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Jackson's Action Earns Ironman Honor

May 7, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHICAGO - Somebody give the Macon Knights' RENDELL JACKSON a hand.

The 6-foot, 238-pound FB/LB earned Week 6 arenafootball2 Ironman honors for his all-around efforts in the Knights' 50-47 win against the surging Jacksonville Tomcats, the league office announced today.

Jackson single-handedly saved the day for the Knights, batting away a field goal attempt on the last play of regulation that would have sent the game into overtime. Aside from his late-game heroics, Jackson provided key contributions for Macon all night long. He had three carries for 21 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown scamper in the first quarter. He also assisted on two tackles and recovered a fumble on defense. As if that wasn't enough, he returned a kickoff for 40 yards, setting up another score for the Knights.

Memphis WR/LB JESSE ALLEN played a big role in the Xplorers' 80-18 victory at Mobile. Allen scored two defensive touchdowns, one on a 39-yard interception return and the other on a five-yard fumble return. He also netted a quarterback sack and two tackles in the game. Allen's interception was one of six Memphis pickoffs, a feat that tied the af2 record (held by four other teams) for most interceptions in a single game.

Tulsa OS/KR MITCH ALLNER racked up a Week 6-high 281 all-purpose yards in the Talons' 70-47 win at Hawaii. Allner returned two kickoffs for touchdowns (56 yards and 57 yards), also scoring TDs on three of his six receptions. He totaled 106 receiving yards and 175 return yards (on seven runbacks) in the game.

San Diego WR/LB RICO CURTIS, the af2 Built Ford Tough Man of the Week, won game Ironman honors following the Riptide's 68-27 win over Louisville. He caught a 35-yard TD pass and returned a fumble 17 yards for a score during a 21-0 run that put the game away. Overall, Curtis caught three passes for 74 yards, broke up three passes on defense and led the Riptide with 10.5 tackles (10.5), boosting his league-leading total to 40.5.

Every team's coaching staff selects up to five players who display a "get it done" attitude after each game. At season's end, the league will honor the "Built Ford Tough" Man of the Year, a player who will win a Ford truck.

QUOTES FROM AROUND af2

"THE WALLS, THE SCORING, THE MUSIC AND THE OVERALL ATMOSPHERE OF ARENABALL MAKE THIS GAME SO MUCH DIFFERENT AND SO EXCITING AND UNIQUE. I LOVE THIS GAME. THAT'S WHY I STAYED IN IT FOR A DOZEN YEARS. THE FANS ARE WHAT ARENA FOOTBALL IS ALL ABOUT. THE PLAYERS GO TO THE FANS INSTEAD OF THE FANS COMING TO THE PLAYERS - THAT'S WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT ARENABALL." - New San Diego General Manager GEORGE LAFRANCE, one of the Arena Football League's all-time legendary players and winner of five ArenaBowl championships.

"GEORGE LAFRANCE IS ONE OF THE FIRST GREAT PLAYERS OF ARENA FOOTBALL. HE IS KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY AND HAS BEEN BELOVED BY THE FANS IN EVERY CITY THAT HE HAS PLAYED. I KNOW THAT AS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE, HE WILL BUILD THE SAME KIND OF FAN-FRIENDLY ORGANIZATION THAT HE DID AS A PLAYER." - Arena Football League Commissioner C. DAVID BAKER.

"IT'S KIND OF NEAT SEEING YOURSELF ON THE BIG SCREEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KNOW THE ENTIRE WORLD IS WATCHING." - Pensacola FB/LB JASPER PENDERGRASS, who appeared in the feature film, "The Replacements."

"I HAVE ABOUT 20 COACHES ON MONDAY WHEN I GET BACK TO SCHOOL. IT MAKES FOR PRETTY INTERESTING COMMENTARY. IF THEY SEE ME GET BEAT ON A PLAY, THEN I'M GOING TO BE CRITIQUED IN 20 DIFFERENT FASHIONS." - Greenville OL/DL SCOTT BUCHANAN, who also coaches football at local Wade Hampton High School.

"WE SAID TO OURSELVES EVENTUALLY SOMEONE ON THIS TEAM WOULD STAND OUT WITH THE FANS. IT'S GREAT THEY CAN GET AN ASSOCIATION WITH CERTAIN PLAYERS AND MAKE THEM THEIR STARS. THE FANS HAVE DONE THAT WITH ANTHONY AND HE DESERVES IT. IT'S ALL PART OF THE CLOSENESS FOR THE FANS IN ARENA FOOTBALL." - New Haven Head Coach RICK BUFFINGTON on WR/DB ANTHONY COMER.

''I HOPE THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION LIKE THIS. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT OUR QUARTERBACK SITUATION, BUT THIS WAS A TOUGH DECISION AND I THINK (COLUMBUS) GOT THE BETTER END OF THE DEAL. BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR TEAM THAT WE GO WITH THE PROVEN VETERAN. BUT YOU CAN NEVER SAY IT'S OVER. I'M ALWAYS RECRUITING. I'M ALWAYS ON THE LOOK OUT FOR LITTLE GUYS, RECEIVERS, BACKS AND QUARTERBACKS." - Cape Fear Head Coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED after deciding to start recently-acquired MIKE GLUSKI and trading VIC PENN to Columbus.

"I THINK RICHMOND REALIZES THAT THEY ESCAPED WITH A WIN TONIGHT. I THOUGHT WE DOMINATED THE GAME GETTING THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD, BUT WE FALTERED IN THE RED ZONE." - Cape Fear Head Coach CHRIS SIEGFRIED on his team's 36-28 loss at Richmond.

''SUPPOSEDLY THEY HAVE A HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE, BUT OUR DEFENSE SHOWED UP. WE HELD THEM TO 28 POINTS THE FIRST GAME AND 30 TONIGHT. OUR GUYS PLAYED A HECK OF A GAME.'' - Tennessee Valley Head Coach KEVIN GUY on his team's 44-30 win over Arkansas.

''WE GAVE THEM THE BUSINESS FOR 60 MINUTES. THEY HAD PLAYED A LOT OF CUPCAKES. WE DON'T HAVE NOBODY OUT WEST ON OUR SCHEDULE.'' - Tennessee Valley OL/DL CURTIS JETER on the Arkansas win.

"THE LINE TOOK THE NIGHT OFF ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL. IF YOU DON'T RUSH THE QUARTERBACK AND THE QUARTERBACK HAS FOUR SECONDS TO THROW, I COULD COME BACK AND PLAY." - Florida Head Coach JOHN FOURCADE, a former NFL QB, after his team's 49-31 loss to Birmingham.

"WE LET 'EM BACK IN AGAIN. WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM: WE GET UP BIG, AND THEN TURNOVERS AND PENALTIES KILL US. THESE GUYS LEARNED WHAT KIND OF EFFORT THEY NEED TO PUT IN IN ORDER TO WIN." - Pensacola Head Coach MIKE BUCK after his team built a big lead before squeaking by Bossier City 47-40.

"I'M AN EMOTIONAL PLAYER. ON THAT LAST PASS, I JUST LOOKED AT COACH AND TOLD HIM IT'S A TD IF HE CALLS THAT PLAY. MENTALLY, WE NEEDED THIS WIN. WE'RE A GOOD TEAM, AND WE'RE GETTING BETTER. BUT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR HEADS IN THE GAME." - Pensacola WR/DB JERRIAN JAMES on his 35-yard catch in the final minute to give the Barracudas the win.

"WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT PUTTING FOUR QUARTERS TOGETHER, AND GETTING ALL ASPECTS OF THE GAME RIGHT. THE OFFENSE, THE DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS ALL CAME TOGETHER TONIGHT." - Bakersfield Head Coach JAMES FULLER on his team's 64-41 win over Fresno.

"WE COULDN'T STOP NO. 20. HE'S A GOOD RECEIVER AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF BLOWN COVERAGES." - Hawaii DB coach DOUG SEMONES on Tulsa OS/KR MITCH ALLNER, who had 281 all-purpose yards in Tulsa's 70-47 win over the Islanders.

"WE'VE GOT TO BE READY WHEN IT'S TIME TO MAKE PLAYS. WE HAVE TO CHERISH THE FOOTBALL, HAVE TO CHERISH IT ON EVERY SINGLE PLAY AND WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. WE GAVE UP 35 OR 40 POINTS ON MISTAKES. WE HAD TWO INTERCEPTIONS RETURNED FOR TOUCHDOWNS." - Mobile Head Coach CHAD LINDSEY after his team's 80-18 loss to Memphis.

"THIS TEAM CAN'T SEEM TO HANDLE PROSPERITY. WE FIND WAYS TO GIVE GAMES AWAY." - Rochester Head Coach MARK SAUNDERS on his team's 46-28 loss to New Haven.

"THE SEASON IS A MARATHON, NOT A 40-YARD DASH. WE'VE GOT A GOOD GROUP OF GUYS. WE STILL EXPECT TO DO WELL.'' - Norfolk Head Coach TONY MISSICK after his team won its first game, 58-51 in overtime against Mohegan.

"I THINK IT'S BIGGER FOR US THAN IT IS FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'VE DOMINATED PEORIA. IT'S MY FIRST SHOT AT THEM, TOO. THE THING ABOUT RIVALRIES, TO BE A GOOD RIVALRY, BOTH TEAMS HAVE TO RESPECT EACH OTHER. THEY'VE WON SO MUCH, AND PLAYED SO WELL, WE HAVE RESPECT FOR THEM. BUT I DON'T GET THE FEELING THEY RESPECT US AT ALL." - Peoria Head Coach BRUCE COWDREY on this week's game against two-time af2 champion Quad City.

"TENNESSEE VALLEY IS ALWAYS TOUGH, BUT WE HUNG WITH THEM LAST YEAR, AND THIS YEAR WE HOPE TO FINISH THE JOB AND BEAT 'EM." - Memphis QB TIM LESTER on this week's game against 4-0 Tennessee Valley.



arenafootball2 Stories from May 7, 2002


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