Joe Cooper Hurt with Warbirds

June 1, 2005 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Dayton Bulldogs News Release


DAYTON, Ohio – In English terms: "It was diabolical."

That is the only way to describe the Dayton Warbirds' two-games-in-two-nights trip West last week.

In the process, the National Indoor Football League team, not only lost five players to injury in the first game, but will not have the services of linebacker Joe Cooper, who was heralded to be one of the great defensive players the NIFL has ever seen.

In perspective, Dayton lost at Kennewick, Washington, to the Tri-Cities Fever, 64-42, on Friday night, bused 14 hours to Billings and losing on Saturday night to the Montana-based Mavericks, 68-30.

Preparation Slim With Schedule

With only three hours sleep getting into Kennewick from Seattle, a tired bunch of players and staff did what they could to prepare for the 3rd-place team in the Pacific Conference West.

Instead of the maximum 25 players for back-to-back games, Dayton came with only 21. With five lost to injury in the first quarter, head coach Matt King was down to 16 for the remainder of the game and possibly for the next night in Montana.

"We got beat up pretty good," King said. "The players were tired and we didn't have the trainers available all the time."

Cooper tore his right Achilles in the first quarter of the game at Billings. Included in the overall wounded warriors were defensive backs Sam Crenshaw, James Drayton and Demetrius Ross. Cooper underwent surgery Wednesday.

"We didn't get to warm up and stretch like we should have," said King. "I realize how tough it is winning on the road, but this was something out of the ordinary. I'm just glad it's over and we can concentrate on the remainder of the season."

Off Weeks Will Help Warbirds Heel

This is a bye week for the Warbirds, the first since they started this adventure back on March 19, and coach King is giving the players the week off and preparing for a game at Rome, Georgia, on June 11. The Warbirds will get another week to heel between the game with Rome and a home game with the Atlantic Conference East Division-leader River City Rage on June 24, starting at 7:05 p.m.

Dayton finishes up the regular season on July 2 at the New Jersey Extreme.

Cooper in just four games had 21.5 total tackles, 15 of them unassisted, and was responsible for holding the league's leading rusher Rashawn Askew of Cincinnati to 27 yards in one of the two games the Warbirds played against the Marshals.

The former Ohio State linebacker also had 6.5 tackles for losses totaling 27 yards and one quarterback sack. He had two pass break ups and three quarterback hurries.

Cooper had recently resigned from his job in Columbus to play football.

Dayton Could Host First-Round Game

Okay DAYTON. Are you ready for some playoff games? The Dayton Warbirds have an excellent chance to make the NIFL playoffs. Plans are being formulated to host an extravagant showing in the Gem City. Stay tuned for details.

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National Indoor Football League Stories from June 1, 2005


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