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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Playoff Quick Hitters

August 1, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


The Chicago Rush may be just two years old, but MIKE HOHENSEE's team is anchored on both sides of the ball by four linemen who have appeared in a combined seven ArenaBowls, including winning three championships. Here's a look at the Four "Starting" Horsemen:
- JAMES BARON, Appeared in ArenaBowls XIV and XV as a member of the Nashville Kats.
- TONY BOWICK, Started for the eventual World Champion Grand Rapids Rampage last year.
- ANTHONY HUTCH, Protected KURT WARNER in a 1997 ArenaBowl loss at Arizona.
- RICH MCKENZIE, Appeared in three straight title games with the Predators, winning back to back championships in 1998 and 1999.

When the Orlando Predators face the Eastern Division champs, New Jersey Gladiators, QB JAY GRUDEN will be peering across the line at a familiar face... DAMON MASON, a defensive specialist whom Gruden coached to stardom from 1998 to 2001. Mason was Orlando's leading tackler during that span, which included two championships.

Arizona's RANDY GATEWOOD is used to big games, he grabbed the winning touchdown in a 49-46 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Storm in 1997. The win propelled the Rattlers to their second championship, a 55-33 win over Kurt Warner's Iowa Barnstormers one week later.

Arizona's coverman CECIL DOGGETTE will likely draw the responsibility of stopping Carolina's fleet-footed receiver, AARON BAILEY. Doggette is the Rattlers' leader in postseason pass break ups, with 24 in 13 career games. His 17 tackles and 8 pass deflections during the 1997 postseason led a championship defense.

When Arizona's SHERDRICK BONNER lines up under center, he'll be facing Carolina's TONY HENDERSON, a former University of Michigan lineman who protected Bonner from 1996 to 1999. During a remarkable span from 1997 to 1999, Bonner was sacked just three times.

Bonner was the No. 3 quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons during their Super Bowl season in 1999... and when the Rattlers face the Cobras, another former Super Bowl participant will be gunning for a shot at Bonner, fullback/linebacker MARRIO GRIER, who appeared in the 1997 Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.

Carolina's CORY FLEMING postseason history suggests big plays and big games. With the Nashville Kats, he appeared in the last two championship games. He threw a game-winning touchdown pass to upset the No. 3-seeded Iowa Barnstormers in the quarterfinal round of the 2000 playoffs.

Four times, the foot of a kicker has decided postseason games. The last time was in ArenaBowl XIV when Orlando's DAVID COOL booted a 19-yard field goal to give the Predators a 41-38 victory over the Nashville Kats. It was the first time a championship game had been decided by a game-winning kick.

DATE GAME KICKER
Aug. 15, 1992 ORLANDO 24, Tampa Bay 21 OT Jorge Cimadevilla (17-yard FG)
Aug. 14, 1993 Tampa Bay 55, ORLANDO 52 Arden Czyzewski (19-yard FG)
Aug. 12, 1995 Albany 51, ST. LOUIS 49 Trey Weir (17-yard FG)
Aug. 20, 2000 ORLANDO 41, Nashville 38 David Cool (19-yard FG)

The Arizona Rattlers (seeded No. 2) have advanced past their first playoff game six straight times since a 56-52 loss to Kurt Warner's Iowa Barnstormers in 1995. It is the longest current success streak among active teams. However, the Rattlers haven't appeared in the ArenaBowl since the 1997 season, losing three times in the semifinals.

The top-seeded San Jose SaberCats own the best regular season record in the league over the past three seasons, going 35-7 (.833) in that span. However, they've been stymied in the playoffs each of the past two years, losing in the semifinals.

The Orlando Predators are 7-7 and winners of the Southern Division crown. Under center is JAY GRUDEN, the most successful playoff quarterback in league history, with a mark of 13-2 (.866) while leading the Tampa Bay Storm to four championships from 1991-96. As head coach of the Predators from 1998-2001, Gruden went 8-2 including winning a pair of titles in 3 straight ArenaBowl appearances. In 1999, Gruden became the first coach in history to guide an 8th-seeded playoff team (7-7 record) to the ArenaBowl.

GRUDEN AS HEAD COACH
SEASON TEAM RECORD POSTSEASON
1998 Orlando 9-5 Won ArenaBowl
1999 Orlando 7-7 Lost ArenaBowl
2000 Orlando 11-3 Won ArenaBowl
2001 Orlando 8-6 Lost first-round

GRUDEN AS PLAYER
SEASON TEAM RECORD POSTSEASON
1991 Tampa Bay 8-2 Won ArenaBowl
1992 Tampa Bay 9-1 Lost semifinals
1993 Tampa Bay 9-3 Won ArenaBowl
1994 Tampa Bay 7-5 Lost first-round
1995 Tampa Bay 10-2 Won ArenaBowl
1996 Tampa Bay 12-2 Won ArenaBowl
2002 Orlando 7-7 Won First-Round, ????

Thirteen times the No. 1-seeded team has reached the ArenaBowl. Last year, Grand Rapids broke a string of two consecutive seasons when the top-seeded team failed to advance to the championship (Tampa Bay in 1999 and San Jose in 2000). The Storm in 1999 became the first No. 1-seeded team to lose in the opening round of the playoffs.

Orlando's KENNY MCENTYRE, who finished No. 2 in the league this year with 8 INTs, has grabbed 45 opposing missiles in 67 career games, including a postseason record 9 in 10 postseason contests. With 37 regular season picks, he will enter the 2003 campaign 14 away from breaking DURWOOD ROQUEMORE's league record of 50 from 1987-96.

Tampa Bay Storm head coach TIM MARCUM has made the playoffs in each of the 15 seasons he has coached. He is the league's all-time winningest sideline general with an overall record of 143-50 (.741), including 22-7 (.759) in the playoffs. He has won 6 championships with 3 different teams including the first-ever in 1987 as head coach of the Denver Dynamite.

ALL-TIME POSTSEASON VICTORIES
HEAD COACH WINS TITLES
TIM MARCUM (Tampa Bay) 22 6
DANNY WHITE (Arizona) 13 2
Perry Moss 11 1
Jay Gruden 8 2
John Gregory 6 0
MIKE DAILEY (Indiana) 5 1
Pat Sperduto 5 0
MIKE HOHENSEE (Chicago) 4 0
Lary Kuharich 4 1

FRESH FACES: Three rookie AFL head coaches – Dallas' JOE AVEZZANO, New Jersey's FRANK HAEGE, and Orlando's FRAN PAPASEDERO – look to join the list of TIM MARCUM (Denver, 1987), FRAN CURCI (Tampa Bay 1991) and JAY GRUDEN (Orlando, 1998) as the only rookie head coaches to take their teams to ArenaBowl titles.

FIRST-GAME JITTERS: Carolina's JOHN FITZGERALD completed 25-of-34 passes for 278 yards, 7 TDs and no INTs in a 72-64 win over defending champs, Grand Rapids in the first round. New Jersey's JAY MCDONAGH is making his playoff debut against the Predators this Saturday. Below are the top five passing-yardage total in a quarterback's first career playoff game:

FIRST CAREER PLAYOFF GAME, PASSING YARDS
PLAYER, TEAM DATE OPPONENT YARDS
Kurt Warner, Iowa August 13, 1995 Arizona 428
Mike Perez, Albany August 19, 1994 Las Vegas 360
Paul Justin, Arizona August 8, 1993 Charlotte 354
Mike Pawlawski, Albany August 9, 1998 New Jersey 345
Clint Dolezel, Houston August 7, 1998 Arizona 283

BEST PASSING GAMES, ROOKIE
PLAYER, TEAM DATE, OPPONENT COMP ATT YDS TD INT
Kurt Warner, Iowa Aug. 13, 1995 at Arizona 28 43 428 6 0
Mike Perez, Albany Aug. 19, 1994 at Las Vegas 23 35 360 6 2
Paul Justin, Arizona Aug. 8, 1993 vs. Charlotte 24 35 354 6 0
Mike Pawlawski, Albany Aug. 9, 1998 vs. New Jersey 19 25 345 7 0
Kurt Warner, Iowa Aug. 25, 1997 at Arizona* 31 51 325 3 2
(*ArenaBowl game)

SCORING BINGE: Carolina's AARON BAILEY scored a record-tying 6 TDs in a 72-64 win over defending champion Grand Rapids last week. That effort matches the single game postseason mark set by EDDIE BROWN in 1996 and again by JAMES BOWDEN in 2000 (Bowden is currently with the New Jersey Gladiators). Bailey's 36 points is the fourth-best effort in postseason history (38 by BARRY WAGNER in 1998 and James Bowden in 1996).

BEST PLAYOFF GAME, SCORING
PLAYER, TEAM DATE OPPONENT POINTS
Barry Wagner, Orlando August 19, 1995 Iowa 38
James Bowden, Tampa Bay July 29, 2000 Milwaukee 38
Eddie Brown, Albany August 10, 1996 Milwaukee 36
Aaron Bailey, Carolina July 28, 2002 Grand Rapids 36
Eddie Brown, Albany August 19, 1994 Las Vegas 30
George LaFrance, Tampa Bay August 16, 1996 Arizona 30
Steve Papin, San Jose August 8, 1997 Iowa 30
Calvin Schexnayder, Arizona August 9, 1997 Milwaukee 30
Kevin Swayne, New York July 27, 2001 Toronto 30
Terrill Shaw, Grand Rapids August 12, 2001 Indiana 30
Terrill Shaw, Grand Rapids August 19, 2001* Nashville 30
(*ArenaBowl game)

BEST PLAYOFF GAME, SCORING, ROOKIE
PLAYER, TEAM DATE OPPONENT POINTS
Eddie Brown, Albany August 19, 1994 Las Vegas 30
Steve Papin, San Jose August 8, 1997 Iowa 30
Art Schlichter, Detroit August 11, 1990* Dallas 24
Stevie Thomas, Tampa Bay August 17, 1991* Detroit 24
Rick Hamilton, Orlando August 23, 1998* Tampa Bay 18
John Jackson, Orlando August 21, 1999* Albany 18
(*ArenaBowl game)

CATCH THIS: Arena Football's third-leading receiver in the playoffs, with 1,708 career yards, is Indiana's EDDIE BROWN, who made his eighth appearance in a loss last week. Chicago's ANTONIO CHATMAN ranked in the top 10 in receiving yards this season, and makes his postseason debut this week. Following are the top five receiving games in postseason history:

BEST PLAYOFF GAME, RECEIVING
PLAYER, TEAM DATE OPPONENT YARDS
Eddie Brown, Albany August 14, 1999 Arizona 239
Eddie Brown, Albany August 21, 1999* Orlando 185
Bobby Olive, Buffalo July 29, 2000 Arizona 183
Larry Willis, New Jersey August 8, 1998 Albany 177
Terrill Shaw, Grand Rapids August 19, 2001 Nashville 172
Aaron Bailey, Carolina July 28, 2002 Grand Rapids 172

BEST PLAYOFF GAME, RECEIVING, ROOKIE
PLAYER, TEAM DATE OPPONENT POINTS
Willis Jacox, Iowa August 19, 1995 Orlando 169
Quincy Jackson, Albany July 23, 2000 Orlando 154
Eddie Brown, Albany August 19,1994 Las Vegas 153
Maurice Bryant, Arizona August 13, 2000 Orlando 136
Stevie Thomas, Tampa Bay August 9, 1991 Denver 127
(*ArenaBowl game)

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QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 3
(7) Orlando at (4) New Jersey, 12:30 PM ET/PT, The New TNN
(12) Tampa Bay at (1) San Jose, 3:00 PM ET, ESPN2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4
(11) Carolina at (2) Arizona, 3:00 PM ET/PT, The New TNN

MONDAY, AUGUST 5
(8) Dallas at (3) Chicago, 8:30 PM ET, ESPN2 (tape delayed, 11:00 PM ET)

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QUARTERFINAL PLAYOFFS INJURY REPORT

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***AS REPORTED TO THE LEAGUE OFFICE BY WEDNESDAY, JULY 31***

#7 ORLANDO PREDATORS (8-7) AT #4 NEW JERSEY GLADIATORS (9-5)

ORLANDO: OUT: WR/DB Andre Cooper, FB/LB Brian Goolsby, QB Craig Whelihan; QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Fred Ray, WR/DB Junior Lord; DOUBTFUL: OL/DL Reggie Lee, WR/LB Damon Bowers.
NEW JERSEY: OUT: WR/DB Jamaine Blalock (L Achilles rupture), DS Marc Williams (L knee tear), OL/DL Dwayne Sabb (L knee tear), WR/LB George Williams (L fibula fracture), OS James Bowden (L ankle sprain); QUESTIONABLE: WR/DB Carlos Johnson (L knee contusion), FB/LB Frank Carter (R hand fracture), WR/DB Dennison Robinson (L knee sprain).

#12 TAMPA BAY STORM (7-8) AT #1 SAN JOSE SABERCATS (13-1)

TAMPA BAY: None Reported
SAN JOSE: OUT: QB Mark Grieb (clavicle fracture); PROBABLE: WR/LB Shalon Baker (lower extrmity contusion).

# 11 CAROLINA COBRAS (7-8) AT # 2 ARIZONA RATTLERS (11-3)

CAROLINA: None Reported.
ARIZONA: OUT: OL/DL Charlie Morris (hand), OL/DL Jeff Macrea (lower leg), OL/Dl Tim Croff (toes), OL/DL Joe Burch (toe) FB/LB Greg Gales (foot); PROBABLE: OL/DL Stacy Evans (foot), DS Ricky Parker (face); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Sebastian Barrie (knee), FB/LB Bo Kelly (lower leg), OL/DL Ken Talanoa (knee).

#8 DALLAS DESPERADOS (8-7) AT # 3 CHICAGO RUSH (9-5)

DALLAS: QUESTIONABLE: QB Andy Kelly (L hip flexor strain); DOUBTFUL: DS Michael Scott (L calf strain).
CHICAGO: OUT: K David Cool (lower extremity), OS Joe Douglass (abdominal); PROBABLE: FB/LB Jamie McGourty (lower extremity), K Adam Hicks (lower extremity), OL/DL James Baron (upper extremity).



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from August 1, 2002


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