Crush Look for First Home Win in Season Finale
May 13, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Colorado Crush News Release
After coming off of their third loss in a row, the Colorado Crush are looking to secure their first home win this season, when they host the Arizona Rattlers in their season finale on Sun. May 18. Colorado lost to Arizona 72-45 earlier this season. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (MST).
THIS WEEK IN THE AMERICAN WESTERN CONFERENCE
Overall in Week 15, AWC teams went a combined 3-1. Colorado lost to Los Angeles 45-34, San Jose won at Tampa Bay 47-34, and Arizona won at Chicago 56-44.
In Week 16, Colorado (2-13) hosts conference rival Arizona (9-6), and San Jose (11-4) battles Los Angeles (11-4).
TELEVISION/RADIO COVERAGE
During its inaugural season, 760 The Zone will be the flagship radio station for the Crush. The game will feature Marc Stout of KBPI as the play-by-play announcer, and former Denver Broncos offensive lineman David Diaz-Infante as the color analyst.
QUOTES FROM COLORADO CRUSH OWNER JOHN ELWAY
On the challenges of entering the AFL:
"It ranks right up there. It's a new adventure for us, and we are definitely excited about it. It has been a tough six months, but it's time to see the team on the field for the first time. It has been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun as well. I feel we are getting involved with the AFL at the right time. If we put out a good product and maintain people, then we have a chance to be around for a long time."
On being an owner:
"It has been a great learning experience for me because I really didn't know much about the business side. We started from the ground up, and had to go through all of the different things it takes to start an organization, so it has been quite a treat and learning experience all at the same time. It has been a great training ground for me, and I would not have wanted to do it anywhere else. If I would have done this in the NFL, there is no way I would have gotten the training that I have received over the last six months. It has been perfect, plus we can stay in Denver."
On his goals:
"I did a couple of commercials for the league because I wanted to help out as much as I could, but my focus all along was on Colorado and getting us out front. The response in Colorado has been great. Season tickets sales have far exceeded our expectations, but my main thing is to definitely help the league as much as I can, and to take care of the Crush."
On the fans:
"I think that football is losing the younger crowd. If you look at what is going on with today's youth and the fact they are into extreme games, skateboarding, and video games, and how quickly everything is moving, I think this game and this league has the ability to keep their attention. The game has the ability to attract a younger crowd, which I think it will do."
REGULAR SEASON REVIEW: WEEK 15
AVENGERS 45-CRUSH 34 (MAY 10, 2003)
LOS ANGELES -- A disastrous end to the first half proved to be the difference as the Colorado Crush fell to its 13th defeat in its expansion season, this time by a 45-34 count to the Los Angeles Avengers in front of 13,481 at STAPLES Center on Saturday evening.
Trailing 24-22 and in possession of the football with 50 seconds remaining before halftime, the Crush not only had the chance to take the lead, but held the advantage of receiving the kickoff to open the second half. But Colorado's drive fizzled, and the Avengers responded with a touchdown, pushing their lead to 31-22 with 10 seconds left before intermission.
Two snaps later, bad became worse, when Geoff Groshelle's 50-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left and off the net. Los Angeles wide receiver/defensive back Russell Shaw fielded the ball and sprinted 56 yards for the touchdown, giving the Avengers their second score in 10 seconds. Just like that, a tight game had turned into a two-score deficit for the Crush.
Colorado drove downfield on its first possession of the second half, but Cornelius Coe intercepted a John Dutton pass in the end zone and dashed the length of the field for a touchdown that put the Crush in a 45-22 hole just under five minutes into the third quarter. Yet that would represent the Avengers' final score, as the Crush defense turned in a superlative effort, holding the prolific Los Angeles offense without a touchdown in the second half and forcing three turnovers.
Remarkably, the Crush defense also held Los Angeles offensive specialist Chris Jackson without a touchdown. Jackson had scored at least one touchdown in every game of his career up to this point and had scored 45 touchdowns during the first 14 weeks of the 2003 season.
Colorado did manage to narrow the second-half deficit, pulling within 45-28 after Dutton and Charlie Davidson connected on a touchdown pass. A series of defensive stops on both sides followed before backup quarterback Bobby Pesavento connected with Damon Bowers on a touchdown pass with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, pulling the Crush within 45-34.
After recovering the kickoff, Colorado had possession, three timeouts and 1:40 to work with in order to overcome the 11-point deficit. But three of Pesavento's four passes went incomplete, and the Crush lost the ball on downs, allowing the Avengers to run out the clock in the final minute and walk away with their 11th win of the season.
With the playoffs out of the question, Colorado has one more chance to salvage some pride from the season next Sunday at the Pepsi Center when the postseason-bound Arizona Rattlers and their head coach, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White, visit. Kickoff for the Sunday, May 18 game is at 1 p.m. MDT.
BOB BEERS POSTGAME
QUOTES (vs. LOS ANGELES)
On Such a Bruising Game:
"It was violent out there. There were some hits out there both ways. It was unbelievable. Both quarterbacks were hit a lot. But there wasn't any rhythm in the game. The sequence at the end of the first half and the beginning of the third period really hurt us."
On All of the Turnovers:
"It was a sloppy game all the way around. If anything can go wrong in a game, it went wrong for us. We had our opportunities, but we didn't take advantage."
COLORADO CRUSH WEEK 16 NOTES
DEFENSIVE STOPPERS Delvin Hughley's rookie season is turning out to be one to remember. He is not only leading the team in tackles, but also ranks ninth in the league in tackles with 68.5. He has also added nine pass break-ups and one forced fumble. With his 30.5 tackles so far this season, Adrian Lunsford now ranks fifth all-time in career tackles with 414.0.
HAWKINS LEADS ROOKIES Rookie Ahmad Hawkins is showing why he was moved from wide receiver to defensive back at the University of Virginia his senior season. He is currently leading all rookies, and ranks ninth overall, in the AFL with five interceptions on the season. He also ranks third on the team in tackles with 37.5.
THE RETURN OF DOUGLASS
After missing all but two games last season due to injury, WR/LB Joe Douglass certainly has come back this season with a purpose. So far in 2003, he is showing why teams fear his return abilities. After fourteen games Douglass has played in, he ranks fifth in kickoff returns with 67, seventh in kickoff return yards with 1,349, and fourth in all-purpose yards with 2,372.
Douglass also ranks tied for ninth all-time in most 200+ all-purpose yard games in a season with four. He had 228 yards vs. Grand Rapids, 242 yards at San Jose, 215 yards at Arizona, and 232 yards vs. Chicago.
WHERE DUTTON RANKS...
After fifteen weeks, this is how John Dutton ranks among AFL quarterbacks:
5th in attempts (473)
8th in passing yards/attempt (8.0)
5th in completions (293)
7th in touchdowns passes (71)
7th in yards (3772)
5th in passing yards/game (269.4)
WHAT TO LOOK FOR AGAINST ARIZONA...
John Dutton:
· Needs 11 pass attempts to hit the 800 mark for his career
· Needs 33 pass attempts to rank in the top 10 all-time in most pass attempts in a season
· Needs 18 pass completions to hit the 500 mark for the season
· Needs 259 passing yards to hit the 4,000 yard mark for the season
· Needs 149 passing yards to rank in the top 10 all-time in most passing yards in a season
Charlie Davidson:
· Needs 66 receiving yards to hit 4,000 yard mark for his career, and to hit the 1,000 yard mark for the season for the first time ever.
Joe Douglass:
· Needs 1 receiving yard to hit the 3,000 yard mark for his career
· Needs 29 receiving yards to hit the 1,000 yard mark for the season
· Needs 6 kickoff returns to rank in the top 10 all-time in most kickoff returns in a season
· Needs 131 kickoff return yards to rank in the top 10 all-time in most kickoff return yards in a season
· Needs 153 all-purpose yards to break his current career high of 2,524 all-purpose yards in a season, which he set with the Chicago Rush in 2001
HEAD COACH BOB BEERS
Bob Beers was named Head Coach of the Colorado Crush on Jul. 11, 2002. In addition to leading the Crush when the team takes the field, Beers will oversee all of the team's player personnel transactions.
Beers has a background in coaching and scouting that spans more than 30 years. Most recently, Beers has served as a college scout for the Denver Broncos. He has scouted the western United States since 1995, and will continue to do so in a limited capacity.
"We are thrilled to have Bob as our coach," said John Elway. "He is a perfect fit for this team. In addition to being an outstanding person, he has a proven track record as a coach, and a keen eye for talent. Bob has a solid understanding of what it takes to win."
"One of the reasons we hired Bob Beers with the Broncos was because he had experience as a football coach, with a great track record, and he did an equally outstanding job in personnel for us," said Denver Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan. "We're happy for Bob to have this head coaching opportunity, and I know he will do a great job for the Crush."
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