NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



AFL On NBC Week 12 Doubleheader, Dallas At Orlando, New Orleans at Austin

April 24, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Laredo Law News Release


LAREDO, Texas – The 2004 Arena Football League season on NBC television moves into its 12th week. There will be a doubleheader available in the Laredo market on Pro8News KGNS this Sunday. The first game will begin at 11 a.m., with the second to start at 2 p.m. The Laredo Law is home this coming weekend against the Rio Grande Valley Dorados on Saturday. Call the Law ticket office at (956)-726-GAME (4263) or log onto www.laredolaw.com.

DALLAS DESPERADOS (6-4) AT ORLANDO PREDATORS (5-5)
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, AT 11 P.M. CT
(TV: NBC – BOB PAPA, RAY BENTLEY and PAT CLARKE)

Orlando is one of only two non-expansion teams (New Jersey) that Dallas has never beaten... Both series contests were decided by three points... The Desperados have never scored 50 points against the Predators... DallasÂ’ defense has allowed opponents to convert on third down only 46 percent of the time, No. 5 in the League... Four times this season, the Desperados have held an opponent to a 33.3-percent third-down conversion rate or less... The Desperados have sacked QBs 13 times, only behind Orlando (22) and Chicago (16)... Together, WR/LB JASON SHELLEY, WR/DB WILL PETTIS and Rookie of the Year candidate WR/DB BOBBY SIPPIO are one of the top receiving threesomes in the AFL... They are No. 4 in the League in receptions (174), No. 2 in receiving yards (2,379), No. 1 in receiving TDs (53) and average yards-per-catch (13.67)... With his 8-yard TD reception in the third quarter of the Georgia game, Orlando WR/LB CORY FLEMING has now caught at least one touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games with the Predators... Fleming has also scored at least one TD in 25-of-27 career games with Orlando... For the first time in seven games, the Predators failed to pick-up at least 30 yards rushing in a game when the Georgia Force held the Predators to 26 net rushing yards on 11 carries... The Predators remain the LeagueÂ’s top rushing team at 37.0 YPG... The Predators are also ranked as the No. 1 defensive team in the AFL... They are No. 1 in total defense, allowing just 237.0 YPG... At 421 points surrendered, the Predators are also No. 1 in the league in scoring defense.

NEW ORLEANS VOODOO (8-2) AT AUSTIN WRANGLERS (6-4)
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, AT 2 P.M. CT
(TV: NBC – BILL WEBER, PAT SPERDUTO and ROGER WALLACE)

The New Orleans VooDoo, the No. 2 ranked team by the AFLWA, had their highest score ever (64 points) last week against the Destroyers... The VooDoo is undefeated at home (5-0)... The win ties the VooDoo with the New Jersey Red Dogs in 1997 for the quickest 10-game start by an Arena Football League first-year team... VooDoo QB JOHN F ITZGERALD threw for four TDs and ran for one, completing 14-of-22 passes for 183 yards last week... Last weekÂ’s Defensive Player of the Week, DS MONTY MONTGOMERY led the VooDoo with 12.5 tackles, a 42-yard fumble return for a TD, a 14-yard INT return and two passes defensed... The VooDoo is 8-0 when leading after three quarters... FB/LB DAN CURRAN is the AFLÂ’s leading rusher with 52 carries for 231 yards and 14 rushing TDs... OS AARON BAILEY is currently tied for No. 4 in the AFL in scoring (144)... The Austin Wranglers are producing an average of 280.8 passing YPG, No. 2 in the League... The Wranglers offensive unit has been ranked within the top three in the league for the previous 10 weeks...Wranglers QB JOHN KALEO found six different receivers last Sunday in Tampa on his way to completing 24 of 41 pass attempts for five TDs and one INT...The Wranglers rushing defense has only allowed an average of 20.2 yards on the ground and fewer than two rushing TDs per game... The Wranglers have scored a TD 39-of-43 times they have reached the red-zone for a 90.7 percent conversion rate... The Wranglers performance in the red-zone has been ranked in the top two of the AFL every week in 2004... The Wranglers are No. 2 in the AFL in fumble recoveries (with 14 defensive and three offensive) by 15 different players.

KEY MATCHUPS

DALLAS WR/LB BOBBY SIPPIO vs. ORLANDO WR/LB CORY FLEMING Rookie WR/LB BOBBY SIPPIO (6-3, 215, Western Kentucky) has been a big part of Dallas’ success this season and he will try to measure up against one of the AFL’s best at that position – WR/LB CORY FLEMING (6-2, 218, Tennessee) – when the Desperados travel to TD Waterhouse to play the Predators on Sunday at noon ET on NBC.

SippioÂ’s size, hands and deceptive speed make him a rising star in the AFL and provides QB GLEN GAUNTT with a reliable target over the middle. The All-Rookie candidate has 45 receptions for 736 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Fleming, a former Rookie of the Year and All-Arena performer, has consistently provided Orlando head coach JAY GRUDEN with options on his play-calling. The former Volunteer has 78 receptions for 1,007 yards and 19 touchdowns.

NEW ORLEANS OS AARON BAILEY vs. AUSTIN OS TACOMA FONTAINE Two similar players take the spotlight when expansion teams square off in a Southern Division battle at Frank Erwin Center on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. New Orleans OS AARON BAILEY (5-11, 190, Louisville) gives head coach MIKE NEU and QB JOHN FITZGERALD a speedy receiver with great hands and an uncanny knack for getting open. The former Cardinal has 58 receptions for 859 yards, 22 touchdowns and 1,597 all purpose yards (No. 4 in AFL).

AustinÂ’s Rookie of the Year candidate OS TACOMA FONTAINE (6-1, 185, SW Missouri State) has 52 receptions for 868 yards and 19 TDs in just seven games. Fontaine is a shifty route-runner who has the quickness and awareness to get open and make the tough catch.

ABOUT THE af2

In four short seasons the af2 has nearly doubled in size from 15 teams to 25. arenafootball2 promotes a fan friendly attitude with autograph sessions on the field for the home team after each game. The af2 and the AFL strictly adhere to a Fans Bill of Rights which is unique to any major sport. The Fans Bill of Rights includes: every fan is entitled to a wholesome environment for guests and family members, free of violence, profane gestures and language or rude and invasive behavior that could in any way interfere with a first-class entertainment experience; every fan demands that we maintain absolute respect for the game of Arena Football and maintain the integrity of the finest of fair competition at all times; every Fan deserves our very best effort on a consistent basis, on every play on the field, every action in the stands, every call to our office, and every involvement in our community.

For ticket information contact the Laredo Law at (956) 726-GAME (4263) or visit www.laredolaw.com.

• Discuss this story on the arenafootball2 message board...

arenafootball2 Stories from April 24, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Laredo Law Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central