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Las Vegas Gladiators game notes

May 25, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release


Date: Sunday, May 30, 2004
Kickoff: 3:00 PM PT
Site: Thomas & Mack Center (Las Vegas, NV)
Officials: Referee: Tom McCabe, Umpire: Rick Podraza, Head Linesman: Neil Brunner, Line Judge: Bob McElwee, Back Judge: Joe Duncan


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. DESTROYERS
This will be the fifth meeting between the teams and the first time since the Destroyers moved from Buffalo to Columbus. The last meeting between the teams was the regular season finale last season on May 18, 2003, when the Gladiators came away with a 55-38 victory in Las Vegas.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

If the Gladiators win, it would
· Give the Gladiators a 3-2 record vs. the Destroyers
· Give Las Vegas a 8-8 overall record
· Give Las Vegas a 6-2 home record

SCHEDULES


LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (7-8)
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 L 43-60
April 4 Chicago 3:00 L 55-57
April 10 @ Arizona 7:00 L 63-80
BYE
April 25 Detroit 12:00 W 60-34
May 2 Indiana 12:00 W 60-38
May 8 @ Philadelphia 4:30 W 63-35
May 16 San Jose 3:00 W 44-35
May 22 @ Los Angeles 7:30 L 51-54
May 30 Columbus 3:00
All times PST


COLUMBUS DESTROYERS (8-6)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Feb. 7 @ Indiana 7:00 W 54-48
Feb. 13 Carolina 7:00 L 53-54
Feb. 21 @ Philadelphia 7:30 L 34-56
Feb. 29 Dallas 3:00 L 35-51
March 5 @ Arizona 9:00 L 42-65
March 13 Philadelphia 7:00 L 41-43
March 20 @ New York 7:00 L 42-61
BYE
April 4 Orlando 12:00 W 55-46
April 10 New York 7:00 W 65-55
April 18 @ New Orleans 3:00 L 46-64
April 25 Tampa Bay 3:00 L 36-46
May 1 @ Carolina 7:30 W 60-52
May 9 Georgia 3:00 L 51-72
May 14 Grand Rapids 7:00 W 59-28
May 22 @ Dallas 8:30 W 68-56
May 30 @ Las Vegas 6:00
All times EST

GLADIATORS VS. DESTROYERS
BY THE NUMBERS

Statistical GLADIATORS DESTROYERS
Category (2004 Per Game) Rank Stat Rank Stat
Scoring Offense 3 53.6 10 49.3
Scoring Defense 11 49.3 17 53.2
Total Offense 1 301.1 14 253.7
Total Defense 2 243.5 16 272.0
Pass Offense 1 282.8 14 227.5
Pass Defense 1 217.0 11 240.2
Rushing Offense 11 18.3 6 26.2
Rushing Defense 15 26.5 18 31.8
Pass Rating 4 117.3 9 112.6
Pass Defense Rating 5 104.6 14 117.4
Turnover Margin 10 +3 13 -3
Sacks By 14 12 19 8
Sacks Against 1t 4 13 18
3rd Down Conversion % 2 57.9 15 44.7
Opponent 3rd Down Conversion % 10 48.7 19 56.6
Red Zone Offense Scoring Percentage 8 85.0 15 79.1
Red Zone Defense Scoring Percentage 18 87.3 9 83.3

GLADIATORS LAST WEEK

GLADIATORS FALL SHORT AGAINST AVENGERS 54-51

Los Angeles, CA, May 22, 2004 – In an emotional game with playoff hopes on the line for the Gladiators and Avengers, Los Angeles knocked off Las Vegas 54-51 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

Tony Graziani led the Avengers offense, finishing 17-of-24 for 229 yards, six throwing touchdowns and rushing for another score.

The loss drops the Gladiators record to 7-8 and snaps a four game winning streak with one game remaining in the regular season. Los Angeles keeps it playoff position alive with the win, improving to 9-6 on the season.

Gladiators quarterback Clint Dolezel finished the game 32-of-50 for 326 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. His favorite target on the night was Coco Blalock, who set personal highs with 15 receptions for 163 yards and three touchdowns. Marcus Nash added to his record breaking total with nine receptions, for 75 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his season total to 148 receptions.


THE COACHES


Frank Haege (Third Season 23-21 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.

Earle Bruce (Fourth Season, 19-24, 0-1 in playoffs)

Earle Bruce returns to the Arena Football League as head coach and general manager for the Columbus Destroyers.

A native of Cumberland, Maryland, Bruce began his coaching career while he was still a student at Ohio State. As a sophomore running back for the Buckeyes in 1951 under long-time coach Woody Hayes, Bruce suffered a knee injury and never played football again. Hayes, however, asked Bruce to join his coaching staff, where he remained until his graduation in 1953.

Bruce landed his first collegiate head coaching job at the University of Tampa in 1972, where he fashioned a 10-2 record, including a win in the Tangerine Bowl. He took over at Iowa State University from 1973-1978, where he guided the Cyclones to eight wins in each of his last three seasons.

Bruce succeeded long-time coach Woody Hayes at Ohio State in 1979 and went on to compile an 81-26-1 record from 1979-1987 in Columbus. He led the Buckeyes to two outright Big Ten titles (1979, 1984) and two co-championships (1981, 1986) and was named the 1980 Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Bruce began his coaching career in the AFL during the 1993-1994 season with the Cleveland Thunderbolts. He spent the 1994-1995 season with the St. Louis Stampede, making theirs the best record of an expansion football team at 9 and 4 and taking them to the playoffs. In 2001 Bruce coached the Iowa Barnstormers in the AF2 League.
Bruce, who now works for 610 WTVN radio in their coverage of Buckeye football, entered the College Football Hall of Fame August 9, during the annual Enshrinement Festival in South Bend, Indiana.

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)
8 @ ORL Connell Maynor (ORL)
9 CHI Etu Molden (CHI)
10 @ ARI Sherdrick Bonner (AZ)
11 BYE
12 DET Marcus Nash (LV)
13 IND Clint Dolezel (LV)
14 @ PHL Marcus Nash (LV)
15 SJ Marcus Nash (LV)
16 @ LA Tony Graziani (LA)


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)
8 @ ORL Doug Miller (ORL)
9 CHI John Moyer (CHI)
10 @ AZ Hunkie Cooper (AZ)
11 BYE
12 DET Marvin Taylor (LV)
13 IND Cornelius Bonner (LV)
14 @ PHL Cornelius Bonner (LV)
15 SJ Barry Wagner (SJ)
16 @ LA Greg Hopkins (LA)

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)
8 @ ORL Cory Fleming (ORL)
9 CHI Dennison Robinson (LV)
10 @ AZ Wendall Gaines (AZ)
11 BYE
12 DET Coco Blalock (LV)
13 IND Frank Carter (LV)
14 @ PHL Marlion Jackson (PHL)
15 LV Coco Blalock (LV)
16 @ LA Kevin Ingram (LA)

MILESTONE WATCH

PLAYER MILESTONE CURRENT NUMBER TO GO
Marcus Nash 47 Touchdowns (AFL Record) 44 3
Marcus Nash 311 Points (AFL Record) 288 23
Dennison Robinson 100 career tackles 96 4


GLADIATORS' NOTES AND TRENDS


Mr. Marcus
Marcus Nash caught nine passes for 75 yards with two touchdowns last week to bring his season totals to 148 receptions for 1,709 yards and 44 TD's. His 148 receptions is a current Arena Football League record and he is within range of breaking the league record of 46 receiving touchdowns in a season (Mike Horacek 2001, Chris Jackson 2003, Mike Furrey 2003). Nash, with 288 points this season, needs 23 points scored on Sunday to break the record for most points scored in a season (310 set by Barry Wagner in 1997). He has already shattered the Gladiators team records in touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards and points scored.

Right Back At Ya...
Coco Blalock began the season with his eyes set on May 30th to play against Las Vegas as a member of the Destroyers. Things have changed and he is now on the opposite side of the ball, playing for Las Vegas against his former team, the Destroyers. Confused??? On April 21, Blalock was waived by Columbus and claimed by the Gladiators. Blalock became an immediate spark for Las Vegas, helping them to a 4-1 record since he came back. Coco has 26 receptions for 344 yards, six touchdowns to go along with 20 kick returns for 422 yards, one for a touchdown and 9.5 total tackles. Prior to joining the Gladiators, in the first 10 games for Columbus, Blalock returned 25 kicks for 496 yards with one TD and caught 47 passes for 433 yards with four touchdowns.

Gladiators East
Former Gladiators WR/LB Sedrick Robinson, QB Jay McDonagh, K Steve Videtich and OL/DL's Wilky Bazile, Jamarr Ward, Richard McCleskey and Marcus McKenzie will return to Las Vegas to face their former team this week. Robinson spent two seasons with the Gladiators and established himself as one of the top return-men in the league returning 73 kickoffs (5th in the AFL) for 1,581 yards (5th in the AFL) and four touchdowns (T-3rd in the AFL) for Las Vegas last season. Robinson was traded from Las Vegas in the off season as part of the deal for Clint Dolezel. McDonagh was the starting quarterback for the Gladiators for the past two seasons. Videtich was with the Gladiators for three seasons and was named the AFL Kicker of The Year in 2002. He was traded prior to the start of the 2004 season for OL/DL Steve Scifres. Bazile and Ward were members of the Gladiators for the past two seasons and played with the team in New Jersey and Las Vegas. McCleskey played in four games to start the 2003 with Las Vegas before being released and McKenzie began this season with the Gladiators in training camp.

The Three Amigos
Las Vegas' trio of Marcus Nash, Cornelius Bonner and Coco Blalock are one of the top receiving threesomes in the league and are ranked number one in receptions (276), number three in receiving yards (3,243) behind only Colorado (Harrell, Marshall and McKenzie-3,373) and Dallas (Pettis, Shelley and Sippio-3,348). They are also ranked number three in receiving touchdowns (65) behind Los Angeles (Jackson, Ingram and Hopkins-74) and Dallas (Pettis, Shelley and Sippio-69).

What A Streak
The Gladiators set a new team record for consecutive victories with their four-game run that ended last week. The previous mark for consecutive wins for the Red & Black was three and they did that twice, once in both 2003 and 2002.

Centennial
Dennison Robinson is only four tackles away from tallying his 100th career tackle. On the season he has 31.5 total tackles to go along with five interceptions, two breakups, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery. On offense he has 42 receptions for 456 yards with eight TD's. He has also returned 16 kickoffs for 259 yards.

Clint's Cannon
Clint Dolezel has dismantled the Gladiators record book this season in every quarterback category. On the season he has completed 363-of-559 for 4,164 yards and 86 touchdowns. The highest pass completion percentage in a season for the Gladiators is 62.3 by Jay McDonagh in 2002 and Dolezel is currently at 65.2.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 25, 2004


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