Philadelphia Soul game notes
February 3, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
QUICK FACTS
Philadelphia Soul (0-0)
Vs. New Orleans VooDoo (0-0)
Site: Wachovia Center 17,484
Officials: Pat Garvey â Referee, Paul King â
Umpire, Bill Ward â Head Linesman, James
Mello â Line Judge, Greg Steed â Back Judge.
TUNE IN
TV: NBC Sports (WCAU in Philadelphia)
Play-by-Play: Tom Hammond
Color: Pat Hayden
Sideline: Lewis Johnson
RADIO: WNJC (1360-AM)
Play-by-Play: Ari Wolfe
Color: Darrin Kenney
THE MATCHUP
Two of the newest teams in Arena Football, the
Philadelphia Soul and the New Orleans Voodoo
will vie for their first win in team history at the
Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Both teams
feature a premier ownership group. The Soul are
Co-Owned by Jon Bon Jovi and Philadelphia
businessman Craig A. Spencer. The VooDoo are
owned by New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson.
NEXT UP
The Soul will travel to Dallas to face the
Desperados on Sunday, February 15th. The VooDoo
will hold their home opener against the Indiana
Firebirds on Saturday, February 14th.
2004 SOUL SCHEDULE/RESULTS
(All times Eastern)
Date Opponent Time Result
Feb 8 NEW ORLEANS 3 p.m.
Feb 15 @ Dallas 4 p.m.
Feb 21 COLUMBUS 7:30 p.m.
Feb 29 @ Tampa Bay 3 p.m.
Mar 7 CHICAGO 12 p.m.
Mar 13 @ Columbus 7 p.m.
Mar 21 COLORADO 12 p.m.
Mar 28 @ Austin 3 p.m.
Apr 4 DALLAS 12 p.m.
Apr 17 @ Carolina 7:30 p.m.
Apr 24 NEW YORK 7:30 p.m.
May 2 @ Colorado 3 p.m.
May 8 LAS VEGAS 7:30 p.m.
May 15 CAROLINA 7:30 p.m.
May 22 @ San Jose 10:30 p.m.
May 30 @ New York 4 p.m.
THE COACHES
Michael Trigg and Mike Neu met for the first
time on May 17, 2002 while Trigg was in Grand
Rapids and Neu, Carolina. The Rampage came
out with a 64-45 victory. Later in '02, Trigg and
Neu met in the first round of the playoffs with
Carolina knocking Grand Rapids out of the
Championship hunt with a 72-64 win.
COACHING NOTABLES
The fourth winningest coach in Arena Football,
Trigg (73-73) became just the fifth coach in
Arena Football to reach the 70 win plateau.
In 2002, Neu guided the Cobras to a club-record
5-2 record on the road and their second-straight
postseason berth with a 6-8 regular season
record.
EXPANSION THROWBACKS
Both teams will be sporting authentic Mitchell
& Ness jerseys for their inaugural game. Mitchell
and Ness is known as the premier leader in
authentic "throwback" jerseys and has broken
their mold to create the first original Mitchell
and Ness jerseys for both the Soul and VooDoo.
"The idea of being involved in the community led
me to go with Mitchell & Ness to design our
uniforms, instead of going to a Reebok or Nike,"
said Jon Bon Jovi.
Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Company is the
oldest sporting goods company in Philadelphia,
established in 1904.
DIRECT CONNECTIONS
Philadelphia Soul OS Tyronne Jones played
under VooDoo head coach Mike Neu with the
Nashville Kats from 1998-99. Under Neu, Jones
ranked among the league leaders in receiving and
all-purpose yards.
Soul Assistant Head Coach/Director of Player
Personnel Robert Smith is a Bogalusa, LA native
and played at Grambling State University from
1980-83.
The Soul acquired New Orleans Saints kick
returner Mike Lewis last week in a trade with
the Las Vegas Gladiators.
SOUL MAN
Sam Moore, the original "Soul Man" of the 60's
duo Sam & Dave will be performing the National
Anthem on Sunday.
Moore is best known for the string of hits he
recorded in the 60's with his late partner Dave
Prater, including "Soul Man," "Hold On! I'm
Comin," and "I Thank You."
EXPANSION TEAMS???
The Soul have 14 players with three or more
years of experience on their final 24-man roster,
not including all three members of the injured
reserve which have a combined 14 years of
experience between them.
The VooDoo have nine players with three or
more years of Arena Football experience under
their belt and 15 AFL veteran players.
TRAINING TABLE
The Soul placed K Brian Gowins on the Injured
Reserve list after Gowins aggravated a left
hamstring injury. The team also placed OL/DL
Corey Mayfield on the injured reserve. Mayfield
had surgery on Monday to repair a torn
meniscus in his left knee and will miss 4-6
weeks. OL/DL Madison Johnson was also placed
on IR after suffering a broken left fibula in the
joint practice with New York. Johnson will be
sidelined the entire season.
TRADING DAY
The Soul acquired WR/LB Gary Compton for a
future consideration last week. Compton was
the first ever Arena Football League Built Ford
Tough Man of the Year in 2001 and is a threetime
All-Arena selection (1991, 99, 2001).
The Soul also traded DS Marvin Taylor to the
Las Vegas Gladiators for OL/DL Luis Almanzar,
OL/DL Denny Fortney, OS Mike Lewis, and QB
Tommy Maddox.
GRAND OPENING
Some players take their time warming up to the
season, the newly acquired Soul WR/LB Gary
Compton, however, has been known to
distinguish himself early. In 2002 while
Compton was with the Indiana Firebirds, he
hauled in 18 passes for 239 yards and 4 TDs in
the first four games of the season. Defensively,
Compton recorded six tackles and picked off
two passes over the four-week span.
STAYING LOYAL
Soul Head Coach Michael Trigg didn't need a lot
of time learning the names on the Soul roster,
he's spent time with most of them in the past.
The Soul have 13 players on the active roster that
have spent time with Trigg, and all three
members of the injured reserve are also Trigg
veterans.
Here's a breakdown of Trigg's following:
#1 Ricky Ross
#5 Todd Hammell
#10 DeAuntae Brown
#12 Nick Browder
#13 Brian Gowins (IR)
#21 Joe Todd
#33 Lavante Epson
#36 Chris Ryan
#42 C.J. McLain
#44 Travis McDonald
#50 Madison Johnson (IR)
#73 Michael Harrison
#75 Eric Gohlstin
#81 Derin Graham
#90 Patrick Scott
#91 Corey Mayfield (IR)
JUST KICKIN' IT
Arena newcomer Ken Hinsley was brought in to
replace five-year Arena Football veteran Brian
Gowins after Gowins aggravated a left
hamstring injury in a scrimmage against the
New York Dragons.
Hinsley auditioned for the gig while the team
was in San Jose for a scrimmage against the
SaberCats earlier in training camp. When
Hinsley came to Philadelphia after Gowins
reinjured his hamstring, he booted footballs the
length of the Soul practice facility, barefooted.
"THEY SAID IT"
Travis McDonald on being in Philadelphia
and his expectations for the Soul:
This is my first time in Philadelphia. I am
expecting really good things. I am not expecting
us to be an expansion team at all. I know how
Trigg coaches and how he gets his point across,
and get players to do what he wants them to do
in a very fast way. I am expecting to be an
underdog in a lot of ways, but we're going to
surprise a lot of teams. We're trying to win a
championship this year."
McDonald on Soul Head Coach Michael
Trigg:
"I think [Trigg's] a great coach. He's a player's
coach, and sometimes players wouldn't think so,
because he's really tough. He doesn't sugarcoat
anything. He's going to tell you how it is, but I
think that's the best way to coach, because that
gets the most out of the player".
Trigg on McDonald:
"I think Travis is one of the most unheralded, big
play, full back/linebackers in the league. He
brings an awful lot to the table. What he brings
to the table is a guy who can play up and down.
Travis gives you that outside end, inside rush â
speed guy, that can go against a 300-pounder
and give him problems. Travis McDonald is a
heck of a player who gives up versatility playing
up and down. "
Dwayne Missouri on being in Philadelphia
and his expectations:
"I know I have to find me a cheesesteak place. I
know it gets cold. I know it's a sports crazy
town. I know they love their football. What they
can expect from us is that we're going to go out
and compete. We're going to be fired up every
weekend. We're going to give them a great
show."
C.J. McClain on the Soul's pep rally:
"I've been in the AFL for three-years, and I have
never seen anything like this. This has got to be
one of the best shows I've ever seen."
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