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Birmingham Steeldogs game notes

May 25, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Macon Knights (2-5)
at Birmingham Steeldogs (3-4)
Date: Saturday, May 27, 2006
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. CT
Site: BJCC Arena (16,000)
National Anthem: Nancy Stringer
Coin Toss: Referee
Officials: Matt Austin (Referee), Conrad Carney (Umpire), Greg Bradley (Head Linesman), Tommy Walsh (Line Judge), Todd Ransom (Back Judge)
Radio: WAPI-1070 AM (Matt Coulter and Roger Shultz)
TV: None
Series Record: Tied 4-4
Last Meeting: MAC, 68-51, July 9, 2005 @ BHM
Streaks: Birmingham L2, Macon L2
Coaches: Ron Selesky (22-17; 1-1 playoffs, 3rd Season
Overall; 3-4, 1st Season in Birmingham)
Derek Stingley (8-9, 2nd Season)


THE STAKES: Birmingham is desperate to break a two-game losing streak against the South Division as they host the rival Knights from nearby Macon. The Steeldogs are coming off a tough road swing with losses at Florida and Tennessee Valley. Macon has also dropped two straight, but own a 2-1 division record. Both teams are in a fight for third place in the division behind Memphis and Florida.
THE SERIES: The Knights-Steeldogs series began on June 22, 2002 in Birmingham with Macon prevailing, 71-61, in a wild game. Since then, the series has see-sawed back and forth, now tied at 4-4. Macon has won the last two games in the series.
THE IFs:
If Birmingham defeats Macon, it would...
- Give the Steeldogs a 5-4 series lead
- Even the Steeldogs' division record at 2-2
- Even the Steeldogs' overall record at 4-4
- Give Birmingham its first victory over Head Coach Derek Stingley



BIRMINGHAM (3-4, Lost 2)
Date Opponent Result Score
4/8 EVERETT 7:00 W 41-36
4/14 RIO GRANDE 7:00 L 43-44
4/21 @ Louisville 6:30 L 40-62
4/29 @ South Georgia 6:30 W 40-34
5/5 LOUISVILLE 7:00 W 63-60
5/13 @ Florida 6:30 L 44-62
5/20 @ Tennessee Valley 7:30 L 17-21
5/27 MACON 7:00 --- Tied 4-4
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
6/3 @ Everett 9:30 BHM 1-0
6/10 SOUTH GEORGIA 7:00 Tied 2-2
6/17 @ Memphis 7:00 BHM 3-2
6/24 FLORIDA 7:00 FLA 5-3
7/8 @ Rio Grande 7:00 Tied 1-1
7/15 @ Macon 7:00 Tied 4-4
7/22 MEMPHIS 7:00 BHM 3-2
7/29 TENNESSEE VALLEY 7:00 TV 10-2

MACON (2-5, Lost 2)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
4/8 ALBANY L 25-54
4/15 FLORIDA L 40-53
4/22 @ Tennessee Valley W 58-55
4/28 @ Memphis L 26-62
5/6 SOUTH GEORGIA W 60-22
5/13 @ Green Bay L 19-53
5/20 WILKES/BARRE SCNTN L 22-38
5/27 @ Birmingham 7:00 ---
Date Opponent Time Streak Series
6/3 @ South Georgia
6/10 ARKANSAS
6/17 @ Florida
6/30 MEMPHIS
7/8 @ Albany
7/15 BIRMINGHAM
7/22 TENNESSEE VALLEY
7/29 @ Arkansas

HEAD COACHES:
RON SELESKY, BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS
Head Coach Ron Selesky is an Arena Football League and af2 coaching veteran. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Columbus Destroyers in 2005 under Head Coach Chris Spielman. Prior to that, Selesky spent the 2004 season on the sidelines for the Carolina Cobras, beginning the year as the team's defensive coordinator before finishing the season as the head coach.

Selesky earned af2 Coach of the Year honors in 2002, guiding the expansion Albany Conquest to a regular-season mark of 13-3 and a Northeast Division title. He spent the 2001 season as the head coach of the Louisville Fire, leading the team to a 6-10 mark.

Selesky spent the 2003 season as head coach and director of football operations for the Buffalo Destroyers, prior to the team relocating to Columbus, Ohio. He also served as the director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1997 to 1999. With the Storm, his teams compiled a 31-11 regular season record and earned a berth in the 1998 ArenaBowl.

DEREK STINGLEY, MACON KNIGHTS
Derek Stingley enters his first full season as head coach of the Macon Knights after being promoted to the position following the sixth game of the 2005 season.

Stingley joined the Knights for the 2005 season as the defensive coordinator, which was his first Arena Football coaching position. Under Stingley's guidance, the team turned their 2-4 record around and finished with a mark of 8-8.

Stingley brought the Knights Organization back to the playoffs after missing the postseason in 2004 for the first time in team history. The Knights lost in the first round of the playoffs in the last seconds to the eventual American Conference Champions, Louisville Fire.

Stingley, originally from Chicago, Illinois, now resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with his wife Natasha and children Isis, Nahja, Derek Jr. and Sanaa.

LAST SERIES MEETING: July 9, 2005: A 30-13 Steeldogs lead in the second quarter evaporated quickly in the third as Macon defeated Birmingham, 68-51, at the BJCC Arena.

SERIES NOTABLES: This is the 9th meeting between the two teams, the Steeldogs second-oldest series. The combination of a long, tight series and geographic proximity make this a special rivalry for both teams..

FAMILIAR FACES:
Macon has hired Rickey Foggie as their offensive coordinator, just weeks after he was let go by the Everett Hawks. Foggie, who was the Hawk's head coach earlier this season when they played in Birmingham, played under Ron Selesky in Carolina in 2004.

Steeldogs' OL/DL James Clark is a native of Vidalia, Ga., located just less than 100 miles from Macon.

LEAGUE TOP 10s: Players from this week's matchup who rank among af2's statistical leaders:
STEELDOGS
Player Rank Category Stat
Ryan Hawk 9th Total Offense 256.0 p/g
Ryan Hawk 4th Tot. Offense Plys. 275
Ryan Hawk 9th Tot. Offense Yds. 1792
Ryan Hawk 8th Pass Yds/Comp. 12.8
Ryan Hawk 3rd Pass Attempts 264
Kerry Wright 4th All-Purpose Yd/G 162.6
Kerry Wright 7th Yards Per Catch 15.3
Kerry Wright 3rd Reception Yards 782
Kerry Wright 4th Receive Yds/Gm 111.7
Kerry Wright 9th Receptions 51
Kerry Wright 5th Missed FG Rtns 4-63
Terrell Browden 7th Rushing 28-100
Terrell Browden t-5th Rush Attempts 28
Terrell Browden 4th Rushing Yards 100
Alex Walls t-4th Field Goals 4-11
Alex Walls t-4th Field Foals Attpt 11
Bobby Keyes t-2nd Interceptions 5
Bobby Keyes t-2nd INT Returns 5-12
Bobby Keyes 10th Passes Defended 8
Allyn Sheffield t-6th Interceptions 3

TALE OF THE TAPE: Here's how the Steeldogs and Knights stack up:
Statistical BIRMINGHAM MACON
Category Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 19th 41.1 21st 35.7
Scoring Defense 8th 45.6 t-14th 48.1
Total Offense 3rd 293.0 7th 275.0
Total Defense 6th 240.6 16th 272.7
Pass Offense 4th 261.9 t-8th 252.7
Pass Defense 7th 217.0 17th 249.4
Rushing Offense 2nd 31.1 9th 22.9
Rushing Defense 17th 23.6 16th 23.3
Pass Rating 17th 90.8 19th 86.8
Pass Def. Rating 9th 94.2 3rd 90.8
Kickoff Returns 22nd 13.0 1st 21.1
MFG Returns 12th 15.8 11th 17.7
Turnover Margin 5th +6 18th -5
Field Goals 9th 4-11 (.364) t-5th 3-8 (.375)
PAT Kicking t-12th 24-33 (.727) 21st 21-33 (.636)
Sacks By t-7th 6-36 13th 11-55
Sacks Against t-11th 9-45 13th 8-47
First Downs t-11th 124 19th 117
Opp. First Downs 5th 115 6th 119
Penalties 11th 55-380 2nd 46-292
Opp. Penalties 15th 55-386 20th 50-324

STEELDOGS INJURY REPORT:
Pos. Name Injury Status
WR/DB Donald Amaker Torn ACL Out (Season)
OL/DL Myron Powe Knee Out
OL/DL Samuel Fakunle Hamstring Out

DROPBACK
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.. - The Steeldogs dropped their second-straight road game this past weekend, 21-17, in Huntsville.
FORWARD MOTION: Birmingham flies out west to face the Everett Hawks in a rematch of the Steeldogs' opening game of this season.

PLAYERS/MATCHUPS TO WATCH:


KEY DATES IN TEAM/LEAGUE HISTORY:
MAY 29, 2004: Birmingham's first home victory over the Tennessee Valley Vipers, 36-30, in overtime at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Kerry Wright (BIR)
2 RGV Dwight Counter (RGV)
3 Louisville Brett Deitz (LOU)
4 SGA Mareno Philyaw (BIR)
5 Louisville Kerry Wright (BIR)
6 Florida Magic Benton (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Chris Gunn (TVV)

IRONMAN OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Bradly Chavez (BIR)
2 RGV Terrell Browden (BIR)
3 Louisville Terrell Browden (BIR)
4 SGA Chris McKinney (SGA)
5 Louisville Lance Taylor (LOU)
6 Florida Brittney Tellis (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Johnny Anderson (TVV)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD
(selected by media)
Week Opp. Player
1 Everett Jordan Brumbaugh (BIR)
2 RGV Bobby Keyes (BIR)
3 Louisville Dwayne Lefall (LOU)
4 SGA Jordan Brumbaugh (BIR)
5 LOU Michael Gholar (BIR)
6 Florida Cory Bailey (FLA)
7 Tn. Vally Bobby Keyes (BIR)

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