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Chicago Rush game notes

February 27, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Chicago Rush News Release


The Quick Facts
TV: ESPN...Ron Jaworski, Merrill Hoge
Radio: WCKG, 105.9 FM...Tom Dore, James "Big Cat" Williams
Overall Series Record: First Meeting
Coaches (regular season, postseason records):
Mike Hohensee (95-85, 11-9 - 14th season)
Kevin Porter (3-13, 0-0 - 2nd season)
Officials: Bill LeMonnier (Referee), Mike Delaney, (Umpire), Allen Baynes (Head Linesman), Dana McKinzie (Line Judge), Billy Beckett (Back Judge)

2007 Chicago Rush Schedule
March 4 @ Kansas City* 11:30 a.m. ABC
March 9 San Jose 7 p.m.
March 18 New York 2 p.m.
March 24 @ Columbus 6 p.m.
April 1 Los Angeles 12:30 p.m. ESPN 2
April 7 @ Nashville* 7 p.m.
April 15 Bye
April 21 @ Grand Rapids* 6 p.m.
April 30 Philadelphia 7 p.m. ESPN 2
May 7 Colorado* 7 p.m. ESPN 2
May 11 @ Dallas 6:30 p.m.
May 19 Nashville* 7 p.m.
May 26 @ Arizona 9 p.m.
June 2 @ Los Angeles 9:30 p.m.
June 9 Grand Rapids* 7 p.m.
June 18 @ Colorado* 9 p.m. ESPN 2
June 23 Kansas City 7 p.m.
* Central Division game


American Conference - Central Division
Final 2006 Standings
W-L-T PF PA Division
Colorado 11-5-0 903 833 5-1
Nashville 8-8-0 818 799 3-3
RUSH 7-9-0 825 834 3-3
Grand Rapids 5-10-0 722 875 1-5


KANSAS CITY, HERE WE COME: - The ArenaBowl XX champion Chicago Rush opens its 2007 season Sunday, March 4, on the road against its newest Central Division rival, the Kansas City Brigade. An expansion team in 2006, the Brigade played in the Southern Division and finished with a 3-13 record. With the return of the New Orleans VooDoo to the AFL this season, Kansas City was moved into the Central Division. The Rush will bookend its 2007 season with the Brigade - opening the season in Kansas City and concluding the year with the Brigade at Allstate Arena on June 23.

KEEP THE STREAK GOING: The Rush enters the 2007 season riding the six-game winning streak that vaulted the team to the ArenaBowl title last June. The team finished the regular season with back-to-back blowout wins over Utah (84-48) and Grand Rapids (70-47) to qualify for the playoffs, before upsetting Nashville, Colorado, San Jose and Orlando to win the title. Along the way the Rush became the first team in AFL history to win a championship without hosting a single playoff game.

TWICE AS NICE?: Chicago's goal for the 2007 season is simple: become the first AFL team in more than a decade to repeat as champions. In fact, only two teams in the 20-year history of the Arena Football League - the Detroit Drive (1988-90) and the Tampa Bay Storm (1995-96) - have been able to accomplish the feat of repeating.

FOR OPENERS: For the third-consecutive season the Rush opens the year on the road. Overall, the team is 2-4 in its six season openers, going 2-1 in even years and 0-3 in odd years.

Here is a breakdown of Chicago's season opener record:
Overall: 2-4
Home: 1-1 Road: 1-3
Even years: 2-1 Odd years: 0-3

OPENING TREND - DOWN TO THE WIRE: Each of Chicago's last two season openers - 2005 at Dallas and 2006 at Colorado - have come down to the final play. Against the Desperados, the Rush fell 66-65 in overtime when Etu Molden's two-point conversion attempt in OT was stopped just short of the goal line. Last year in Denver, Crush QB John Dutton hit OS Damian Harrell in the front corner of the end zone with one second remaining in the game, giving Colorado a 63-56 lead and an eventual 65-56 victory over the Rush.

OWNING THE DIVISION: Kansas City might want to re-think its move to the Central Division after seeing Chicago's division record over the past three seasons. Since the start of the 2004 season, the Rush is 14-6 in regular season games against Central Division opponents and 2-1 in the playoffs.

BACK FOR MORE: Seventeen of the 29 Rush players who celebrated the ArenaBowl XX championship win over Orlando last June are back to try to defend their title. They are:
- WR/LB DeJuan Alfonzo - DL John Moyer
- FB/LB DJ Bleisath - DL Nick Myers
- WR/DB Woody Dantzler - DL Joe Peters
- QB Matt D'Orazio - DB Dennison Robinson
- DL Curtis Eason - DB Russell Shaw
- K Dan Frantz - OL John Sikora
- WR Buchie Ibeh - WR Bobby Sippio
- FB/LB Bob McMillen - DB Jeremy Unertl
- OL Frank Moore

JOINING THE PARTY: Eight new players, including seven rookies, have joined the squad for the 2007 season:
-WR Kevin Beard (Rookie)
-OL Robert Boss (Rookie)
-DL EJ Burt (Free agent from Philadelphia)
-WR Ahmad Merritt (Rookie)
-QB Russ Michna (Rookie)
-WR/DB James Sadler (Rookie)
-OL Jason Thomas (Rookie)
-DL Demetrios Walker (Rookie)

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: The following 12 players were with the Rush at the conclusion of last season, but are not back for the 2007 season.
-QB Asad Abdul-Khaliq (Free agent - still unsigned)
-QB Michael Bishop (Signed with Kansas City)
-FB/LB Levelle Brown (Released Injured during off-season)
-FB/LB Charlie Cook (Retired)
-DB Todd Howard (Released at conclusion of training camp)
-OL/DL Tango McCauley (Lost to New Orleans in expansion draft)
-WR/LB Etu Molden (Released during training camp)
-OL/DL Khreem Smith (with Minnesota Vikings)
-WR/DB Brian Sump (Released in off-season)
-OL/DL Darian Tate (Signed with Austin as a free agent)
-DS Marvin Taylor (Retired)
-WR/LB Carlos Wright (Signed with Nashville)

COOK FORCED TO RETIRE: FB/LB Charlie Cook - the player the Rush has been grooming to replace Bob McMillen - was forced to retire this month after being diagnosed with a heart condition. Cook was diagnosed this off-season with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - an abnormal thickening of the heart wall. It is the same condition that afflicted former Loyola Marymount basketball star Hank Gathers.

MOLDEN RELEASED: The biggest news coming out of the conclusion of Rush camp is the release of Etu Molden, the team's all-time leading receiver. In his three years with the Rush, Molden caught 264 passes for 3,132 yards and scored 71 touchdowns. He was named to the league's All-Rookie team in 2004 and the All-Ironman team in 2005. Last season, despite missing four regular season games due to injury, he still led the Rush with 67 receptions.

MCMILLEN, SIPPIO NAMED PRESEASON ALL-ARENA: The Rush placed two players - FB Bob McMillen and WR Bobby Sippio on the Arena Football League Writers Association's preseason All-Arena team. McMillen, the AFL's all-time leading rusher and one of the 20 greatest players in AFL history, also is known as one of the best blocking fullbacks ever to play in the AFL.

Sippio joined the Rush with five games left in the 2006 regular season and was the catalyst for the Rush championship run. One of the most dynamic receivers in the AFL, Sippio has caught 229 passes for 3,401 yards and 89 touchdowns in just three years in the league.

CHASING 1,500: Rush FB Bob McMillen, who announced he is retiring at the end of the 2007 season, became the AFL's all-time leading rusher March 17, 2006 when he rushed for four yards in the team's game at Nashville. He enters this season with 1,417 career yards, needing just 83 yards to reach the 1,500 mark.

McMillen finished the 2006 season with 89 yards rushing, breaking his AFL record streak of seven-consecutive 100-yard seasons.

Last year, as part of the league's celebration of its 20th season, McMillen was named one of the AFL's 20 Greatest Players of all-time. Now in his 13th season, he ranks first on the AFL's all-time rushing list, second all-time in rushing attempts and third in rushing touchdowns. He is one of only two players (Darrin Kenny) who has won ArenaBowl championships with three different teams (1997 with Arizona, 2002 with San Jose and 2006 with Chicago).

The AFL's All-Time Rushing Yards list
Player Seasons Team Yards
Bob McMillen 1995-present Chicago 1,417
Les Barley 1992-2001 - 1,382
Bo Kelly 1996-present Arizona 1,346
Andre Bowden 1991-2004 - 1,241

The AFL's All-Time Rushing Attempts list
Player Seasons Team Attempts
Bo Kelly 1996-present Arizona 458
Bob McMillen 1995-present Chicago 449
Andre Bowden 1991-2004 - 438
Les Barley 1992-2001 - 425

The AFL's All-Time Rushing Touchdowns list
Player Seasons Team Rushing TDs
Barry Wagner 1992-2006 - 126
Andre Bowden 1991-2004 - 93
Bob McMillen 1995-present Chicago 80
Bo Kelly 1996-present Arizona 77
Les Barley 1992-2001 - 71

NOW IT'S D'ORAZIO'S JOB: After being forced to beat out five other quarterbacks to win the starting job in 2006, Matt D'Orazio enters the 2007 season knowing the job as Chicago's starting QB is unquestionably his.

D'Orazio enjoyed a career year in 2006, completing 305 of 443 passes for 3,546 yards and 63 touchdowns, while throwing just five interceptions. He also rushed for 162 yards and 10 touchdowns during the regular season.

He played his best football of the season down the stretch, when he led the team to four-consecutive playoff wins culminating in a 69-61 victory over Orlando in ArenaBowl XX last June. D'Orazio passed for six touchdowns and rushed for two more in the title game, earning Offensive Player of the Game honors for his efforts.

Earlier this week, the Rush rewarded D'Orazio with a two-year contract extension through the 2009 season.

NO PICKS HERE: Rush QB Matt D'Orazio set a Rush team record in 2006 by attempting 231 consecutive passes without throwing an interception. Although his streak ended, D'Orazio quickly began another one, finishing the 2006 season with a streak of 99 consecutive passes without an interception.

D'ORAZIO GREAT IN CLUTCH: Rush QB Matt D'Orazio is at his best when it counts the most. D'Orazio finished the 2006 season ranked second in the AFL in fourth quarter passing, converting 72 of 99 attempts for 804 yards and 16 TDs in the fourth quarter for a QB rating of 131.9.

SIPPIO LOOKING TO POST BIG NUMBERS: The Rush is looking forward to seeing what wide receiver Bobby Sippio can do with a full season in head coach Mike Hohensee's offense.

Sippio played in just five regular season games for the Rush in 2006 after being claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay, catching 38 passes for 654 yards and 17 TDs. In his two home games at Allstate Arena he caught 18 passes for 385 yards and 12 touchdowns, setting team records for receiving yards in a game (217) and receiving TDs (6).

MERRITT JOINS RECEIVING CORPS: Among the Rush rookies, perhaps the most familiar name to Chicago fans belongs to former Chicago Bears wide receiver Ahmad Merritt. Merritt grew up in Chicago and was a high school All-American at St. Rita, before playing his college football at the University of Wisconsin.

Signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in May 2000, Merritt spent the 2000 season and the first 14 games of the 2001 season on the Bears practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in December 2001 and played for the Bears through the 2003 season. He is known for scoring the Bears last offensive touchdown in old Soldier Field - a 47-yard TD run in the playoffs against Philadelphia in January 2002.

NEW LOOK OFFENSIVE LINE: The Rush offensive line will have a very different look to it at the start of the 2007 season. Center Frank Moore, who had started 72 of 73 games since joining the Rush in 2003, will open the season on Injured Reserve, meaning veteran John Sikora will move to center. Sikora will be flanked by two rookies - Jason Thomas and Robert Boss.

MOYER HEALTHY ENTERING SEASON: After an injury plagued season hurt his production in 2006, veteran lineman John Moyer enters his ninth season healthy and in the best shape of his career. Moyer has 35.5 career sacks - including 30.5 as a member of the Rush - and currently in eighth place on the AFL's all-time list for career sacks. His first sack of the season will move him past Andre Bowden and into seventh place. Moyer also is the team's all-time leader with 6.0 playoff sacks.

Here are Chicago's season and career sack leaders:
Player Season Player Career
John Moyer 10.0 (2004) John Moyer 30.5
John Moyer 9.0 (2003) James Baron 10.0
Khreem Smith 8.0 (2006) Khreem Smith 8.0
John Moyer 6.0 (2005) Anthony Hutch 6.5
Anthony Hutch 5.5 (2001) Riley Kleinhesselink 5.0
John Moyer 4.0 (2002) Jamie McGourty 5.5
James Baron 4.0 (2003) D.J. Bleisath 5.0
Tony Henderson 4.0 (2001) Bob McMillen 4.5
D.J. Bleisath 4.0 (2006) Tony Henderson 4.0

BURT SIGNED TO HELP PASS RUSH: While a healthy John Moyer will be rushing from one end, opposing quarterbacks also must worry about E.J. Burt rushing from the other side. Burt, who was signed as a free agent in the off-season, ranks 10th in AFL history with 29 career sacks.

WORKING ON HIS SECOND 100: Chicago Rush head coach Mike Hohensee is the third-winningest coach in AFL history with 106 career victories. Hohensee is only the third head coach in AFL history with more than 100 career wins, trailing only Tampa Bay coach Tim Marcum and Utah coach Danny White in victories.

The only head coach in Rush history, Hohensee has guided Chicago to a 59-46 overall record and playoff appearances in each of the team's six seasons. In addition to winning ArenaBowl XX under Hohensee, the Rush has won two Central Division titles (2002, 2004) and advanced to the AFL semifinals four times (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006), including each of the past three seasons.

One of only four men to be involved in the Arena Football League in each of the league's 21 seasons, Hohensee:
8 has a regular season record of 95-85 (including a
51-41 mark with the Rush).
8 has a career 11-9 mark in the postseason.
8 has led the Rush to six-consecutive playoff berths and two Central Division titles (2002 and 2004).

All-Time Winningest AFL Coaches
Including Postseason
Coach Team Wins This Week
Tim Marcum Tampa Bay 180 vs. Orlando
Danny White Utah 148 vs. New Orleans
Mike Hohensee Rush 106 @ Kansas City
Mike Dailey Colorado 99 vs. Grand Rapids
Darren Arbet San Jose 93 @ Los Angeles

BOWICK ADDED TO COACHING STAFF: Former Rush lineman Tony Bowick was added as offensive line coach and assistant special teams coordinator in the off-season, replacing Bruce Cowdrey who left for Austin. A 12th round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1989, Bowick played two seasons in Atlanta before joining the AFL with Charlotte in 1993.

During his 13-year AFL career, Bowick played for Charlotte (1993-95), Albany (1996-97), Grand Rapids (1998-2001, 2005), Chicago (2002-2003) and Austin (2004). He finished his career with 123 tackles and 16.5 sacks in 143 career games.

Bowick, who played for Rush head coach Mike Hohensee in both Albany and Chicago, becomes the first former Rush player to join the Rush coaching staff.

JUST CALL HIM 'ZO: Rush WR/LB DeJuan Alfonzo played the best football of his career during the last two months of the 2006 season. During the team's six-game winning streak to close the season, Alfonzo was named Ironman of the Game four times, and selected as the AFL's Ironman of the Week twice.

One of the team's best all-around players, Alfonzo finished the year with 20 receptions for 213 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games. On defense he added 50.0 tackles, a safety, two passes broken up and two fumble recoveries - including one that he returned for a team-record 46-yard touchdown. Alfonzo also returned two onside kickoffs for touchdowns, scored three two-point conversions and served as the team's main holder on extra points and field goals.

In the playoffs he caught 22 passes for 211 yards and six TDs, recorded 18.0 tackles and recovered two fumbles. In addition, just three days after being named to the AFL's All-Ironman team May 18, Alfonzo showed why the honor was justified in the team's playoff opener at Nashville. When Rush WR/LB Etu Molden was injured on the game's first play from scrimmage, Alfonzo was asked to play every snap on offense and defense for the rest of the game - an amazing 91 of 92 plays.

SECONDARY RETURNS INTACT: One part of the Rush team that remains unchanged from 2006 is the secondary. Jeremy Unertl, Dennison Robinson and Russell Shaw, the three defensive backs that started the ArenaBowl for Chicago, are back in 2007.

After joining the Rush in a trade with Columbus prior to Week 3 last season, Unertl went on to lead the Rush in tackles (74.5), interceptions (8) and passes broken up (12). He was voted the team's Most Valuable Player.

Robinson recorded a career-high 71 tackles and added five interceptions during the regular season, and added three more interceptions in the playoffs. His interception returns for touchdowns against Colorado and Orlando helped turn both playoff games in Chicago's favor.

DAN THE MAN: Rush kicker Dan Frantz enters the season on the heels of an outstanding 2006 postseason. Originally signed to fill in for an injured Keith Gispert prior to Week 3 last year, Frantz ended up winning the job for himself. In just nine games with the Rush in 2006, Frantz converted 53 of 58 PATs and 9 of 17 field goals. He was even better in the postseason, connecting on 27 of 32 extra points and 9 of 15 field goals including 4 of 5 from 50 or more yards.

FAMILIAR FACES: Three players on Kansas City's opening day roster - QB Raymond Philyaw, QB Michael Bishop and DB DaShane Dennis - have spent time in the past wearing Rush uniforms.

Philyaw was the Rush starter in 2004 and 2005, leading Chicago to the AFL semifinals in both of his seasons under center. It was Philyaw's shoulder surgery, and inability to play at the start of the 2006 season, which opened the door for Matt D'Orazio in Chicago.

Bishop spent the 2006 season as a backup to D'Orazio, appearing in six games (five as a QB and one as a kicker). He completed 55 of 91 passes for 623 yards and 10 touchdowns, while throwing 3 interceptions. He also rushed for 43 yards and 1 TD.

As a rookie in 2004, Dennis opened the season on the Rush practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster prior to the team's Week 2 game in New York. However, Dennis was injured in the game, and after spending five weeks on IR, was waived.

PHILYAW VS. THE RUSH: The last time Brigade starting QB Raymond Philyaw faced the Rush was in 2003 when Philyaw was a member of the Indiana Firebirds. While Philyaw excelled as Chicago's starter in 2004 and 2005 - posting a 19-14 record while in Chicago - he didn't fare as well when he faced the Chicago defense. As a member of the Firebirds, Philyaw had just a 3-3 record against the Rush, and six of his 15 career interceptions (prior to 2004 when he joined the Rush) came against Chicago.

Here are Philyaw's career numbers against Chicago:
G Comp Att Pct. Yds. TD Int Rating
6 120 185 64.9% 1,418 22 6 104.3

GO U, NU: Kansas City wide receiver Sam Simmons played his college ball at Northwestern University and ranks in the top ten in NU history in receptions and receiving yards.

RUSH ADDS BELL TO PRACTICE SQUAD: After the team trimmed its roster, the Rush re-signed DB Trey Bell to its practice squad. A rookie from Wisconsin-Whitewater, Bell was with the team during training camp.

2006 RUSH BY THE NUMBERS: Here is a breakdown of how the Rush fared in certain situations during the 2006 season (including postseason):
Site: Home 5-3 Road 5-6 Neutral Site 1-0
Time: Day 10-4 Night 1-5
Opponents: vs. American Conf. 10-4
vs. Central 5-3 vs. West 5-1
vs. National Conf. 1-5
vs. East 1-3 vs. South 0-2
vs. 2006 playoff teams 6-9

PLAYOFF CONSISTENCY: Chicago has never missed the playoffs, qualifying for the postseason in each of its six seasons. Orlando and San Jose are the only two AFL teams which also have made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons.

INJURY REPORT: The following players appeared on this week's injury report to the AFL:

Injured Reserve - Frank Moore (knee), Demetrios Walker (hamstring), Kevin Beard (Knee)

INDIVIDUAL LEAGUE LEADERS: The following Rush players finished the 2006 regular season among the AFL league leaders:

Matt D'Orazio: QB Rating (3rd - 123.4 rating), completion percentage (2nd- 68.7), 4th quarter passing (2nd - 131.9 rating), rushing yards (5th - 162 yards)

Jeremy Unertl: interceptions (4th - 9), tackles (15th - 77.0)

Dennison Robinson: special teams tackles (4th - 15.0)

Bobby Sippio: scoring (6th - 222 points), receiving yards (12th - 1,320 yards)

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 27, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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