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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Danny White Returns to Big D

May 17, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


Arizona at Dallas -- This game has all the makings of a prize-winning jalapeno pie. Former Cowboys All-Pro QB, DANNY WHITE makes his return to a city in which he set 22 team records and won 67 games from 1976 to 1988. In 11 seasons as coach of the Rattlers, White's success is just as impressive, with 105 victories and two championships. Dallas, coached by current Cowboys special teams guru JOE AVEZZANO, is No. 2 in scoring (56.0 per game) on the strength of ANDY KELLY's arm and receivers, DIALLEO BURKS, ANDY MCCULLOUGH, and JAKE HOFFART, all averaging 6-3 height, snaring 14 of Kelly's 21 TDs. White's protégé, SHERDRICK BONNER (24 TDs) is steering the league's third-ranked offense (55.0) with targets like emerging star, CHRIS HORN (66 points, No. 3) and rookie ORSHAWANTE BRYANT. Kelly (403) and Bonner (401) rank No. 2 and 3, respectively, in career TD passes behind AARON GARCIA (415), currently with the 49ers. Arizona's defense held the Force, then the top-ranked offense, to 40 points. The last time Bonner faced Kelly was May 6, 2000 when he passed for 388 yards and 7 TDs. (Kelly won the game, though).

Can anything slow down the undefeated San Jose SaberCats? From the looks of how things have been going, it may take a "Hall of Fame" performance from JAY GRUDEN and the Orlando Predators (1-3) to pull off the victory. San Jose QB MARK GRIEB (25 TDs, 0 INTs, and 150.4 passer rating) has the league's No. 1 scoring offense (62.5 PPG) rolling, while OS JAMES HUNDON (78 points and 35 receptions – ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the AFL respectively) has emerged as one of the league premier offensive threats. Orlando's defense (229.5 YPG, No. 2 in AFL) will be tested, but DS KENNY MCENTYRE (5 INTs and 12 passes defended – both No. 1 in the AFL) should be up for the challenge.

The defending champs look to get back on track in Raleigh. For Grand Rapids (1-3) and coach MICHAEL TRIGG there is good news and bad news. Good news is they are averaging 55.0 PPG (No. 4 in the AFL). The bad news is they are giving up 55.0 PPG (second worst in the AFL). CLINT DOLEZEL (113.5 QB Rating, No. 2 in AFL) hopes to get back to his championship ways after tossing 7 INTs in just 4 games (10 INTs through 14 in 2001). Coach MIKE NEU and the Cobras (3-1) have been getting it done with defense (43.8 PPG, No. 2 in AFL) and by protecting the ball (+4 turnover ratio, No. 2 in AFL.) The team that commits the fewest turnovers will probably come away with the victory.

Déjà vu? In 2000, Tampa Bay started 0-3 and made a run to make the playoffs. This season, coach TIM MARCUM's squad started 0-3 before breaking through to the win column last week against Chicago. Storm QB SHANE STAFFORD (704 passing yards in a little over 2 games) will need to put up back-to-back "MVP" performances, while AFL Ironman of the Week LAWRENCE SAMUELS (31 receptions and 12.5 tackles) continues to stake his claim for year-end honors. Without injured star CHRIS JACKSON, the Avengers (2-2) were handed a 78-44 loss to division leader San Jose. FB/LB CHAD DUKES (83 rushing yards, No. 1 in AFL) had the breakout game that a lot of fans have been waiting for, but he'll need to do it again versus a stingy Storm rush defense (11.8 YPG, No. 3 in AFL.)

Phantoms Coach MARK STOUTE is smiling... well, sort of. Since moving to Toronto in 2001, the Phantoms are 8-1 against teams from their division (including a playoff victory over New York.). But Stoute knows that he needs to be cautious in gearing up for his first divisional game of the season against Buffalo. The Destroyers (2-2) were the lone Eastern Division team to beat the Phantoms last season (61-54 in Toronto on April 14) and coach RAY BENTLEY has a whole new arsenal in 2002. The Phantoms defense (40.2 PPG, No. 1 in AFL), led by April's Defensive Player of the Month STEVE KONOPKA (3.0 sacks, No. 2 in AFL), will put the pressure on veteran FRED MCNAIR (18 TDs, 2 INTs) and the Buffalo offense.

Will the Firebirds finally record their first sack on Saturday night? As the only AFL team yet to do so, Indiana's big men will be licking their chops when they face Detroit, the AFL's worst turnover team (-4). The Fury (1-3) shook up their roster this week, with the release of QB RICKEY FOGGIE (122-58-801 / 16 TDs, 3 INTs) and the addition of QB CHARLES PULERI, a six-year veteran who has never won an AFL contest, to back up rookie starter DREW MILLER. The Fury also has a void to fill with the loss of ROBERT GORDON (22 rec. for 351 yards and 8 TDs) to injury. Detroit ranks at the bottom of the league's rushing offense and defense lists, while Indiana is ranked 2nd and 8th, respectively.

A Tale of Two Quarterbacks -- New York (1-3) and New Jersey (2-2) both have well-known, former NFL QB's that are pushing to start immediately. Dragons' Head Coach JOHN GREGORY has had the No. 1 rated Passing Offense in the AFL for the past two seasons, but in 2002, the offense has floundered, currently No. 14 in both Passing and Total Offense. Former New York Giants' QB DANNY KANELL could be the next star in the KURT WARNER-AARON GARCIA lineage. Across the river Gladiator QB JAY MCDONAGH (107.1 Passer Rating, No. 10) has personally fared better, but the offense is No. 15 in Scoring with 42.2 PPG. QB GLENN FOLEY, formerly of the New York Jets, may provide the spark New Jersey needs to match the production of their stingy defense (194.5 YPG, No. 1 Total Defense)

Georgia is thankful we play indoors. The Force (1-3) visit unseasonably cool Chicago to face the Rush (2-2) on Saturday night. Georgia (53.5 PPG) and Chicago (52.2 PPG) are ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in the AFL respectively in Scoring Offense, but are accomplishing this in completely different ways. The No. 4 ranked Rushing Offense (26.0 YPG) of the Force is led by FB/LB TRAVIS REECE (80 rushing yards, No. 2 in AFL and 6 rushing TDs). While Chicago's hopes rest on the arm of QB BILLY DICKEN (109.7 passer rating, No. 4 in AFL among players with more than 100 attempts.). The Rush defense will have to contend with Georgia OS TYRONNE JONES (led Nashville in All-Purpose Yards in 2001) who was activated from injured reserve this week and has yet to play a down in 2002.

QUICK HITTERS

BIG APPLE BATTLE: Coming out of a championship team with the af2, JAY MCDONAGH is ranked No. 4 in the AFL with 1,137 passing yards and is averaging 284.2 YPG... The AFL rookie QB will have to have a great game without his usual offensive line (4 lineman are questionable for this weekend's game against New York).

ROOKIE ON A ROLL: This year's version of CORNELIUS COE resides in the Big Apple... New York rookie DS DONVETIS FRANKLIN leads the league in tackles with 32.5 total tackles... Franklin is said to remind some around the league of New Jersey's hard-hitting, ball-hawking DAMON MASON.

SHOOTOUT IN ‘BIG D': It's Cowboy vs. Cowboy when Arizona's head coach DANNY WHITE goes up against Dallas' head coach JOE AVEZZANO... in 1982, White broke or tied eight Cowboys single-season passing records and took the Cowboys to the NFC title game for the third year in a row.... he was named an All-Pro that year and played in the Pro Bowl... White compiled a 67-35 record as a starter for the Cowboys, including a 41-11 mark at Texas Stadium.

FOUR POINTS FROM 4-0: The Dallas Desperados are coming off a victory and their 2 loses have been decided by only one point each... Arizona is on a 3-game winning streak; 11 points have decided the Rattlers last 2 victories... Look for a high scoring game... Dallas and Arizona are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively in scoring offense.

FACING OLD FRIENDS: Georgia's kicker SCOTT SZEREDY and Chicago's OL/DL JAMES BARON will be facing their former teammates... Szeredy went to training camp with the Rush after being selected in the 3rd round of the dispersal draft from the Houston ThunderBears... Baron signed with Chicago after spending the previous 5 seasons in Nashville.

PAPER OR PLASTIC? Going into the fourth week, the Firebirds are the only team in the AFL yet to record a sack... San Jose's Sam Hernandez currently leads the circuit with 3.5 in four games.

MILESTONE WATCH: Buffalo WR/DB BRET COOPER needs 196 receiving yards to reach 5,000, while DERRICK CHACHERE needs only 41 yards to break 500 for his career.

PERFECT START: The San Jose SaberCats are the only undefeated team in the AFL. The SaberCats are looking for that 5-0 win this Friday. Last year's champ, Grand Rapids, started their title run with a 5-0 start before falling to Tampa Bay in Week 6.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU! The last time San Jose played Orlando, the Predators lost by 27 points.... each time these 2 teams have squared off, the point differential average has been 21.5 points.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Los Angeles Avengers may be a little home sick... but now return to Staples Center for the first time since opening the 2002 season back on April 19, a win against New York... if they win this weekend, it will give the Avengers their fifth win in their past 7 games at Staples.

CARRYING THE LOAD: EDDIE BROWN's workload has recently doubled, with Indiana 's release of Ironman GARY COMPTON. Will QB RAYMOND PHILYAW be able to put the ball in the hands of any other Indiana receivers? In the team's last two contests, Brown has been the catcher's mitt for 7 of 10 TD receptions.

WEEK FIVE INJURY REPORT

ARIZONA: OUT: DS Derek Stingley (shoulder), DS Cecil Doggette (knee); PROBABLE: DS Jerrick Bledsoe (hip), OL/DL Stacy Evans (lower leg).

BUFFALO: QUESTIONABLE: OS Lamont Cooper (stomach).

CHICAGO: OUT: OS Joe Douglass (abdominal); QUESTIONABLE: FB/LB Jamie McGourty (lower extremity); PROBABLE: OL/DL Rich McKenzie (lower extremity), OL/DL Marcus McKenzie (lower extremity), WR/DB Dameon Porter (lower extremity).

DALLAS: DOUBTFUL: FB/LB Mike Osuna (R shoulder subluxation); PROBABLE: OL/DL Bernard Holsey (L hamstring strain).

DETROIT: OUT: DS Kenny Wheaton (R hamstring strain), OS Robert Gordon (R Humerus Fracture); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Troy Sienkiewicz (L ankle sprain); PROBABLE: DS Kevin Scott (R hamstring strain), DS Carl Greenwood (L thumb dislocation).

GEORGIA: OUT: FB/LB Rupert Grant (L achilles), OL/DL Jimmy Brumbaugh (L quad strain), OS Tyronne Jones (L rib), K Stan Whitlock (L knee), FB/LB Dan Curran (neck stinger); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Jermaine Smith (R hamstring strain); PROBABLE: WR/DB Jason Bray (L hamstring), FB/LB Travis Reece (R ankle sprain), QB Kevin McDougal (R elbow sprain), OL/DL Robert Gaddy (R great turf toe), OL/DL Mike Lawson (R little hammer toe), DS Ron Carpenter (R ankle sprain), OL/DL Oscar Sturgis (R mid-section lymph node).

GRAND RAPIDS: OUT: OL/DL Demetrius Crowder; PROBABLE: OL/DL Rod Manuel, WR/DB Jason Waters; QUESTIONABLE: OS Terril Shaw.

INDIANA: OUT: WR/DB Donnie Caldwell (ankle fracture), FB/LB Umar Muhammad (ankle sprain), K Nelson Garner (groin), WR/LB Drew O'Connor (R ankle); QUESTIONABLE: DS Evan Hlavacek (knee sprain), OL/DL Brian Creel (knee).

NEW JERSEY: OUT: WR/DB Jamaine Blalock (L achilles rupture), DS Marc Williams (L knee tear), WR/LB George Williams (L fibula fracture); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Hunter Adams (R ankle sprain), WR/DB Alvin Ashley (R ankle sprain), WR/LB James Bowden (R thumb inflamation), FB/LB Frank Carter (R knee contusion), OS Mike Horacek (gluteal contusion), OL/DL Chris Janek (R ankle sprain), OL/DL Paul LaQuerre (R ankle sprain).

ORLANDO: OUT: OS Rodney Brown, FB/LB Chris Johnson, FB/LB Brian Goolsby, OL/DL Doug Miller, WR/DB Lamont Moore; DOUBTFUL: QB Craig Whelihan, OS Rodney Brown, WR/DB Junior Lord; QUESTIONABLE: . OL/DL Fred Ray, DS Tremain Jones, OS Siaha Burley.

SAN JOSE: PROBABLE: OL/DL Chuck Reed (hip flexor strain), OL/DL Mike Ulufale (concussion).

TORONTO: OUT: WR/DB Ty Law (quad strain), WR/DB Jerald Long (wrist sprain); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL John Summerday (knee), PROBABLE: Ol/DL Connel Spain (knee sprain), OL/DL Steve Konopka (hamstring strain), OL/DL Frank Moore (hand contusion) OS Damian Harrell (ankle sprain / shoulder sprain).



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 17, 2002


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