Cobras Travel to Valley of Sun for Quarterfinal Battle
August 1, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Carolina Cobras News Release
RALEIGH, N.C. (August 1, 2002) - The Carolina Cobras continue their quest for the ArenaBowl XVI championship this Sunday, August 4 with a date at the two-time AFL champion Arizona Rattlers. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. (ET) and will air nationally on The New TNN.
Carolina (7-8) won its first-ever post season game last weekend as they knocked off the defending AFL champion Grand Rapids Rampage, 72-64. The Cobras, the No. 11 seed, became only the sixth team in league history to surpass 70 or more points in a playoff game. In addition, the 72 points rank as the fourth-most points scored in a post season game and marks only the fourth time this season Carolina has scored 50 or more points in a contest. During the game, OS Aaron Bailey, who won the AFL's Offensive Player of the Week award, caught 10 passes for 172 yards and six touchdowns, while QB John Fitzgerald threw for 278 yards and a career-high eight TDs, tying him for second-most TD passes in post season history.
"When the money's been on the line this season," said Carolina head coach Mike Neu, "we seem to find a way to win the game and come up big. We played one of our best games last week and we hope it carries over to this week. Everyday in practice we strive for perfection, and last Sunday, everything came together."
This week, the Cobras will face one of the AFL's most successful team's in league history. The Rattlers, who won AFL titles in 1994 and 1997, have made 10 consecutive trips to the post season in their 11-year history, the only failure occurring in their inaugural 1992 season when they finished 4-6, which also happens to be the last time Arizona has finished a regular season at or below the .500 mark. In addition, the Rattlers have only lost their first playoff game once, the 1995 season when they lost to the Iowa Barnstormers. During Week 8 of the 2002 regular season, Arizona defeated the Cobras, 48-42 in overtime at the Entertainment and Sports Arena.
"It'll be awesome playing Arizona again," said Neu. "We've played some of our best ball since then. I know San Jose has a good team and they've got the best record in the league, but I think Arizona is playing the best ball."
Including playoffs, Carolina is 6-2 (.750) away from the Entertainment and Sports Arena in 2002 and sports a 9-13 (.409) all-time record on the road. Arizona has an all-time record of 53-20 (.726) at the America West Arena, including a 5-2 (.714) mark this season. During the playoffs, the Cobras are 1-1 all-time, while the Rattlers are 13-7 (.650) all-time in post season play, but sport an 11-2 (.846) record at the "Snake Pit."
Should Carolina win, they will travel to either the No. 1 seed San Jose SaberCats for a Saturday, August 10 contest, or to either No. 4 seed New Jersey, No. 7 seed Orlando or No. 8 seed Dallas on Saturday, August 10 or Sunday, August 11.
Sunday's game against Arizona can be seen live on The New TNN with Eli Gold (play-by-play), Charles Davis (color analyst) and Jill Arrington (sideline/halftime host) describing all the action. There will be no radio broadcast in the Raleigh-Durham area.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from August 1, 2002
- This Week in the AFL - Playoff Edition - OSC Original by Mark Sargent
- Chris Jackson signs with Green Bay Packers - Los Angeles Avengers
- Playoff Quick Hitters - AFL I
- Rush Signs Hohensee to Contract Extension - Chicago Rush
- Lord of the Rings - AFL I
- Crafts Road Show Stops in Montreal - Buffalo Destroyers
- Cooper, James Honored By Teammates - Buffalo Destroyers
- Cobras Travel to Valley of Sun for Quarterfinal Battle - Carolina Cobras
- Arena Football League Transactions - AFL I
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