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SaberCats Feature: Nick Rolovich

April 20, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release


Whoever is playing behind San Jose's starting quarterback and 2002 Offensive Player of the Year Mark Grieb lives in relative obscurity. Quick, who was the SaberCats' backup quarterback last season? Had to think about it didn't you?

In 2003 a trio of players, Bob Bees, Johnny Turman and Kevin Daft, each had a chance and not one even threw a pass in a regular season game.

This year former University of Hawai'i standout Nick Rolovich gets the call. An invitee to the Denver Broncos training camp in both 2002 and 2003, Rolovich enters his rookie season in the AFL.

"I didn't have a lot of expectations," said Rolovich about joining the AFL and the SaberCats. "I wasn't sure what to expect. It's certainly been enjoyable."

A record setting QB at Hawai'i and a two-time JC All-American at City College of San Francisco, Rolovich has already done something last season's reserves didn't do – he threw a pass in a regular season game.

With San Jose comfortably ahead of Grand Rapids on February 28, Rolovich entered the game in the fourth quarter and completed 3-of-11 passes for 31 yards in his first AFL appearance.

"I tried to go for the touchdown on the first play, on the second play and on the third play," he commented. "I knew the shorter passes were there, but all my friends and family were at the game and I probably wanted to show off a little bit."

Getting used to the indoor game is difficult enough, but it's that much more difficult for a guy who enjoyed so much success on the big field.

"Arm strength in this game (AFL) isn't as important as in the big game," Rolovich noted. "Decision making and the touch ball that you throw are very important. It's great football, almost like pure football."

Because the gunslinger, who threw for over 500 yards in three straight games during his senior year at Hawai'i, has such a powerful throwing arm, his teammates have nicknamed him Wild Thing, after the character Ricky Vaughn in the movie "Major League."

Rolovich, however, takes the needling in stride. "I tend to throw a little bit too hard," he noted.

A Northern California native who was born in Daly City and lives in Novato, Rolovich enjoys having his family and friends attend SaberCats games and regularly buys around 100 tickets for each home game. "It's great growing up in the Bay Area and then getting to play in front of everybody," he said. "I haven't played here since city college days so it's nice to have familiar faces in the crowd."

Only 25-years-old, Rolovich still has visions of playing in the NFL dancing in his head. "It's in the back of my mind," he stated. "If it happens, it happens."

But ‘Wild Thing' is enjoying his stay in San Jose. "It's a fun job, but it's still a game. The way this organization is run makes it enjoyable for everyone to come to work everyday."

Football, at any level, is still a game. Played by kids or kids at heart. Rolovich still has a little bit of kid in him. "If I could play this game as long as I could I wouldn't be disappointed with my life at all."

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 20, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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