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SaberCats Open Camp Sunday

January 9, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release


SAN JOSE, Calif. (Jan. 9, 2004) – The four-time defending Western Division Champion San Jose SaberCats begin preparations for the 2004 Arena Football League season Sunday, January 11th at the team's practice facility in Sunnyvale.

The SaberCats mark their 10th anniversary as one of the most successful franchises in AFL history, winning five division titles and one ArenaBowl Championship in nine seasons. The team has now posted double-digit victory totals in four-consecutive seasons – the longest current streak in league history.

Thirty-seven players will report to this year's training camp, which will run through January 29th. The league's mandatory cut down date to the regular season 24-man roster is January 30th.

All practices are open to the media and public. Head coach Darren Arbet other coaches and players will be available for interviews following the morning practice session. Contact the SaberCats' Media Relations Department at (408) 573-5577 for more information.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE (JANUARY 11-17)
Sunday, 1/11 - 8:45 – 11:15am 3:15 – 5:15pm
Monday, 1/12 - 8:45 – 11:15am 3:15 – 5:15pm
Tuesday, 1/13 - 8:45 – 11:15am No afternoon practice
Wednesday, 1/14 - 8:45 – 11:15am 3:45 – 5:35pm
Thursday, 1/15 - 8:45 – 11:15am 3:45 – 5:35pm
Friday, 1/16 - 8:45 – 11:15am No afternoon practice
Saturday, 1/17 - OFF DAY

COACHING STAFF

Head coach Darren Arbet returns for his sixth season at the helm of the SaberCats and enters the campaign with the second-highest regular season winning percentage in league history (53-19, .736) among coaches with 10 wins. He also ranks eighth all-time with 59 career victories. Offensive coordinator Terry Malley is back after leading the SaberCats offense to an average of over 60 points per game for the second straight season in 2003 and the third time in the last four years. In fact, San Jose is the only team to average over 60 points a game in a season more than once. Defensive coordinator Michael Church led his troops to several league-highs during the 2003 season. San Jose's defense forced 38 turnovers - tops in the AFL, including a league-best 28 interceptions. The SaberCats made the most of those turnovers, returning seven interceptions and three fumble recoveries for touchdowns. The defense proved to be stingy as well, allowing the fewest first downs (268) in the AFL and earning the only sub-100 pass defense rating (97.5) in the league.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Many key veterans return from last year's SaberCats' team that won the Western Division and posted a league-best 12 wins. Quarterback Mark Grieb, the 2002 AFL Offensive Player of the Year, who set team records for completions (310), passing yards (3,966) and touchdowns (72) returns as the team's starting quarterback. Grieb will once again have several talented receiving targets to choose from, including the AFL's all-time scoring leader, Barry Wagner (2,310 points), James Hundon, the SaberCats' all-time leader in receiving touchdowns (78), and 2003 All-Ironman Team selection James Roe, who set a team single-season record with 115 receptions in 2003.

Along with a prolific air attack, the SaberCats boast a record-setting ground game featuring two of the AFL's top-three rushers in Kaela Keanaaina (1st) and Matt Kinsinger (3rd), who helped San Jose score a league-record 47 rushing touchdowns.

The offense continues to raise the bar in arena football, averaging over 60 points for the second-consecutive year in 2003 and for the third time in four seasons – no other AFL franchise has achieved the feat more than once in league history.

Omarr Smith, named ArenaBowl XVI Ironman in San Jose's 2002 win, returns to strengthen an already solid SaberCats' defense. The four-year veteran resigned with San Jose as a free agent after a one-year stint in Tampa Bay, where he won his second ArenaBowl title and finished second in the 2003 Defensive Player of the Year voting. He joins the man he finished runner-up to in two-time Defensive Player of the Year Clevan Thomas to form the AFL's most potent defensive backfields. Thomas, who set an AFL record with 13 interceptions in 2003, is also one of the league's most dangerous kick return threats.

SAN JOSE STATE TIES

In keeping with a long tradition, the SaberCats once again have a roster stocked with former SJSU Spartans. The return of WR/DB Omarr Smith and the addition of WR/DB Charles Pauley along with holdovers WR/DB Rashied Davis and WR/LB Jerry Reese, give the Spartans solid representation on the SaberCats.

ALL-DECADE TEAM

The SaberCats are currently conducting a poll for the club's All-Decade Team on their official website www.sanjosesabercats.com. Fans can log onto the site and make their selections for the team by position. The All-Decade Team will be announced later in the season and an official poster featuring the fans' selections will be a promotional give-away item at a home game during the month of May.

UPDATED ROSTER

Visit the SaberCats official website www.sanjosesabercats.com and click on the ‘team' link to view an updated training camp roster with pictures and bios of all the 2004 SaberCats.

2004 SCHEDULE

The SaberCats open their 16-game regular season Thursday, February 5th in Detroit. The home opener vs. Grand Rapids is scheduled for Saturday, February 28th at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. The 2004 schedule includes several exciting match-ups. The SaberCats write a new chapter with their rivals to the south on February 22nd when they face the Los Angeles Avengers at STAPLES Center. San Jose's trip to the Big Apple on March 7th means a showdown with former SaberCats' head coach Todd Shell and his New York Dragons. The Colorado Crush visit HP Pavilion the following week on March 14th as former San Jose wide receiver/linebacker Kevin McKenzie and quarterback John Dutton, who returns to the same field where he led the SaberCats to an ArenaBowl XVI title in 2002, face their old teammates. The Las Vegas Gladiators, featuring ex-SaberCats Anthony Cobbs, Brian Lytle and Cedric Pittman, come to San Jose on March 20th, followed by another battle with Los Angeles on the 26th. The last two ArenaBowl Champions square off April 4th in Tampa Bay as the SaberCats battle the defending champion Storm. Another East Coast trip on April 25th sends San Jose to battle a Georgia Force team looking for revenge after a playoff loss to the SaberCats last spring. The expansion New Orleans VooDoo makes its first appearance at HP Pavilion May 1st bringing former SaberCats Aaron Bailey and Gana Joseph back to San Jose. One of the AFL's longest rivalries is finally renewed May 9th with a trip to Phoenix to face the Arizona Rattlers in the 22nd meeting between the two teams. The SaberCats launch a new rivalry when the expansion Philadelphia Soul fly west on May 22nd, followed by another tilt with the Rattlers on May 30th to close out the regular season. Below is a complete schedule with TV and radio listings.

Date Opponent Time(PT) Radio/TV
Thu., Feb. 5 @Detroit 4:30 pm KNBR1050
Sun., Feb. 22 @Los Angeles noon KNBR1050/NBC
Sat., Feb. 28 GRAND RAPIDS 7:30 pm KNBR1050
Sun., Mar. 7 @New York 9:00 am KNBR1050/NBC
Sun., Mar. 14 COLORADO 5:00 pm KNBR1050
Sat., Mar. 20 LAS VEGAS 7:30 pm KNBR1050-680
Fri., Mar. 26 LOS ANGELES 7:30 pm KNBR1050
Sun., Apr. 4 @Tampa Bay 9:00 am KNBR1050/NBC
Sat., Apr. 10 @Dallas 5:30 pm KNBR1050
Fri., Apr. 16 CHICAGO 7:30 pm KNBR1050
Sun., Apr. 25 @Georgia 9:00 am KNBR1050/NBC
Sat., May 1 NEW ORLEANS 7:30 pm KNBR1050-680
Sun., May 9 @Arizona noon KNBR1050/NBC
Sun., May 16 @Las Vegas noon KNBR1050/NBC
Sat., May 22 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 pm KNBR1050
Sun., May 30 ARIZONA 1:00 pm KNBR1050/NBC

TICKETS

Individual tickets ranging from $15 to $50 are available for all SaberCats' home games at all TicketMaster outlets, on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, or in-person at the HP Pavilion Box Office in San Jose (M-F 9:30am-6:30pm). For season- or group ticket information, contact the SaberCats at (408) 573-5577, or on-line at www.sanjosesabercats.com.

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