Kats Insider Mike Keith on Kats WR Nate Poole
February 8, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Nashville Kats News Release
Three-time Tennessee Sportscaster of the year, Kats on Titans Radio play-by-play announcer and Kats Insider Mike Keith, recently took the time out while attending Kats training camp practices to talk about WR Nate Poole.
Nate Poole is a 30 year old wide receiver who is trying to make the 2007 Nashville Kats roster. He is a native of Danville, VA who played his college football at Marshall, where fellow wideout Randy Moss was his teammate. Poole is the fifth all-time leading receiver in Thundering Herd history. Poole was not drafted by an NFL team and spent 2001 on Arizona's practice squad. He then spent the next three years on the Cardinals active roster, before joining the Saints for 2005. He has appeared in 36 NFL games, starting three. Poole has 34 career catches for 418 yards and two touchdowns.
You have no idea who I'm talking about, do you?
Flash back to December 28, 2003. It's what would be current Titans linebacker coach Dave McGinnis's last game as Arizona Cardinals' head coach. The Cards are hosting the Vikings, with Minnesota needing a win to make the playoffs. Arizona stands 3-12. Green Bay watches the Arizona-Minnesota score eagerly. If the Packers can beat the Broncos and the Vikings lose, Green Bay goes to the playoffs. The Packers are having no problems with Denver. In balmy 45 degree conditions at Lambeau Field, Ahman Green piles up 218 yards rushing and two touchdowns, as Green Bay is coasting to a 31-3 win.
It doesn't look like the Packers will get the help that they need in Tempe, AZ. With 6:48 to play, Aaron Elling nails a 46 yard field goal to give Minnesota a 17-6 lead over Arizona.
But the Cardinals fight back, driving 60 yards for a touchdown with 1:54 to play. The Vikings' lead has been cut to 17-12. Arizona recovers the onsides kick and drives to the Minnesota nine yard-line. But quarterback Josh McCown is sacked on back-to-back plays, losing 19 yards.
No timeouts remain. Its 4th and 26.
McCown gets the final snap off with four seconds left. He heaves the ball towards the right side of the end zone, where a receiver makes an incredible grab. The receiver, however, only gets his right foot down before he is battered out of bounds by Minnesota's Brian Russell. Time has run off the clock. Is it a "force-out", meaning that the receiver had no chance to get his left foot down? Or is it ruled no catch? The officials huddle and rule a "force-out", meaning the catch is good, Arizona has a touchdown and an 18-17 win, the Vikings are out of the playoffs and the Green Bay Packers are in. The Cardinals' receiver becomes a folk-hero of sorts in Wisconsin. He is invited to Green Bay for the Packers' playoff game with Seattle. He dines with the Mayor. He is made an honorary "Cheesehead".
The receiver was Nate Poole, the same Nate Poole who is right now trying to make the Nashville Kats' roster.
As I watched him work at one of the first Kats' practices, I knew the name but could not place it. Kats' media relations director Anthony Darby jogged my memory quickly, reminding me of Poole's great moment. There are a lot of Nate Pooles running around AFL camps right now. They want to play Arena Football, but for many, they see the indoor game as their way back to the NFL.
Especially now.
The AFL's move to two-platoon football has been and is being widely-debated. AFL purists are very unhappy that the two-way player is being phased out (although a handful of players on each roster will play both ways). One of the hallmarks of the AFL has been "The Ironman element", which has made personnel choices unique. Some great football players could not have played in the AFL in its first 20 years because they could only play one side of the ball. AFL players prided themselves on that.
But that is pretty much out of the window now. The AFL has adopted unlimited substitution, which means that specialization at all positions will now occur. Suddenly, receivers or offensive linemen who had no position on defense can now play Arena Football. The same with defensive backs, defensive linemen and linebackers who had no spot on offense. That's why names like Nate Poole are popping up in all 19 AFL camps. A lot of more of the names look familiar than in training camps past. They are players from the outdoor game who specialize at one spot. They can now make an AFL roster. Guys get to keep playing football and getting paid for it. Plus, they get a chance to show their skills to NFL folks.
For some, it could mean a chance to play in the NFL.
For the Nate Pooles, it could mean ANOTHER chance to play on Sundays.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 8, 2007
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- Soul training camp position breakdown: wide receiver - Philadelphia Soul
- Columbus Destroyers Statement on the Passing of Matt Pagel - Columbus Destroyers
- Kats Insider Mike Keith on Kats WR Nate Poole - Nashville Kats
- Gladiators Training Camp: Day Four - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Rattlers Offer Fans a Football Fix - Arizona Rattlers
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