New Orleans VooDoo Weekly News & Notes
February 18, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
* VooDoo CRACK AFLWA POLL: The VooDoo's 2-0 start and come-from-behind 41-40 victory over the Indiana Firebirds in the team's inaugural home opener at the New Orleans Arena were enough to impress the Arena Football League Writers Association to place them in eighth place in the weekly writers poll. The weekly poll, which is based on a vote of AFLWA members, ranks the top eight teams in the Arena Football League. Founded at the start of the 2004 season, the AFLWA is a national organization made up of media members who cover the Arena Football League. New Orleans received 27 votes this week to enter the poll for the first time. The Georgia Force, this week's opponent for the VooDoo, is ranked ninth with 18 votes.
* WHAT A RUSH: For the second consecutive game, FB/LB Dan Curran rushed for two touchdowns in a game. Curran's final touchdown proved to be his most important for the VooDoo, as he swept over the goal line from two yards out with no time remaining last Saturday against the Indiana Firebirds to tie the score at 40-40. One of the VooDoo's first acquisitions in the off-season, Curran was signed by the VooDoo from the Georgia Force, where he established himself the past two seasons as one of the AFL's top fullbacks. Curran is currently the leading rusher in the Arena Football League with eight carries for 49 yards and is tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns. The University of New Hampshire product is also tied for 12th in the AFL in scoring among non-kickers with 24 points. Curran has scored 17 touchdowns in his four-year AFL career.
* DEFENSE NEVER RESTS: The VooDoo defense is currently ranked first in the Arena Football League's National Conference, composed of teams from the league's Southern and Eastern divisions. The defense has given up only 74 points in their first two games, the lowest AFL total for teams that have played two games so far. New Orleans has been led by a strong pass defense that has only surrendered 214.5 passing yards in its first two games. Even more impressive: The VooDoo secondary is manned by two first-time starters in Monty Montgomery and Chris Pointer. Montgomery, a five-year NFL veteran, has quickly adjusted to the indoor game, recording nine tackles, one interception and three passes defensed. Pointer, who went to training camp with the Carolina Panthers in 2003, currently leads VooDoo defenders with 14 tackles.
* IMPACT PLAYER: OS Aaron Bailey has made an immediate impact on the VooDoo offense. Bailey, a four-year AFL veteran who came to the VooDoo from the San Jose SaberCats after spending his first two seasons playing under VooDoo coach Mike Neu in Carolina, is the third-leading receiver in the Arena Football League after two games with 17 receptions for 268 yards and four touchdowns. Bailey's receiving yardage total is ranked second in the AFL, while his reception total is ranked third. He is also tied for 12th in scoring among nonkickers. He ranks first in the league in first downs (15) and is tied for second in third -down receptions (5). Bailey is on pace to surpass his finest AFL season, when he caught 89 balls for 1,102 yards and 18 touchdowns under Neu with the Carolina Cobras in 2002. A five-year NFL veteran, Bailey played for the Indianapolis from 1994-98 and is the Colts' career leader with 3,501 kickoff return yards and is tied for the team's all-time lead with two touchdown returns.
* COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH : QB John Fitzgerald has been a steadying presence to the VooDoo offense, completing 33-of-73 passes for 428 yards, with seven touchdown passes and no interceptions. The fourth-year veteran has played his best when it matters most, as he has posted a third down passer rating of 132.3, which ranks second in the AFL. On third-down plays, Fitzgerald has completed 6-of-8 passes for 54 yards and three touchdown passes.
* 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. Various local celebrities and selected Saints coaches, players and front office personnel will serve as color analysts. Saints CB Ashley Ambrose will handle color for this week's game, which will be broadcast on WWL. WWL will also broadcast a weekly coach's show with Head Coach Mike Neu on Tuesday evenings from 9 - 10:00 p.m., with Kenyon and Kenny Wilkerson as the co-hosts. Due to the Mardi Gras holiday, next week's show will air on Monday, February 23 from 9-10:00 p.m.
Ten of the VooDoo's regular season games are scheduled to be broadcast by NBC, including this weekend's contest at Georgia, 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 VooDoo game broadcast. Cox Sports TV will also air "Inside VooDoo with Mike Neu" on a weekly basis. The half-hour show will show on Thursday, February 19 from 5:30-6:00 p.m. and will be replayed on Sunday, February 22, prior to the Georgia game from 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 18, 2004
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