New Orleans VooDoo game notes

February 25, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release


New Orleans VooDoo (3-0) at Las Vegas Gladiators (1-2)
Week 4 -- February 29, 2004, 2:00 p.m. (CST)
Thomas & Mack Center (16,606) -- Las Vegas, NV

QUICK FACTS
New Orleans VooDoo (3-0)
vs. Las Vegas Gladiators (1-2)
Site: Thomas & Mack Center (16,606)
Radio: WSMB (1350-AM)
Chris Kenyon and Michael Lewis
TV: NBC Sports (Ch. 6 in New Orleans)
Bill Weber and Pat Sperduto
Coaches: New Orleans: Mike Neu (1st Season in New Orleans, 2nd season overall, 9-8, regular season; 1-2 postseason); Las Vegas: Frank Haege (3rd season in Las Vegas, 18-15 overall, 0-2 postseason)

New Orleans VooDoo Travel To Las Vegas as they try to stay undefeated

The VooDoo will travel west face the Las Vegas Gladiators on Sunday, February 29 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nv. The VooDoo come to Las Vegas after winning the first three games of their inaugural season, including a 55-52 win over the Georgia Force last Sunday. FB/LB Dan Curran had seven carries for 21 yards and two TDs. OS Aaron Bailey caught five passes for 52 yards with three TDs. QB John Fitzgerald enjoyed his most effective performance in a VooDoo uniform, as he was 15-of-26 passing for 237 yards with five TDs. WR/LB Anthony Collins caught a 44-yard TD. Defensively, DS Chris Pointer led the VooDoo with eight tackles while OL/DL B.J. Cohen added 1.5 tackles, a tackle for a loss, one sack for -4 yards and one forced fumble. Cohen was also a force offensively, catching three passes for 42 yards.

NEXT WEEK

The New Orleans VooDoo will return home to face the reigning ArenaBowl Champion Tampa Bay Storm on Sunday, March 7 at 11 a.m. at the New Orleans Arena.

NEW ORLEANS VooDoo (3-0)
Date Opponent Time Result
Feb. 8 at Philadelphia 2 p.m. 42-34
Feb. 14 vs. INDIANA 2 p.m. 41-40
Feb. 22 at Georgia 2 p.m. 55-52
Feb. 29 at Las Vegas 2 p.m.
Mar. 7 TAMPA BAY 11a.m.
Mar. 12 DETROIT 7 p.m.
Mar. 18 at Arizona 8 p.m.
Mar. 27 CAROLINA 7 p.m.
Apr. 2-4 Bye Weekend
Apr. 9 at Orlando 6:30 p.m.
Apr. 18 COLUMBUS 2 p.m.
Apr. 25 at Austin 2 p.m.
May 1 at San Jose 9:30 p.m.
May 9 ORLANDO 2 p.m.
May 15 GEORGIA 7 p.m.
May 23 at Tampa Bay 2 p.m.
May 30 AUSTIN 3 p.m.

www.GoVooDoo.com

For updated news, press releases, statistics, rosters, players, coach and front office biographies, ticket information, merchandise, photo galleries and New Orleans VooDoo Dolls information, go to the official website of the New Orleans VooDoo, www.GoVooDoo.com. Updated daily, www.GoVooDoo.com has the most extensive information on the VooDoo and the Arena Football League.

The Coaches

Mike Neu: Neu is the first head coach of the New Orleans VooDoo. Neu is a six-year Arena Football coaching veteran, coming to the New Orleans after serving as head coach of the AFL Carolina Cobras in 2002. That season, Neu guided the Cobras to a 5-2 record on the road and their secondstraight postseason berth. Prior to coming to Carolina, Neu served as Head Coach and Director of Football Operations for the Augusta Stallions of af2 in 2000. In his only season, Neu led Augusta to a 14-4 record, the American Conference title and was named the league's Coach of the Year. Neu began his coaching career in 1994 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Ball State. His pro playing career started with a stint with the CFL Calgary Stampeders in 1995 before joining the AFL's Orlando Predators in 1996 and moving on to the Nashville Kats in 1997. He started his coaching career with the Kats in 1998.

Neu played four seasons at Ball State, where he was named the MAC Most Valuable Player of the Year as a senior in 1993. A four-year starter, Neu guided Ball State to the conference championship his final year and holds school career passing records in yards, attempts, completions and touchdown passes.

Neu and his wife, Charmin, have a daughter, Graycen and a son, Carson.

Frank Haege: Haege concluded his second year as Head Coach with the Las Vegas Gladiators in 2003, guiding the team to eight wins and leading the club to its second consecutive postseason appearance. In 2002, Heage led the Gladiators to a 9-5 record and their first-ever playoff berth. Prior to coming to the Gladiators, Haege served two years as head coach and director of football operations with the af2 Quad City Steamwheelers, where he posted a 37-1 record and consecutive ArenaCup Championships. Coached with the New Jersey Red Dogs from 1997-99 and also with the Minnesota Fighting Pike as defensive coordinator in 1996 and the Milwaukee Mustangs in 1994. Served as offensive coordinator at Augsburg College from 1996-98. Played football for one year at Vermillion (Minn.) Community College and three years as a tight end at University of Wisconsin-Stout (1989-91).

VooDoo - Gladiators Connections

VooDoo DS Chris Pointer saw limited action for the Las Vegas Gladiators in 2002 when the team played in New Jersey, prior to moving in 2003...New Orleans DS Monty Montgomery and Las Vegas WR/DB Maurice Bryant were college teammates at the University of Houston from 1994- 96...VooDoo special teams coordinator/offensive assistant Tres Sullivan and Las Vegas OL/DL Joe Burch were teammates with the Arizona Rattlers in 1996...VooDoo coach Mike Neu and Las Vegas OL/DL John DeWitt were teammates with the Nashville Kats in 1997...New Orleans WR/DB Luke Leverson and Las Vegas FB/LB Phil Glover were teammates with the Toronto Phantoms in 2002...Leverson also was a teammate of Gladiators OL/DL Steve Konopka with the New England Sea Wolves in 2000 and in Toronto from 2001-02...Las Vegas OL/DL Furnell Hankton prepped at Booker Washington High School in New Orleans, played at LSU from 1994-97. He and Las Vegas K Darren Alcorn played with VooDoo OL/DL Tim Martin with the Oklahoma Wranglers in 2000...Las Vegas DS Jeroid Johnson prepped at Alfred Lawless High School in New Orleans...OS Aaron Bailey and Las Vegas K Darren Alcorn and OL/DL Cedric Pittman were teammates with the San Jose SaberCats in 2003...Las Vegas WR/DB Dennison Robinson is a Baton Rouge native who prepped at Murphy High School in Mobile, Al. During the offseason, Robinson works as a substitute teacher at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge...Las Vegas OL/DL Steve Scifres played guard for the New Orleans Saints briefly in 1999...New Orleans fullbacks/linebackers coach Franklin Thomas played for Las Vegas head coach Frank Haege when Haege served as defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Fighting Pike in 1996...Las Vegas OS Terrill Shaw went to training camp this past summer with the New Orleans Saints, where he caught one two-yard touchdown in limited preseason action. Shaw played wide receiver and handled punt return duties at Southern Mississippi from 1995-98...OS Aaron Bailey, QB John Fitzgerald and K Brian Schmitz played with Las Vegas OL/DL Desmond Byrd in Carolina in 2002, where they were coached by Mike Neu. When Fitzgerald played for the Houston Thunderbears in 2001, Las Vegas assistant head coach/offensive line/fullbacks/ special teams Ron James served as director of player personnel for the team.

VooDoo on the Airwaves

VooDoo and AFL fans will enjoy plenty of chances to watch the newest team in New Orleans both live and on various on radio and television programs throughout the 2004 season.

Every game will be heard on WWL-AM 870 or WSMB-AM 1350. Chris Kenyon will handle play-by-play. Selected Saints coaches, players and front office personnel will serve as analysts. Saints WR Michael Lewis will handle color for this week's game, which can be heard on WSMB. WWL will also broadcast a weekly coaches show with coach Mike Neu on Tuesdays from 9 - 10p.m., with Kenyon and Kenny Wilkerson as the co-hosts. Due to Mardi Gras, the show has been cancelled this week.

10 of the VooDoo's regular season games are scheduled to be broadcast by NBC and will be seen locally on WDSU Channel 6. Cox Sports Television will broadcast the VooDoo's remaining six games regionally. They will also broadcast a 30-minute pre-game show before each game broadcast. Cox Sports TV will air "Inside VooDoo with Mike Neu" on a weekly basis. The half-hour show will show on Thursday, February 26 from 5:30-6 p.m. and will be replayed on February 29, prior to the Las Vegas game from 10:30 - 11 a.m.

Last Week

The VooDoo upped their perfect start to 3-0 after claiming a 55-52-road victory over the Georgia Force. New Orleans, who never trailed in the contest, used two fumbles by the Force offense in the first half to keep their lead throughout the game and remain atop the Southern Division.

OS Aaron Bailey, who was named the Offensive Player of the Game, paced New Orleans with a game-high three receiving touchdowns and 52 yards on five grabs. He also added 82 yards on five kickoff returns. FB/LB Dan Curran had two scores, while recent acquisition Jason Bratton added one.

Each team was held scoreless on their first drive of the game. New Orleans was able to use a second Georgia fumble to jump out to a 27-10 lead. Georgia finished the game strong scoring touchdowns on their final six drives, but it was not enough as New Orleans held on for the victory. A quick look at how New Orleans and Las Vegas match up based on 2004 regular season stats.

The VooDoo's Record When?

1-0 at home
2-0 on the road

1-0 vs. Central Division
1-0 vs. Eastern Division
1-0 vs. Southern Division
0-0 vs. Western Division

0-0 on Thursdays
0-0 on Fridays
1-0 on Saturdays
2-0 on Sundays
3-0 in February

3-0 in games televised on NBC
2-0 when leading at the half
0-0 when tied at the half
1-0 when trailing at the half
3-0 when leading after three quarters
0-0 when tied after three quarters
0-0 when trailing after three quarters
2-0 outcome 7 points or less
2-0 outcome 3 points or less
0-0 overtime games
1-0 when the VooDoo scores first
2-0 when the opponent scores first



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 25, 2004


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