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af2 Alumni To Impact AFL Matchup

June 15, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHICAGO - The Chicago Rush (10-4) will take on the Colorado Crush (8-6) in a Central Division battle in this week's Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football League Monday matchup. The game, which will be broadcast live at 10:00 p.m. ET on June 18 on ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, will provide a potential playoff preview and a national showcase for a number of notable arenafootball2 (af2) alumni on both sides.

Chicago will take the field at Pepsi Arena with eight players with af2 experience. WR BOBBY SIPPIO spent one season with the Greensboro Prowlers in 2003 before bursting onto the AFL scene. Sippio was the Prowlers' leading receiver and leading tackler, catching 57 passes for 1,009 yards and 27 touchdowns, while recording 66.0 tackles, five interceptions, and 14 passes broken up in 13 games. After being named the af2 Ironman of the Year in 2003, Sippio spent his rookie year in the AFL with Dallas, finishing the season second in the league in yards per catch (16.2) and seventh in scoring with 33 touchdowns and 200 points. The Rush have had the benefit of Sippio's offensive expertise for two seasons, after picking up the wide receiver from Tampa Bay. Sippio joined Chicago's ranks with five games left in the 2006 regular season and made an immediate impact on the Rush offense. Sippio recorded 93 catches for 1,320 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2006, all career-highs. This season he is currently ranked first in the League in scoring with 282 points (47 TDs) and only needs three touchdowns to become the fourth player in AFL history to record 50 touchdowns in a season. Two members of Chicago's coaching staff also have af2 backgrounds, football operations/defensive backs coach Brian Schwartze and offensive line coach Tony BowicK. Schwartze spent two seasons with Quad City as an assistant head coach, while Bowick worked with the Albany Conquest as an offensive line coach in 2006.

Colorado will utilize two players and one coach with histories in the af2 in its second matchup with the Rush this season. K JASON BALL is currently tied for first in the AFL in field goals (15) and sixth in points scored by a kicker with 122. (77-for-89 PATs). Ball got his Arena Football career started with the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings (2004) and Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2005). Ball earned second team all-af2 honors in 2004 while playing for the Battle Wings, where he went 11-for-29 on field goals and 70-for-87 on PATs for the season. In 2005, Ball was 5-for-12 on field goals and 38-for-47 on PATs for the season with the Yard Dawgz. Ball got his start with the AFL when he signed with the Crush in 2006, connecting on 7-of-9 PATs and hitting his only field goal attempt in his first game, against Grand Rapids. Quarterbacks coach CHRIS BODEN is in the midst of his first season with Colorado, after working with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2003 as both a player and a coach.

A full list of the 10 players that will make an impact on the Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football Monday game between Chicago and Colorado is located below:

Colorado

Jason Ball - Bossier-Shreveport 2004, Okla. City 2005

Brett Huyser - Green Bay 2006

-Shreveport 2004, Okla. City 2005

Chicago

Robert Boss - Green Bay 2006

E.J. Burt - Cape Fear 2003

Matt D'Orazio - Rochester 2002, Mohegan 2003

Rob Mager - Louisville 2005, 2006

Joe Peters - Peoria 2004, Green Bay 2005

Dennison Robinson - Quad Cities 2000

James Sadler - Tulsa 2005, 2006

Bobby Sippio - Greensboro 2003

Chicago is currently ranked first in the Central Division, and has won two of its last five contests. In a 55-32 defeat over Grand Rapids in their last game, the Rush brought their division record to 4-2.

Colorado lost at Utah in Week 14, 14-51, and is currently ranked third in the Central Division behind Kansas City and Chicago. Colorado lost 48-59 to Chicago at Allstate Arena on May 7, and will be seeking revenge with a home field advantage.

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