Fever preparing for improved Big Sky team

May 24, 2006 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Tri-Cities Fever News Release


Kennewick, WA. Since the Fever's dominating 102-20 victory over the Big Sky on May 6, the Thunder have notched their first victory and last week held Billings to a meager 47 points in a 47-12 loss. That is good news for Fever Head Coach Dan Whitsett who is glad to see the Bozeman, Montana team improving. "Obviously we like more competitive games than 102-20, and it sounds like that is what we can expect this week in Bozeman," said Whitsett. "We would like to have a good solid contest leading up to our rematch with Rapid City the following week. We need a good tune-up game this week and it looks like they (Big Sky) will be able to provide that now."

The Fever are coming off a record setting 117-6 victory over the St. Joseph Cyclones and sit with a record of 6-3 right now. All six victories have come in the friendly confines of the Toyota Center while the three defeats have been on the road against Wyoming, Billings, and Rapid City. "With the exception of the Wyoming game early in the season we had our chances to get two of those road games (Billings and Rapid City)," said Whitsett. "We could easily be 8-1 right now, but we are not and now we have to take care of business with a little more of a sense of urgency. I am actually looking forward to the season ending road trips so that we can work on that road record we have right now." Whitsett is referring to the final three games of the regular season that the Fever play on the road. They will make trips to Beaumont, TX, Billings, MT, and St. Joseph, Missouri to close out the regular season.

Offensive Lineman Patrick Girardi will sit out one more week to prepare to return against the Rapid City Flying Aces. Offensive and defensive lineman Aaron "Pudge" Retzlaff will do the same in hope to returning to top form by the Rapid City game. The Fever will not travel a kicker with them this week due to the low proximity of the Ice Garden's ceiling in Bozeman. "They tell us a kicker is worthless in the arena because of the ceiling height," Whitsett said. Also missing this week's game is defensive back Brandon Hazenberg as he will be participating in graduation ceremonies at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. Receiver George Carter will return to the line-up from his bruised ribs.

With people getting healthier and returning to the line-up it will create several tough decisions for Coach Whitsett in the near future. "This week at practice it looks like training camp out there," says Whitsett. "We have more healthy bodies then we have had all season. We have to make some very tough decisions in the next two weeks. Some very good football players are going to have to sit and that is not easy to do." With the ability to suit up seven healthy linemen now, the Fever will have to eliminate one roster position from the receiver ranks. They will also have to make a decision at defensive back, and one on the offensive and defensive line. "Those decisions will not be easy at all," says Whitsett. "But it is a better situation to be in for the teams overall success then to not have the luxury of making those decisions."

The Fever will board a bus at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning for Bozeman. Game time for Saturday's match-up is 7:05 p.m. (MST) which is 6:05 p.m. (PST) and can be heard on 610 KONA Radio with the pre-game starting at 5:05 p.m. (PST).



National Indoor Football League Stories from May 24, 2006


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