Desperados Sign Five to Kick Off Free Agency
Published on October 16, 2003 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Dallas Desperados News Release
The Dallas Desperados kicked off the 2004 Arena Football League free agency period by inking five new players â OL/DL Ernest Allen, FB/LB Duke Pettijohn, WR/DB Bobby Sippio, FB/LB Travis Masters and WR/DB Eddie Canonico.
The most experienced member of that group is Allen, who has been considered one of the league's top linemen over the past couple of years. He has earned second-team All-Arena honors each of the last three seasons and four times during his eight year indoor career. Allen spent the last four years with the Orlando Predators, where he totaled 75.5 tackles, 16.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for losses and 17 quarterback pressures during that time.
Pettijohn â a two-year AFL veteran â also comes to Dallas from Orlando, where he kicked off his indoor career in 2002 with 42 carries for 84 yards and seven touchdowns, nine catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns and 23.0 tackles and a sack. His 10 total touchdowns were a Predators record for fullback/linebackers. Last spring, he totaled 20 carries for 102 yards and seven scores, four receptions for 32 yards and a score and 27.5 tackles, three stops for losses, three passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
Dallas also added the af2 Ironman of the Year in Sippio. Playing for the Greensboro Prowlers, Sippio recorded 33 receptions for 591 yards (17.9 avg.) and 17 touchdowns, 25 kickoff returns for 650 yards (26.0 avg.) and two touchdowns, four rushes for two yards and a touchdown, 56.5 tackles, 14 passes defensed and three interceptions returned for 44 yards and a touchdown while playing in only 13 games. The four-time Ironman of the Game honoree averaged 144.0 all-purpose yards-per-game.
Also coming from af2, Masters spent the season playing along the lines for the ArenaCup champion Tulsa Talons. Tulsa finished second in the league in scoring with a 59.7 average while holding teams to only 43.3 points-per-game, the fourth best figure in the league.
Canonico also spent last spring in af2, signing with the Cincinnati Swarm on July 4 and finishing out the season on their roster..
Following are the players the Desperados signed on the first day of free agency:
AFL
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthday College Exp.
Allen, Ernest OL/DL 6-4 300 3/11/73 Cincinnati 8
Canonico, Eddie WR/DB 6-1 195 9/17/78 Sacramento St. R
Masters, Travis FB/LB 6-3 260 12/9/78 SE Oklahoma R
Pettijohn, Duke FB/LB 6-2 245 6/7/77 Syracuse 2
Sippio, Bobby WR/DB 6-3 215 12/4/80 Western Kentucky R
The Desperados will be holding the club's third annual open tryout on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Texas Stadium. Participants can pre-register on the club's website â www.dallasdesperados.com - or on Nov. 1 at the stadium beginning at 8:00 a.m. The pre-registration cost is $45 and the day of the event registration cost is $55. Each participant will receive an official Dallas Desperados Camp t-shirt. All players will be evaluated in the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle and standing broad jump. Selected players will be invited to participate in an elite workout, where players will be evaluated in drills specific to the game of Arena football.
The Desperados and the rest of the AFL kick off the 2004 season the weekend of Feb. 6-8. The AFL will be releasing the 2004 schedule in the coming weeks. However, Desperados season ticket packages are available now by calling 972-785-4900.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 16, 2003
- Colorado Crush to Hold Open Tryouts - Colorado Crush
- Desperados Sign Five to Kick Off Free Agency - Dallas Desperados
- Rush Acquires Larrimore - Chicago Rush
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