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Rampage News & Notes

January 27, 2003 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


QUICK FACTS:
Grand Rapids Rampage @ Buffalo Destroyers
Date: Saturday, February 1, 2003.
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. (EST).
Site: HSBC Arena (18,457).
Officials: Darrel Leftwich (Referee), Jeff Carr (Umpire), Bill Ward (Head Linesman), Thomas Symonette (Line Judge), Tony Lombardo (Back Judge).
Radio: WBBL 1340 AM, Joe Parson, Tom Sullivan. Coverage begins at 6:40 p.m. (EST).
TV: None.
Series Record: Rampage lead 3-0.
Coaches: Grand Rapids, Michael Trigg (65-63 overall, 10th season). Buffalo, Ron Selesky (0-0, 1st season).

THE STAKES: Both teams would like to start the 2003 season off with a victory, but according to last season, opening the season with a defeat doesn't mean the entire season is lost. Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs last season, six of them lost their first game.

THE SERIES: Grand Rapids holds a 3-0 series lead over Buffalo. Although the series lead seems lopsided, the games have not been. In their three victories, the Rampage have won by a combined eight points.

THE IFs:

If Grand Rapids defeats Buffalo it would...
· Give the Rampage a 4-0 series lead over Buffalo.
· Give the Rampage a 1-0 road record.
· Give the Rampage a 1-0 overall record.
· Give the Rampage a 1-0 record against the National Conference.
· Give the Rampage a 1-0 record against the Eastern Division.
· Give the Rampage four straight wins in season openers.
· Give Michael Trigg a 66-64 overall record as a coach.

HEAD COACHES:

MICHAEL TRIGG, Grand Rapids Rampage (65-64, 10th Season): Trigg, the only coach in Rampage team history, begins his sixth season with the Rampage and tenth overall as a head coach in the AFL. Last season, Trigg led the Rampage to an 8-6 regular season mark and a fourth consecutive playoff berth. He also became just the fifth AFL coach to reach the 60-win plateau, making him the fifth winningest coach in AFL history. Trigg's history of achievement reached new heights on August 19, 2001 when the AFL's smallest market team won ArenaBowl XV in front of a sold-out Van Andel Arena and a national television audience. For his efforts, Trigg was named the 2001 AFL Coach of the Year.

RON SELESKY, Buffalo Destroyers (0-0, 1st Season): Selesky was introduced as head coach of the Destroyers on November 6, 2002 after serving as the Tampa Bay Storm's assistant head coach/director of player personnel. Selesky earned 2002 af2 Coach of the Year honors by guiding the expansion Albany Conquest to a 13-3 regular season mark and a Northeast Division championship. Selesky joined the Conquest after leading the expansion Louisville Fire to a 6-10 mark in 2001. Prior to coaching in af2, Selesky spent one season with the Carolina Cobras and three seasons with the Storm.

RAMPAGE NEXT WEEK: The Rampage take their first trip to Denver to face John Elway's expansion Colorado Crush. Game time at the Pepsi Center is at 9 p.m. (EST) on Friday, February 7.

2002 MILESTONES:

· Grand Rapids sets a new team record for regular season attendance with 69,341 total fans attending games during the 2002 season, which includes a team record three sellouts.

· Rampage coach Michael Trigg recorded career regular season victory number 60 against the Georgia Force (6/23). Only four other coaches (John Gregory, Tim Marcum, Perry Moss and Danny White) have reached the 60-win plateau.

· Rampage QB Clint Dolezel moved past Mike Perez for fifth place on the AFL's all-time charts in passing yards (19,995) and sixth place in pass attempts (2,609). In addition, Dolezel also passed John Kaleo for fifth place in completions (1,698) and former teammate Todd Hammel for fourth place in career passing touchdowns (393).

· Dolezel became the first quarterback in AFL history to throw for 70 or more TDs in four different seasons.

· Rampage FB/LB Chris Ryan broke his own team single-season rushing marks in yards (133) and touchdowns (12). He also broke Basil Proctor's four-year old attempts record (49).

· Rampage FB/LB Travis McDonald broke the Rampage's single-season sack record with his 2.5 sack performance against the New York Dragons (7/13). McDonald, who finished with 5.5 sacks on season, moved past Corey Mayfield and Buster Stanley (4.5).

UPCOMING MILESTONES:

· Clint Dolezel needs 17 pass attempts to move past former Destroyer Fred McNair for fifth place on the AFL's career list.

· Coach Michael Trigg is just five wins from his 70th career victory. Only four other coaches (John Gregory, Tim Marcum, Perry Moss and Danny White) have reached the 70-win plateau.

LAST MEETING: GRAND RAPIDS 47, Buffalo 45 (5/25/02) – A crowd of 9,782 at Van Andel Arena witnessed Steve Smith reel in four touchdown passes to lead the Grand Rapids Rampage past the Buffalo Destroyers, 47-45. Smith, a former Destroyer, was honored as game MVP for the third consecutive game as Grand Rapids ran its win streak to three. The Rampage defensive line hassled Buffalo's Fred McNair throughout the night, combining for an astonishing 18 quarterback hurries. JoJo Polk provided a spark with 7.5 tackles, a fumble recovery and three pass deflections, while rookies Jason Waters and Israel Raybon both set career-highs with six pass deflections and 1.5 sacks, respectively.

SERIES NOTABLES:

· Clint Dolezel: Completed 46-of-70 passes for 515 yards and 11 TDs in two games against the Destroyers...Picked off twice in both games...Named game MVP on 7/20/01 @ Buffalo.

· Terrill Shaw: Recorded 11 catches for 131 yards and four TDS in two games against his former team.

· Willis Marshall: Registered 11 catches for 139 yards and a TD in two games against the Destroyers...Also has returned four kickoffs for 106 yards.

· Steve Smith: Earned game MVP honors after catching seven passes for 75 yards and four TDs against his former team on 5/25/02.

FAMILIAR FACES:

· Rampage WR/DB Terrill Shaw and OS Steve Smith came to Grand Rapids from the Destroyers. Shaw played in nine games for the Destroyers in 2000, while Smith played in only one game in 2001.

· Rampage backup QB Nick Browder played five games for the Destroyers in 2000.

· Destroyers DS JoJo Polk and OL/DL Terry Grooms both spent time in Grand Rapids. Polk played in 21 games for GR the past two seasons, while Grooms played in only two games in 2002.

· Rampage assistant coach Tony Kimbrough played and coached for the Destroyers (1999-2001), throwing the first TD in team history on 4/30/99.

TEAM NOTES:

Season Openers: Only twice in the team's history have the Rampage lost their season opener, falling in the franchise's inaugural game in 1998 and home opener in 1999. Since then, Grand Rapids has rattled off three season opening victories (2 home, 1 road).

Important Road: Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs last season, nine had winning road records, including Grand Rapids that finished 4-3 on the road.

16 Return: 16 players from last year's 8-6 squad returned to Grand Rapids. Of the 16, 11 return from the Rampage's 2001 championship team. With QB Nick Browder also back on board this season, Grand Rapids features 12 players from their ArenaBowl glory.

Defensive Upgrade: After finishing 13th in the league in total defense in 2002, the Rampage used the offseason to upgrade their defensive secondary. In to change Grand Rapids' defensive fortunes this season are veterans Cecil Doggette, Lamar Grant and Shea Showers.

Rookie Crop: Since the team's inception, the Rampage have had at least one rookie make the AFL's All-Rookie Team. This year's crop features WR/LB Damon Hodge and linemen Jason Gamble and Albert Reese. All three players have NFL experience and have shown the ability to be successful indoors.

RAMPAGE PLAYERS TO WATCH:

QB Clint Dolezel: Dolezel is arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the AFL. Although he struggled with interceptions last season, the former East Texas State star finished the 2002 campaign as the league's top passer, completing 67% (339-of-505) of his passes for 3,878 yards and 79 TDs. In the Rampage's recent scrimmages against Indiana (1/13) and San Jose (1/19), Dolezel looked like his old self, completing a total of 13-of-27 attempts for 215 yards and three TDs.

OS Steve Smith: A virtual unknown before the start of the 2002 season, Smith burst onto the scene as one of the AFL's best receivers in 2002. The former Utah State standout went from catching six passes in one game for Buffalo during the 2001 season to catching 72 passes and 26 TDs in 10 games for Grand Rapids last season. During the month of May (2002), Smith caught 52 passes for 648 yards and a Rampage record 20 TDs. For his efforts, he was named the AFL's Co-Offensive Player of the Month and the Rampage's Most Valuable Player for the 2002 season. In the Rampage's recent scrimmage against Indiana (1/23), he tallied three receptions for 56 yards and a rushing TD.

WR/DB Terrill Shaw: Despite missing five weeks with an ankle injury in 2002, the former ArenaBowl MVP recorded 45 catches for 579 yards and 10 touchdowns. In the two scrimmages during training camp, Shaw looked to be back to championship form, recording six receptions for 106 yards and two TDs.

WR/DB Willis Marshall: Marshall used the 2002 season to establish himself as one of the Rampage's and AFL's most versatile athletes. The third-year player out of Youngstown State led the team in catches (80) and receiving yards (973). He also led the team in kickoff returns (41), return yardage (813) and all-purpose yards (1,819). For his efforts, Marshall was named second-team All-AFL.



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 27, 2003


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