Kansas City Brigade game notes

Published on February 9, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


AT A GLANCE
Game: Kansas City Brigade (0-2) vs. Austin Wranglers (2-0)
Date: Sunday, February 12, 2006
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. (CST)
Site: Kemper Arena (16,200) - Game is SOLD OUT
Officials: Referee-David Cutaia, Umpire-Doug Wilson, Head Linesman-Kavin McGrath, Line Judge-,Darrel Leftwich Back Judge-Rich Wilborn, Supervisor-Bob Mantooth
Television: The WB Kansas City and Metro Sports will air the game live with Duke Frye calling the action and Jayice Pearson giving the color commentary. Danni Boatwright will patrol the sidelines.
Radio: The Brigade's flagship station, 97.3 MAX FM, will broadcast the game live with Chris Gervino handling the play-by-play and Stan Weber supplying the color analysis. The station will air a half-hour pre-game show beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Series record: The teams have never played
Last meeting: This is the first-ever meeting
Series streaks: The teams have never played
Coaches: Kansas City-Kevin Porter (first year, 0-2 overall); Austin-Skip Foster (third year, 16-18 overall)
_________________________________________________________

OVERVIEW
The Brigade finally gets to show its fans what Arena Football is all about. After opening its inaugural season with two straight road games, the team will play on a brand new field in its home venue for the first time. The Brigade, playing a division opponent for the second time in as many games, will also be seeking its first-ever win after consecutive hard fought loses to open the 2006 campaign.

THE SERIES
This will be the first-ever meeting between the National Conference Southern Division opponents.

WEEK TWO REVIEW
The Brigade had the upset in mind against the Predators on Friday night in Orlando but fell 48-41. The team erased a 10-point deficit early in the fourth quarter with some big plays on both sides of the ball, and nearly pulled off a stunning comeback late in the game. Andy Kelly brought the Brigade within a touchdown with under a minute to play and then drove to the Orlando five yard line after the team recovered the onsides kick. A pass into the end zone for the tie was knocked down, though, and the clock ran out on the Brigade. Kelly was named the Offensive Player of the Game for throwing for a league-high 353 yards with six touchdowns. James Jordan was the FSN Midwest Ironman of the Game, catching nine balls for 95 yards with three touchdowns, totaling 4.5 tackles and recovering the onsides kick. Chris Pointer and Denario Smalls had interceptions and Calvin Spears forced a fumble and recovered it himself.

UP NEXT
The Brigade finishes a short homestand against the Columbus Destroyers on Sunday, February 19, at 1 p.m. at Kemper Arena.

THE SCHEDULES

2006 Kansas City Brigade (0-2)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 29 at Dallas Lost 58-44
Feb. 3 at Orlando Lost 48-41
Date Opponent Time (CST) TV/Radio
Feb. 12 AUSTIN 1 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM
Feb. 19 COLUMBUS 1 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM
Feb. 24 at Georgia 6:30 p.m. FSN/97.3 FM
Mar. 5 TAMPA BAY 3:00 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM
Mar. 13 PHILADELPHIA 7:00 p.m. FSN/97.3 FM
Mar. 18 at Austin 7:00 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM
Mar. 24 at New York 6:30 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM
Apr. 1 GEORGIA 7:00 p.m. FSN/97.3 FM
Apr. 9 LOS ANGELES 12:00 p.m. NBC/97.3 FM
Apr. 16 COLORADO 12:00 p.m. NBC/97.3 FM
Apr. 21 at Nashville 7:00 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM
Apr. 29 at Tampa Bay 6:30 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM
May 6 ORLANDO 7:00 p.m. FSN/97.3 FM
May 12 at Utah 8:00 p.m. MS, WB62/97.3 FM

2006 Austin Wranglers (2-0)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 29 LAS VEGAS Won 64-46
Feb. 3 at Arizona Won 53-34
Date Opponent Time (CST) TV/Radio
Feb. 11 at Kansas City 1:00 p.m.
Feb. 17 at Dallas 7:30 p.m. FSN
Feb. 25 at Tampa Bay 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 4 at Georgia 11:00 a.m.
Mar. 12 NEW YORK 12:00 p.m. FSN
Mar. 18 KANSAS CITY 7:00 p.m.
Mar. 25 ORLANDO 7:00 p.m. FSN
Mar. 31 at Philadelphia 6:00 p.m.
Apr. 9 GEORGIA 3:00 p.m.
Apr. 15 TAMPA BAY 7:00 p.m.
Apr. 22 at San Jose 9:30 a.m.
Apr. 29 COLUMBUS 7:00 p.m.
May 7 GRAND RAPIDS 2:00 p.m.
May 12 at Orlando 6:30 p.m.


2006 STANDINGS
This season the playoffs will be separated into conferences with division winners receiving first round byes. The next four teams with the best records within each conference qualify for the postseason

NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Southern Division
Team W L Pct. PF PA
Austin 2 0 1.000 117 80
Georgia 1 1 1.000 107 92
Orlando 1 1 .500 85 95
Tampa Bay 1 1 .500 79 89
Kansas City 0 2 .000 85 106
Eastern Division
Team W L Pct. PF PA
Dallas 2 0 1.000 114 97
Philadelphia 2 0 1.000 99 67
Columbus 1 1 .500 80 83
New York 1 1 .500 79 104

AMERICAN CONFERNCE
Central Division
Team W L Pct. PF PA
Colorado 2 0 1.000 126 115
Nashville 2 0 1.000 110 55
Chicago 0 2 .000 103 116
Grand Rapids 0 2 .000 73 104
Western Division
Team W L Pct. PF PA
Las Vegas 1 1 .500 97 112
Los Angeles 1 1 .500 73 78
Utah 1 1 .500 101 91
Arizona 0 2 .000 65 93
San Jose 0 2 .000 83 99

WEEK 3 SCHEDULE (all times CST)

Friday, February 10
Georgia at Tampa Bay, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 11
Dallas at Columbus, 6 p.m.
Philadelphia at Orlando, 6:30
New York at Utah, 8 p.m.

Sunday, February 12
Austin at Kansas City, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles at Grand Rapids, 1 p.m.
Las Vegas at Colorado, 2 p.m.
Nashville at Chicago, 2 p.m.
San Jose at Arizona, 7 p.m.

THE COACHES
Kansas City-Kevin Porter, first year
0-2 overall
Kevin Porter comes to the Brigade as its first head coach with a reputation as one of the AFL's finest young defensive minds. In his first season as a defensive coordinator in 2004 with New Orleans, the VooDoo finished second in the league in scoring defense, surrendering only 721 points, sixth in rushing defense and fourth in passing defense. Porter's previous head coaching experience was in arenafootball2 with the Macon Knights and Pensacola Barracudas. He is the winningest coach in af2 history with a 45-27 record and led his teams to playoff every year, including a trip to the ArenaCup with Macon in 2003. Porter started his coaching career as the defensive backs coach of the Orlando Predators in 1999.
Porter was a third round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1988 NFL Draft and played five years at strong safety, the last two with the New York Jets. He recorded 290 tackles, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Porter was an Honorable Mention All-America as a senior cornerback at Auburn.

Austin-Skip Foster, third year
16-18 overall
In the Wranglers second season (6-10), Skip Foster's offense scored 109 touchdowns, with 18 different players recording points on the year. Five of his receivers combined for 100 or more receiving yards in 11 games. In the team's inaugural season (8-8), Foster's offense scored 104 touchdowns, an average of 47.8 points per game, and led the AFL in total offense for five weeks and remained one of the league's top three total offenses for a total of fifteen weeks in 2004. Prior to joining the Wranglers, Foster served as the head coach for the 2003 af2 champion Tulsa Talons. Foster compiled a record of 82-39-2 at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas before moving to Arena Football.

LOCAL ANGLE
Even though their teams don't have a history, Porter and Foster do. In 2003, Foster's Tulsa Talons defeated Porter's Macon Knights 58-40 in front of a sold out crowd in the af2 ArenaCup. Now the two winningest coaches in af2 history face off again.
In addition, Michael Foster, Skip's cousin and the secondary and special teams coach, played football at the University of Kansas from 1973-74. He coached at Archbishop O'Hara High School from 1977-80 and was an assistant coach at Coffeyville Community College with Skip. He also coached at Central Missouri State and Missouri State University.
WR/DB Kevin Nickerson, who still calls Kansas City home, graduated from Central High School and played at Central Missouri State. FB/LB Henry Bryant and practice squad player Chris Canty attended Kansas State. OL/DL Angel Rubio played at Missouri State and OL/DL Ramon Richardson is from Kansas City.

PLAYER POINTS
- Andy Kelly is the league's leading passer through Week 2, going 63 of 105 (60%) for 616 yards with 10 touchdowns. He also has been prolific against the Wranglers in three meetings, throwing at a sixty-seven percent completion rate for 1,054 yards with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions.

- Jerel Myers is 2nd in the league in receptions with 19, totaling 167 yards, good for T12th, with 3 touchdowns. James Jordan is T7th in the AFL in receptions (17) and 15th in yards (152), and has 4 touchdowns, also 7th in the league.

SKY HIGH The Brigade's individual season highs through Week 2.
High Number Player
Completions 33 Kelly, Week 2 vs. Orlando
Passing yards 353 Kelly, Week 2 vs. Orlando
TD passes 6 Kelly, Week 2 vs. Orlando
Receptions 10 Myers, Week 2 vs. Orlando
Receiving yards 95 Jordan, Week 2 vs. Orlando
TD catches 3 Jordan, Week 2 vs. Orlando
Rushing att. 3 Douzart, Week 1 vs. Dallas
Rushing yards 18 Moss, Week 2 vs. Orlando
Rushing TDs 1 Douzart & Moss, Week 1 vs. Dallas
Tackles 7.5 Pointer, Week 1 vs. Dallas
Interceptions 1 Spears, Week 1 vs. Dallas
Pointer & Smalls, Week 2 vs. Orlando
Forced fumbles 1 Moss, Week 1 vs. Dallas
Coleman & Spears, Week 2 vs. Orlando
Fumble ret. 1 Moss, Week 1 vs. Dallas
Spears, Week 2 vs. Orlando

WRANGLERS TO WATCH
- QB John Fitzgerald emerged last season as one of the League's most underrated QB's. Thus far in 2006, Fitzgerald is 34-of-60 for 299 yards, with four touchdowns and just one interception. He also has rushed for three scores on nine attempts for 23 yards.
- OS Derrick Lewis scored the first Wranglers touchdown of the season against Las Vegas in his first AFL game, a nine-yard touchdown pass from Fitzgerald. He ended the night with five receptions for 69 yards and one touchdown.
- WR/DB Kevin Nickerson proved to be a diamond in the rough after being signed following the 2005 Wranglers open tryouts. Starting 11 of 16 games, Nickerson helped the Wranglers air attack with a team high 1,028 yards on 85 catches for 23 touchdowns. The AFL also took notice to Nickerson's abilities, placing him on the AFL's All-Rookie Team.
- WR/LB Darrin Chiaverini was the main target for Fitzgerald last season as the two connected for a team-high 114 receptions that led to 951 yards and 18 touchdowns. Staying healthy was a big part of Chiaverini's success as he started all 16 games for the Wranglers.
- FB/LB Dane Krager is second in the league in rushing attempts with 17 and third in yards with 56 yards, and has four touchdowns this season.
- DS Damon Mason leads the league with five interceptions and FB/LB Josh White and OL/DL Aaron Humphrey and Angel Rubio all have sacks.

INJURY REPORT
The Brigade's updated injury information for Week 3.
Player Injury Status
DS Cliff Green Achilles IR-out for season
DS Alvin Porter Elbow IR-Feb. 19
WR/LB Nathan Black Hamstring IR-Feb. 19
FB/LB Jeremy Beutler Knee IR-Feb. 19
OL/DL John Hilliard Lumbar IR-Feb. 19
OL/DL Jon McCall Knee IR-Feb. 19
WR/LB Tremaine Neal Knee IR-Feb. 19
OL/DL Fred Ray Hamstring IR-Feb. 19
OL/DL Matt Walls Quadriceps Doubtful
OL/DL Chad Pegues Knee Questionable
OL/DL Abdul-Salam Noah Concussion Probable

TEAM FIRSTS
The Brigade has recorded a number of firsts in its inaugural season.
First Play
Completion, Week 1 vs. Dallas Kelly to Myers for five yards
First down, Week 1 vs. Dallas Kelly to Myers for nine yards
Rushing TD, Week 1 vs. Dallas Moss for one yard
Passing TD, Week 1 vs. Dallas Kelly to Myers for 20 yards
Field goal, Week 1 vs. Dallas Seder from 43 yards
Tackle, Week 1 vs. Dallas Pointer
Forced fumble, Week 1 vs. Dallas Noah
Fumble recovery, Week 1 vs. Dallas Moss
Interception, Week 1 vs. Dallas Spears
Lead, Week 2 vs. Orlando 14-10 in second quarter

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 9, 2006


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