."

Davis also grabbed eight passes for 89 yards and one 26-yard touchdown pass connection from Demone Scott on the opening drive.

Scott threw for 188 yards on 16-of-24 with two touchdowns and one interception.

The story in the first half was the play of Hayes, who took home player of the week honors in the National Indoor Football League's first week. Hayes only tallied 37 yards this week as opposed to his 130 from two weeks ago, but he scored three times in the second quarter to help the Drillers keep pace.

A total of 63 points was scored in the first half. Katy owned a 34-29 lead at the break with much thanks to Breedlove, who piled on 199 yards on 14-of-32 passing with three touchdowns.

Breedlove shared the success with three Copperhead receivers. John Whitehead, Jason Deml and Darric Wallace all had more than 50 yards receiving with a touchdown a piece.

sports@beaumontenterprise.com
(409) 838-2806

ronaldoswalt

04-06-2006, 05:02 PM

By NEIL STRATTON

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

With four games under their belts, the Katy Copperheads (2-2) have had time to get warmed up. Now, it's time to make a move.

"Obviously, the next three of four being at home is huge for us," said head coach Bryan Blake. "We're coming off a two-week road trip and a lot of injuries. But Bam (Morris) will be back this week, he's ready to go."

Morris, the center of Blake's ball-control attack, didn't make the trip to Beaumont for last week's 53-42 loss due to a hamstring pull suffered in Week 3.

"We held him out another week because it was still giving him trouble, and we wanted to have him for these next three games rather than for Beaumont," Blake said.

That's not all Blake has had to deal with as quarterback Ryan Breedlove broke the big toe on his right foot. He's probably lost for the season.

Game time is 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the Leonard E. Merrell Center. Blake added that ticket prices have been changed so that the entire second level of the Merrell Center is general admission, with tickets $10 for adults and $5 for children.

ronaldoswalt

04-09-2006, 01:42 PM

Morris, Henderson lead 49-21 win over Stars
2006-04-09
By NEIL STRATTON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

It was a beautiful day in Katy Saturday, a bit windy but sunny with mild temperatures. That night, however, there was thunder and lightning.

Not everywhere, mind you, just in the Leonard Merrell Center, where the two-pronged rushing attack of Kerry Henderson and Bam Morris powered the Copperheads (3-2) to a decisive 49-21 victory over Arkansas.

"It turned out well," said head coach Bryan Blake of the team's run-oriented attack against Arkansas (0-3). "We were obviously running the ball successfully with both styles of backs. We have some split-backs formations, but they were running well and we just kept switching them out.

"I love to run the ball. You can score so fast in this league that if you can control the ball, you can win."

Of the Copperheads' seven touchdowns against Arkansas, five came via the ground, a very unusual ratio for the fast-paced, offense-oriented National Indoor Football League (NIFL).

Returning to action after missing last week's loss to Beaumont due to a pulled hamstring, the powerful Morris saw mostly spot duty in short-yardage situations and delivered. His two-yard touchdown run with 1:11 left in the first quarter gave Katy its first lead, and he was critical in the Copperheads' next score as he added a 12-yard run on third and seven to the Arkansas 3, then three plays later punched it in from a yard out. The touchdown and extra point gave Katy a commanding 21-7 lead. He played sparingly in the third quarter, scoring on a three-yard run with four minutes left in the period before shutting it down.

"He came to me in the third quarter and said 'Coach is that enough?'" said Blake. "And I said, 'What?' And he said, 'A big enough lead.' He said 'I need to stop,' and so we sat him down so he wouldn't make (his hamstring) worse. He said it wasn't bad, it was just a little tight, it was tightening up on him, so we got him out of there."

As it turns out, it was more than enough given Henderson's success cutting back against the grain repeatedly against the Stars. Henderson's sizzling 18-yard scoring run just over two minutes into the second half gave the Copperheads a 27-13 lead and a needed burst of momentum coming out of the locker room. It was just the first of several highlight reel-quality scampers in the second half from the speedy back.

He credited Morris with helping him see the holes in the Stars' defense.

"It stated off I was kind of rushing it, not letting the play develop and Bam took me aside," Henderson said. "He told me to either take some steps back or to just wait a little and let the play develop, and just visualize the blocks and go for it. Once he made me realize what I wasn't doing, then I started looking for that cutback and it was there."

Meanwhile, quarterback Shayne Shrader, in his first start of the season, held up reasonably well while handing off to Henderson and Morris and throwing mostly underneath. His biggest first-half mistake came when Katy was trying to take a two-touchdown lead with 41 seconds left in the second quarter. Arkansas' Donte King picked off a corner-route pass at the goal line, snuffing Katy's momentum and attempt to put another nail in Arkansas' coffin.

Despite the first-half mistake, Shrader avoided any more major mistakes and even threw a touchdown pass on the game's last play from scrimmage, hitting receiver John Whitehead on a four-yard pass reception with under five seconds left.

It was Shrader's first game action since 2003, when he played for Columbus, Ga., in the Arena Football League 2.

"I would say B-minus," he said when asked to grade his performance. "I was a little rusty coming out, but I worked the jitters out. I feel fine now. I'm ready to go."

He said he's not ready to proclaim himself the team's starter for the rest of the year.

"I'll leave that up to coach Blake," he said. "That's not my decision. I'm definitely the healthy one. A couple of times I tried to get down and not take too many hits. I want to be able to help this team."

The oddest play of the game came near the end of the third quarter and was a reprise of a play in Katy's opening-week win over Beaumont. With Morris having just scored the last of his three touchdowns with 3:31 left in the third quarter, Whitney Hillin came on to convert the extra point. The snap sailed high, however, and Hillin retreated almost the full length of the field to gather the ball with Arkansas defenders in hot pursuit. Hillin grabbed the ball and first looked to attempt an unlikely drop kick, but found his path blocked by an Arkansas defender. Instead, he looked downfield to find Katy defensive end Anthony George jumping and waving his arms at the Arkansas 2. Hillin fired a wobbling 28-yard strike to George, who hauled it in and rambled into the end zone for the two-point conversion. It was Hillin's second conversion pass of the season.

"To see it happen once in a season, that's surprising, but twice is unbelievable," said Blake. "The more amazing part is that George caught it. Whiney was about to drop kick it but couldn't get around that guy, so he threw it."

Katy visits Rapid City Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

ronaldoswalt

04-14-2006, 01:17 PM

Katy faces offense-loving Rapid City

By BRIAN SIMMONS

bsimmons@katycourier.com

The Katy Copperheads are a run-based team that tries to control the clock.

The Rapid City Flying Aces try to see how many points they can score before that clock reads zeroes.

Those different philosophies clash in Rapid City, S.D. tonight at 7 at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

The Flying Aces (4-0) run a more Arena League-type offense — their game is all about lighting up the scoreboard.

That's obvious in the 81.2 points Rapid City scores per game. But that imposing number is more indicative of the style of football the northern NIFL teams play than an actual gauge of how good the team is.

Also, the Flying Aces' opponents have a combined record of 2-12 this season — the two wins came from Wyoming's 2-2 mark.

The Copperheads, ranked seventh in the NIFL in rushing, are 3-2 heading into just their second non-Pacific South division contest of the year.

Katy coach Bryan Blake saw RiverCity explode offensively against his squad in the fourth quarter of the Week 2 game — and it wasn't pretty as the Rage pulled away for a 69-33 win.

He said he knows his clock control game plan has to work all four quarters against Rapid City.

"We don't want to get into a track race with them," Blake said. But the Flying Aces don't want to play the possession game either.

"We have to come out and get them out of their game plan," Rapid City coach Dan Maciejczak said. "It's who can force the other team out of their

game that's going to win."

The coach led Everett to a 14-0 regular season in 2005 before losing in the playoffs. Everett joined the af2 in the offseason, so Maciejczak went to the expansion Flying Aces.

To beat Rapid City, Blake said the Copperheads need to play four full quarters — something he said they have yet to accomplish this season.

When Rapid City has the ball

The Copperheads are hoping this doesn't happen very much, but when it does, Blake said he expects linebacker Kailan Williams to be flying around the ball.

Aces quarterback Albert Higgs won the league MVP last year in Everett and is the centerpiece of the potent offense in Rapid City.

He is ranked fourth in the NIFL in passing yards per game at 166. He has chunked 22 touchdowns on 74 completions while throwing just three interceptions.

"Their biggest asset is their quarterback," Blake said. "We've got to figure out how to contain him. We've got to get to him before he has a

chance to get a good look down field. They make a lot of big plays."

On the ground, Rapid City features running backs Verna Owens and James Jones. Owens has 170 yards and seven scores on the season while Jones has 142 yards for nine touchdowns.

On the receiving end for Rapid City, the offense is pretty evenly spread out. Dante Dudley has caught 16 passes to lead the team, but the Flying Aces have four receivers with at least 10 catches.

This test comes a week after Katy put on its best defensive showing of the year, allowing just 21 points against Arkansas at the Merrell Center.

The Copperheads are ranked 18th in the league in pass defense, but have been improving, thanks in part to Williams coming through with game-breaking plays in recent weeks. Sammy Knight and Greg Yeldell are also two defenders that will need to play like they did last week to keep pace with the Flying Aces.

When Katy has the ball

Expect the Copperheads to run and run and run some more with Bam Morris and Kerry Henderson. The two backs were too much for Arkansas last week, as Morris pounded and Henderson slashed.

At quarterback, Marc Saldana is expected to start for the first time since March 18 after being replaced by Ryan Breedlove and then injuring a hamstring.

Third-string quarterback Shayne Shrader got the starting nod last week, but Blake said Saldana is healthy enough to go back out for his third

start of the season.

As highly-touted as its offense is, Rapid City's defense can get overshadowed at times. But if Katy's offense overlooks the Aces, there could be trouble for the Copperheads.

Rapid City allows just 15 points a game, including a shutout over Big Sky. However, those opponents ran the ball a combined 62 times in four games.

"We've got a good defense, but we haven't seen a team that runs the ball 30 times a game," Maciejczak said.

The Flying Aces give up 30 rushing yards a game and have not allowed a score on the ground.

The Copperheads have run the ball 87 times for 388 yards and 13 touchdowns behind Morris and Henderson.

Saldana aims to be a threat through the air against a team that has allowed 200 yards passing in their first four games.

On special teams

Rapid City attempted just one kicking extra point this season and missed it. The team prefers to pile on the points by going for two-point

conversions. The Flying Aces have not attempted a field goal yet. It should be interesting to see if the Copperheads adopt the two-point ideology if this game becomes a shootout. If it's up to Blake, that won't be a problem Katy is faced with.

Extra points were once again a problem for the Copperheads last week as one was blocked and another one had a bad snap that led to kicker Whitney

Hillin chunking up another desperation two-point conversion.

The kick return game might be fun to watch, as Rapid City's James Jones and Katy's Darrick Wallace go head-to-head. Wallace is sixth in return average with 21.2 yards a try.

Jones is ranked third in the league with 24.4, but has just returned nine kicks, mainly because there haven't been a lot of chances for him to do so as the team is seldom on the receiving end.

ronaldoswalt

04-22-2006, 12:24 AM

Copperheads future looking bright
2006-04-20
BY J. RONALD OSWALT

copperheadfans.com

Despite last week’s loss to Rapid City, your expectations may still remain high for the Copperheads.

Being a football fanatic, you should have already followed all the carefully calculated changes for the team and the recent personnel moves due to injuries — primarily at the quarterback position.

But the Copperheads have gotten the toughest part of their season out of the way over and are primed for a long winning streak.

The Copperheads have only lost one game that records show they should have won (a road game against Beaumont).

Injuries to both quarterbacks hurt the team at the Ford Arena in that game.

Despite their win-one, lose-one rate this season, the Copperheads host the Montgomery Maulers this week and are home against another inaugural team, Bozeman Big Sky.

They should be able to put together their first winning streak in franchise history with consecutive wins to finish out April.

In come the Maulers

The Maulers have had their problems this season with losses to Lakeland, Fayetteville and last week’s 66-33 to the Florida Freenzy.

The Maulers enter this week’s game with a 1-3 record.

The Thunder, the Copperheads’ opponent next week, have played a much weaker schedule than the Copperheads and are winless, and most losses haven’t been pretty.

This insanity of win-one, lose-one scenario cannot continue any longer — nor can it. The season may be successful, but the law of averages is on Katy’s side now. Even the NIFL Indoor Bowl is still in their grasp.

But just like the Energizer Bunny, the streak may keep going, and going and going...

Remember, you heard it here first from copperheadfans.com — the Copperheads will win out in 2006 barring any more significant injuries to the quarterback position.

So mark your schedule in July, because the Copperheads may host a playoff game at the Merrell Center.

Copperheadfans.com notes

The Copperheads fan club made their first tailgating experience a successful one with the help of Midway Market, Mrs. Baird’s Bread, and Good Ol’ Boys.

Kerry Henderson was awarded the first game MVP postgame by the fans. He and other players greeted the fans at the postgame tailgate, which lasted late into the night.

The first awards were also handed out last Saturday. Tailgater of the Game was given to Doc Holliday, the title of King Copperhead was granted to season ticket holder Jesse Morgan, Gina Kocurek took Queen Copperhead and Kid Copperhead went to 5-year-old Hayden Oswalt. All were announced at the game and received trophies for that Copperhead spirit.

These awards are given to the ultimate fans each game at the copperheadfans.com party before each game.

All fans are encouraged to bring their grills and food each game four hours before each home game in front of the Merrell Center. There is no charge to attend. Fan T-shirts are available to purchase with the funds going to the MVP of that game.

Ron Oswalt is the head of the Copperheads fan club, www.copperheadfans.com, and can be reached at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

ronaldoswalt

04-26-2006, 06:42 PM

great site for all nifl fans visit www.indoorbowl.com

ronaldoswalt

04-27-2006, 10:27 PM

Copperhead fans

By J. Ronald Oswalt

copperheadfans.com

Remember you read it here first last week — the Copperheads would go on a tear and start romping through their NIFL schedule.

Montgomery never knew what hit them after the 28-0 beating in the first quarter in rout to a 56-20 blowout.

Look this week for more fireworks against the Big Sky Thunder from Bozeman, Montana.

The Thunder is 0-5 in their inaugural season and has been outscored by a 314-62 margin.

The bye they had last week will not help and look for the Copperheads to top 50-plus points this week. My prediction — 63-12 — Copperheads in a squeaker.

Lack of crowd

On a personal note, after moving here six years ago, all I heard about was the loyalty and support for Katy football.

I have met a few of the diehards and they have become involved in the fan club.

The crowds have been supportive, especially the group from Cinco Ranch last week. But I expected sell outs every night. It hasn't happened. Is Katy just a high school/youth sports city or is it just taking time to get the word out about the Copperheads?

Katy has one of the top 10 teams in the league in only their first year of existence.

Visit www.copperheadfans.com and email me your opinions.

Odds and ends

Also, another informative Internet site to learn more about other teams in the league is OurSportsCentral. Log on at www.oursportscentral.com and click football, there is a forum directed just to teams in the National Indoor Football League.

Coach Blake displayed a new blonde hairdo last week aganist Montgomery, going back to his days when he coached the Beaumont Drillers. The streak started with the Montgomery win. Look for it to stay blonde through the regular season.

Update on fan favorite kicker Whitney Hillin. The All-Star kicker he was released after an overnight stay at an area hospital. He had his throat injured after a vicious late hit by a Mauler defender, which drew a flag. The recovery of Hillin should be great news to John Whitehead, which replaced him in the lineup as kicker but only saw time on kickoffs.

And now, the awards...

The father-son duo of Robert and Rex Gutierrez was selected as King and Kid Copperhead for the games' most supportive fans. Queen Copperhead Melissa McDonald and Rene Renteria, tailgater of the game, were also selected before Saturday's win.

Copperheads defender Kailan Williams was selected copperheadfans.com MVP for the Montgomery game. Donations from fans each game goes to the MVP.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for each tailgating fan event. It has grown big quickly and too large for just a few individuals. For more information, contact J. Ronald Oswalt at oswalt1@houston.rr.com. This week's tailgate starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

A limited number of Bam Morris signed mini-posters are available for purchase to benefit the MVP award. We are also planning on having a full pig roast for the last game of the season on June 24 against West Palm Beach.

Don't forget your chairs, grills, favorite grilled foods and side dishes, coolers and tents.

Ron Oswalt is the team's photographer and is head of the team's fan club, www.copperheadfans.com. Email him at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

ronaldoswalt

05-01-2006, 03:07 PM

Homestanding Copperheads move to 5-3 on season

By MIKE TENNEY

Houston Chronicle Correspondent

In a league where teams are supposed to go up and down the field and score points by the bushel, only one team did that Sunday at Leonard E. Merrell Center.

After nine different players scored offensive touchdowns and defensive captain Kailan Williams added one each on a blocked punt and an interception, Katy racked up 51 uncontested second-half points en route to a one-sided 86-14 victory over the winless Big Sky Thunder of Bozeman, Mont.

The win allowed the Copperheads to stay even with Beaumont for the top spot in the National Indoor Football League's Western Division. It also keeps alive their hopes of playing a home playoff game in July.

"That's what we're shooting for," said head coach Bryan Blake after the win. "We'd like to play a home game in the playoffs in front of our fans, who have been terrific and were great again today."

They had a lot to cheer. The Copperheads broke away from a 7-7 tie midway through the first quarter to cruise past their opponents, who came by bus from near the Canadian border to play the game.

"It is a long drive," said Copperheads receiver Jason Deml, who caught two of quarterback Marc Saldana's four first-half touchdown passes. Saldana split time with part-time starter Shayne Shrader, who threw two scoring passes of his own in the third quarter. "I'm sure they were tired or and we played well. Both offensively and defensively, we played well. You factor in things like that and games like this can happen, but we are still happy with the way we played."

The game started with the Thunder, shut out 61-0 earlier this year, running three plays and missing a long field goal, which the Copperheads played off the net and returned to their 16-yard-line. On first down, Saldana found a streaking Deml down the left sideline for a 34-yard touchdown pass. Kicker Whitney Hillin converted the first of his nine point-after tries and the home team was in front 7-0 with 12:01 to play in the first quarter.

The Thunder answered with quarterback Albert Bradley rolling to his left and finding Chester Lewis for a 31-yard touchdown strike. Chris Marariglia made the PAT kick to tie the game at 7 with 8:55 showing.

From there, it was all Copperheads.

On their next drive, Saldana threw a six-yard scoring pass to J.D. Clay after ex-NFL star Bam Morris ran the ball five consecutive times. The touchdown gave Katy a 14-7 lead with 5:04 left in the first.

The Thunder, which didn't help itself with 14 penalties, had an ill-fated fourth-down attempt from its own 17 go awry the next time it owned the ball, giving the Copperheads the ball. On Katy's initial play from scrimmage, Saldana hooked up with Deml on a 17-yard score on the way to a 21-7 first-quarter lead.

The Big Sky had a 24-yard field goal blocked three minutes into the second period and after a mad scramble for the ball, the Copperheads took over at the Big Sky 19. Two plays later, Morris leaped one defender and knocked down four more to reach the end zone from 18 yards out with 6:48 left in the first half. Soon, it was 28-7.

The Sky scored their second and last touchdown two minutes later, but just before the intermission, on a one-play, 15-yard drive, Saldana found John Whitehead alone with a pass in the end zone, giving Katy a 35-14 halftime lead.

The Copperheads would rack up 28 points in the third quarter and 23 more in the fourth as everyone saw a lot of playing time.

The Copperheads improved to 5-3 overall and go to Arkansas Saturday to play the Stars.

The Thunder falls to 0-6 on the year.

ronaldoswalt

05-01-2006, 07:07 PM

anyone here want to start playoff predictions top 12 teams in order
then to six then to final four etc heres my pics

atlantic conference

1-lakeland
2-river city
3-fayetteville
4-osceola
5-cincinnatti
6-charleston

pacific conference

1-rapid city -- off field problems will kill this team
2-tri-city
3-katy
4-wyoming
5-beaumont
6-arkansas

final 3 of each conference

atlantic

1-lakeland
2-river city
3-fayetteville

pacific

1-rapid city -- off field problems will kill this team
2-tri-city
3-katy

indoor bowl ---- lakeland over tri-cities

ronaldoswalt

05-03-2006, 05:31 PM

KATY - Head coach Bryan Blake has said his team needs to keep the winning streak alive and push toward the playoffs. He's said that his team is good enough to make the Indoor Bowl game this season.

Now, it seems, there's only one thing left for the Copperheads to do - go out and win more games and keep the team's first back to back win streak alive.

The Copperheads now turn their focus on the 2-4 Arkansas Stars. The Stars have recent wins over Lincoln/St. Joseph and Twin Cities in Monroe. In the Monroe game, the Stars racked up a total of 17 first downs and 53 points to the Gators' 12 first downs and 35 points. With Josh Waggle at the helm for most of the game, Chrys Chukwuma added 96 rushing yards to his career with an average of 8.7 yards per carry and 3 touchdowns. Waggle completed 16 of 27 attempts for a total of 204 yards and 3 touchdown passes. Darian Chestnut led the pack in receiving with 8 for 77 yards and 2 touchdowns.

"I think our team came back hungry last week in the second half. " Blake said, looking back to last week's 86-14 blowout win over the Big Sky Thunder. "Maybe at the first of the year they just assumed they were going to win 10 plus games. I think they found out it's not handed to them and they have to earn it. But, you know, ask me in about four or five weeks how much they're prepared and how well we've done."

Last week the Copperheads would rack up 28 points in the third quarter and 23 more in the fourth as everyone saw a lot of playing time. Big Sky was then outscored 51-0 in the second half.

The Copperheads beat their franchise high in points by 30, and set the team record for points allowed with 14 - six points less than last week's 20.

Much of the woe in the early part of the season is placed at the feet of being a first year team. Katy started new players on all sides of the ball and the team is starting to gel at the right time.

"It's part of nature, I guess," defensive coordinator Troy Esprit said. "So yeah, there were a lot of growing pains that took place in the first few months."

Perhaps part of the reason for the pervasive optimism around Katy - and the sense of urgency - is that the excuses of a month ago don't hold water this time around.

"I think we're going to get better, but I've got to see us do it every week," Esprit said. "They've got to prove it. They've got to play themselves into it. But I like our chances."

"I certainly think that adversity made us better," said quarterback Marc Saldana, named the starter last week after a injury in week three that has slowed the Copperhead signal caller.

Throw in a little wisdom on offense and defense, and the Copperheads might just have a recipe good enough to keep on playing into the first of July.

ronaldoswalt

05-08-2006, 07:57 PM

By Alex Abrams

The Morning News - Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE -- It was a fitting conclusion to a week in which the Arkansas Stars dealt with a slew of problems, ranging from disgruntled players to the resignation of their head coach and top assistant.

The Stars needed a last-minute deal and some last-minute help from the National Indoor Football League to get Sunday's game against the Katy Copperheads played at the Randal Tyson Track Center. But their troubles didn't end there.

Kickoff was delayed 27 minutes. The bleachers were mostly empty. And only one goal post was erected, all but forcing whichever team scored a touchdown on the south end zone to attempt a two-point conversion.

To make matters worse, the Stars (2-5) were short-handed and in no position to slow down former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Bam Morris in the 54-12 rout in front of an estimated crowd of 250.

"The guys that wanted to play, the guys that had it in their heart to play and didn't worry about all the negative stuff, didn't worry about the past and what happened, they came out and played hard and gave the fans a show," Stars running back Chrys Chuckwuma said.

Prior to kickoff, it was uncertain if the Stars would have even enough players to field a team. A number of players threatened to boycott the game because they had gone several weeks without getting paid.

As a result, the Stars had only 15 players available, well short of the 22 players allowed to suit up for an NIFL home game. The absences were noticeable as the Copperheads jumped out to an early lead and cruised to their third consecutive victory.

"I just feel sorry for those guys that weren't here because they worked hard," Chuckwuma said. "Sometimes, you've got to bite your tongue and come out and do what you've got to do.

"You can't jump off a ship with no life jacket."

The problem was compounded by the fact that coach Marshall Foreman resigned late last week after also being upset with not getting a paycheck. Then, the man expected to replace him -- top assistant Raymond House -- quit Saturday, citing personal reasons.

ronaldoswalt

05-12-2006, 11:58 AM

Copperhead Merchandiseis now available at www.katyprofootball.com

ronaldoswalt

05-17-2006, 12:20 PM

does anyone know of any other possible expansion teams for 2006 in the nifl

sportznut

05-17-2006, 02:20 PM

ronaldoswalt

05-19-2006, 02:20 PM

Copperheads Prepare for NIFL Texas Championship
2006-05-16
As the 2006 NIFL playoffs approaches, Katy prepares to increase its lead in the division and claim the title of Texas’ Best NIFL Team. Indoor football’s rivalry games are a season unto themselves.

Katy will travel to Beaumont on Saturday, May 20, 2006 for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at the Ford Arena. The two teams have split the two previous games this season with the home team claiming victory each time. But now Katy is riding high on a three game winning streak where they have outscored their opponents by a whopping 196-46 margin. The Drillers are currently licking their wounds after a 65-12 loss at Montgomery which extended their losing streak to two games.

“I am extremely excited. Talk about instant rivalries, this is it,” Bryan Blake, the Katy Copperheads Head Coach said. “One of the trademarks of the NIFL is close, regional rivalries, having Katy and Beaumont so close is going to be a real advantage for all the teams in the NIFL. We are thrilled to be in the Southeast Texas area and believe that indoor football will be a fan favorite for years to come. This game only sparks interest and makes playing it because of playoff implications even that more fun.”

Katy-Beaumont also marks the first of many games of rivalry season. Rivalries and their traditional intensity are what separate Texas football from any other game. Other area sports has its historic battles, sure -- but the added urgency that comes from football teams only playing a few times a year makes football rivalries more exciting.

But we don't talk enough about why these rivalries are so intense. Aside from the fact that hating the other team feels nearly as good as loving your own, each rivalry has a snowflake-ish singularity.

It's always something else to play for, other than what really counts," he said. "We just want to win some ballgames right now. But when you develop a rivalry in that sense, I guess maybe you can go out there with a little more intensity."

Seats are still available for the Copperheads next home game on June 9, 2006 versus the Twin-City (Monroe) Gators. For ticket information visit www.katyprofootball.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

ronaldoswalt

05-19-2006, 05:37 PM

Copperheads Ready For Texas NIFL Championship Game

Join the Katy Copperheads On The Road To Beaumont With The Drillers Road Krewe !!!!
Copperheadfans.com, the official fan partner of Katy Copperheads Football, has announced that they will have a joint tailgate party at Beaumont prior to the Copperheads-Drillers game. Fans interested in attending this pregame event are encouraged to contact J. Ronald Oswalt at (832) 754-7666 or at http://www.copperheadfans.com/.
The fan group will tailgate with the Drillers fan group called the Drillers Road Krewe at the Ford Arena around 3pm. We have already recruited this group to several of our tailgating events and we want to show them that Copperhead Spirit.
The Copperheads are currently leading the Pacific Conference South Division with a 6-3 record just ahead of the Beaumont Drillers. This game could have big possible playoff implementations.
The Katy Copperheads will play a 14 game schedule in 2006 consisting of seven home and seven away games. The remaining home games will be played in the Leonard E. Merrell Center on the following dates:

• Friday, June 9th, 2006 (Monroe)
• Saturday, June 24th, 2006 (West Palm Beach)
For more information please contact J. Ronald Oswalt at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

ronaldoswalt

05-21-2006, 02:06 AM

May 20, 2006, 11:07PM
Copperheads: Katy zips to fourth straight win, tops Drillers
Copperheads take command of South Division

Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Jason Deml had two touchdown receptions in the fourth quarter and Katy played a sterling second half after a sluggish first two quarters to rough up homestanding Beaumont 48-34.

The win over Beaumont (4-5), the Pacific Conference South Division's second-place team, all but guarantees that the Copperheads (7-3) will make the postseason in their first year of existence in the NIFL.

"Rivalry games are always tight in the first half," said head coach Bryan Blake, who formerly served as head coach of the Drillers. "At halftime, we told the players the best team would come out ahead at the end of the game. Now we're looking forward to the playoffs."

Though the Copperheads struggled in the passing game, a steady running game and several big plays made the difference. While quarterback Marc Saldana finished with only 7 completions among his 19 attempts and threw for just 68 yards, two of his connections went for scores. Both went to Deml, on five- and 18-yard hookups that put a stake in the hearts of the Drillers.

Running back Bam Morris was mostly contained throughout the game, but ripped off a 43-yard touchdown run in the first half that helped the Copperheads to a 14-14 tie at intermission. He finished with 14 carries for 83 yards. Fellow rusher Devin Rispress also added a score via the ground.

Katy didn't limit its scoring to the offense. Ace return specialist Darrick Wallace returned a missed Beaumont field goal 50 yards for a touchdown, while defensive back Victor Malone took an interception back 20 yards to paydirt.

Next up for Katy is a trip to Monroe, La., to face winless Twin City.

OutlawsFan

05-21-2006, 03:13 PM

OriginalOutlaw

05-21-2006, 03:14 PM

I'm tired of shutting down posters who don't know anything about the the sport. Your team is generally not considered in the top 5 teams for a variety of reasons. If I gotta shut you up, I will. Here are the ACTUAL and REALISTIC rankings (for now). If your peanut can't understand these rankings, please shut down and and begin again next year:

1)Rapid City
2)Billings
3)RiverCity
4)Lakeland
5)Fayetteville

Rapid City - undefeated so far.
Billings beat RiverCity.
RiverCity beat Lakeland.
Lakeland beat Fayetteville.

Jeez, Katy even lost to RiverCity AT HOME by 36 points when the Billings Outlaws beat RiverCity IN ST. LOUIS!! And you don't include the Outlaws in the top 6 of the entire Atlantic Confernce? You are a pompous a$$ with no credibility. Get another job, you totally suck at this one...

ronaldoswalt

05-21-2006, 06:04 PM

i forgot the outlaws or mavericks by mistake but we are definitely number 6 so go ahead and grab those big wins versus big sky and lincoln go copperheads

OutlawsFan

05-21-2006, 09:29 PM

Yes, The Outlaws have wins over the likes of Big Sky and Lincoln. But at least they have wins over teams with winning records, RiverCity on the road being one of them. According to the Massey Rating, Katy has the second easiest schedule in all of the NIFL. So take your easy schedule (I see you play Twin City four times), continue to believe your team is good, and hopefully we'll see you in the playoffs. Go Outlaws!

OriginalOutlaw

05-21-2006, 09:37 PM

Um, Copperhead, I need to point out that your team has not defeated a winning team this year. As a matter of fact, the combined records (to date) of the opponents you have actually defeated is 16-41. At least the Outlaws defeated some of the better teams in the league, RiverCity, Tri-Cities, and Wyoming. You would lose to any of these if they were actually on your poofy schedule.

OriginalOutlaw

05-21-2006, 09:43 PM

OutlawFan, your trash is weak as well. Is that all you got?

OutlawsFan

05-21-2006, 10:12 PM

OutlawFan, your trash is weak as well. Is that all you got?
Some people enjoy kicking puppies, I don't.

ronaldoswalt

05-21-2006, 10:17 PM

i am so glad outlaw can add wins and losses -- we are a successful first year franchise and we can not claim to have won as many championships as billings --- how many indoor bowls have they won ----

fwp

05-21-2006, 10:29 PM

Years 2 and 3 of the NIFL. It was widely believed that Ohio Valley played one of the weakest schedules in the league. There was much support for that as there were few competitive teams in the Atlantic.

The Pacific had a number of highly competitive teams and many were sure that the champion would come out of the Pacific.

Ohio Valley won the championship both years.

I believe they had a saying, "We don't make the weak schedule, we make the schedule weak." Something like that.

Last year, there were two undefeated, high flying teams going into the playoffs, neither of them played in the championship game. An up and down team from Rome that wasn't that highly regarded going into the playoffs, and a Tri Cities team that continued to improve so that they were peaking at the right time, made their run as the Fever won it all. Both teams were wild cards if I remember correctly.

There's a lot of season left.

OriginalOutlaw

05-21-2006, 11:21 PM

Copperhead (Katy-Didn't) - Actually, you can't claim anything, at all. Beat somebody, ANYBODY. Then come talking.

jimbo32712

05-21-2006, 11:30 PM

i get your gig outlaw...You are just in need of attention...Look at me everyone! Youre like the bum on the corner yelling at no one....Everyone sees you but no one should pay you any mind. Katy you can only beat who is put in front of you...Good luck to you next weekend.

jimbo32712

05-21-2006, 11:31 PM

you all have a beautiful venue..

OutlawsFan

05-21-2006, 11:53 PM

jimbo: are you bitter about something? Poking fun at venues now? Compared to a lot of venues in this league, MetraPark is actually a nice place to play. We even have pads and goalposts. Competing against the likes of Houston, Orlando, etc. with large populations is difficult, to say the least. So cut us some slack. fwp: Good memory. It's refreshing to see someone with knowledge of the league. I believe the second year Ohio Valley won the championship, they went undefeated. The first year, they beat Billings by three points or so, it was a very good game. There's only one way to gain respect, and that's to win.

jimbo32712

05-22-2006, 12:21 AM

I said Katy has a beautiful venue...It is..Probably the nicest ive seen in the league...Dont read into things so much. Also ours is pretty nice too

www.myspace.com/osceolafootball

OriginalOutlaw

05-22-2006, 12:27 AM

Tsk Tsk, Dumbo. You have a knack for shutting down these type of forums due to your rants. Your trash is week, bring some facts or go home. Nancy...

OriginalOutlaw

05-22-2006, 12:32 AM

Dumbo is entitled to his opinions, even when he is wrong.

ronaldoswalt

05-22-2006, 05:14 PM

cant wait until we play billings in the playoffs

sportznut

05-23-2006, 12:07 AM

Billings fans.... I thought they were Oseola Outlaw Fans.... hahahahaha

Original outlaw, your earlier post about the combined scores of Katy's oponents has HUGE flaw in it. Plus , after giving the Billings schedule a close look.... Nasa We have a problem

W Wyoming Cavalry 20 at Billings Outlaws 56
L Billings Outlaws 41 at Tri-Cities Fever 44
W Big Sky Thunder 6 at Billings Outlaws 77
W Billings Outlaws 55 at Lincoln Capitols 6
W Billings Outlaws 65 at RiverCity Rage 58
W Lincoln Capitols 12 at Billings Outlaws 80
W Tri-Cities Fever 40 at Billings Outlaws 44
W Billings Outlaws 51 at Wyoming Cavalry 47
W Billings Outlaws 47 at Big Sky Thunder 12

The combined record of these teams are 18-26
The combined record of Katy's oponents are 26-32

where you came up with the 16-41, I have no clue unles you added the teams the played multiple times everytime they played, which you cant do.

Look at Billings wins, 2 wins vs Big Sky who is 1-8, 2 wins over Lincoln who is 0-9, 2 wins over wyoming that is 4-5... That is 6 of the Billings 9 wins....

katy has the same schedule, different teams but same records, a win over twin city who is 0-7, 2 wins over arkansas who is 2-5, 2 wins over BMT and a loss from a team that is 4-5. That is 5 of katy's 7 wins.....

Yes the River City common oponent is huge, Fuzzy warm kudos to yall for getting the win. But with 2 losses to Rapid City coming up for yall and katy runing the table for the rest of the season, Billings can only hope for a 3 or 4 seed in the playoffs....

OriginalOutlaw

05-23-2006, 12:09 AM

I was hoping to spin you up, Copper. You don't get a lot of competition, just reminding you that there are others who can sling it. You have a good team, be proud of it. But meeting us in the playoffs will only send you home sad.

OriginalOutlaw

05-23-2006, 12:17 AM

Sportznut, I was feeling bad about dishing the trash, but you have re-inspired me! Stand by, you caught me actually letting Copper know I appreciate his trash. You , however, will need some education. Gimme a minute, some of us have to work for a living...

OriginalOutlaw

05-23-2006, 12:57 AM

Um, Sportznuts - if you would please re-check your facts, my quote was "the combined records (to date) of the opponents you have actually defeated is 16-41". I achieved my numbers through simple addition, though you may have attempted other means. Katy's web site didn't list the actual names of teams they played, so I had to research that St. Louis is actually RiverCity, Monroe is actually Twin City, and Bozeman is actually Big Sky. I can see why you are so confused. Here is the win-loss of the teams Katy defeated:

March 11 Beaumont (4-5) W 47-40
March 25 at Monroe (0-7) W 45-30
April 8 Arkansas (2-5) W 49-21
April 22 Montgomery (3-6) W 56-20
April 30 Bozeman (1-8) W 86-14
May 7 at Arkansas (2-5) W 54-12
May 20 at Beaumont (4-5) W 48-34

16-41 as my math puts it. And yes, you can add in teams played multiple times simply because they played a team with an actual record at a particular, unique time which made the Katy record what it is today. Since you choose to expand the conversation, I will point out that your 3 losses are by a combined 119-206 points. Our only loss was a hotly disputed one 41-44 at Tri-Cities, last years champs.

Your losses:
March 18 St. Louis L 33-69
April 1 at Beaumont L 42-53
April 14 at Rapid City L 44-84

Merely getting your butt destroyed by a team with a winning record is not something to hang your hat on. You lost AT HOME by 36 points to a team we beat ON THE ROAD. I really like that you are attempting to bring facts to your trash, but please make sure they have some substance in the future.

sportznut

05-23-2006, 07:08 AM

I guees that is the way they do things up in the great vast spaces of the north country.. But if you want to do it that way,we can add the multiple times that Billings played Lincoln and Bigsky to your totals and the numbers would be even closer to Katy's... we can do that if you want. The total i came up with for Billings and katy we using the records once...

Now you may think that since i just started posting here i may need some education..... hahahahahahahahhahahaahhahhahahahaha

You wanna keep some good educated smack going, Lets get it on.... I was the NIFL top poster in posts for the 2004 season and amoungst the leaders last season also... I just found this one thanks to my good friend copperheadfan. I have taken the copperheads as one of my favorite teams along with the team i am fanatical about, the BMT. Drillers... co founder of the DRK.... like i said, ready to go... we can go... FWP.... better warn him

OriginalOutlaw

05-23-2006, 10:08 PM

"Oh, Mr. Sportznut, please don't pick on me. I didn't realize you were the top poster child for 2004." Copper, do you really need to bring in the "big guns" to pick on a Montana boy? Let's get down to it. Nutz, posting a thousand trashes doesn't make you good at it. Since the math was too difficult, I did it for you. We did play some crappy teams, just as Katy-did (Come on, that was funny). The teams that Billings beat had an overall 48% winning percentage (including crap teams multiple times). Katy defeated teams with an overall 39% winning percentage (including crap teams). But, heck, playing crappy team blowouts skew the results, let's just look at quality wins. The top 2 wins for the Billings Outlaws were against RiverCity (7-1) and Tri-cities (6-3). Katy's top wins were both against one losing team - Beaumont (4-5). Oops, Nutz, that happens to be YOUR team! Now I gotta do a little research on your precious BMT. I'm sure you won't like what I find...

ronaldoswalt

05-23-2006, 10:13 PM

i don't need to bring in the big guns --- they attend our games they may be from beaumont but they bleed teal and gold not silver and black ---- being a first year team we are great and i believe the outlaws can't stop bam morris --- so go copperheads and off to the indoor bowl we go

sportznut

05-23-2006, 10:21 PM

Ok broke back boy.... I know our team is bad... I see it every game, but that doesnt stop the fact that i will run smack for them, until the season ends. I would think that our north country 2 step coming up.. home games vs. Wyoming and Tri Cities would have you pulling for my Drillers. That could truely affect where your Billings ( real or not) outlaws are slotted.

Katy doesnt have the win over big teams, That is a fact. I gave you warm fuzzy kudos for the win over River City.... Katy dropped that ball at home. Fact.... I am telling you that the Katy team that is on the field right now is a different team then the one River city faced and even Rapid city faced.Played now they would be a different game. Am i saying they would win? who knows but it would go right down to the wire... Cant change what happened, But when the playoffs come around, Look out for a deep katy Playoff run! I hope that run goes through Billings because that will be a fun week!

and he is right, I was not asked into this battle, I enjoy some good run and since i have interest, good interest in Katy, I thought i would Get involved.

OriginalOutlaw

05-23-2006, 10:44 PM

Wow, Nutz, you rolled over for a belly-scratch before I even got a chance to kick you like a puppy. You are correct, there are circumstances that I would root for your team. As for Katy, they have 4 games left against 2 teams with one combined win. Jeez, how does that happen? They will benefit from an easier schedule than Sister Mary's of the Deaf and Blind. But that will soften them up when they play an actual opponent. I smell first-round loss.

sportznut

05-23-2006, 10:51 PM

Sister Mary's of the Deaf and Blind.

But the chicks are really hot at that school

OutlawsFan

05-23-2006, 10:58 PM

What, in the Wide, Wide, World of Sports, is Bam Morris doing in the NIFL? Nothing against the NIFL, I love it. But, come on. Anyhew, Nutz, you're nuts. Katy plays Twin City four times ("pot calling kettle black"). Katy has the second easiest schedule in the NIFL (Massey Ratings). Until they beat ANYBODY with a winning record, your logic means squat. Great Osceola Football joke, we haven't heard that one before. Again, let me inform the uneducated. Billings Outlaws have been playing since 2002. Why couldn't you guys beat Katy? That would have better than beating Wyoming or Tri-Cities. Your Deaf & Blind one was pretty good.

kristin411

05-23-2006, 11:24 PM

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_451488.html

There's a story on here that tells what happened with him..

sportznut

05-23-2006, 11:26 PM

Bam is getting his life back together. He lives in Houston and from what i heard, worked out at the same place as someone involved with the team. He wanted to make a run for reinstatement back into the NFL and thought he could get into some kind of football shape by playing in NiFL. He tried out for an AFL team this offseason but since they make their RB's play LB also, that was out. I will tell you, Katy let or yes i will concede this to you, River City took it to katy... BUt if katy has a lead, They will RUN Bam and run the clock 3 to 4 yards a pop and the clock doesnt stop.... That is smart footbal. You just have to make a stop on defence, which the early katy team couldnt do. This past week, we had to return 2 kickoffs for 50 yard both times to even keep the game within 14 points.

Katy Plays Twin City 3 times, Mar. 25, 2006, May. 27, 2006,and Jun. 9, 2006..... I dont know where you got 4 times from? So actually my logic is pretty sound on that part. I agree, Katy's best win is over BMT 2 times. Fact is a fact. But i am telling you, watching this team's progression and improvements as the season has went on, AND the possible addition of a player that will make everyone go DAMMM.. How did they pull that off... But that may or may not happen. I would say, dont count Katy out....

Billings people, time for a chill pill.... It was a jab at yall but i am telling you my outlaws comment is mostly directed at the league for letting this situation ahppen, You guys are just caught up in it and make easy targets for us... nothing personal .

I will tell you why we didnt win over Katy at home last week. They really are a GOOD team that is coming into their own. Good Coaching and players that listen and follow the gameplan. They also will do what they do and then let Bam take them home. They have an Outstanding return guy too, Wallace, and he gives them great field position. Qb.. may get a serious, serious upgrade in the upcoming weeks, but they are doing the job. WR... He may not get alot of press or acolades but Deml is a very exciting player that has made some unbelievable catches this season. The line, It is easy to block when the defense has to worry if BAM is going to get the ball and have to watch out not to get run over by him, then Opps, he doesnt have the ball and the dline is blocked. They have a linebacker that is quick, reads the play and gets to it fast and man can he hit. DB's started off slow this season but with some players they added as the season has went on, they have a solid corp that roam and make plays. They came ready to win and thats what they did... I agree, that would have put us back into the drivers seat for this weak division, but now we have to watch our back and hope we dont get caught by arkansas... Yes it is ad but yes i am still a diehard!

But have you seen the women at that school..... and they dont talk back either

OutlawsFan

05-24-2006, 12:01 AM

Alright, now you're cracking me up with the D&B jokes. Cool deal for Bam, hope it works out for him. Picking on Billings is pretty easy, getting used to it but a lot of people out there don't know the real Outlaws story. Half the people in Florida think we stole their name. Obviously my higher math is off, three times a charm, I guess. Still doesn't take away from the fact that Katy now officially has the easiest schedule in the NIFL. Should guarantee a home playoff game for you. It's too bad this league allows teams to throw ringers in late in the season. We lost our killer QB (Chris Dixon) while everyone else is loading up. The nature of the beast.

OriginalOutlaw

05-24-2006, 12:28 AM

Nutz, you are actually making sense. Why the fire and brimstone from earlier? I like that you bring some facts to your trash. 2004 Poster Boy or not, you've got promise.... =)

OriginalOutlaw

05-24-2006, 12:32 AM

I'm off to find Osceola-Boy, Dumbo. His team has lost the last 2 weeks to 2 of the sorriest teams in the NIFL. After proclaiming superiority. What a dink. Nutz, Copper, till we meet again...

sportznut

05-24-2006, 07:48 AM

And we will! Have fun defending the name of outlaws

sportznut

05-24-2006, 07:50 AM

Nutz, you are actually making sense. Why the fire and brimstone from earlier? I like that you bring some facts to your trash. 2004 Poster Boy or not, you've got promise.... =)

Making a big splash as i jumped in the pool, and seeing just who didnt wanna get wet

ronaldoswalt

05-24-2006, 02:26 PM

katy gets forfeit this weekend versus monroe --- the gators must be done

preeths

05-24-2006, 04:00 PM

Is this confirmed?

ronaldoswalt

05-24-2006, 04:59 PM

i have heard they are getting new investors and will continue with road games only for the rest of the season

ronaldoswalt

05-25-2006, 12:45 AM

COPPERHEADS READY TO STRIKE GATORS BUT GAME CANCELLED
2006-05-24
Saturday, May 27, 2006, the Katy Copperheads game versus the Twin City Gators at Monroe Civic Center in Monroe, Louisiana has been cancelled. Katy will be awarded a forfeit and this will raise their overall record to 8-3. The Copperheads are currently riding a 4-game winning streak and hold first place in the Pacific Conference’s South Division after their 48-34 second half blowout of the Beaumont Drillers on the road last week.

The Copperheads racked up a total of 10 first downs and 94 yards rushing behind the strong running of Bam Morris against the Drillers this past weekend. Katy outscored Beaumont 17-0 in the third period to put the game on ice. With the win Katy claims the rights to the NIFL Texas Championship.

The Gators have had problems recently with the resignation of their Head Coach. The Copperheads claimed a 45-30 win at Monroe on March 25 in their only meeting of the season. The Copperheads will resume play June 9th at home in the Merrell Center against same Monroe Twin Cities Gators team. The Gators will complete the remainder of their road schedule.

Katy Head Coach Bryan Blake said, “We must stay focused over the next two bye weeks and prepare for our next home game. You have to be ready to play every week, any team can pull an upset, we actually lost at Beaumont in week four.”

You can cheer the Katy Copperheads on to victory at their next home game on Friday, June 9, at 7:05 p.m., at the Merrell Center. Tickets are available at the Copperheads team office and on-line at www.ticketmaster.com. PLAYOFF TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE SOON!!!

The Katy Copperheads will play a 14 game schedule in 2006 consisting of eight home and six away games. The remaining home games will be played in the Leonard E. Merrell Center on the following dates:

- Friday, June 9th, 2006 (Monroe)
- Sunday, June 18th, 2006 (West Palm Beach relocated to the Merrell Center)
- Saturday, June 24th, 2006 (West Palm Beach)

For more information please contact J. Ronald Oswalt at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

Reichert

05-25-2006, 01:26 PM

....because coach/owner Blake is getting sick and tired of the shenanigans in this league.

I believe the Copperheads will be in the Intense league next season, but if for some reason they want to fork over the extra money to be in af2 they will be more than happy to take in both the Katy arena and the Katy/West Houston market for af2.

Both the 5,500 seat Merrell Center (brand new, by the way) and the Katy/WH market (with over 350,000 people within 10 miles of the Merrell Center) are too good for the likes of the NIFL, which appears to be fading very fast, anyway.

My bet is on the Copperheads going Intense in 2007.

ronaldoswalt

05-26-2006, 11:23 AM

Copperheads vs Beaumont and preview 5/21/06

By Dana Roark – KATY SUN - HCN

Don’t call the Katy Copperheads an expansion team anymore. At least they aren’t playing like a first-year team after last weeks 48-34 win over Beaumont. The victory was the fourth straight for the Copperheads and clinched both the division title and a berth in the playoffs which begin in July.
“It feels great against Beaumont after everything I’ve been through with them,” coach Bryan Blake, who received a water cooler dousing on the sidelines, said. “I’m definitely happy. It was an intense game being a rival game. We pulled away in the fourth quarter but they got two late touchdowns which made the score closer than it really was.”
Blake is a former coach for the Drillers and starting quarterback Marc Saldana was released by Beaumont in 2005.
The Drillers dropped to 4-5 in the Pacific South division, second to Katy’s 7-3 overall record and 5-1 log in the division. Katy won two of its three matchups this season against Beaumont.
A long road trip continues this week as the Copperheads face the 0-7 Twin City Gators in Monroe in another division matchup. Katy beat the Gators 45-30 in week three behind four touchdown passes from Ryan Breedlove, who was starting in place of the injured Saldana.
But the Gators have had structural problems of late, canceling last weeks Fan Appreciation game and apparently replacing its entire coaching staff during the week. Also, Katy’s June 17 road game with the West Palm Beach Phantoms has been rescheduled as a June 18 home game at the Merrell Center due to West Palm’s venue agreement falling through before the start of the season. The Phantoms have not been seen in Palm Beach this season, playing all its games on the road.
Saturday against Beaumont, Saldana went all the way against his former team and finished with seven completions for 68 yards and a pair of touchdowns to wide receiver Jason Deml for five and 18 yards in the fourth quarter.
“We’re still struggling in our passing game,” Blake said. “We had lots of dropped balls and Marc’s stats don’t look real good from that. We easily had five drops against Beaumont.”
The running game still is consistent as Bam Morris again led the way with a season-high 83 yards on 14 carries against Beaumont. One carry was a 43-yard touchdown late in the second quarter that had fans in the Ford Arena buzzing.
“He’s not hurt,” Blake said, talking about a hamstring injury that sidelined the former NFL running back for several games. “He doesn’t feel like he’s at 100 percent like he did when he was playing in the NFL. But on his touchdown run, he hit that hole so fast he was gone just like that. It was neat to look around and see the fans talking about him, wondering how a guy that big can be so quick.
“I’m definitely lucky to have him on our team.”
If Katy finishes the regular season with an 11-3 mark, the Copperheads will be set to host at least two playoff games in July, which would be played on Monday nights due to scheduling commitments already in place at the Merrell Center.
“I expect to finish 11-3,” Blake said. “The guys say don’t worry about it. Overall, it’s been a fun year.”

ronaldoswalt

05-26-2006, 11:32 AM

these rankings are better but i believe copperheads are much better than
tri-cities and wyoming we should be number 6

latest Bradley Terry rankings:

National Indoor Football League

Thru 05/21/2006

Rank | Team | Record | Round-Robin Winning Percentage | Bradley-Terry Points

1. Rapid City, SD (9-0) 0.902 100.000

2. River City, MO (7-1) 0.843 55.170

3. Billings, MT (8-1) 0.833 50.165

4. Lakeland, FL (8-1) 0.829 48.674

5. Fayetteville, NC (8-1) 0.815 43.141

6. Tri-Cities, WA (6-3) 0.684 16.647

7. Wyoming (4-5) 0.597 9.714

8. Katy, TX (7-3) 0.593 9.450

9. Osceola, FL (6-4) 0.564 7.962

10. Cincinnati, OH (5-4) 0.532 6.631

11. Charleston, SC (4-3) 0.515 6.029

12. Florida (3-5) 0.500 5.534

13. Montgomery, AL (3-6) 0.412 3.338

14. Beaumont, TX (4-5) 0.403 3.166

15. Greensboro, NC (2-5) 0.392 2.965

16. Dayton, OH (2-5) 0.347 2.280

17. Palm Beach, FL (1-6) 0.305 1.758

18. Tennessee (2-5) 0.290 1.595

19. Arkansas (2-5) 0.245 1.176

20. Big Sky, MT (1-8) 0.237 1.112

21. St. Joseph, MO/Lincoln, NE (0-9) 0.087 0.276

22. Twin City, LA (0-7) 0.073 0.226

Fictitious Team 5.520

ronaldoswalt

05-26-2006, 11:54 AM

May 25, 2006, 10:16AM
Cancelled game makes for extended layoff in schedule

By NEIL STRATTON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Katy will get plenty of time to rest up and do some midseason healing after Saturday's game at Twin City in Monroe, La., was cancelled.

The Copperheads were slated to make their second trip to Monroe, La., before the game was forfeited by Gators officials, who have had to deal with venue issues as well as the resignation recently of their head coach.

"We've had a lot of expansion teams come in, and some are struggling financially, but they're things we're dealing with," said Copperheads head coach Bryan Blake, who has been associated with the league for all of its nine-year existence. "But this league has been around for going on nine years, and we're still moving forward, and we're going to get into the playoffs, and they'll get it solved."

Katy's previous venture to the Bayou State ended with a 45-30 defeat of the Twin City Gators March 25. The victory boosted Katy over the .500 mark and gave the team needed momentum on the heels of a 69-33 loss to St. Louis the week before.

The Copperheads (8-3 after the forfeit) had been winners of four straight games entering this weekend's contest. They are in sole possession of first place in the Pacific Conference's South Division.

"I think we've just improved every week," said Blake. "One thing that we stressed before the season started was that we improved every week. Our defense has really stepped it up in the last couple weeks. We also have made some changes to our roster, and our guys are playing better than we have in the past.

"Defensively, we're pretty strong, and offensively we can run the ball on anybody, though we've got to pick and choose where we throw thefootball."

Blake admits that his Copperheads use a different method than most indoor football teams choose.

"We've got a completely different game plan from anybody else in this league," he said. "Most of the teams are throwing the ball 80 to 90 percent of the time, but it's good when our running game is working.

"In 2003, it was early, maybe 2001 or 2002, the Ohio Valley Greyhounds won the champiornshp two years in a row, and they had a ball-control offense. They would just line up in the 'I' formation and just run it right at you. They had one undefeated season, and I just kind of patterned us after that."

It helps when you have a former NFL running back in the backfield, as well as two speedy scatback types who complement him so well.

"(Fullback Bam Morris) broke a 43-yard touchdown run last week, right up the middle," Blake said. "We've been using him a lot on short yardage, and he picked up a key fourth-down run for us, too (last week). It was fourth and about a yard, and we were trying to decide if we'd run a play action pass or not, and he said, 'Let's run it. If we can't get a yard, we don't deserve to win the game anyway.' And we did, and we got about a yard-and-a-half."

Tailbacks Kerry Henderson and Devin Rispress add a slashing style to complement the pounding dealt out by Morris.

"Bam will get in there and run on short yardage and score, and Devin's played a lot the last few weeks," Blake said. "Kerry and Devin are that other style of runner."

OriginalOutlaw

05-28-2006, 02:16 PM

I know of a particular defense which could shut him down. Just ask the Aces. Go Outlaws!

ronaldoswalt

05-28-2006, 05:17 PM

i am shocked in the upset but they cant stop bam

50AndN

05-28-2006, 09:14 PM

ok copperhead fans, again this is only an unsubstantiated rumorm i've heard the phantoms are ownerless, but are willing to travel to katy to play if (and this is a big if), the katy ownership will help subsidize the trip. i'll let you read between the lines here, otherwise you guys get 2 more forfeit wins and an even longer wait for the playoffs.

at this rate, i do believe that the copperheads will be in the IFL in 2007.

Gusher

05-28-2006, 10:58 PM

Just ship the uniforms I am sure we can put together a team here that will give up 70 points.

OriginalOutlaw

05-28-2006, 11:30 PM

Katy only has 3 headlines to choose from:
Katy wins by forfeit again!
Katy defeats losing team again!
Katy gets the crap beat out of them by a team with a winning record again!

sportznut

05-29-2006, 03:44 PM

They are supposed to have another home game against twin City which just may not be around anymore either... 2 home games left vs. teams that may not travel.... They look like they will finish 11-3 without playing another game Look like they may end the season with the same record as Billings afterall

OriginalOutlaw

05-29-2006, 05:27 PM

Nutz, did you have to take your socks and shoes off to get into double digits? Katy had the easiest schedule in the entire history of the NIFL. Half their wins will be by forfeit. They even got to play sissy loser teams like Beaumont. They must be awfully proud of that...

ronaldoswalt

05-29-2006, 06:28 PM

we just play the games the nifl gives us ---- dont hate us for following the rules

OriginalOutlaw

05-29-2006, 08:12 PM

Copper, I don't hate Katy. I just find it annoying that the Outlaws play tough teams over and over while Katy skates along playing the entire year without one single quality win. Plus, I simply enjoy tweaking Nutz's nerves...

sportznut

05-29-2006, 08:16 PM

No, the team with the easiest schedule ever was the 2004 Tri City Diesel.... Cake walk with a Capital C

It is going to give me so much pleasure when Billings gets knocked out in the first round they play

OriginalOutlaw

05-29-2006, 09:31 PM

The 2004 Tri-City Diesel played 4 games all year against an opponent that wound up with a winning record. But, they won 2 of those games and lost the other 2 by a combined 18 points. A far cry from playing only 2 winning teams the entire year and getting destroyed in both of those games. Do some better research, Nutz. I didn't have to try very hard to prove you wrong - again.

Reichert

05-30-2006, 03:40 PM

What's happened to Katy isn't their fault...the scheduling was done for most of the teams to help with travel issues, etc. And to further compound matters the league is such a joke with franchises folding that indeed it's a matter of the Copperheads continuing to operate contributing as much to their record as anything they've done on the field.

I seriously think they didn't sign up for these shenanigans when they joined the league. While Blake has continued to put on a good public face about all of this it's well known that quietly he's seething over the canceled games, scrapped road trips, folding franchises, and in one case playing a game with only one set of posts up.

As I've noted before, the team, the market, and the arena are all too good for the NIFL. Katy/West Houston is a booming market with a very nice new arena (The Merrell Center has to rank as one of the nicest venues in the NIFL) and fans who will support a winner. This team is either going Intense or af2 next year...and if they don't the locals will refuse to put up with another year of this garbage. There are just too many other sporting options nearby.

OriginalOutlaw

05-30-2006, 08:49 PM

Copper, you are right, it isn't Katy's fault. I just like putting a burr under Nutz' saddle. But, you already knew that. Actually, Katy has a shot at the number two seed (or even number one) if certain teams falter. We have the luxury of being in control of our own destiny, but that road will be difficult indeed.

sportznut

05-30-2006, 09:48 PM

I think we can all agree that the league messed up royally this season...

OriginalOutlaw

05-30-2006, 10:42 PM

Nutz, I actually have to agree with you on that. But what are the options? Katy has to be happy with their fortune, but Billings, Rapid City, Tri-Cities, and Wyoming continue to beat the crap out of each other repeatedly. Katy did get in the way a couple times but drew back a bloody stump both times. Would a weighted system help? How would you do it? I know Katy isn't at fault for their schedule. But teams who play AND DEFEAT very tough teams should have that accomplishment mean something. Especially when playoff home games come into play.

sportznut

05-31-2006, 08:20 AM

stop taking on these expansion teams that do not have a clue... That process really needs to change.

ronaldoswalt

06-01-2006, 05:24 PM

Blake's crew has shot at opening postseason here

By MIKE TENNEY
Chronicle Correspondent

If it's the first day of June, then it must mean a couple of things.

School's out for another year, the days are about to get even hotter, and the Katy Copperheads are returning to the Merrell Center to play their final three games of the National Indoor Football League Season.

After an extended road trip that has seen them not play a home game since the last week of April and a canceled game with the Twin City Gators in Monroe, La., they continue to lead the South Division of the NIFL Pacific Division and are getting ever close to their goal.

"We want to give the folks of Katy a home playoff game," said head coach/owner Bryan Blake. "That's our No. 1 goal. We want to play a playoff game in front of our own fans because they've been so good to us and I think they would really turn out for a professional football playoff game in Katy."

"Our fans have been great and we'd love to play a home playoff game in front of them," said Copperheads receiver Jimmy Deml. "The way they've responded to the team and the way they support us, they deserve for us to play a playoff game here in our own stadium."

The Copperheads were rewarded a forfeit victory over Twin City, which will finish the regular season but only play its two road games. Exactly why that is and why Saturday's game with the Copperheads was called off was not explained on the NIFL website, which posted the news.

The Copperheads, who are now 8-3 and owners of a three-game lead over second-place Beaumont in the South Division, must keep winning to secure a home playoff game.

The schedule definitely shakes out in their favor.

Twin City is 0-7, and West Palm Beach, Katy's opponent for the last two games of the season, is 1-7. Furthermore, the Phantoms are near the bottom of the league in just about every offensive and defensive category.

Reichert

06-01-2006, 05:56 PM

Any word on what the Copperheads are averaging for home attendance?

ronaldoswalt

06-01-2006, 05:58 PM

i would say between 2500-3750 --- the schedule hasn''t helped us much down the stretch

Reichert

06-01-2006, 10:54 PM

According to the NIFL website Katy is averaging only around 950 per game in attendance.

ronaldoswalt

06-01-2006, 11:38 PM

the crowds are much better than that

ronaldoswalt

06-01-2006, 11:39 PM

the copperheads now have jerseys, footballs, coaches caps etc at www.katyprofootball.com if anyone collects merchandise like me

ronaldoswalt

06-02-2006, 10:35 PM

Copperhead Fans Mark Your Calendar For the Next Home Game Versus Monroe Gators --- More To Follow Soon --- Details will be posted on copperheadfans.com soon

ronaldoswalt

06-04-2006, 01:12 PM

ESPN2’s morning show, “Cold Pizza” will be in Katy, Texas on June 9th, 2006 for the Copperheads matchup against the visiting Twin City (Monroe) Gators. ESPN2 launched Cold Pizza on October 20th, 2003, as part of its 10th anniversary celebration. The two-hour, weekday morning show airs live from New York City between 10am - 12pm ET and encores between 12pm - 2pm ET each day with live news updates.

Cold Pizza features hosts Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson, along side with Woody Paige and Skip Bayless. Guests and regular contributors from the sports world, and various walks of life, appear regularly to offer their insights. Cold Pizza combines a unique blend of sports, pop culture and lifestyle features - all customized for ESPN viewers.

Cold Pizza also features live, on-location reports from the field, as well as, interactive elements that encourage viewer participation in unique ways. ESPN2 launched Oct. 1st, 1993 with 10 million homes. It is currently available in 85.6 million homes. The Copperheads are the focus of an inside story on indoor football. The Copperheads are currently one of the nation’s most successful first year franchises in league history.

If you haven’t seen it yet – “Cold Pizza” is the morning show with everything -- including Copperheads Football! Besides filming the game and interviewing team members, staff and fans, the “Cold Pizza” crew will also report on their adventures at this important NIFL matchup as Katy tries to improve its seeding heading into the playoffs. Look for this story to air in an upcoming show on ESPN2. This may be a “chance of a lifetime” for fans to star on their favorite sports network.

Katy fans are expected to turn out in record numbers for this national event in Texas. Tickets should be at a premium for this NIFL game at the Merrill Center. Several Copperhead players have NFL experience and will once again showcase their talent Friday night.

The Copperheads face the Twin City Gators Friday, June 9th at the Merrill Center. Kickoff is at 7:05 pm. The Copperheads have been in hibernation since their May 20th blowout of Beaumont and are ready to breakout against the Gators.

Blake added, “We are very excited to host ESPN and showcase our team and the City of Katy. I am very proud of what my team has accomplished this season and can’t wait for the playoffs to start.”

The Copperheads, who are now 8-3 and owners of a three-game lead over second-place Beaumont in the South Division, must keep winning to secure a better playoff seeding.

The Katy Copperheads will play a 14 game schedule in 2006 consisting of seven home and seven away games. The remaining home games will be played in the Leonard E. Merrell Center on the following dates:

Friday, June 9th, 2006 (Monroe)

Saturday, June 24th, 2006 (West Palm Beach)

Monday, July 10th, 2006 (Home Playoff Game TBA)

For more information please contact J. Ronald Oswalt, Media Relations Director at oswalt1@houston.rr.com. Photos in Press Release are courtesy of www.osportsphoto.com

fwp

06-04-2006, 01:43 PM

Twin City Gators?

ronaldoswalt

06-04-2006, 03:41 PM

thy will finish final two road games --- i expect this team to end up in hattiesburg, or biloxi mississippi next year

sportznut

06-04-2006, 04:41 PM

is anything standing in Biloxi yet? from katrina?

ronaldoswalt

06-05-2006, 07:25 PM

COPPERHEADS:Long layoff over with Gators in town Friday

By MIKE TENNEY

Chronicle Correspondent

When the Katy Copperheads resume National Indoor Football League play Friday night against the Twin Cities Gators out of Monroe, Louisiana at the Leonard Merrell Center at 7 p.m., they should be a well-rested team.

"We haven't played a game in almost (three) weeks, so I'm sure the guys will be anxious to get back out on the field," said Katy head coach/owner Bryan Blake Monday afternoon, just a few hours before their first formal team practice in over a week. "I know that's a long layoff to have this late in the season, but we had some injuries that have now had some time to heal and I think we're refreshed again.

"I think the time off has probably allowed us to get our legs under us a little bit. You know we had played nine straight weeks prior, so I think the layoff may do us more good than anything because we probably needed the time off. We hadn't had a bye week like just about all the other teams had, so I think this time we've had off may help us more than it hurts us."

When they fire it back up Friday night before what Blake believes could be the biggest crowd of the season at the Merrell Center, they will be go back to fighting for a playoff spot in the Pacific Division in which six of the 10 teams will make the postseason.

"The number one seed will play the six seed and so on," said Blake of the playoff format. "If the playoffs were to start right now, we'd play either Beaumont or Wyoming. That's why I went up to Beaumont Saturday night and watched those two teams play because we might be playing either one of them in the playoffs. But our goal right now is just to focus on ourselves and focus on securing that playoff berth because we're hoping to play a home playoff game on July 10."

The Beaumont Drillers defeated the Wyoming Calvary 62-59 on a last-second field goal.

"It was a good game," said Blake. "But it gave me a chance to watch both of those teams and see how we match up. I'm very familiar with Beaumont because I coached up there with them, but I hadn't seen Wyoming, so it was good to have a chance to see them. I haven't seen most of those northern teams, so to be able to go check them out in person was good."

The Gators bring a 1-7 mark into the game Friday and they have seen their share of troubles as a first-year team in the league. They are a team with a new coaching staff and currently without a home after the league announced they will play their last two road games to finish out the season, but no more in Monroe.

"I know they're a struggling team and when you're playing a struggling team, you've got to take advantage of them," said Blake. "It's a game we need to win to keep our hopes of having a high playoff seed alive, so it's a game we need to come out and play well in. I know they've had some turmoil with their coaching staff walking out on them a couple of weeks ago, but we've got our situation to worry about so nobody's going to take it easy on anybody."

On Friday, the Copperheads will also go Hollywood with ESPN's Cold Pizza coming to Katy to tape a day in the life of a NIFL team. They will interview Copperheads running back and former NFL star Bam Morris, along with Brandon Jennings, who played for the Oakland Raiders and then shoot footage of the game versus the Gators to run some time next week on the nationwide morning show.

"I think it's going to be great for the league and for the Copperheads and for Katy," said Blake. "I mean this isn't the biggest town in the country, but these people love football and they'll support it and that's what we want to show. We want to let the nation see our product and how fun and entertaining it is, but we also, from a personal franchise standpoint, want people to see the passion the people in Katy have for football, especially if it's good football."

The Copperheads are presently 8-3 on the season and have three home games left on the regular season schedule. After the Gators, it's two home games against the Palm Beach Phantoms to close it out. If they win all three, they're in the playoffs with a high seed and will have at least one home playoff game.

"That's what we're working for," said Blake. "I think if we just play like we're capable of playing, I don't think these teams will give us that much trouble. They're both down. And we've been playing well and now we've had some rest, so I think we'll come out with a big effort these last three games."

If the NIFL playoffs started today, the Copperheads would have the second seed in the Pacific Division, behind the unbeaten Rapid City (South Dakota) Flying Aces."When we flew up there and played them earlier in the season, they handled us pretty good," said Blake. "We really got whipped up front, but we've changed a lot of our linemen out since then, so if we get the opportunity to play them again, hopefully, we can make it a different game.

"But they're a good team, no doubt about it."

ronaldoswalt

06-05-2006, 07:26 PM

TAILGATE WITH THE COPPERHEADS
Area Businesses and Katy Chamber Partner For Ribbon Cutting
Katy, Texas – June 7, 2006 – Join the Katy Copperheads at their next tailgating event on June 9th, 2006 at 4 p.m. prior to the Katy-Monroe game at the Merrill Center.
Copperheadfans.com, the official fan partner of Katy Copperheads Football, has announced that fans interested in attending this pregame event are encouraged to contact J. Ronald Oswalt at (832) 754-7666 or at http://www.copperheadfans.com/.
This event has been graciously sponsored by the Katy Chamber of Commerce and Absolutely Magazines. We have already had several tailgating events in 2006 and we want to continuing to show them that Copperhead Spirit. Along with ESPN being present there will be free game ticket giveaways, discounted Copperhead merchandise and even a Space Jump for the kids.
The Copperheads are currently leading the Pacific Conference South Division with an 8-3 record two games ahead of the Beaumont Drillers.
The Katy Copperheads will play a 14 game schedule in 2006 consisting of seven home and seven away games. The remaining home games will be played in the Leonard E. Merrell Center on the following dates:

• Friday, June 9th, 2006 (Monroe)
• Saturday, June 24th, 2006 (West Palm Beach)
• Monday, July 10th, 2006 (Home Playoff Game)
Tail Gate Party & Ribbon Cutting
AbsolutelyMagazines!
4:00 PM
Merrell Center
Katy Copperheads Discount Prices, Game Tickets Given Away,
Sports ESPN will be attending!

Directions: When going west on I-10 from Houston,
Take the Pin Oak Rd. exit onto the feeder.
Stay on feeder and go through Pin Oak Rd. intersection.
Turn right onto FM 1463 and Merrell Center will be one block on the left.

For more information please contact J. Ronald Oswalt, Director of Media Relations, at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

herb1

06-05-2006, 08:12 PM

So two easy forfiet home games just what your Fans and Sponsors were looking for when they got involved here huh lol ??????

What a MESSSSSSs

ronaldoswalt

06-05-2006, 09:13 PM

but overall year one has been very successful --- just take the good with the bad and roll on

sportznut

06-05-2006, 11:53 PM

But they keep coming out! Guys, the majority of the indoorfans do not ream messageboards or even keep up with what is going on with the league. They show up to watch their team play. These teams feilding replacement teams, alot of the home fans dont realize that this is not the real team.....

ronaldoswalt

06-07-2006, 11:13 PM

my predictions

June 9 Twin City @ Katy 7:05 PM copperheads by 50
June 9 Lincoln @ RiverCity 7:00 PM rage by 50
June 10 Osceola @ Cincinnati 7:30 PM marahals by 21
FORFEIT Lakeland W Dayton L
June 10 Tennessee @ Billings 7:05 PM outlaws by 50
June 10 Tri Cities @ Beaumont 7:05 PM fever by 12
FORFEIT Wyoming W Big Sky L
June 10 Greensboro @ Fayetteville 7:00 PM guard by 50
FORFEIT Palm Beach W Florida L
June 12 Charleston @ Montgomery 7:00 PM maulers by 30
June 12 Twin City @ Arkansas 7:00 PM stars by 20

ronaldoswalt

06-08-2006, 08:12 PM

Long layoff over with Gators, ESPN in town Friday

By MIKE TENNEY

Houston Chronicle Correspondent

When the Katy Copperheads resume National Indoor Football League play Friday night against the Twin Cities Gators out of Monroe, Louisiana at the Leonard Merrell Center at 7 p.m., they should be a well-rested team.

"We haven't played a game in almost (three) weeks, so I'm sure the guys will be anxious to get back out on the field," said Katy head coach/owner Bryan Blake Monday afternoon, just a few hours before their first formal team practice in over a week. "I know that's a long layoff to have this late in the season, but we had some injuries that have now had some time to heal and I think we're refreshed again.

"I think the time off has probably allowed us to get our legs under us a little bit. You know we had played nine straight weeks prior, so I think the layoff may do us more good than anything because we probably needed the time off. We hadn't had a bye week like just about all the other teams had, so I think this time we've had off may help us more than it hurts us."

When they fire it back up Friday night before what Blake believes could be the biggest crowd of the season at the Merrell Center, they will be go back to fighting for a playoff spot in the Pacific Division in which six of the 10 teams will make the postseason.

"The No. 1 seed will play the six seed and so on," said Blake of the playoff format. "If the playoffs were to start right now, we'd play either Beaumont or Wyoming. That's why I went up to Beaumont Saturday night and watched those two teams play because we might be playing either one of them in the playoffs. But our goal right now is just to focus on ourselves and focus on securing that playoff berth because we're hoping to play a home playoff game on July 10."

The Beaumont Drillers defeated the Wyoming Calvary 62-59 on a last-second field goal.

"It was a good game," said Blake. "But it gave me a chance to watch both of those teams and see how we match up. I'm very familiar with Beaumont because I coached up there with them, but I hadn't seen Wyoming, so it was good to have a chance to see them. I haven't seen most of those northern teams, so to be able to go check them out in person was good."

The Gators bring a 1-7 mark into the game Friday and they have seen their share of troubles as a first-year team in the league. They are a team with a new coaching staff and currently without a home after the league announced they will play their last two road games to finish out the season, but no more in Monroe.

"I know they're a struggling team and when you're playing a struggling team, you've got to take advantage of them," said Blake. "It's a game we need to win to keep our hopes of having a high playoff seed alive, so it's a game we need to come out and play well in. I know they've had some turmoil with their coaching staff walking out on them a couple of weeks ago, but we've got our situation to worry about so nobody's going to take it easy on anybody."

On Friday, the Copperheads will also go Hollywood with ESPN's Cold Pizza coming to Katy to tape a day in the life of a NIFL team. They will interview Copperheads running back and former NFL star Bam Morris, along with Brandon Jennings, who played for the Oakland Raiders, and then shoot footage of the game versus the Gators to run some time next week on the nationwide morning show.

"I think it's going to be great for the league and for the Copperheads and for Katy," said Blake. "I mean this isn't the biggest town in the country, but these people love football and they'll support it and that's what we want to show. We want to let the nation see our product and how fun and entertaining it is, but we also, from a personal franchise standpoint, want people to see the passion the people in Katy have for football, especially if it's good football."

The Copperheads are presently 8-3 on the season and have three home games left on the regular season schedule. After the Gators, it's two home games against the Palm Beach Phantoms to close it out. If they win all three, they're in the playoffs with a high seed and will have at least one home playoff game.

"That's what we're working for," said Blake. "I think if we just play like we're capable of playing, I don't think these teams will give us that much trouble. They're both down. And we've been playing well and now we've had some rest, so I think we'll come out with a big effort these last three games."

If the NIFL playoffs started today, the Copperheads would have the second seed in the Pacific Division, behind the unbeaten Rapid City (South Dakota) Flying Aces.

sportznut

06-08-2006, 10:19 PM

somebody needs to give Mike the right info.. Katy would be sitting in the 3 seed behind the once beaten Billings and Rapid City teams

ronaldoswalt

06-09-2006, 09:25 AM

i saw that also but they guy is just a correspondent for teh katy section of the chronicle

sportznut

06-09-2006, 10:21 AM

and if he tried to find info on the NIFL site.. then he was lost LOL

ronaldoswalt

06-10-2006, 12:55 PM

Copperheads double trouble for Twin City
Katy, Texas – June 9, 2006
By NEIL STRATTON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
The marquee outside said the Twin City Gators were in town for an NIFL showdown with Katy Friday, but that changed quickly.
After Katy's Darrick Wallace returned the opening kickoff 50 yards for a touchdown, then took a pass 15 yards into the end zone at 7:04 of the first quarter, the game quickly transformed into a matchup of Christians and lions.
Katy (9-3) rocketed to a 27-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and picked off an NIFL single-game record nine passes. When the smoke cleared, Katy had come away with a 90-8 victory over the Gators (0-10 at the Colosseum, er, Leonard E. Merrell Center.
"I was in the locker room cranking them up from the get-go," Wallace said of his pre-game state of mind. "I had so much energy, I had to let it go. It felt like two months to me; those three weeks felt like a year. I felt like I did six months of training. I was waiting. I was hungry."
Due to a bye week and two forfeitures, Katy had an unexpected midseason break. However, if there was rust, it wasn't evident against the outmanned Gators.
"The guys were pretty anxious to play again," said head coach Brian Blake. "Some were able to go home (during the break), some weren't. Some kind of hung out and did a lot of fishing. (Wide receiver Jason) Deml found a pond next to his apartment and he's been wearing it out.
"A lot of guys stuck around and worked out. They were very anxious to play and they really came out and played."
The Gators arrived in a charitable mood and gave until it hurt, throwing three picks that were returned for Copperhead touchdowns. Katy defensive back Greg Yeldell was a repeat offender, returning interceptions 19 and 23 yards for touchdowns.
"My eyes got really big," said Yeldell of the fluttering passes coming his way from a succession of ineffective Twin City passers. "(The quarterback)was really throwing it out there a couple times."

Yeldell said his twin returns for touchdowns ended a series of frustrating weeks.
"Everybody else was getting interceptions and I was like, 'Where's mine?'" Even worse, "every time I get an interception I fall on the ground," he said with a frustrated laugh. "I can never go and score a touchdown. I always fall on the ground."
Defensive back Andrew Higham had the other Katy interception return for a touchdown after he took a pick nine yards in the second quarter to give the hosts a 40-0 lead. In all, Yeldell and Lazell Kitchen each nabbed three interceptions, while Higham had two and Victor Malone added another. Linebacker LeBrandon Shepard added a nine-yard fumble return for a score to wrap up the defensive scoring for Katy.
Offensive scoring came in the form of two Marc Saldana-to-Deml scoring connections, three TD runs by running back Deven Rispress and another by fellow rusher Kerry Henderson.
Katy played before a crowd of 3,605, a record for the first-year Copperheads. Though many of those in attendance benefited from a ticket giveaway for Katy ISD employees, Blake credited a renewed effort to reach out to the community for the spike at the gate.
"We spent a lot of time on the road the last few weeks, so we wanted to get out and help the people remember that we were still here," he said. "We spent lot of time out in schools, sometimes 3-4 hours a day, talking at graduations, and I think it paid off. We didn't want anybody to forget us while we were out of town."
The victory overshadowed the possible exit of the Copperheads' best-known player, former NFL running back Bam Morris. Blake said the big back was held out for health reasons before casting doubt on whether he'd be wearing the Copperheads' colors again.
"You could say that," Blake said when asked if Morris had been saved for later in the season. "I wasn't too concerned about it. We didn't really need him. Actually, he spent a lot of time this week dealing with his agent, and he was tied up dealing with some of the things he needs to do to get certified to return to the NFL. I don't know if he'll be back with the team or not."
Katy will be off next week and play its next game at home June 24 against West Palm Beach.

The Katy Copperheads will play a 14 game schedule in 2006 consisting of seven home and seven away games. The remaining home games will be played in the Leonard E. Merrell Center on the following dates:

• Saturday, June 24th, 2006 (West Palm Beach)
• Monday, July 10th, 2006 (Home Playoff Game)
For more information please contact J. Ronald Oswalt, Director of Media Relations, at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

TheHulk

06-11-2006, 10:01 AM

I'm guessing that the Twin City Gators are a traveling team now? lol OMG Will somebody please stop the insanity!!!

ronaldoswalt

06-11-2006, 12:19 PM

yes but still real monroe gators --- i traveled with team to monroe earlier in the season ---- their kicker garcia played nfl and i recognized him and the other players

TheHulk

06-13-2006, 03:27 PM

Oh my goodness! The Twin City Gators still exist. I was just thinking....."Twin City" isn't that in Minnesota? (e.g. Minneapolis/St. Paul) What other city near Monroe is big enough to be called a city? lol

preeths

06-13-2006, 04:40 PM

Okay, the Gators apparently couldn't travel to face Arkansas last night, at least that's what an Arkansas rep told us yesterday. Is Twin City still alive, or did Katy pay to bring the Gators remnants in for their game Friday?

ronaldoswalt

06-13-2006, 07:16 PM

same team we played earlier in the year -- we have just improved --- but monroe civic center has their uniforms and they wore lake charles landshark old uniforms with gators on the chest ---- if you want a pic email me at oswalt1@houston.rr.com

preeths

06-13-2006, 07:51 PM

The players may still be together, at least most of them, but I have a feeling the old owners are not the ones paying the bills, if the Gators' bills are being paid.

preeths

06-13-2006, 07:55 PM

btw, tried your email and got a bounceback. I'd love to see the pics of the Gators you mention. Can you throw a link to them up on the board?

ronaldoswalt

06-13-2006, 08:09 PM

all katy copperhead pics this year are available at www.osportsphoto.com click under events also very cheap if you want any 8x10's don't buy from my site too expensive just email me about prices

ronaldoswalt

06-14-2006, 09:08 PM

i just reduced all pics for only 5.00 for the players --- 300 a game doesn't go very far --- it is open to all at www.osportsphoto.com

ronaldoswalt

06-15-2006, 05:23 PM

With postseason near, team facing few challenges
2006-06-15
By MIKE TENNEY

Houston Chronicle Correspondent

Either the Katy Copperheads are truly ready for the upcoming National Indoor Football League (NIFL) playoffs, or the competition is, simply, not especially competitive.

In the wake of Katy's 90-8 shellacking of the Twin City Gators of Monroe, La., Friday, maybe it's a little bit of both.

"We know there are a few teams struggling right now in the league and we're playing a couple of them right now, but it's not our job to feel sorry for those people once the whistle blows, and we don't," head coach Bryan Blake said. "We can't. If the situation was reversed, I don't think we'd get much sympathy."

The Copperheads were to play another down and out team, the West Palm Beach (Fla.) Phantoms, Sunday at 3 p.m., but that game has already officially been called a forfeit win for the Copperheads. That puts them at 10-3 on the year and now off until June 24, when they close out the year at home against the Phantoms.

Like the Gators (0-10), the Phantoms (2-7) are not at the top of their game. Still, they'll come into next Saturday night's game with momentum — sort of. West Palm Beach was the benefactor of a forfeit victory over the Phantoms, though the exact reason for the forfeiture is unclear.

It was one of three forfeits in the 22-team league last weekend with Lakeland (Fla.) earning a walkover win over Dayton and the Wyoming Calvary bypassing the Big Sky Thunder for a 'W' as well.

Though Blake's squad will have played one game in the last five weeks when West Palm Beach arrives, he's not especially worried. The Phantoms will not have played in nearly a month when they take the field next week in both teams' season finale. Furthermore, they average less than 20 points a game in the wide-open league, and their 1-4 road record isn't likely to improve after a long bus ride in from the Florida Coast.

"I dont think we'll have much trouble with them," said a confident Blake, whose big-play defense harvested 15 turnovers and four touchdowns against Twin City. "Our guys know what we have to do right now. We're a first-year team, but I don't feel like we're playing like one because we have some experienced veterans on the team and they know what playing in and playing for the big game is all about.

"Winning big just helps our confidence grow going into the playoffs because we know the playoffs will be a different game."

The coach said he will give his team a few days off this week before workouts resume for the season finale.

"It's important that the guys are fresh going into the last game and the playoffs," he said. "They've worked hard in practice and it's good for us that they've still got their legs under them going into the playoffs, which is really what we're playing for right now."

The Copperheads have the sixth-best record in the league, but third-best in the Pacific Division with Billings (11-1) and Rapid City (10-1) ahead of them.

ronaldoswalt

06-18-2006, 09:03 PM

Only 6 Days Till Last Regular Season Home Game --- Arrive Early To Tailgate And Stay Late For The Party

Gusher

06-18-2006, 10:17 PM

Well who will show up to play yall this week? Wait I did read somewhere the first 22 fans at the game gets a free pizza dinner after thier game.

ronaldoswalt

06-19-2006, 10:46 AM

if not i will have food at tailgate event --- are you and sportsnut coming over on saturday

ronaldoswalt

06-19-2006, 04:30 PM

Copperheads vs Twin City 6/9/06
By Dana Roark – HCN – Katy Sun

As the fourth quarter began for the Katy Copperheads last Friday against Twin City, coach Bryan Blake was starting to get nervous.

“We start off the games with 60 footballs,” Blake said. “It didn’t seem like that many were going into the stands. There are two cases with 30 balls in each one. In the fourth quarter we had only eight left.”

The Copperheads seemed headed for a possible standoff with their record crowd of close to 4,000 at the Merrell Center should they had run out of footballs. With 15 minutes to play the score was already 69-2 in favor of the playoff-bound Copperheads, in its first year as an expansion franchise.

The final score was 90-8. Team records were set for most points scored, points allowed in a single game, and single-game interceptions (nine).

“I really did expect this,” Blake said about the success of the franchise, which he is majority owner “We worked real hard and spent a lot of time in the tryouts and spent a lot of time recruiting these guys. They bust their butts every day in practice.

“It took us a while to get it cranked up but guys are rolling now at the right time.”

DB Greg Yeldell feasted in the flanks all night, picking off three of the passes, returning two of them for scores.

Darrick Wallace set the tone early when he took the opening kickoff just inside the goal and went 50 yards for a touchdown.

“I already felt it, I was in the lockerroom cranking it up from the get-go,” Wallace said. “I just had so much energy I just had to let it go. I love this game so much.”

Katy (10-3), now on a six-game winning streak, lit it up despite playing its first game since a 48-34 win at Beaumont May 20, and its first home contest since an April 30 game against Big Sky, that being a record 86-14 thrashing win at the time.

Twin City fell to 0-10.

“The guys were pretty anxious to play again,” Blake said. “I’m proud of the way they came out. I was worried about them being rusty. We had an extended layoff which we weren’t expecting.”

Other highlights from the Copperheads offensive barrage included a pair of touchdown pass receptions by Jason Deml and three touchdowns by running back Devin Rispress and two by Kerry Henderson.

Notably absent in the Copperheads mayhem was former NFL runningback Bam Morris who had a season-high 83 yards against Beaumont in the May 20 game.

“He has a lot of stuff going on now,” Blake explained. “Trying to get reinstated into the NFL. I honestly don’t know if he will be back with the team or not.”

Since the Beaumont game the Copperheads have had two bye weekends and a pair of forfeits. The latest forfeit comes Saturday as West Palm Beach has backed out of traveling to Katy due to unusual circumstances. The Phantoms have played all their games on the road this season due to a home arena agreement falling through before the season started.

The initial forfeit win came against the same Twin City unit May 27.

Blake was pleased with the turnout by the Katy fans.

“We’ve spent a lot of time while we were on the road the last few weeks and the bye weeks going to different places around here,” Blake said. “We have been spending three to four hours a day at the schools, meeting the kids and just talking to them.

“We didn’t want everybody to forget about us while we were out of town.”

Katy’s final regular season home game will be June 24 against the same West Palm Beach team. The Copperheads will open their first round game in the playoffs July 10 against either Beaumont or Wyoming.

Gusher

06-19-2006, 08:52 PM

if not i will have food at tailgate event --- are you and sportsnut coming over on saturday
Only If I am playing. We have a game here and who knows I might get my chance.

ronaldoswalt

06-21-2006, 05:52 PM

Bikini USA Models will be at tailgate event on saturday ---- go copperheads

ronaldoswalt

06-22-2006, 06:13 PM

Player Autograph Photo Giveaway and Fan Appreciation Night
2006-06-21
The 2006 National Indoor Football League Pacific South Division Champion Katy Copperheads are announcing details concerning their First Annual Fan Appreciation Day, hosted at the Merrell Center in Katy. The event will take place on Saturday, June 24 during the last regular season home game versus the West Palm Beach Phantoms at 7:05 p.m.

Copperhead Fan Appreciation Day will correspond with the Copperheads preparation for the 2006 NIFL playoffs. It will showcase a full slate of events, including autograph sessions with notable National Football League players during the on-field post game. Tailgating events, giveaways and early bird discounts at the Copperhead's on-site memorabilia and fan retail store will also be available. Discounted Items must be purchased before kickoff.

"This is our chance to show our Katy Copperheads and Professional Indoor Football fans that we appreciate their support," said Bryan Blake, Copperheads Owner & Head Coach. "Fan Appreciation Day is a colorful, fun way to spend part of the game, and I hope everyone takes some time to come by and enjoy the festivities."

Everyone who enters the doors will receive a free pair of Katy Copperhead Thunder Sticks. Also, the first 50 fans will receive a 2006 Copperhead Player Autographed Mini-Poster Photo courtesy of Regency Health Services. Another 50 fans will be selected during the game to receive collectable photos, also courtesy of the Katy Copperheads and Regency Health Services.

Katy Copperhead fans will have several chances at special t-shirt giveaways and other opportunities at the Merrell Center during the game. Katy Copperhead Players and cheerleaders will also be attending the pre game to greet and entertain fans prior to the game. The team will be reserving playoff seats for the July 10th game versus Wyoming or Beaumont. Fans who reserve their seats Saturday will receive a $5.00 discount on each adult ticket purchased.

The Katy Copperheads will play a 14 game schedule in 2006 consisting of seven home and seven away games. The remaining home games will be played in the Leonard E. Merrell Center on the following dates:

- Saturday, June 24th, 2006 (West Palm Beach)

- Monday, July 10th, 2006 (Home Playoff Game)

ronaldoswalt

06-23-2006, 11:43 AM

Hooters girls/Bikini USA working fan appreciation day

Katy, Texas - June 22, 2006 - It won't be a typical day for the Hooters Girls in Texas when they put down plates of Hooters hot wings and celery and pick up NIFL footballs. On June 24th the Hooters Girls, cooks and managers from surrounding Hooters locations will join the Katy Copperheads to celebrate the team's first divisional championship and help the team close out their home schedule.

Hooters is very involved with charities and organizations nationwide through HOO.C.E.F, the Hooters Community Endowment Fund. The fund was started in 1992 and has raised and contributed over 8 million dollars to major non-profit organizations like Make-A-Wish Foundation, the V Foundation for Cancer Research, American Diabetes Association, Special Olympics, Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Hooters of America, Inc. is the franchiser and operator of more than 400 Hooters restaurants in 46 states and 16 foreign countries. The first Hooters opened in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. Hooters is well known for its brand of food and fun, featuring a casual beach-theme atmosphere, a menu that features seafood, sandwiches and Hooters signature chicken wings, and service provided by the All-American cheerleaders, the Hooters Girls.

Bikini USA Models are also slated to appear at Fan Appreciation Day. Bikini USA is one of the top producers of model competitions Internationally and a distributor of promotional products by creating a market for customer loyalty and bringing creative products to our customers through our model clients' fan bases created by the marketing programs that we have implemented in the past five years.

They make it easy for their models clients to get exposed through all of the opportunities that they provide for them through their cable TV program, live modeling competitions, web-services and other film and live dates that we provide and give access through our business contacts which we find fun and creative way to explore.

Everyone who enters the doors will receive a free pair of Katy Copperhead Thunder Sticks. Also, the first 50 fans will receive a 2006 Copperhead Player Autographed Mini-Poster Photo courtesy of Regency Health Services. Another 50 fans will be selected during the game to receive collectable photos, also courtesy of the Katy Copperheads and Regency Health Services.

Katy Copperhead fans will have several chances at special t-shirt giveaways and other opportunities at the Merrell Center during the game. Katy Copperhead Players and cheerleaders will also be attending the pre game to greet and entertain fans prior to the game. The team will be reserving playoff seats for the July 10th game versus Wyoming or Beaumont. Fans who reserve their seats Saturday will receive a $5.00 discount on each adult ticket purchased.

ronaldoswalt

06-25-2006, 08:42 PM

Copperheads: Phantoms merely an illusion in Katy rout
Katy breaks record for winning margin in 132-3 blowout

By MIKE TENNEY
Chronicle Correspondent

Of all the bad teams in the National Indoor Football League (and there appear to be quite a few), the West Palm Beach Phantoms may be the worst.

While not standing a ghost of a chance to win or even score a touchdown, the Phantoms were fodder from the opening kickoff Saturday night on Fan Appreciation Night at the Leonard Merrell Center. Along the way, the Katy Copperheads wrapped up their first regular season of play with a record-breaking 132-3 victory over the Phantoms.

Yes that's 132-3. Katy is your winner.

"What can I say? I'm very proud of our defense," said Copperheads defensive coordinator Troy Esprit, who coached until the final seconds like his team was clinging to a two-point lead. "All night long, we were in the right place at the right time. Our pass rush was excellent. I thought we really kept the pressure on their quarterback. Our secondary covered well, resulting in a bunch of interceptions. I thought we controlled the line of scrimmage and any time you keep a team out of the end zone, you've got to be happy. I'm just very proud of these guys."

"In our first year, we're going to the playoffs and we set a record scoring points in a single game," said Copperheads defensive end Tommy Balom, who played at Texas Southern University and scored the last touchdown of the game when he recovered a fumbled kickoff in the end zone. "I don't know if you can ask much more from us as a team. Now we get to play a playoff game in Katy and we feel like we're ready. We've been playing real well lately, scoring a lot of points and shutting people down with our defense, so we feel like we're ready for the playoffs."

They sure looked ready Saturday night as Balom and linemates Anthony George and Matthew Beeler were in the Phantom backfield all night. That resulted in West Palm Beach quarterback Tommy Smith, who didn't have time to throw on more than two or three of his 31 attempts, completing nine short passes and throwing seven interceptions, four of which were returned for Katy touchdowns.

Victor Malone would have two of those in the second half for the Copperheads while Darrick Wallace and Greg Yeldell picked off and returned Smith's fourth and fifth passes of the game for scores, putting the Copperheads in front 20-0 with 1:52 left in the first period. In all, Katy scored 19 touchdowns and kicker Whitney Hillin, who electrified the crowd with his dancing at midfield during breaks, converted 16 point-after tries.

"That many touchdowns in a game has to be some kind of record as well," said Balom. "But I go into every game expecting my team to win and win big. I have thought of winning games by this score before. I really have."

The score became what it was by the Copperheads' scoring 21 points in the final 58 seconds of the game. They were already up 111-0 with just over a minute left when the Phantoms kicker, who wasn't listed on the roster, made an 18-yard field goal to end the shutout and whittle the deficit to 108 points with 57 seconds to play as a loud groan went up among the few hundred fans still remaining.

Copperhead quarterbacks Marc Saldana and Neal Sharma combined to go 9-of-15 passing for five touchdowns. Saldana was 4-of-7 for 87 yards and three touchdown passes while Sharma was 5-of-8 for 76 yards and two scoring throws.

D.J. Clay hauled in three of those scores while Jason Deml had the other two.

The team was also boosted by the play of former NFL star Bam Morris, who rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries. Morris reportedly had left the team, but it now appears he will be with the team for as long as they are in the playoffs.

"We feel like everybody's on the same page right now," said Balom. "And we've got some time to prepare for what lies ahead. I think we're all anxious to see, as a first-year team, what we can do in the playoffs."

The playoffs are the next obstacle for the Copperheads, who finish the NIFL regular season as the Pacific Conference South Division champions with an 11-3 mark and an eight-game winning streak.

They will hold their own version of "Monday Night Football" at the Leonard Merrell Center on July 10 when they host an NIFL first-round playoff against an opponent still to be determined.

Jones06balla

06-25-2006, 09:47 PM

Im a father of 2 boys, age 10 and 7, and we went to the coperhead game saturday night, our first time. We were given free tix and told about a "good family environemnt". It was 68-0 at the end of 3 quarters and katy dropped another 9 touchdowns on a team, which i have read on here in the last couple of hours, has been dead for over a month. My boys play football and basketball and one of the lessons i try to teach them is being a classy winner as well as a classy loser. my question in all this comes from katy's relentless desire to score. I have been to blowouts in other sports and there are lots of ways to run down the clock and keep from humilating an opponent, but they seemed to have no remorse and certainly no interest in any sort of camraderie between guys trying to live out the dream of getting another shot of playing football. It was an ugly display and both of my boys recognized it, which made me proud. We won't be back.

ronaldoswalt

06-26-2006, 10:08 AM

ronaldoswalt

06-26-2006, 10:11 AM

preeths

06-26-2006, 11:55 AM

Yes, but is there a point at which you don't throw the ball anymore? Is there a time when you take a knee, and shake the other guys' hands after each play?

phydeaux72

06-26-2006, 12:37 PM

I gotta agree with preeths and Jones06balla on this one. It was 68-0 at the end of the 3rd. Then Katy goes and scores almost as many points in the 4th quarter alone? That's just piss poor sportsmanship. They should have scored maybe one more touchdown, plus maybe a field goal just so they could say they had a productive 4th quarter, and then just sat on the ball and played defense for the remainder of the quarter.

Jones06balla, I'm not from Katy. And, I don't blame you for not wanting to go back. If I were you, I'd write to the team front office and see what kind of response you get back. But don't write them off all together just yet. Just a suggestion.

ronaldoswalt

06-26-2006, 01:27 PM

we never kicked fg's --- we never had a 4th down and our offense was hardly on the field our special teams and defense scored most of our points

phydeaux72

06-26-2006, 01:34 PM

we never kicked fg's --- we never had a 4th down and our offense was hardly on the field our special teams and defense scored most of our points

Yeah, but they didn't have to. Katy scored almost as many points in the 4th quarter as they did in the first 3 quarters combined. That is absolutely ridiculous against a semi-pro squad in the situation that Palm Beach is in. If the defense did most of the scoring, then they should have put the brakes on in the 4th quarter and showed some sportsmanship.

Everyone has their own philosophy on this, but that's my opinion.

fwp

06-26-2006, 01:38 PM

I'm just glad Lincoln is no longer associated with the highest scoring game. It turned into a real dud, as well. Lincoln was loaded when we beat the replacement team for the River City Renegades years back, 120-15.

No one likes to see a blow out, obviously. But, looking at the box score for Katy, you can certainly see that it wasn't necessarily Katy trying to run it up.

You have to give some quality snaps to the back ups, in particular the back up QB who doesn't get to see much time all year, and yet may be one snap away from being their playoff hope. Combine that with all the instant scores off of turnovers and kick returns and it just snowballs. Heck, if the opponent just gives up it's also tough to not score.

Unless you were at the game, you don't know how it played out. This has more to do with the last minute replacement teams that the NIFL has been putting together on a regular basis.

Katy's job is to get ready for the playoffs.

ronaldoswalt

06-26-2006, 01:46 PM

NIFL BLOWOUTS THIS SEASON

MAJOR POINTS AND BLOWOUTS THIS SEASON --- KATY IS NOT THE ONLY TEAM THAT LIKES TO SCORE IN 2006

Big Sky 8 6 0 6 20
Tri-Cities 21 39 21 21 102

Big Sky 0 0 0 0 0
Rapid City 38 6 0 17 61

Lincoln 0 0 6 0 6
Rapid City 15 33 34 20 102

Lincoln 0 0 0 8 8
Rapid City 20 24 22 24 90

Big Sky 6 0 0 0 6
Billings 14 28 20 15 77

Billings 21 14 7 13 55
Lincoln 0 6 0 0 6

Katy 3 7 14 20 44
Rapid City 12 32 10 30 84

Lincoln 0 6 0 6 12
Billings 20 21 10 29 80

Montgomery 6 0 0 6 12
Osceola 28 17 14 13 72

Big Sky 7 7 0 0 14
Katy 21 14 28 23 86

Twin City 6 8 0 0 14
Lakeland 22 14 24 28 88

Big Sky 8 6 0 6 20
Tri-Cities 21 39 21 21 102

Rapid City 14 30 20 18 82
Lincoln/St. Joes 7 7 7 0 21

Cincinnati 7 6 7 - 26
Fayetteville 9 21 12 - 70

Beaumont 0 0 6 6 12
Montgomery 14 13 17 21 65

Lincoln 0 6 0 0 6
Tri-Cities 35 29 25 28 117

Dayton 0 3 0 6 9
RiverCity 8 34 16 16 74

Palm Beach 0 0 0 0 0
Fayetteville 26 13 18 13 70

Tennessee 0 0 0 0 0
Cincinnati 9 30 14 29 82

Tennessee 6 8 0 0 14
Fayetteville 16 36 8 18 78

Twin City 0 2 0 6 8
Katy 27 21 21 21 90

Lincoln 0 0 0 6 6
RiverCity 22 34 24 34 114

Tennessee 0 6 0 0 6
Billings 23 42 20 24 109

Charleston 0 0 0 14 14
Fayetteville 14 22 24 14 74

Palm Beach 0 0 0 3 3
Katy 27 20 21 64 132

Tennessee 6 0 0 6 12
RiverCity 16 42 24 26 108

Lincoln 6 0 0 6 12
Wyoming 28 22 8 38 96

Montgomery 0 8 0 6 14
Fayetteville 6 28 20 14 68

Twin City 0 0 0 0 0
Beaumont 13 33 6 15 67

WEEK 2

fwp

06-26-2006, 01:50 PM

Well, now that I wouldn't consider a very good argument, copperheadsfan.

ronaldoswalt

06-26-2006, 01:55 PM

I Just Wanted To Show How Rivercity And Others Have Blown Out Others And Not Even A Post On This Site --- But It Was A Fluke Game And I Will Never See Another One Like It Again --- I Stopped Shooting Photos And Just Watched ---- It Was Like A Bad Car Wreck You Just Had To Stop And Look

preeths

06-26-2006, 02:13 PM

But you also showed that Katy scored 64 points in the fourth quarter. I believe the next highest fourth-quarter total was 38 by Wyoming. fwp is right, though, in that the biggest problem is the semipro replacement teams now regularly filling out the NIFL schedule. They have been absolutely no competition for professional indoor teams.

RageFan1

06-26-2006, 02:56 PM

Katy just wanted to set all time scoring record. And heck what better team then an expansion team. That would look really good. Uh i am teasing for all those that want to attack me. I saw the drives. Fumble-touchdown, fumble-touch down interception-touchdown. Was the PB qb handing off to a copperhead. Katy had more TOP in the 4th, so it was not like they were trying to score. Isn't indoor/arena football set up around scoring? They have bonuses for teams that average a certain amount per game. Most of the replacement players are playing both sides, and by the 4th they are spent. Put in second/third and they are fresh. Wonder how much sportmanship/assists/non showboating is in nba games?

ronaldoswalt

06-26-2006, 03:12 PM

what were we supposed to do pick up the fumble in the endxone run it out to the 1-yad line and then fumble it back to the phantoms

ronaldoswalt

06-26-2006, 11:44 PM

go to osportsphoto.com to view 132-3 scoreboard also current katy news at katyprofootball.com and copperheadfans.com

ronaldoswalt

06-27-2006, 11:24 AM

ronaldoswalt

06-27-2006, 11:42 AM

Minor league teams get a chilly reception
By CHRIS DABE, The Enterprise
06/26/2006
Email to a friendPrinter-friendly
BEAUMONT - One person calls it "an aluminum barn."

Others say the complex upon which it stands costs too much money. And another person is just plain tired of all of those stairs.

Those were some comments offered about Ford Arena in a recent Beaumont Enterprise on-line sports poll. The arena is home to two minor league professional sports teams: the Texas Wildcatters hockey team of the ECHL and the Beaumont Drillers of the National Indoor Football League.

Opened in 2003, the arena is part of the Ford Park complex, which has been subject to much ridicule. Approval for funding to build the complex was granted by the Jefferson County Commissioners Court without a public vote, which upset many residents.

Ford Park has since required $1.5 million in tax dollars per year to cover operating deficits. Because of that, some poll respondents said there are some people who refuse to attend events at the arena.

Second in a four-part series on minor league sports in Southeast Texas
Sunday: How minor league professional sports fit in Southeast Texas.
Today: The effect public opinion of Ford Park has on the pro teams that play there.
Tuesday: The possibility of a pro baseball team coming to Beaumont next year.
Wednesday: Exploring what has made minor league franchises successful in other cities.

Adam Saunders, the Director of Sales and Events at Ford Park, acknowledged this sentiment, but said he feels several people have warmed up to the facility.

"We have to look at the economic impact Ford Park has on the rest of the community," Saunders said.

Wildcatters owner Rick Adams said the only thing he could do to lure people to the arena is to provide an entertaining product.

"People have to look at this through a long-term situation," Adams said. "The quality of life in Southeast Texas improves with something like this here."

Jim Grinstead, editor and publisher of Revenues from Sports Venues, said the public's perception of an arena can affect how many people attend events there. He added that hard feelings generally subside over time.

"Oftentimes, there's a backlash, but it's typically not enough of a movement to affect the success of a building," Grinstead said. "The programming determines if people will attend events. Good programming and events are what drive people to a facility."

The arena has sold out for several concerts. Park officials said the complex generated $27 million in 2005 and $19 million in 2004 from out-of-town visitors to the park.

Grinstead said a building typically needs 150 events annually to break even financially. He said the busiest buildings schedule as many as 250 events.

Saunders said the Park's exhibit hall, pavilion and arena are in use between 220 and 240 days per year.

The Wildcatters drew an average of 1,969 fans during their most recent season, in 2004-2005. That total was the lowest in the ECHL.

The Wildcatters did not play last season, as the arena was used as a shelter after Hurricane Katrina. The club does, however, have a rent-free agreement to play at the arena for the next two years.

The Drillers don't announce attendance figures, but estimates are around 500 per game, although they drew 2,784 fans for their Saturday night regular-season finale due to a complimentary-ticket promotion.

One poll respondent said a lack of escalators at the arena made attending events there less enjoyable. Saunders said elevators are available for anyone to use.
cdabe@beaumontenterprise.com
(409) 880-0744

©The Beaumont Enterprise 2006

Reichert

06-27-2006, 12:36 PM

My only question regarding these types of routs is what happens to attendance if you see several of them in the same season like Katy has? The NIFL has done the Katy market and its fans a tremendous disservice by even having "games" like this where the result is pretty much determined in the first two minutes of the game.

ronaldoswalt

06-27-2006, 03:35 PM

IF YOU WANT A PIC OR 132-3 SCOREBOARD EMAIL ME AT oswalt1@houston.rr.com

ronaldoswalt

06-27-2006, 03:36 PM

sorry pic of 132-3 scoreboard only

ronaldoswalt

06-27-2006, 04:30 PM

Katy breaks NIFL scoring mark, other records

06/27/06 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL) Katy Copperheads
Katy, Texas - June 25, 2006 - Some nights a team can click on all cylinders and that was the case in the Copperheads 132-3 record setting win versus the West Palm Beach Phantoms at the Merrell Center last night. The 132 points breaks the NIFL record of 120 by the Lincoln Capitols versus the River City Renegades on June 29, 2002.

Yes that's 132-3. Katy is your winner and now after completion of its first season in existence turns its focus to the 2006 NIFL playoffs.

Many other records were broken in this scoring fest counting the point's record. Katy scored nine touchdowns the previous record was 17 in the Lexington Horsemen versus the Waco Marshals on Jun 26, 2004. Katy also attempted 18 PAT's which broke the record of 17. Whitney Hillin tied the league record of PAT's made in a game at 16. Darrick Wallace set a new mark with two missed field goals for touchdowns. The defense which dominated the Phantoms set a new NIFL record of four interceptions returned for touchdowns in one game. The defense also recovered seven fumbles for a new record.

"What can I say? I'm very proud of our defense," said Copperheads defensive coordinator Troy Esprit, who coached until the final seconds like his team was clinging to a two-point lead. "All night long, we were in the right place at the right time. Our pass rush was excellent. I thought we really kept the pressure on their quarterback. Our secondary covered well, resulting in a bunch of interceptions. I thought we controlled the line of scrimmage and any time you keep a team out of the end zone, you've got to be happy. I'm just very proud of these guys."

"In our first year, we're going to the playoffs and we set a record scoring points in a single game," said Copperheads defensive end Tommy Balom, who played at Texas Southern University and scored the last touchdown of the game when he recovered a fumbled kickoff in the end zone. "I don't know if you can ask much more from us as a team. Now we get to play a playoff game in Katy and we feel like we're ready. We've been playing real well lately, scoring a lot of points and shutting people down with our defense, so we feel like we're ready for the playoffs."

They sure looked ready Saturday night as Balom and line mates Anthony George and Matthew Beeler were in the Phantom backfield all night. That resulted in West Palm Beach quarterback Tommy Smith, who didn't have time to throw on more than two or three of his 31 attempts, completing nine short passes and throwing seven interceptions, four of which were returned for Katy touchdowns.

Victor Malone would have two of those in the second half for the Copperheads while Darrick Wallace and Greg Yeldell picked off and returned Smith's fourth and fifth passes of the game for scores, putting the Copperheads in front 20-0 with 1:52 left in the first period. In all, Katy scored 19 touchdowns and kicker Whitney Hillin, who electrified the crowd with his dancing at midfield during breaks, converted 16 point-after tries.

ronaldoswalt

06-28-2006, 07:36 PM

COPPERHEADFANS.COM THANKS TEXAS GREEN DREAMS FOR MVP AWARD

Katy, Texas – June 25, 2006 – The Katy Copperheads would like to thank Texas Green Dreams for their recent sponsorship of the Copperheads Game MVP.

Recent players to receive the award are John Whitehead (University of Southern Mississippi), Kailan Williams (Missouri State University), Greg Yeldell (University of Arkansas) and Victor Malone (University of Houston).

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Texas Green Dreams proudly serve Western Harris and Eastern Ft. Bend Counties. This includes West Houston, Bellaire, West University, Meyerland, River Oaks, Sugar Land, Stafford, Missouri City, Katy, The Heights, Memorial Villages, Bear Creek, Spring Branch, Copperfield, and the City of Richmond. If you are in or near any of these, Texas Green Dreams stands ready to care for you!

* Copperheads Next Game July 10 in NIFL Playoffs*

ronaldoswalt

06-29-2006, 12:52 AM

All teams want to end the season on a positive note, and to set 8 new NIFL records, the Copperheads did more than just end on a good note.

The Copperheads did not post much on the offensive side, other than 132 points... most of which were posted by their defense.

On the night Katy had seven interceptions, one sack, 3 fumble recoveries and 5 tackles for a loss.

Katy will look to continue their defensive dominance when they host a first round playoff game in July.

ronaldoswalt

06-29-2006, 12:32 PM

Lack of quality foes late, byes may mean playoff rust

By MIKE TENNEY
Houston Chronicle Correspondent

Bring on those National Indoor Football League playoff teams. Please.

After a month of facing incompetents allegedly from places like Bozeman, Mont., and West Palm Beach, Fla., the Katy Copperheads find out if they are pretenders or contenders in the NIFL when the playoffs begin with a home game Monday, July 10, at the Leonard Merrell Center.

"We're looking forward to that," said Copperheads defensive end Tommy Balom. "It will be a big day. The people of Katy and this organization deserve to have a chance to host a playoff game. They've supported us and I'm sure they'll be with us that night."

The Copperheads are coming off one of the worst slaughters in professional football history, most likely at any level, after their 132-3 dismantling of the West Palm Beach Phantoms last Saturday.

The Phantoms actually looked like they might make a game of it, trailing just 7-0 with four minutes to go in the first period and picking off a Copperheads pass in the end zone to halt a scoring threat. However, from there, it was all home team.

Few worthy foes
Katy defensive coordinator Troy Esprit said the coaches are a tad worried about whether the recent inferior competition has hurt the team's preparation for the upcoming playoffs.

"We've talked about that," he said, "and we are aware that we haven't played some of the top teams in this league in the past few weeks, but we've had some real intense practices to counter that. Our players have really been working hard and really getting after each other, so we think the intense workouts we've been holding will help us to prepare for the playoffs."

Playoff foe uncertain
Their first-round competition will either be Beaumont or Wyoming. Geographically for the league, it would make more sense to have Beaumont play Katy and have Wyoming travel to Tri-Cities in Washington state in the first-round; with expenses always a concern in the NIFL, that may be the way things shake out. Still, the bracket is set up for the third seed, Katy, to play the sixth seed, and the fourth seed, Tri-Cities, to play the fifth seed.

One thing is for sure: no team in the NIFL enters the playoffs hotter than the Copperheads, who finish up 11-3 and take a seven-game win streak into the postseason. They have topped the 60-point mark in all but one of those games while giving up few points or big plays. As evidence of their defensive prowess, the Copperheads have had an amazing 19 interceptions in the past two games while holding the Phantoms to 52 yards of total offense on 52 plays from scrimmage, or just one yard gained every time they snapped the ball.

Best yet to come?
"I still don't think we've played our best game," said Esprit, "and as coaches we'll probably never be satisfied, but the guys are playing very well. The pass rush we're getting is helping us get those interceptions and the guys know that. They're working together and the results have been fun to watch."

Balom said he and his posse on defense strive for perfection every game, and coming close to a shutout like they did last Saturday will give them that much more incentive.

"We challenge each other every day in practice," he said. "We challenge each other before every game to play as hard and as well as we can. Right now we're playing well."

With the NIFL playoffs right around the corner, the timing could not be more perfect.

ronaldoswalt

07-04-2006, 01:52 PM

Ineligible Players; League Rules Forfeit: Maulers Advance to Play-offs

(MONTGOMERY, AL) It was announced earlier today via a conference call that the Montgomery Maulers perceived 39-28 loss, this past weekend in Charleston versus the SandSharks, has been ruled a forfeit in Maulers favor by the National Indoor Football League (NIFL) and that Montgomery will advance to the 2006 NIFL Play-offs. The Maulers will be represented as the sixth/final seed of the Atlantic Conference (AC).

The Maulers (7-7) trailed the SandSharks by a half game heading into Saturday’s contest at the North Charleston Coliseum in South Carolina, heightening the importance surrounding the night’s match-up. The outcome of the game would decide which team would occupy the final play-off spot of the AC and which team would end their season and look to re-group in 2007. The Maulers had defeated the SandSharks, 42-30, earlier in the season, at the Garret Coliseum in Montgomery.

Despite the scoreboard recognizing the SandSharks as the winners of Saturday’s game, the Maulers later learned that they were at a slight disadvantage Saturday night.

Before the Mauler/SandShark contest Saturday night, Charleston’s General Manager, Al Bannister, publicized that the SandSharks franchise would not be participating in the play-offs even if they prevailed victorious in the night’s game, and instead will look to rebuild for the 2007 season.

Both the Maulers organization and the NIFL found it bizarre that a team would pass up a play-off opportunity. On Sunday, however, perhaps the real reason behind Bannister’s remarks was revealed, when the League confirmed that Charleston’s roster Saturday night included at least six ineligible players. The use of ineligible players is a NIFL rule infraction that immediately disqualifies a team’s eligibility for play-offs.

The uncovering of Charleston’s perceived use of ineligible players began prior to Saturday’s game, when Mauler Head Coach Michael Mink, notified the NIFL questioning some of the players that were listed on the SandSharks 25-man roster.

“I was looking over their roster and I didn’t recognize a lot of the names. I went through some of Charleston’s past player participation reports and saw that many of the guys weren’t listed…And the roster they submitted when they played us in Montgomery [on June 12], was a completely different team,” said Mink. “I kept thinking, where did these guys come from and thought it was worth checking on.”

Mink’s research paid off. The Maulers were notified via email by a League official on Sunday night that at least six of Charleston players were in fact ineligible for Saturday’s contest. It is required by the NIFL, that each team must submit a 30-man frozen roster in the opening weeks of June, and specifies that only the players listed on the roster are eligible to participate in the final games of the regular season and in play-off competition.

In addition to Charleston using illegal players, the NIFL website acknowledges that Charleston also failed to carry out some operational requirements (submission of individual and team statistics); fulfilling these requirements, is mandatory by the League in order to be considered eligible for play-offs.

Maulers General Manager John Morris praised the league for their promptness and efficiency. “[NIFL President] Carolyn Shiver and the rest of the league really handled this professionally and quickly. Our guys were at a complete disadvantage Saturday night. [Charleston] had essentially loaded up for that game…we had no game film on these guys and saw honestly saw a team that prior to that game, never existed,” said Morris.

It has not be disclosed where the new players came from that filled out Charleston’s roster, but Morris said he is pleased that the league responded the way they did and thrilled that Montgomery gets what he deems a well deserved shot in the play-offs.

“Our guys deserve to make the play-offs. We started the season at 1-5 and were able to turn it around…Now we’re heading into play-offs at 7-7. I’m proud of the guys and their class they played with this past weekend. It was definitely frustrating to be playing at a disadvantage, but they hung in there and now they are getting what they deserve, the opportunity to advance,” said Morris.

Charleston finished their inaugural season at 7-7.

The Maulers will travel to the Lakeland Center in Lakeland, FL this Saturday to take on the Atlantic Conference number three seed, the Lakeland Thunderbolts (12-1). Kick-off for Saturday’s game is set for 7:00 PM.

fwp

07-04-2006, 02:01 PM

I respect what the new ownership group has done for the Maulers. They actually saved their team from completely disappearing.

On the other hand, this "release" is the kind of thing that ticks me off. Complete fluff, complete absolute horse hockey. Sounds like the excuse that the NIFL made up last year to kick the Daytona Beach Hawgs out of the playoffs.

If it were believable that would be one thing. On the other hand, since the league has been making every overture for some time that they weren't going to let Charleston into the playoffs it looks like another "made up" story from the NIFL.

Heck, I remember instances where the league blatantly let teams violate that rule before. The Rage should remember when Omaha came down that way a few years ago. Frozen roster be damned, they showed up with a variety of ex-NIFL all stars that magically became part of their roster. The Omaha paper even had an article interviewing the Omaha Coach and front office stating that they were adding the players despite being too late.

Later, the NIFL came out with an "official" statement that they had the "wrong frozen roster" from Omaha and that the additions were Ok.

GTDREW

07-04-2006, 02:44 PM

It does not surprise me a bit what the league office does or does not do. The real responsibility comes down to the owners and how they handle situations. I fault the sharks for not turning in stats as it hurt everyone they played including the Guard. As and example, Perry had about 150 yards rushing in the one game and I think 5 TD's that will never get recorded. Other teams also had the same situation I am sure.

What really gets under my skin is the idea of not playing games and teams getting forfeit wins. We had one game like that (WPB) who would not make their commitment. A replacement team came in and that is fine, but I feel too many forfeits happened this year.

preeths

07-04-2006, 05:42 PM

How do Katy fans feel about Beaumont winning the division title? If you look at the playoff scenarios right now on the NIFL site (http://www.niflfootball.com/06playoffs.htm) (http://www.niflfootball.com/06playoffs.htm%29), you'll see Katy in bold as a division winner. Sometime between Friday and today, the league changed its mind and Beaumont is now the division winner and will host Katy in the playoffs.

BTW, here are the playoff tiebreakers as listed on the NIFL site:
1. Head to Head Record (best won-lost-tied percentage in games played among the Teams).
2. Best won-loss-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-loss-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Best combined ranking, among conference teams, in points scored and points allowed.
6. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
7. Best net points in common games.
8. Best net points in all games.
9. A coin toss.

ronaldoswalt

07-04-2006, 07:26 PM

here's the truth --- the merrell center already had all saturday's booked in july --- ticket sales for monday's game was poor --- also center wanted more than triple the normal amount to host the event --- it is cheaper to go to beaumont than to pay triple normal arena fees --

Katy is still champs of southern division and it is crap that beaumont made the post and release on them being champs --- it is a lie and this is the truth

ronaldoswalt

07-04-2006, 07:28 PM

Katy, Texas - July 4, 2006 - The Katy Copperheads regrettably announce today that they will move their home playoff game to Beaumont at Ford Arena. The Pacific South Division Champions were slated to originally host the game on July 10, 2006 at the Merrell Center.

The July 10, 2006 date was to be the Copperheads version of "Monday Night Football" at the Leonard Merrell Center. However, issues with the venue made it difficult for the Copperheads to have a home playoff date. The Merrell Center has booked every weekend date in July and slow ticket sales for the Monday game prompted this decision.

Copperheads Head Coach Bryan Blake said, "I hate that we are not going to be able to host our first playoff game. The KISD & Merrell Center have been great to work with this entire season, but the playoffs are a totally different issue. The bottom line is that League officials felt the Monday game scenario would not work financially in my favor."

Despite the playoff venue change, the Copperheads plan on being in Katy, and calling the Merrell Center home next season. "We have one of, if not the best facility in the league. I have no intentions on moving this team." Owner / Head Coach Bryan Blake said.

The Copperheads appreciate the support of the Katy community and its fans during the 2006 inaugural season. In appreciation, all Copperhead fans that attend the Saturday July 8 game will receive free tickets at Ford Arena in Beaumont.

For directions and information visit the Copperheads team site at www.katyprofootball.com or the Drillers team site at www.getdrilled.com.

OutlawsFan

07-04-2006, 07:52 PM

Wow, you guys got screwed. For Beaumont to be called division champs is ridiculous.

PIONEERSFAN101

07-04-2006, 08:48 PM

For the NIFL to actually still be existing is ridiculous.

ronaldoswalt

07-04-2006, 09:08 PM

its only 1 hour to beaumont --- it's cheaper than the merrell center --- but for beaumont to claim they are divsion champs is the supidest shi# i have ever seen --- don't be surprised to see the Houston Copperheads next season --- the merrell center has gone from a unknown facility to being respected since the copperheads --- the whole issue stinks like shi#

preeths

07-05-2006, 12:20 AM

Why would the Merrell Center triple the rent for an unsold Monday night? Especially to a good customer like the Copperheads? I can understand ticket sales being slow, but it's difficult to fathom why the arena would make such a move.

sportznut

07-05-2006, 08:57 AM

This is how it was explained to me..... And it was explained to me after Katy came to us the first time...... During league meetings, it was aparently agreed on that if the some divisons teams had to play each other more then once, That only the first 2 home games for each matchup would count towards the division, All other games would count towards a conference matchup... So, Katy won by 7 in the first meeting and Beaumont won by 11 in the second, that gave beaumont a +4 point differential after they split, they both ended up 5-1 in divisional play... That is how they are coming up with who won the division......

Now know that in ALL other sports, with the exception of HS and College sports, a division is won by who had the best overall record. I was told that is not how the NiFL is set up just for tie breaker purposes...

preeths

07-05-2006, 12:08 PM

Unfortunately, that just isn't so, sportznut, and I'm afraid that whoever you talked to is trying to revise history. According to the tie-breakers listed on the NIFL site at http://www.niflfootball.com/06playoffs.htm, head to head record is the first tie-breaker. If we somehow throw out overall records, Katy still takes the division. Even if the third game between the Copperheads and Drillers was not a division game, it was still a league game, and Katy beat Beaumont and thus owns a 2-1 advantage in head to head matchups. Katy wins the first tie-breaker.

sportznut

07-05-2006, 03:54 PM

am not saying it is right, It is just what i was told

preeths

07-05-2006, 04:02 PM

I believe that's what you were told, and I think Beaumont was also told what they released. Still, there's no way for them to have won the division title based upon the NIFL's own tie-breaking criteria, let alone team records.

ronaldoswalt

07-05-2006, 04:05 PM

katy is the 2006 pacific conference south division champions --- beaumont just benefits from the merrell center

ronaldoswalt

07-06-2006, 03:08 PM

STAY IN BEAUMONT AND CELEBRATE A COPPERHEADS WIN

Copperheads Ready for Drillers in Playoffs
Katy, Texas --- July 6, 2006 --- Stay in Beaumont and celebrate another Copperheads victory and skip the drive home after the game. The Katy Copperheads have negotiated special rates in Beaumont at the Hampton Inn. The Hampton Inn is located at 3795 IH-10 South in Beaumont and is located near the Ford Arena.
The team has negotiated a special $75.00 rate, to receive this special rate you must mention the Beaumont Summer Blast Special Rate.
The Katy Copperheads will match up against rival Beaumont Drillers at the Ford Arena on Saturday July 8, 2006 at 7:05 p.m. The Pacific South Division Champions were slated to originally host the game on July 10, 2006 at the Merrell Center.
We also had an event in Beaumont earlier in the season on May 6 which resulted in a 48-34 Copperheads win.
The Copperheads are currently the Pacific Conference South Division Champions with an 11-3 record. This game should be a one and done event for those Drillers.
To receive free playoff tickets go to the ticket booth at the Ford Arena in Beaumont and request Copperhead Seating. Tickets will be set aside for Katy fans in special sections.
Below is the attached coupon:
Beaumont Summer Blast Special Rate: Rate: $75.00 Sgl/Dbl - Includes Complimentary breakfast with hot items, eggs, sausage, biscuits, etc. When making reservations, ask for the Beaumont Summer Blast Rate. Offer not valid Mon. - Thurs. Rate based on availability and only offered for weekends Fri/Sat/Sun. You must present this upon check in

For more information please contact J. Ronald Oswalt at oswalt1@houston.rr.com.

GTDREW

07-06-2006, 04:31 PM

I hope you guys get treated right over at their arena. Typically, visiting team seats are endzone, nosebleed, corners. I am speaking from experience from the three away games I attended this year for the Guard. Last year was no better as Rome had us seats above the goal post at one end and you could not even see from the 15 yard line to our end. Good luck this weekend and should you make it to Montana, beat those guys too, we would love to have ya'll in NC for the finals.

ronaldoswalt

07-06-2006, 07:02 PM

By MIKE TENNEY
Chronicle Correspondent

For the Katy Copperheads, earning a playoff berth in the team's first season was something to get excited about.

Getting to host an opening-round NIFL playoff opener was icing on the cake. Unfortunately, the Copperheads (11-3) — as well as their fans — won't get to taste it.

Due to scheduling conflicts at the Merrell Center that forced Katy's playoff opener to be scheduled for Monday, followed by lukewarm ticket sales for the weeknight game, the team announced Tuesday night that the game has been moved to Ford Arena in Beaumont, where they'll face the host Drillers for the fourth time this season.

The league's decision to move the game to Beaumont was made before Wyoming's 55-42 victory over Rapid City which gave the Calvary the sixth seed in the postseason.

The game will be played Saturday at 7:05 p.m..

"I hate that we are not going to be able to host our first playoff game," said head coach Bryan Blake in a team release. "The KISD and Merrell Center have been great to work with this entire season, but the playoffs are a totally different issue. The bottom line is that league officials felt the Monday game scenario would not work financially in my favor."

Despite the move, Blake was careful to assure fans that the Copperheads aren't looking for a new home.

"We have one of, if not the best, facilities in the league," he said. "I have no intentions on moving this team."

As a way of trying to cushion the blow to fans, Blake announced that any Copperheads fans who make the trip to Beaumont would receive free tickets to the game. To receive free tickets, go to the ticket booth at Ford Arena in Beaumont and request Copperhead seating. Tickets will be set aside for Katy fans in special sections.

The Calvary's win gave Wyoming a tie with Beaumont for the fifth seed in the conference at 8-6. However, Wyoming won the tiebreaker for the fifth seed because they defeated the Drillers 62-59 in their sole head-to-head matchup this season.

That means Wyoming will go to Spokane, Wash., to play the defending NIFL champion Tri-Cities Fever (9-5) in the other Pacific Division first-round playoff game Monday night.

Billings (13-1) and Rapid City (11-2) have already clinched first-round byes and host the second-round winners.

Though the Drillers are no secret to Katy, defensive coordinator Troy Esprit said the team's opponent is of little consequence.

"It doesn't matter who we're playing in the playoffs because I think we're ready," said Esprit. "We know we're going to be playing a good team and we need to play a good game. I don't really think there's anything else for us to prove to ourselves other than the fact that we can win in the playoffs. That's really our next challenge as a team."

The Copperheads have certainly looked ready in their last two games at the Merrell Center, having destroyed the homeless Twin City Gators of Monroe, La., and West Palm Beach (Fla.) Phantoms by a combined 222-11 count.

They also have won seven straight games entering the NIFL playoffs. Only the Pacific Conference Northern Division champion Billings Football out of Montana, the top seed in the Pacific Conference, have a longer streak with 10 consecutive victories entering the postseason.

For their impressive efforts, the Copperheads claimed the Pacific Conference's South Division crown in their first-ever season.

In the Atlantic Conference, things are much clearer after a ruling made Tuesday night that made the Montgomery (Ala.) Maulers (7-7) eligible as the sixth seed. League bylaws stipulate that teams must turn in statistics on a game-by-game basis and franchises failing to do so are not eligible for the playoffs. As of last Friday, the league office had not received the Maulers' statistics.

However, this infraction was overlooked when the league discovered that the Maulers had been defeated by a team using ineligible players, the Charleston (S.C.) SandSharks (7-7), last weekend. The SandSharks had themselves not been turning in their statistics in a timely manner, further aggravating their status.

Montgomery's sweep of Charleston this season, including a 42-30 victory in Alabama earlier this season, gave the Maulers the edge.

The Lakeland (Fla.) Thunderbolts (12-2), the Atlantic Division's third seed, host the Maulers Monday night as the sixth seed, while the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup will have the Cincinnati Marshals (8-6) at the Osceola (Fla.) Football (8-6).

The Fayetteville (N.C.) Guard (13-1) and River City Rage (12-2, of St. Louis, Mo.) have earned first-round byes to complete the NIFL playoff picture.

The NIFL Pacific and Atlantic Conference champions will meet the weekend of July 29-30 at a site to be determined for the NIFL championship.

"We'd like to be playing in that game if it's possible," said Blake. "As a first-year team in this league, we'd just like to have a shot at it."

ronaldoswalt

07-06-2006, 07:11 PM

pre game notes from texas sports radio network

KATY vs. BEAUMONT – Pacific Conference First Round
(2006 Regular Season) Katy is 2-1

March 11 – Katy beats Beaumont in Katy in Week 1 (47-40)
April 1 – Beaumont defeats Katy in Beaumont in Week 4 (53-42)
May 20 – Katy beats Beaumont in Beaumont in Week 11 (48-34)

STATS in the 3 Meetings

KATY
Saldana – 24/49 252yds 5/4 64.32
Morris – 32-159yds 4TD
Deml – 8-133yds 4TD
Whitehead – 12-170yds 1TD
Wallace – 7-95yds 3TD
Yeldell – 2 INT
Malone – 1 INT

BEAUMONT
Scott – 43/77 476yds 3/3 71.13
Hayes – 39-105yds 5TD
Palmer – 9-142yds 1TD
Hayes – 6-68yds
Luttrull – 10-54yds
Davis, Manning – 2 INT
Paul – 1 INT

ACROSS the NIFL – The 2006 Season is finally complete with more black eyes hitting the league this season then one cares to count. Teams folding, teams not able to secure a venue for their home games, which in turn caused many games to be decided via forfeit. The Katy/Beaumont playoff game was to take place at the Merrell Center in Katy on Monday, July 10, but with poor ticket sales and operating costs of the arena, the teams and the NIFL chose to play the game at Ford Park in Beaumont.

First Round Playoff Games – River City, Fayetteville, Billings and Rapid City have byes.

Atlantic Conference - #3 Lakeland vs. #6 Montgomery , #4 Osceola vs. #5 Cincinnati
Pacific Conference - #3 Katy vs. #6 Beaumont , #4 Tri-Cities vs. #5 Wyoming

ronaldoswalt

07-06-2006, 07:16 PM

Are you sure you are the champs
Already a lock for the playoffs, the NIFL decided to allow Beaumont a home playoff game hosting the Katy Copperheads on Saturday, July 8 at 7:05 p.m. inside Ford Arena. The Drillers were originally scheduled to play their first playoff game on the road.
The NIFL also awarded the Beaumont Drillers a Pacific South Division Championship. Katy had a better overall record, 11-3 compared to 8-6, but both teams were tied at 6-1 in the division standings. Beaumont and Katy played three games, but the third game was not counted as a division game.
With that in mind, Beaumont wins the tie-breaker over Katy with +3 points, head-to-head. Katy defeated Beaumont in the first meeting 48-40 but Beaumont returned the favor weeks later defeating their rivals 53-42.
The Beaumont Drillers are the NIFL Pacific South Champions and will host Katy this Saturday night.

Gusher

07-06-2006, 07:27 PM

Looks good to me.

ronaldoswalt

07-06-2006, 07:29 PM

you started drinking early today didn't you---wait till saturday at the tailgate

Gusher

07-06-2006, 08:34 PM

Hey be sure to bring those South Div Champs shirts with you. I have Driller's stickers that the league just sent us to put on top of the Katy part.

sportznut

07-07-2006, 12:24 AM

As of last night..... ONLY 1500 seats left available for the game... get them while they are hot, and they are hot... Our building holds 8000

preeths

07-07-2006, 12:51 AM

Free tickets should be hot. Keep in mind they distributed 5000 freebies last week and had a crowd of less than 3000. Don't be surprised if far less than 6500 seats are filled.

sportznut

07-07-2006, 01:07 AM

Katy should be bringing in 400-500 fans atleast

sportznut

07-07-2006, 01:08 AM

But Preeths... That is still better then the 300-500 size crowds we have had all season

ronaldoswalt

07-07-2006, 09:28 AM

you better set aside a few for me as a backup --- your friend that has your back in katy --- hahahaha

ronaldoswalt

07-07-2006, 09:41 AM

THIS IS TO CLEAR UP THE LIES BEING TOLD IN BEAUMONT --- THIS IS DIRECTLY FROM WWW.NIFLFOOTBALL.COM
Congratulations to the following Division Champions

ATLANTIC NORTH CHAMPIONS
RiverCity Rage

ATLANTIC EAST CHAMPIONS
Fayetteville Guard

ATLANTIC SOUTH DIVISION
Lakeland Thunderbolts

PACIFIC NORTH CHAMPIONS
Billings Outlaws

PACIFIC WEST CHAMPIONS
Rapid City Flying Aces

PACIFIC SOUTH CHAMPIONS
Katy Copperheads
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2006 Playoffs... Who Will Be Crowned NIFL VI Champions

Atlantic Conference

1. RiverCity Rage
2. Fayetteville Guard
3. Lakeland Thunderbolts
4. Osceola Football
5. Cincinnati Marshals
6. Montgomery Maulers

Pacific Conference

1. Billings Outlaws
2. Rapid City Flying Aces
3. Katy Copperheads
4. Tri-Cities Fever
5. Wyoming Cavalry
6. Beaumont Drillers

preeths

07-07-2006, 12:29 PM

sportznut, it's better looking, but is it better for the bottom line?

Gusher

07-07-2006, 08:44 PM

Sure helps with media coverage, sponsers see butts int the seats, fans get a taste of what they had been missing, players get to play in front of a big crowd, Sure helps with concession sales, plus may open up alot of new fans/sponsers.

preeths

07-08-2006, 12:03 PM

It's possible it will help. My big concern is that once you give that many tickets away, people expect them for free. At least the Drillers are trying everything they can to make it work in Beaumont.

ronaldoswalt

07-09-2006, 09:01 PM

Copperheads: Katy improvises, hustles past Beaumont
Shift to road playoff game doesn't faze Copperheads

By JEREMY RAKES
Chronicle Correspondent

BEAUMONT — Katy opened its inaugural 2006 season with a win over Beaumont, and just a few months later, the Copperheads ended the Drillers' 2006 season with a 55-21 thrashing Saturday night at Ford Arena in the first round of the NIFL playoffs.

In a game that was moved from Katy's Merrell Center due to lackluster ticket sales, the Copperheads showed no ill effects of not playing at home. Katy (12-3) moves on to play the Rapid City Flying Aces next week in South Dakota.

"We played pretty well considering we've been off for three weeks," said Katy quarterback Marc Saldana, who finished 14-of-30 for 209 yards and three touchdowns. "We were kind of sluggish the first half, but the second half we came out and played good football."

The Copperheads turned a 19-point lead at the half into a 34-point blowout by not allowing the Drillers a point in the third quarter and most of the fourth. Meantime, Katy posted a 10-yard touchdown pass from Marc Saldana to Darrick Wallace to cap an 8-play, 48-yard drive. The score with 8:09 left in the third extended Katy's lead to 39-13.

Another Saldana-to-Wallace connection a minute into the fourth quarter extended the lead to 46-13. After a Whitney Hillin field goal, the Copperhead defense sacked Beaumont's Albert Bradley, forcing a fumble and allowing Anthony George to fall on the ball in the end zone for Katy's final score.

Bradley connected for a touchdown pass with 3:34 left in the game for Beaumont's final score, but the Katy faithful who made the trip were already celebrating in the stands.

"I just wanted to play ball tonight and keep that intensity level high and contribute my part," said Wallace, who caught 10 passes for 152 yards and three scores. "We set out to have a strong finish this season, and that's what we are doing. Everybody is doing their part. We knew we were going to start the season a little sluggish, but we wanted to end it strong."

Katy took the lead 13 seconds in when Wallace took the opening kickoff 45 yards back, but Whitney Hillin's extra point missed to give the Copperheads just a 6-0 lead. Beaumont (8-7) answered with a 50-yard return by Roland Hayes to give the Drillers a 7-6 lead 29 seconds into the opening quarter.

The Copperheads settled down and took the lead back with Sammy Knight's 25-yard touchdown run with 13:32 left in the first quarter. After Kailan Williams picked off Gary Cooper, Saldana found Wallace for a 28-yard touchdown pass, but Hillin's extra point missed, and the Copperheads' lead was only 19-7 with 11:19 left in the opening quarter.

"We had three running backs, but Bam and Devin couldn't play tonight, so they put me in there, and I stepped up," said Knight, who has been one of the team's fiercest defenders from his position in the Copperheads secondary this season. He finished with 74 yards on 14 carries.

After Jonathan Edmond recovered a Driller fumble, Katy had a chance to put Beaumont away early, but Saldana was picked off by Beaumont's Shane Winchester. Cooper found Pat Palmer for a 9-yard touchdown, but the extra point missed.

Katy added two Hillin field goals to up their lead to 25-13 before Sammy Knight finished the half with a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Copperheads a 32-13 lead.

"Offense is coming around," head coach Bryan Blake said. "We practiced without Bam (Morris) all week knowing we weren't going to have the power running attack that we normally have. We put Sammy in the backfield and used his speed, and that worked out good for us.

"Marc had a good week at practice, and we broke down the film the last time we played them and broke down their defense, so we were able to exploit them. I think overall, the guys played well together."

Saldana finished 14-of-30 for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Knight finished with 74 yards on 14 carries, and Wallace caught 10 passes for 152 yards and three scores.

In a scary moment, injured Katy running back Devin Rispress, who was sitting out the game after suffering a concussion in last week's win, had a seizure and collapsed on the sidelines with 58 seconds remaining in the first quarter. He was responsive when he was taken by stretcher off the field and taken to a Beaumont hospital for tests.

sportznut

07-09-2006, 10:39 PM

The player had his siezure right next to us, We had to get the attention of security and the players on the bench because the player fell right out of the bench area and no one saw him because the game action was still going on.....IT truely was one of the most scariest moments i have had at a sporting event!

ronaldoswalt

07-09-2006, 11:05 PM

yes scary moment but the time ford arena staff reacted very sloooooooooooooow i could have driven him to houston area hospital quicker

ronaldoswalt

07-10-2006, 02:38 PM

email me at oswalt1@houston.rr.com to get free pic of katy's 55-21 win on scoreboard with best in texas and division champs inscription

ronaldoswalt

07-10-2006, 02:43 PM

Copperheads: Defense leads the way once again
Katy stops Beaumont in its tracks in 55-21 win

By JEREMY RAKES
Chronicle Correspondent

BEAUMONT — After demolishing their last two regular-season opponents, the members of the Katy Copperhead defense wanted to show the rest of the league that the team could stop teams with a little more to play for than West Palm Beach and Monroe did.

They did that in fine fashion Saturday at Ford Arena after a 55-21 victory over Beaumont in the teams' first-round playoff game.

The Copperheads had allowed just 11 total points in their last two games of the regular season, and Katy proved to the Drillers those last two games weren't flukes, holding Beaumont to less than 100 total yards, while limiting the offense to just 21 points and eight first downs.

"We just wanted to show everybody that those last two games where we gave up 11 points weren't just against chump teams," said defensive lineman Tommy Balom, who recovered a fumble in the game. "We came out here ready to play. We've been practicing hard, and we played that way."

The Copperhead defense kept the Drillers' quarterbacks to a combined 7-of-21 for 100 yards as Beaumont passer Gary Cooper threw three interceptions.

Still, it wasn't just in the air where the Drillers couldn't get anything going. On the ground, the Drillers fumbled 10 times, though they contained the damage somewhat by losing just four of them. And when Beaumont wasn't fumbling, it wasn't gaining many yards. Roland Hayes led the Driller running attack with six yards on six carries.

For Katy, knowing the enemy played a part in the success.

"We played them three times already," said linebacker Kailan Williams, who had an interception. "This was the fourth time playing them, so we knew them, and they knew us. It's a rival game, not necessarily bad blood between the players, but there is definitely top-notch competition.

"Defense is the hitting side of the ball, so we definitely wanted to step it up on that side of the ball and be more aggressive. Our game plan was pretty much the same as it has been. We just wanted to step it up."

If the turnovers weren't enough for the Drillers, Katy stopped Beaumont three times on fourth down in the second half, leading to Beaumont going scoreless for all of the third quarter and the first 11 and a half minutes of the fourth. Two fourth-down stops came early in the third quarter when Beaumont still was within striking distance of making a stop.

One stop came on fourth and goal from the 2-yard line when the Copperheads forced an incomplete pass by Cooper. Another came on Beaumont's first drive of the second half, when the Katy defense stopped Hayes on a fourth down and four at the Katy 5.

The offense turned the turnovers into 20 points.

"Defense has been much better from the beginning of the year until now," said Katy head coach Bryan Blake. "The defense has carried us some these last few games. At halftime they had only 23 yards on us. I'm proud of the whole team, but I'm proud of the defense for turning their season around.

"At the beginning of the year, teams were beating on us. Now, we are stopping them, and I think that's the biggest difference for us now. Defense was the reason we won that game."

ronaldoswalt

07-10-2006, 02:49 PM

Column by sports reporter Perryn Keys
By PERRYN KEYS
07/09/2006
Email to a friendPrinter-friendly
BEAUMONT - Somewhere, amid flying footballs and carnage aplenty, the teenager turned to his colleague, a middle-aged man with a mustache, and asked the all-important question. What, he said, do I put down for the attendance number?

Mr. Mustache turned and laughed.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "Put whatever."

How about 2,100?

"Great. Sounds good."

Translation: Awful. Sounds bad.

No, that verbal exchange didn't happen Saturday night at Ford Arena, where the Beaumont Drillers played host to the Katy Copperheads in the first round of the National Indoor Football League playoffs.

That verbal exchange came much earlier. It was April 2002, to be precise, and it happened at Alexandria, La., inside the cavernous Rapides Parish Coliseum.

That night, in another thrilling installment of NIFL football, the Louisiana Rangers played host to the Houma Bayou Bucks - and rest assured, there were not 2,100 people in the stands. In fact, the actual attendance could have fit into a Dodge Caravan.

Why is this important? Because a year later, in 2003, the Louisiana Rangers moved to Beaumont in search of a better fan base.

Eventually, they found it. But not before Saturday, when they gave away free tickets to a playoff game.

Even as the Drillers' season ended brutally, with a 55-21 loss to the Copperheads, a near-capacity crowd jammed the building. Dads bought plenty of draft beer for themselves, plenty of sweets for their sweethearts and plenty of popcorn for their kids. They all cheered on the touchdowns and the big hits, and the concessions sales surely helped with the bottom line - for Ford Arena and for the Drillers.

In fact, with free admission, you could even say the fans got their money's worth.

To the Drillers' credit, they put on a better show than the Texas Wildcatters did during their first two seasons in Beaumont.

But the fact remains: Without free tickets, the Drillers themselves have rarely been a big hit.

This franchise, seemingly on life support since birth, might not be a success story. Still, even when the Drillers aren't playing football, they have seldom failed to entertain.

They have survived seven head coaches in four years. They have survived four sets of artificial turf. They have survived the NIFL, which forced them to leave the Beaumont Civic Center for Ford Arena, didn't cover the Drillers' rent at either facility and, in true NIFL fashion, forced them to play games on a moment's notice.

And yes, they have survived on virtually no advertising, virtually no public relations and a virtually nonexistent fan base.

It all begs the question: How do you continue on when your chief source of revenue - ticket sales - brings in no revenue?

Before the Drillers' first game this season, first-year general manager Jeremy Raley said he thought the team would succeed if it brought in 2,500 fans per game.

But for most of their seven regular-season home games, the number of fans in Ford Arena could have fit into a Dodge Caravan. If not a Caravan, then a Neon.

Incepted as the Rangers, they drew decent crowds to the Rapides Parish Coliseum in 2001. Then the bottom fell out.

Their coach, Jim Goodman - who also co-owned the team - ran into a bit of trouble back in Alexandria. One night, things got heated between Goodman and another man, so the coach settled matters with a right cross.

Goodman, by the way, was coaching a game at the time.

Goodman also got caught boosting his résumé, claiming, among other things, that he'd been named to the NAIA Kodak All-America team while in college.

One problem: There was no such thing as an NAIA Kodak All-America team.

A year later, the franchise moved to the Civic Center and took a chance on quarterback Derrick Taite, who had an NFL-sized ego but NIFL-sized talent.

Taite led the Drillers to an early 4-0 record their first year here - but after that, everything went wrong. The team took a nosedive, and shortly thereafter Taite took a trip to the Big House.

Taite was arrested after the season when a 105-pound supply of marijuana, intercepted by police in Mississippi, was intended for delivery to Taite, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Then there was the turf.

The turf, in fact, might be the best indicator of how the Drillers make things work.

When they left Alexandria for the Civic Center, they took their turf along. It seemed fine and everything, but sometimes the ground it was on wasn't so solid.

One game, at the Civic Center in 2003, was delayed 13 minutes while a janitor tried to fill a hole in the concrete underneath it. He jammed a few two-by-fours in there, rolled the carpet back out, and the Drillers teed it up.

When the NIFL forced the Drillers' move to Ford Arena, the team had to find a wider, longer field. So they rented turf previously used by the Wichita Falls Thunder, who went belly-up midway through the 2004 season.

When the owner wanted his turf back, the Drillers were stuck. They resorted to "borrowing" turf from the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers, wrong logo and all.

Their latest set of carpet is no less than four shades of green. Parts of the turf curl up around the seams. Other swatches of turf would probably get rejected by the local Putt-Putt.

Players, however, risk life and limb to keep playing on the stuff - even for a measly paycheck of $200 per game.

Depending on whom you ask, it might be even less than that.

One of the Drillers' six former coaches, Jasper native Alan Hafford, walked away in midseason amid accusations that some of the players' checks bounced. Raley denied any suggestion of turmoil with the team, and Steven Reap - the former general manager and son of team owner Roy Reap - has coached the team since Hafford's departure.

Some of this stuff, if you can believe it, is not the Drillers' fault. Some of the blame falls on a league that does little, if any, policing of its teams and owners.

After all, this is a league that sees more folding than a laundromat.

Without so much as a background check, the NIFL lets anybody apply for team ownership. A schoolteacher, for crying out loud, once got approved to start up a franchise. God bless 'em all, but do you know any schoolteachers who could afford to run a football franchise?

When those franchises inevitably fold, it creates a scheduling mess. In 2004, for instance, the NIFL switched one team's opponent four times in a week.

It's all a shame, because if the NIFL ever got its act together, it might make arenafootball2 look over its shoulder.

But don't worry. Beaumont won't get treated to an af2 team anytime soon.

Raley, bellowing through the public-address microphone at halftime of Saturday's game, promised that the Drillers would be back next year.

He gave no word, however, on ticket prices.

As Mr. Mustache said ...

Great. Sounds good.

ronaldoswalt

07-10-2006, 02:51 PM

Katy drops Drillers
By JARED AINSWORTH, Special to The Enterprise
07/09/2006

BEAUMONT - If there was any, one signature moment of the Beaumont Drillers' dismal performance Saturday night in the first round of the National Indoor Football League Pacific Conference Playoffs against the Katy Copperheads, it was easy to point out.
A lost fumble in the Drillers' end zone by Beaumont quarterback Albert Bradley turned into an easy touchdown by Katy's Anthony George late in the fourth quarter, and such was the way things went all game long as the Drillers fell 55-21 in front of a record-setting crowd of 3,821 in Ford Arena.

Beaumont ends its season with an 8-7 record while the Copperheads improve to 12-3 on the year.

In what was the Drillers' first time to ever play host to a playoff contest, they committed eight turnovers, including five during the game's first half. An inefficient Beaumont offense, led by starting quarterback Gary Cooper's three interceptions, rushed for a loss of 2 yards on 22 carries and threw for just 94 yards.

Things started quickly on Saturday as Katy's Darric Wallace returned the opening kickoff 45 yards for a touchdown, only to be answered by a 50-yard touchdown return the other way by Beaumont's Roland Hayes on the ensuing kickoff by the Copperheads.

With Hayes' score, the Drillers took an early 7-6 lead, but the Copperheads swiftly turned things the other direction.

A 25-yard touchdown run by Katy running back Sammy Knight with 13:32 remaining in the first period put the Copperheads up 13-7, and on Beaumont's next possession Cooper began the Drillers' turnover struggles with his first interception throw on a second-down bomb.

The Copperheads took advantage and scored two plays later on a 28-yard pass down the middle of the field from quarterback Marc Saldana to Wallace to up Katy's lead to 19-7 with 11:19 left in the first quarter.

Beaumont's only other score of the first half came when Cooper found a wide-open Pat Palmer in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown with six minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Katy would take a 32-13 lead into the half, and a 37-yard touchdown heave by Cooper to Chad Luttrell with 3:34 left in the contest would be the Drillers' final score of the game.

Saldana finished the night with three touchdown passes for 184 passing yards, as he led a Copperhead offense that totaled 229 yards on the night.

The Copperheads will face the Rapid City Flying Aces this coming Saturday in the second round of the NIFL Pacific Conference Playoffs.

sportznut

07-10-2006, 04:21 PM

"Roland Hayes led the Driller running attack with six yards on six carries."

Somebody needs to feed these guys correct information once and awhile... Roland Hayes had 7 carries for 15 yards, thank you very much.. hahahha that was lame wassnt it. lol

ronaldoswalt

07-11-2006, 10:53 AM

look for him as a field reporter for the copperheads next season

ronaldoswalt

07-13-2006, 12:20 AM

Copperheads destroy Drillers, turn to Flying Aces
07/12/06 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL) Katy Copperheads
Katy, Texas - July 11, 2006 - After crushing the Beaumont Drillers 55-21 last Saturday night in a game that actually was not even that close, the Copperheads now turn their focus to grounding the Flying Aces.

The Rapid City Flying Aces have a reputation for trying to see how many points they can score before that clock reads zero. Although the Aces looked unbeatable earlier in the season, they have dropped a few games recently and finished the regular season with the same 11-3 record as the Copperheads.

The Katy Copperheads look to keep their 9-game winning streak intact as they take their ball control offensive attack into Rapid City, S.D. Saturday night.

The Flying Aces run a more Arena League-type offense - their game is all about lighting up the scoreboard. Katy coach Bryan Blake saw Rapid City explode offensively against his squad in their earlier match up in Week Four - and it was not pretty as the Flying Aces pulled away for a 88-44 win.

To beat Rapid City, Blake said the Copperheads need to play four full quarters - something they have been doing over the last few weeks. The Copperheads are hoping the defense plays as well as they did against the Drillers last week. Blake said he expects linebacker Kailan Williams and Greg Yeldell to be flying around the ball.

Aces quarterback Albert Higgs won the league MVP last year in Everett and is the centerpiece of the potent offense in Rapid City. "Their biggest asset is their quarterback. We will have to put continuous pressure on him to slow their offense. They make a lot of big plays."

For the Copperheads, Marc Saldana is expected to once again start at quarterback in their second playoff game. Saldana looked much more relaxed against Beaumont and probably had his best overall game of the year in the playoff win.

Another interesting thing about Rapid City is that they do not kick extra points; the team prefers to pile on the points by going for two-point conversions. It should be interesting to see if the Copperheads adopt the two-point ideology if this game becomes a shootout.

The kick return game should also be fun to watch, as Rapid City's James Jones and Katy's Darrick Wallace go head-to-head. Wallace has opened the last two games with kickoff returns for touchdowns.

GTDREW

07-13-2006, 04:32 PM

CHeadfan, Just wanted to tell you that I met a guy from Katy while I have been here in San Antonio this week. He was cool and all and had heard of your team of course, but has not been able to attend a game due to his travel at work. He seemed really supportive and loved football I guess as most Texans do. Good luck this week and maybe your picks will come true on the other thread. Drew.

ronaldoswalt

07-13-2006, 05:11 PM

KATY vs. RAPID CITY – Pacific Conference Semifinals
(2006 Regular Season) RC is (1-0)

April 14 – Rapid City defeated Katy in Week 6 (84-44)

STATS
RUSH – Katy (64yds) RC (57yds) PASS – Katy (122yds) RC (225yds)
TOTAL – Katy (186yds) RC (282yds)
TURNOVER RATIO – E PENALTIES – Katy (11-67yds) RC (14-85yds)
ACROSS the NIFL – The first round of the 2006 NIFL Playoffs are in the books. In the Pacific Conference, Katy beat Beaumont, 55-21. Tri-Cities defeated Wyoming, 45-20. In the Atlantic Conference, Lakeland squeaked by Montgomery, 70-62 and Cincinnati beat Osceola via forfeit. A forfeit in the playoffs is certainly yet another black eye on the NIFL in 2006.

ATLANTIC CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

#5 Cincinnati at #1 River City -- #3 Lakeland at #2 Fayetteville

PACIFIC CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

#4 Tri-Cities at #1 Billings -- #3 Katy at #2 Rapid City

ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
North Division

W L
RiverCity Rage
13 1
Cincinnati Marshals
8 6
Dayton Bulldogs
3 11
Tennessee RiverSharks
3 11
East Division W L
Fayetteville Guard
13 1
Montgomery Maulers
7 7
Charleston Sandsharks
7 7
Greensboro Revolution
5 9
South Division
W L
Lakeland Thunderbolts
12 2
Osceola Football
8 6
Florida Frenzy
5 9
Palm Beach Phantoms
1 13
PACIFIC CONFERENCE
North Division W L
Billings Football
13 1
Tri-Cities Fever
9 5
Big Sky Thunder
2 12
West Division W L
Rapid City Flying Aces
11 3
Wyoming Cavalry
8 6
Lincoln Capitols
0 14
South Division
W L

Katy Copperheads

11 3Beaumont Drillers
8 6
Arkansas Stars
6 8
Twin City Gators
0 14
Clinched Playoffs

KATY
Saldana – 3/7 17yds 1 INT -12.4
Morris – DNP
Deml – 5-75yds 2TD
Whitehead – 6-40yds
Wallace – 1-6yds
Yeldell – 3 INT

RAPID CITY
Higgs – 12/24 237yds 8/3 143.9
J. Jones – 9 car. 58yds 2TD
Reed – 6 rec. 145yds 6TD
Owens – 2 rec. 50yds 1TD
Dudley – 2 rec. 27yds 1TD
Everage, Edwards, Roberson – 1 INT

ronaldoswalt

07-13-2006, 05:27 PM

Despite defeat in first meeting, team full of confidence

By JEREMY RAKES
Chronicle Correspondent

Whoever said expansion teams aren't supposed to have success hasn't seen the Katy Copperheads.

After last week's 55-21 stomping of Beaumont in the first round of the NIFL playoffs, Katy moves on to the Pacific Conference semifinals against Rapid City.

The Copperheads faced the Flying Aces once this season in Rapid City and fell 84-44 in their third and final loss of the season. Since the defeat, Katy has won nine straight, and the team is intent on making things different this time around.

"We had a half a team that went up there last time," said kick returner and wide receiver Darrick Wallace. "The team we have now, they are going to have to make some adjustments. We are a totally different team."

The Week 6 loss to the Flying Aces is what eventually cost the Copperheads the No. 2 seed in the Pacific Conference and a first-round bye. Rapid City and Katy both finished the regular season at 11-3, but because of the Aces' win over Katy, Rapid City won the tiebreaker.

Head coach Bryan Blake said he knew after the loss at Rapid City that the Copperheads would get another shot, and now the Aces are facing an improved team.

"We are a much better football team than we were the last time we played them," Blake said. "We played them really early in the season. They handled us pretty well. The score got out of hand in the second half. My guys wanted another shot at them. When we left that game, I told them we were going to get another shot at these guys in the playoffs."

However, for Katy to win, they must change what happened in the loss to the Aces while repeating what they did right in the win over Beaumont.

Katy's defense forced the Drillers into seven turnovers and the offense converted the turnovers into 20 points. Katy had three interceptions and a fumble recovery in the first game against Rapid City but weren't able to capitalize. Rapid City scored 36 straight points in the first half to put the game away early.

"They jumped on us earlier in the year, and it was a bad game for us," said defensive lineman Tommy Balom. "We had (three) interceptions that game, but we couldn't convert on the turnovers. This time we are looking to come out focused and turn their mistakes into points."

Linebacker Kailan Williams said he knows that the Copperheads have to do a complete 180-degree turnaround from the first game.

"We have to do every aspect of football differently than we did the first time we played them," Williams said. "We had a horrible game the last time we went up there.

"Defensively, I think we have done a big change. They had eight or nine long passes on us the first time, one-play drives where we would just blow coverages. We have to go out there and stay disciplined and play our game, and I think we will be all right."

With a chance to advance to the Pacific Conference finals on the line, running back will be a crucial position for the Copperheads on offense.

Sammy Knight, normally a defensive back, started at running back against the Drillers and provided a big lift with two scores. He said he and the rest of the team must repeat their performances from last week.

"We are going to go into the game the same way we went into the game against Beaumont," Knight said. "We are going to stay focused and work hard in practice and try to dominate the game."

"I think they are beatable; they lost (two weeks ago)," Blake said. "We know we have a shot at them. It's a little bit of payback."

ronaldoswalt

07-16-2006, 06:30 PM

PROBLEMS
1. TRANSPORTATION - TRAVELING IN 5 SUV'S 1500 MILES IS NUTS
2. PLAYERS - SEVERAL DIDN'T MAKE THE TRIP BECAUSE OF OTHER COMMITMENTS
3. MONEY - RAPID CITY DEPOSITED TRAVEL MONEY IN COPPERHEADS ACCT ON THURSDAY AT 2:01pm - PROMISED ON TUESDAY - FLIGHTS WERE CANCELLED
4. BUS THEN PROMISED TO TEAM AT 6AM IN KATY BY CAROLYN - IT NEVER SHOWED --- PLAYERS SLEPT IN TEAM OFFICES
5. COACH BLAKE PERSONALLY GOT 5 SUV'S AND TEAM LEFT LATE ON FRIDAY -- AFTER A 20 HOUR DRIVE NO ONE CAN EXPECT THE COPPERHEADS TO WIN --- HOWEVER GOOD EFFORT
6. THE LEAGUE HAS DISAPPOINTED MANY THIS YEAR BUT THE ABOVE ITEMS ARE CRAZY --- THE NIFL LAID TOO MANY ROADBLOCKS OUT FOR THE COPPERHEADS THIS WEEK
7. LOOK FOR THE COPPERHEADS TO GO AFL2 NEXT SEASON AND PULL MORE OF A HOUSTON FAN BASE
8. I DON'T MIND LOSING TO A GOOD RAPID CITY TEAM BUT WHO CAN OVERCOME THE ABOVE ITEMS
9. THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A GOOD ONE FOR THE COPPERHEADS BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO LEAVE THE NIFL NEXT SEASON --- IT MUST BE DONE FOR REAL INDOOR FOOTBALL FANS

sportznut

07-16-2006, 07:42 PM

I'm There!

PIONEERSFAN101

07-16-2006, 07:57 PM

Unless the owners have a crapload of money, how are they going af2?

fwp

07-16-2006, 08:27 PM

It's too bad the chaos in the indoor leagues make you think that the af2 is a smart choice. I hope you take time to investigate all the options before deciding which is the correct path to take.

fwp

07-16-2006, 08:40 PM

Oh, by the way!

Congrats to the Copperheads on their one season involved with indoor football. Despite the mess around them, they had a very successful first year.

I love the T-Shirt too!

GoAces

07-17-2006, 02:31 AM

PROBLEMS

3. MONEY - RAPID CITY DEPOSITED TRAVEL MONEY IN COPPERHEADS ACCT ON THURSDAY AT 2:01pm - PROMISED ON TUESDAY - FLIGHTS WERE CANCELLED
INDOOR FOOTBALL FANS

Where are you getting this information and why are we giving you money to come up here? News to me! If this is the case you better secure funds a little better before moving up a league. You put up a great fight though and overall I think a team could survive in Katy...nothing happens right away in minor league sports but things seem ok for a first year team there.

sportznut

07-17-2006, 08:24 AM

Go Aces...... in the NIFL, the Home playoff team is responsible for up to $10,000 of the visiting teams travel, lodgin, etc) Aparently RC didnt get the cash they owed Katy for the trip in time and they lost their flight. I was told by a source outside of Katy that CS was supposed to send them a Bus to get them there.... It Never showed, So Blake had to scramble on his own the afternoon they were supposed to leave to secure vehicles. They finally pulled out around 8:30 Friday evening. So yes, If RC would have gotten the $$ to them on time, they would have flew in and been rested. Would the outcome have been different? We will never know, will we? And i was also told that when Katy made their trip to RC during the season. Having more then 6 days to get the travel plans in order. It costed the Katy team $17,000 to make that trip. So they would have been on the hook for atleast $7000 of their own to get up their, that is unless the prices were higher because of a last minute booking...... This was a bad situation. Just another one that keeps piling up in this god forsaken league.

viking

07-17-2006, 08:58 AM

Not only does the home team have to pay for travel, they have to pay for the other teams payroll,
All of that can not exceed 10,000. So after payroll which is usually around 6,000 that only leaves 4,000 for travel and to fly teams that is usually around 15,000 so the traveling team has to pay the difference and some of these teams just can't do it so they bus... Crazy,when they are promised something and it is not delivered...
Congrats to Katy for a great season and a great year.... Best of Luck to you.

chef hardy

07-17-2006, 12:40 PM

i hear ya about money being tight to make the trip to the home teams place. we had to pay the payroll, lodging, and exspenses(meals,etc.) for lakeland to come here on friday. get this though.............. our general manager bobby jackson took our CAMOUFLAGE BUS to lakeland friday and picked up the lakeland orginazation and brought them here for the game. now thats going all out to get your opponents here lol. thats why we have one of the class acts of this pathetic league(not much to say were in it) but glad to say we have a great orginazation. hopefully we just grow stronger.

great season copperheads, to all their fans nothing to be ashamed of your boys had a great season and good luck next year whatever league you play in. last weekends hill would have been alot to climb for any team, congrats to your players for busting butt to try and pull out a victory :)

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 02:09 PM

J. Ronald Oswalt, Copperheads Director of Media Relations said, “The executive committee of the NIFL should step in and award the Copperheads a forfeit victory, you can not expect a team to drive 45 hours roundtrip and 3,000 plus miles in five SUV’s to win a game 90 minutes later. The combination of Rapid City giving the team travel expenses less than 48 hours prior to kickoff along with having to cancel flights and buses gave them an unfair advantage. Katy was only down 38-32 with 12:34 left in the game. The team finally ran out of gas you can not compete when your starting quarterback, starting running back, and all-star kicker can’t make the trip because of cancelled flights. Rapid City didn’t play fair to say he least.”

I have received several calls in the last few hours from almost every national media concerning the handling of this event.

Minor League Man

07-17-2006, 02:34 PM

I hear a rumor that the C-heads could move to af2 and play in Houston's Reliant Astrodome next year.

We'll see how this goes...

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 02:36 PM

most national media outlets have called me over the last few hrs --- as for next season it will be bigger and better in 2007

PIONEERSFAN101

07-17-2006, 02:58 PM

When asked about Katy moving to af2, Kurz replied with "That market would be a great addition to the Arena Football Community" So I'm going to take that as a silent "yes"

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 03:17 PM

could be i'm not saying but a few months from now you might be saying you heard it here first lol

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 04:07 PM

if you read through nifl official stats --- provided by rapid city --- they list marc saldana as starter he didn't even make the trip --- backup Neil Sharma from San Jose State made teh trip and start ---- good job aces

sportznut

07-17-2006, 05:05 PM

Keep Hope Alive!

Still holding out hopes for a Tri Cities V Katy Pac Conference Final......

Keep Hope Alive!

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 05:24 PM

spotsnut --- you just never know

doc

07-17-2006, 05:49 PM

League rules state that the home team hosting a playoff game will pay up to $10,000 of the visiting teams expenses. This money shall be paid 48 hours prior to the game. Katy was paid as stated at 2:00pm on Thursday which is more than 48 hours. It is to bad that they had to drive all that way and play almost right away but this is a professional team/organization. Sounds like they should have done a better job of preparing their travel arrangements.

yellowpages

07-17-2006, 06:08 PM

Doc's absolutely correct.

This is just great for the entire NIFL. This stuff should have been discussed prior to the playoffs. Rumors out there that Billings may get the boot as well.

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 06:08 PM

i did my homework -- just wait till the houston chronicle's story and other national ones in the next 72 hours

doc

07-17-2006, 06:20 PM

Copperheadfans,

You have every right to be ticked off about the transportation issue. However it is not the Aces fault that it went down the way it did. The Aces pushed the game back 30 extra minutes in an attempt to help your guys get stretched out and get their game face on. I know a small token but genuine. What happened with the bus that the NIFL's glorious commisioner promised you guys?? I hope you do have some connections to the media to point out the rediculous management..almost criminal that the NIFL teams have dealt with all year. Look at what the Aces have been through with allowing Howard Neal Patterson another team to scam and leaving everyone high and dry with no accountability from Carolyn.

ragefan

07-17-2006, 06:22 PM

careful yellowpages ... Outlaws don't like that talk... I mentioned that a few weeks ago and hell have no fury like an outlaw fan who thinks your lying....

From what i know billings is fighting hard to stay in .... As it should be, the playoffs should not come down to lawyers and lawsuits and money owed to the NIFL or to Billings ..That should of been taken care of months ago when the suit was settled.

It would be a big mistake to take them out now that we are in the middle of playoff's....They deserve more.

The outlaw fan who thinks i am against them just took it wrong what i was saying but you can't please everyone. Heck he jumps down your throat even when you are agreeing with them , right viking....

Billings seems to be in the right here but when has that mattered??

I know the Rage is hoping for a re-match... But we have to get by the Guard first...

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 06:29 PM

it should all shake out in the next 48 hourscareful yellowpages ... Outlaws don't like that talk... I mentioned that a few weeks ago and hell have no fury like an outlaw fan who thinks your lying....

From what i know billings is fighting hard to stay in .... As it should be, the playoffs should not come down to lawyers and lawsuits and money owed to the NIFL or to Billings ..That should of been taken care of months ago when the suit was settled.

It would be a big mistake to take them out now that we are in the middle of playoff's....They deserve more.

The outlaw fan who thinks i am against them just took it wrong what i was saying but you can't please everyone. Heck he jumps down your throat even when you are agreeing with them , right viking....

Billings seems to be in the right here but when has that mattered??

I know the Rage is hoping for a re-match... But we have to get by the Guard first...

OriginalOutlaw

07-17-2006, 08:05 PM

hell have no fury like an outlaw fan who thinks your lying....

Hell hath no fury like an Outlaws fan's girlfriend if she thinks he's lying... =)

And we were only busting your chops for saying we weren't paying our bills. If you can't provide proof or sources for your accusations, you're simply making them up. I don't think a team which is privately funding a 3 million dollar practice facility needs to worry about coin. We'd like to give you a shot at a rematch, but you will have your hands full with a talented Fayetteville team. They know you can be beaten at home. I can provide the proof, if you like... =)

ragefan

07-17-2006, 08:26 PM

glad we got that cleared up...

No kidding about going up the Guard ... We love playing them.. It is a great match up and their a great group of people... But we still want to kick some $ss.....

Good Luck to you and the RC Aces..... No offense but we are hoping for an Aces win just so we could host the Championship...

sportznut

07-17-2006, 10:27 PM

From my understanding.. the billings problem is not money, BUT lawsuites!

OriginalOutlaw

07-17-2006, 10:36 PM

Jeez, Nutz, I thought I left you at the altar. There are no lawsuits. Are you in bed with ragefan? You seem to be getting your information from the same place. Don't make me drag you out behind the woodshed again...

ronaldoswalt

07-17-2006, 10:47 PM

you have any problems on my thread let me know lol

yellowpages

07-17-2006, 11:50 PM

There are no pending suits between the NIFL and Billings. However, there was one the Billings franchise won in regard to the "Outlaw" nickname. I would imagine that there will be a lawsuit if the NIFL kicks them out. ;)

sportznut

07-18-2006, 12:29 AM

correct Yellow pages.... and i was told that if a team suees the league, the league has the right to boot the team.... I am not saying it is going to happen, BUT i will tell you it was considered...

OriginalOutlaw

07-18-2006, 12:33 AM

Booted from the NIFL? That would be killing the golden goose. All good teams will be gone by next year anyways. This sounds like some sour grapes from team fans whose teams got the boot by other teams.

preeths

07-18-2006, 12:38 AM

sportznut, if the league has any such "rule," they've opened themselves up to an entire new round of trouble. You cannot protect your organization from franchisees with a "no lawsuit" rule. That would simply be a license to get away with murder. No court in the land will recognize such a rule, and they may look at it as proof of intent to do wrong. Billings filed their suit as a last resort, and the court sided with them.

OutlawsFan

07-18-2006, 03:41 AM

I didn't take anything you said wrong. You accused the team I root for of cheating and I called you out on it. I simply asked for proof and you ran. As for jumping down throats, I hardly call what I said to viking as anything remote to that. I misunderstood him, did the right thing and apologized. No big deal. We're cool. Let's stay away from gossip and talk football... Good luck against the Guard.

sportznut

07-18-2006, 08:05 AM

I am not pulling the sour grapes..... RC won the game.. But honestly, If they were found to have done something underhanded with the travel, and you all know we are not hearing the full story on what went down, aand that caused an unfair playing field that could have been avoided.. then it should atleast be looked into....

With 12 minutes to go in the game the Aces only had a 6 point lead, 38-32..... That is when the travel kicked in, I was told this by staff and a few players i have been able to speak with. If they had had a full nights sleep and not being rushed, Who Knows what would have happened, If anything.... But who knows...

Keep Hope Alive!

preeths

07-18-2006, 12:00 PM

Well, both sides told the Houston Chronicle their stories. Let's have some comments on this:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/katy/sports/4053529.html

ronaldoswalt

07-18-2006, 12:59 PM

Copperheads' season ends on surreal note
Katy victim of Flying Aces, circumstances in finale

By NEIL STRATTON, L. SCOTT HAINLINE and MIKE TENNEY
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Entering their July 15 second-round playoff game with the Rapid City (S.D.) Flying Aces, things looked fairly straightforward for the Katy Copperheads in their inaugural season.

The gameplan: Fly into Rapid City (as they'd done for the teams' first matchup this season April 14) on Friday at 9 a.m., get a good night's sleep, and prepare for a Saturday night shot at moving into the National Indoor Football League semifinals.

If only things could have been so easy.

Instead, the Copperheads' travel ordeal ended with a 22-hour drive to South Dakota — without the team's starting quarterback, fullback, linebacker and kicker — and a playoff loss.

The eight-day period — from when the 28 reservations for a flight to Rapid City was first made Monday, July 10, to the team's piecemeal return home to the Katy area by van and sport-utility vehicle around noon the following Monday — offers a cautionary tale to those dreaming of a career in the lower echelons of professional football.

Fight for flight

Katy head coach Bryan Blake originally made arrangements for the flight into Rapid City, S.D., July 10, five days before kickoff. He stopped short of paying for them, however. He insists he did that at the league's behest.

"The league told us, 'Do not pay for the flights until Rapid City sends you the money, because the home team pays half the travel amount.' I had the flights booked on Monday, and they had to be paid for by 5 p.m. Wednesday night," Blake said. "(The league said,) 'If they still haven't sent you the money, do not pay for the flights until they send the money.' Their deadline was 5 p.m. Wednesday."

Blake said Wednesday's deadline came and went with no sign of the necessary payment by the Flying Aces.

As a result, Blake said, the Copperheads had to give up their plane reservations.

Rapid City head coach Dan Maciejczak differed with Blake's version of the story.

"League rules say you have to have a check to an upcoming visiting opponent no later than 48 hours before kickoff, and we sent the maximum amount of $10,000 to the Katy team Thursday morning, and it was there by Thursday afternoon," Maciejczak said. "I never received what is supposed to be required travel estimate paperwork from Katy, so we just sent the maximum the league allows ($10,000)."

"The whole thing is so stupid, and league rules don't even say how you have to pay. We could have sent them a check, and it would have taken a week or longer to clear, but our owners were good enough to put it together and wire the money because we knew they really needed it."

Official league rules obtained by the Chronicle indicate that payment be made "via certified funds within 48 hours prior to departure." Still, Maciejczak insisted that the Flying Aces had done nothing wrong.

"They were mad because they had to drive here, but it was their ignorance that caused that to happen," he said.

Blake contends that he sent all the necessary information to Flying Aces team officials to ensure delivery of the funds.

Player perspective

Katy defensive coordinator Troy Esprit said there was no excuse for Rapid City's inaction.

"They had two weeks to take care of that," Esprit said. "They had a bye in the first round of the playoffs and they were going to play either us or Beaumont, so why it wasn't taken care of until it was is a bit of a mystery to me. Just send it to Houston and one of us would have picked it up."

Numerous calls to NIFL league offices Monday were not returned.

Losing reservations

Blake said he was left with no choice but to try again to schedule the flights and hope the money was on its way.

"I mean, it's impossible to find 28 seats on one flight to South Dakota," he said. "So I called another airline and I was able to book 28 seats on five flights, but they had to be paid for by 11 a.m. Thursday morning. Well, I didn't receive the money until Thursday at 3 p.m., so the league arranged for a sleeper bus, which at least would have been better than us driving ourselves, and it was arranged for to arrive at 2 a.m. Thursday morning."

But, the bus never arrived.

Point of departure

That's where numerous members of the team got off.

Placekicker Whitney Hillin was among six players who, given the tenuous nature of the travel arrangements, decided not to make the trip.

Hillin told Blake he could go no farther than the parking lot of the team's offices, where he waited for the league-scheduled bus to arrive to take the players to South Dakota at 2 a.m. He said he felt it was his duty to see the team off, even if he couldn't make the trip.

"I mean, no," he said when he was asked if he felt guilty about not joining his teammates for the second-round playoff game. "I wanted to be there and do the best for my teammates, but I work for an engineering firm doing drafting for a company, and (Blake) knew I had to do what I had to do. I had a flight out on Monday and we (were) going to a plant to do some design work in Wyoming."

He wasn't the only key player to skip the game, as starting quarterback Marc Saldana ("Marc said he didn't want to make the drive," Blake said) and former NFL running back Bam Morris also elected not to go. Linebacker LaBrandon Shepard (a starter), defensive end Kendrick Barrett, and defensive back Eric Jackson, all three key members of the defense, also opted out.

Esprit, while stopping short of blaming the players for their decision, expressed frustration that many of his troops were missing in action.

"All year long we've been a team and we've talked team and then to have a few players not make the trip because of the circumstances, it's a shame," Esprit said. "I understand where they were coming from, but it wasn't supposed to be that way."

The head coach was also upset.

"They were all in town but they decided they didn't want to make the trip," Blake said. "They felt it was unfair for them to go, and they were (angry) at the situation and that the league was forcing us to do that, but the guys that did make the trip were let down.

"I mean, we had been a family all season long. Even though the situation was bad to begin with, it was even worse being so short-handed, the way the guys wanted that game."

"I asked (Blake) if he could guarantee I'd be back no later than midnight Sunday," said Hillin Monday by phone as he awaited takeoff for Wyoming. "I was willing to go, but when he said he couldn't guarantee he could get me back, I couldn't wait on buses or anything. "

He said he hopes to be back kicking for Katy again next season.

"I hope so," said Hillin, who relocated from the Permian Basin to play for Katy this season. "I mean, I live here for good."

Long, strange trip

Trying to charter a bus for the weekend on a Friday was next to impossible, Blake said.

"Nobody had one," he said. "Goody Bus Company called and said they had two buses and four drivers that could take us, but they were yellow school buses, with no air conditioning. So that option was out, and I got another call from the league, and they said to just get cars and get up there or you're going to have to forfeit the game. So one of my players, Andrew Higham, the (cornerback), works for Enterprise at the airport, Bush Intercontinental. We made some calls and they got us seven SUVs of different types, a Suburban, a Durango, a Pathfinder, a Trailblazer, and we drove up there."

By the team the vehicles were secured, there was no time to spare — literally. The seven-vehicle caravan departed Katy at 9:30 p.m. Friday night to make the 22-hour trip for a game that kicked off at 7:05 p.m.

"Going up there, we had to go as fast as we could without killing each other just to get there on time, and (we knew) if we didn't make it, we would have to forfeit," the coach said. "We got four speeding tickets on the way there."

ronaldoswalt

07-18-2006, 01:00 PM

Battling the odds

Almost a full day after departure, the Copperheads arrived to the record-breaking 111-degree heat outside Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in southwest South Dakota, just east of the Wyoming border and north of the Nebraska border. Though each of the 16 players, three coaches and one trainer arriving was exhausted, at least the trip was over.

"Just the players and three coaches went up there, and a trainer, and everybody took turns driving," Blake said. "Even if you're not driving you can't sleep, because you're either car-sick or you're afraid the guy driving is going to fall asleep."

They hoped the league could provide, if not salvation, at least a little relief.

"We showed up there a little more than an hour before kickoff," Blake said. "The league said they called ahead and told (the Flying Aces) what happened. The home team always provides the team meal, so they could deliver the meal to the arena and push the start of the game back to 8 p.m. (from 7:05 p.m.), and I said 'Great.' So when we got there, there was no food. An hour before kickoff, we got Burger King, and then they said instead of 7:05, we'll start the game at 7:30, so we got 25 minutes instead of an hour."

Still, the meal arrangements and the itinerant kickoff time weren't the last pre-game whoppers.

"When we were getting warmed up by ourselves, because (the Aces) were already finished warming up, our guys were out there warming up and the fans are already in there and the lights were dimmed and they started their introductions while we're still on the field," Blake said. "By the time we got our pads on, they were standing around outside waiting on us to come out and play, and the officials had the gall to actually come out to the locker room and bang on the door and yell at us and tell us to get out there."

Maciejczak remembers things happening with less urgency, and recalls his team and league officials acting a bit more charitably.

"Katy arrived around 5 p.m. and we set the kickoff for 7:45 p.m.," he said. "They missed the pre-game meal, so I went and got them some food and brought it to them."

Making their stand

Sixteen Copperheads walked to the field for kickoff, many performing jobs they had rarely (or never) performed in game situations. Quarterback Neil Sharma, who had rarely seen the field all season, would be taking all the snaps. Several players, after alternating driving and riding for 22 hours, would be playing both ways for the first time all season, and the team's starting strong safety, Victor Malone, was performing the kickoffs, with the Copperheads forced to go for two after every touchdown.

"You should have seen our kickoffs," Blake said with a chuckle. "I mean our safety was toe-punching it every time; it looked like a tornado hit whenever he kicked it."

Still, three quarters later, the Flying Aces were getting all they could handle.

The Copperheads got off to a quick start with wide receiver Jimmy Deml, who finished with seven catches (two for touchdowns), scoring first on an eight-yard toss from Sharma. Sammy Knight then ran for two and the Copperheads were up 8-0 four minutes into the game. The Flying Aces countered with the next two touchdowns and scored a two-point conversion after each to take a 16-8 lead into the second period. But Katy wasn't finished.

Knight scored on a one-yard run to complete a Copperheads' scoring drive that made it 16-14 midway through the second quarter, but on their next possession, Sharma had a pass picked off by Rapid City's Corey Roberson, who returned it 10 yards for a score. After another two-point conversion — the Aces don't kick their conversions — the home team was up 24-14.

Rapid City stayed hot, scoring two more times in the final five minutes. After a 20-yard Sharma-to-Wallace strike, the hosts held a 38-20 lead going into the break.

After the break, however, the Copperheads scored on a two-yard Knight run to close the gap to 38-26 after three periods, keeping them within range. Katy even drew first blood in the fourth period, scoring in the first two minutes to close the gap to 38-32 on an 18-yard Deml-to-Sharma touchdown connection.

"What was funny was that (shortly after) the fourth quarter started, it was 38-32, and at that point we were spent, but we still actually had a shot at the game," Blake said.

"But you could just tell from our bodies as the game went along that it wasn't going to happen," admitted Esprit.

The Flying Aces would score the next two touchdowns and succeed on one of their two-point conversion passes, upping the margin to an insurmountable 52-32 lead before adding a long touchdown run in the final minute after an interception ended a Katy scoring threat. Despite Wallace's final touchdown on a 42-yard pass, Rapid City emerged with a 60-38 victory.

"We feel like we put up a good fight," said Esprit. "The 16 guys that made the trip, the coaches that made the trip, we feel like the team gave it everything they had."

Blake boils over

Blake, in particular, nearly put up the biggest fight of all. Incensed by a hit on Sharma late in the game that may have left his quarterback with a broken ankle, he ran onto the field and confronted Maciejczak over what Blake felt was a pattern of unfair play and unnecessary taunting.

"There was about 1:20 left to play, and we were up by a bunch, and Katy was still trying to throw the ball, and I can understand that," Maciejczak said. "Their quarterback rolled out and one of our defensive lineman got a good hit on him near the wall, and (Sharma) rolled his ankle. At that point, the Katy coach tells me, 'That's BS, and if we wouldn't have had to take vans up here, we would have beat you.' Then (the Katy coach) acted like he wanted to fight, and acted like he was being held back.

"I think he was upset because they didn't get to fly."

Blake admitted that he "lost his mind" in the dwindling seconds of the game.

"I started screaming at (the Aces coach) and was chasing the coach around, and the referees said 'What's the matter?' I said, 'This is ridiculous, and they're being disrespectful and they're acting like they won the Super Bowl.' I wish we could have had a chance to play them when it was fair."

The long road home

For 12 players, three coaches and a trainer, at least the end of the game meant the end of a 25-hour sprint. But for four players, the final gun only sounded the start of another race.

Center Jody Cantu, wide receivers D.J. Clay, Higham and Darrick Wallace each had to be back in Texas for work Monday, meaning there was time for nothing more than a shower before beginning the return trip. What's more, a two-and-a-half hour trip to Austin was waiting at the end of the road to Katy for Cantu and Wallace.

"They absolutely had to be back and they went through hell on the way back," Blake said.

First, the group hit a deer ("or I guess a deer hit us," Wallace said) in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Then Wallace and Co. found out the hard way that their vehicle had a faulty fuel gauge.

"Right outside of Oklahoma City, we ran out of gas because the gauge was broken and it still read half a tank," Wallace said. "There was the big hill, we're going up a hill, and we spot a farmhouse about 400 or 500 yards away. We had to walk through a field with horses, and it was kind of like a scary sci-fi movie. The farmer had some gas in a can, we put it in the van, drove to get gas, and then played rock-paper-scissors to see who would return the gas can."

The winners of the rock-paper-scissors clash showed they hadn't lost their sense of humor by pulling a trick on the losers.

"We put some other keys in the ignition and locked the doors, and when they came back, I was running at the van with a brick in my hand telling them, "We have to break the window. The keys are locked inside," Wallace said. "They tried to calm me down, and kept telling me not to do it, and finally, another player who was in on the joke held a blade of grass near the door and it opened (with a hidden remote opener), and the other guys said, 'You have to teach me how you do that.'

"When the other players found out, one was pretty upset, but we all laughed about it later."

They arrived in Katy around midnight Sunday night, and a few hours later, Wallace and Cantu were home.

"Oh my gosh, what a trip," Wallace said. "I finally got back to Austin at about 2:30 or 3 a.m. Monday."

"To have guys have to get right back in one of the SUVs and start driving back immediately because they had to be back at work on Monday morning ... ," Esprit said. "It was just crazy."

After a full night's sleep, Blake led the remainder of the caravan back to the Katy area in the late morning hours of Monday, but not before just a bit more bad luck. On the way to Bush Intercontinental to drop off their rented truck, Blake's group realized they couldn't switch into Blake's vehicle because he had left his keys in another of the rented vans. That resulted in a trip back to Katy, followed by an added hour-and-a-half round trip to make the dropoff.