Destroyers Game Notes
April 23, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Buffalo Destroyers News Release
QUICK FACTS:
Buffalo Destroyers (1-0)
Vs. New York Dragons (0-1) Date: Sunday, April 28, 2002
Kickoff: 12:00 PM
Site: Nassau Coliseum (11,965)
National Anthem: TBA
Coin Toss: TBA
Officials: Tom McCabe (Referee), Jeff Carr (Umpire), Brent Durbin (Head Linesman), Bob McElwee (Line Judge), Jim Anderson (Back Judge)
Radio: WNSA 107.7 FM
TV: Empire Sports Network
Play-by Play-Jim Brinson, Color-Bob Trimble, Sidelines- Bremante Bryant Series Record: Tied 1-1
Last Meeting: Buffalo 58 New York 51 HSBC Arena, June 8, 2002
Coaches: Ray Bentley (12-13, 3rd Year)
John Gregory (63-34, 8th Year)
THE SERIES: Tied 1-1.
New York 70 Buffalo 58
Nassau Coliseum, April 27, 2002
Buffalo 58 New York 51
HSBC Arena, June 8, 2002 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 York's John Gregory has been the only head coach in the franchise's eight year history, managing the team since the Iowa Barnstormers inception in 1995. Under Gregory, the franchise has won four Central Division championships and qualified for the playoffs six times as the team compiled an overall record of 69-39. The Barnstormers played in the ArenaBowl title game twice, losing in 1996 and 1997. Gregory has twice been named Arena Football League Coach of the Year, winning the award in 1995 and 1996. Gregory is fourth in career wins with 69, has the ninth best winning percentage with .638, is sixth in most games coached with 108, and has the fifth most postseason wins with six.
LAST SERIES MEETING: Buffalo 58 New York 51 HSBC Arena, June 8, 2002
The Buffalo Destroyers extended their winning streak at the HSBC Arena to seven games with a 58-51 triumph over the New York Dragons. Darrick Branch tallied a touchdown reception and Willie Latta ran in another. Kerwin Hairston picked up a pair of sacks for the second straight game as well as two touchdowns and a forced fumble taking home "Ironman of the Game". The win is Buffalo's second in a row and kept them in first place in the Eastern Division. Jim Kubiak was named the game's MVP throwing for 301 yards on 24 completions and six touchdowns. Latta led the Destroyers with nine catches for 133 yards and a score.
DESTROYERS NEXT WEEK: The Destroyers head to the Motor City to face the Detroit Fury, Saturday, May 4 at 7:30PM at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
TEAM NOTES:
Air McNair: QB Fred McNair moved into seventh place on the AFL's all-time passing yards list after throwing for 191 yards vs. New Jersey last Friday. McNair has 16,782 career yards passing moving ahead of Mike Pawlawski (1995-2000) who is at 16,673 yards. McNair is also in the top ten all-time in passes attempted (7th place with 2,263), passes completed (9th place with 1,327) and touchdown passes (8th with 296).
Don't Blink!: Two-time "Don't Blink" Player of the Year OS Lamont Cooper is a threat to score a touchdown any time he handles the football. Cooper is the AFL's all-time leader in kickoff's returned for touchdowns with 19. Lamont scored two touchdowns last week, one rushing and one receiving. He just barely missed a trifecta almost taking two kickoffs back for scores. Even when he is not taking it to the house, Cooper is racking up yards in a big way.
"Coop" led the league last week with 147 kickoff return yards. He was fourth overall with 195 all-purpose yards. Cooper set the league record with 1,669 kickoff return yards in 2000. He broke that record last season amassing 1,779 yards. After one game this season, Cooper is on pace to break his record again (with a projected 2,058 yards).
Double Threat: DS Corey Johnson is no slouch himself when it comes to returning kicks. Johnson emerged as one of the top kick returners last season after already establishing himself as a dangerous defensive specialist. Johnson returned five kickoffs for touchdowns last season, which is third highest in league history in a single season. Johnson also set a league record with 12 kick returns at New York on June 7, 2001. His 326 return yards in that game is second highest in league history.
300 Club: Only 25 AFL players have amassed 300 career receptions and three play for the Destroyers, OS Lamont Cooper (353), WR/DB Bret Cooper (314) and WR/LB Thomas Bailey (315). Bret Cooper and Bailey both notched their 300th reception last season with Orlando while Lamont got his with Oklahoma in 2001. New York on my mind: Eddie Brown and David Caldwell both played for the former New York Cityhawks franchise in the mid-90's.
Coming Home...sort of: The New York Dragons were originally the Iowa Barnstormers before current owner Charles Wang bought the team and moved them to the Big Apple. Three current Destroyers played for the Barnstormers; Lamont Cooper, 1996-98; Carlos James, 1995-2000; and John Motton 1997-2000. Motton holds the franchise's single game record with 51 rushing yards vs. Portland, May 17, 1997. James recorded the first interception in franchise history vs. Miami on May 20, 1995. Cooper holds the single game record for missed FG return yards with 60 vs. Portland, May 23, 1998
New Face: WR/DB Aleric Clark signed with the Destroyers early this month 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.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 23, 2002
- This week in the AFL - OSC Original by Mark Sargent
- Destroyers Game Notes - Buffalo Destroyers
- AFL Announces Players of the Week - AFL I
- Chris Jackson honored as AFL "Offensive Player of the Week" - Los Angeles Avengers
- Cobras Game Notes - Carolina Cobras
- Fury Game Notes - Detroit Fury
- Force Game Notes - Georgia Force
- SaberCats Game Notes - San Jose SaberCats
- Arena Football League Transactions - AFL I
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