Around the Arena League

by Kats Press Release
Published on October 4, 2000 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)

Kats Press Release

News & Notes From Around The League

TITANS SIGN AFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Oct. 4, 2000 – The Tennessee Titans signed wide receiver Chris Jackson, the Arena Football League's 2000 Rookie of the Year, to their practice squad on Tuesday in order to bolster the team's injury-riddled receiving corps.

Jackson, who played collegiately at Washington State, had a spectacular year with the AFL's Los Angeles Avengers last season, catching 91 passes for 1,325 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was selected to the league's All-Rookie team and was named Rookie of the Year after the season.

GRAND RAPIDS GETS FIRST BIG FREE AGENT SIGNING OF OFF-SEASON

The Grand Rapids Rampage on Monday announced their first three signings of the Arena Football League's historic free agent era, as the team has come to terms on two-year contracts with quarterback Clint Dolezel, wide receiver/linebacker Michael Baker and lineman Tony Bowick.

Dolezel, perhaps the greatest prize among the AFL's 158 available free agents, is one of the most prolific and accurate passers in league history, ranking among the all-time leaders with 12,165 passing yards (11th), 234 touchdown passes (9th) and a 65.0 completion percentage (2nd).

During the 1999 season, his most recent in the AFL, Dolezel led the league in attempts (556), completions (374), completion percentage (67.3), passing yards (4,336) and touchdown passes (80) for the Houston ThunderBears, setting single-season league records for completions and yards.

The five-year veteran earned a contract from the Chicago Bears in March, and he remained with the National Football League club until being released on August 7. His NFL experience also includes signing as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns and attending the team's training camp in 1994.

Baker, twice chosen by his teammates as both the Rampage's Most Valuable Player (1998, 2000) and Ironman of the Year (1999, 2000), places second all-time on the Rampage with 292 points, 48 touchdowns, 39 receiving TDs, 2,875 receiving yards and 257 receptions.

JACOBS TO LEAVE ALBANY FOR SAN JOSE

From The Albany Times-Union, By Mark Singelais

The Albany Firebirds lost their first player to free agency, as All-Arena Football League lineman Joe Jacobs said Monday that he has signed a three-year contract with the San Jose SaberCats.

The move allows Jacobs, the Firebirds career sack leader and arguably the league's best lineman, to return to his home state of California. He was raised near the San Francisco Bay area and lives in Palm Springs.

"We're going to win a championship (in San Jose) and it's close to home,'' Jacobs said. "I'm satisfied with my decision. I weighed the decision of coming back. I wish I could play for (Albany coach) Mike Dailey, but I wanted to be closer to the West Coast.''

Jacobs leaned toward an offer from the Los Angeles Avengers last week, but decided upon San Jose because the SaberCats tied for the league's best record (12-2) last year.

Including Jacobs, the Firebirds had eight players, all of whom have four years of service, become free agents when the league's first signing period started on Sunday.

Albany General Manager Joe Hennessy said it doesn't appear likely that quarterback Mike Pawlawski and WR/LB Greg Hopkins, who have both been all-league selections, will be back next season.

FIREBIRDS MAY LEAVE ALBANY

From The Albany Times-Union, By Mark Singelais

Pepsi Arena general manager Bob Belber said Tuesday he has learned that Albany Firebirds owner Glenn Mazula signed an agreement to sell 50 percent of the Arena Football League franchise to an investor who intends to move the team out of the Capital Region in time for the 2001 season.

Belber said he has asked Mazula for a copy of the agreement and will try to find local investors to match the offer and keep the Firebirds at Pepsi Arena, where they've played since their inaugural season in 1990.

Belber said he didn't know the identity of Mazula's new partner, whether the sale is final, or where the Firebirds plan to relocate.

Mazula recently took a tour of Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and one Firebirds free agent said that during recent contract negotiations, Mazula and general manager Joe Hennessy spoke highly of Indianapolis.

Belber told the Times Union last month that he was assured by Mazula that the Firebirds would remain in Albany next season.

But Belber said Tuesday that he learned in a meeting with Mazula 10 days ago that the Firebirds owner signed the agreement to sell in June.

NEW JERSEY GETS THEIR GUY AS HEAD COACH

The New Jersey Red Dogs signed Kevin Guy as the team's third Head Coach in their five-year history last week. The terms were not disclosed.

Guy, 27, was named the interim Head Coach after the release of Frank Mattiace after the Red Dogs' loss to the Buffalo Destroyers in Week 11 last season. Guy is a five-year veteran of the AFL having played wide receiver/defensive back for the Minnesota Fighting Pike in 1996, the Red Dogs from 1997 to 1999 and he went to the ArenaBowl with the Orlando Predators in 1999. As a rookie with the Fighting Pike, he led the team in tackles with 56, and then followed that up by leading the Red Dogs in tackles (69) in the teams' inaugural year (1997).

Kevin was the defensive backs coach prior to being named the interim Head Coach at the end of last season. Under Guy's leadership, the Red Dogs defense finished the 2000 season with the league's number four rated total defense and pass defense.

A native of Shelby, Alabama, he graduated West Alabama University with a dual degree in both history and physical education. He played wide receiver form 1992-94 for West Alabama, totaling 46 receptions, 626 yards and five touchdowns in his career. Guy was an All-State athlete in both football and track while attending Shelby County High School.

OKLAHOMA HIRES ASSISTANT HEAD COACH

The Oklahoma Wranglers promise to be active players in the Arena Football League's historic free agent signing period. They kicked off that activity on Tuesday, not with a player, but with one of the hottest coaching prospects in Arena Football.

The Wranglers signed Jon Norris as their new assistant head coach and offensive/defensive line coach. Norris comes to the Wranglers after serving as head coach for arenafootball2's Tulsa Talons this past season.

Norris' coaching success follows on the heels of a professional playing career in the National Football League, where he was a defensive lineman for the New England Patriots' 1985 Super Bowl XX team, and with the Chicago Bears in 1987 and 1988.Norris was an offensive and defensive lineman in the Arena Football League with the Denver Dynamite (1987, 1990-91) and the Sacramento Attack (1992), playing on the first league championship squad in AFL history with Denver in 1987.

The American International College graduate launched his coaching career as an assistant with the Las Vegas Sting (1994) and the Connecticut Coyotes (1995) before spending three seasons as the head coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State University (1997-1999). With OPSU's Aggies, he orchestrated the

varsity football program's jump to NCAA Division II and led the program to historical first victories over NCAA Div. I-AA and Div. II opponents.

Norris brings his talents to a Wranglers' squad that boasted the AFL's No. 1 defense in 2000 while playing the toughest schedule in the league. Oklahoma advanced to the AFL quarterfinals with a 52-38 first-round triumph at New England, a victory that made the Wranglers the only road team to win in the

first round this season and the lowest seed ever (No. 10) to win an AFL playoff game.

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 4, 2000

• Around the Arena League - OSC Original by Kats Press Release

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