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Detroit Fury Game Notes

April 29, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Detroit Fury News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Buffalo Destroyers (5-8) at Detroit Fury (6-7)
Date: May 1, 2003
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Site: The Palace of Auburn Hills (14,826)
Officials: Riley Johnson (Referee), Rick DiBernado (Umpire), Neil Brunner (Head Linesman), Paul Engelberts (Line Judge), Bud McCleskey (Back Judge)
Radio: WDFN, 1130 AM Jamie Samuelsen (Play-by-Play)
TV: Fox Sports Net Detroit Mark Champion (Play-by-Play) Marc Spindler (Color Analyst) Matt Shepard (Sideline Reporter)
Series Record: (2-1)
Last Meeting: Sunday, March 30, 2003 Detroit 34 – Buffalo 14
Streaks: Buffalo – Win 1 Detroit – Lose 2
Coaches: Ron Selesky (5-8, 1st Year) Al Luginbill (6-7, 1st Year)

THE STAKES: After last week's loss to the Las Vegas Gladiators, the Detroit Fury are in a must-win situation if they hope to make into the 2003 AFL postseason. Detroit currently sits 11th the playoff seedings, with Buffalo holding the 12th and final playoff spot. A Detroit win returns their record to .500 and keeps them alive for a divisional championship, while a loss could knock them out of the playoff standings due to head-to-head losses with 13th place Indiana and 14th New York.

THE SERIES: The Fury are looking for the series sweep in 2003. The Fury defeated the Destroyers earlier this season to grab the (2-1) series advantage. Last season, although they were not division rivals, the Fury and Destroyers played twice, each team winning at home.

HEAD COACHES:

AL LUGINBILL, Detroit (6-7, 1st Year): Luginbill enters his first season as head coach and general manager of the Detroit Fury and his first season coaching in the Arena Football League. He brings over 33 years of football experience to the Fury. Luginbill began his coaching career at Pasadena City College, where he guided Pasadena City College to Jr. Rose Bowl Championship in his final season as a head coach. He then moved on to Arizona State University and worked as an assistant coach from 1977-1984 with a one-year coaching stint at the University of Wyoming. Finishing his career as a Sun Devil, he left ASU to pursue a job with the San Diego State University Athletic department. After three years on the administrative side, Luginbill was given the control over the slumping Aztec football program, where he served as head coach of SDSU for five years. He is the only coach in SDSU to ever have five consecutive winning seasons. Luginbill's career turned when he left the collegiate ranks to coach in the NFL Europe (World League). He served as head coach and director of football operations of Amsterdam Admirals from (1995-2000). In his tenure there, he guided the Admirals to the World Bowl. Luginbill moved back to States and took a job with up-start XFL and guided the Los Angeles Xtreme to XFL's first and only league championship. Throughout his career, Luginbill is credited with finding and developing NFL stars such as Marshall Faulk (San Diego St. Player), Kurt Warner (NFL Europe / Amsterdam Player) and most recently, Tommy Maddox (XFL). Luginbill currently holds a 86-56-2 overall record as a head coach. He has won three championships and appeared in five bowl games during his coaching tenure.

RON SELESKY, Buffalo (5-8, 1st Year): Selesky enters his first year as a head coach in the Arena Football League, although he is no stranger to the game. Prior to joining the Destroyers, Selesky served as the assistant head coach and director of player personnel with the Tampa Bay Storm. He got his head coaching with the Louisville Fire of the af2, and then a year later, served as the head coach of the Albany Conquest. He guided the expansion Conquest to a 13-3 record and a berth in the ArenaCup playoffs. Before joining the coaching ranks of af2, Selesky spent one season as an assistant coach and player personnel director for the Carolina Cobras. Selesky got his start in the AFL with the Tampa Bay Storm, functioning as an assistant coach and player personnel director from 1997-1999. While in Tampa, Selesky's squad appeared in one ArenaBowl and compiled a record of 31-11 in the regular season. Following a collegiate career as an offensive lineman, Selesky played one season in the NFL, attended NFL training camps and worked as a pro football scout from 1995-1997. FURY IN THE COMMUNITY:

FURY HOSPITAL VISITS

Members of the Fury Team visit local area hospitals to bring cheer and hope to children during their stay. Often, players and coaches will "take over" the ward, filling it with Fury decorations. Players and coaches spend time with the children, sign autographs and leave special gifts behind. The Fury hopes that these types of events will leave a lasting impression on the children and provide a life long memory they are sure to never forget.

FURY FIELD TRIPS PROGRAM

The Fury Field Trips program is designed to encourage young people's interest in science, math and technology by introducing them to real-life examples of how the sciences are used in the world around them. The goal of Fury Field Trips is to instill an interest in the sciences that they will carry through adulthood. The Fury Field Trips are proudly supported by the Metro Detroit Ford Dealers and the Towne Mortgage Company.

The Fury embarked on the first Fury Field Trip of the 2003 season with a visit to the Ford River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan on Friday, March 21, 2003. Fury players Jon McCall, Dary Myricks, Matt Norwood, Ron Carpenter and Lucas Yarnell toured the plant with sixty students from Stout Middle School in Dearborn. After the tour, Ford representatives and Fury players spoke to the children about the importance of learning about science.

The Fury also traveled to Woodland Elementary School in Troy, Michigan on Thursday, March 27. Students in attendance were treated to a wonderful, educational learning experience through an interactive science show. This show was performed by Science Theatre, a student run organization from Michigan State University. These science majors involved students and players in showing physics and chemistry to students in an interesting and innovative production.

The Fury's latest field trip will took them to Selfridge Air Base in Mt. Clemens, MI on Thursday, April 24. The base, which is still an active base for the National Guard, has a military air museum on site. Fury players and local area children toured the facilities, while students learned about science and aviation. They received hands-on demonstrations and climbed into many cockpits of the planes to feel first hand what they were like. With many historic planes on display, and today's latest models flying around, the trip was exciting and informative for all.

LAST WEEK:

Las Vegas, NV – The Detroit Fury were unable to overcome a 20-point first quarter deficit and were defeated by the Las Vegas Gladiators 58-45. With the win, the Gladiators (7-6, 3-0) take over sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division. The Fury (6-7, 1-3) drop to second place with three remaining games in the regular season.

Turnovers haunted the Fury's offense to start the game. The Fury turned the ball over on its first three possessions of the game. Ron Carpenter fumbled the first two kickoffs in the game, and quarterback Andy Kelly threw his 17th interception of the season on the third drive. Kelly finished the game completing 25-of-42 for 252 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.

The Fury's offense continues to struggle, as they were shut out in the third period. For the second week in a row, the offense sparked late, scoring 23 of their 45 in the fourth quarter.

Jay McDonagh led the Gladiator offense, after being benched the previous week. He completed 20-of-29 for 248 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. McDonagh's primary target, offensive specialist Mike Horacek, led all receivers, catching nine passes for 98 yards and three touchdowns.

The game did not start off well for the Fury. Ron Carpenter fumbled the opening kickoff, and the Gladiators recovered the ball. After a Gladiator score, the Fury fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Gladiators recovered the ball again. They quickly converted the turnover for their second touchdown of the game.

The Fury's luck did not improve on their next drive. After driving the ball down the field, quarterback Andy Kelly was intercepted in the end zone by Jeroid Johnson. It only took the Gladiators two plays to score, as McDonagh hit Sean Riley for the 31-yard score.

Detroit finally got on the scoreboard, late in the first quarter, after Kelly hit Jason Kaiser for a seven-yard touchdown.

In the second quarter, the Fury continued to struggle. The offense only managed to score twice, with the second score coming as time expired in the half. Mario Bailey caught Kelly's Hail Mary pass off the nets for the score to make the score 41-20 at halftime.

Injuries also plagued the Fury. Lineman Lucas Yarnell, offensive specialist Sulecio Sanford and wide receiver / linebacker Marcus Nash all suffered first half injuries, but only Yarnell was able to return to the game.

The Fury returned from halftime, but they were unable to build any momentum. The Gladiators scored on the opening drive of the half, but the Fury were unable to score on their first and only drive of the third quarter, turning the ball over on downs.

Detroit tried to spark a late, fourth-quarter comeback after lineman Jon McCall sacked McDonagh in the end zone for a safety. Detroit took the ball and drove it down the field for the score, but it was too late. Las Vegas kicked a 35-yard field goal with less than a minute left after a long drive, giving them a 20-point lead.

The Fury did not quit though. They took the ball, and receiver Herman Bell took a screen pass 23 yards for the touchdown. The Fury tried to recover the onside kick but were unsuccessful. The Gladiators took the ball and ran the remaining time off the clock for the victory.

Next week, the Fury return home for a Thursday night battle with the Buffalo Destroyers. The Fury will close out the regular season with three straight home games.

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Final
Detroit Fury 7 15 0 23 45
Las Vegas Gladiators 20 21 7 10 58

MVP: Jay McDonagh (LVG)
Ironman: Damon Mason (LVG)

Attendance: (10,157)

FURY NEXT WEEK:

Next week, the Fury will prepare for a rematch with the Eastern Division leading Las Vegas Gladiators. They will enjoy the added days of rest and practice after playing two games in five days.

The Fury have yet to beat the Gladiators in a regular season conference game, and will be looking to notch their first win against them. If the Gladiators win this week against New York, they could potentially lock up first place in the Eastern Division with a win over the Fury, while the Fury are still looking to challenge the Gladiators for the top spot and the chance to play a playoff game at home.

FURY NOTES / TRENDS:

The Streak Continues: Throughout the season thought, the Fury have defeated each team they have played when one member of their roster was a member of the opposing team's roster in 2002, and they have lost to each team that have not signed a member from last season's 2002 team. The only exception is Colorado, because they were an expansion team. If the streak continues, the Fury would need to beat Buffalo.

Rotating the Specialists: So far this season, no one person has not held the offensive specialist position for the Fury for more than two weeks at a time. Today's game against Buffalo could feature new OS Mario Bailey, after Sanford suffered an injury in last weeks game against Las Vegas. Also, look for DS Brent Browner to return to the lineup as the Fury's second DS.

Approaching a record: Detroit kickoff returner Ron Carpenter is close to setting a new AFL record for most kickoff return yards in a season. He currently stands at 1,979 yards, and he only needs 107 more kickoff return yards to tie Steve Papin's record of 2,086 yards. With three games remaining, Carpenter only needs to average 36 yards a game to break the mark.

Being Shutout Hurts: So far this season, the Fury have been shutout in at least one quarter of six different games. When the Fury fail to score in a quarter, they are (1-5) and when they score in each quarter of a game, their record improves to (5-2).

RUNNING WITH THE RECORDS: Watch Fury Quarterback Andy Kelly continue his assault on the Arena Football League's record books. As the 2003 season winds down, he hopes to remain the league's all-time leading passer. AFL Veterans Aaron Garcia (NY) and Sherdrick Bonner (AZ) are right behind.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 29, 2003


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