Sports stats



AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

AFL Q&A: New Orleans head coach Mike Neu

May 19, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK – New Orleans head coach MIKE NEU and the AFLWA's No. 4-ranked VooDoo (10-4) continue their Drive to ArenaBowl XVIII this Sunday on NBC at 3 p.m. ET, when they face the defending champion Tampa Bay Storm (7-7) at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla.

The expansion VooDoo have already clinched a playoff berth and have two weeks remaining to solidify a home game in the first round. With an AFL veteran such as Neu at the helm, a victory this Sunday would give New Orleans the most wins by an expansion team in league history.

Neu was named head coach of the VooDoo after serving as the director of football operations and head coach of the AFL Carolina Cobras in 2002, when he led them to the first playoff win in club history. Prior to his coaching career in Carolina, Neu was named Coach of the Year after leading the Augusta Stallions of af2 to the American Conference title. His AFL coaching career began in 1998 as the quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator (1999) for the Nashville Kats.

Neu played for the Orlando Predators in 1996 after a stint with the CFL Calgary Stampeders. A four-year starter at Ball State, Neu quarterbacked his alma mater to a conference championship in 1993. He still holds school career passing records in yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns.

Q: When was the first time you ever played football?

A: My first introduction to football was in the third grade when I went to a Catholic school down the street from my house. I played football every year from the third grade through my college career. Then after college was over, I had a brief stint in the Canadian Football League. I went to training camp in Calgary and was released there, and then broke into the Arena Football League in 1996 with Orlando.

Q: Did you ever have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

A: No not really. I would just always look up to the stands to locate my mom and dad before the game and wave hello to them because at every Little League game, high school game or college game, my parents were there.

Q: Are your children fans of your sport?

A: My kids are young. I have a 3-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy. We get a babysitter to stay with them so my wife can come to the game. She comes to as many games as she can, and sometimes comes on the road. The kids stay at home right now, but when they see Daddy on TV, they drive the babysitter crazy saying, "There's Daddy! There's Daddy!"

Q: How does the AFL compare/differ from 100-yard football?

A: The AFL is a totally different animal. It's such a confined space. It' s such a fast-paced game with a lot of scoring and action. You create a love for the AFL, being in it. You get emotionally attached to it. If you give it just one chance, you'll be hooked. It's great coming in contact with people in New Orleans at the grocery store or the gas station and hearing them say how much they love the AFL. If you go to an outdoor game now you have to sit back and the pace slows down quite a bit.

Q: How has the AFL grown over the last number of years and what things have changed since you first got involved with the league?

A: It's really something how far this league has come since my first year as a player in Orlando in 1996. It's just amazing to see the ownership groups that are now involved in this league and the cities that are now turning out AFL teams. With the growth in exposure recently with NBC, it's been night and day between now and when I first got involved. Back then, I was excited as can be to be playing for $600 a week, thinking it was the greatest thing in the world. And now, the league has come so far and increased its credibility.

Q: What has it been like to work under New Orleans Saints ownership?

A: It's been very fortunate. Mr. [TOM] BENSON, [New Orleans Saints and VooDoo owner], has given us all of the facilities and resources needed to put an expansion team together the way we have. It's fun to see him at [AFL] games having fun and interacting with the fans. He is certainly committed to bringing a first-class organization to the city of New Orleans, and he treats everyone on the VooDoo the same way he treats the coaching staff and the players on the Saints. Our players are very appreciative of the environment here that he has given us to work in.

Q: In addition to the ownership, what else have you done, as the team's coach, to spark such quick success for an expansion team that is currently 10-4 and has already secured a spot in the playoffs?

A: As a head coach, an assistant coach and in my playing days, I was fortunate to be around some great coaches in this league starting with PERRY MOSS in Orlando, then EDDIE KHAYAT, PAT SPERDUTO and JAY GRUDEN [in Nashville]. When I was in Nashville, I saw first-hand as a player—even though I was a backup quarterback and get a lot of playing time—what building an expansion team was all about. I was very fortunate, as both a player and a coach, to learn from some great teachers.

Q: How would you describe yourself on the field and around your players?

A: The biggest thing I try to do is work hard. There is no substitute for hard work. I leave it all on the field so the players see my dedication. I also try to be myself. I'm a young guy, and the first thing you ask is, "Are they going to respect such a young guy?" But, I just try to be myself. I treat those guys with the utmost respect, and I try to demand hard work out of them. It's nothing flashy, the respect comes from the players when they see how dedicated you are.

Q: What is your favorite moment from your AFL career to date?

A: My playoff game in Grand Rapids when I was with Carolina in 2002. We won the playoff game there, and they were the defending champions. And, I think right alongside that favorite moment, is our first win as an expansion team this year in Philadelphia, and seeing the excitement on Mr. Benson's face in the locker room. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work from the offseason and the expansion process all coming together with a win.

Q: Which AFL arena do you think is the toughest to play in?

A: I think Orlando is, without question, the toughest arena to play in. The environment there is actually very similar to the one we have here [in New Orleans]. It's loud, the fans are into the game, and it's a hostile environment. The Orlando Predators always step it up a notch when they are playing at home. They've had such a great fan base for so many years. It's always a defensive battle there, which also makes it tougher.

Q: Who is the toughest AFL coach you've faced in your career?

A: [Orlando head coach] JAY GRUDEN. I haven't had the chance yet to go up against [former AFL head coach] PAT SPERDUTO. But, Gruden is the toughest to go against. I played under him in 1997, and against him, he's the one guy I haven't been able to beat yet as a head coach.

Q: How important is the VooDoo's game against the Tampa Bay Storm this weekend?

A: We're going to Tampa to face the best coach in the history of the Arena Football League, TIM MARCUM. He has his team playing great football right now. They've won four in a row, and they're fighting for their playoff life, so you know we're going to get their best. [Marcum] has been in 10 of 17 ArenaBowls, and he hasn't missed the playoffs with Tampa Bay, so we're going up against the best in the business and the defending champions. It should be a great game. And for us, even though we clinched a playoff spot, we still have a lot to play for. We have the desire to host a playoff game here in New Orleans to reward our fans for their support. We [have] got to go down and play good football against a team that, alongside Arizona, is one of the hottest teams in the league.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

A: I hope I'm coaching the New Orleans VooDoo. I love it here. The ownership has been tremendous. Mr. Benson has given us first-class facilities all around to work in, and the city is unbelievable. The fan support has been great. We've been fortunate to be 6-1 at home so far, and I'd love to see myself in five years still coaching the New Orleans VooDoo.

Q: What two AFL teams would you like to see in the ArenaBowl this year?

A: The New Orleans VooDoo and whoever shows up.

• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League (1987-2008) message board...

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 19, 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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central