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Carolina Cobras Game Notes

April 15, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Carolina Cobras News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Carolina Cobras (0-11) vs. Georgia Force (6-5)
Date: April 18, 2003
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Charlotte Coliseum (12,229)
Officials: Perry Havener (Referee), Roy Ellison (Umpire), Derrick Bowers (Head Linesman), David Meslow (Line Judge), Greg Steed (Back Judge)
Series Record: Georgia leads all-time series 2-1
Coaches: Carolina: Mike Hold (1st Season, 0-11) Georgia: Marty Lowe (2nd Season, 11-9)

THE SERIES: Georgia leads all-time series 2-1
Carolina 55, @ Georgia 54 – April 26, 2002
Georgia 53, @ Carolina 42 – June 14, 2002
@ Georgia 45, Carolina 37 – March 15, 2003

COBRAS LAST WEEK: The Carolina Cobras forced Tampa Bay to overtime before losing a 45-38 heartbreaker to the Southern Division leaders at the Charlotte Coliseum. The Storm's eighth consecutive victory kept the Cobras winless on the season at 0-11. Tampa Bay quarterback John Kaleo completed 25-of-38 passes for 332 yards and one touchdown. Freddie Solomon caught nine passes for 131 yards. Andre Bowden had four rushing scores for the Storm, including the game-winner in overtime. Stewart Patridge was 20-of-41 for 207 yards and four touchdowns for Carolina. Nick Ward caught seven passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, to go along with an interception and a fumble recovery. Bernard Holmes added seven receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns for the Cobras. He finished the game with 200 all-purpose yards, his eighth straight game played with 200 or more all-purpose yards.

FORCE LAST WEEK: The Georgia Force dropped their third straight game falling 34-27 at home to the New York Dragons. Aaron Garcia completed 21-of-36 passing for 200 yards and four touchdowns adding one rushing score to lead New York to its fourth win in its last five games. Rookie quarterback Leon Murray finished 21-of-37 for 281 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start for the Force. He found Markeith Cooper five times for 98 yards and a score. Bret Cooper added four receptions for 63 yards and returned an interception 50 yards for a TD.

HEAD COACHES: After two seasons as head coach of the af2 Augusta Stallions, Mike Hold is making his AFL coaching debut with the Cobras in 2003. He led the Stallions to a combined 22-10 record in his two years, including a 13-3 mark and playoff appearance in 2002. Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Hold spent 12 seasons as an AFL quarterback. He saw action for eight teams during his tenure and was the last remaining active player from the league's first season when he retired in 2000. Hold had training camp stints with the Denver Broncos (1986) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987, 88). He appeared in three games for Tampa Bay during the NFL strike in 1987. A 1985 graduate of the University of South Carolina, Hold led the Gamecocks to the school's only 10-win season in 1984 and earned MVP honors of the Gator Bowl. Despite playing only two seasons, he ranks seventh on the school's all-time passing yards list with 2,981 yards.

Marty Lowe is in his second season coaching the Force after replacing Robert Lyles five games into the 2002 campaign. Lowe led the Force to a 5-4 finish en route to a 6-8 record and a second-place finish in the Southern Division. Prior to joining the Force, Lowe had spent two seasons as offensive coordinator with the Nashville Kats. Lowe spent two seasons in the Arena Football League as a quarterback with the St. Louis Stampede and Texas Terror.

THIS YEAR'S COBRAS-FORCE MEETING: Georgia 45, Carolina 37 (3/15/03 at Georgia) The Carolina Cobras rallied from a 20-point first quarter deficit to cut the lead to three late in the third quarter before eventually falling 45-37 to the Georgia Force in front of 9,699 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center. The Cobras rallied behind the play of Bernard Holmes and Robert Hall. Hall finished the night 20-of-35 for 210 yards and three touchdowns. He added a three-yard rushing touchdown. Holmes caught 10 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns and added 168 yards on six kickoffs, including a 56-yard touchdown. He finished the night with 284 all-purpose yards, his highest total of the season and the third highest single-game total in Cobras history. Larry Casher set a Cobras franchise record with 12.0 tackles in the game.

FAMILIAR FACES: The Force roster features four former Cobras...DS Kevin Gaines, OL/DL Tony Henderson, OL/DL Marcus Keyes and OL/DL Juan Porter were each members of Carolina's 2002 team, along with line coach Brennen Booth...Gaines is the Cobras all-time single-season record holder in tackles, interceptions and pass deflections and is the franchise's career record holder in interceptions and pass deflections...Force FB/LB Tommy Dorsey and OL/DL Adam Metts are both from North Carolina...Dorsey played at N.C. Central and Metts played at North Carolina.

INJURY UPDATES: DS Larry Casher (ankle), WR/DB Buddy Crutchfield (quad) and OL/DL Curt Lessman (quad) are all questionable with injuries suffered last week against Tampa Bay...OS Ben Bronson and WR/LB Van Johnson have returned to practice but are still on injured reserve.

COBRAS MILESTONES:
QB Robert Hall needs:
• 159 passing yards to reach 7,500

OS Bernard Holmes needs:
• 6 receiving touchdowns to reach 50
• 126 kickoff return yards to reach 3,500

WR/LB Ty Law needs:
• 270 receiving yards to reach 3,000
• 4 receiving touchdowns to reach 50

DS Derek Stingley
•1 pass breakup for 100

COBRAS NEXT WEEK: The Cobras visit the Arizona Rattlers on Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 p.m. This is the first matchup between the two teams since last season's AFL quarterfinals when the second-seeded Rattlers beat the 11th-seeded Cobras 61-59 on a 32-yard touchdown pass off the net as time expired.

SNAKE BITES:

Record-Setting Losing Streaks: Last week's loss to Tampa Bay was the Cobras 11th straight, adding to the franchise record. The previous long streak of eight came during the 2000 campaign. The AFL record for consecutive losses to start the season is 14 set by Memphis in 1996. The loss was also the Cobras fifth straight at home, tying a franchise record set last season.

Home Heartbreakers: Three of Carolina's five losses at the Charlotte Coliseum have come down to the game's final play and four of five have been by 10 points or less. Against Detroit on February 14, Carolina took a 44-43 lead with 1:01 remaining before the Fury scored the game-winning touchdown with four seconds to play. On March 21, the Cobras had five chances inside the Dallas 10-yard line in the final minute of play before dropping a 47-43 decision to the Desperados. The Cobras went into overtime last week against Tampa Bay before falling 45-38. After Andre Bowden scored on the Storm's overtime possession, Carolina threw four incompletions to end the game.

Nick At Night: WR/DB Nick Ward had the best game of his three-year AFL career last week against Tampa Bay. Ward had seven receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns on offense, all of which are new career-highs. Defensively, he had 5.0 tackles, one fumble recovery, one pass breakup and one interception, the second of his career. Ward is third on the team with five TD receptions this season and is of only two Cobras to play in all 11 games (also Matt George).

Holmes Continues To Shine: No player has had a bigger impact for the Cobras this season than WR/DB turned OS Bernard Holmes. He has recorded 200 or more all-purpose yards in each of his last eight games played (he missed week five due to a family death). During that stretch, he has 69 receptions for 820 yards and 16 touchdowns and 57 kickoff returns for 1,149 yards, including 56-yard touchdowns against Detroit and Georgia. So far this season, he has recorded the third (284 in week seven at Georgia), fourth (283 in week four vs. Orlando), fifth (272 in week three vs. Detroit), sixth (258 in week six vs. Las Vegas) and seventh (248 in week ten at Los Angeles) best single-game all-purpose yardage totals in franchise history. Holmes has recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season, tying the franchise record. His 180 receiving yards on March 9 against Las Vegas and 13 receptions on April 4 at Los Angeles are career highs. Below are the top seven all-purpose yardage games in Cobras history.

Climbing The Charts: In just nine games played, Holmes already ranks as one of only three players in AFL history to have eight or more games of 200 or more all-purpose yards in a season.

Patridge Makes Mark On Record Books: QB Stewart Patridge started his second game of the season on April 4 at Los Angeles, seeing his first game action since week two at Buffalo. Patridge posted franchise records of 30 completions and 46 pass attempts, throwing for 287 yards and six touchdowns, both of which are season-highs for a Cobras quarterback. Patridge followed that up last week against Tampa Bay by going 20-of-41 for 207 yards and four touchdowns.

The Quarterback Carousel: After starting five different quarterbacks in their first six games, the Cobras settled in with Robert Hall as the starter for three outings before going back to Stewart Patridge for the last two weeks. Chad DeGrenier started the season opener at Tampa Bay, throwing four interceptions. Patridge got the nod in week two at Buffalo. Hall was the starter in weeks three and four against Detroit and Orlando. Rookie Glen Gauntt got the start in week five at Grand Rapids. Ron Lopez got the starting nod in week six against Las Vegas. Lopez was replaced in the fourth quarter of that game by Hall, who started the next three weeks. Patridge returned to the starting lineup in week 10 at Los Angeles and stayed there last week against Tampa Bay.

From Way Downtown: Matt George's 51-yard field goal last week against Tampa Bay tied the longest in Cobras franchise history. It was the fourth 50-plus yard field goal of George's career. Offense vs. Defense: This week's game against Georgia features the Force's defense, which ranks first in the league in total defense (225.8) and second in scoring defense (44.5), against the Cobras' offense, which is 15th in the league in both scoring offense (36.6) and total offense (224.5).

Third Quarter Woes: By far this season, the Cobras worst quarter has been the third. In 11 games played, Carolina has scored just 67 points in the third frame, the worst of any team in the AFL. The Cobras have been outscored 143-67 in the stanza.

A Former Rage In The Cage: The Cobras signed nine-year AFL veteran OL/DL Robert Stewart last week. Stewart returns to Charlotte, where he spent three years with the old Charlotte Rage (1994-96). He has also seen time with the New Jersey Red Dogs (1997-2000), New York Dragons (2001-02) and Arizona Rattlers (2003). Stewart has been named First Team All-AFL three times (1994, 1999, 2001) and Second Team three times (1995, 1997, 1998). He was the AFL Lineman of the Year in 1999, one of two seasons in which he led the league in sacks. Stewart ranks third on the AFL's career sacks list with 38.5, seventh on the single-season sacks list (9.0 in 2001) and third on the single-game sacks list (4.0 on June 30, 2001).

A Career Night for Law: WR/LB Ty Law posted his first 100-yard receiving game of the season on April 4 at Los Angeles, catching a career-high nine passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Law ranks second on the Cobras with 45 receptions for 426 yards.

Cobras Among League Leaders: OS Bernard Holmes is one of only three players in the league that is averaging over 200 all-purpose yards per game and ranks 2nd in that category with 222.0...Holmes is 2nd in kickoff returns (57), 3rd in all-purpose yardage (1998), 3rd in kickoff return yardage (1149), tied for 6th in kickoff return TDs (2) and 10th in receptions (70)...DS Larry Casher is 12th in the league in tackles with 50.0...QB Robert Hall is tied for 7th with six rushing TDs...DS Derek Stingley is 14th in passes defended (12)...K Matt George leads the league in field goal attempts (30), is tied for 3rd in field goals made (10), is 6th in PAT percentage (85.4) and is 10th in scoring among kickers (65).

A Passing Frenzy: The Cobras defense has allowed opponents to complete 68.4 percent of their passes over the last seven games (141-of-206). Four of those seven games have seen opposing quarterbacks complete over 70-percent of their passes.

From Out Of Nowhere: The surprise star of Carolina's March 28 game at San Jose was rookie WR/LB Chris Johnson. Johnson caught nine passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns in just his second career game played. He followed that up with four receptions for 45 yards and one touchdown on April 4 at Los Angeles. Since being signed from the practice squad on February 20, Johnson had been inactive in four games and had just one reception for a 12-yard touchdown in his lone game played on March 9 against Las Vegas.

Post To Post: Carolina has allowed a franchise record five kickoff returns for touchdowns this season and one missed field goal return for a touchdown. In the previous three years of the team's history, the Cobras had allowed only six kickoff returns for touchdowns. On March 28, San Jose returned two Carolina kickoffs for scores.

The AFL's Version Of Slash: Cobras QB Robert Hall set a franchise record with four rushing touchdowns on March 21 against Dallas and has six of the team's nine rushing touchdowns this season. He has also thrown for 24 touchdowns and has two receptions for 31 yards. Hall has seen action as both a quarterback and offensive specialist throughout his AFL career. He is the only player in league history to have 2,000 passing yards and 2,000 receiving yards in his career.

From Teammate to Coach: OS Ben Bronson, QB Robert Hall and OS Bernard Holmes were teammates of Cobras head coach Mike Hold with the Houston ThunderBears.

It's A Small World: Defensive coordinator Flint Fleming was a teammate of OL/DL Jim Stiebel with the Buffalo Destroyers in 2000. Fleming played with WR/DB Bernard Holmes and WR/DB Nick Ward as a member of the Florida Bobcats in 2001.

Coming With The Coach: WR/LB Chris Johnson, DS Adrian Jones, FB/LB Glen Mitts and defensive backs coach Maurice Blanding came to Carolina with head coach Mike Hold from the af2 Augusta Stallions.

Supporting Our Military: To show their support for the men and women serving in our armed forces at home and overseas, the Carolina Cobras are offering special discounts and, when available, complimentary tickets for all armed forces personnel and their families to any Cobras game for the remainder of the 2003 season. To take advantage of this offer, armed forces personnel and/or their families will be asked to present a military ID at the Charlotte Coliseum box office to receive the tickets.

COBRAS PLAYERS TO WATCH:

OS Bernard Holmes: In his last eight games played, Holmes has posted 200 or more all-purpose yards each week. During that stretch, he has 69 receptions for 820 yards and 16 touchdowns and 57 kickoff returns for 1,149 yards, including 56-yard touchdowns against Detroit and Georgia. So far this season, he has recorded the third (284 in week seven at Georgia), fourth (283 in week four vs. Orlando), fifth (272 in week three vs. Detroit), sixth (258 in week six vs. Las Vegas) and seventh (248 in week ten at Los Angeles) best single-game all-purpose yardage totals in franchise history. His 180 receiving yards on March 9 against Las Vegas and 13 receptions on April 4 at Los Angeles are career highs. Holmes is 2nd in the AFL in all-purpose yards per game (222.0), 2nd in kickoff returns (57), 3rd in all-purpose yardage (1998), 3rd in kickoff return yardage (1149), tied for 6th in kickoff return TDs (2) and 10th in receptions (70).

QB Stewart Patridge: Patridge started his second straight game last week against Tampa Bay, going 20-of-41 for 207 yards and four touchdowns. In week 10 against Los Angeles, Patridge posted franchise records of 30 completions and 46 pass attempts, throwing for 287 yards and six touchdowns, both of which are season-highs for a Cobras quarterback.

DS Derek Stingley: Stingley ranks 14th in the league with 12 passes defended this season. He has recorded at least one pass breakup in each of his nine games played. Stingley has posted a season-high with 8.0 tackles three times – February 14 vs. Detroit, March 21 vs. Dallas and last week vs. Tampa Bay.

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