Burley Named Deseret News' Athlete Of The Month
July 9, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Utah Blaze News Release
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Blaze WR SIAHA BURLEY (5-10, 176, Central Florida) was named the Deseret Morning News Athlete of the Month for June. Burley is also a leading candidate for the Arena Football League's Offensive Player of the Year honors, which will be announced on Wednesday, July 11.
Burley, who was All-Arena First Team this season, became the first player in United States professional football history to reach 2,000 receiving yards in a single season. The six-year veteran achieved the mark in just 15 games. His record-setting, 2,000-yard ball was sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
During the month of June, Burley had 28 catches for 292 yards and eight touchdowns. The highlight of the month came when he was named Offensive Player of the Game in the Blaze's 47-37 playoff-clinching victory over the Los Angeles Avengers on June 23. Burley hauled in 11 receptions for 133 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. It marked the second straight season the Blaze made the postseason in the team's two-year existence.
The 2005 AFLWA Offensive Player of the Year finished the 2007 regular season by shattering league records for receptions (166) and receiving yards (2,129). The previous marks were 154 (MARCUS NASH in 2004) and 1,982 (CALVIN SCHEXNAYDER in 1998), respectively. Burley also finished with 49 receiving touchdowns (No. 2 in AFL).
In his 31 games with the Blaze, Burley has never failed to score a touchdown and record at least three receptions. In 28 of those games, he has recorded multiple touchdowns. Over the last two seasons, Burley has averaged 10 receptions for three touchdowns per game.
ABOUT THE BLAZE
The Utah Blaze were winners of the 2006 Commissioner's Award, given to the Arena Football League's Organization of the Year, and the Best Support Staff Award. 2008 Season Tickets are now available by logging onto www.utahblaze.com or by calling (801) 257-3111. The Blaze are owned and operated by the Ken Garff Automotive Group - www.kengarff.com.
2007 DESERET MORNING NEWS
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
MONTH ATHLETE, TEAM
January Keena Young, BYU basketball
February Jaycee Carroll, USU basketball
March Carlos Boozer, Utah Jazz
April Ashley Postell, Utah gymnastics
May Deron Williams, Utah Jazz
JUNE SIAHA BURLEY, UTAH BLAZE
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from July 9, 2007
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- Storm Re-sign WR Terrill Shaw - Tampa Bay Storm
- ArenaBowl XXI TicketExchange - AFL I
- Burley Named Deseret News' Athlete Of The Month - Utah Blaze
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