Las Vegas Gladiators game notes

Published on January 25, 2005 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release


Date: Sunday, January 30, 2005
Kickoff: 12:00 PM PT
Site: Thomas & Mack Center (Las Vegas, NV)
Officials: Referee: David Lambros, Umpire: Al Granado, Head Linesman: Mike McCabe, Line Judge: Brian Matthew, Back Judge: David Cutaia

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

THE GAME CAN BE SEEN...
On (KVBC-TV 3 in Las Vegas) with Eli Gold, Charles Arbuckle and Mitch Roberts.


THE SERIES – GLADIATORS VS. AVENGERS
Avengers lead 3-0
This will be the fourth meeting between the teams. The last meeting between the teams was in week 16 of 2004, when the Avengers held off the Gladiators at Staples Center in Los Angeles 54-51.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

If the Gladiators win, it would
· Give the Gladiators a 1-3 record vs. the Avengers
· Give Las Vegas a 1-0 overall record
· Give Las Vegas a 1-0 home record

SCHEDULES

LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (0-0)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Jan. 30 Los Angeles 12:00
Feb. 5 @ San Jose 6:00
Feb. 11 New York 7:00
Feb. 20 Georgia 3:00
Feb. 26 @ Nashville 5:30
March 4 Austin 7:00
March 12 @ Columbus 4:00
March 19 @ Arizona 6:00
March 28 San Jose 7:00
April 3 @ Colorado 12:00
April 8 Grand Rapids 7:00
April 17 @ Philadelphia 10:00 AM
BYE
May 1 @ Chicago 10:00 AM
May 7 Dallas 7:00
May 14 @ Los Angeles 7:30
May 22 Arizona 12:00
All times PST

LOS ANGELES AVENGERS (0-0)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Jan. 30 @ Las Vegas 12:00
Feb. 4 Georgia 7:30
Feb. 11 @ Austin 5:30
Feb. 20 San Jose 3:00
Feb. 27 @ Colorado 12:00
March 6 @ Arizona 5:00
BYE
March 18 Dallas 7:30
March 26 Tampa Bay 7:30
April 3 @ Orlando 9:00 AM
April 10 New York 12:00
April 17 @ Nashville 10:00 AM
April 23 Chicago 7:30
April 30 Arizona 7:30
May 7 @ San Jose 7:30
May 14 Las Vegas 7:30
May 21 @ Grand Rapids 4:30
All times PST

GLADIATORS GAME (2004 Season Finale)

GLADIATORS CLOSE OUT 2004 WITH WIN OVER COLUMBUS

May 30, 2004 - Las Vegas - Babe Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game Clint Dolezel threw for 261 yards and seven touchdowns to lead the Las Vegas Gladiators to a 64-51 victory over the Columbus Destroyers on Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV. Dolezel completed 18-of-23 passes without an interception and helped lead the Gladiators to a final regular season record of 8-8.

Army Ironman of the Game Coco Blalock led the Gladiator receiving core, hauling in eight passes for 147 yards and five touchdowns to go along with the one rushing touchdown.

Gladiators' offensive specialist Marcus Nash had six receptions to increase his AFL record in receptions in a season to 154. He also caught two touchdown passes, bringing his season total to 46, tying the Arena Football League record for receiving touchdowns in a season.

The Gladiator defense put extreme pressure on Destroyers quarterback Ryan Vena, sacking him once and forced him into throwing two interceptions.

ADT Defensive Player of the Game Cornelius Bonner led the defense for Las Vegas with five total tackles, one interception and four pass break ups.

Vena ended the day with 21-of-36 for 223 yards and three touchdowns to go along with three rushing touchdowns.

THE COACHES

Ron James (First Season)

Ron James enters his first season as the head coach of the Gladiators. He spent the previous three seasons as assistant head coach/offensive defensive line/special teams coach.

James previously served as line coach for the Houston ThunderBears and Director of Player Personnel from 1999-2001. He is entering his seventh season in the Arena Football League.

Prior to his time in the AFL, James served as the Assistant Football coach, offensive line coach and Admissions Support Officer at Army in 1998 and 1999. Army captured two Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) rushing titles during his stint, averaging more than 257 yards per game.

James spent five seasons at Kentucky Wesleyan College, where he served as associate head coach for the final four years. James began his stay at Kentucky Wesleyan in 1993 as offensive coordinator in addition he managed the offensive line. In 1994, James was promoted to associate head coach at Kentucky Wesleyan and added defensive coordinator/secondary coach to his repertoire.

James coached a combined fourteen years at the collegiate level. In 1992-93, he served as defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Hartwick College. From 1989-1991, James was defensive coordinator/linebacker coach at St. Lawrence University. He began his coaching career in 1986 as a linebacker coach at Siena College (New York) and served as head coach of the junior varsity team.

James was a four-year starter at offensive tackle at Siena College. An N.C.F.A All-America First Team and two-time First-Team All-Conference selection, James also saw action at defensive tackle. He earned a BA from Siena and a MPA from Rockefeller College, which is a subsidiary of the State University of New York at Albany.

Born on April 28, 1964, James is a native of Albany, New York, James is married to wife, Lynn and son Brady live in Henderson, NV. He is a member of the National Association of Strength and Conditioning Coaches and a member of the American Football Coaches Association.

Ed Hodgkiss (Fourth Season, 28-18, 0-3 in playoffs)

Ed Hodgkiss, one of the brightest offensive masterminds in the Arena Football League, is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Avengers. In his first three seasons at the helm, he directed the Avengers to a 28-18 record. No head coach in AFL history has won more games in his first two seasons than Hodgkiss.

Hodgkiss became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, and signed a five-year contract extension shortly after a 2002 season that saw him adroitly pilot the team to an 8-6 mark.

In 2002, Hodgkiss not only led the Avengers into the postseason for the first time in franchise history, he also instantly established the Avenger offense as one of the most feared in the AFL. In the final 2002 league statistics, the Avengers ranked at No. 2 in passing efficiency (115.0), No. 4 in total offense (275.6), No. 4 in rushing yards (20.8) and No. 5 in scoring (52.2).

Prior to joining the Avengers, Hodgkiss had been with the Indiana Firebirds since 1997. He was the team's offensive coordinator for three seasons (1999-2001). In each of those campaigns, Hodgkiss proved to be the architect of one of the AFL's most prolific offenses, ranking among the league leaders in most statistical categories.

Born on Oct. 23, 1970, Hodgkiss is a native of Laurel, Md., where he attended St. Vincent Pallotti High School. He went on to graduate from Fairmont State College (Fairmont, W.V.) in 1992 with a degree in physical education and health (he later added a Master's degree in those same disciplines from Morehead State in 1995). He also was a wide receiver for the Falcons and later began his coaching career at his alma mater.

MILESTONE WATCH

PLAYER MILESTONE CURRENT NUMBER TO GO
Clint Dolezel 600 Touchdown Passes 575 25
Clint Dolezel 30,000 Passing Yards 28,850 1,150
Coco Blalock 2000 Receiving Yards 1,868 132
Dennison Robinson 200 Career Tackles 97 100

GLADIATORS' NOTES AND TRENDS

THE BEST OF THE REST
OS Marcus Nash returns to the Gladiators for his second season in 2005 after being named the League's Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, he shattered the record books with 154 receptions for 1,771 yards and 46 receiving touchdowns. He began the 2004 season playing the WR/LB position in the first three games of the season and averaged six receptions for 55 yards and more than one touchdown per game. In the final 13 games as the OS he averaged more than 10 receptions for 124 yards and three touchdowns per game. He also led the League in numerous offensive categories including total touchdowns (49), scoring (300 points), first downs (112), third down receiving (33 receptions for 419 yards - 11 TDs) and double-digit receiving games (7).

THERE IS A NEW SHERRIFF IN TOWN
After finishing the 2004 season at a mediocre 8-8, Las Vegas needed to look in a different direction for leadership. Ron James became the Gladiators new head coach on August 24th. He spent the previous three seasons as the Gladiators assistant head coach/defensive-offensive line and special teams coach. This will be his first full season as a head coach. Last season, he stepped in as the head coach when the Gladiators faced the Arizona Rattlers in Week 10 and lost 80-63 at the America West Arena on April 10, 2004.
600 CLUB
QB Clint Dolezel is entering the 2005 season in the mist of reaching 600 touchdown passes and 30,000 passing yards in just 10 seasons. He currently has 575 touchdown passes and 28,850 passing yards. Last season, he compiled a career-high 93 touchdown passes and his fifth time throwing 80 or more in a season. (1998-81, 1999-80, 2001-80, 2003-89, 2004-93)

HE'S GOT TO COORDINATE
The 2005 season will see a familiar face calling the plays when Clint Dolezel will be orchestrating the offense in more ways than just on the field. During the off-season, head coach Ron James named Dolezel the Gladiators new offensive coordinator.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
When the Gladiators take the field on Sunday, January 30th, against the Avengers, the Thomas & Mack Center host the Gladiators season opener for the first time since the Red and Black moved to Las Vegas.
REVENGE AGAINST THE AVENGERS
WR/LB Joe Douglass will face his former team, the Los Angeles Avengers, for the first time on Sunday. Last season, he played in 13 games and caught 35 passes for 435 yards with nine touchdowns. One of his touchdowns was against the Gladiators on February 14, 2004 at the Thomas & Mack Center with 1:53 remaining in the game. His touchdown reception from QB Tony Graziani ended up being the winning score for the Avengers in the Gladiators season opener, a 62-55 loss to LA.

KOO-KOO FOR COCO BLALOCK
WR/LB Coco Blalock is 132 receiving yards from 2,000 in his career. Currently standing at 1,868 receiving yards, Blalock is in his fifth season playing Arenaball. This season will also see him return to wearing his number three jersey after playing with the number 81 last season following the Gladiators signing him in Week 10.

THREE IS A CHARM
WR/DB Dennison Robinson is entering his fourth season with the Gladiators and is three tackles shy of the century mark. He has won the team's Ironman of the Year award twice in three seasons (2002 and 2004).

NO AVERAGE JOE
OL/DL Joe Burch is in his ninth season and on the verge of reaching career tackle number 100 this season. He currently stands at 88 total tackles in his career.

WHAT STARTS IN VEGAS ENDS IN VEGAS
When the Gladiators face the Avengers this Sunday it will start the road for every team to get back to Las Vegas. This will be the first neutral-site ArenaBowl in AFL history. The previous 18 championship games were played in the city of the team with the best record in the game.

STARTING OFF SLOW
The Red and Black will start the 2005 season without DS Chameion Sutton (back), WR/DB T.J. Hill (knee), WR/LB Ricky Ross (hamstring) and OL/DLs Karl Bates (ankle) and Rob Gatrell (foot) do to injuries.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 25, 2005


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