Quick Hitters
June 20, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
RETURN ENGAGEMENT: Against Chicago last week, San Jose's KR/DS CLEVAN THOMAS returned 2 kicks 53 and 55 yards for TDs and as well as a MFG attempt 52 yards for a score. that effort ranked third for most in a game. with 252 combined return yards, he broke STEVE PAPIN's team record of 249, set against New England (6/9/00)... Thomas ranks No. 3 in kickoff returns this season, averaging 22.7 yards per return and have tied Papin and Buffalo's LAMONT COOPER for the lead with 4 return TDs. Here's a look at the top rookie return men in AFL history:
* MOST RETURN TDs, GAME
4 - Anthony Derricks, New England at San Jose, 6/9/00
3 - Willie Gaston, Connecticut at Arizona, 7/13/96
3 - Clevan Thomas, San Jose vs. Chicago, 6/15/02
* MOST RETURN TDs, ROOKIE, SEASON
7 - Willie Gaston, Connecticut, 1996
6 - Anthony Derricks, New England, 2000
4 - Tyronne Jones, Nashville, 1998
4 - Ron Carpenter, New York, 1998
4 - Clevan Thomas, San Jose, 2002
TURN ME AROUND, AND AROUND: The New Jersey Gladiators (6-3) are on course for the biggest turnaround in league history (see below) after finishing 2-12 last year. Prior to last week's 55-33 win at Tampa Bay, the Gladiators beat Grand Rapids 70-42, the first win for a Jersey team against a defending champ since the former Red Dogs beat the Arizona Rattlers 64-57 on July 26, 1998. Coach FRANK HAEGE now has a 43-4 (.914) record in Arena Football games, which includes a 37-1 record with the Quad City Steamwheelers of arenafootball2. Here's a look at the league's best turnarounds of the '90s:
* 6-GAME IMPROVEMENT:
San Jose 6-8 to 12-2 (1999-00)
Iowa 5-9 to 11-3 (1998-99)
Milwaukee 4-8 to 10-4 (1995-96)
Orlando 3-7 to 9-1 (1991-92)
* 5-GAME IMPROVEMENT:
Carolina 3-11 to 8-6 (2000-01)
Grand Rapids 6-8 to 11-3 (2000-01)
Iowa 7-5 to 12-2 (1995-96)
Albany 5-7 to 10-2 (1993-94)
WHO NEEDS PASSING! With 34.2 yards per game and 24 TDs, the San Jose SaberCats are the league's best rushing offense - and it could forecast a trip to the ArenaBowl if history proves correct. Here's a look at the teams in the last 5 championship games and how they ranked in rushing offense (CHAMPS IN CAPS):
TEAM, YR YDS AVG/G RANK
GRAND RAPIDS, 2001 271 19.4 No. 6
Nashville, 2001 490 30.0 No. 1
ORLANDO, 2000 515 36.8 No. 2
Nashville, 2000 515 36.8 No. 2
ALBANY, 1999 822 58.7 No. 1
Orlando, 1999 430 30.7 No. 2
ORLANDO, 1998 433 30.9 No. 3
Tampa Bay, 1998 337 24.1 No. 6
ARIZONA, 1997 713 50.9 No. 5
Iowa, 1997 319 22.8 No. 8
SCORING MACHINE: No, the San Jose SaberCats aren't an NBA farm team, rather the highest scoring offensive unit this side of 16 seasons. Scoring 593 points in 9 games (65.9 per game), the SaberCats are on target to tally more points than any other team in history. Last year's New York Dragons currently hold the top spot with 898 points (64.1). In 2000, the SaberCats became the first team to average 60+ in one season, and could hold three of the top five positions in highest scoring offenses. The next highest scoring team this season is Grand Rapids (56.1). San Jose is 42-of-46 (92%) in Red Zone efficiency. Here's a look at the top 10 juggernauts in league history:
TEAM, YR PTS AVG/G
New York, 2001 898 64.1
Albany, 1996 873 62.4
San Jose, 2000 871 62.4
San Jose, 2001 831 59.4
Albany, 1999 822 58.7
Albany, 2000 815 58.2
Indiana, 2001 814 58.1
Iowa, 1997 803 57.4
Grand Rapids, 2001 801 57.2
Iowa, 2000 797 56.9
MOON OVER DALLAS? NO LONGER: With 10 TDs in a Week 8 win against Indiana; Dallas Desperados QB ANDY KELLY became the most prolific touchdown passer in pro football history. Kelly has now thrown 447 TDs in 9 AFL seasons (430); 2 in NFL Europe (17). WARREN MOON held the all-time record with 435 with 291 coming in the NFL; 144 in the CFL. Here's a look at the top 5 in history:
ALL-TIME PASSING TOUCHDOWN TOTALS
1. Andy Kelly, AFL/NFLE 447 (active)
2. Warren Moon, CFL/NFL 435
3. Sherdrick Bonner, AFL 425 (active)
4. Dan Marino, NFL 420
5. Aaron Garcia, AFL 415 (active)
THE CUP'S HALF FULL: With Detroit at 1-8, New York 2-7 and Tampa Bay 3-6, there's still hope for those teams making the playoffs. Here's a look at teams with sub-.500 records after 8 games that still made the playoffs (min. 14 games played), including 0-8 and 0-5 stumbles by 2000's Destroyers and 1999's Mustangs, respectively:
TEAM, YR FIRST 8 FINISH
Detroit, 2001 3-5 7-7
Toronto, 2001 3-5 8-6
Buffalo, 2000 0-8 5-9
Tampa Bay, 2000 3-5 8-6
Milwaukee, 1999 3-5 7-7
BIG, FURY MONSTERS: Despite Detroit's sluggish start, two players have caught the attention of opposing quarterbacks - and they're not tricky DBs. R-KAL TRULUCK, last year's Rookie of the Year, and line mate KELVIN KINNEY combine to form the best sack duo in the league, rolling opposing passers 9 times including Truluck's league high 6 (He's recorded 14.5 in 21 career regular season games)... the pair have a combined 8 tackles for loss, second only to Toronto's duo of STEVE KONOPKA and JASON WALTERS who have 9 in that category.
THE HALF CENTURY MARK: The SaberCats have surpassed the 50-point mark in each of their last 16 regular season games scoring 1,057 points (66.0 ppg) and posting a 15-1 record. San Jose's lowest point total during its current run is 52, which was reached twice. SaberCats won at Los Angeles, 52-33, on June 8, 2002, and defeated Arizona at home, 52-51, on April 20, 2002.
CONSISTENCY: San Jose QB MARK GRIEB completed 17 passes against Chicago on June 15, the second straight week he threw 17 complete passes. on the season Grieb has thrown 17 completions in 5 of 9 games. Grieb has made 29 regular season starts during his San Jose career and the team has a record of 26-3 in those games.
NO SOPHOMORE JINX: Rampage OS STEVE SMITH, playing in his second season (Smith was active just 2 games last year with Buffalo), is leading the league with 150 points (25 TDs). second-year stars CHRIS HORN of Arizona and JAMES HUNDON of San Jose are ranked No. 2 and 3 respectively... not since Firebird EDDIE BROWN in 1994 has a second-year player been crowned the league's scoring champ... Here's a look at first- or second-year standouts that have finished a season as No. 1 in scoring:
TEAM NAME TDs POINTS SEASON
1988 Carl Aikens 22 TD 132 points 1st
1989 George LaFrance 11 TD 66 points 2nd
1992 Stevie Thomas 27 TD 162 points 2nd
1993 Barry Wagner 28 TD 170 points 2nd
1994 Eddie Brown 48 TD 288 points 1st
2002 Steve Smith 25 TD 150 points, through 9 games 2nd (prior exp. 2 games)
GAME WINNING QB'S: Trailing in the last few minutes of a game, Arizona's SHERDRICK BONNER is the man to have under center, at least according to this season's game winning drives. Twice Bonner has guided his team with the game on the line, while Storm QB SCOTT MILANOVICH and Dallas' ANDY KELLY have also done their best JOHN ELWAY impersonation once this season (Kelly, ironically, last week against Bonner's Rattlers). Here's a look at the game winning drives by these three quarterbacks (all 4 are game ending drives):
* In Week 2 against Los Angeles, down 51-52 with 3:47 left, Bonner completed 4 passes for 42 yards including a 2-yard TD to HUNKIE COOPER for a 63-59 win.
* In Week 7 against Indiana, down 50-52 with 1:49 left, Milanovich went 2-for-4 for 15 yards to set up a MIKE BLACK 21-yard FG in a 53-52 win.
* In Week 8 against Carolina, tied at 42 in overtime, Bonner completed 3 consecutive passes for 48 yards before handing off to CHRIS HORN for a one-yard TD in a 48-42 win.
* In Week 9 against Arizona, tied at 33 with 23 seconds left, Kelly went 2-for-5 for 27 yards to get the Desperados in position for JASON WELLS' 34-yard FG that won the game, 36-33.
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WEEK TEN SCHEDULE (All times ET)
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FRIDAY, June 21
Toronto @ ORLANDO, 7:30 P.M. (Sunshine Network)
SATURDAY, June 22
Chicago @ DETROIT, 7:30 P.M. (Fox Sports Detroit)
Tampa Bay @ DALLAS, 8:30 P.M.
Indiana @ ARIZONA, 10:00 P.M. (WB61 Arizona)
Carolina @ LOS ANGELES, 10:30 P.M. (Fox Sports West 2)
New York @ SAN JOSE, 10:30 P.M. (Fox Sports New York)
SUNDAY, June 23
Georgia @ GRAND RAPIDS, 2:00 P.M. (The New TNN)
Buffalo @ NEW JERSEY, 3:00 P.M. (YES Network)
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WEEK TEN INJURY REPORT
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***AS REPORTED TO THE LEAGUE OFFICE BY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19***
* TORONTO PHANTOMS (4-5) AT ORLANDO PREDATORS (4-5)
TORONTO: None Reported.
ORLANDO: OUT: FB/LB Brian Goolsby, QB Craig Whelihan; DOUBTFUL: DS Tommy Henry; QUESTIONABLE: WR/DB Junior Lord, OL/DL Angel Rubio, WR/LB Damon Bowers, DS Reggie Doster, OL/DL Reggie Lee.
* CHICAGO RUSH (5-4) AT DETROIT FURY (1-8)
CHICAGO: None Reported.
DETROIT: OUT: OS Robert Gordon (R humerus fracture), QB Drew Miller (L ankle sprain); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Harry Deligianis (low back strain); PROBABLE: FB/LB Toran James (L knee sprain).
* TAMPA BAY STORM (3-6) AT DALLAS DESPERADOS (5-4)
TAMPA BAY: None Reported.
DALLAS: PROBABLE: OL/DL Tom Briggs (R sprained ankle), OL/DL Shante Carver (L sprained ankle).
* INDIANA FIREBIRDS (4-5) AT ARIZONA RATTLERS (6-3)
INDIANA: OUT: DS Donnie Caldwell (ankle sprain), OL/DL Aaron Johnson (ankle sprain), WR/LB Drew O'Connor (hamstring); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Brian Creel (knee sprain), FB/LB Umar Muhammad (ankle sprain), FB/LB Sunungura Rusununguko (ankle sprain).
ARIZONA: OUT: FB/LB Greg Gales (groin), OL/DL Jeff Macrea (lower leg) WR/DB Bobby McGowens (knee), OL/DL Ken Talanoa (knee); QUESTIONABLE: OL/DL Tim Croff (foot); PROBABLE: OL/DL Charlie Morris (shoulder), DS Cecil Doggette (knee).
* CAROLINA COBRAS (4-5) AT LOS ANGELES AVENGERS (5-4)
CAROLINA: None Reported.
LOS ANGELES: None reported.
* NEW YORK DRAGONS (2-7) AT SAN JOSE SABERCATS (9-0)
NEW YORK: None Reported.
SAN JOSE: PROBABLE: WR/DB James Roe (ankle sprain).
* GEORGIA FORCE (4-5) AT GRAND RAPIDS RAMPAGE (5-4)
GEORGIA: OUT: FB/LB Rupert Grant (L Achilles tendon rupture), OL/DL Robert Gaddy (R knee MCL sprain), K Stan Whitlock (L knee contusion); DOUBTFUL: FB/LB Kelron Syles (L knee arthritis).
GRAND RAPIDS: PROBABLE: DS Joseph Todd, OS Steve Smith, OL/DL Lucas Yarnell.
* BUFFALO DESTROYERS (5-4) AT NEW JERSEY GLADIATORS (6-3)
BUFFALO: PROBABLE: DS Corey Johnson (ankle), OL/DL Silas Demary (ankle), OL/DL Eric Miller (elbow groin); QUESTIONABLE: FB/LB John Motton (ankle).
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); QUESTIONABLE: WR/LB James Bowden (L knee sprain), OL/DL Wilky Bazile (R knee contusion), DS Damon Mason (R thigh contusion), FB/LB Chris Pope (L groin strain).
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