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Team Down Under Arrives in Columbus

Published on March 25, 2004 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


COLUMBUS, GA - Despite traveling for nearly 24 hours by plane and bus, Team Down Under seemed alert and upbeat as they made the final hour and a half trip from Atlanta to Columbus late Wednesday evening.

"It's fantastic," said John Wilson, a WR/DB from Melbourne, Australia. "We've worked so hard to get here and it's great that all those hours in the gym now have some meaning."

A steady buzz of noise and energy flowed throughout the bus on the ride to Columbus. The level increasing to a low roar at one point when someone pulled out a local newspaper with the following statement printed in an ad: Watch the bigger and better Columbus Wardogs kick some Aussie butt!

"Who do they think they are," remarked someone from the back of the bus. "We'll show them!"

"It's a bold statement to make," said Wilson. "They don't know us. I believe we hit harder and we certainly didn't come all this way to lose."

The players on Team Down Under paid their own way to Georgia to play in this game, sacrificing money and time away from family and careers. Wilson, for example, is a young entrepreneur back home. At age 22, he recently opened a sports nutrition store, the first of its kind in Australia.

"I visited places like GNC here in the states and realized we didn't have that back home," said Wilson. "I opened my first store last year and I have a ten-year plan to hopefully open 30 more stores."

He left the fledging business to come to Columbus and play Arena Football.

"We do it because we love football," said Wilson, who spent $3,500 so far on this trip. "We don't have the opportunity to face this kind of competition back home, so it's a chance to crack heads with some different guys and showcase our abilities."

Once at the hotel, the team checked in and held a short meeting before retiring for the night. It may be the only real rest they get for the next few days, as a frenzy of activities await. From now until Monday morning, Team Down Under's schedule is packed full.

"At least we have time scheduled to eat," joked Wilson.

Some of the items on Team Down Under's agenda for the next few days include a bowling match-up against the Wardogs on Thursday afternoon, a tank simulation battle against the Wardogs at Fort Benning on Friday, numerous media appearances, practices and the game on Sunday.

"We're looking forward to it. We've all worked hard and sacrificed a lot to be here and it's something we'll savor forever and tell our kids and grandkids about."

Kickoff for Freedom Bowl II is 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Columbus Civic Center. Tickets for the game are still available at any Ticketmaster outlet including the Columbus Civic Center or by calling (706) 494-8330. Tickets are $10.00 each with all proceeds benefiting The United Way of Chattahoochee Valley.

"I think people are going to be surprised," Wilson predicted. "It's going to be a very competitive hard-hitting game. We are going to raise some eyebrows."

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