Notes from SaberCats ArenaBowl XVIII camp
June 25, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (June 25, 2004) - The following are vignettes concerning players and coaches from the week of June 20-24. They concern things inside and outside the football 'arena' leading up to the San Jose SaberCats traveling to Phoenix to meet the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVIII on Sunday, June 27, at 1 p.m. (PT).
WYMAN'S ' SECOND CHANCE FOUNDATION' GROWS
For the biggest player on the SaberCats, his heart is even bigger. Devin Wyman, at 6-foot-8, 335-pounds, founded the "Second Chance Foundation" for troubled and disadvantaged girls and boys back in late 1996. It was first headquartered in the Sunnyvale, Calif., First Boys & Girls Club.
"Kids are very close to my heart," said Devin, who with his wife, Kiea, have four children of their own. "It's an opportunity to operate a group home and reach out a lot to the young children.
The Foundation was developed along with his agent, Donavon Blake, and was formally introduced in 1997. I've been close to Donavon for a long time," said Wyman, who played three years with the New England Patriots, including their Super Bowl (XXXI) squad that lost to Green Bay.
The Foundation has grown in the past eight years and he now has a chapter in San Francisco.
SABERCATS' VIDEO COORDINATOR BREAKS IT DOWN
When there's always talk from the coaches and players about watching 'film' or video of games, there always is a big question in the back of most people's minds: You collects, edits and distributes all the game and practice tapes?
Well, don't let the long hair and facial hair fool you. At the SaberCats it's Matt Paljetak. On the job since 2001, he spends upwards of 10 hours a day, breaking down tape in format for coaches to study and teach players with.
From end zone and sideline camera positions, Paljetak and Steve Kopald shoot home games for distribution to all teams in the league, as well as breaking them down for the SaberCats.
The breakdown of tape goes this way: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, Red Zone - Offense and Defense.
"It's a great job and not that hard to do," said Paljetak who produces a television show in Santa Cruz. "The hardest thing is taking some of the tape we get from other teams and break it down. That takes me a lot of time; more than three hours in some cases."
Paljetak is comfortable with the equipment because he uses his own. "The coaches are patient with me," he said, "And, it's been a great learning experience.
DAVIS TEACHES DAVIS TRICKS OF THE TRADE ON DEFENSE
"The ball is your friend; moved to it and tuck it in," yelled Rashied Davis, as the youth with longer hair and white shirt ran forward to the ball. "That's it; now let's try that again."
Repetition was the word of the afternoon as Davis continued to work with the youngster who was about the same size as the SaberCats two-way player.
The youth was Davis' brother, Mavery, who at 20 years old will be a junior at the University of Charleston in the fall. "I'm not working him hard enough," laughed the older Davis, spending time after practice at the SaberCats facility to teach his younger brother some finer points of being a defensive back.
"He's a good athlete, but doing this to make him better," Rashied said. "He's a natural defensive back and he's getting some instruction that I didn't even have. He missed spring ball, so I need to work with him."
The younger Davis, who spent two years at College of the Canyons JC, lives in Lancaster, Calif., but wanted to move back east. "We have some relatives in Virginia, so I'll be close to some family," he said. "Basicially, Rashied is teaching me how to relax, have confidence and more importantly technique."
The Davis family is made up of seven boys and two girls and according to Rashied, only he and his brother, Marvey, are the athletic ones. "All the others don't play sports, so we are blessed," said Rashied, who also is advising his brother on course of study and various phases of doing homework.
When asked by Wendall Davis (no relation) what Rashied's brother's name was: Someone replied: "Lil' Shied."
SCOTT WOOD IS ARENABOWLS "MR. PERFECT" PASSER
He doesn't necessarily like to hear about the fact he was an "original" member of the SaberCats, but quarterback Scott Wood has become an important part of the history of Arena Football in San Jose.
Wood also has two titles for books he could write: "The Perfect Passer" and "Mr. Perfect in the AFL."
The 6-foot-3 Walnut Creek resident has seven years of service with the SaberCats, the most recent being in 2002 when he came in to back up John Dutton when Mark Grieb missed the playoffs with an injury.
The "Perfect" titles were given because in ArenaBowl XVI at San Jose, he got into the game because of San Jose's 52-14 margin over Arizona at the end. Scott was 1-for-1 for nine yards but other than that handed off to the fullback two times to kill the clock.
"I should have called post to the end zone, but I had to do what coach Malley wanted and that was a curl across the board," said Scott with a laugh of the "Perfect Pass" to James Hundon. The runs were made by James Williams and Omarr Smith.
"It was just a great thrill to be out there when all the confetti came down from the ceiling," said Scott, who has been on the practice squad and teaches physical education in the East Bay. "I just appreciate what coach Malley and coach Arbet have done for me over the years. I was glad to get the call and just be a part of it."
PLAYERS BRINGING FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO 'BOWL'
A lot of players have family, friends and others coming to ArenaBowl XVIII in Phoenix. Barry Wagner has 15 coming while Matt Kinsinger will have five people at the game.
Most will have between three and five at the game, including Fred Coleman who said his count is down for this one because of a family situation in Texas. "I had 15 for the Super Bowl," he said when he was with the New England Patriots. "And those tickets were about $1,200 each."
Asked how many he would have for America West Arena, Calvin Schexnayder, who played seven seasons with the Rattlers, said jokingly, "With the price of those tickets, NOBODY!" Actually, Schex will have 20 people on hand for the game at about $75 a copy.
WHY WAS SAM HERNANDEZ 'CHEATED?'
Who wears the biggest sized shoe on the SaberCats? None other than Sam Hernandez, the veteran lineman who seems to keep everyone upbeat going into the championship. His size is 16.
"I got cheated," laughs the 6-foot-3 Hernandez. "I should have been 6-5 or 6-6. I have a cousin who is 6-11 and wears a size 15."
Devin Wyman, the 6-foot-8, 335-pound lineman who plays next to Sam, has a size 15.
"I got the height from my mother's side of the family," said Sam, "I still feel I should have been taller."
PLAYING FOR BOTH SAN JOSE-ARIZONA
There have been a number of players over the years who have contributed for both San Jose and Arizona. The number is 12 former SaberCats have been Rattlers or vise versa.
There are three current players including Calvin Schexnayder, who spent seven seasons with Arizona, and signed with San Jose this season as did lineman Sebastian Barrie (Rattlers 1999 to 2003).
Fullback-linebacker James Williams was with San Jose in 2002 and 2003 and signed with the Rattlers this year.
Schexnayder played receiver, linebacker and offensive specialist for Arizona from 1994 to 1999 and again in 2001.
Interestingly, there are some "same name" players including Larry Jones the lineman for San Jose (95-96) and the defensive specialist Larry Jones with Arizona (94-95).
Barry Waggoner played for the Rattlers in 1993 as a lineman; Barry Wagner the receiver, linebacker, runback specialist, is playing for the SaberCats (2000-04).
Also, 'close, but have a cigar types' like quarterback Ron Lopez in green and white (1998) and receiver-DB Ricki Lopez for gold and black in 1992. Quarterback Cree Morris (1997) with San Jose, Charlie Morris, a lineman, with the Rattlers from (2000-03).
Okay, here's the list of the 12 players not currently with either team:
Pos. Name Team (years) Team (Years)
OL/DL Chris Baus AZ 93-94 SJ 95-96
WR/DB Roy Hurd AZ 92-93 SJ 96
WR/LB Jai Hill SJ 97 AZ 99-00
OL/DL Darrin Kenney AZ 97-00 SJ 01-03
FB/LB Bob McMillen AZ 95-00 SJ 01-02
OL/DL Charles Miller SJ 95-96 AZ 97
DS Hamin Milligan SJ 03 AZ 03
WR/DB Henry Milton AZ 95-96 SJ 97
K Chris Sailer SJ 00 AZ 02-03
OL/DL Ken Talanoa SJ 99-01 AZ 02
WR/DB Daryl Rogers AZ 94, 98-99 SJ 95-97
Asst/Head Coach Todd Shell AZ 92-94, 99 SJ 95-98
Current players
OL/DL Sebastian Barrie AZ 99-03 SJ 04
WR/LB, OS Calvin Schexnayder AZ 94-99, 01 SJ 04
FB/LB James Williams SJ 02-03 AZ 04
That means a total of 14 players and one coach have worked for both franchises.
BACKYARD BARBECUE WITH 3 SCHOOLS IN ARIZONA, SAN JOSE
If you would like a "backyard barbecue" of players who have played for the SaberCats or Rattlers from the three schools in the areas of each, look no further than San Jose State, Cal-Berekely and Stanford for SaberCats and Arizona, Arizona State and Northern Arizona for the Rattlers.
A total of nine players from the San Jose State Spartans program have been rostered and seen game minutes with the SaberCats. Cal has provided two and Stanford three over the 10 years.
In the 13 years the Rattlers have been in existence, they have had 20 players from Arizona State, 10 from Arizona and six from Northern Arizona. They currently have three ASU and one Arizona players on the roster.
San Jose has four Spartans and one from California on the roster.
How many "backyarders" have played for at Arizona and San Jose. The Rattlers have had only two from Cal and none from the three Bay area schools at the present time.
San Jose has just one player from Arizona State on its current roster.
I'm sure many would 'barbecue' together after the ArenaBowl XVIII.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 25, 2004
- Rookie Pauley boosts SaberCats' defense - San Jose SaberCats
- SaberCats activate FB/LB Kinsinger - San Jose SaberCats
- Must-see matchups: ArenaBowl XVIII - AFL I
- Player development part of SaberCats' success - San Jose SaberCats
- Jacobs overcomes injury with SaberCats - San Jose SaberCats
- Rita Benson LeBlanc named AFL Executive of the Year - AFL I
- Rita Benson LeBlanc named Arena Football League's Executive of the Year - New Orleans VooDoo
- Game of Fame and the Colorado Crush - Colorado Crush
- Notes from SaberCats ArenaBowl XVIII camp - San Jose SaberCats
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