Rage Gear Up For Exciting Year At Savvis

Published on January 12, 2006 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
RiverCity Rage News Release


It won't be long....it's getting closer and sometimes in terms of workload for everyone here at Rage Headquarters, it seems like the walls are closing in, as coaches check jerseys, helmets and pads, sales calls are being arranged with new and eager sponsors ready to hop on board, and Operations Manager Morris Groves finds himself wishing he were Michael Keaton's character in the movie ‘Multiplicity'......already, Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt spends nights in his office, rubbing his eyes, burning the proverbial midnight oil as he diagrams play after play, looking for ways to attack a Cover Two defense or open some daylight in a defensive line to allow running back Sha-Ron Edwards to skip untouched into the endzone. The second round of NIFL league meetings are on tap for Wednesday and Thursday of next week.....Houston, we're coming to see ya, and this time around, it looks like I, too, will be part of the Rage contingent heading south to offer help and encouragement to the new expansion teams ready to serve up some indoor football excitement in their respective cities. Yes, the 2006 NIFL season has moved into the red zone and stands poised and ready to strike paydirt in just two short months.

It's crunch time, baby!!

And we couldn't be more ready....Since the announcement last Fall that Savvis Center was waiting to embrace The Rage and it's fans, this team has worked diligently to insure success at every layer and level of operation, from on field productivity to pre-game and halftime entertainment, to something as simple as measuring the tunnel for player pre-game intros. As Morris said the other day at lunch (yes, we DO make time for that) "we only get seven chances for success. Every game counts, big time." The home schedule is etched in stone, the away dates will be formalized at the league meetings next week, and when the chute opens the third weekend in March, this bull will be ready to ride to a title.

And it's an angry and somewhat restless bull, too. Angry because it was roped and tied way too soon last July, in an opening round upset loss to Cincinnati. Restless, because after 6 months of stewing and snorting on that one loss, it's ready to charge full speed and cause some major damage this time around. Guaranteed, it'll be like the rest of the league is wearing red in 2006!

The most recent player call back tryout was held this past Sunday, and Coach Wyatt was particularly impressed with a defensive lineman and a receiver. Those players most likely will be signed by the team and their names and football backgrounds revealed in the next 10 days. The final open-player tryout will be held on Sunday, January 29th, at the Velocity Sports complex in Chesterfield, Mo. Registration will be at 10am, and it is the final opportunity for any player to tryout for a spot on the 2006 roster.

Cheerleaders will get one final chance, as well, to show their talents. The cheerleader auditions will be on Saturday, January 28th, at the Club Fitness in Creve Coeur. Aspirants for the 2006 Rage cheerleading squad must be at least 18 years of age. Both prospective players and cheerleaders can register on-line at www.ragefootball.com.

The Rage welcomes John Aebischer to the indoor football family. John comes to us with a background in sales and promotions and will even double as the Raggie mascot in the coming year, both at games and outside activities. And, he already has made a big time contribution to our young Rage fans. John has put together the RiverCity Rage Student Super Bowl, a character building assembly program, for use in elementary schools all over the metro area. Teachers and Principals have already embraced it, and it's sure to be met with future success.

Finally, coupled with the excitement of the post season playoffs, both pain and sadness found some playing time in the NFL this past week. Long-time St. Louis Rams radio color analyst and former player Jack Snow passed away on Monday, January 9th, due to complications from a staph infection. His hospital stay and the events leading to his passing have been well documented, thus no need to belabour them here. As an on air-personality at KLOU, I had a few dealings with Jack, though infrequent and brief. At the risk of sounding self serving, my first was about 5 years ago, when he and Steve Savard came up to KLOU in July to meet with Jim Stassi, our producer for Rams games on the station. I was on-air, doing the midday show, when Jack tapped on the glass of the studio and motioned for me to come outside. "Hey, I'm Jack Snow," he said, "I just wanted to stop in and tell you, I've been hearing you for the last few days, and I really enjoy your show. You're a funny guy on the radio, really enjoy it, really!" I could only stand somewhat stunned and offer my hand in thanks, and watch as he hustled out the door without another word...and was gone. I turned to Victoria, our receptionist, winked, and said something like "See there, somebody knows what's up".....we both laughed, but I remember walking into the studio suddenly feeling better about what I did for a living.

Over the next few years, we would run into each other, mostly at Ram games, usually in the hallway that connects the press box with the announcers booth. ‘Hey, big guy, what's going on" was his usual greeting, and if time permitted we would make mostly small talk about the Rams, the Rage or radio. Once in passing, I mentioned I did the play-by-play for the Rage. The next thing I knew, I was in the Ram's broadcast booth, with Jack showing me everything he and Steve used and employed to make to Ram's broadcasts a ‘go' on KLOU.

I know the sense of loss and sadness I feel, as a mere acquaintance, pales in comparison to that felt by his co-workers, true friends, and certainly his family. But it is there, nonetheless.

The last time I had contact with Jack Snow was early November....I was on the air on a Saturday Morning at KLOU when the hotline phone rang. "Is this Mike?" the voice asked...Yes, I replied....'Hey, buddy, this is Jack Snow. I need you to play that Ray Charles song ‘Hit the Road, Jack'...play it as soon as you can, because I'm headin' outta town." And before I could even reply, the phone buzzed, and he was gone.

Sadly now, forever.

And certainly, far too soon for a good man.

Godspeed, Jack.

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National Indoor Football League Stories from January 12, 2006


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