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Maurice Bryant Stepping up for the Gladiators

March 16, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Las Vegas Gladiators News Release


By Tom Ando, LVGladiators.com

"He da man."

Those are the first words out of Head Coach Frank Haege's mouth when asked about Maurice Bryant, but come on, can you blame him?

All the guy did was catch the game tying touchdown in overtime to set up a victory over the red hot Arizona Rattlers and seal the team's first western division victory. For Bryant however, the game meant a whole lot more.

"It was a huge win definitely for the team and for me, but I'm just glad I was able to play in the game and contribute," says Bryant, a fifth year veteran. "I just needed to kind of put it in their face, especially to score one at the end of the game. That was a real good one for me."

The reason it was a real good one is that Bryant spent the first four years of his career in Arizona before the Rattlers decided it was time they went their separate ways. One team official even went as far as to say that Bryant was "just a headache," and even though the numbers were sporadic, "Mo" still put in spectacular performances when given a chance.

"They weren't giving me an equal opportunity to showcase my ability," says the 30 year old Bryant. "I tried to be loyal to them and stick it out and be there but who knows what was going on with them."

In 2000, his first season in the Arena Football League, Bryant recorded 60 receptions for 893 yards with 19 touchdowns in just eight contests and was signed by the Tennessee Titans, the team that originally signed him as an undrafted free agent back in 1998.

"Man, that was a great experience," says Bryant. "Hanging out with Eddie George and Steve McNair and seeing how they live and how they play football and to tell you the truth, it's not much different than playing against guys in college ball."

In 2001, Bryant scored 19 touchdowns for the second consecutive season on 65 catches that totaled 904 yards in just ten appearances. Playing eight games in 2002, he had 41 catches for 462 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Bryant would suffer through a miserable 2003 season as he was often injured and managed just 11 catches for 101 yards and just one score, it was then that the Rattlers decided to get rid of their "headache."

"At first I thought it was ok;" says Bryant of his days as a Rattler, "they were treating me right and giving me the opportunity to make plays, but as the years went by, they started to get two faced and started doing things behind my back."

Looking to add even more firepower to a Gladiators offense that includes Terrill Shaw, Marcus Nash and Cornelius Bonner as targets for newly acquired Quarterback Clint Dolezel, Haege jumped quickly at the chance to bring in the former Western Division rival.

"Maurice has been an outstanding acquisition for us," said the third year coach. "He's got good speed, great size and he's really tough and he's done a great job for us."

Once he was fully recovered from injury, Bryant hit the ground running and is on pace for another banner season with nineteen receptions and is doing something familiar by catching touchdowns; four thus far.

Another aspect of Bryant's game that is familiar is hauling precision passes from a Quarterback wearing number thirteen as he was the recipient of many passes from All Arena QB Sherdrick Bonner of Arizona. Bryant has no problem comparing the two stars.

"Clint is definitely better. I was with Sherdrick for four seasons but Clint's got it going on."

Clint more than had it going on Sunday completing 34 of 51 passes for 334 yards and eight touchdowns. Eleven of those passes, three of which were touchdowns, went to Bryant as he was playing like a man on a mission, in particular on many plays where it seemed as if he and former UNLV star Hunkie Cooper were set to go at it.

"He's a great athlete that's been around a while and all that," says Bryant. "But he just does a lot of shady stuff like talk about people behind their backs so I just wanted to rub it in his face."

By making the big play in overtime, Bryant more than rubbed it in Arizona's face as they were forced to go home with a loss that snapped their three game winning streak. As for the Gladiators, the emotional victory could be the perfect medicine to turnaround their 2004 season.

"We've just got to gel together," says Bryant, who has been on a pair of ArenaBowl squads. "I think even though we won, it was a close game and we've still got some things to work on as far as protection and stuff like that. We're really not all the way there yet with the talent level that we have on the team. A couple of defensive break downs that we had could've been avoided, so once we gel together and everyone knows their job, I think we'll be right there."

To help get the team to their first ArenaBowl, Bryant has even began to play some defense as well, something he did not do often in Arizona.

"(Playing both ways) ain't no joke man, I'm telling you, you have got to have full conditioning. I tip my hat to the guys who go both ways and win ironman awards because it is not easy."

As for the "headache" that Arizona insisted that Coach Haege would have, he concedes the situation is anything but.

"He hasn't been (a headache) for me at all, he's been a good guy; he's always on time, has a great personality and is a pleasure to be around."

With the support of his Head Coach, and a motor that never seems to stop, there is no telling on just how good Maurice Bryant could be for the remainder of the season, but offers a hint on what to expect.

"I go out there and give it my all every time that I step on to the field, I have my fans looking at me and they know that this guy is giving 110 percent and I won't let them down."

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 16, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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