Chicago Rush Game Notes
May 21, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release
The Quick Facts
TV: NBC ... Mike Breen, Ray Bentley, Marty Snider
Radio: 930 WAUR ... Tom Dore, John Jurkovic
Overall Series Record: 2-3 (Iowa and New York)
Last Meeting: March 23, 2003 ... Dragons won 54-51
Coaches (regular season, postseason records): Mike Hohensee (68-64, 5-6 â 10th season) Todd Shell (37-29, 0-3 â 5th season)
Officials: Bill McCabe (Referee), Paul King (Umpire), Rich Grube (Head Linesman), Dana McKenzie (Line Judge), Rich Wilborn (Back Judge)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: The Rush will open the 2003 postseason as the No. 9 seed and travel to take on the New York Dragons (No. 8). The teams met earlier this season at Allstate Arena with the Dragons prevailing 54-51. In that game, the Rush had its chances to win but Billy Dicken was sacked and fumbled with 10 seconds left in the contest.
The Rush made it into the playoffs after defeating the Indiana Firebirds 46-43 in overtime. Antonio Chatman set numerous team records with 400 all-purpose yards, 13 catches and 190 receiving yards. Billy Dicken threw for 320 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. Kicker Keith Gispert was the hero, however, as he made a 16-yard game-winning field goal in overtime.
The Dragons clinched the Eastern Division title with a 63-47 win over the Carolina Cobras. New York started the season 0-6 before bouncing back to finish the campaign at 8-8. Aaron Garcia led the Dragons over Carolina with 365 yards and 8 touchdowns. William Holder was his favorite receiver with 8 catches for 129 yards and 4 touchdowns. MOYER, CHATMAN HONORED: John Moyer and Antonio Chatman have been chosen to the all-Arena squads. Moyer was named to the first-team while Chatman was a second-team selection. Moyer was also named to the all-Ironman team.
Moyer had the best season of his career, setting career highs in tackles (29.5) and sacks (9.0). Moyer's sack mark is also a Rush record. Moyer finished among the league leaders in sacks and forced fumbles (4). On offense, he did not allow a sack all season.
Chatman had an amazing season, breaking the leagues all-purpose yards record with 3,678. In addition, Chatman returned a league-high 7 kickoffs and re-wrote the Rush record book. Chatman caught 123 passes for 1,608 yards and 29 touchdowns and returned 84 kicks for 2,062 yards and 7 scores.
GISPERT EARNS ALL-ROOKIE HONORS: Kicker Keith Gispert has been named to the league's all-Rookie team. Gispert connected on 9-of-21 field goal attempts and 64-of-79 extra point tries in 13 games. Gispert kicked the Rush into the postseason with a 16-yards game-winning field goal in overtime May 18 vs. Indiana. Gispert signed a three-year contract with the Rush November 14, 2002.
PLAYOFF PREVIEW: The opening round of the playoff will match:
(12) Georgia at (5) Dallas
(11) Las Vegas at (6) Arizona
(10) Detroit at (7) Grand Rapids
(9) Chicago at (8) New York
- the quarterfinal round will take place Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1 with all four games on NBC.
- the semifinal round will be played Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 with one game each day.
- the ArenaBowl will be Sunday, June 22, at the home venue of the highest remaining seed, starting at 4 p.m.
EXPERIENCE NOT NEEDED: In its inaugural season, the Rush entered the playoffs with 9 players sporting postseason experience. In 2002, Chicago entered the postseason with 19 players on its roster with postseason experience (82 games). This season, the Rush enters with 18 players with postseason experience. Those players bring a combined 92 games of experience.
The most experienced Rush player is fullback/linebacker Bob McMillen, who has participated in 14 playoff games followed by lineman James Baron and defensive specialist Cedric Walker with 12 games each. Lineman Tony Bowick has played in 10 contests. Players making their postseason debuts are quarterback Brian Ah Yat, wide receiver/ defensive back DeJuan Alfonzo, fullback/linebacker Levelle Brown, kicker Keith Gispert and lineman Jerry Montgomery.
ALL-PURPOSE CHATMAN: Antonio Chatman established the AFL record for all-purpose yards in a season with his 400-yard performance May 18 vs. Indiana.
Player G RUSH REC FG KR TOTAL AVG/G
Chatman 16 8 1,608 156 1,906 3,678 229.9
Chatman set his career high and a Rush record with the 400-yard contest. Against Dallas April 20, Chatman recorded 335 yards â the 3rd-best all-purpose total of his career. Chatman has recorded at least 100 all-purpose yards in each of the 28 games that he has started in his career.
Chatman has 9 games with over 200 all-purpose yards this season, giving him 18 for his career â both of which rank in the AFL top 5.
In addition, Chatman returned 7 kickoffs for touchdowns to tie the AFL single-season record.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Rush finished the season 5-3 on the road in the regular season. Chicago started the campaign 0-2 on the road before closing with a 5-1 record. The only blemish was a loss at Grand Rapids March 29. Chicago is now 10-12 on the road during its first three seasons.
In the postseason, the Rush has gone 1-2 on the road. Chicago defeated Orlando in 2001 before dropping contests at Grand Rapids (2001) and Arizona (2002).
ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS: Antonio Chatman became the 4th player in AFL history to record 25 receiving touchdowns, 100 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 return yards in a season May 4 at Carolina. Chatman was joined in the final week of the season by Tampa Bay's Freddie Solomon.
TURN AROUND ON TURNOVERS: Heading into the April 4 game at Detroit with a 3-6 record, the Rush had a â10 turnover margin (15th in the league). Seven weeks later, Chicago has reached the +3 mark on turnovers while going 5-2. The Rush has forced 18 turnovers in the 7 contests while committing only 5.
DICKEN ON A ROLL: In his last 17 quarters of play, Billy Dicken has completed 94-of-136 passes (69 percent) for 1,116 yards and 18 touchdowns. Dicken has led the Rush to a 5-2 mark in its last 7 games as he continues to recover from a broken jaw. Dicken has also rushed for a pair of scores.
Dicken continued his trend of having great games against Indiana. Last Sunday, Dicken completed 29-of-43 passes for 320 yards and 4 touchdowns. In 5 career games against Indiana, Dicken has thrown for 1,406 yards (122-174, 70 percent) and 24 touchdowns.
300-YARD GAMES: The Rush has played 44 regular season games in its three year history. Chicago's pass defense has allowed only six 300-yard games with the Rush going 3-3 in those contests. Aaron Garcia and Clint Dolezel have shredded the Rush defense for 5 of the 6 games.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 21, 2003
- Playoff Road Trip - Detroit Fury
- Avery Named to AFL's All-Ironman Team - Grand Rapids Rampage
- AFL Wild Card Matchups - AFL I
- AFL Wild Card Injury Report - AFL I
- The Deuce Scoop - AFL I
- L.A.'s Greg Hopkins selected to "All-Ironman" squad - Los Angeles Avengers
- Thomas And Roe Named To All-Ironman Team - San Jose SaberCats
- Detroit Fury Game Notes - Detroit Fury
- Chicago Rush Game Notes - Chicago Rush
- Sedrick Robinson to Take Batting Practice with the 51's - Las Vegas Gladiators
- New York Dragons Game Notes - New York Dragons
- Georgia Force WR/DB Darryl Hammond Named to All-Ironman Team - Georgia Force
- Rush-Dragons Game on WAUR 930 AM - Chicago Rush
- AFL Names All-Ironman Team - AFL I
- Desperados Briggs Named to AFL All-Ironman Team - Dallas Desperados
- Cobras Announce 2003 Team Award Winners - Carolina Cobras
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