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Arizona Rattlers

The OSC Interview: Arena Football League Legend Randy Gatewood

by Fran Stuchbury
August 26, 2015 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Arizona Rattlers


Arena Football League Sideline Reporter Randy Gatewood
Arena Football League Sideline Reporter Randy Gatewood
(Arizona Rattlers)

OurSports Central contributor Fran Stuchbury spoke to Arena Football League sideline reporter Randy Gatewood following the Jacksonville Sharks' 61-56 victory over the Philadelphia Soul in the AFL's American Conference Championship at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Sunday, August 23rd. A six-time All-Arena selection as a wide receiver and defensive back for the Arizona Rattlers from 1996-2007, Gatewood was also a three-time All-Ironman Team selection and two-time Ironman of the Year during his time in the league. He was inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame in 2012 before beginning his career as an AFL analyst on CBS Sports Network and ESPN in 2014.

Fran Stuchbury: What did you think of the outcome of this game?

Randy Gatewood: One thing about Arena Football: Jacksonville really outplayed them. Philadelphia had a lot of breakdowns early in the first half and they didn't play Philadelphia Soul football. Anytime you have turnovers like that and you don't get stops defensively and you give up 61 points, you're not going come out on a winning side. They fought back, had a chance at the end, but just didn't have enough time to finish.

FS: How did you like the outstanding play of Jacksonville Sharks quarterback Tommy Grady who passed for 238 yards eight touchdown passes and one interception?

RG: Outstanding is an understatement; everything he threw and touched turned into gold. He dropped some balls in when Philadelphia had some great coverage on the Sharks wide receivers that they caught. I can't say enough about Sharks wid receiver Joe Hills who had eight touchdown receptions in two post-season games. There always has to be one team that loses, and Jacksonville was the better team.

FS: The Jacksonville Sharks have been road warriors with wins at the Orlando Predators and Philadelphia Soul. Do they have a shot to beat the San Jose SaberCats in ArenaBowl XXVIII at Stockton this Saturday.

RG: Absolutely, they definitely have a shot at San Jose. San Jose certainly can't take this team lightly. What they have been able to do this year after an 0-4 start and the adversity they went through... Every challenge they had this year they rallied and used that to their benefit. That is why they are playing so well now. This is a very dangerous team and San Jose should not take them lightly.

FS: Being a broadcaster, even though Arena Football has been around 28 seasons, do you always feel the need to explain the rules and the intricacies of the sport for people who are possibly watching for the first time?

RG: A lot of times being a broadcaster I was told you want to tell the people something they don't know. Break it down in terms that they will understand. The average person at home doesn't understand Arena Football. Being around this game for as long as I have, it is great to be back here, to be at these games, to be broadcasting. I understand every intricacy of the game. My broadcast counterpart Sherdrick Bonner and I have a great relationship together. Over the years he threw a lot of touchdown passes to me when I played for the Arizona Rattlers. I am blessed, and this is awesome.

FS: You played Ironman football (played both on offense and defense); will the AFL ever go back to the grassroots of the sport, Ironman football that made the sport so popular with fans?

RG: I have been trying to talk about that and ask questions about that for the longest time. I am a fan of the old way. I came up in the AFL when we had to play on both sides of the of the football: you had to play offense, you had to play defense, you had to play special teams, but in this era, I just don't know if we can get back to the old AFL, the old Ironman football where players have to be more versatile like the old AFL players were.

FS: How did you like playing for the Arizona Rattlers from 1996 to 2007, winning an ArenaBowl in 1997 and catching passes from quarterback Sherdrick Bonner?

RG: Football to me has been a part of my life for so long. Those 12 years in Arizona we had a really tight group of guys. We had a core of about five or six guys who were always there every year. Every year we would get three or four guys from other teams and piece those things together. We had a lot of success. Everything that happened from the ownership group, from the coaches, to the players, to a mentality that was built up around them: that was why the team was so successful. My career with the Rattlers... I can't say enough about them.

FS: Besides bringing back Ironman football, what should the AFL do to make it a better quality product so more fans will come to games and watch on television?

RG: Besides going back to Ironman football, that's the one thing I think it's imperative for them to do, it would make it a little more exciting with guys playing both sides of the football. Other than that, it's a great product. I think everything they do is great, like having cameras on the field and allow them to be in the huddle. This is such a fan friendly league, having players after the game sign autographs for fans. You can reach out and touch players. Some of the other professional leagues you can't do that. I think they need to continue to expand it to the fans, get the fans more involved. Do more things outside of games.

FS: How did you get involved in becoming an AFL broadcaster?

RG: I did a little work as an analyst for a couple of stations back in Arizona so I had a little bit of a background. Over the years when Jerry Kurz was the AFL Commissioner, he had tried to get me out here a couple of times, but I have kids; I have family and I had a business back home so I couldn't afford to do it at that time. When I got the opportunity to come back a couple of years ago, I jumped all over it. I just kind of came in and meshed well with the guys. I learned from Sherdrick Bonner, Ari Wolfe and Anthony Herron. Those were the guys that taught me, they did games for the AFL. They showed me the ropes, I took a little bit from each one, I put my own spin on it and here I am.

FS: For those who want to become broadcasters, what advice would you give them?

RG: I would tell them just go to college, of course, don't miss school, work hard, use all your contacts and reach out to anyone in the industry that they may know because a lot of times it can be political on who you know. As long as you have the tools to do it, and if it's a dream of theirs, don't ever give up on it. I would say if that is something they truly want to do, take one step toward it, and it will take two steps toward you.




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Arena Football League Sideline Reporter Randy Gatewood
Arena Football League Sideline Reporter Randy Gatewood
   

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