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SaberCats ready for top spot again, additions frame balanced attack

by John Hahn
January 27, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats


Tee it up! Let's get it on!

Knowing the weekend brings a kickoff to the Arena Football League's 20th season just makes me more nervous than a tsunami in the middle of July.

As a late old columnist friend of mine once said: "Shouldn't make you nervous until the beads of sweat are forming on your brow." They've already formed and all indoor football junkies are poised and ready for that first boot when the Las Vegas Gladiators hear the rumble Friday at the Austin Wranglers corral beginning at 5:30 p.m. (or thereabouts) Pacific time.

Saturday marks three games including the SaberCats getting underway in hosting the new Utah Blaze. You have to dislike calling the orange & black garnished team an expansion organization especially when the coach is Danny White who extracted several highly skilled players from the successful Arizona Rattlers, a team he coached for 13 seasons in Phoenix.

A lot has changed over the past 20 years in the AFL. Attendance is at an all-time high, television exposure has increased, sponsorships and merchandising has exploded and most importantly team ownership has become more legitimate and solidified.

Only tweaks and twists have been changed in the game, but it basically is the same contest it was when the ‘test game' was conducted on April 26, 1986, in Rockford, Illinois.

While everything has improved, the biggest advancement, which goes literally unnoticed by most, is the promotional and public relations efforts of the individual teams. The binding of the media guides is being done, the clatter of the game notes rolls off the copy machines and the unheralded media relation's people clamor over the phone setting up last minute interviews and credential requests. What would the AFL done without them?

Yet, it's all a matter of what happens on the field that counts in the end. This year's lineup of teams is solid with ownership, solid with coaching and solid with personnel. There may be more parity in the league this season than any other before it. Just when you thought a ‘patsy' was targeted in this league, it turned out to be only wishful thinking.

There will be some surprises this season. It all comes down to two factors, which teams can overcome injuries, have the depth they need to sustain and maintain a consistent level of play both on the road and at home. There is a good mix of old and new this season on all teams and coaching remained relatively stable from last season to this year. Add all of those factors in, and you may see some 8-8 teams in the playoffs because of the expanded 12-team field that will vie for ArenaBowl XX in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 11.

Not a lot of players have changed teams, but those teams seeking to improve have made key acquisitions. Some teams, on the other hand, have had to waive or release outright players who make their salary cap a nightmare to manage. Think about keeping 24 players under the $1.8 million per team cap, along with a small contingent on the injured reserve list and four players on the practice squad. Interestingly, not just quarterbacks, and there are six of them. Hit the six-figure jackpot this season but some guys up front now rank close to or above $100,000, as do about three of the best defensive specialists in the business.

Not to waste time, but here's a look at each Conference, each Division and each team in the league. The teams will be ranked according to how they will finish. Prognostication is fun, giving many fans something to talk about, but agonizing because you may like a number of teams and players.

Here we go: American Conference, Western Division

1. SAN JOSE SABERCATS - Of the five teams in the Western, the ‘Cats seem ready to bounce back from a disappointing 9-7 season and a first-round knockout at the hands of eventual ArenaBowl champion Colorado. How can you not pick San Jose in the west when they return quarterback Mark Grieb? One of the most prolific passers in the league's history, the 8-year veteran set new standards for the AFL in passing percentage and pass rating last year. Despite the loss of the sensational offensive specialist James Hundon, who was forced to retire because of a neck injury, the SaberCats have brought back Fred Coleman to compliment all-league WR/LB James Roe as targets for Grieb. Add to the mix 2nd-year two-way Rodney Wright, two-way Charles Pauley and rookies Ben Nelson and Jason Geathers, and you have a core group that spells trouble. No one should forget 14-year vet Barry Wagner, the all-time "Ironman" of the league. Solidarity in the ‘Cats' line means a lot too. Albrey Battle, Frank Beede, Chuck Reed, George Williams, Dan Loney, Karl Bates and Joe Jacobs are all long-time AFL linemen. San Jose has added rookie Rex Richards out of Texas Tech, Alan Harper, Jeff Ruffin and Nikia Adderson to the illustrious position of protecting Grieb and rushing opposing QBs. Brian Johnson, Phil Glover and newcomer JaJuan Huddleston will b at FB/LB. Clevan Thomas, two-time all-league defensive player of the year, and Omarr Smith will get help from Terrance Joseph in the defensive specialists rolls. Backing up Grieb is NFL veteran Stoney Case, who was with Tampa Bay, and rookie Chris Lewis out of Stanford. With some new staff additions, head coach and general manager Darren Arbet may have some new twists in store; especially because of the new personnel the team has been able to add this season. The schedule favors the ‘Cats in the second half as they have seven of their last 10 at HP Pavilion in San Jose. After the home opener against Utah, the league was not kind to the SaberCats, sending them on the road for five straight before coming home on Sunday, March 12, against last season's western division winner the Los Angeles Avengers.

2. LAS VEGAS GLADIATORS - Head coach Ron James put the breaks on after another 8-8 season in 2005 that left the Glads holding the bag out of the playoffs. What James has in mind this year is some new innovations on both sides of the ball. He's taken aging, red-bearded, former NFL veteran Alonzo Spellman and resurrected this talented defensive end when he was with the Chicago Bears six of his eight seasons in the big show. At 34, but a svelte 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, he was literally unable to be handled in a season-ending scrimmage. Offensively, the Gladiators have Marcus Nash (131 catches, 41 touchdowns) and the AFL's offensive player of the year back. Craig Whelihan takes over for Clint Dolezel at quarterback. The former San Diego Chargers signal caller had an 111.87 rating last season and threw for 13 TDs in limited action. Dameon Porter should play more than the six games he was in last season and is a fine two-way player and the addition of former SaberCats' FB/LB Matt Kinsinger will add to Rodney Filer and Marlion Jackson at the position. Look for more running inside the five yard line as last year's edition had only 14 rushing scores. Balance and the fact the Glads lost three games by a total of five points, two of them on the road, will improve them by three to four wins.

3. UTAH BLAZE - Folks...this is not your typical expansion team. With free agency and an experienced (13 years) AFL coach in Danny White, the Blaze, based in Salt Lake City, are destined for some good things. Maybe not great at first, but this club has a lot of tools. Starting with a quarterback. Joe Germaine, who was an NFL backup for several years, sat behind veteran Sherdrick Bonner with the Arizona Rattlers for the past two seasons. When White was looking for a QB, it was natural for Germaine, a free agent, to get on the field before the ink dried on a Blaze contract. The former Ohio State signal caller hit on 63.8 percent of his passes last year, 40 touchdowns and a 116.8 rating. He'll do just that with three receivers in Siaha Burley, Orshawonte Bryant and Tom Pace, the last two going on defense also. Burley had a career year in 2005 with 45 TD catches on 117 receptions. He has 121 career scores. Bryant should be another 20-plus TD a year player. He has 39 career scores in four AFL seasons, but also contributes heavily on defense. Pace has 32 career scores in three seasons at Arizona and also can runback kickoffs and missed field goals. Jermaine Younger is a veteran FB/LB, veteran Bryan Henderson will anchor the line and Kelvin Hunter will be the primary defensive specialist. Lots of passing will create a lot of excitement for Utah fans and don't be surprised if this team sneaks into second late in the season.

4. LOS ANGELES AVENGERS - Finishing first in the division with a 10-6 record in 2005, head coach Ed Hodgkiss' team was 7-1 in Staples Arena. However, the Avengers lost their starting quarterback John Kaleo to the Columbus Destroyers. Kaleo, a 12-year veteran who threw 77 TDs last season. Brian Mann, out of Dartmouth and Kaleo's backup last season, saw action in four games, had a 117.48 rating and will be expected to step up this year. Kevin Ingram (23 TDs), Tony Locke (27) and Greg Hopkins (13) will be on the end of most scores, but Ingram (6 INT, 6 PBU) and Hopkins (5 INT, 4 PBU), a perennial Ironman, and defensive specialist Dameon Wheeler (4 INT, 11 PBU) are solid on defense. Remy Hamilton is one of the finest kickers in the game and was 29 of 39 (74.4%) last season and 98 of 108 on extra points. Look for LA to throw the long ball a lot. The team also has a favorable schedule with its last four games, including a date with San Jose on Saturday, April 29, at home.

5. ARIZONA RATTLERS - Will Sherdrick Bonner, entering his 13th season, be able to carry the Phoenix team this season? Last in the Western Division with a 7-9 record, it was the first year the Rattlers have been out of the playoffs since 1992. General manager Gene Nudo moves over to take on the head coaching duties and has hired a new staff. Bonner has 663 career touchdowns, a 62.2% completion and 116.1 rating. He will have one of the finest Ironmen at the end of most passes in veteran Randy Gatewood. Arizona brought in Shannon Culver and will rely on rookie Jeremiah Pope to fill one of the spots left by the exit of the three receivers to Utah. Bo Kelly is one of the top fullback-linebackers and Wendall Gaines, Anthony Hatch and Sebastian Barrie will anchor the line to protect Bonner. Look for a lot of new players for the Rattlers and new twists to the offense. Bonner's experience could carry this team to a higher finish but no one is sure where the team will get its offense.

NEXT: American Conference, Central Division.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from January 27, 2006


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