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Firebirds Look to Torch Rebounding Rampage

April 13, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Albany/Indiana Firebirds News Release


April 13, 2004- The Firebirds travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday April 17th to face the 1-8 Rampage. The Rampage have little hope of stumbling their way into the playoffs after a devastating 14 game losing streak that goes back to the 2003 season and lasted nearly an entire year (April 13, 2003 to April 10, 2004). But that may be what makes them more dangerous than any other team in the league. The Rampage is a group of talented players that have struggled to find cohesion, but have slowly begun to gel over the past few weeks. The gradual build culminated in a 49-45 victory over the Detroit Fury last week. However, trouble seems to be brewing in Grand Rapids and could send the team into another downward spiral. Steve Smith, the Rampage's star kick returner, had a run-in with the law recently in Wyoming. He'll face charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and having an open intoxicant in a vehicle. Smith did play in the win against Detroit, but is scheduled to appear in court this Wednesday the 14th for an initial hearing. It's unclear if he'll be on the field when the Firebirds roll into town, but the Rampage organization has made it clear that they're taking a "wait and see" approach to the situation and currently have no plans to bench or expel him from the team. In the prior meeting between the Firebirds and Rampage, which the Firebirds won with a last second Clay Rush field goal, Smith led his team with seven catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns and 78 yards from kick returns. The Rampage is also in the midst of a minor quarterback controversy as Anthony Buich and Michael Bishop, the 1998 Heisman Trophy runner-up, battle for the starting job. Buich was the third starting quarterback for the Rampage this season behind Jeff Loots and Robert Hall. He performed well over five games, but his six interceptions cost the team dearly. In week nine, a lack luster performance of 3-of-10 passing for 45 yards and a touchdown in the first half of the game against Arizona forced head coach Bob Cortese to replace Buich with the recently signed Michael Bishop. Bishop put together an impressive half with 12-of-21 passing for 132 yards and four touchdowns. It wasn't enough to salvage the game, but it seemed Bishop held the key to the Rampage's future. Last week, as the Rampage visited Detroit, Bishop was awarded the starting position. He began the game win an interception that led to a Detroit touchdown, and followed the turnover with 9-of-18 passing for 144 yards and three touchdowns. Despite Bishop's accuracy issues, Detroit enjoyed only a small 28-26 lead at the half. When the Rampage returned to the field in the third quarter it was Buich leading the charge. He completed 7-of-12 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown while also setting up two rushing scores by FB/LB Chris Avery and a 46 yard field goal. The effort proved to be just enough to see the Rampage to their first victory of the season. The inconsistent play of the two quarterbacks is sure to lead to mid-game shuffling over the next few weeks and could be a source of distraction on and off the field until one of the two players surface as a true leader. Despite the events on and off the field the fact remains that in their last meeting the Rampage held their own against the surging Firebirds. With their playoff dreams dwindling the Rampage have nothing to lose and plenty to prove. A second win against the hottest team in the AFL would be a huge morale boost for the team and its loyal fans. Make no mistake; the Firebirds will need their "A" game to silence the fans in Van Andel Arena and stop the charging rhino as it attempts to pick up speed.

Rookie of the Year

Adrian McPherson just seems to keep getting better. Easter Sunday he wowed the crowd at Conseco Fieldhouse with a "perfect" performance while downing the Carolina Cobras 65-31. He finished the game with a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating after going 13-of-15 for 194 yards and five touchdowns. He also had one rushing score during the second quarter and setup a Leroy Thompson one-yard rushing score after marching down the field on a previous series. McPherson didn't throw an incomplete pass until late in the third quarter and once again avoided throwing a single interception. For his efforts he was awarded Offensive Player of the Game for the fifth time this season. There's no doubt that McPherson is large part of the reason why the Firebirds are winning. His decision-making improves with every game and he's become more and more comfortable in the pocket. At this point in the season there's little doubt that this May Rookie of the Month is the leading contender for Rookie of the Year.

There Can Be Only One

After he stepped into the February 23rd game against the Detroit Fury and rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown many began to compare QB Adrian McPherson to NFL QB Michael Vick. Vick has made a name for himself as one of the most exciting players in the NFL by slipping out of the pocket and rushing for long gains. McPherson has racked up more rushing yards (137) and touchdowns (13) than any other QB in the AFL and is the fifth leading rusher after holding the number two spot for several weeks. Firebird's head coach Mike Wilpolt has wisely encouraged McPherson to stay in the pocket, so his rushing numbers have declined recently, but he remains very elusive and is often unleashed near the endzone. Michael Bishop displayed a similar elusiveness in his first AFL game against Arizona while also recording 14 yards on three carries. The Rampage radio announcers were quick to label Bishop as the "AFL's version of Michael Vick." The call may have been a bit premature, but when the two quarterbacks meet face-to-face this Saturday it's sure to a thrilling display of athleticism.

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