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Los Angeles Avengers Game Notes

April 8, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Game: Arizona Rattlers at Los Angeles Avengers
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2003
Kickoff: 12 p.m. (Pacific)
Site: Los Angeles, California
Arena: STAPLES Center (17,932)
Television: NBC (Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Lewis Johnson)
Radio: XTRA Sports 690 & 1150 (Larry Kahn, Ed Cunningham, Troy West)
Web Radio: http://www.xtrasportsradio.com
Series Record: Arizona leads, 5-1
Last Meeting: Arizona 52, Los Angeles 46 (overtime) -- July 6, 2002, STAPLES Center
Officials: Bill McCabe (R), Doug Wilson (U), Royce Cooley (HL), Gary Cavaletto (LJ), Joe Duncan (BJ), Buddy Ward (Supervisor)
Head Coaches: Los Angeles -- Ed Hodgkiss (second season, 16-8). Arizona -- Danny White (12th season, 105- 49).

THE AVENGERS: Red-hot and winners of their last five games, the Avengers are 8-2 and currently the AFL's topseeded team. If the postseason started today, the Avengers would have home-field advantage in each round of the playoffs. In reality, however, six regular-season games remain in the 2003 campaign, beginning with an encounter with the Arizona Rattlers, a Western Division rival that has won all but one of its previous six games against the Avengers. If recent history serves as any indication, the game figures to be nail-biters. In their last meeting, the Rattlers needed overtime to defeat the Avengers, 52-46. This season, four of L.A.'s eight victories have come on the final play of the contest.

Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani has been outstanding this season, throwing for 60 touchdowns and 2,714 yards in 10 games. Offensive specialist Chris Jackson has been on the receiving end of 28 of those scoring tosses. Kicker Remy Hamilton has also been a consistent scoring threat for the Avengers. He currently leads the league in scoring by kickers with 95 points and has converted on 10 field goals and 65-of-72 extra point attempts. L.A.'s two-way combo of WR/LB Greg Hopkins and WR/DB Kevin Ingram are both among the AFL's best at their respective positions and having seasons worthy of postseason honors.

THE RATTLERS: An up-and-down season has left the Rattlers at .500, after they snapped a two-game losing steak (both on the road) by defeating the Orlando Predators, 62-36, last week (their third straight home victory). They suffered two heart-breaking onepoint defeats to Dallas (March 2) and San Jose (March 23). Although he left the team after seven games and signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, offensive specialist Chris Horn remains the team's leader in allpurpose yards by almost 1,000 yards over legendary WR/LB Hunkie Cooper. Quarterback Sherdrick Bonner is healthy after missing two games earlier in the season.

THE HEAD COACHES: One of the brightest offensive masterminds in the AFL and a prime candidate for "AFL Coach of the Year" honors, Ed Hodgkiss led the Avengers to a franchise-best 8-6 record and No. 5 seed in the AFL playoffs last season in his first year with the club. He became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, and signed a five-year contract extension shortly after the 2002 season. Not only did Hodgkiss lead 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 his arrival in L.A., Hodgkiss served as the offensive coordinator for the Indiana Firebirds for three seasons (1999-2001) ... The first and only head coach the Rattlers have ever had, Danny White is a living football legend in Arizona. In the previous 11 seasons, he has won two ArenaBowl championships (1994 and 1997), been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (1997) and had his Arizona State University jersey (No. 11) retired. On Christmas Day 1999, White was named the "Arizona Athlete of the Century" by The Arizona Republic. His 120 career wins rank him second all-time. He also ranks second all-time with 15 postseason victories, trailing only Tampa Bay's Tim Marcum. As a player, he led the Dallas Cowboys to five playoff appearances and three NFC East division titles.

THE SERIES: Arizona leads the series 5-1, and won the last meeting in overtime, 52-46, at STAPLES Center on July 6, 2002. L.A.'s only victory came on June 23, 2001, when the Avengers shocked the Rattlers at America West Arena in overtime, 54-48. In that contest, quarterback Tony Graziani came on in relief of Todd Marinovich and threw five touchdown passes in his AFL debut.

THE LEAGUE'S HOTTEST TEAM: In their past 16 regular-season games, the Avengers are 12-4. That mark ties them with the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats for the best record over that period of time. L.A. is currently on a five-game winning streak.

QUICK STRIKE OFFENSE: Forty-nine of L.A.'s 79 offensive touchdowns this season have been scored on "drives" of three plays or less, including their "miracle" two-play, 44-yard drive that culminated with WR/LB Greg Hopkins catching a "Hail Mary" pass off the rebound net as time expired to give the Avengers a 64-63 victory at Orlando (March 30). In fact, 17 of them have been oneplay "drives," including nine touchdown catches by offensive specialist Chris Jackson. Ironically, two of the 30 "long" drives are the six-play, 13-yard game-winning march in the victory over San Jose that consumed 25 of the final 26 seconds (Feb. 9) and the eight-play, 30-yard touchdown drive that killed off the final 34 seconds at New York (March 9). The Avengers have scored on two "zeroplay drives" this season. The first one came on a net recovery by WR/DB Siaha Burley while covering a kickoff in the victory at Colorado (Feb. 23). Against Indiana (March 16), OL/DL Mike Ulufale recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.

THE "IF" SECTION:

If the Avengers defeat the Rattlers, it would ...
- Surpass the franchise record for victories in a season, which was set by the 2002 Avengers (8- 6)
- Would put L.A. seven games above .500 for the first time in franchise history
- Extend the longest winning streak in Avenger history to six games
- Assure the Avengers of remaining in first place in the Western Division; and at least tied for the best record in the league (Tampa Bay is also 8-2)
- Give the Avengers a 13-4 record in their last 17 regular-season games, dating back to last season

THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:

Avenger head coach Ed Hodgkiss on the 63-48 victory over Carolina: "We showed a lot of maturity as a team. Those kind of games can be tough because you worry about a letdown and coming out flat. We didn't do that. We played well and took care of business."

Hodgkiss on having three days off at this point of the season: "It's still to be seen what kind of an effect it will have. It's been good for me, and hopefully some of the players. We treated it like a mini bye week. It allowed us to get away a little bit and refresh our minds as coaches and players. It's something we've been looking forward to for a while, so hopefully it's a good thing."

Hodgkiss on an Arizona team, which has won 5-of-6 versus the Avengers: "They have some guys that have won championships and been together for a while. It's going to be tough, but we're a team on the way up and they just blew out a good Orlando team. They're used to beating up everyone, not just us. Those guys play with a lot of confidence. They are one of the few teams in the league that knows how to win. They have had a tough year with injuries and losing guys to the NFL, so we need to be focused and ready to play."

THE NEXT GAME: The Avengers conclude their threegame homestand, as the Buffalo Destroyers visit STAPLES Center on Friday, April 18. The contest will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on Fox Sports Net2.

DEFENDING THE HOME FRONT: In the "Ed Hodgkiss Era," which began at the beginning of the 2002 season, the Avengers have been particularly stingy on defense at home, allowing just 46.1 points per game at STAPLES Center (553 points in 12 games). The 24 points allowed by the Avengers in their victory over the Tampa Bay Storm on May 17, 2002, is an all-time best for the L.A. defense at home. It surpassed the effort in the 2002 season opener, which saw the Avengers defeat the New York Dragons, 43-25, on April 19, 2002, which was Hodgkiss' first game as the Avenger head coach.

STEADY IMPROVMENT: The Avengers are just one win shy of establishing a franchise record for victories in a single season. At 8-2 and with six games remaining in the regular season, the 2003 Avengers have already matched last year's club as the winningest team in the franchise's four-year history. The Avengers are also six games above .500 for the first time and will be attempting to win a team-record sixth consecutive game on Sunday versus Arizona.

HEADED TO THE CENTURY MARK: With 97 touchdowns in his 43-game AFL career, offensive specialist Chris Jackson is just three scores away from reaching the 100- touchdown plateau. He has scored four or more TDs in a game seven times in his Avenger career. Jackson scored a career-high six touchdowns at Georgia on May 24, 2002. ("C.J." has also passed for three touchdowns, all this season, but they don't count in his official scoring totals.) Top

RECORD "D" DAY: The Avengers came into their game at Indiana (March 16), allowing 55.7 points per game, but held the Firebirds to 20 points (and gave up just six points through three quarters), establishing a new team record.

HEART-STOPPING HEROICS: Four of L.A.'s eight victories in 2003 have come on the final play of the game. On Feb. 9, the Avengers defeated the defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats, 73-72, on a one-yard touchdown blast by FB/LB Mathias Vavao and a two-point conversion pass from Tony Graziani to Greg Hopkins with one second left. The following week in a game on the road against the Colorado Crush, L.A. forced overtime with a field goal by Remy Hamilton on the final play of regulation and then won on a TD pass from Graziani to Hopkins. On March 9, the Avengers defeated the New York Dragons, 65-61, on a one-yard touchdown run by FB/LB Kevin Clemens with no time remaining.

Their most amazing victory of the season came on March 30, at Orlando, as they rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final 35 seconds to defeat the Predators, 64-63. The "miracle" occurred as Graziani hit offensive specialist Chris Jackson to cut the lead to five with 19 seconds remaining and defensive specialist Cornelius Coe recovered an onside kick five seconds later. That set up another Graziani-to-Hopkins game-winning TD on a "Hail Mary" pass off the rebound net as time expired.

EARLY FIREWORKS: In addition to late-game heroics, the Avengers have also been good at the start, scoring on their first offensive snap of the game four times this season -- in the season opener against Las Vegas (Feb. 2, Chris Jackson), at Chicago (Feb. 23, Kevin Ingram), at Indiana (March 16, Jackson) and against Carolina (April 4, Jackson). On April 4 against Carolina, the Avengers scored touchdowns on their first three offensive plays, the other two going to WR/LB Greg Hopkins.

PERFECT GAME: Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani tossed a "perfect game" against the Las Vegas Gladiators on opening day (Feb. 2). His passer rating of 158.3 from that contest is the highest mark possible and ties an AFL record. In the 60-48 victory, Graziani was 18-of-23 for 288 yards. He threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to offensive specialist Chris Jackson on the first play of the 2003 season and went on to throw for a total of seven scores. Graziani also rushed for a touchdown from three yards out to cap the scoring with 53 seconds remaining.

SMART GAME: The Avengers are the AFL's least penalized team, averaging just under five flags per game (28.6 yards). This brings a smile to the face of head coach Ed Hodgkiss, whose motto is "Play Hard, Play Smart." L.A. was especially sharp in the season opener on Feb. 2, getting called for only two penalties for a loss of just a yard, establishing a pair of new team records.

ALL-PURPOSE AVENGER: Over the past three seasons, L.A.'s new offensive weapon Siaha Burley has racked up the most all-purpose yards in the league (5,364). That yardage is the equivalent of 2.9 miles, which is farther than the distance between STAPLES Center and Dodger Stadium. Acquired in a trade with the Orlando Predators, Burley moves to the WR/DB position (he was primarily an offensive specialist with the Predators). His single-game high as an Avenger came against his former team, as he racked up 169 all-purpose yards in L.A.'s victory at Orlando on March 30.

IN A ZONE OUT EAST: The Avengers have won six of their last seven games in the Eastern Time Zone, including victories over the Orlando Predators, New York Dragons and Indiana Firebirds this season. L.A.'s victory at Orlando on March 30 marked a third consecutive road game within the Eastern Time Zone.

THE TOUCHDOWN MAKER: Offensive specialist Chris Jackson has scored at least one touchdown in every game he has played in for the Avengers. In 43 games, Jackson has accounted for 100 touchdowns. All but five of those scores came as a pass receiver. Jackson's other touchdowns were as a runner, kickoff returner and three as a passer. He has caught a touchdown pass in all but one of his games with the Avengers (June 8, 2002, vs. San Jose), but in that contest he ran back the opening kickoff 51 yards for a score, keeping "The Streak" alive.

Jackson is L.A.'s all-time leading receiver and scorer. He has racked up 315 receptions for 4,369 yards and has scored 590 points in his four-year Avenger career.

"Touchdown" Eddie Brown of the Indiana Firebirds is believed to be the AFL's record holder for touchdowns in consecutive games, with scores in 65 straight.

THE ORIGINAL AVENGER: Offensive specialist Chris Jackson is the only player on L.A.'s 2003 roster who played for the Avengers in their inaugural 2000 season (he was an WR/LB at the time). Jackson shared that distinction last season with wide receiver/defensive back Anthony Rice, who was released on Jan. 25, following the conclusion of training camp.

HOT TICKET: Five of the six largest crowds to see the Avengers play have come within L.A.'s last 11 regularseason games, dating back the end of the 2002 campaign. In consecutive games (Feb. 16, at Colorado and Feb. 23, at Chicago), the Avengers played before their two largest crowds ever. The Avengers are averaging 14,099 fans at home this season in four games at STAPLES Center.

ROAD WARRIOR: In L.A.'s five away games this season, wide receiver/defensive back Kevin Ingram has caught 21 passes for 237 yards and six touchdowns. His contributions have not gone unnoticed, winning the "Ironman" award in three of the last four road games. On March 30 at Orlando, he had 127 all-purpose yards, including a 50-yard kickoff return in the final minute of the game to set up a touchdown, scored three touchdowns (one rushing) and made one tackle. At Chicago (Feb. 23), Ingram had 101 all-purpose yards, one touchdown catch and an interception. At New York (March 9), he had 140 all-purpose yards, two touchdowns, 3.5 tackles and a touchdown-saving pass deflection. He followed up those performances by having a standout game at home versus Grand Rapids on March 23. Not only did he earn "Ironman of the Game" honors, but he was named the AFL's "Ironman of the Week," as he had four catches for 36 yards and two touchdowns, returned two kickoffs for 34 yards, made five tackles, had an interception, broke up a pass and recovered a fumble.

THE MILLENNIUM'S FINEST: Wide receiver/linebacker Greg Hopkins and offensive specialist Chris Jackson are not only L.A.'s top pass catchers, they're also among the most productive in the AFL since the dawning of the new millennium. In fact, Hopkins leads the way with a grand total of 364 receptions for 4,494 yards since the 2000 season (Jackson is third with 315 for 4,369).

MAKING HIS POINTS: Avenger placekicker Remy Hamilton currently ranks at No. 5 on the AFL's all-time scoring by kickers chart. In his first year with the Avengers in 2002, he set nine team records, while scoring 131 points on 16 field goals and 83 extra points. Hamilton booted the longest field goal in Avenger history on July 6, 2002, blasting a 52-yarder versus Arizona.

CLUTCH KICKS IN COLORADO: Lost amid the excitement of L.A.'s overtime victory over the Colorado Crush on Feb. 16, was the outstanding all-around performance by kicker Remy Hamilton. Not only did he split the uprights on an 18-yard field goal on the last play of the game to force overtime, while 17,417 Crush fans were trying to blow the Pepsi Center's roof off, he was also perfect on his two other field goal attempts and all six of his extra points. In addition, he blasted four of his kickoffs over the entire net system for touchbacks and also bounced one high off the net frame, which resulted in a recovery by teammate Siaha Burley for a key Avenger touchdown. And, as if that weren't enough, Hamilton had two solo tackles, including one late in the fourth quarter that saved a touchdown.

LONG SUNDAY DRIVE: The Avengers put together what might have been the longest drive in the history of the Arena Football League versus the Indiana Firebirds on March 16, using 17 plays to march 47 yards. The touchdown drive consumed an incredible 10 minutes and 14 seconds. Furthermore, 11 plays occurred after L.A. reached Indiana's one-yard line.

PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS WEEK:

Avenger QB Tony Graziani: Only one AFL player (New York's Aaron Garcia) has accounted for more touchdowns this season than Graziani, who has passed for 60 scores and run for three more. After 10 games, he is 196-of-311 (63 percent) for 2,714 yards. Three of L.A.'s eight victories this season have been won on the final play of the game off a pass Graziani has thrown. He has thrown for eight touchdowns twice this season, including last week's 15-of-21 performance that saw him throw for 270 yards and TDs on each of his first three attempts. In the season opener versus the Las Vegas Gladiators (Feb. 2), Graziani earned a perfect passer rating of 158.3, completing 18-of-23 for 288 yards and seven touchdowns. He has thrown for four or more scores in every game this season. Graziani currently has seven 300-yard passing games in his AFL career.

Rattler QB Sherdrick Bonner: For the third consecutive season, Bonner has shaken off an early season injury to have a stellar season. In his 10th year in the Arena Football League, he has thrown for 1,920 and 46 touchdowns. After becoming just the third quarterback in AFL history to throw for more than 25,000 yards with his 200-yard performance last week in the victory over Orlando, Bonner has his sights on reaching 500 career touchdown passes. He currently has 492, which ranks him third all-time. In five games against the Avengers, he has averaged 266.8 yards passing and thrown for 25 touchdowns. His career record as the starting quarterback for the Rattlers is 84-31.

Avenger WR/DB Kevin Ingram: With his play on offense, defense and special teams, Ingram has become a triple threat standout for the Avengers in 2003. He has earned "Ironman of the Game" honors four times this year -- at Chicago (Feb. 23), at New York (March 9), versus Grand Rapids (March 23) and at Orlando (March 30). The third-year pro was also named "Ironman of the Week" in the AFL for his performance against the Rampage. On the season, Ingram has 34 receptions for 339 yards and 10 touchdowns, 23 kickoff returns for 495 yards, 39 tackles, four pass deflections and a team-high three interceptions. He ranks second on the team (to offensive specialist Chris Jackson) in all-purpose yards, averaging 93.4 per game.

Rattler WR/LB Hunkie Cooper: An eleven year veteran of the AFL, Cooper ranks first all-time in kickoff returns (469), second all-time in all-purpose yards (19,155), third in kickoff return touchdowns (19) and fourth in pass receptions (682). He is one of only two players in AFL history to earn both "M.V.P." and "Ironman" honors in his career. He is also one of only two players to be named "Ironman of the Year" twice. With the departure of Chris Horn to the NFL, Cooper is Arizona's leading receiver this season, catching 38 passes for 482 yards and six touchdowns. In six games against the Avengers, he has averaged just 39 receiving yards per game and caught

LAST WEEK'S GAME: AVENGERS TAME COBRAS TO WIN FIFTH IN A ROW

LOS ANGELES -- (April 4, 2003) -- The Avengers took care of business in methodical fashion, defeating the Carolina Cobras, 63-48, before a crowd of 12,117 at STAPLES Center.

Los Angeles, which improved to 8-2, was in control throughout the night, as the Avengers kept pace in the race for the top seed in the Arena Football League playoffs, which begin next month.

Carolina fell to 0-10 and remains the AFL's lone winless team. The Avenger offense scored early and often, putting the ball in the end zone on its first three plays from scrimmage and scoring a touchdown on nine of 11 possessions. The only times the Avengers were stopped came late in the fourth quarter.

With four different receivers catching touchdown passes, Avenger quarterback Tony Graziani utilized all of his weapons, tying a career-high with eight touchdown tosses on 15-of-21 passing for 270 yards.

The Avengers dynamic duo of offensive specialist Chris Jackson and WR/LB Greg Hopkins combined for six touchdowns and 177 yards on 10 catches. Jackson extended his streak of scoring a touchdown in every game he has played in for the Avengers to 43, and Hopkins was named the game's "Ironman," as he contributed 1.5 tackles and broke up a pass.

After trading scores with the Avengers for most of the first half, the Cobras went into halftime only trailing, 35- 28. However, the Avenger defense matched the dominance of the offense in the second half, holding the Cobras scoreless in the third quarter.

Carolina's first score of the second half came with 9:43 remaining as WR/LB Ty Law scored on a 9-yard pass, making the score 56-34. He finished the night with nine receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. The Avengers added another score on a 1-yard run by FB/LB Lonnie Ford to build a 63-34 lead with just 6:15 left in the fourth quarter before the Cobras rallied behind quarterback Stewart Patridge to tally two late scores.

Patridge finished the night with a career high six touchdown passes on 30-of-46 passing for 287 yards. The 48 points that he led Carolina to was their highest scoring output of the season.

The midseason addition defensive specialist Cornelius Coe continued to pay dividends for the Avenger defense, as he came down with the game's only interception. They were also able to put pressure on Patridge, sacking him a season-high three times.

Carolina offensive specialist Bernard Holmes eclipsed the 200-yard plateau in all-purpose yards for a seventh consecutive game, finishing with a total of 248 yards. He caught 13 passes for 107 yards and three touchdowns.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 8, 2003


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