Championship Familiar Territory For Lions Players
June 28, 2007 - World Indoor Football League 2 (WIFL 2)
Columbus Lions News Release
As the Columbus Lions prepare for Saturday's World Indoor Bowl I against the Augusta Spartans, the hype and emotion leading up to the biggest game of the year is familiar territory for many of the Lion players.
Kicker Wes Wilson Wes Wilson has played for a title on the professional level, though he didn't get a ring when the Macon Knights lost the 2003 af2 Arena Cup to the Tulsa Talons.
"The title game is big, no doubt about that," Wilson said. "Everything we worked for all year, a 16-game regular season, is there -- we reached the goal of making it to the championship game. "No question I was more excited, more nervous, but I kicked well despite our loss," Wilson added. "We enjoyed the fanfare leading up, and there was a big banquet for both teams and the award winners, just like the WIFL is doing here Friday evening."
Assistant coach David Daniels played in 1987 Grey Cup for the Toronto Argonauts against the Edmonton Eskimos. "Wow, it's been twenty years already," Daniels said. "I'll never forget that we lost on a last-minute field goal. The game was played in Vancouver at B.C. Place, a domed stadium with more than 60,000 in the stands. What really stands out in my mind was Damon Allen scoring a touchdown on me after I drove him out of bounds! He went around me on the extra-wide CFL field, and the referees let him come back in-bounds and gave him the score! It was ridiculous.
"I was in my third year, and I'm long since retired, but Allen is still playing at age 44," Daniels added. "My coach, Bob O'Billovich, is still in the league as personnel director for the British Columbia Lions. He's interested in our defensive lineman, Jauron Dailey, for his B.C. team right now."
Defensive backs Ramone Nickerson and Schuyler Weaver were part of Tuskegee's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference dynasty. Nickerson earned rings in 2002, 2004 and 2005 while Weaver was part of the 2000, 2001 and 2004 victories.
"Everyone was revved up in practice before the championship games," Nickerson said. "There was a little more trash talk, a different mindset. You try to treat it as just another game, but there was more enthusiasm than normal. The first year (2002), even though we lost the game, we were awarded the SIAC championship on the basis of a better overall record than Albany State, regular season included."
Weaver remembers the entire experience.
"It was never dull in practice in the days leading up to the title games, Weaver said. "We had fun, with everyone trying to reach the same goal, very good team unity. I got a lot of special teams play in our undefeated season of 2000, my redshirt freshman year, including two sacks, which were an intricate part of the win that year."
Defensive back Damian Daniels played for Columbus' Shaw High School in the 2000 Georgia State 4A championship here in Columbus.
"What I remember as a high school junior was the unusual media attention the week of the game. We weren't used to that, and reporters were all over us every day, Daniels said. "Also, there was a huge, overflow crowd at Kinnett Stadium even during warmups. We recovered a fumble on the opening play, scored right away and won the state title, 30-0."
Despite a prolific and record-setting college career at Division II Glenville State, quarterback Joey Conrad hasn't played for a championship since fourth grade.
World Indoor Football League 2 Stories from June 28, 2007
- Dailey, Daniels Share WIFL Defensive Player of the Year - Columbus Lions
- Hometown Roots Play Big Role In Spartans Success - Augusta Colts
- Championship Familiar Territory For Lions Players - Columbus Lions
- World Indoor Bowl I Game Notes - WIFL 2
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