Former roommates to battle in ArenaBowl XVIII
Published on June 18, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (June 18, 2004) - College roommates can be unforgettable. Lifelong friendships are made. Ironically, San Jose and Arizona, teams in this year's ArenaBowl championship of the Arena Football League, have players on each team with a special bond.
Lineman Chuck Reed of the San Jose SaberCats and two-way player Hunkie Cooper of the Rattlers were roommates at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). They were together for two years, but that's where the similarity ends because they have played against each other before and after their days as Rebels.
At Portland State University, Arizona's Orshawante Bryant was in the same dorm room with SaberCats' kicker Dan Frantz for nearly two years. They started as freshman, red-shirted together and then four years later graduated simultaneously.
They will put their friendships aside for about three hours, give or take some warmup time, for Sunday's ArenaBowl XVIII on June 27 at Phoenix' America West Arena. It will be the second meeting of San Jose (13-5) and Arizona (13-5) in the league's championship game in two of the last three seasons. It also will be the Rattlers third consecutive appearance in the "big dance" after losing to San Jose in 2002 and Tampa Bay in 2003.
"We've been battling since junior college," said Reed, whose Tyler (Texas) Junior College lost to Cooper's Navarro (Texas) Junior College in the National JC Championship in 1989. "The following year, we were roommates. On double (practice) days, he would put his championship ring (from the JC game) on the dresser to mess with me."
Frantz and Bryant hung out together with another friend, Rashad Floyd, who now plays defensive specialist for the Colorado Crush.
"I thought since Orshawante lived with me, I could make him my holder," said Frantz, a rookie this season in the AFL, "but, everytime I went to strike the ball, he flinched and moved it back toward him. I figured it wouldn't work, so I stuck with one of the quarterbacks."
Reed has played with three teams before joining the SaberCats. Chuck's in his 9th season and he and Hunkie make their off-season homes in Las Vegas. Cooper has been with Arizona his entire 12-year AFL career. He's won both AFL MVP and Ironman awards and his team has won the championship in 1994 and 1997.
"Say, I need some extras for the family," Frantz asked Orshawante after the dust settled following the semifinal games. "Could you help me out?" Bryant retorted: "You'll have to buy them on your own; I get only four."
"Well, I helped you out with an extra 20 when you were in town at the end of the season," Dan countered. Orshawante, who will be appearing in his 3rd straight ArenaBowl, replied: "This is the championship game...my friend."
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 18, 2004
- Notes from SaberCats ArenaBowl XVIII camp - San Jose SaberCats
- Former roommates to battle in ArenaBowl XVIII - San Jose SaberCats
- QB Shane Stafford re-signs with Storm - Tampa Bay Storm
- Gladiators come to terms with three players - Las Vegas Gladiators
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