The making of an af2 rivalry
Published on April 28, 2005 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz News Release
In sports, no matter what level or what type of sport it is, the close proximity of two teams helps to establish a rivalry before the athletes even step foot on the playing surface. When the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz were announced as an af2 franchise in the fall of 2003, a rivalry with the Tulsa Talons was sure to be established, and it was quickly established in 2004 and looks to become one of the greatest rivalries in af2 history. Now in its second year, the Dawgz-Talons rivalry is gearing up for its fourth game ever and what better time to look back and reflect on why the rivalry has become what it is and how it looks to develop this season.
THE PERSONNEL ASPECT OF THE RIVALRY
Outside of the geographical aspect of the rivalry, the biggest influences on this rivalry are probably the player assignments that the Dawgz have had. As of right now, there are eleven out of twenty-four players on the Dawgz roster that have played for the Tulsa Talons, one coach that spent three seasons with the Talons and an operator that once operated the Talons.
The biggest impact on this rivalry is without question, the Dawgz signing of Craig Strickland as their quarterback. Strickland is the all-time leading af2 passer and led the Tulsa Talons for three seasons to a 38-15 record and to the Arenacup championship in 2003. Strickland came to the Dawgz after one of his most successful seasons of his career. He was named the Arenacup MVP for his 19-of-28, 254 yard, five-touchdown performance in Arenacup 2003.
Over the off-season, the Dawgz hired former Talons defensive coordinator, Jeff Jarnigan as their head coach. Jarnigan spent three seasons with the Talons and helped lead them to the Arenacup championship in 2003, before leaving to become the defensive coordinator of the Austin Wranglers of the AFL in 2004.
After Jarnigan was hired, more players with ties to the Talons were assigned to the Dawgz roster for 2005, such names as Tony Agee (2004), B.J. Barre (2004), Eric Butler (2002), Brandon Daniels (2002-2003), Orlando Green (2003), Cliff Holloman (Talons 2001-2002), and Jarrail Jackson (2000-2001). These former Talons helped to add to the other Dawgz players from the inaugural season in 2004 that had Tulsa ties, Strickland, Al Hunt, and Chuck Little.
THE ON-FIELD ASPECT OF THE RIVALRY
When the arenafootball2 schedule came out for the 2004 season, it showed the inaugural game for the Yard Dawgz on April 3, 2004 was just up the turnpike in a match-up with the defending af2 champions, the Tulsa Talons. In what proved to be a great arena football game, the Yard Dawgz defeated the defending Arenacup champions, 70-63 in overtime to snap a 26-game home winning streak by the Talons.
In that game, who else led the Dawgz to victory, but the former Tulsa Talons quarterback, Craig Strickland. Strickland finished the night 22-of-36 for 304 yards and eight touchdowns, while rushing for another score. Strickland's favorite target on the night was another former Talon player, Timon Marshall. Marshall caught eight passes for 137 yards and five touchdowns for the Dawgz.
The next time the two teams would meet up again was on May 1, 2004 when the Talons came to the Ford Center to take on the Dawgz. In front of a crowd of 13,434 fans the Dawgz once again defeated the Talons 62-60 in another hard fought game in this budding rivalry. Strickland would earn Game MVP honors with his 17-of-27 for 273 yards and six-touchdown performance, as the Yard Dawgz would take a 2-0 lead over the Talons in this series.
The two teams would meet again at the Ford Center for the last game of the regular season for the Dawgz on July 24, 2004. On this night, the Talons got their first taste of victory over the Dawgz, beating them 47-30 in front of the third biggest af2 crowd of all-time (15,102).
WHAT LOOKS TO BE AHEAD IN THE 2005 VERSION OF THE RIVALRY
This season the rivalry may get to the next level and rank as one of the all-time greatest rivalries in the state of Oklahoma and the af2. Now that all the personnel ties and on-field aspects have been discussed, what factors lie ahead for this rivalry that will make it one of the biggest of all-time you ask. Pride, determination, public interest, and bragging rights come to mind.
One thing that motivates players when they return to a place they have played before is the fact that they don't want to lose a game to their former team. Each time the players hit the field against their former team, you can bet that they will give that extra little bit of effort just to win the game and maybe push their body to give them a little extra each snap of the ball.
Public interest and bragging rights are other factors that this game may have that the other games do not have each week. The Dawgz-Talons games have drawn 34,853 fans over the three games, for an average of 11,617 fans at each game. These games are one of the most well attended match-ups in af2 history and the talent levels of these two franchises always bring the game to a higher level. You can rest assured that anytime these two teams meet, it will be a highly attended game due to the ease of travel for fans of both teams and also because it is an Oklahoma arena football rivalry.
On Saturday night inside the Tulsa Convention Center, the arena football fans of Oklahoma will be watching these players put everything on the line and the Dawgz players and personnel with Tulsa ties want to make sure that they go back into the arena where they once ruled the af2 and come out of there with a victory that will give them the 3-1 edge in the budding rivalry and bragging rights until the next time these two teams meet three months down the road on July 30, 2005 at the Ford Center.
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