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Las Vegas Gladiators game notes

March 23, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release


GLADIATORS VS. PREDATORS: THE FACTS

Date: Saturday, March 27, 2004
Kickoff: 4:30 PM PT
Site: TD Waterhouse Centre (Orlando, FL)
Officials Referee: Perry Havener, Umpire: Tom Laverty, Head Linesman: Kelly Saalfeld, Line Judge: David Meslow, Back Judge: Jim Anderson


THE GAME CAN BE HEARD...
On ESPN Radio 920 in Las Vegas with Andrew Siciliano handling play-by-play and Mike Pritchard with color commentary.


THE SERIES – GLADIATORS VS. PREDATORS

This will be the fourth regular season meeting between the Predators and the Gladiators. The teams have also met one time in the ALF Playoffs. Orlando has taken all four previous meetings, including a 56-31 drubbing of the Gladiators in Orlando last season.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The Gladiators need a win to get back to .500.

If the Gladiators win, it would...
· Give Las Vegas a 1-3 regular season record against the Predators
· Give Las Vegas a 4-4 overall record
· Give Las Vegas a 2-3 road record

SCHEDULES


LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (3-4)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Feb. 6 @ Colorado 6:00 L 42-43
Feb. 14 Los Angeles 12:00 L 55-62
Feb. 22 @ Grand Rapids 12:00 W 51-14
Feb. 29 New Orleans 12:00 W 50-30
March 7 @ Georgia 9:00 AM L 40-55
March 14 Arizona 3:00 W 65-64 (ot)
March 20 @ San Jose 7:30 L 62-79
March 27 @ Orlando 4:30
April 4 Chicago 3:00
April 10 @ Arizona 7:00
BYE
April 25 Detroit 12:00
May 2 Indiana 12:00
May 8 @ Philadelphia 4:30
May 16 San Jose 12:00
May 22 @ Los Angeles 7:30
May 30 Columbus 12:00
All times PST


ORLANDO PREDATORS (2-4)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Feb. 8 @ Tampa 3:00 L 41-52
Feb. 13 Austin 7:30 L 48-39
Feb. 28 @ Carolina 7:30 W 59-43
BYE
March 6 Indiana 7:30 W 50-38
March 12 Georgia 7:30 L 44-52
March 21 @ Chicago 12:00 L 15-58
March 27 Las Vegas 7:30
April 4 @ Columbus 12:00
April 9 New Orleans 7:30
April 28 @ Georgia 3:00
April 25 Dallas 12:00
May 2 Tampa 3:00
May 9 @ New Orleans 3:00
May 16 @ Austin 3:00
May 23 New York 3:00
May 30 @ Los Angeles 4:00
All times EST time

GLADIATORS VS. SABERCATS
BY THE NUMBERS

Statistical GLADIATORS PREDATORS
Category (2004 Per Game) Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 5 52.1 18 42.8
Scoring Defense 12 49.6 11 48.7
Total Offense 1 307.0 11 248.2
Total Defense 3 229.6 8 252.8
Pass Offense 1 295.1 14 220.8
Pass Defense 2 205.6 8 233.5
Rushing Offense 17 11.9 6 27.3
Rushing Defense 13 24.0 8 18.7
Pass Rating 6 109.7 8 105.8
Pass Defense Rating 16 108.8 17 109.7
Turnover Margin 10 -1 12 -2
Sacks By 12 4 1 13
Sacks Against 1t 1 18 10
Red Zone Offense Scoring Percentage 5 82.7 11 81.5
Red Zone Defense Scoring Percentage 18 91.7 14 85.7

GLADIATORS LAST WEEK

SABERCATS RUN OVER GLADIATORS 79-62


San Jose, Calif., March 20, 2004 – The San Jose SaberCats rushed for six scores en route to a 79-62 victory over the Las Vegas Gladiators Saturday at HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA. The SaberCats racked up 270 total yards on only 33 offensive plays in dropping the Gladiators' record to 3-4 on the season.

Mark Grieb led the efficient SaberCat offense as he completed 15 of 18 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. The SaberCats scored on every possession but one to improve their record to 5-1.

Two Gladiators' turnovers in the first half left the visitors playing catch-up from early in the second quarter. The game took a big swing as time ran out in the second quarter when ADT Defensive Player of the Game Omarr Smith intercepted a Clint Dolezel pass with :02 seconds remaining and motored 48 yards for a touchdown. The 14-point swing gave the SaberCats 41-21 halftime lead that the Gladiators could not recover from.

Dolezel set a Gladiator record as he threw for 451 yards on 31 of 50 passing and nine touchdowns, to go along with two interceptions. Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game Marcus Nash continued on his torrid pace as he hauled in 12 passes for 189 yards and five touchdowns.

Army Ironman of the Game Rashied Davis led the SaberCats on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Davis caught five passes for 60 yards and a touchdown, rushed for another score, picked off a Dolezel pass in the second quarter to stop a Gladiator drive and returned a kick 57 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.


GLADIATORS NEXT WEEK

The Gladiators return home on Sunday, April 4 vs. the Chicago Rush. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM PT.

THE COACHES


Frank Haege (Third Season 20-17 regular season, 0-2 in playoffs)

The Las Vegas Gladiators third-year head coach can look back upon his first two seasons in the AFL and boast about his wide array of accomplishments. Haege led the Gladiators to the fourth-best record in the AFL and their first-ever playoff berth in franchise history in 2002.

The 2003 season was the first for the Gladiators in Las Vegas and Haege led them to a second consecutive playoff appearance and an 8-8 record.

In 2002 the Gladiators 9-5 record and first place finish in the Eastern Division of the National Conference was the biggest turnaround in AFL history. The Gladiators finished the 2002 regular season with seven more victories than the previous season.

Haege was named the second head coach of the New Jersey Gladiators on August 23, 2001. Haege brought with him six players and an assistant coach from the Steamwheelers.

Previously, he spent two years as the head coach and director of football operations with the Quad City Steamwheelers (af2) in 2000 and 2001. Haege posted a remarkable 37-1 record, including an undefeated 2000 season.

Haege is in his tenth season in the Arena Football League.

Jay Gruden (5th Season, 37-26 regular season, record, 8-2 playoffs)

After spending the last two seasons as the team's quarterback, Jay Gruden returned to the bench as the team's head coach in 2004. Gruden began his coaching career in 1997, serving as offensive assistant for the Nashville Kats. One season later, the Predators made him the youngest head coach in the AFL. Gruden would go on to lead the Predators to three consecutive appearances in the ArenaBowl and a pair of championships. After guiding the Predators to a fourth consecutive trip to the playoffs, Gruden shocked the AFL world by announcing his intentions to resign in order to return to the playing field. In two seasons, Gruden directed the Predators to back-to-back appearances in the semifinals, falling one game short of his goal each season. In 2003, he recorded a 10-0 record with 49 touchdown passes and two interceptions as a starting quarterback during the regular season. Off-season surgery, combined with the tragic loss of former Head Coach Fran Papasedero in a June 19 traffic accident, resulted in Gruden returning to the sideline.

THE 2004 SEASON


Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ CO Damian Harrell (COL)
2 LA Tony Graziani (LA)
3 @ GR Clint Dolezel (LV)
4 NO Clint Dolezel (LV)
5 @ GEO Leon Murray (GEO)
6 ARI Marcus Nash (LV)
7 @ SJ Marcus Nash (LV)

ADT Defensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ CO Ahmed Hawkins (COL)
2 LA Kevin Ingram (LA)
3 @ GR TJ Hill (LV)
4 NO Marvin Taylor (LV)
5 @ GEO Morris Anderson (GEO)
6 ARI Chameion Sutton (LV)
7 @ SJ Omarr Smith (SJ)

Army Ironman of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ CO Kevin McKenzie (COL)
2 LA Kevin Ingram (LA)
3 @ GR Dennison Robinson (LV)
4 NO Cornelius Bonner (LV)
5 @GEO Dameon Porter (GEO)
6 ARI Maurice Bryant (LV)
7 @ SJ Rashied Davis (SJ)

AFL TOP 10: League Leaders after Week 7
GLADIATORS
Player Rank Category Stat
Clint Dolezel 1 Completions 174
1 Attempts 260
1 Yards 2020
1 Passing Yards Per Game 288.6
1 Touchdowns 42
6 Completion Pct. 66.4
7 Rating 109.5
1 Total Offense 292.4
1 Had Intercepted 7
Marcus Nash 1 Receptions 68
1 Receiving Yards 738
1 Receiving Yards Per Game 104.4
1 Yards from Scrimmage 743
3 Receiving TDs 16
2t Scoring 108
Marvin Taylor 2t Interceptions 3
9 Passes Defended 9

MILESTONE WATCH

PLAYER MILESTONE CURRENT NUMBER TO GO
Terrill Shaw 300 receptions 298 2
100 receiving TDs 87 13
Dennison Robinson 100 receptions 95 5

GLADIATORS' NOTES AND TRENDS


N*A*S*H*

After seven games of action in his second season in the AFL, Marcus Nash is two receptions shy of a career-high for a season. Last season with the Detroit Fury, Nash recorded 69 receptions for 866 yards and 24 TD's. This season he has 68 receptions for 731 yards and 16 TD's.

Back In The Day

Orlando Predators backup quarterback Connell Maynor led the Gladiators during the 2001 season and went 2-12. He threw for 2,644 yards with 40 TD's and 10 interceptions while the team was in New Jersey. He also carried the ball for a Gladiator single season rushing record of 135 yards during that season.

High Points

Against the San Jose SaberCats last week Maurice Bryant and Marvin Taylor surpassed personal milestones. Bryant went over the 200-reception mark for his career (204) after catching eight passes for 119 yards with three TD's. On the season, Bryant has 27 receptions for 254 yards and seven for TD's. Marvin Taylor recorded four total tackles last week to go over the 100-tackle plateau for his career (101.5). Thus far, Taylor is second on the Gladiators in tackles with 27 (T.J. Hill-27.5).

Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood

Dennison Robinson is competing in his third season with the Gladiators and is five receptions away from reaching 100 catches for his career. In 2002, Robinson was the team's Ironman of the Year and caught 67 passes for 620 yards. Last season he caught 17 passes for 165 yards and he has 11 receptions for 131 yards this season.

Captain Clint

Clint Dolezel shattered the Gladiators record book again last week when he threw for 451 yards and nine TD's against the SaberCats. Jay McDonagh held the previous record with 381 yards passing against the Avengers in 2003. Earlier this season, Dolezel tied a team record with eight touchdowns in a game, but was eclipsed this past week when he connected on nine TD passes. His career bests are 479 yards passing (Houston vs. Milwaukee, May 14, 1999) and 10 TD's twice (Houston vs. Milwaukee, May 14, 1999, Texas at New York, July 18, 1997).

Last Chance

Prior to last weeks game against San Jose, the Red and Black were a perfect 6-for-6 on fourth down conversions. That streak came to an end as they failed on their only 4th-down attempt vs. the SaberCats. They are currently 6-of-7 for an 85.7% efficiency rate on fourth down plays.

Looking Down On The Competition

Both Clint Dolezel and Marcus Nash are leading the league in the majority of their respected categories. Dolezel is atop the charts in pass attempts (262), completions (174), yards passing (2,020) and TD's thrown (42). Nash is the leading receiver in receptions (68), receiving yards (731) and is ranked second with 18 receiving TD's (Freddie Solomon-TB-19).

Offensive State Of Mind

The Red and Black lead the league in total offense with 2,144 yards after seven games (2,061-passing, 83-rushing).

Home Sweet Home

Gladiators Marvin Taylor and Thaddeus Bullard return back to Florida this week when Las Vegas faces Orlando. Taylor was born in Quincy, FL and went to James A. Shanks High School where he was an all-state and all-American selection in football and was the state long jump champion as a senior. He also went on to play college football at Florida A&M and caught 63 passes with five TD's in his final two seasons. Bullard was born in Boca Raton, FL and played college football for the Florida Gators. While at the University of Florida, Bullard recorded 56 career tackles along with six sacks and three forced fumbles. He received the Goodwill Gator award in 1998 and 1999 for community service and involvement. In the spring of 2000, Bullard was inducted into the Florida Hall of Fame and was awarded as an outstanding graduating male senior. He was also elected as the vice president of the University of Florida student government.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 23, 2004


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