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Two brothers, two teams, one dream

August 26, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


NAPLES, Fla. - Coming into the 2004 ArenaCup championship there is only one guarantee and that guarantee is that a player named Burnside will come out as a champion, but a Burnside will also be on the losing end, because the Burnside twins, Brandon and Brent, will be on opposite sides of the field this Friday night when the Peoria Pirates take on the Florida Firecats for the af2 championship. Older brother Brandon, who was born one minute before Brent, is a member of the Peoria Pirates and Brent is a member of the Florida Firecats.

Since the seventh grade when they started playing football, the twins have spent every day of their lives playing on the same football team and wherever they have gone or for whomever they have played the duo has been very successful as a tandem but the one thing that has eluded them is a shot at the championship. But this year they both receive the chance to play for the championship even if it is on different teams.

"It has been a lot different this year, trying to keep up with what Brent is doing and to see if he is winning through my mom or through the Internet," said Brandon. "It has been tough because I am not on the field with him."

The duo went from high school to Missouri Western University and excelled on the football field for the Griffons. In 1998 and 1999, Brandon earned Second Team All-Conference honors at wide receiver and honorable mention as a kick returner. He caught 36 passes for 745 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games in 1998 at Missouri Western. That same season he also added 27 kick returns for 664 yards and 24 punt returns for 270 yards. During his senior year in 1999, he added 40 catches for 709 yards with eight touchdowns.

Brent was the interception leader in NCAA Division II during the 1999 season and was selected First Team All-Conference at defensive back for Missouri Western. He tied the Griffons' single-season interception record after posting eight interceptions for 117 yards during his senior season.

Their impressive collegiate play and an assistant coach with the Griffons helped pave the way to the af2. "Our college coach knew Coach Jon Norris, former Tulsa Talons head coach and current Dallas Desperados offensive/defensive line coach," said Brent. "We went down to Tulsa, tried out and made the team."

Their travels in af2 have taken them to three other teams before this season. In 2000, the duo got their af2 careers off and running in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Brandon finished his rookie season catching 120 passes for 1,721 yards and 33 touchdowns, which put him 3rd in the league in both receiving and scoring. Brent finished the season with 54 catches for 623 yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, he added 45 tackles, six interceptions, and eight pass defenses.

After the 2000 season, the Houston Thunderbears of the Arena Football League signed the Burnside twins for the 2001 season. They played sparingly in Houston before returning to the af2 and the Tulsa Talons for three games towards the end of the 2001 season. "We learned a lot that season in Houston and it has made us appreciate what we have here today," said Brent.

In 2002, the duo took their talents to the Mohegan Wolves of arenafootball2. Brandon played in 16 games, while Brent played in 12 games. Brandon caught 106 passes for 1,567 yards and 30 touchdowns. Brent caught 51 passes for 625 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 27 tackles and three interceptions.

After spending one season with the Mohegan Wolves, the duo headed south for the Sunshine State and the Florida Firecats, which would prove to be the last time these two brothers would grace the same field. Brandon would only play in six games during the season due to a separated shoulder.

"I got hurt and they moved Magic Benton to offensive specialist and there just wasn't a space available for me at the beginning of this season so I moved on," said Brandon.

"We knew this day would eventually come and we couldn't play on the same team forever," said Brent. "So we were prepared for it when the day did finally come at the beginning of this season."

The two have put up some impressive numbers in their af2 careers. Combined they have caught 446 passes for 5,794 yards and 105 touchdowns, and have added 146 tackles and 16 interceptions in a combined 105 games. This season since they have been separated they may not have put up the numbers they once had, but they now have a chance at a championship.

Early on in the 2004 season, the Burnside brothers never thought they would both be playing in this game.

"I knew we had a great team coming here to Florida, but early on when Brandon was with Bossier City and they weren't doing very well and then he got traded to Peoria before they got their streak rolling along, we didn't even think it was possible for us to both play for the championship. But once Peoria made the playoffs then we started talking about it a little more and it finally became a reality," said Brent.

Unfortunately for Brandon Burnside he will not get the chance to go head to head with his brother this game due to an injury.

"It is very disappointing not being able to play in this game," said Brandon. "It is a game we have fought for five years to get to and not being able to play against my brother and his team is disappointing."

But Brandon will be rooting for his Peoria teammates in hopes of him being the Burnside brother who brings home the championship.

On the other side Brent will be on the field trying to help his Florida Firecats team become the first American Conference team to ever win the ArenaCup. "It will make for some interesting dinner at Thanksgiving when I am cutting the turkey with the championship ring on," said Brent.

No matter what the outcome is on Friday night in Germain Arena, one thing is guaranteed, the Burnside family will have a piece of the 2004 af2 championship.

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