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New Orleans VooDoo game notes

March 1, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release


QUICK FACTS
New Orleans VooDoo (4-1) at Dallas Desperados (4-1)
Site: American Airlines Center (15,919)
Television: Fox Sports Southwest (10:30 p.m. Tape Delay, Channel 38 in New Orleans)
Play-by-Play: Kevin Eschenfelder Analyst: Gary Reasons
Radio: WSMB (1350-AM)
Play-by-Play: Chris Kenyon Analyst: Brian Young
Coaches: NO: Mike Neu (2nd Season in New Orleans, 3rd season overall, 21-14, regular season; 1-3 playoffs);
DAL.: Will McClay (2nd season in Dallas and overall, 9-11) Series Record: First Meeting Between Teams

VooDoo TO FACE 4-1 DESPERADOS ON SATURDAY NIGHT

Coming off of an exciting, last second 48-42 victory over the Tampa Bay Storm on February 25 at the Graveyard, the 4- 1 VooDoo will face another tough task when they travel to Dallas to face the 4-1 Desperados on Saturday. While the game will pit two of the four teams tied for the top record in the league, it will also match the two top rated quarterbacks in the AFL in New Orleans' Andy Kelly and Dallas' Clint Stoerner. Friday's game will also be important in the Southern Division race, where New Orleans, Georgia and Orlando are tied for first place at 4-1. A win will give the VooDoo their first five game winning streak in club history.

A VooDoo WIN WOULD

* Improve New Orleans' record to 5-1.
* Give New Orleans the first five-game winning streak in the history of the franchise.
* Give New Orleans a 10-2 record all-time against non-divisional opponents.
* Improve New Orleans' non-divisional record to 4-0 in 2005.
* Mark New Orleans' first win in Dallas.
* Improve New Orleans' 2005 conference record to 3-1.
* Give New Orleans their second consecutive road win.

NEXT WEEK

Following this week's game, the VooDoo return home to face the Orlando Predators in a Sunday afternoon matchup. Dallas will travel to face the Austin Wranglers.

NEW ORLEANS VooDoo (4-1)
Date Opponent Time Result
Jan. 30 at Georgia 3 p.m. 44-46
Feb. 4 at Nashville 7:30 p.m. 59-34
Feb. 13 SAN JOSE 2 p.m. 62-61
Feb. 20 PHILADELPHIA 11 a.m. 61-47
Feb. 25 TAMPA BAY 7 p.m. 48-42
Mar. 5 at Dallas 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 13 ORLANDO 2 p.m.
Mar. 20 at Chicago 11 a.m.
Mar. 26 GEORGIA 7 p.m.
Apr. 1 at Austin 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 8-10 Bye Weekend
Apr. 16 COLUMBUS 7 p.m.
Apr. 23 at Grand Rapids 6:30 p.m.
Apr. 30 at Tampa Bay 6:30 p.m.
May 8 COLORADO 12 p.m.
May 14 AUSTIN 7 p.m.
May 20 at Orlando 6:30 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: The first coach of the New Orleans VooDoo, Mike Neu is a six-year Arena Football coaching veteran.

Since being named coach of the VooDoo on June 17, 2003, Neu worked has worked tirelessly to make New Orleans a winning team. In his first season at the helm, he successfully molded a 24-man roster comprised of a mix of AFL veterans and rookies, allowing the VooDoo to get off to a 7-1 start, one of the fastest starts for a first-year AFL entry. Neu led the VooDoo to an 11-5 record, making them the only team in league history to win 11 games in their first season.

The VooDoo's Southern Division title marked only the fourth time in AFL history that an expansion franchise has won their division in their first year of play. Following the season, Neu was named the AFL Coach of the Year.

For his professional career, Neu has posted a 21-14 regular season record and has reached the playoffs every season as both a coach and a player in the Arena Football League.

Neu came to New Orleans after serving as head coach of the Carolina Cobras. In 2002, Neu guided the Cobras to a 5-2 record on the road and their second-straight playoff berth. Carolina posted the first playoff victory in club history in 2002 as the club featured the AFL's fourth-ranked defense. As offensive coordinator with the Cobras in 2001, before being promoted to head coach prior to the team's first round playoff game, the Cobras averaged over 56 points a game (fifth in the league) and finished 7-7 (improving from a 3-13 record the year before).

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. Augusta finished in the top four in every major offensive and defensive category. Neu started his AFL coaching career with Nashville in 1998, when he served as quarterbacks coach for the Kats and handled all play-calling responsibilities for the offense. The next year he was promoted to offensive coordinator and the Kats achieved their third consecutive playoff berth. The team also set franchise highs in six offensive categories, including scoring and total offense. Current New Orleans QB Andy Kelly, one of top quarterbacks in Arena Football League history, enjoyed a career-high passer rating of 116.4 under Neu's tutelage in 1999. Neu began his coaching career in 1994 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Ball State.

Neu's professional playing career started with a stint with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders in 1995 before joining the Orlando Predators in 1996 and moving on to the Nashville Kats in 1997. The 1997 Nashville squad which Neu played on won an expansion record 10 games, a record which was broken by this VooDoo in 2004.

Neu played four seasons at Ball State, where he was named the MAC Most Valuable Player of the Year and Offensive 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 passing yardage, passing attempts, completions and touchdown passes. He was recently voted to the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. Neu and his wife, Charmin, have a daughter, Graycen and a son, Carson.

Will McClay: Will McClay begins his second year as the Desperados Head Coach. He was promoted to lead the team three days before kicking off the 2004 AFL season following the resignation of Joe Avezzano.

Before taking on the role of head coach, McClay spearheaded Dallas' defensive attack. He was hired as the team's inaugural defensive coordinator in 2002, and his work helped the club make two playoff appearances and win a division title in its first two years of existence.

McClay's first two seasons leading Dallas' defensive charge were riddled with injuries and personnel movement, forcing him to piece together new defensive units on a regular basis. With a more stable defensive corps in 2004, the defense witnessed improvements in total yards per game allowed (288.7 in 2003 to 260.1 in 004) and passing yards per game allowed (267.9 - 2003, 238.4 - 2004) while holding steady in rushing yards per game allowed (21.6 - 2003, 21.8 - 2004).

In addition to his work with the Desperados, McClay also works in the Dallas Cowboys scouting department grading players on other NFL teams. Prior to joining the Desperados and Cowboys, McClay was the Assistant Director of Pro Scouting for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his one season with the team (2001), he was charged with scouting NFL teams Jacksonville did not play and advance scouting work.

Before joining the Jaguars, McClay served as the player personnel director of the XFL's Orlando Rage, as well as a consultant and scout, in the spring of 2001.

Prior to moving into the personnel side of professional football, McClay spent 11 seasons in the AFL as a player and coach. He served as defensive coordinator and director of player personnel for the Grand Rapids Rampage in 1998.

He added the title of assistant head coach in 1999, when the Rampage improved to an 8-6 record after posting a 3-11 campaign the pervious season. In 1997, he was the defensive coordinator and director of player personnel for the Anaheim Piranhas after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Milwaukee Mustangs in 1995 and the Florida Bobcats in 1996. McClay was the secondary and special teams coach of the Detroit Drive in 1993, helping the team reach the ArenaBowl. From 1989-92, he was a wide receiver/ defensive back for the Drive, helping lead them to three ArenaBowl titles in four appearances.

McClay was a four-year letterman and team captain as a defensive back at Rice (1985-88), starting every game of his collegiate career.

2004 AWARD WINNERS

Rita Benson LeBlanc.....Executive of the Year
Mike Neu...........Coach of the Year
B.J. Cohen........All-Bentley Team (NBC)
Dan Curran.......All-Arena (first team)
All-Ironman team
U.S. Army Ironman of the Month (February)
All-Bentley Team (NBC)
John Fitzgerald AFLWA Player of the Week (4/25)
Monty Montgomery Defensive Player of the Week (4/18)
Defensive Player of the Month (April)
Lamont Moore...Defensive Player of the Week (March 7)

THE VooDoo's RECORD WHEN?

3-0 at home
1-1 on the road
Scoring Allowing
0-9 points 0-0 0-0
10-19 points 0-0 0-0
20-29 points 0-0 0-0
30-39 points 0-0 1-0
40-49 points 1-1 2-1
50-59 points 1-0 0-0
60-69 points 2-0 1-0
70-79 points 0-0 0-0
80+ points 0-0 0-0
1-0 vs. Central Division
1-0 vs. Eastern Division
1-1 vs. Southern Division
1-0 vs. Western Division
0-0 on Thursdays
2-0 on Fridays
0-0 on Saturdays
2-1 on Sundays
0-1 in January
4-0 in February
0-0 in March
0-0 in April
0-0 in May
2-0 in games televised on NBC
2-1 in games televised on Cox Sports Television
0-0 in games not televised
3-1 when leading after the first quarter
1-0 when tied after the first quarter
0-0 when trailing after the first quarter
3-0 when leading at the half
1-0 when tied at the half
0-1 when trailing at the half
2-0 when leading after three quarters
1-0 when tied after three quarters
1-1 when trailing after three quarters
1-1 outcome 7 points or less
1-1 outcome 3 points or less
0-0 overtime games
2-1 when the VooDoo scores first
2-0 when the opponent scores first
3-1 when the VooDoo has more total offense
1-0 when the VooDoo's opponent has more total offense
3-1 when the VooDoo has more yards passing than opp.
1-0 when the VooDoo has less yards passing than opp.
0-0 when the VooDoo has same passing yards as opp.
1-0 when the VooDoo has more yards rushing than opp.
3-1 when the opp. has more yards rushing than VooDoo

2005 WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

A listing of the weekly game award winners for 2005 VooDoo games

Offensive Player of the Game
Week 1: (at GEO): Troy Bergeron (GEO)
Week 2: (at NASH): Andy Kelly (NO)
Week 3: (SJS): Andy Kelly (NO)
Week 4: (PHI): Andy Kelly (NO)
Week 5: (TB): Jaques Rumph (NO)

ADT Defensive Player of the Game
Week 1: (at GEO): Dialleo Burks (GEO)
Week 2: (at NASH): B.J. Cohen (NO)
Week 3: (SJS): B.J. Cohen (NO)
Week 4: (PHI): Monty Montgomery (NO)
Week 5: (TB): Chris Pointer (NO)

U.S. Army Ironman of the Game
Week 1: (at GEO): Robert Thomas (GEO)
Week 2: (at NASH): Thabiti Davis (NO)
Week 3: (SJS): Thabiti Davis (NO)
Week 4: (PHI): Lamont Moore (NO)
Week 5: (TB): B.J. Cohen (NO)

TOPS AT HOME

A contributing factor for the VooDoo's early success as a franchise is their cumulative 11-1 record at the New Orleans Arena. After finishing tied for first in the league with a 7-1 home record in 2004, The VooDoo hav kept pace this current season, winning their first three home contests.

WHAT A CROWD

Through the regular season in 2004, the VooDoo attracted an average of 15,240 fans per game to the Graveyard. New Orleans' average crowd ranked third in the AFL, led attendance figures for teams in the Southern Division and was above the league average of 12,019. This season, the VooDoo's attendance has once again remained amongst lead leaders, above the league average of 12,638 and possessed the highest figures in the Southern Division, fueled by a sellout crowd of 16,503 on Friday against Tampa Bay. Below are the league's top average attendance figures.

Team Average Attendance
1. Columbus Destroyers 17,171
2. Philadelphia Soul 16,721
3. Nashville Kats 16,468
4. San Jose SaberCats 16,221
5. Colorado Crush 15,081
6. Chicago Rush 15,355
7. New Orleans VooDoo 14,632
8. Orlando Predators 13,424
9. Los Angeles Avengers 12,314
10. New York Dragons 12,788

TOP OF THE POLLS

The New Orleans VooDoo's early success in 2005 has impressed media members enough to move them up to the number one spot in both of their weekly power rating polls. In the Arena Football League's "Power Poll", released on Tuesday on arenafootball.com, the league's official website, the VooDoo held the top spot for the second consecutive week. The VooDoo moved into the top spot for the Arena Football Writers Association weekly poll last week and this week's poll will be released on Wednesday. The AFLWA is a national organization made up of media members who cover the AFL. Both weekly polls ranked the top eight teams in the Arena Football League. At the beginning of the season, New Orleans failed to hold a spot in either weekly poll.

RECEIVING OPTION

WR/LB Thabiti Davis was signed from Detroit to fill the void of a tall receiver in the VooDoo offense and improve the team's red zone production. After enjoying career-highs in 2004 and finishing among league leaders with 127 receptions for 1557 yards and 26 touchdowns, Davis has helped the the VooDoo offense, recording 42 receptions for 347 yards and seven touchdowns. Currently, Davis is tied for 19th in the AFL in scoring among nonkickers (42), second in receptions with OS Aaron Bailey, ranked 20th in receiving yardage, tied for 10th in first downs (23) and sixth in third down receptions (6). Davis has also been a steady defender at the "Jill" linebacker position, recording eight tackles.

IMPACT PLAYER

New Orleans VooDoo OS Aaron Bailey has been an important part of the VooDoo offense and one of the AFL's leading receivers since signing with the team prior to their inaugural season. In 2004, Bailey recorded 91 receptions for 1364 yards with 32 touchdowns and finished among league leaders in all major receiving categories, while setting career-highs. This season, Bailey is once again ranked among Arena Football League leaders with 42 receptions for 562 yards and 11 touchdown catches, while returning 11 kickoffs for 148 yards. Bailey is currently tied for seventh in the Arena Football League in scoring among nonkickers (72) and touchdown receptions, second in receptions, ranked first in receiving yardage and total yards from scrimmage (563), eighth in all-purpose yards (711), tied for first in first downs (34) and 10th in third down receptions (5).

ANDY KELLY

QB Andy Kelly, one of the AFL's premier quarterbacks and all-time passing leaders, was signed by the VooDoo in the team's objective to improve their passing offense. He currently holds the AFL career passing records for completions (3016), attempts (4892) and passing yards (33, 602) and is second all-time in touchdown passes (652). Kelly helped engineer squads in Nashville, Dallas and Detroit to playoff berths in seven consecutive seasons from 1997-2003 and helped lead the Kats to consecutive ArenaBowl berths from 2000-01. Kelly has started 124 consecutive games, the alltime record for consecutive starts by a QB. Kelly currently trails New York's Aaron Garcia (655) for the league's all-time lead in touchdown passes by three scores, as he is currently the second rated quarterback in the Arena Football League in 2005 (119.9) and at or near the top of the league leaders in most categories, completing 153-of-221 passes for 1569 yards with 32 TD passes and three interceptions. In addition to passer rating, he also is currently leading the league in attempts, completions, passing yardage, TD passes and completion percentage (69.2).

B.J. COHEN

OL/DL B.J. Cohen's leadership and performance has played a key role both on the field and in the locker room for the VooDoo. Starting 16 games last season, Cohen recorded 26 tackles, four sacks and finished third in the AFL with a career-high four forced fumbles. In 2005, Cohen is currently among the AFL's defensive leaders with 9.5 tackles, four sacks, one interception and a career-high five passes defensed. He is tied for second in the league in sacks.

VooDoo ON THE AIRWAVES

VooDoo fans will have plenty of chances to catch them live and on various radio and TV programs throughout 2005.

Every VooDoo game will be heard on WWL-AM 870 or WSMB-AM 1350. Chris Kenyon will handle play-by-play, selected Saints players and coaches will serve as guest color analysts and Kenny Wilkerson will handle sideline duties for home games. Saints DT Brian Young will serve as guest color analyst for the Dallas game. This week's game will be broadcast on WSMB. WWL will also broadcast a weekly coaches show with Mike Neu on Tuesdays from 7 - 8 p.m., with Wilkerson and Kenyon as the show's hosts.

Four 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 is scheduled to broadcast eight games and Fox Sports Net will broadcast two. This week's game will be broadcast at 10:30 p.m. on tape delay on Fox Sports Southwest following the network's Southwest Sports Report program. Kevin Eschenfelder will handle play-by-play and Gary Reasons will serve as color analyst. Selected media personalities and New Orleans Saints players and coaches will serve as guest color analysts throughout the season on Cox Sports Television broadcasts. Cox Sports Television will air "Inside VooDoo with Mike Neu" on a weekly basis, featuring a review of the last week's game, preview of the upcoming game and player and coach features. The half-hour show can be seen on Friday, March 4 from 6:00-6:30 p.m., prior to the broadcast's pre-game show. Kenyon will serve as the show's host and Tim Fanguy will do weekly player features.

VooDoo-DESPERADOS CONNECTIONS

New Orleans Saints and VooDoo Owner Tom Benson and Dallas Cowboys and Desperados Owner Jerry Jones are fellow NFL and AFL owners...Owner / Executive Rita Benson LeBlanc is a graduate of Texas A&M...Strength & conditioning coach Adam Bailey served as a grad. assistant at the University of Texas...FB/LB Jason Bratton prepped at Pine Tree HS in Longview...OL/DL Aaron Hamilton played for the Desperados in 2002...QB Andy Kelly played for the Desperados in 2002, becoming the league's all-time passing leader that year and leading the expansion franchise to the second round of the playoffs... OL/DL Tim Martin played for the Desperados from 2002-03...DS Monty Montgomery prepped at Gladewater HS...WR/DB Lamont Moore prepped at Waxahachie HS and was named the Metro Player of the Year by the Dallas Morning News in 1992. Moore played at Baylor from 1993- 96 and also played for the Texas Terminators of the IPFL and the Texas Bullets of the PIFL...DS Alvin Porter prepped at Adamson HS...Dallas Operations Manager Larry Dixon served on the coaching staff at Tulane in 1973...FB/LB Leroy Thompson and Dallas OL/DL Ernest Allen were teammates in Albany in 1997. OL/DL B.J. Cohen, WR/LB Thabiti Davis, Moore and K Brian Schmitz played with Allen and Dallas FB/LB Duke Pettijohn in Orlando...Dallas OL/DL Jeff Chase went to training camp with the Saints in 2002...OL/DL Bruce McClure played with Chase in Georgia in 2003 and Hamilton played with Chase in Colorado...Dallas DS Jermaine Jones prepped at Central Catholic HS in Morgan City and played at Northwestern State...Dallas DS Hamin Milligan was on the New Orleans roster briefly in 2004 before being traded to Chicago for FB/LB Chris Browning...OS Aaron Bailey and Milligan were teammates in San Jose in 2003...Dallas WR/DB Will Pettis went to training camp with the New Orleans Saints in 2003.

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