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Destroyers Game Notes

February 11, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Buffalo Destroyers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Buffalo Destroyers vs. Arizona Rattlers
Date: Friday, February 14, 2003
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Site: HSBC Arena (18,457)
Officials: Perry Havener (Referee), Roy Ellison (Umpire), Derrick Bowers (Head Linesman), David Meslow (Line Judge), Greg Steed (Back Judge)
Radio: WNSA 107.7 FM Jim Brinson and Bob Trimble
TV: None
Series Record: Arizona leads 3-0
Coaches: Buffalo, Ron Selesky (1-1, 1st season) Arizona, Danny White (116-53, 12th season)

HEAD COACH: Ron Selesky (1st season, 0-1)

Ron Selesky earned 2002 af2 Coach of the Year honors guiding the expansion Albany Conquest to a regular season mark of 13-3 and the Northeast Division championship. The Conquest also advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2002 Arena Cup playoffs. Selesky compiled an overall record of 19-13 in two seasons in the af2 during the regular season with a 1-1 playoff mark.

Selesky joined the Conquest after leading the expansion Louisville Fire to a 6-10 mark in 2001. Prior to his stint in Louisville, Selesky spent one season as the director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Carolina Cobras. He was the director of player personnel and assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Storm from 1997 to 1999. While Selesky was in Tampa Bay, the Storm compiled a 31-11 regular-season record and earned a berth in ArenaBowl XII in 1998.

Selesky played college football at North Central College (Division III) in Naperville, Illinois, where he was a four-year starter at left offensive tackle. Following his college career, he played in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings in 1987 and attended NFL camps in San Diego (1988), Miami (1990) and Detroit (1992).

GAME PREVIEW: Their most likely will not be any Valentine's Day cards exchanged between these two teams. Buffalo is looking for it's first ever win vs. Arizona. The Destroyers will unveil and giveaway the 2003 Buffalo Bombshells poster at the game.

DESTROYERS NEXT WEEK: The Fleet hit the road for the first time in 2003 as they travel south to Atlanta to battle the Georgia Force on Saturday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arena at Gwinett Center. This will also mark the 2003 debut of Empire Sports Network's game coverage. The game will also air on the Destroyers Radio Network.

DESTROYERS RADIO NETWORK: The Buffalo Destroyers will have 13 of 16 games broadcast on radio this season. WNSA 107.7 FM in Buffalo will serve as the flagship station for the second consecutive season. WJTN 1240 AM in Jamestown, NY and WSPQ 1330 AM in Springville, NY will pick up all 13 games this season as well.

LAST WEEK: Buffalo 44 Carolina 16

The Destroyers posted their first victory of the 2003 season with a 44-16 whipping of the Carolina Cobras in front of 8,067 fans Sunday afternoon at the HSBC Arena. The 16 points allowed by Buffalo is the fewest by an opponent in team history. The previous record was set last season (May 11, 2002) when the Destroyers held the Detroit Fury to 21 points.

Buffalo took the lead early in the second quarter on a FB/LB Anthony Hicks six yard touchdown run. Buffalo QB Jeff Loots hit OS Gunnard Twyner on a 49 yard touchdown pass as time expired as the Destroyers lead 13-9 at halftime. That touchdown is the longest pass play in team history. The previous mark was 46 yards, which was done twice (Jim Kubiak to Kevin Mason vs. Carolina on May 18, 2001 and Browning Nagle to Chris Perry vs. Los Angeles on July 14, 2000).

Buffalo came out firing in the second half. OS Jarrail Jackson returned the second half kickoff back for a 55 yard touchdown. Five minutes later, Loots hit WR/LB Cornelius White for a 28 yard touchdown. After a Carolina touchdown, Loots found Twyner for the second time, this one a nine yard score as Buffalo lead after three periods, 32-16.

Buffalo added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Loots and White hooked up for a 17 yard score and FB/LB Juan Long scored on a one yard run.

Loots finished 12 of 20 for 200 yards and four touchdowns. Twyner led all receivers with five receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns. White earned the Ironman of the Game award with four catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns. White also had 3.5 tackles.

DS JoJo Polk had a game high 10.0 tackles (8 solo), one forced fumble and one pass defense. DS Dwaine Carpenter earned game MVP honors with 3.5 tackles, one interception and four pass defenses. OL/DL Silas Demary posted his second sack of the season.

LAST SERIES MEETING:

Arizona 69 Buffalo 42
The Rattlers (8-3) solidified their second best record in the Arena Football League with a 69-42 win over the Buffalo Destroyers (6-5) in front of 7,691 fans June 28, 2002 at the HSBC Arena.

The Rattlers set the tone early intercepting Destroyers QB Fred McNair deep in the Destroyers end. Arizona quickly turned that into seven points on a QB Sherdrick Bonner touchdown pass to OL/DL Wendall Gaines. On the Destroyers second drive, K Steve McLaughlin had his field goal attempt blocked setting up a Bonner to WR/DB Maurice Bryant touchdown. Arizona led 14-0 at the end of the first period, it is the first time in 2002 the Destroyers were held scoreless in a quarter. The Destroyers fought back with three scores in the second quarter. McNair hit WR/DB Carlos James and WR/DB Bret Cooper for touchdowns while OS Lamont Cooper ran in another. Bonner tossed two more touchdowns as Arizona led 28-21 at the break.

Arizona opened the third with a FB/LB Bo Kelly two yard touchdown run. Bryant caught his third touchdown of the game as the Rattlers shut out the Destroyers in the third taking a 42-21 lead into the fourth quarter.

Buffalo drew first blood in the fourth on one yard run by FB/LB Juan Long. Arizona shot right back as Bonner and Bryant connected for the fourth time to give the Rattlers a 21 point advantage. Bret Cooper and WR/LB Kevin Mason each caught touchdown passes in the fourth but could not keep up with the Rattlers.

McNair was 17 of 32 for 195 yards three touchdowns and two interceptions. Lamont Cooper had a game high 206 all-purpose yards. Bret Cooper caught seven passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. James led the Destroyers with six tackles (five solo) and one pass defense.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

· Bret Cooper needs 90 receiving yards to hit 5,550 for his career.

· Bret Cooper needs 248 receiving yards to pass former teammate Lamont Cooper (5,658) for 13th place in AFL history in receiving yards.

· Bret Cooper (87) needs one touchdown reception to move into 16th place in AFL history. Curtis Ceasar has 88 career touchdowns.

FAMILIAR FACES:

· Destroyers QB Jeff Loots was part of the Rattlers 1997 ArenaBowl championship team.

· Destroyers OL/DL Steve Scifres spent a season with the Rattlers in 2001.

· Destroyers WR/LB Sir Mawn Wilson played one season in Arizona in 1997.

TEAM NOTES:

ADT Defensive Player of the Week: Destroyers DS Dwaine Carpenter was named ADT Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Sunday's 44-16 victory over the Carolina Cobras. This is the second time in his career that he was won this award. Carpenter was named Game MVP on Sunday finishing with 3.5 tackles, an interception and four pass breakups. His total of five passes defended ties his own Destroyers single game record, which he set last season vs. Toronto. He led a defense that set a franchise record holding the Cobras to just 16 points.

Smoking Gun: OS Gunnard Twyner continued to shine last week as he once again led all receivers with five receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Twyner had a game high 134 receiving yards, three touchdowns and 204 all-purpose yards week one vs. Grand Rapids. In just two games, he already passed his season totals last season of 128 yards and two touchdowns in four games for the Tampa Bay Storm.

Cha-Ching: QB Jeff Loots has been on the money this season. Through two games, Loots has thrown nine touchdown passes and no interceptions. He is among the league leaders in almost every passing category. Loots set a Destroyers season and career record with a 61.4% completion percentage in 2002.

Tough Guys: The Destroyers offensive line has given up just one sack in the first two games. Last season, the Destroyers gave up a league high 23 sacks.

Definitely Demary: OL/DL Silas Demary has recorded a sack in each of the first two games. He has also forced a fumble in each of the first two games.

Now that's Sharp: OL/DL Jerry Sharp is a budding movie star. He was featured as "McKenna" in the Oliver Stone movie "Any Given Sunday" and will appear as a pit boss in the upcoming Ocean's 11 sequel. Sharp has also appeared on the Jerry Springer show.

Coaches Connection: Four Destroyers WR/LB Mike Guazzo, WR/LB Anthony Payton, K Mike Moser and OL/DL Alex Houston played for Ron Selesky in af2. Guazzo and Houston played for the Northeast Division champion Albany Conquest last season. Moser and Payton played under Selesky in 2001 with the Louisville Fire.

Don't Call It a Comeback: On July 15, 2000, DS JoJo Polk, playing cornerback for the af2 Tulsa Talons against the Charleston SwampFoxes, deflected a pass and crashed headfirst into the padded wall that surrounded the 50-yard field. He blacked out. When he came to, doctors told him he would never walk again. Polk had a broken bone in his neck, and doctors said he would probably be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Polk returned to the field the very next season and led the Grand Rapids Rampage in tackles helping them win the ArenaBowl Championship.

Super Coop: WR/DB Bret Cooper became the 17th player in AFL history to pass the 5,000 career receiving yards mark with 44 yards June 13, 2002 vs. Toronto.

Career Year: OL/DL Hardy Mitchell had a career year in 2002. He tied a career high with one fumble recovery week six vs. Grand Rapids. He blocked his first career FG attempt week eight vs. New York. Mitchell also set a career high's with 12 tackles and two sacks. Payton's Place: WR/LB Anthony Payton, a Leesville, Louisiana native played high school football in Germany and was named best high school player in the country as well as being named to the All-Europe team in 1990 at Stuttgart High School.

A, OK: OL/DL Alex Houston was a first team All-af2 selection last season finishing 2nd in the league with ten tackles for a loss and ranked 3rd with four forced fumbles. His 11.5 sacks also ranked 8th in the af2.

The Replacements: Head Coach Ron Selesky achieved his dream of playing professional football in 1987 when he played part of the season with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings as a replacement player.

Hoops Anyone: Special Teams Coordinator/WR Coach Ryan Gallo is the only coach in the AFL who played college basketball. Gallo played Division I basketball at nearby St. Bonaventure University and was roommates with former Washington Wizards guard David Vanterpool.

Destroyers Diversity: Three of the four assistant coaches for the Destroyers are minorities. The Destroyers have the most minorities on staff than any other team in the AFL.

TRANSACTIONS:

January 8, 2003: PLACED ON REFUSED TO REPORT: OL/DL Evan Pilgrim PLACED ON PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM: OL/DL Jeremy Johnson; OL/DL Mark Valvo
January 9, 2003: SIGNED: OL/DL Mark Holtzman
January 10, 2003: VOIDED CONTRACT: OL/DL Mark Holtzman
January 13, 2003: PLACED ON PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM: FB/LB Juan Long
January 14, 2003: SIGNED: K Mike Moser
January 15, 2003: SIGNED: OL/DL Clyde Wilkins WAIVED: OS Tyree Davis; FB/LB Tyrell Peters
January 17, 2003: SIGNED: OL/DL Antonio Anderson; WR/DB Jason Collins-Baker; FB/LB Eddie Diaz; OL/DL Demond Gibson; FB/LB Dwayne Woods PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE: OL/DL Jose White
January 21, 2003: ACTIVATED FROM PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM: FB/LB Juan Long PLACED ON TEAM SUSPEND: OL/DL Antonio Anderson WAIVED: QB Mike Cawley; OL/DL Seneca Knight; WR/LB Chad Plummer
January 22, 2003: SIGNED: OL/DL Dave Sucura
January 27, 2003: WAIVED: OL/DL Imani Bell, WR/DB Malik Campbell, WR/DB Jason Collins-Baker, OL/DL Gonzalo Floyd, DS Ken Haslip, OL/DL Jason Jewell, WR/DB Van Johnson, OL/DL Brad Keeney, QB Chris Sanders, OL/DL Dave Sucura, FB/LB Corey Terry and OL/DL Clyde Wilkins. INJURED RESERVE: FB/LB Eddie Diaz; OL/DL Jeremy Johnson SIGNED: WR/DB Sir Mawn Wilson
January 28, 2003: SIGNED: OL/DL Ken Bouie
January 31, 2002: SIGNED TO PRACTICE SQUAD: WR/DB Jason Collins-Baker; OL/DL Gonzalo Floyd; QB Chris Sanders
February 5, 2003: RELEASED: FB/LB Dwayne Woods
February 7, 2003: SIGNED: OL/DL Jerry Sharp

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