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Los Angeles Avengers game notes

April 12, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Game: Los Angeles Avengers at Utah Blaze
Date: Saturday, April 15, 2006
Kickoff: 6 p.m. (Pacific)
Site: Delta Center (15,577)
Television: None
Radio: AM 570 (Isaac Lowenkron, Troy West -- pregame show at 5:30 p.m. [Pacific])
Internet Broadcast: AFL Net (www.arenfootball.com)
Internet Radio: www.xtrasportsradio.com
Line: TBA
Series Record: Utah leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Utah 68, Los Angeles 66 - Feb. 25, 2006, STAPLES Center
Officials: Bill McCabe (R), Jeff Carr (U), Kelly Saalfeld (HL), Gary Cavaletto (LJ), Jimmy Buchanan (BJ)
Head Coaches:
Los Angeles -- Ed Hodgkiss (fifth season, 41-32)
Utah -- Danny White (14th season, 124-63)

THE AVENGERS: Los Angeles concludes a four-game road swing on Saturday when it travels to face the Utah Blaze in Salt Lake City. After losing five consecutive games, L.A. won two in a row, defeating the past two ArenaBowl champions (San Jose and Colorado), but has since dropped its last three. Last Sunday, the Avengers watched as Kansas City went on a 28-3 run in the second half on its way to a 62-45 victory. Despite its modest 3-8 record, Los Angeles is still in the hunt for its fifth consecutive trip to the AFL Playoffs and will have the luxury of playing the final four games of the regular season at home. Veteran WR/DB Kevin Ingram, the 2005 AFL "Ironman of the Year," is having yet another All-Arena campaign. He leads the team in receptions (76 -- 52 of which have been for first downs), receiving yards (894), touchdowns (23) and interceptions (four). In addition, 17 of his catches have come on third down. The Avenger offense has received a significant boost from rookie quarterback Sonny Cumbie, who has started L.A.'s previous seven games and has already thrown 36 touchdown passes (and only three INTs). On the season, Cumbie is 165-of-282 (58.5 percent) for 1,930 yards, and his passer rating of 106.8 ranks him at No. 9 in the AFL (minimum 250 attempts). QB Brian Mann, who started three of the first four games for the Avengers this season, is now the backup and is contributing significantly on special teams, having made 8.5 tackles on kickoff coverage in recent weeks. Offensive specialist Tony Locke, who opened the season on injured reserve, also has injected some new life in the Avenger offense in the past nine games, catching 57 passes for 832 yards and 12 scores. Remy Hamilton, who set several league records last season, has remained in a groove, hitting 20 of his 25 field goal attempts (80 percent) this year. He leads all AFL kickers in scoring with 120 points. Last year, the Avengers won the Western Division title and effectively utilized a balanced effort rooted in all three phases of the game. L.A. featured a lethal offense in 2005, leading the AFL in scoring percentage (74.4 percent) and posting an average of 53.8 points per game. But the Avengers were also effective on defense and special teams. One player who contributes in all three phases is WR/LB Greg Hopkins, who was named to the AFL's prestigious "20 Greatest Players" list prior to the season. He is in his 11th season in the league and one of only five players in AFL history to surpass 10,000 receiving yards in a career (10,072). Hopkins also is currently running for office in Pennsylvania (State Representative - 50th District).

STORYLINES:
4 Greg Hopkins now a member of the "10,000 Club"
... see Hopkins note on Page 2
4 Antoine Burns ties team record for KO returns for TDs
... see Burns notes on Page 2
4 QB Sonny Cumbie having "Rookie of the Year" season
... see Cumbie notes on Page 3
4 Right foot of Remy Hamilton still red hot
... see Hamilton notes on Page 4

LOS ANGELES AVENGERS
2006 SCHEDULE (3-8)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 29 Arizona Win 40-31
Feb. 5 @ Philadelphia Loss 47-33
Feb. 12 @ Grand Rapids Loss 66-41
Feb. 18 Chicago Loss 65-46
Feb. 25 Utah Loss 68-66
Mar. 5 @ Orlando Loss 59-34
Mar. 12 @ San Jose Win 75-61
Mar. 19 Colorado Win 60-57
Mar. 24 @ Arizona Loss 58-45
April 2 @ Las Vegas Loss 63-49
April 9 @ Kansas City Loss 62-45
Rest of season Opponent Time(PT) Television
April 15 @ Utah 6 p.m. AFL Net
April 22 New York 7:30 FSN WestDelay 9:30
April 29 San Jose 7:30 AFL Net
May 6 Nashville 7:30
May 13 Las Vegas 7:30 AFL Net

AVENGER HEAD COACH: One of the brightest offensive masterminds in the AFL, Ed Hodgkiss is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Avengers. In his four previous seasons, he compiled a record of 38-24 and advanced to the AFL Playoffs each year. In his first two seasons at the helm, he directed the Avengers to a 19-11 record. No head coach in league history has won more games in his first two seasons than Hodgkiss. Last season, the Avengers captured their first Western Division championship and compiled a 10-6 record. Under Hodgkiss' direction, Los Angeles led the league in offensive scoring percentage (74.4 percent) and turnover margin (+17). He finished second in the balloting for AFL "Coach of the Year" honors. In 2004, the Avengers went 9-7 and led the AFL in scoring, averaging 56.5 points per game. In 2003, the Avengers won a franchise-best 11 games and earned a first-round playoff bye. Hodgkiss, who was the runner-up for the 2003 AFL "Coach of the Year" award, oversaw the league's most efficient offense, which scored 122 touchdowns (most in the AFL) on only 619 total plays (least in the AFL). 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 and into the postseason for the first time in franchise history. In his first season as a head coach at any level, he instantly established the Avenger offense as one of the most feared in the AFL, scoring an average of 52.2 points per game. Prior to joining the Avengers, Hodgkiss was the Indiana Firebirds' offensive coordinator for three seasons (1999-2001) and was part of an ArenaBowl championship in 1999.

ROAD WARRIOR: In his last 29 games away from STAPLES Center, WR/DB Kevin Ingram has caught 149 passes for 1,728 yards and 47 TDs. Despite playing alongside a constellation of AFL stars for much of his career, Ingram's contributions have not gone unnoticed, winning him the "Ironman of the Game" award in 11 road games over the course of the previous two years.

"IRONMAN" INGRAM: In his last 53 games, WR/DB Kevin Ingram has been selected as the "Ironman of the Game" 19 times. L.A. won all but two of those games (at Philadelphia and at Las Vegas this season).

SECRET IS SCORING 60: Dating back to 2004, the Avengers are 11-2 when they score 60 or more points (the only losses came in the 2005 regular-season finale at Grand Rapids, when the Avengers rested several key starters in the second half, and earlier this season versus Utah). The team did not score more than 55 points in all seven of its losses in 2004, in five of the six defeats last season and in seven of its eight losses this year.

THE SERIES: This will be only the second meeting between the Avengers and the Blaze, who are in their inaugural season. However, this will by no means be the first time that the Avengers have faced Blaze head coach Danny White. This will mark the 14th time that Los Angeles has faced off with White, who was previously the longtime head coach of the Arizona Rattlers. White has had success versus Los Angeles, winning eight of 11 regular-season games and a pair of playoff contests. Ironically, the Avengers have never beaten a Danny White-coached team at STAPLES Center. All three of L.A.'s victories over White were in Phoenix at the U.S. Airways Center (then America West Arena).

MR. 10,000: On April 2, in a game at Las Vegas, Avenger WR/LB Greg Hopkins became only the fifth player in AFL history to surpass 10,000 receiving yards in a career. And last week in Kansas City, he caught eight passes for 50 yards and one touchdown to move into the No. 4 spot on the AFL's all-time receiving yards chart. Hopkins needs 176 more yards to move past Gary Compton and into the No. 3 position.

All-Time AFL Leaders -Receiving Yards
1. Barry Wagner (San Jose) 13,211
2. Eddie Brown (1994-2003) 12,730
3. Gary Compton (1992-2004) 10,247
4. Greg Hopkins (Los Angeles) 10,072
5. Cory Fleming (Nashville) 10,042
6. George LaFrance (1988-2000) 9,004
7. Calvin Schexnayder (San Jose) 8,812
8. Hunkie Cooper (1993-2005) 8,600
9. Darryl Hammond (Nashville) 8,563
10. Stevie Thomas (1991-2001) 7,906

TURNOVER MARGIN TAKES A TURN: The Avengers are currently -2 in turnover margin (12th in the AFL). That's a far cry from where Los Angeles was in the previous two seasons. The Avengers led the AFL in turnover margin in 2005 with an amazing +17 (two teams finished way back in second at +8). Last season, Los Angeles had a league-leading 37 takeaways (22 INTs and 15 fumble recoveries). The Avengers turned over the ball only 20 times (fewest in the AFL). L.A. committed only 11 turnovers in its 10 victories last season. In 2004, the Avengers turned the ball over just 11 times (fewest in the AFL) and tied the Chicago Rush for an AFL-best turnover margin of +15. So far this season, the Avengers have come up with only 15 takeaways (10 INTs and five fumble recoveries). Last season at this time, Los Angeles had 25 takeaways (16 INTs and nine fumble recoveries), owned a turnover margin of +14 and was 6-5.

THIS ANTOINE REALLY BURNS: Although he has been the Avengers' primary kickoff returner for just the past five games, rookie WR/LB Antoine Burns has already made a big impact, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns. In the victory at San Jose on March 12, he exploded for a 57-yard kickoff return for a touchdown (the longest scoring play in Avenger history). Three weeks ago at Arizona, Burns torched the Rattlers with a 53-yarder for a score on his way to piling up 162 yards on eight returns (No. 3 on L.A.'s all-time single game chart). Only two players in the AFL have more kickoff returns for touchdowns this season than Burns, who has a total of 588 yards on 31 returns.

Avenger Record Book -Kickoff Returns for Touchdowns in a Season
1t. Antoine Burns (2006) * 2
1t. Henry Douglas (2004) * 2
1t. Chad Dukes (2002) 2
* AFL rookie season

THE TEXAS GUNSLINGER: Rookie QB Sonny Cumbie, a strong candidate for AFL "Rookie of the Year" honors, has started L.A.'s last seven games and is 165-of-282 (58.5 percent) for 1,930 yards and 36 touchdowns, with only three interceptions (fewest among all AFL QBs). His current passer rating of 106.8 ranks him at No. 9 in the AFL (first among rookies), putting him ahead of veterans such as Arizona's Sherdrick Bonner, Philadelphia's Tony Graziani and Columbus' John Kaleo. Furthermore, Cumbie's interception percentage of 1.1 is the best in the league. On March 12, he was 23-of-34 for 348 yards and six TDs in L.A.'s 75-61 victory at San Jose. Those 348 passing yards rank fifth on the all-time Avenger chart. Cumbie threw 17 TD passes in his first three starts, the most by any QB in Avenger history, beating the previous mark set by Tony Graziani, who was in his second AFL season when he tossed 16 in his first three starts for the Avengers. In his starting debut on Feb. 25, Cumbie completed 29 passes (second most in Avenger history), seven of which went for scores (first among all QBs making their first start for the Avengers).

Avenger Record Book -Touchdown Passes in First Three Starts
1. Sonny Cumbie, 2006 (Games 5-6-7) * 17 (7-4-6)
2. Tony Graziani, 2002 (Games 1-2-3) 16 (4-7-5)
3t. Scott Semptimphelter, 2000 (Games 1-2-3) 12 (3-6-3)
3t. John Kaleo, 2005 (Games 1-2-3) 12 (5-2-5)
5. Brian Mann, 2006 (Games 1-2-4) 11 (3-4-4)
6. Todd Marinovich, 2000 (Games 5-6-8) * 10 (4-2-4)
* AFL rookie season

Avenger Record Book -Passing Yards in a Single Game
1. Todd Marinovich (at Houston, 2000) * 469
2. Tony Graziani (vs. Detroit, 2004) 359
3. Tony Graziani (at New York, 2003) 355
4. Tony Graziani (at Georgia, 2002) 352
5. Sonny Cumbie (at San Jose, 2006) * 348
* AFL rookie season

Avenger Record Book -Touchdown Passes in First Start
1. Sonny Cumbie, 2006 (Game 5) * 7
2. John Kaleo, 2005 (Game 1) 5
3t. Tony Graziani, 2002 (Game 1) 4
3t. Todd Marinovich, 2000 (Game 5) * 4
* AFL rookie season

Avenger Record Book -Completions in a Single Game
1. John Kaleo (at Colorado, 2005) 31
2. Sonny Cumbie (vs. Utah, 2006) * 29
3t. Tony Graziani (vs. Arizona, 2004) 28
3t. Tony Graziani (at Dallas, 2003) 28
* AFL rookie season

Avenger Record Book -TD Passes in a Single Game by a Rookie
1. Todd Marinovich (at Houston, 2000) 10
2t. Sonny Cumbie (vs. Utah, 2006) * 7
2t. Todd Marinovich (vs. Milwaukee, 2000) 7
2t. Todd Marinovich (vs. Arizona, 2000) 7
* Starting debut

QUICK-STRIKE OFFENSE: In a flashback to the past, the Avenger offense was in quick-strike mode during its two-game winning streak last month over the past two ArenaBowl champions (San Jose and Colorado), scoring 13 of its 17 touchdowns on "drives" of three plays or less (7-of-10 at San Jose and 6-of-7 vs. Colorado). Eighty-six of L.A.'s 181 offensive touchdowns dating back to last season have been of the quick-strike variety. In fact, 23 of them were on one-play "drives." Over the course of the last three seasons, 224-of-422 Avenger TDs were of the quick-strike variety (66 on a single play).

Avenger Touchdown Drives (2003-06)
Total TDDrives Quick Strikes (percent) 1 Play Score
2003 124 81 (65 %) 25
2004 117 57 (49 %) 18
2005 112 55 (49 %) 13
2006 69 31 (45 %) 10
Total 422 224 (53 %) 66

THE SACK STORM OF 2005: Never before in the history of the AFL had there been a defensive performance by a lineman like the one Silas Demary gave last season, which earned him the league's "Defensive Player of the Year" and "Lineman of the Year" awards. As Week 10 began, he had only one sack, but ended up breaking the oldest and most elusive record in the game. Craig Walls of the Pittsburgh Gladiators established the record with 13 sacks in 1987. Demary played in 15 games for the Avengers in 2005 (he missed the Dallas game on March 18 [L.A.'s only loss at home last year] while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee), but he recorded 12.5 of his sacks in the last seven regular-season games. He broke the record on May 21, 2005, by bringing down Grand Rapids QB Michael Bishop on the Rampage's first offensive play of the game. Demary also set a single-game Avenger record with four sacks versus New York on April 10 (three in the first quarter alone).

All-Time AFL Leaders -Sacks in a Single Season
1. Silas Demary (Los Angeles, 2005) 13.5
2. Craig Walls (Pittsburgh, 1987) 13.0
3. Joe March (Denver, 1991) 12.5

SACKMAN SIDELINED EARLY: Avenger lineman Silas Demary broke two fingers on his left hand in the first quarter of the game at Philadelphia on Feb. 5 (and continued to play the entire game) and was placed on injured reserve on Feb. 11. He missed two games before returning to action on Feb. 25 versus Utah. In that game, he registered his first sack of 2006 and, in the process, forced a fumble that was recovered and returned for a touchdown by Greg Hopkins. In the 75-61 victory at San Jose, Demary made 1.5 tackles, batted down a pass and blocked a crucial extra point attempt. Although Demary didn't register a sack in the first two games of the 2006 season, he did apply constant pressure on the quarterback. In the season-opening victory over Arizona, he was in the face of Rattler QB Sherdrick Bonner all afternoon and got credit for three "quarterback hurries." The following week, Demary got to Philadelphia QB Tony Graziani (a former Avenger teammate) early in the first quarter, knocking him to the turf and out of the game with a dislocated finger.

THE INTERCEPTION KING: In addition to being the AFL's 2002 "Ironman of the Year," WR/LB Greg Hopkins is the league's all-time leader in interception returns for touchdowns. Hopkins returned his 10th pick for a score in the 71-69 victory over San Jose on Feb. 20, 2005 to break a tie with Orlando defensive specialist Kenny "The Glove" McEntyre at the top of the AFL's career chart (Nashville's Darryl Hammond returned an INT 49 yards for a touchdown this season, in Week 2, to tie McEntyre with nine). On the record-breaking play, Hopkins jumped and grabbed a pass from SaberCat quarterback Mark Grieb and returned it three yards for the touchdown that gave the Avengers their first lead of the game at 16-14.

All-Time AFL Leaders -INT Returns for TDs (regular season)
Greg Hopkins (Los Angeles Avengers) 10
Kenny McEntyre (Orlando Predators) 9
Darryl Hammond (Nashville Kats) 9
Mark Ricks (1996-2004) 7
Hunkie Cooper (1993-2005) 7

LOCKE IS THE KEY: Much like they did a year ago, the Avengers began this season without offensive specialist Tony Locke. This year, he began the campaign on injured reserve (hand), but has returned to the starting lineup in the past nine games and has caught 57 passes for 832 yards for 12 touchdowns. Last month, in the 75-61 victory at San Jose, Locke caught seven passes for a game-high 168 yards (ranking him at No. 9 on the Avenger all-time single game chart) and three touchdowns. Last season, Locke began the year on the practice squad and went on to have a dramatic influence on the L.A. offense after joining the active roster in Week 4. In the first three weeks of the 2005 season, the Avengers averaged just 217.3 passing yards per game. In the 13 games that Locke played in, L.A. averaged 263.4 passing yards per game (reflecting a 21 percent increase). The team's touchdown passes per game also went up from 4.0 in the first three games to 5.4 in the last 13. Locke, who led the team with 27 touchdown receptions last season, also had six 100-yard games in 2005, and was named the "Offensive Player of the Game" five times. The Avengers were 4-1 last season when Locke caught at least three TD passes in a game.

SEVEN ARE ROOKIES: Seven of the 20 players on L.A.'s current active roster are rookies. They are quarterback Sonny Cumbie, WR/LB Antoine Burns, FB/LB Lavell Mann, and linemen Reggie Rhodes, Trevor Hutton, Victor Leyva and Jason Stewart. Of the 31 players that have seen action for Los Angeles this season, 10 are rookies. Last season, 17 of the 34 players who suited up for the Avengers experienced their first taste of AFL action in 2005 (including five players that are still with the club -- Richard Seals, Bernard Riley, Antuan Simmons, Michale Spicer and Rob Turner).

WHEELER CONTINUES TO ROLL: Avenger DS Damen Wheeler has come up with 13 INTs in his last 35 games, dating back to the tail end of the 2003 season.

BANNER DAY: Prior to the season-opening victory over Arizona, the Avengers showcased the newest addition to the wall at STAPLES Center -- their 2005 AFL Western Division championship banner, which includes a tribute to the late Al Lucas.

KICKING UP A STORM: Avenger kicker Remy Hamilton is having another standout season. Displaying stunning accuracy and consistency, he is 20-of-25 on his field goal attempts in 2006. Hamilton is a perfect 19-of-19 on three-pointers inside of 39 yards. He was a perfect 4-for-4 in the season opening victory over Arizona (20, 22, 29, 42) and duplicated the feat last month in the 60-57 win over Colorado (18, 24, 32, 33). Hamilton has also connected on 60 of his 66 extra point attempts this season. He currently leads all AFL kickers in scoring with 120 points (his closest competitor is 18 points behind). At this time last season, Hamilton was 26-of-31 on field goals. He went on to lead the AFL in field goals (29), field-goal percentage (.744) and kicking points (185) in 2005. Hamilton opened last year's campaign by hitting his first 11 three-pointers and dating back to the end of the 2004 season, he converted on 12 consecutive field goal attempts, which is an all-time AFL record. Hamilton kicked a career-high five field goals to help the Avengers beat Austin, 64-51, on Feb. 11, 2005. He scored a total of 22 points versus the Wranglers, came up with a key fumble recovery and was selected as the "Ironman of the Game," becoming the first kicker in AFL history to earn that honor. Last season, he was 6-of-12 from beyond 40 yards (41, 41, 43, 43, 48, 50) and half of his 10 misses were from 47, 48, 50, 53 and 56 yards out.

ANOTHER RECORD SETTING SEASON?: Last season, Avenger Remy Hamilton set a new AFL record for field goal percentage in a single season. In 2004, Jay Taylor of the Orlando Predators set the mark at .720 (18-of-25). Hamilton's percentage in 2005 was .744 (29-of-39). He and Taylor are the only two players in the 20-year history of the AFL to have a field-goal percentage better than .639. Hamilton also made a run at the league's all-time record for field goals in a single season (32, Daron Alcorn, 1999, Portland). Hamilton currently ranks at No. 3 on the AFL's all-time scoring by kickers and field goals made charts. He is one of three players in league history to boot over 125 field goals. Hamilton's current field goal percentage is .800 (20-of-25) and he is on pace to kick 29.1 three-pointers.

All-Time AFL Leaders -Scoring By Kickers
1. Steve Videtich (Utah) 1,329
2. Mike Black (1993-2004) 1,253
3. Remy Hamilton (Los Angeles) 1,243

All-Time AFL Leaders -Field Goals Made in a Career
1. Mike Black (1993-2004) 178
2. Steve Videtich (Utah) 164
3. Remy Hamilton (Los Angeles) 153

All-Time AFL Leaders -Field Goals Percentage in a Single Season
1. Remy Hamilton (Los Angeles, 2005) .744
2. Jay Taylor (Orlando, 2004) .720
3. Steve McLaughlin (Nashville, 2001) .639

All-Time AFL Leaders -Field Goals Made in a Single Season
1. Daron Alcorn (Portland, 1999) 32
2. Remy Hamilton (Los Angeles, 2005) 29
3. Daron Alcorn (Portland, 1997) 27

TOP BOSSES: Avenger head coach Ed Hodgkiss is ranked ninth on the AFL's all-time winning percentage chart (regular season only, minimum 65 games).

All-Time AFL Top Winning Percentages
Head Coaches Record Winning %
1. Perry Moss 75-28-1 .726
2. Tim Marcum * 155-63 .711
3. Darren Arbet * 78-37 .678
4. Danny White * 124-63 .663
5. Jay Gruden * 61-38 .616
6. Mike Dailey * 87-57 .604
7. Pat Sperduto * 40-28-1 .587
8. John Gregory 67-51 .568
9. Ed Hodgkiss * 41-32 .562
10. Todd Shell 53-45 .541
* Active coaches

THE DRIVE FOR FIVE: Head coach Ed Hodgkiss has led the Avengers to a winning season and playoff appearance in each of his four previous seasons at the helm. He is one of only three coaches in AFL history to post winning records in each of their first four seasons as an AFL head coach (Tampa Bay's Tim Marcum and Orlando's Jay Gruden are the other two).

Arena Football League Record Book -Most Winning Season to Begin an AFL Career
1. Tim Marcum (three teams, 1997-2001) 13
2. Jay Gruden (Orlando, 1998-present) * 6
3. Ed Hodgkiss (L.A., 2002-present) * 4
4. Three coaches tied 3
* Active streak

RARE SLIDE: Until L.A.'s five-game slide earlier this season, the Avengers had never lost more than two consecutive games in the "Ed Hodgkiss Era." And now the Avengers are currently on a three-game skid.

37.5 PERCENT TROJAN: Sometimes the starting defensive unit for the Avengers includes OL/DL Bernard Riley, FB/LB Lonnie Ford and DS Antuan Simmons. All three of those defenders played at the University of Southern California and were all members of the same Trojan teams from 1999 to 2001. (The Avenger roster also includes another USC Trojan, OS Kareem Kelly, who is currently in the injured reserve list.)

UNLIKELY TACKLERS: Among their other duties, Avenger kicker Remy Hamilton and backup QB Brian Mann have been busy making tackles on kickoff coverage this season. Hamilton, who leads the AFL in scoring by kickers with 120 points, also ranks at No. 11 in the league in special-teams tackles with 9.5. Mann, who started three of the first four games of the season at quarterback, has made 8.5 special-teams tackles in six games of action on the kickoff coverage unit (No. 17 in the AFL).



ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS:

AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Western Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Arizona 6 5 0 .545 515 528
Las Vegas 5 6 0 .455 556 577
San Jose 5 6 0 .455 584 592
Los Angeles 3 8 0 .273 534 637
Utah 3 8 0 .273 590 613

Central Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Colorado 8 3 0 .727 618 582
Nashville 7 4 0 .636 557 508
Chicago 4 7 0 .364 542 576
Grand Rapids 3 8 0 .273 506 597

NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Dallas 9 2 0 .818 628 491
New York 6 5 0 .545 564 594
Philadelphia 6 5 0 .545 517 514
Columbus 5 6 0 .455 483 459

Southern Division
W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Georgia 7 4 0 .636 624 492
Austin 7 4 0 .636 540 514
Orlando 7 4 0 .636 547 522
Tampa Bay 6 5 0 .545 582 591
Kansas City 2 9 0 .182 459 559

PLAYING FOR HIGH STAKES: Twice in the previous three seasons, the Avengers came one regular-season victory shy of earning the AFL's No. 1 overall seed. Last season, Los Angeles had already wrapped up its first Western Division championship when it traveled to Grand Rapids. The Avengers led by a touchdown at halftime but eventually lost to the Rampage, 71-65, while resting several key starters in the second half. In other key games on that final regular-season weekend, New York beat Colorado and San Jose beat Georgia, which meant L.A. would have been the No. 1 overall seed if it had beaten Grand Rapids (by virtue of a head-to-head tiebreaker over Georgia). Two years earlier, the Avengers closed the 2003 regular season with a monumental showdown at San Jose. Both teams entered that contest at 11-4, and the Western Division championship and overall No. 1 seed in the playoffs would go to the winner. The SaberCats won, 47-43, and earned home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

SLOW STARTERS: Continuing a trend that began last season, the Avengers have been getting off to slow starts in 2006. Through 11 games this season, Los Angeles has scored just 85 points in the first quarter (average of 7.7), while opponents have countered with 151 points. The Avengers pick things up in the second quarter, scoring a total of 172 points (34 points in the victory at San Jose on March 12), but that still trails the opposition (194 points). Things are much tighter in the third and fourth quarters, where the Avengers are being outscored 132-134 and 145-158, respectively. In 16 regular-season games last season, the Avengers scored only 133 points in the first quarter (average of 8.3), while opponents countered with 171. The second quarter was when the Avengers shined brightest, scoring a total of 258 points (average of 16.1). L.A. also did well in the third quarter, racking up 252 (average of 15.8). But, things slowed down in the fourth quarter, when the Avengers were outscored, 275-212.

... WHEN THEY DO GET AHEAD: The Avengers have held the lead at halftime in only nine of their last 26 games and went on to win seven of those games.

... AND AFTER THREE QUARTERS: The Avengers are 42-12 all-time when leading or tied after three quarters.

AVENGERS 2005 RESULTS (10-6, 0-1)
Date Opponent Result Score
Jan. 30 @ Las Vegas Loss 46-37
Feb. 4 Georgia Win 46-41
Feb. 11 @ Austin Win 64-51
Feb. 20 San Jose Win 71-69
Feb. 27 @ Colorado Loss 58-40
Mar. 6 @ Arizona Win 33-29
Mar. 18 Dallas Loss 72-50
Mar. 26 Tampa Bay Win 59-28
April 3 @ Orlando Loss 55-54 OT
April 10 New York Win 66-35
April 17 @ Nashville Loss 51-48
April 23 Chicago Win 52-49
April 30 Arizona Win 59-56
May 7 @ San Jose Win 54-42
May 14 Las Vegas Win 63-60
May 21 @ Grand Rapids Loss 71-65
May 29 Chicago (Playoffs) Loss 52-45

AFL RECORDS SET BY AVENGERS IN 2005:

Sacks (Season)
Silas Demary, 13.5 - (2005)
Field-Goal Percentage (Season)
Remy Hamilton, .744 - (2005)
Field Goals (Consecutive Made)
Remy Hamilton, 12 - (2004-05)
Field Goals (Consecutive Made in Single Season)
Remy Hamilton, 11 - (2005)

AFL WEEK 12 SCHEDULE (all times Pacific):

Friday, April 14
New York @ Columbus - 4 p.m. (SIRIUS Channel 110)
Georgia @ Orlando - 4:30 p.m. (FSN South* 7:30 p.m., Sun Sports* 7 p.m.)
Philadelphia @ Nashville - 5 p.m. (INHD)
Las Vegas @ San Jose - 7:30 p.m. (FSN Prime Ticket* 10:30 p.m.)

Saturday, April 15
Tampa Bay @ Austin - 5 p.m. (AFL Net, SIRIUS Channel 110)
Grand Rapids @ Dallas - 6 p.m. (FSN Detroit* 8 p.m., FSN Southwest)
Los Angeles @ Utah - 6 p.m. (AFL Net)
Chicago @ Arizona - 7 p.m. (OLN)

Sunday, April 16
Colorado @ Kansas City - 10 a.m. (NBC)

WEEKLY AFL SHOWS:

Monday, April 17
"AFL Weekly" on FSN West - 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 18
"This Week in the AFL" on SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Channel 110) - 5 p.m.
(replay at 10 p.m. on Wednesday night on Channel 123)

NIFTY NICKNAMES: Several Avengers played college football at schools with interesting nicknames ... Kevin Ingram, West Chester (Pa.) University Golden Rams; Brian Mann, Dartmouth College Big Green; Sean McNamara, Pittsburg (Kan.) State University Gorillas and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Golden Norsemen; Michale Spicer, Western Carolina University Catamounts and Rob Turner, Central Michigan University Chippewas.

NEW FAN-CENTRIC WEBSITE: Two days prior to their 2006 season opener, the Avengers launched a new, state-of-the-art official website that is perhaps the most fan-centric in all of sports.
Within this new model, Avenger fans are the biggest contributors to the website, adding their own unedited opinions and photos to a section called "The Buzz." In addition to being able to communicate with each other at laavengers.com, fans also interact directly with Avenger players, coaches and front office staff members, including Avenger owner and CEO Casey Wasserman. Just like the players they cheer for, Avenger fans are listed on their own roster and are able to create their own profiles directly on the website.
"We have an avid and loyal fan base, which is at the center of everything we do, so it is only natural that our website reflects that focus in every way," Wasserman said. "Giving Avenger fans an online community of their own, and one that we will also participate in, puts us at the forefront of what I believe will be the wave of the future in terms of websites for professional sports teams."

RECENT AVENGER TRANSACTIONS:
Date Action Player
4/8 Activated from injured reserve OL/DL Reggie RhodesFB/LB Lavell Mann
4/8 Placed on injured reserve FB/LB Jemelle CageOL/DL Richard Seals
4/4 Activated from refused to report WR/DB Brian Sump
4/4 Waived WR/DB Brian Sump
4/1 Activated off injured reserve OL/DL Jason StewartOL/DL Victor Leyva
4/1 Placed on injured reserve FB/LB-DE Michale SpicerWR/DB Lenzie Jackson
3/23 Activated off injured reserve DS Anthony Derricks
3/23 Placed on injured reserve OL/DL Maurice Anderson
3/18 Activated off injured reserve OL/DL Maurice Anderson
3/18 Placed on injured reserve OL/DL Victor Leyva
3/16 Activated off injured reserve OL/DL Charles Howard
3/16 Waived OL/DL Charles Howard
3/11 Activated off injured reserve FB/LB-DE Michale Spicer
3/11 Placed on injured reserve FB/LB Lavell Mann
3/4 Activated off injured reserve DS Antuan SimmonsWR/LB Antoine Burns
3/4 Placed on injured reserve QB Kevin ThompsonDS Ricky Sharpe
3/2 Signed QB Kevin Thompson
3/2 Placed on injured reserve OL/DL Maurice Anderson
3/1 Signed FB/LB Lavell MannOL/DL Maurice AndersonOL/DL Victor Leyva
2/28 Placed on injured reserve FB/LB Josh Jeffries
2/24 Activated from injured reserve OL/DL Silas DemaryOL/DL Rod Manuel
2/24 Placed on injured reserve FB/LB-DE Michale SpicerWR/LB Rob TurnerOL/DL Reggie Rhodes
2/21 Waived OL/DL Isaac Hilton
2/17 Activated from injured reserve DS-WR/DB Ricky SharpeOL/DL Richard SealsQB Sonny Cumbie
2/17 Placed on injured reserve DS Anthony DerricksOL/DL Jason Stewart
2/14 Waived QB Ryan Van Dyke
2/11 Activated from injured reserve OS Tony LockeOL/DL Jemelle Cage
2/11 Placed on injured reserve OL/DL Silas DemaryOS Kareem Kelly
2/4 Placed on injured reserve DS Antuan Simmons
2/4 Recalled from waivers OL/DL Isaac Hilton
2/3 Signed DS Antuan Simmons
2/3 Placed on recallable waivers OL/DL Isaac Hilton

L.A. IN O.T.: The Avengers have an all-time record of 3-5 in overtime games. Los Angeles is 3-1 when playing the extra period on the road and a winless 0-4 within the usually friendly confines of STAPLES Center. In three of the eight OT games, the Avenger opponent has been Arizona (L.A. is 1-2 in those contests). In all three overtime victories, L.A. won by six points and held the opponent scoreless (twice getting the ball on downs and once benefiting from a missed field goal). The Avengers have played in at least one OT game in each of their six seasons of play in the AFL (once in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005, and twice in 2001 and 2003).

Avengers in OvertimeCategory Record
All-time 3-5
At home 0-4
On the road 3-1
When getting the ball first 1-3
When getting the ball second 2-2
When scoring a touchdown 3-3
When scoring first 3-2
When scoring second 0-1
When a field goal is attempted 0-2
When missing a PAT kick 1-2
When getting a two-point conversion 0-0
When allowing a two-point conversion 0-1

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

Saturday, April 15, at Utah, 6 p.m.
Radio: AM 570
Saturday, April 22, NEW YORK, 7:30 p.m.
TV: FSN West Radio: AM 570, 1220-KWKU
(television delayed until 9:30 p.m.)
Saturday, April 29, SAN JOSE, 7:30 p.m.
Radio: AM 570, 1220-KWKU
Saturday, May 6, NASHVILLE, 7:30 p.m.
Radio: AM 570, 1220-KWKU
Saturday, May 13, LAS VEGAS, 7:30 p.m.
Radio: AM 570, 1330-KWKW

LAST GAME:

BRIGADE BOMBS AVENGERS, 63-49

By Michael Ordoña
laavengers.com

When you're 3-7 but still have a good shot at the playoffs, every game is a must-win. So the defending Western Division champion Avengers went to Kansas City's Kemper Arena to face the first-year Brigade (1-9) not taking anything for granted ... and still lost.
And lost ugly, 62-45, to an offensively struggling team with the league's worst record. The defeat made Los Angeles' playoff situation even more precarious.
"We're just talking about trying to win a game right now," Avenger head coach Ed Hodgkiss said. "We just need to play well. The playoffs are far away from us right now."
L.A.'s postseason hopes aren't quite on life support, but their vital signs are erratic. With Chicago's overtime loss to Philadelphia, the Avengers (3-8) trail the Rush for the final American Conference spot by one game with five to play but are tied with two other teams that also beat them this year. The good news for L.A. fans is that after next week's division contest at Utah, the team finishes with four straight at home.
Against the Brigade, the Avengers' Achilles' heels remained the same as they've been all year: poor line play and inability to get stops on defense. L.A. gave up three more sacks and seemingly endless quarterback hits and hurries while registering no sacks of their own. The team has now allowed 28 sacks while dropping opposing quarterbacks only four times in 11 games. Hodgkiss acknowledged that although the Avengers' options are limited, changes have to be made.
"It's beyond the trade deadline, but we're not going to continue down the road we're going," he said. "We'll make a decision as the week goes on."
After riding fine efforts from quarterback Sonny Cumbie and wide receiver/defensive back Kevin Ingram to a 35-34 third-quarter lead, the Avengers gave up a game-turning 28-3 run by the heretofore low-scoring Brigade.
Kansas City was averaging under 40 points a game coming in; it racked up 34 in the first half alone against the Avengers on its way to a season-high 62. In only his fourth game as the Brigade's main man, quarterback Chris Sanders threw for seven scores and ran for another. L.A.'s defense registered only one stop for the entire game, on an interception by wide receiver/linebacker Greg Hopkins as time expired in the first half.
Ingram, who had eight receptions for 77 yards and four touchdowns to raise his team-leading total to 23, said, "We had a couple of missed tackles, weren't getting too much pressure on the quarterback. It's from the d-backs to the defensive line. But it's more than just the defense right now; it's offense and special teams too. We didn't convert on fourth downs, we fumbled, gave them short field. You can't just put it on the defense."
Despite taking another beating, Cumbie had a great first half with four touchdown passes -- including a bomb to offensive specialist Tony Locke, an all-focus, in-traffic, one-handed snag by Hopkins and a deflected pass that Ingram turned into a great catch that he took to the house.
Cumbie finished 23-of-35 for 248 yards and six TDs with no picks, improving his already sparkling TD-INT ratio to 36-3. But the Avengers' "Rookie of the Year" candidate was outshone by the Brigade's brand new stealth bomber, WR/DB Aaron Boone (not the third baseman). In his K.C. debut last week, Boone set a team record with 129 receiving yards. He shattered that mark Sunday against Los Angeles with 157 yards and five touchdowns on 13 catches, often dragging multiple tacklers for extra acreage.
Hodgkiss said that Boone was definitely on the Avengers' radar after his spectacular debut game.
"I thought he played like that last week," Hodgkiss said. "I thought the kid played great (against us, but) when he caught the ball, we didn't tackle him well."
So the Avengers are down but not out. They remain in the playoff chase, if far back in the pack, but they know they have the horses to finish strong.
"I know some guys are down," Ingram said. "We felt good before the game, feeling like we're going to play hard and get a win. You know, one win can turn it around. There's some things we have to fix. We have to play harder. Hopefully something can happen and we can flick a switch and turn it on."

LOS ANGELES (3-8) 7 21 7 10 -- 45
KANSAS CITY (2-9) 20 14 7 21 -- 62

THIS SEASON THE AVENGERS ARE ...
- 2-2 at STAPLES Center
- 1-6 on the road
- 2-1 when they score more than 50 points
- 2-1 when they score 60 or more points
- 1-0 when they score 70 or more points
- 1-1 when they allow less than 50 points
- 1-0 when they allow less than 40 points
- 3-1 when they score first
- 2-2 when they commit fewer turnovers
- 0-5 when they commit more turnovers
- 2-6 whey they make at least one interception
- 1-4 when a player scores three or more touchdowns
- 1-4 when they throw for at least 5 touchdowns
- 3-8 when they pass for 200+ yards
- 1-1 when they pass for 300+ yards
- 1-4 when they don't throw an INT
- 2-7 when Kevin Ingram scores two or more TDs
- 3-6 when Kevin Ingram catches 6 or more passes
- 1-4 when Greg Hopkins catches six or more passes
- 3-1 when Remy Hamilton scores at least 12 points
- 1-5 when they commit fewer penalties
- 1-2 when they record at least one sack
- 1-1 when the game is decided by 7 or fewer points
- 1-1 when leading at halftime
- 2-7 when trailing at halftime

"IRONMAN OF THE GAME": Voted on by the media, the award goes to the two-way player who best demonstrated the ideals of the AFL's style of ironman football.

Week Opp. Ironman of the Game
1 Arizona WR/DB Kevin Ingram (L.A.)7 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
2 @ Philly WR/DB Kevin Ingram (L.A.)8 rec., 132 yds., 3 TDs, 7 tackles
3 @Grand Rapids WR/DB Timon Marshall (G.R.)4 catches, 2 TDs, 4.5 tackles
4 Chicago WR/DB Dennison Robinson (Chi.)4 catches, 5 tackles, 1 INT
5 Utah WR/LB Greg Hopkins (L.A.)7 catches, 4.5 tackles, 4 TDs
6 @ Orlando WR/LB Jerrian James (Orl.)115 all-purpose yds., 1 INT for TD
7 @ San Jose WR/DB Kevin Ingram (L.A.)7 rec. for 68 yds., 4 stops, 3 TDs
8 Colo. WR/LB Antoine Burns (L.A.)5 catches, 136 all-purp. Yds., 1 FR
9 @ Arizona WR/DB Randy Gatewood (Arizona)7 catches, 112 yards, 3.5 tackles
10 @ Las Vegas WR/DB Kevin Ingram (L.A.)6 catches, 2 TDs, INT ret. for TD
11 @ K.C. WR/LB James Jordan (Kansas City)2 catches, 46 yards, 3.5 tackles

"ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME": Voted on by the media, the award goes to the player who was the most valuable to his team's defensive success in the game, win or lose.

Week Opp. Defensive Player of the Game
1 Arizona WR/DB Kevin Ingram (L.A.)2 tackles, 1 interception
2 @ Philly OL/DL Earnest Allen (Philadelphia)1.5 stops, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble
3 @Grand Rapids DS Johnnie Harris (G.R.)10 tackles, 1 interception
4 Chicago DS Jeremy Unertl (Chicago)5.5 tackles, 1 INT return for TD
5 Utah DS Ricky Sharpe (L.A.)7.5 tackles, 1 interception
6 @ Orlando OL/DL Henry Taylor (Orl.)Consistent pressure on QB
7 @ San Jose DS Antuan Simmons (L.A.)Game-high 10 tackles (9 solos)
8 Colo. DS Antuan Simmons (L.A.)4.5 stops, 37-yd. INT return for TD
9 @ Arizona DS Joseph Todd (Arizona)7 pass breakups, 6.5 tackles
10 @ Las Vegas OL/DL Steve Konopka (Las Vegas)2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble
11 @ K.C. DS Calvin Spears (Kansas City)4 pass breakups, 4.5 tackles

"OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME": Voted on by the media, the award goes to the player who was the most valuable to his team's offensive success in the game, win or lose.

Week Opp. Offensive Player of the Game
1 Arizona Kicker Remy Hamilton (L.A.)4-for-4 on field goals, 16 points
2 @ Philly QB Matt Sauk (Philadelphia)17-of-29, 147 yards, 3 TDs
3 @Grand Rapids QB Chad Salisbury (G.R.)16-of-27, 177 yards, 6 TDs
4 Chicago QB Matt D'Orazio (Chicago)20-of-26, 251 yards, 3 TDs
5 Utah QB Sonny Cumbie (L.A.)29-of-43, 266 yards 7 TDs
6 @ Orlando FB/LB Marlon Moye-Moore (Orl.)16 yards rushing, 1 catch, 2 TDs
7 @ San Jose WR/LB James Roe (San Jose)12 catches, 156 yards, 4 TDs
8 Colo. OS Damian Harrell (Colorado)9 catches, 169 yards, 4 TDs
9 @ Arizona QB Sherdrick Bonner (Arizona)16-of-29, 236 yards, 7 TDs
10 @ Las Vegas WR/LB Coco Blalock (Las Vegas)7 catches for 85 yards, 1 TD
11 @ K.C. WR/LB Aaron Boone (Kansas City)13 catches, 157 yards, 5 TDs

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 12, 2006


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