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Destroyers Game Notes

April 17, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Buffalo Destroyers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Buffalo Destroyers (0-0)
Vs. New Jersey Gladiators (0-0)
Date: Friday, April 19, 2002
Kickoff: 7:30 PM
Site: HSBC Arena (18,457)
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: TBA
Officials: Perry Havner (Referee), Paul King (Umpire), Pat Garvey (Head Linesman), Matt Gilchrist (Line Judge), Greg Steed (Back Judge)
Radio: WNSA 107.7 FM (Jim Brinson, Bob Trimble, Bremante Bryant)
TV: None
Series Record: Buffalo leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Buffalo 51 New Jersey 31 Continental Airlines Arena, June 1, 2002
Coaches: Ray Bentley (11-13, 3rd Year)
Frank Haege (0-0, 1st Year)

THE SERIES: Buffalo leads the all-time series 2-0. Buffalo 39 New Jersey 28, April 27, 2001 HSBC Arena Buffalo 51 New Jersey 31, June 1, 2002 Continental Airlines Arena

HEAD COACHES: Buffalo's Ray Bentley begins his second full season as head coach, his third overall. Bentley a native of Grand Rapids, MI earned All-MAC honors as a linebacker in 1981-82 at Central Michigan. Bentley's 10 year pro football career began in 1983 with the Michigan Panthers where he was part of the inaugural USFL Championship team. Bentley played for the Buffalo Bills from 1986-91, playing in two Super Bowls. Outside of coaching football, Bentley continues to work as an NFL play-by-play broadcaster for the FOX Sports Network.

New Jersey's Frank Haege will make his return to the AFL after accepting the head coaching position with the New Jersey Gladiators Football Club on August 23, 2001. In his two years with the af2's Quad City Steamwheelers, Haege posted a 37-1 record, including the 2000 season where the Steamwheelers became the first AFL or af2 team to have an undefeated season. His team won the Arena Cup in both 2000 and 2001. Haege is no stranger to the Garden State; he coached in the AFL with the New Jersey Red Dogs (1997-99) under John Hufnagel (1997-98) who is now the quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts.

LAST SERIES MEETING: Buffalo 51 New Jersey 31, June 1, 2001. Willie Latta broke out for two touchdowns in the first half as the Destroyers took a 17-10 lead into the locker room. He added three more scores in the second half tying a team record with four touchdown receptions in a game. Latta set another record for scoring in a single game with 30 points. Jim Kubiak completed 21 of 31 passes for 313 yards and five touchdowns. Kubiak surpassed Browning Nagle's career records for touchdown passes (39) and passing yards (2,262). Eddie Brown took home "Ironman of the Game" honors for his four catches and 72 yards on offense to go along with his seven tackles, one interception and one pass break-up. Kerwin Hairston also had a good day on the defensive side recording two sacks.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

Saturday 4/13/02:WAIVED: OS Derek Baker 5' 11" 165 Buffalo St., QB Jim Ballard 6' 4" 220 Mt. Union, WR/DB Mike Chandler 6' 0" 200 Kansas, DS Tyrone Laster 6' 0" 195 Virginia Union , OL/DL Jeremy Johnson 6'4" 275 Western Michigan Monday 4/8/02: SIGNED: WR/DB Aleric Clark 5'10" 185 Texas A&M KingsvilleINJURED RESERVE: WR/DB Jarrail Jackson 5'8" 180 OklahomaWednesday 3/27/02:SIGNED: OL/DL Jeremy Johnson 6'4" 275 R Western MichiganRE-SIGNED: WR/DB Carlos James 6'0" 185 Iowa, FB/LB John Motton 6'1" 240 Akron

Monday 3/25/02:ACTIVATED FROM REFUSED TO REPORT: K Steve McLaughlin 6'1" 190 ArizonaSIGNED: OL/DL Jeremy Johnson 6'4" 275 Western MichiganWAIVED: WR/DB Keven Jackson 5'11" 195 Alabama, DS Terrance Joseph 6'2" 215 Tulsa

Friday 3/22/02:REFUSED TO REPORT: WR/LB Tommie Boyd 6'0" 195 Toledo, K Steve McLaughlin 6'1" 190 Arizona WAIVED: OL/DL Richard McCleskey 6'4" 275 Nebraska-Omaha, WR/DB Teddy McDuffie 6'0" 200 Temple, OL/DL Josh McMillan 6'3" 295 Nebraska, OS Bobby Olive 6')" 170 Ohio St., FB/LB Josh Roth 6'0" Buffalo, FB/LB Darnell Small 5'11" 235 Nichols St., OL/DL Greg Taylor 6'2" 270 Harding

Thursday 3/21/02:SIGNED: WR/DB Teddy McDuffie 6'0" 200 TempleRE-SIGNED: OL/DL David Caldwell 6'3" 285 TCU, WR/DB Keven Jackson 5'11" 205 Alabama, DS Prentice Taylor 6'0" 205 West Texas A&M

Friday 3/15/02:WAIVED INJURED: OL/DL Ryan Shuff 6'5" 300 Eastern Illinois

Thursday 03/14/02:ACTIVATED FROM EXEMPT: OL/DL Jerry Crafts 6'6" 347 LouisvilleRE-SIGNED: OL/DL Jerry Crafts 6'6" 347 Louisville

DESTROYERS NEXT WEEK: The Destroyers travel to the Big Apple to meet the New York Dragons Sunday, April 28, 2002 at 1:00PM in Nassau Coliseum.

TEAM NOTES:

Air McNair: QB Fred McNair is ranked in the top eight in the AFL all-time in the passes attempted, passes completed and passing yards. Over his eight-year career, McNair has completed over 57% of his passes, while throwing for 16, 591 yards and 291 touchdowns. McNair had a career season in 2001, setting career highs with 3,271 yards, 63 touchdowns, 434 attempts, 282 completions, 65.0 completion percentage and a 118.16 quarterback rating. He is the older brother of Tennessee Titans QB Steve McNair.

Don't Blink!: OS Lamont Cooper is the two-time AFL "Don't Blink" Player of the Year, taking home the award in both 2000 and 2001. The "Don't Blink" award is given to the player considered to be the most electrifying player in the league. Last season with Oklahoma, he set career highs with 111 receptions for 1,418 yards (third in the AFL) and 22 touchdowns. He returned 92 kickoffs for 1,951 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 247 yards per game of total offense, tops in the AFL. With Milwaukee in 2000, Cooper reeled in 77 passes for 923 yards and 13 touchdowns. He returned 79 kickoffs for 1,667 yards and seven scores. Cooper holds the AFL's all-time record for kickoff returns for touchdowns with 20. In fact, his 13 kickoff returns for touchdowns the last two years would be good enough for fifth all-time. He is in the top six all-time in almost every kickoff statistical category in the AFL and in 2001 broke his own records for single season combined yards and combined kick returns.

Ironman: WR/DB Bret Cooper is one of the best two-way players in the AFL. In 2001, he caught 41 passes for 566 yards and 11 touchdowns. On defense, he made 55 tackles, seven pass break-ups and two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown. Cooper has the third highest average gain in AFL history at 15.1 yards per reception. He is also tied for fourth all-time with four interceptions returned for touchdowns. Cooper was part of two ArenaBowl Championship teams with Orlando in 1998 and 2000.

Big Time ‘D': WR/DB Carlos James currently is eighth on the AFL's all-time career tackles list with 353.0. In 2001, James recorded 38 tackles, 18 pass break-ups and six interceptions. On offense, he caught 44 passes for 489 yards and 10 touchdowns. James is the team's career leader in interceptions with six, the single season leader in interceptions with six in 2001 and holds the record for most interceptions in one game with two, which he did twice. He tied a team record last season for most fumbles recovered in a game with two against New York on June 8. Before joining the Destroyers, James played six seasons with the Iowa Barnstormers and was part of their ArenaBowl runner-up teams in 1996 and 1997. While in Iowa, James was one of the favorite targets of two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner. He has won five "Ironman of the Game" awards. James earned first team All-Arena honors in '99 and '00, while notching second team honors in '97 and '98.

Kickin' It: K Steve McLaughlin led all kickers in 2001 with 152 points, which also put him ninth overall in scoring. He stands ninth overall in career points by a kicker with 440. McLaughlin sits seventh all time for most one point PAT's with 257 and is also tied for seventh all time for most three-point field goals with 61.

Working Hard: OL/DL Jerry Crafts, the ultimate journeyman, holds the unofficial record for games played in different leagues. He has played for five different teams in four different leagues in the past two years. Over that span, Crafts played in 73 games in 82 weeks.

In 2001, Crafts suited up for the LA Xtreme of the XFL before coming to the Destroyers. After the Destroyers season, Crafts was in the Raiders training camp but was cut on the final day. He joined the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before rejoining the Raiders in November.

He played with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997 and 1998. He also played with the Buffalo Bills from 1992 to 1994.

New Face: WR/DB Aleric Clark signed with the Destroyers early this week after OS Jarrail Jackson was put on the injured reserve list with a hamstring injury. Clark played four seasons at Texas A&M Kingsville playing wide receiver and defensive back as well as helping the Javelinas to the schools 23rd conference championship in 2001. He was second team All Lone Star conference both is junior and senior seasons and won the league's Special Teams Player of the Year award both years. Clark tied for fourth in the conference with four interceptions last season.

AIRING IT OUT: QB Fred McNair is climbing up the AFL's career passing yards list. Currently, McNair sits in 8th place but needs only 82 passing yards to move up to 7th place.

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