SaberCats open training camp
February 4, 2008 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Feb. 4, 2008) - The defending ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats had their first on-field practices of the 2008 season today as players and coaches gathered for the first two-a-day session of training camp.
Head coach and general manager Darren Arbet, along with his coaching staff, had the opportunity to look at the assembled group of players for the first time on the field. "I thought the guys worked hard and I felt it was very productive," Arbet said. "As long as every day in camp is productive I think we will be where we need to be."
The SaberCats look to become the first repeat champions in the Arena Football League since the Tampa Bay Storm won back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996. "We're not thinking about that right now," Arbet proclaimed.
ONCE A GIANT
Lineman George 'Big Sexy' Williams, who played three seasons (1998-00) with the New York Giants, was excited for his former team after they pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history with a 17-14 win Sunday over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
"I felt good about it," said Williams, who will enter his seventh season with the SaberCats in 2008. "You know when I came up through the Giants organization (Michael) Strahan was a good friend of mine and taught me a lot, so I'm happy for him."
Williams compared the Patriots undefeated march to the 2002 SaberCats team. "It's hard to be perfect. We did that in 2002 when we went 16-1. I'd rather have that loss that we had during the regular season than that one in the big game. That's tough."
MR. IRRELEVANT
Rookie WR Ryan Hoag, dubbed 'Mr. Irrelevant' after being the last player selected in the 2003 NFL Draft, reflected on his first AFL practice. "Some good some bad, like all first things I guess."
A two-time all-conference performer at Division III Gustavus Adolphus College, Hoag is competing for a receiver spot vacated by 2006 AFL Rookie of the Year Ben Nelson, who opted for free agency and signed with the Colorado Crush.
"My expectations are to continue to improve everyday as a player and contribute in any and every way I can. The receiver stuff will come. You only can run so many routes."
A Minneapolis, Minn. native, Hoag plans on being a relevant part of the 2008 SaberCats. "It's a matter of catching and being in the right spots and beating the guy that's in front of you. And those things will come with time and getting used to the QBs and that's what I expect out of myself to continue to do that each and every day and get better at it and hopefully I'll turn some heads while doing it."
Kicker Daron Alcorn, who played with the SaberCats from 2001-03 and is the team's career leader in kick scoring with 282 points, was also 'Mr. Irrelevant' after being taken with the last pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2008 SABERCATS TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
Updated bios on all 37 players on the training camp roster can be viewed on the team's official website www.sanjosesabercats.com.
A premiere franchise in the Arena Football League, San Jose has won three ArenaBowl championships and captured seven Western Division titles, eight consecutive playoff appearances and owns the league's best regular season record this decade. The SaberCats begin defense of their AFL title on March 3 in Chicago on ESPN2.
Season tickets for the 2008 season are now on sale. Contact a SaberCats' account executive at (408) 573-5577 to reserve your seats today. Individual game tickets can be purchased at the HP Pavilion box office and all Ticketmaster locations. More information is also available on the team's official website www.sanjosesabercats.com.
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