Preds Open Mini-Camp

February 5, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Orlando Predators News Release


If you take a look at the roster for the 2008 Orlando Predators heading into training camp, you may remember three names from the last time the Preds won an ArenaBowl. B.J. Cohen, Damon Mason, and Kenny "The Glove" McEntyre are the only three players from the 2000 squad that beat the Nashville Kats 41-38 in ArenaBowl XIV.

Since that 2000 season, Cohen, Mason, and McEntyre have ventured elsewhere to pursue their Arena Football League careers, however, the potential for a championship has brought them all back to Orlando.

McEntyre and Cohen were most recently with the Kansas City Brigade. The duo teamed up to help a squad that was irrelevant with a 3-13 record in the 2006 season, to a post-season threat with a 10-6 regular season record in 2007.

Cohen led the team with five sacks on the season while McEntyre led the team with nine interceptions, returning three of those for touchdowns. Cohen enters this season in the top five all-time with 42.5 sacks in his nine year career. McEntyre is the all-time leader with 72 interceptions in 10 seasons. The Predators are hoping these two can keep their hot streak going throughout the 2008 season to help the team meet its ultimate goal of bringing home a third ArenaBowl Championship.

"Kenny is a great player," said head coach Jay Gruden. "What he does possess is the ability to create turnovers. We want him to finish out a Predator, that's where he started and that's where he belongs."

Location wise, Mason has been the outcast of the group while playing for teams like the New Jersey/Las Vegas Gladiators who are now in Cleveland. After a short return to Orlando in 2004 he was traded to the Carolina Cobras. He then returned to the Preds in 2005 before being traded to the Grand Rapids Rampage. The Rampage sent Mason to the Austin Wranglers where he continued his assault on the record books. He also helped the team to their first playoff appearance with eight interceptions in the 2006 season. While being known mostly for his hard hits and throwing his entire 185 pound body into receivers; Mason has recorded 42 interceptions and 915 bone crunching tackles in his career.

These three players will all be key parts to the success of the 2008 edition of the Orlando Predators. Their leadership abilities will be needed to help some of the younger guys learn the nuances of the AFL game. The return of Cohen and the "M&M Boys" should lead to a lot of sacks and interceptions for the Preds and when they finally do decide to hang up the cleats, hopefully they'll still be in red and black.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 5, 2008


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