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San Jose SaberCats game notes

April 27, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release


THE QUICK FACTS:
Game: New Orleans VooDoo (9-2) at SaberCats (9-2).
Date: Saturday, May 1, 2004.
Kickoff: 7:50 p.m. (PDT).
Site: HP Pavilion at San Jose (14,041).
Officials: Bill Athan (Referee); Matt Jordan (Umpire); Tim Podraza (Head Linesman); Dale Newhouse (Line Judge); Rob Vernatchi (Back Judge).
Television: No local television.
Radio: The game will be broadcast live on San Jose's flagship radio station KNBR 1050 and KNBR 680 with Bob Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Keena Turner (analyst).
SaberCats Sideline Report: SSR returns and can be seen on NBC11 every Sunday at 11:50 p.m. with host Bob Fitzgerald and a special guest.
Internet: Log on to www.KNBR.com to hear a live webcast of the game.
Series Record: This is the first meeting.
Last Meeting: This is the first meeting.
Series Streaks: Teams have not played.
Coaches: San Jose, Darren Arbet (6th season; 62-21 regular season, 68-24 overall). New Orleans, Mike Neu (3rd season; 15-10 regular season, 16-12 overall).



OVERVIEW: A showdown between the top two teams in the Arena Football League will take place at HP Pavilion on Saturday, May 1, when the SaberCats host the expansion New Orleans VooDoo. Game time is set for 7:50 p.m. Both teams have identical 9-2 records and the winner will have the inside track on the top seed for the AFL playoffs. The top eight teams with the best overall records, regardless of division, qualify for postseason play. San Jose won its second straight game and sixth out of its last seven with a convincing 63-34 victory over the Force in Georgia on April 25. Mark Grieb tossed eight TD passes, the second-highest single game total in team history, and the SaberCats reversed a trend by getting out to a 21-0 lead, San Jose had trailed 14-0 in each of its last three games. Ironman of the Year candidate James Roe hauled in a team-high five passes to become the 2nd player in franchise history to eclipse the 300 career reception mark (302) and trails Steve Papin by 24 for the team's all-time lead. Grieb threw his eight TDs to five different receivers and FB Matt Kinsinger eclipsed the 300 mark in career rushing yards as a SaberCat to become the 6th player in franchise history to accomplish that milestone. The VooDoo, a true expansion team owned by Tom Benson, has also won two straight and six out of seven. A pair of TD passes by John Fitzgerald in the last 57 seconds of the game gave the VooDoo a 63-59 win at Austin on April 25.

THE SCHEDULES:

2004 San Jose SaberCats (9-2)
Game Opponent Result Score
Feb. 5 @Detroit Won 58-43
Feb. 22 @Los Angeles Won 61-55
Feb. 28 GRAND RAPIDS Won 62-31
Mar. 7 @New York Lost 50-64
Mar. 14 COLORADO Won 55-35
Mar. 20 LAS VEGAS Won 79-62
Mar. 26 LOS ANGELES Won 55-52
Apr. 4 @Tampa Bay Won 62-55
Apr. 10 @Dallas Lost 54-58
Apr. 16 CHICAGO Won 51-43
Apr. 25 @Georgia Won 63-34
Game Opponent Time Radio/TV
May 1 NEW ORLEANS 7:30 pm 1050
May 9 @Arizona 12:00 pm 1050/NBC
May 16 @Las Vegas 12:00 pm 1050/NBC
May 22 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 pm 1050
May 30 ARIZONA 1:00 pm 1050/NBC


2004 New Orleans VooDoo (9-2)
Game Opponent Result Score
Feb. 8 @Philadelphia Won 42-34
Feb. 14 INDIANA Won 41-40
Feb. 22 @Georgia Won 55-52
Feb. 29 @Las Vegas Lost 30-50
Mar. 7 TAMPA BAY Won 55-43
Mar. 12 DETROIT Won 45-31
Mar. 18 @Arizona Won 49-45
Mar. 27 CAROLINA Won 48-31
Apr. 9 @Orlando Lost 24-57
Apr. 18 COLUMBUS Won 64-46
Apr. 25 @Austin Won 63-59
Game Opponent Time (PT) TV
May 1 @San Jose 7:30 pm
May 9 ORLANDO 12:00 pm NBC
May 15 GEORGIA 5:00 pm
May 23 @Tampa Bay 12:00 pm NBC
May 30 AUSTIN 1:00 pm NBC

THE SERIES: This will be the first meeting between the clubs...New Orleans head coach Mike Neu, OS Aaron Bailey and QB John Fitzgerald were all with Carolina when San Jose beat the Cobras, 58-41, on July 21, 2002.

WHAT'S AHEAD: The SaberCats hit the road for their final two away games of the year when they travel to Western Division rivals Arizona (May 9) and Las Vegas (May 16). Both games are slated for NBC regional broadcast. San Jose concludes the 2004 campaign with home games against the expansion Philadelphia Soul on May 22 and fan appreciation night on Sunday, May 30 against the Arizona Rattlers.

SAN JOSE/NEW ORLEANS NOTABLES: New Orleans head coach Mike Neu was at the helm of the Carolina Cobras, along with current VooDoo players OS Aaron Bailey, QB John Fitzgerald and K Brian Schmitz, when San Jose defeated the Cobras, 58-41, in Raleigh on July 21, 2002 to establish a new AFL record for most regular season wins with 13...Bailey was a member of the SaberCats in 2003 and set a team single-game record with four rushing TDs in a 71-49 win at Chicago on March 9...New Orleans DS Denario Smalls was signed (Jan. 10) and waived (Mar. 4) by the SaberCats prior to the start of the 2002 season...VooDoo OL/DL Abdul-Salaam Noah was on San Jose's roster but placed on Exempt on two different occasions before being selected by Philadelphia in the Expansion Draft on Oct. 8, 2003...San Jose's combined record of its opponents to date is 59-65 (.476) while the VooDoo's combined opponents record is 54-71 (.432).

THE COACHES:
San Jose – Darren Arbet, 6th season
62-21 (.747) reg. season; 68-24 (.739) overall
0-0 career vs. New Orleans
One of the most successful coaches in the Arena Football League, two-time Coach of the Year Darren Arbet enters his sixth season at the helm of the SaberCats. Owner of the highest regular season winning percentage (.747) in league history among coaches with at least 20 victories, his 68 career wins also rank him 8th in league annals. Named AFL Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2002, Arbet has guided the SaberCats to four straight double-digit win seasons – the longest current streak in league history – and his teams have compiled a 56-13 (.812) regular season record since the start of the 2000 campaign. Under his direction the SaberCats have set league records for most regular season wins (13 – 2002), most wins in a season (16- 2002), most consecutive wins in a regular season (12 – 2002), most wins to end a season (11 – 2000) and the longest regular season win streak (15 – 2000-01).

New Orleans – Mike Neu, 3rd season
15-10 reg. season(.600); 16-12 overall (.571)
0-1 (.000) career vs. San Jose
The first head coach of the New Orleans VooDoo, Mike Neu has led the expansion club to a 9-2 (.818) record. Now in his third season as head coach and sixth in the AFL coaching ranks, he has compiled a 15-10 (.600) career mark. Neu came to New Orleans after serving as head coach of the Carolina Cobras in 2002 where he led the team to a 6-8 record and the club's first ever playoff victory. In 2002 his team featured the AFL's fourth-ranked defense. As offensive coordinator with the Cobras in 2001, before being promoted to head coach prior to the team's first round playoff game, the Cobras averaged over 56 points a game (fifth in the league) and finished 7-7 (improving from a 3-13 record the year before). Prior to coming to Carolina, Neu served as head coach and director of football operations for the Augusta Stallions of af2 in 2000. In his only season, Neu led Augusta to a 14-4 record, the American Conference title and was named the league's Coach of the Year. Neu started his Arena Football League coaching career with the Nashville Kats in 1998, when he served as quarterbacks coach and handled all play-calling responsibilities for the offense. The next year he was promoted to offensive coordinator and the Kats made their third consecutive playoff appearance. The team also set franchise highs in six offensive categories, including scoring and total offense.

THE IFS...:
If the SaberCats defeat New Orleans it would...
*Give them an AFL-best 10-2 record.
*Give them a 3-game winning streak.
*Be their first win over the VooDoo.
*Be their 9th straight regular season home win.
*Give them a 98-52 all-time record.
*Give them a 92-46 all-time regular season record.
*Give them a 50-19 all-time regular season home record.

RECENT RESULTS: SABERCATS 63, Georgia 34 – Quarterback Mark Grieb threw eight touchdown passes to lead the San Jose SaberCats (9-2) to a 63-34 win over the Georgia Force (4-8) on April 25. The win keeps the SaberCats atop the AFL standings after 12 weeks of the season. Grieb tossed scoring passes to three different receivers to stake San Jose to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Barry Wagner scored on a 9-yard pass and Fred Coleman added a 13-yard TD reception to give the SaberCats a 14-0 lead after the first quarter. The scoreless opening frame marked the fourth straight quarter the Force was held without a point. James Hundon hauled in a 5-yard pass to give San Jose its three-touchdown lead. Georgia ended its scoring drought when Leon Murray hit Markeith Cooper on a 27-yard pass play with 7:44 left in the first half. San Jose opened its biggest lead of the game following another 21-0 run. Grieb found Rashied Davis on a 20-yard scoring pass to end the first half and opened the second half with a pair of touchdown strikes to James Roe to build a 49-14 lead. Roe's second scoring reception came from 16-yards out and was the 300th catch of his career. He finished with a team-high five catches for 77 yards and three scores. After sitting out for a series in the fourth quarter, Grieb returned and found Roe again, this time on a 28-yard scoring play and hit Coleman on a 4-yard scoring strike following a Davis interception. Grieb, named the Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game, completed 17-of-24 for 203 yards. Davis earned U.S. Army Ironman honors after catching three passes for 36 yards and a score while adding his second interception of the season. San Jose's point total is its second highest output of the year and the SaberCats have scored 50-or-more points in all 11 contests.

Game Notes: DS Charles Pauley and OL/DL Kevin Jordan played in their first AFL game...FB Matt Kinsinger reached the 300 mark in career rushing yards as a SaberCat...WR/DB Barry Wagner scored the 100th touchdown of his San Jose career...QB Mark Grieb threw 24 passes without an interception and has thrown just one pick in his last 209 pass attempts...K Dan Frantz was a perfect 9-for-9 on PATs and has converted 14 straight...San Jose registered a season-high 3 sacks...OL/DL Joe Jacobs recorded the 30th sack of his career...OL/DL Sam Hernandez had the 58th sack of his career...San Jose did not turn the ball over (fumble or interception) for the first time in seven games...Wendell Davis and Trayvon Waller were San Jose's inactives.



ROSTER MOVES: The SaberCats made adjustments to their roster prior to their April 25 game in Georgia. The team placed DS Art Smith (patellar tendonitis), OL/DL Frank Beede (hamstring) and FB/LB Kevin Buck (knee) on injured reserve and activated OL/DL Kevin Jordan and DS Trayvon Waller.

RECENT ROSTER MOVES
Date Action
Apr. 8 Released WR/LB Shalon Baker from practice squad
Apr. 15 Activated OL/DL Rob Gatrell and FB/LB Brian Johnson from IR. Placed OL/DL Frank Beede and FB/LB Keala Keanaain on IR
Apr. 16 Signed DS Art Smith from practice squad
Apr. 23 Activated OL/DL Kevin Jordan and DS Trayvon Waller from the IR. Placed FB/LB Kevin Buck, DS Art Smith and OL/DL George Williams on IR

INJURY REPORT
Player Injury Status
Wendell Davis Shoulder strain Probable
Joe Jacobs Concussion Probable
Chuck Reed Ankle sprain Probable

MILESTONES:
*The SaberCats need 3 wins for 100 overall in franchise history.
*Head Coach Darren Arbet needs 2 wins for 70 career.
*WR/DB Barry Wagner needs 143 receiving yards to become AFL's all-time leader, 6 solo tackles for 600 career and 2 TD catches for 50 in San Jose career.
*OL/DL Chuck Reed needs 2.5 sacks for 25 career.
*WR/LB James Roe needs 2 TD catches for 100 career.
*OS James Hundon needs 4 TD catches for 100 career.
*FB/LB Matt Kinsinger needs 1 rush TD for 20 in San Jose career.
*QB Mark Grieb needs 314 pass yards for 17,000 career, 28 attempts for 1,800 career and 29 completions for 1,200 in San Jose career.
*K Dan Frantz needs 3 points to move into 4th place all-time in career kick scoring.

2004 LEAGUE TEAM RANKINGS
Category SaberCats VooDoo
Scoring Offense (Rank) 59.1 (1st) 46.9 (15th)
Scoring Defense 48.4 (8th) 44.4 (3rd)
Total Offense 276.1 (5th) 236.6 (18th)
Total Defense 280.5 (18th) 261.3 (7th)
Pass Offense 253.0 (T-6th) 207.9 (18th)
Pass Defense 270.1 (19th) 235.8 (9th)
Rushing Offense 23.1 (7th) 28.7 (4th)
Rushing Defense 10.5 (1st) 25.5 (15th)
Pass Rating 134.9 (1st) 103.8 (14th)
Pass Defense Rating 105.1 (6th) 103.3 (4th)
Interceptions 12 (1st) 7 (13th)
Turnover Margin +4 (T-6th) 0 (T-10th)
Kickoff Return Avg. 22.2 (1st) 18.4 (8th)
Field Goal Return Avg. 22.3 (4th) 1.5 (18th)
Sacks By 11 (T-6th) 9 (T-9th)
Sacks Against 14 (T-14th) 4 (T-3rd)



2004 LEAGUE INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
Player Category No. Rank
Mark Grieb Total Offense 2,802 7th
Mark Grieb Completion Pct. 73.8 1st
Mark Grieb Pass TDs 57 6th
Mark Grieb Passer Rating 137.9 1st
Mark Grieb Passing Yards 2,810 7th
Mark Grieb Pass Completions 222 8th
James Roe Scoring 162 4th
James Roe Receptions 73 T-8th
James Roe TD Receptions 25 4th
James Hundon Yards/Reception 15.0 T-5th
James Hundon Receiving Yards 992 7th
Rashied Davis All-purpose Yards 1,579 7th
Rashied Davis KOR Average 25.7 1st
Rashied Davis KOR Yards 1,003 3rd
Rashied Davis KOR Touchdowns 4 T-2nd
Dan Frantz Kick Scoring 98 T-2nd
Dan Frantz FG Made 6 10th
Dan Frantz PAT Attempts 92 1st
Dan Frantz PAT Makes 80 1st
Omarr Smith Interceptions 6 T-1st
Omarr Smith INT Return TDs 1 T-3rd
Omarr Smith Passes Defended 17 5th
Sam Hernandez Sacks 4.0 T-5th

TRENDS:
HOME SWEET HOME – The SaberCats are 5-0 at home this season and have won eight straight regular season home games dating back to last season. San Jose, in fact, has been most dominant at home winning 22 of its last 23 and 30 of its last 32 regular season games played in HP Pavilion. Since the start of the 2000 season the SaberCats own a 31-3 (.912) record in regular season games and are 37-5 (.881) overall in that span. San Jose last lost a regular season home game on April 11, 2003 to the Detroit Fury, 45-42. The team's all-time record in regular season home games stands at 49-19 (.720).

HALF CENTURY POINT – San Jose kept its season-long streak of scoring at least 50 points going in their 63-34 win at Georgia on Apr. 25. The SaberCats are the only team to reach the half century mark in all 11 games this season and have scored 50-or-more points in a game at least 11 times in each of the past five seasons. The SaberCats have reached the 50-point mark 82 times in their 137 regular season game history and are 67-15 (.817) when scoring 50-or-more points in a game.

JUST WIN – San Jose's win at Georgia on Apr. 25 gave Mark Grieb a career record of 50-10 (.833) in 60 regular season starts as the SaberCats' QB.

PICKIN' IT – The SaberCats have intercepted at least one pass in each of the last six games and have a pick in nine of 11 games this season. Rashied Davis intercepted his 2nd pass of the year and 4th of his career at Georgia on April 25 to give San Jose a league-best 12 picks on the year.

SACK MASTERS – The SaberCats registered a season-high three sacks at Georgia on April 25 and have posted six quarterback sacks in the last three games. Sam Hernandez, the AFL's career leader in sacks, registered the 58th of his career while Joe Jacobs became the seventh player in league history to top the 30-sack mark. Rookie Kevin Jordan, playing in his first AFL game, and Albrey Battle combined on the other sack.

AFL CAREER SACK LEADERS
Rank Player Season Career
1. Sam Hernandez, SJ 4.0 58.0
2. Sylvester Bembery -- 43.0
3. Robert Stewart, CAR 0.0 38.5
4. James Baron, CHI 3.0 36.5
5. Andre Bowden, TBY 0.0 36.0
6. Tom Briggs, AUS 5.0 33.5
7. Joe Jacobs, SJ 3.0 30.5

REVERSE THE TREND – After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter in each of the last three games, the SaberCats turned the tables on the Force on Apr. 25. San Jose jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the opening frame and increased the margin to 21-0 before Georgia got on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter.

NO PICKS FOR YOU – When Mark Grieb DOES NOT throw an interception, the SaberCats win. In San Jose's nine wins, Grieb has thrown 221 passes with 51 TDs and no picks. Grieb tossed a pair of INTs in a 64-50 loss at New York on Mar. 7 and was picked once in a 58-54 loss at Dallas on Apr. 10 to account for his total on the season.

LESS IS MORE – Despite being outgained 284 to 247 in total offense, the SaberCats still posted a 63-34 win at Georgia on Apr. 25. San Jose has been outgained in total yardage six times this season and the SaberCats have won all six games.

THAT SIXTIES SHOW – San Jose reached the 60 point mark for the 5th time this season and the 41st time in team history in their 63-34 win at Georgia on Apr. 25. The SaberCats now own a 37-4 record in games where they score 60-or-more points.

NOTES:
DOUBLE TROUBLE – With their next victory the SaberCats will match the league record for consecutive double-digit win seasons. San Jose has posted four straight seasons of 10-or-more regular season wins, the second longest streak in AFL history, and will match the Arizona Rattlers, who won double-digit games in five straight seasons from 1996-2000. San Jose won 12 games in 2000, 10 in 2001, 13 in 2002 and 12 last season.

TOP TEAM COMPARISON – San Jose and New Orleans share the best record in the AFL at 9-2 but the teams have taken decidedly different paths to get there. The SaberCats have won their nine games by an average of 15 points with their largest margin of victory being 31 points against Grand Rapids. New Orleans has won its nine games by an average of nine points with the largest margin of victory being 18 against Columbus. The VooDoo has scored at least 40 points in each win this season, but was held to 30 or fewer points in both losses. San Jose has scored at least 50 points in each game this season. New Orleans was outscored 107 to 54 (-53) in its two losses while San Jose was outscored 122 to 104 (-18) in its two defeats.

COMMON OPPONENTS – San Jose has won all four of its games against common opponents with New Orleans while the VooDoo have a 3-1 mark. Detroit, Georgia, Las Vegas and Tampa Bay have each faced the top two clubs in the AFL with only Las Vegas posting a win. The Gladiators defeated New Orleans, 50-30, on Feb. 29. In their four games the SaberCats have outscored the opposition 262 to 194 while the VooDoo have a margin of just 185 to 176.

EXPANSION – Since 1999, head coach Darren Arbet's first season, nine true expansion teams have entered the AFL with New Orleans and Philadelphia being the entrants in 2004. San Jose has played the previous seven expansion teams a combined total of 29 times and is 6-1 when playing them for the first time. San Jose's only first-game loss to a post-1999 expansion team came against Detroit, 45-42, on Apr. 11, 2003, and that was Detroit's third season in the league. The SaberCats host the VooDoo on May 1 and Philadelphia on May 22. San Jose owns a 24-5 overall record against the seven most recent true expansion teams.

EXPANSION TEAMS SINCE 1999
Team Year in AFL Record 1st Game
New Orleans 2004 0-0 May 1
Philadelphia 2004 0-0 May 22
Colorado 2003 3-0 W, 80-40
Dallas 2002 2-2 W, 77-54
Detroit 2001 1-1 L, 42-45
Chicago 2001 3-0 W, 74-68
Carolina 2000 2-0 W, 58-41
Los Angeles 2000 8-2 W, 78-25
Buffalo 1999 5-0 W, 52-46

WAGS GETS 100 – Barry Wagner scored the 100th TD of his San Jose career when he caught a 9-yard pass from Mark Grieb to open the scoring in San Jose's 63-34 win at Georgia on Apr. 25. Wags became the 3rd player in franchise history to score 100 career TDs and it was also the AFL record 390th of his 12-year career.

TOUCHDOWN MAKERS – James Roe continues his quest to catch Steve Papin as the team's career leader in TDs scored. Roe added three more to his total in San Jose's win at Georgia on Apr. 25 to increase it to 106. Roe has scored in every way imaginable during his career catching 98 TD passes, returning four INTs and 2 fumbles for scores, having a net recovery TD and this season adding his 1st career rushing TD. James Hundon is close to the century mark, needing just four scores to reach triple digits. All of Hundon's TDs have come by pass reception. Papin scored 126 times during his San Jose career.

CAREER LEADERS IN TOUCHDOWNS SCORED
Rank Player TDs Scored
1. Steve Papin 126
2. James Roe 106
3. Barry Wagner 100
4. James Hundon 96
5. Jerry Reese 79



THE JAMES GANG – It was Roe's turn to make an impact on the SaberCats leader board reaching two career milestones in San Jose's win at Georgia on Apr. 25. Roe caught 5 passes to increase his career total to 302, becoming just the second player in team history to reach that plateau. His 77 receiving yards also elevated him over the 4,000 mark (4,056) making him the third player in team history to do that. Roe also grabbed the career lead in TD receptions away from James Hundon with 3 scoring catches. Roe now has 98 TD catches and leads Jhun by a pair. Hundon had one TD reception to increase his total to 96. Hundon's 3 catches moved him within 14 of the 300 mark and he needs 4 TD catches to reach the century level.

CAREER LEADERS IN RECEPTIONS
Rank Player Recpts
1. Steve Papin 326
2. James Roe 302
3. James Hundon 286
4. Barry Wagner 263
5. Jerry Reese 243

CAREER LEADERS IN TD RECEPTIONS
Rank Player Rcv TDs
1. James Hundon 98
2. James Roe 96
3. Jerry Reese 76
4. Steve Papin 65
5. Shalon Baker 55

CAREER LEADERS IN RECEIVING YARDS
Rank Player Rcv Yards
1. James Hundon 4,387
2. Steve Papin 4,282
3. James Roe 4,056
4. Jerry Reese 3,485
5. Barry Wagner 3,094

GOOD GRIEB – When the SaberCats win, QB Mark Grieb is good. In San Jose's nine wins Grieb has completed 74.7 percent of his passes (165-of-221) for 2,164 yards with 51 TDs and zero interceptions. Grieb's passer rating in the nine games is 144.7. In San Jose's two losses Grieb has thrown all three of his interceptions with just six TDs while completing 57-of-80 passes (71.3%) for 646 yards. His passer rating in those two games is 98.2.

RUNNING MAN – FB Matt Kinsinger ran for a team-high 8 yards on three attempts at Georgia on Apr. 25 to push his career total as a member of the SaberCats over the 300 mark (305). Kinsinger, in his third season with San Jose, has an overall career total of 318 rush yards. He became the 6th player in team history to rush for over 300 yards and moved ahead of teammate Keala Keanaaina into 5th place on the team's all-time list.

CAREER LEADERS IN RUSHING YARDS
Rank Player Rush Yards
1. Derrick Chachere 442
2. Tom Petithomme 400
3. Mike Jones 328
4. Steve Papin 326
5. Matt Kinsinger 305
6. Keala Keanaaina 303

THE CHASE – QB Mark Grieb tossed 8 TD passes, the second-highest single-game total in franchise history, in San Jose's 63-34 win at Georgia on Apr. 25. The output increased his career total to 330 and moved him closer to 9th place on the AFL's all-time list. Grieb trails Fred McNair by 10 and Mike Perez by 11 TD passes for the next two spots on the chart.

AFL CAREER TD PASS LEADERS
Rank Player TD Passes
1. Aaron Garcia, New York 609
2. Andy Kelly, Detroit 597
3. Sherdrick Bonner Arizona 593
4. Clint Dolezel, Las Vegas 547
5. Todd Hammell, Philadelphia 411
6. John Kaleo, Austin 407
7. Jay Gruden 392
8. Mike Perez 341
9. Fred McNair 340
10. Mark Grieb, San Jose 330
11. Rickey Foggie, Carolina 310
12. Mike Pawlawski 303

GET YOUR KICKS – Rookie K Dan Frantz was successful on all 9 PAT attempts at Georgia on Apr. 25 to run his streak of consecutive made PATs to 14. Frantz leads the league in PAT attempts (92) and made PATs (80) and has converted 6-of-10 field goals on the season to rank tied for 2nd in the AFL in kick scoring with 98 points. Frantz currently ranks 6th on San Jose's career kick scoring chart and needs just three points to move into 4th place.

CAREER KICK SCORING LEADERS
Rank Player Points
1. Daron Alcorn 282
2. Carlos Huerta 208
3. Billy Stoyanovich 165
4. Chris Sailer 100
5. Aaron Mills 99
6. Dan Frantz 98

ROLO WITH THE CHANGES – Backup QB Nick Rolovich finally got to see some action at Georgia on Apr. 25. Rolovich relieved Mark Grieb for the first series of the fourth quarter and completed 2-of-6 passes for 29 yards. The SaberCats turned the ball over on downs on that possession and Rolo was replaced by Grieb on the team's next possession. Rolovich hadn't thrown a pass in a game since Feb. 28 against Grand Rapids. Rolovich's 17 pass attempts this season are 17 more than San Jose's reserve QBs threw last year.

SPREAD THE WEALTH – For the third time in franchise history five different receivers caught a TD pass in a game when James Roe (3), Fred Coleman (2), Barry Wagner (1), Rashied Davis (1) and James Hundon (1) all chipped in during San Jose's 63-34 win at Georgia on Apr. 25. The last time five players caught a TD pass in a game was at Iowa on May 6, 2000 when both Roe and Wagner were involved in the scoring. The team record for most players with a TD catch is six, which took place during a 65-55 win at Houston on July 31, 1998.

SOME THINGS NEU AND SOME OLD – New Orleans head coach Mike Neu will lead his expansion VooDoo against the SaberCats on Saturday and for the second time in his brief coaching career lead a post-1999 true expansion team in its first-ever game against the SaberCats. Neu was head coach at Carolina when the Cobras, who entered the AFL in 2000, faced San Jose in the team's first ever meeting. San Jose defeated Carolina, 58-41, on July 21, 2002.

NEW ORLEANS PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FB/LB DAN CURRAN – The league's leading rusher has gained 246 yards on 56 attempts and scored 16 times. Curran is the only player in the AFL to rush for over 200 yards this year and has more than doubled his career numbers. Curran entered the 2004 season with 207 rush yards on 53 carries with 13 TDs in three seasons with the Nashville/Georgia franchise. Curran played three games against San Jose as a member of the Georgia Force and had 2 rush attempts for 8 yards and a TD.

OS AARON BAILEY – The former SaberCat has emerged as the go-to-guy for the VooDoo. Bailey's 65 receptions, 975 receiving yards and 24 TD catches lead the team. The next closest player in each receiving category has 29 catches, 275 receiving yards and just 4 TDs. He has also taken over as the main kickoff return threat with 40 KORs for 778 yards and 2 return scores. As a member of the SaberCats in 2003, Bailey set a team record with 4 rushing TDs in a 71-49 win at Chicago on Mar. 9. Bailey has already set a career high this season for TD receptions with 24. In his only game against San Jose, Bailey caught 5 passes for 48 yards and 2 TDs with Carolina in a loss to San Jose on July 21, 2002.

QB JOHN FITZGERALD – The four-year AFL veteran has been solid if not spectacular for the 9-2 VooDoo. Fitzgerald has thrown for 2,289 yards and 43 TDs on 180-of-319 passing. His 7 INTs, 56.4 completion percentage and 103.6 passer rating are not what one would call impressive, but results speak loudly. This will be Fitzgerald's third time facing San Jose, each with a different team. His previous two games came on the same date exactly one year apart. He completed 19-of-40 attempts for 275 yards and 4 TDs as Carolina's starting QB in a 58-41 loss to San Jose on July 21, 2002. As a member of the Houston ThunderBears on July 21, 2001, he went 16-of-20 for 149 yards and a pair of scores in an 80-27 San Jose victory. Fitzgerald tossed a pair of interceptions in each of the two games.


AFL STANDINGS THROUGH WEEK 12

TOP EIGHT MAKE PLAYOFFS
Rk Team W L T Pct PF PA
1. San Jose 9 2 0 .818 650 532
New Orleans 9 2 0 .818 516 488
3. Colorado 8 4 0 .667 578 556
4. Chicago 7 4 0 .636 582 518
Los Angeles 7 4 0 .636 649 550
6. Arizona 7 5 0 .583 629 583
7. Austin 6 5 0 .545 595 598
Dallas 6 5 0 .545 572 591
New York 6 5 0 .545 581 534
Orlando 6 5 0 .545 514 470

Rk Team W L T Pct PF PA
11. Indiana 6 6 0 .500 599 515
12. Philadelphia 5 6 0 .455 529 512
13. Tampa Bay 5 7 0 .417 571 578
14. Carolina 4 7 0 .364 529 603
Detroit 4 7 0 .364 523 573
Las Vegas 4 7 0 .364 586 578
17. Georgia 4 8 0 .333 477 610
18. Columbus 3 8 0 .273 502 590
19. Grand Rpids 1 10 0 .091 406 609

Week 13 Schedule

Saturday, May 1
Columbus at Carolina, 4:30 pm
Austin at Grand Rapids, 4:30 pm
Arizona at Los Angeles, 7:30 pm
New Orleans at San Jose, 7:30 pm

Sunday, May 2
Indiana at Las Vegas, 12:00 pm
New York at Dallas, 12:00 pm
Philadelphia at Colorado, 12:00 pm
Chicago at Detroit, 12:00 pm
Tampa Bay at Orlando, 12:00 pm


WEEKLY PLAYERS OF THE GAME:

BABY RUTH OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Opponent (Date) Player
@Detroit (Feb. 5) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
@Los Angeles (Feb. 22) OS Joe Douglass, Los Angeles
GRND RAPIDS (Feb. 28) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
@New York (Mar. 7) QB Aaron Garcia, New York
COLORADO (Mar. 14) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
LAS VEGAS (Mar. 20) OS Marcus Nash, Las Vegas
LOS ANGELES (Mar. 26) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
@Tampa Bay (Apr. 4) WR James Roe, San Jose
@Dallas (Apr. 10) WR Bobby Sippio, Dallas
CHICAGO (Apr. 16) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
@Georgia (Apr. 25) QB Mark Grieb, San Jose
NEW ORLEANS (May 1)
@Arizona (May 9)
@Las Vegas (May 16)
PHILADELPHIA (May 22)
ARIZONA (May 30)

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Opponent (Date) Player
@Detroit (Feb. 5) DS Omarr Smith, San Jose
@Los Angeles (Feb. 22) DL Sam Hernandez, San Jose
GRND RAPIDS (Feb. 28) DS Clevan Thomas, San Jose
@New York (Mar. 7) DS Terrance Joseph, New York
COLORADO (Mar. 14) DL Joe Jacobs, San Jose
LAS VEGAS (Mar. 20) DS Omarr Smith, San Jose
LOS ANGELES (Mar. 26) DL Silas DeMary, Los Angeles
@Tampa Bay (Apr. 4) DS Omarr Smith, San Jose
@Dallas (Apr. 10) FB Duke Pettijohn, Dallas
CHICAGO (Apr. 16) DS Omarr Smith, San Jose
@Georgia (Apr. 25) DL Joe Jacobs, San Jose
NEW ORLEANS (May 1)
@Arizona (May 9)
@Las Vegas (May 16)
PHILADELPHIA (May 22)
ARIZONA (May 30)

ARMY IRONMAN OF THE GAME:
Opponent (Date) Player
@Detroit (Feb. 5) FB/LB Cameron Chance, Detroit
@Los Angeles (Feb. 22) WR/DB/KR Rashied Davis, San Jose
GRND RAPIDS (Feb. 28) WR/DB Barry Wagner, San Jose
@New York (Mar. 7) WR/DB Lincoln Dupree, New York
COLORADO (Mar. 14) WR/DB/KR Rashied Davis, San Jose
LAS VEGAS (Mar. 20) WR/DB/KR Rashied Davis, San Jose
LOS ANGELES (Mar. 26) WR/LB James Roe, San Jose
@Tampa Bay (Apr. 4) WR/DB T.T. Toliver, Tampa Bay
@Dallas (Apr. 10) FB/LB Kevin Aldridge, Dallas
CHICAGO (Apr. 16) OL/DL Dan Loney, San Jose
@Georgia (Apr. 25) WR/DB/KR Rashied Davis, San Jose
NEW ORLEANS (May 1)
@Arizona (May 9)
@Las Vegas (May 16)
PHILADELPHIA (May 22)
ARIZONA (May 30)



THE SABERCATS RECORD WHEN...:

Scoring Allowing
0 - 9 points 0-0 0-0
10-19 points 0-0 0-0
20-29 points 0-0 0-0
30-39 points 0-0 3-0
40-49 points 0-0 2-0
50-59 points 4-2 3-1
60-69 points 4-0 1-1
70-79 points 1-0 0-0
80+ points 0-0 0-0

Games decided
by 7 or fewer points 3-1
by 3 or fewer points 1-0

Leading after the 1st 4-0
Trailing after the 1st 4-2
Tied after the 1st 1-0

Leading at Half 5-2
Trailing at Half 3-0
Tied at Half 1-0

Leading after the 3rd 7-2
Trailing after the 3rd 2-0
Tied after the 3rd 0-0

Scoring First 4-1
Opp. Score First 5-1

More Total Offense 3-2
Less Total Offense 6-0

More Pass Yards 3-2
Less Pass Yards 6-0

More Rushing Yards 7-2
Less Rushing Yards 2-0

Thursday games 1-0
Friday games 2-0
Saturday games 2-1
Sunday games 4-1

On NBC 3-1
On WB20 1-0
On NBC11 0-1

vs. West 3-0
vs. Central 4-0
vs. South 2-0
vs. East 0-2

Outscoring Opponent 9-0
Being Outscored 0-2



Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 27, 2004


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