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Las Vegas Gladiators game notes

February 8, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release


GLADIATORS VS.CRUSH : THE FACTS


Date: Sunday, February 12, 2006.
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. Pacific
Site: Frontier Field at Pepsi Center (Denver, Colorado)
Officials: Referee: Denis Lipski, Umpire: Rick Nelson, Head Linesman: Kavin McGrath, Line Judge: Darrel Leftwich, Back Judge: Rich Wilborn.

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 GAME CAN BE SEEN...
On FSN with Dave Benz handling play-by-play and Howard Griffith with color commentary.

THE SERIES - GLADIATORS VS. CRUSH
Crush lead 2-1

This will be the fourth meeting between the teams. The Gladiators are 1-0 at home and 0-2 on the road versus Colorado. In the last meeting between the two, Colorado outscored Las Vegas 61-40 in week 9 of the 2005 season. The game was played in front of 13,589 at Pepsi Center.

WHAT'S AT STAKE
If the Gladiators win, it would
- Give the Gladiators a 2-2 overall record versus Colorado
- Give Las Vegas a 2-1 overall record
- Give Las Vegas a 1-1 road record

GLADIATORS PREVIOUS GAME (2006 Home Opener)

Las Vegas beats up on San Jose 51-48.
Offensive Player of the Game: Marcus Nash
Defensive Player of the Game: Wilky Bazile
Ironman of the Game: Marlion Jackson

February 6, 2006, Las Vegas NV- The Las Vegas Gladiators (1-1) opened their home season in electrifying fashion, outscoring the San Jose SaberCats 51-48 dropping them to (0-2) on the season. The Game was played at the Thomas and Mack Center. There were 10,436 fans in attendance.

The contest went back and forth from the opening kick-off, with 11 lead changes throughout the contest. The Gladiators had several key performances, led by Offensive Player of the Game Marcus Nash, who had 11 catches for 124 and four touchdowns. Despite being sacked twice and hurried on numerous occasions quarterback Craig Wheilhan passed for 181 yards completing 15 of 27 passes and four touchdowns, with two picks. Whelihan also ran for two scores.

Defensively, the Gladiators put pressure on SaberCat quarterback Mark Grieb all night, sacking him twice. Both sacks were by Defensive Player of the Game Wilky Bazile. Grieb threw for 317 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. His leading receiver for the night was Calvin Schexnayder who grabbed 10 balls for 152 yards and two scores.

Vegas took the lead for good as Whelihan hit Nash with under five minutes remaining, and the Gladiators defense forced San Jose out on downs on their next possession to seal the victory.

The Gladiators hit the road in week three as the travel to Denver to take on the defending champion Colorado Crush on Sunday, February 12 at 12:00 PM PT. The game can be heard on ESPN Radio 920 in Las Vegas.

THE COACHES


Ron James (Second Season, 9-9)

Ron James is entering his second season as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Gladiators. In his first year as head coach the Gladiator teams ranked #1 in total offense and #1 in total defense Arena Football League and finished with an 8-8 record.
Prior to becoming the head coach, James served as assistant head coach/line coach and special team's coordinator for the Gladiator organization from 2001-2004.
Coach James has nine years of AFL experience having served as the line coach and player personnel director with the Houston Thunderbears from 2000-2001 and as an assistant with the Albany Firebirds in 1990 and 1991.
In addition to coaching in the AFL, James has coached a combined total of 14 years on the collegiate level.
In 1998 and 1999 Coach James served as the Admissions Support officer and assistant football coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

From 1993 thru 1998 James coached at Kentucky Wesleyan College. While at KWC James served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 1993. The following season James was promoted the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator and coached the secondary. He remained in that position until 1998.
Among the other college stops were stints as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Hartwick College from 1992-1993. Prior to that, James was the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach at St. Lawrence University from 1989-1992. Additionally James coached at Siena College from 1986-1989 as the linebacker coach and also served as JV Head Coach in 1989.
James was a four-year starter at Siena College where he achieved First-Team All N.C.F.A. All - America honors in 1985 and was named a first-team all conference selection twice. Upon completion of his college football career, James had brief NFL stops with the NY Giants, New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals. He earned a BA from Siena and a MPA from the State University of New York at Albany.
Born on April 28, 1964, James is a native of Albany, New York. He is married to wife, Lynn and has two children Brady and Alexis. They live in Henderson, NV. He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association and the Order of Kentucky Colonels.

Mike Daily (Third Season 26-11)

Mike Daily enters his third season in Colorado and tenth as head coach in the AFL, after becoming the Crush's second head coach on June 26, 2003. Daily joined the Crush following 13 season in the Albany/Indiana Firebirds organization, including the final seven as head coach. Last season under Daily's guidance the Crush captured their first Central Division title in route to claiming a 51-48 victory in Arena Bowl XIX giving Colorado their first AFL championship in only their third year in existence. The Crush finished the year with a 13-6 mark, which included a franchise record seven game winning streak during the regular season. With the teams win over Chicago in the American Conference championship game on June 5, Daily became the fourth wininingest coach in AFL history surpassing Perry Moss.

2006 SEASON

Offensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ AUS John Fitzgerald (QB)
2 SAN Marcus Nash (OS)


ADT Defensive Player of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ AUS Damon Mason (DS)
2 SAN Wilky Bazile (DL)

Army Ironman of the Game
Week Opp. Player
1 @ AUS Dane Krager (FB/LB)
2 SAN Marlion Jackson (FB/LB)


AFL TOP 10: League Leaders after Week 2
GLADIATORS
Player Rank Category Stat
Craig Whelihan 2t Touchdown Passes 10
1t 300 Yd Passing Games 1
1t Longest Pass 45
10 Passer Rating 93.3

Marcus Nash 3 Scoring 42
4 Yards from Scrimmage 234
2 Receptions 19

Defense Defense Defense

Coco Blalock 3t Interceptions 2

TJ Hill 1t Combined Tackles 16.5
2t Solo Tackles 15

Nick Davis 3t Special Teams Tackles 4

Wilky Bazile 2t Sacks 2
2 Combined Tackles for Loss 2-9

Dameon Porter 2t Passes Defended 6


MILESTONE WATCH

PLAYER MILESTONE CURRENT NUMBER TO GO
Wilky Bazile 20 Sacks 18.5 1.5
Wilky Bazile 150 Tackles 130 20
Coco Blalock 3000 Receiving Yards 2,764 236
Coco Blalock 50 Receiving Touchdowns 40 10
Coco Blalock 3000 Kick Return Yards 2,508 574
Joe Douglass 5,000 Receiving Yards 4,168 832
Joe Douglass 100 Receiving Touchdowns 93 7
Steve Konopka 20 Sacks 18 2
Steve Konopka 100 Tackles 77.5 22.5
Junior Lord 2,000 Receiving Yards 1,654 346
Marcus Nash 5,000 Receiving Yards 4,530 470
Marcus Nash 500 Receptions 373 127
Dameon Porter 30 Interceptios 27 3
Craig Whelihan 5,000 Passing Yards 4,394 606
Craig Whelihan 100 Touchdown Passes 91 9


GLADIATORS' NOTES AND TRENDS



STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
If there was strength of schedule in the AFL, the Gladiators would be on top of the list. In their first six games this year, the combined total record of their opponents is 9-3. This includes reigning champion Colorado, runner-up Georgia, and in weeks three through six the red and black will face the four top ranked teams in the AFL.

BIG PLAY BAZILE
Eleven-year veteran OL/DL Wilky Bazile ignited the team and crowd in the home opener with two huge sacks of San Jose's Mark Grieb, one jarring the ball loose. Bazile has found a home in Vegas after playing for nine different teams in his 11year career. The emotional leader of the Gladiators ranks second in sacks in the AFL with two quarterback sacks.

MR. NASH CONTINUES TO DAZZLE
Marcus Nash is one of the elite performers in the AFL the past three seasons and this season is no exception. The remarkable offensive specialist ranks in the top three in several key statistics. Nash is third in scoring (42), fourth in yards from scrimmage (234), and second in receptions (19).

BOO BIRDS
While many players are used to hearing boos when they play on the road, playing in Denver for Nash brings down the cat calls like nowhere else in the league. Reason Being: Nash was the 1st Round Pick of the Denver Broncos in the 1998 draft who did not spend his entire NFL career with the Orange Crush.

DEFENSIVE IMPACT
It is no secret that Las Vegas would be much more physical under the defensive-minded leadership of Head Coach Ron James. The Gladiators have five players that are ranked in the top statistical defensive categories. Dameon Porter is second in passes defended (6), Wilky Bazile in second in sacks (2), Coco Blalock in tied for second in interceptions (2), TJ Hill is first in combined tackles (16.5), and Nick Davis is fourth in special teams tackles (4).

WHELIHAN CLOSING IN ON MILESTONE
After throwing for seven touchdowns in the first two games this year, quarterback Craig Whelihan now has 91 career six pointers and now is nine touchdown tosses away from the century mark.

BELL RETURNS HOME
WR/DB Herman Bell will face the team he opened training camp with. The Gladiators added former Jacksonville State star Bell to the team after a week one loss to Austin. Bell spent the 05' season on the Crush's practice squad before being cut early in training camp.

EVEN IN THE BOOTH
Returning to the place when he made a legendary name for himself will be Gladiators Expert Radio Analyst Mike Pritchard. Pritch was the Most Valuable Player on the University of Colorado's 1990 National Championship Team. After being selected with the 13th pick in the 1991 draft by the Falcons, Pritch was traded to the Broncos in 1995 and spent two seasons in Denver.

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR COLORADO

# 8 QB JOHN DUTTON- Former Nevada star led Colorado to their first championship last year. After week two Dutton is 51-76 with 568 yards, 14 touchdowns two interceptions, and has a 123.1 passer rating.

# 1 OS DAMIAN HARRELL- This dazzling playmaker has emerged as a marked man among defenses around the AFL. The reigning AFL Offensive Player of the Year has 19 receptions for 243 yards and nine touchdowns.

# 96 OL/DL KYLE MOORE BROWN- Former Kansas lineman has anchored the line for Colorado for two years. This 6'4" 305 pound has been an All-Ironman performer in two of the past four AFL seasons.

# 4 DS RASHAD FLOYD - This fifth year player from Portland St. has emerged as a major impact player on the defensive side of the ball. Last season he ranked second in tackles in the AFL (129.5) and was voted mid-way of the season as the Defensive Player of the Mid-Season.

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