AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Elway, Smith renew old rivalry

Published on April 12, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK - Former QB JOHN ELWAY and DL NEIL SMITH squared off 18 times as members of the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs respectively. Now, the former AFC West rivals will battle it out from the owner's box when Elway's defending ArenaBowl champion Colorado Crush (8-3), the second-ranked team in this week's AFLWA Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll, travel to Kansas City to take on Smith's Brigade (2-9) at Kemper Arena on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET on NBC.

Over the course of their meetings, Elway's Broncos got the best of Smith's Chiefs with Denver winning 10 of the 18 contests. Smith sacked the elusive Elway a total of 14 times, the most of any defender, including 10 times in Denver. But Elway had success as well throwing 21 touchdowns in the head-to-head meetings.

Colorado OS DAMIAN HARRELL, who Elway boasted as having "the best hands I've ever seen," continues to mount an assault on the AFL record book. His 38 receiving touchdowns puts him just eight away from the AFL record of 46 and he is on pace for 55 touchdowns which would break the League's total touchdown record of 51 set by Albany's EDDIE BROWN in 1996 and matched by BARRY WAGNER the next season with Orlando. Harrell also has caught at least one touchdown in an AFL-record 60 straight games.

The Crush can clinch an American Conference playoff berth with a win over Kansas City or a loss by Chicago, Las Vegas or losses by San Jose and Los Angeles.

Week 12 could go a long way towards determining the pecking order in the Southern Division as the four top teams battle it out in the Drive to ArenaBowl XX Las Vegas. The Georgia Force (7-4), who have won three in a row, including a 61-29 victory in Austin last week, travel to Orlando to face the Predators (7-4), also winners of three straight, at the TD Waterhouse Center on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on FSN South (tape delay at 10:30 p.m. ET) and Sun Sports (tape delay at 10:00 p.m. ET).

Georgia QB MATT NAGY has been one of the AFL's hottest quarterbacks over the last five weeks. In that span he's thrown 30 touchdowns and no interceptions and has averaged 266 yards per game.

In another key Southern Division showdown, the Tampa Bay Storm (6-5) head to Austin to face the Wranglers (7-4) at the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET on AFL Net and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 110.

Following are the standings for the AFL's Southern Division entering Week 12:

TEAM W L T PCT. HOME ROAD DIV CONF OTHER
Georgia 7 4 0 .636 3-2 4-2 5-2 6-2 1-2
Austin 7 4 0 .636 2-3 5-1 3-3 5-4 2-0
Orlando 7 4 0 .636 4-1 3-3 3-1 5-3 2-1
Tampa Bay 6 5 0 .545 4-3 2-2 3-2 4-4 2-1
Kansas City 2 9 0 .182 2-4 0-5 0-6 1-9 1-0

The young lion goes against the cagey veteran when QB JASON FIFE and the Las Vegas Gladiators (5-6) take on QB MARK GRIEB and the San Jose SaberCats at the HP Pavilion at San Jose on Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET on FSN West2 (tape delay at 1:30 a.m. ET) and FSN Bay Area (tape delay on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Since taking over the starting reigns in Week 5 Fife has thrown 32 touchdowns and has led the Gladiators to four of their five wins. Grieb ranks second in the AFL with 269 completions and 3,314 passing yards.

It's Rock and Roll vs. Country Music when the Philadelphia Soul (6-5), co-owned by JON BON JOVI head South to take on the Nashville Kats (7-4), who are co-owned by TIM MCGRAW, at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on Friday at 8:00 p.m. on CSS (tape delay on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET), CSN Philadelphia (tape delay on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET), INHD, Mid Atlantic (tape delay Sunday at 10:00 a.m. ET) and CSN West. The two teams met last season and tempers were high in the 59-48 Soul win in Philadelphia. The Kats are 5-0 at home this year.

Chicago Head Coach MIKE HOHENSEE could become only the third AFL head coach, joining Tampa Bay's TIM MARCUM (180 wins) and Utah's DANNY WHITE (144 wins), to reach the 100-victory mark this week when the Rush travel to Arizona to face the Rattlers (6-5) at U.S. Airways Arena on Friday at 10:00 p.m. ET on OLN, Comcast Local (tape delay on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET) and CSN West (tape delay on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET). Hohensee earned his 99th career win three weeks ago with a 51-44 win over Grand Rapids.

Other games this week: New York at Columbus on Friday, Grand Rapids at Dallas on Saturday, Los Angeles at Utah on Saturday and Chicago at Arizona on Saturday.

AFL Teams With USA Football

USA Football, the non-profit organization leading the development and growth of youth football, has teamed with the Arena Football League (AFL) to produce four public service announcements that focus on the life lessons learned through playing football. AFL Commissioner DAVID BAKER, along with youth football players, coaches and parents, filmed pubic service announcements earlier this week at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, home of ArenaBowl XX Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.arenafootball.com.

This Week in AFL History

April 13, 2000: Albany's EDDIE BROWN scores the second most points by a non-kicker in AFL history with 48 in the Firebirds 76-65 win over Nashville.

AFLWA Schutt Sports Top 12 Poll
1. Dallas Desperados (14) 9-2 190
2. Colorado Crush (2) 8-3 174
3. Georgia Force 7-4 152
4. Orlando Predators 7-4 134
5. Nashville Kats 7-4 129
6. Austin Wranglers 7-4 111
7. Arizona Rattlers 6-5 87
8. Tampa Bay Storm 6-5 79
9. Philadelphia Soul 6-5 71
10. New York Dragons 6-5 44
11. San Jose SaberCats 5-6 35
12. Las Vegas Gladiators 5-6 20

Others receiving votes: Columbus Destroyers 17, Chicago Rush 5. Dropped out: Columbus Destroyers (11).

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 12, 2006


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