Sports stats

AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Old-fashion western shootout on tap in San Jose

March 24, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


NEW YORK – One of the AFL's best rivalries adds another chapter when the San Jose SaberCats (5-1) host the Los Angeles Avengers (4-2) at HP Pavilion at San Jose this Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports West 2. Last season, it came down to the final minute of the final game between the two Western Division foes before San Jose won 47-43 and secured the No. 1 seed of the 2003 postseason.

Although Week 8 will feature a full slate of AFL games, none will be broadcast on NBC because of the PGA Tour's coverage of The Players Championship. The AFL on NBC will return with regional coverage in Week 9.

The SaberCats, which are ranked No. 1 in the AFLWA poll, and 2002 Offensive Player of the Year MARK GRIEB (77.3 percent, 25 TDs and two INTs) have the AFL's top offense (60.8 PPG). The former All-Arena quarterback has a lethal arsenal of receivers that include: OS JAMES HUNDON (34 receptions and 10 TDs), WR/DB JAMES ROE (33 receptions and 10 TDs) and WR/DB RASHIED DAVIS (19 receptions and 8 total TDs).

On the other sideline, Los Angeles QB TONY GRAZIANI (38 TDs and no INTs) leads the No. 3 offense (54.7) with 2003 Offensive Player of the Year OS CHRIS JACKSON (34 receptions and 12 TDs), WR/DB KEVIN INGRAM (28 receptions and 10 TDs),WR/LB GREG HOPKINS (26 receptions and 7 TDs) and WR/LB JOE DOUGLASS (20 receptions and 7 TDs) on the receiving end of his passes.

At Pepsi Center in Denver, Arizona Rattlers (3-4) head coach DANNY WHITE will look to QB SHERDRICK BONNER (1,622 yards and 27 TDs) and red-hot OS SIAHA BURLEY (57 receptions and 14 TDs) to knock off MIKE DAILEY's Colorado Crush (5-2) on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on Fox Sports Arizona. Dailey has veteran QB JOHN DUTTON (29 TDs and three INTs) at the controls with OS DAMIAN HARRELL (42 receptions and AFL-leading 18 TDs) as his main target.

It will be a battle of expansion teams when the Philadelphia Soul (3-4) travel to Frank Erwin Center to play the Austin Wranglers (4-2). Led by QB JOHN KALEO (1,663 yards and 34 TDs) and Week 7 Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Week TACOMA FONTAINE (18 receptions and nine TDs in three career games), the Wranglers hope to keep pace with the Southern Division-leading New Orleans VooDoo. Philadelphia OS TYRONNE JONES (35 receptions and 60 points) and WR/DB RICKY ROSS (29 receptions and 60 points) will look to get the Soul back on the winning track.

The slate of games for Week 8 include: Grand Rapids at Indiana and Los Angeles at San Jose on Friday; Tampa Bay at Georgia; Las Vegas at Orlando; Carolina at New Orleans and Arizona at Colorado on Saturday; Detroit at Chicago and Philadelphia at Austin on Sunday. Columbus, Dallas and New York have a bye week.

GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE (0-6) AT INDIANA FIREBIRDS (2-5)
FRIDAY, MARCH 26, AT 7:30 P.M. ET

Grand Rapids and Indiana split their Central Division games last season... The Firebirds are on a two-game winning streak with both victories coming against Southern Division teams (Austin and Georgia)... Rookie Indiana QB ADRIAN MCPHERSON has at least one rushing TD in all five of his games this season, including three in each of his last two games... Indiana head coach MIKE WILPOLT is the third Firebirds head coach to begin his tenure 2-0 (MIKE HOHENSEE began 4-0 in 1994, while MIKE DAILEY began 2-0 in 1997)... Rookie Grand Rapids QB ANTHONY BUICH has combined for 550 yards, 10 TDs and two INTs in his last two games... Grand Rapids WR/DB SHAWN FOREMAN is averaging two TDs over the last two games... Grand Rapids OS STEVE SMITH leads the AFL in kick return yardage (724), No. 1 in all-purpose average (199.7) and is No. 3 in all-purpose yardage (1,198).

LOS ANGELES AVENGERS (4-2) AT SAN JOSE SABERCATS (5-1)
FRIDAY, MARCH 26, AT 10:30 P.M. ET
(TV: FOX SPORTS WEST 2: BILL MACDONALD and ED CUNNINGHAM)

The Avengers scored 60 points for the second time this season in last week's 60-44 victory over Dallas... Los Angeles is 15-2 all-time when scoring 60-or-more-points... If the Avengers reach 60 points against San Jose this week, it would mark the first time since Weeks 11-12 of 2003 that the Avengers have put up 60-plus points in consecutive games... The Avengers have not trailed at halftime in all six games this season (last time was 2003 season finale against San Jose, 47-43 loss)... Los Angeles QB TONY GRAZIANI has not thrown an INT since his last pass of the 2003 regular season against San Jose (191 attempts and 38 TDs with no INTs since)... San Jose has not trailed at halftime in all six games this season (last time, Week 12 vs. Indiana) – a string of 10 straight games where they were tied or had the lead... The SaberCats scored 79 points in last week's win against Las Vegas bringing their all-time mark to 16-1 when they score 70-points-or-more... The SaberCats lone blemish on that record came with the 73-72 OT loss to Los Angeles in Week 2 of 2003... San Jose's win over Las Vegas on March 20 gave QB MARK GRIEB a career record of 46-9 (.836) in 55 regular season starts as the SaberCats' QB... San Jose OS JAMES HUNDON has 33 receptions, including a team game record 14 on May 17, 2003, for 500 yards and 11 TDs in five career games against Los Angeles... San Jose WR/DB RASHIED DAVIS tied a SaberCats team record with two kickoff return TDs at Los Angeles on Feb. 22, 2004.

TAMPA BAY STORM (2-5) AT GEORGIA FORCE (4-3)
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, AT 7 P.M. ET

The Force will try to win back-to-back home games for only the second time in team history since defeating Grand Rapids (3/9) and Carolina (3/15) last season... Georgia looks to sweep the Storm for the first time in club history after defeating Tampa Bay 70-62 on 2/13... The Force is 2-0 when leading after 3 quarters...In the last game against the Storm, OS MARKEITH COOPER set a new Force team record with 270 all-purpose yards and earned AFL Offensive Player of the Week honors... Averaging 31.6 YPG rushing, the Force ranks No. 3 in the League in rushing offense... QB LEON MURRAY (19 carries, 67 yards, six TDs) is No. 2 among all QBs... Kicker STEVE MCLAUGHLIN is 43-for-44 on PAT kicks... This season, opponents have outscored the Storm 77-52 in the first 15 minutes... Second quarter, the Storm have posted a 108-81 scoring advantage... The fourth quarters of Storm games have been played relatively even, with the Storm holding a slight 93-88 scoring advantage...The Storm have a 64-33 all-time record away from home.

LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS (3-4) AT ORLANDO PREDATORS (2-4)
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, AT 7:30 P.M. ET

Las Vegas is No. 1 in the League in total offense (307 YPG), No. 1 for pass offense (295.1 YPG), and No. 2 in pass defense (205.6 YPG)... OS MARCUS NASH (68 receptions for 731 yards and 16 TDs) is two receptions shy of a career-high for a season... Last season with the Detroit Fury, Nash recorded 69 receptions for 866 yards and 24 TD's... Las Vegas WR/DB DENNISON ROBINSON is five receptions away from reaching 100 catches for his career...QB CLINT DOLEZEL threw for 451 yards and nine TD's against the SaberCats last week... His career bests are 479 yards passing (Houston vs. Milwaukee, 5/14/99) and 10 TD's twice (Houston vs. Milwaukee, 5/14/99, Texas at New York, 7/18/97).... Predators DS KENNY MCENTYRE has just one more INT to go before he is in first place on the all-time AFL list for career picks... WR/LB CORY FLEMING has caught at least one TD pass in 15 consecutive games with the Predators... He has scored at least one TD in 21 of 23 career games with the Predators.

CAROLINA COBRAS (3-4) AT NEW ORLEANS VOODOO (6-1)
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, AT 8 P.M. ET
(TV: COX SPORTS, NEW ORLEANS – TODD KALAS, CHARLES GRANT and HARRY MCCULLA)

The New Orleans VooDoo features at least four former Carolina standouts and is led by former head coach MIKE NEU... Neu was the Cobras coach in both their postseason efforts, including the only playoff victory in team history (July 7, 2002 at Grand Rapids)... In the red-zone this season, the Cobras rank No. 2 in the AFL with a 93.1 conversion percentage... In 29 trips inside their opponents 10-yard line Carolina has scored 24 TDs and three field goals... WR/DB JARRICK HILLERY was named U.S. Army Ironman of the Week for his performance against Tampa Bay on Sunday... He recorded two kickoff returns for TDs, caught three passes for 39 yards and a score and added four solo tackles and an INT on defense... Expansion team New Orleans holds the best overall record in the AFL this season... The best start for an AFL expansion team was in 1997 when the New Jersey Red Dogs started 8-1... The VooDoo are 3-0 in March...As a Cobras starter in the 2002 season, VooDoo QB JOHN FITZGERALD's target was current New Orleans OS AARON BAILEY, who spent the 2001 and 2002 season with the Cobras... The VooDoo are 6-0 when leading after three quarters, 3-0 when the outcome is seven points or less and they have a record of 4-0 when the opponent scores first.

ARIZONA RATTLERS (3-4) AT COLORADO CRUSH (5-2)
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, AT 9 P.M. ET
(TV: FOX SPORTS ARIZONA – KENT DERDIVANIS and GENE NUDO)
(TV: COMCAST, COLORADO – MITCH HYDER, DAMON BOWERS and DAVID BRIGGS)

Arizona WR/LB HUNKIE COOPER needs only 88 yards to reach 20,000 all-purpose yards for his career... Last week, the versatile Cooper handled the place-kicking duties for injured K JASON WITCZAK and also threw a TD pass... A Colorado win would improve the team to 6-2, tripling last year's win total and improving them to 4-0 at home on the year... The Crush has a 3-0 start at Pepsi Center, but those three games have been decided by a total of four points... Although the Crush is 5-2, they have been outscored 307-328 this season... Only two of the eight other AFL teams at .500 or better have allowed more points than they have scored... The Crush held Philadelphia to an opponent season-low 33 points and 204 total yards on Sunday... Also last week, DAMIAN HARRELL made his 400th career reception... Head coach DANNY WHITE (131) and Crush coach MIKE DAILEY (68) are the second and seventh winningest coaches in AFL history.

DETROIT FURY (2-4) AT CHICAGO RUSH (5-1)
SUNDAY, MARCH 28, AT 3 P.M. ET

In 2004, Detroit QB ANDY KELLY (149-of-254 for 1,745 yards and 29 TDs) has three passing games of over 300 yards, and in all three contests, the Fury have lost... Detroit is 2-1 when Kelly passes for less than 300 yards... He has totals of 375 (at Colorado), 312 (at New Orleans) and 355 (vs. Austin) in the last three weeks... Kelly's total of 375 yards was a career best, and he is on pace to beat his personal best in yards in a season... Overall, the Fury have the No. 2 offense in the AFL... Chicago FB BOB MCMILLEN needs just 18 more yards to become the fifth player in the AFL to rush for 1,000 career yards...The Rush defense recorded a team-record seven sacks last week against Orlando...The Rush are No. 2 in the AFL with 12 sacks...Chicago QB RAYMOND PHILYAW has thrown 168 consecutive passes dating back to last season without being picked off... Philyaw has a record of 4-1 against Detroit and has never thrown an INT against them.

PHILADELPHIA SOUL (3-4) AT AUSTIN WRANGLERS (4-2)
SUNDAY, MARCH 28, AT 3 P.M. ET

The Wranglers are 1-0 against Eastern Division teams (defeated Carolina, 56-55 on March 7)... Austin has not lost a game that they have been tied or leading heading into the fourth quarter (3-0)... Philadelphia FB/LB CHRIS "SOUL TRAIN" RYAN, the Soul's leading rusher on 26 attempts for 90 yards and 8 TDs has been a force in short situations for the Soul... Ryan has game high' s in rushing attempts (8), yards (27), TDs (2, three times). Ryan is also ranked No. 5 in the AFL in rushing and is tied for No. 1 in Third-and-One rushing, converting three attempts for three first downs... Austin QB JOHN KALEO has 18 TDs and three INTs in his last three games... Week 7 Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Week OS TACOMA FONTAINE has 18 receptions and nine TDs in three career games, including 205 yards and 5 TDs in last week's victory over Detroit... Philadelphia's WR/LB RICKY ROSS has caught at least one TD in each of his six games in a Soul uniform.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 24, 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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central