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Phantoms Game Notes

April 22, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Toronto Phantoms News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Toronto Phantoms (1-0)
vs. Detroit Fury (0-1)
Date: Thursday, April 25th
Kickoff: 7:00 PM EST
Site: Air Canada Centre (17,100)
National Anthem: Michael Burgess Officials: Joe Rider (Referee), Nels Strickland (Umpire), Rusty Spindel (Head Linesman), James Mello (Line Judge), Rich Wilborn (Back Judge) Radio: MOJO AM 640 Talk Radio for Guys (Jim Lang & Bruce Barker)
Series Record: 1st meeting
Streaks: Toronto 1 win (6 consecutive regular season wins dating back to last season); Detroit 1 loss
Coaches: Mark Stoute (9-6, 2nd year) & "Mouse" Davis (7-8, 2nd year)

THE STAKES: The Toronto Phantoms will be looking for the club's second consecutive win to start the 2002 regular season and the club's first win in a home opener. The Detroit Fury dropped a hard-fought road game in Grand Rapids and will be looking to avoid an 0-2 start to the campaign. Toronto and Detroit both qualified for the playoffs last season.

THE SERIES: While the cities of Toronto and Detroit have long-standing rivalries in baseball, hockey and basketball, this game will mark the first meeting on the Arena Football field.

THE IFs:
If Toronto defeats Detroit, it would ...
 Give Toronto a 2-0 record to start the season
 Give Toronto its 1st win in a home opener
 Give Mark Stoute his 10th career win as a head coach
 Give Toronto 7 consecutive regular season wins (dating back to last season
 Give Chad Salisbury a 11-2 record as a starting QB

HEAD COACHES: Toronto' s Mark Stoute enters his 2nd season as the Head Coach & General Manager. In the Phantoms' inaugural season in Toronto, Stoute led his team to an 8-6 record and the Eastern Division championship.

Detroit's Darrel "Mouse" Davis is no stranger to Toronto sports fans. The innovator of the "Run and Shoot" offence made his pro coaching debut as the offensive coordinator of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. Davis won a Grey Cup ring with Toronto in 1983.

2001 REVIEW: In the team's inaugural season in Toronto, the Phantoms posted a record of 8-6 capturing the Eastern Division championship. The Phantoms won just 3 times in the club's first 9 games, but rallied to win the final 5 games on the regular season schedule surging to the top of the division.

Toronto emerged a winner in the first playoff game in team history, defeating the New York Dragons 64-57 on July 27, 2001. Toronto thus completed a unique 4-game sweep of the Dragons having won 1 preseason game, 2 regular season games and 1 post-season game with New York.

The Phantoms 2001 campaign came to a disappointing end on August 3 in Nashville. The hometown Kats scored a touchdown with 1 second remaining in regulation time to defeat the Phantoms 45-38.

Charlie Davidson enjoyed a most successful season in 2001, being named as a 2nd Team All-Arena WR / DB. The team captain missed 5 games due to injury during the season. In his absence the Phantoms struggled with a 1-4 record. Toronto was 7-2 in the games in which Davidson appeared.

Anthony Derricks further confirmed his status as one of the league's most dangerous kick return specialists racking up 1606 kick return yards. Derricks finished in the AFL's top 10 in all-purpose yardage, interceptions, passes defended, tackles and fumbles recovered.

Damian Harrell emerged as the unquestioned leader of the Phantoms' receiving corps. Harrell scored a team-high 20 touchdowns and finished among the league leaders in receiving yards and receiving yards per game.

2001 PHANTOMS HOME OPENER: (4/14/01) Toronto (ON): A late touchdown and an untimely interception cost the Toronto Phantoms a victory in the first game in team history. The Buffalo Destroyers, who had trailed by as many as 14 points, rallied to win 61-54 getting the game-winning touchdown on a 22 yard pass from Jim Kubiak to Eddie Brown with 1 minute left in regulation time. Carlos James clinched the victory for the visitors with the second of his 2 interceptions with 36 seconds remaining. Toronto quarterback Pat O'Hara completed 20 passes for 315 yards earning MVP honours in the loss. He threw 7 touchdown passes, completing a pair to the game's Ironman Charlie Davidson. Damian Harrell also had a strong game making 8 receptions for 130 yards and 3 scores.

LAST SERIES MEETING: This is the first meeting between the Toronto Phantoms and the Detroit Fury. The Phantoms kicked off operations in 2001, after the sale and transfer of the New England Sea Wolves was completed from Hartford to Toronto. The Fury entered the AFL as an expansion team in 2001.

FAMILIAR FACES: Detroit's Head Coach "Mouse" Davis spent two seasons in Toronto as an assistant coach with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. The Argos won the 1983 Grey Cup with Davis acting as offensive coordinator.

Detroit QB Rickey Foggie also has ties to the Toronto Argonauts. Foggie was a member of the Argos 1991 championship squad. Foggie spent 9 years in the CFL before stepping in to the arena to begin a 6-year career in the indoor game. Windsor resident and Fury OS Robert Gordon was a member of the 1998 AFL Champion Orlando Predators – Toronto's Ty Law, Pat O'Hara, Kelvin Ingram and Connell Spain were also members of that team.

THIS WEEK'S QUOTES:

"Our sister organization, the Toronto Blue Jays, guaranteed a win to the fans of Toronto and the players certainly delivered. I think our players can do the same, particularly after seeing them take down one of the top teams in the league in their house."

Toronto Phantoms President & CEO Rob Godfrey guaranteeing a win to the Phantoms phans. Godfrey says if the Phantoms lose the home opener, fans in attendance can automatically redeem their tickets stubs for a free ticket to the next home date – May 9th vs. Indiana. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-2 in the club's home opener after guaranteeing a win and backing that guarantee with the promise of a free ticket.

"This is not to take anything away from the Fury. Detroit has an outstanding team with a great coach in former Argo Mouse Davis. I just firmly believe that we are going to send our Phantoms phans home with much more than just a bobble-head doll. We're going to give them a win!"

Rob Godfrey with more on "Guaranteed Win Night" at the Air Canada Centre. Godfrey is making reference to the fact that the first 6,000 phans to arrive at Air Canada Centre will receive a limited edition mini-bobblehead doll.

"It felt good to come out here and play so well – nopt just for my teammates, but for my friends and family that made the trip to see this game."

Toronto WR/LB TY Law after being selected as the Ironman in Toronto's season opening victory over Tampa Bay. Law, who makes his home in Orlando in the off-season, had a personal cheering section of 20 people in the Ice Palace. He treated them to a spectacular performance scoring twice and coming up with a key interception late in the game.

"He had a great game, but it's not a surprise or unexpected that he should play at that level. We fully expected that when Kerry Brown was going to be out that Ty would be able to step in and play that well. He did make some mistakes, but he used his athletic ability to cover those missed plays up."

Mark Stoute, the Phantoms Head Coach & GM, on the Ironman performance of Ty Law.

"I feel pretty good about what I did out there. I didn't make any mistakes that would cost my team – I didn't throw any interceptions. But really most of the credit has to go to the line. The Tampa rush didn't touch me once all night."

Phantoms QB Chad Salisbury after being selected as the MVP in the win in Tampa Bay. Salisbury completed 24 of his 33 passing attempts for 279 yards and 4 touchdowns.

"We have to play hard for ourselves and for our fans – thre great people of Toronto. We want to go out and get the job done for ourselves and for them."

Jason Walters, a Phantoms OL/DL, on the home opener against Detroit. Walters scored the touchdown that sealed the win over Tampa Bay recovering a fumble in the end zone.

TORONTO PHANTOMS LAST WEEK: (4/20/02) Tampa, FL: The Toronto Phantoms finally got to enjoy a trip to the Sunshine State. The Phantoms, winless in 3 road games in Florida during the 2001 season, kicked off the 2002 regular season with a 51-37 win over the Tampa Bay Storm.

The Phantoms were led to victory by Orlando resident Ty Law and quarterback Chad Salisbury. Law, a wide receiver / linebacker, was named as the game's Ironman after producing a pair of touchdown catches on offence and an interception on defence. Law scored the game's opening score and the game-winning touchdown as well. His interception in the 4th quarter effectively killed a erally by a surging Tampa squad.

Salisbury was brilliant under centre, completing 10 straight passes to open the game. The MVP finished the night with 4 touchdown passes, completing 24 of his 33 passing attempts for 279 yards.

The Phantoms raced out to a 34 - 21 halftime lead getting touchdowns from 5 different players. Law opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown reception on Toronto's very first possession. Before the end of the first quarter, rookie FB/LB Phil Glover scored his 1st career AFL touchdown, rushing in from 3 yards out. Damian Harrell put the Phantoms up 21-14 early in the 2nd quarter snagging a Salisbury pass covering 18 yards. Charlie Davidson broke up a 21-21 tie with a 14-yard reception for a major. Jermaine Younger rounded out the 1st half scoring with a 6-yard touchdown run.

The Phantoms came up with a pair of key defensive stops in the final 2 minutes of the first half. With 1:45 left before the break, Anthony Hicks stacked Basil Proctor up for a loss on 4th and inches forcing a turnover on downs. Then with 2 seconds remaining in the half, his team down by 13 and set up on the Toronto 2 yard line, Tampa Bay Head Coach Tim Marcum elected to run a play, as opposed to kicking a field goal. Proctor fumbled on the goal line -- Toronto recovered to end the first half.

In the second half, Tampa Bay started to rally pulling within just 7 on a Mike Black field goal with 2:43 remaining in regulation time. Tampa Bay took the ball back with less than a minute remaining after a missed field goal attempt by Toronto kicker Matt George. On the first play of that possession, Toronto's defensive end Steve Konopka sealed the Phantoms win, smacking the Storm quarterback John Kaleo in the end zone -- Kaleo fumbled and Jason Walters fell on the ball for the game's final points sending 12, 373 fans home unhappy.

Toronto never trailed in this contest picking up the first win in team history in Florida after 3 embarrassing losses in 2001. The Phantoms were outscored 191-99 by the Storm, the Orlando Predators and the Florida Bobcats during the club's inaugural season in Toronto.

YOUR TEAM NEXT WEEK: ON Saturday, May 4th, the Toronto Phantoms will be in Phoenix for the club's first meeting with the Arizona Rattlers. The Rattlers were Week One losers, falling 52-51 in a road game in San Jose with the Sabercats. Arizona stages its home opener this weekend welcoming the Los Angeles Avengers to the Valley of the Sun.

TEAM NOTES:

Salisbury Staking his Claim: With the win over Tampa Bay, Chad Salisbury improved his career record as a starting quarterback to 11-2. Toronto has won 6 consecutive regular season games dating back to last season – Salisbury has made appearances in all 6 of those games, starting in 5 of them.

Law Provides Order: With WR/LB Kerry Brown on injured reserve, Ty Law is being asked to play extended minutes. In Week One, he stepped up earning Ironman honours. On offence, Law made 2 touchdown catches – the game's opening score and the game-winning score. Law was also a standout on defence recording 1 interception, 2 unassisted tackles and 2 assisted tackles. Law was tabbed by the Phantoms coaching staff as the team's defensive player of the week.

Holding the Line: The Phantoms offensive & defensive line was impressive in the win over the Storm. Steve Konopka and Jason Walters sealed the win – Konopka drilled Tampa's John Kaleo in the Storm end zone with 23 second reaming in regulation time. The ball was dislodged and recovered by Walters for the major. Toronto did not allow a single sack against a normally fierce Storm pass rush.

KEY DATES IN TORONTO PHANTOMS HISTORY:

April 14, 2001The Phantoms inaugural season kicks off in front of 10, 023 phans at Air Canada Centre. Toronto jumped out to a 35-21 first half lead over the Buffalo Destroyers, but ultimately fell 61-54. Pat O'Hara was named as the MVP in the first home opener in club history throwing for 315 yards and 7 touchdowns.

April 21, 2001 The first win in Phantoms history comes in the Nassau Coliseum in New York. MVP Pat O'Hara and Ironman Charlie Davidson hook up for a pair of scores in a 68-58 win over the New York Dragons.

April 27, 2001 Toronto improves to 2-1 with a 28-25 road win over the New Jersey Gladiators. Damian Harrell scores the game-winning touchdown on a 7-yard reception with just under 4 minutes left in regulation time.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 22, 2002


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