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Utah Blaze game notes

June 20, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Utah Blaze News Release


THE QUICK FACTS:

Game: Utah Blaze (7-8) at Los Angeles Avengers (9-6)

Date: Saturday, June 23, 2007

Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)

Site: STAPLES Center (17,942)

Officials: Referee: Bill LeMonnier, Umpire: Mike Delaney, Head Linesman: Allen Baynes, Line Judge: Art Lucky, Back Judge: Billy Beckett

Television: FSN West & FSN Utah, Bill Macdonald (play-by-play), John Jackson (analyst), Lindsay Soto (sideline)

Radio: Utah's flagship station 1280 The Zone will broadcast the game live with Kevin Graham (play-by-play) and Tom Goodhines (commentary).

Utah Blaze Show: Jim Fuchuck hosts the Utah Blaze Show every Wed. night on 1280 The Zone from 7-8 p.m.

Internet: Log on to www.1280thezone.com to hear a live webcast of Friday's game.

Opening Line: Los Angeles by 1 (under/over 119)

Series Record: Utah leads, 3-0

Coaches: Utah, Danny White (15th season; 135-72 regular season, 155-83 overall). Los Angeles, Darren Arbet (6th season: 52-49 regular season, 52-45 overall).

OVERVIEW: As the Blaze enter their final regular season game, four-time Offensive Player of the Game, QB JOE GERMAINE, has completed 402-of-582 (69.1%) passes. So far this season, Germaine has thrown for a league-leading 4,781 yards and 102 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Germaine also leads the League in average yards per game (318.7). Los Angeles QB SONNY CUMBIE is 363-for-583 (62.3%) passing for 4,187 yards, 80 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite having missed one game in 2007, WR SIAHA BURLEY is currently leading the League in receptions (155), receiving yards (1,996) and is ranked second for receiving touchdowns (46).

THE SERIES: This regular season match up marks the fourth meeting between the two teams and the sixteenth meeting between head coach DANNY WHITE and the Avengers where White leads the series 12-3. This also will be the twelfth meeting between White and Los Angeles head coach ED HODGKISS where White leads the series 9-2.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: A victory this weekend and the Blaze are in the playoffs. If not, they must rely on a Nashville loss against Grand Rapids in order to play in the postseason. A win by the Blaze and a loss by Colorado will give Utah the No. 5 seed and have them playing at Los Angeles on Monday, July 2. If the Blaze make the playoffs as the No. 6 seed, they will play at the loser of this weekend's Kansas City/Chicago game.

THE SCHEDULES:

2007 Utah Blaze (7-8)

Date Opponent Result Score

Mar. 3 NEW ORLEANS Won 63-61

Mar. 10 @ Arizona Won 75-71

Mar. 18 @ Nashville Lost 55-69

April 1 GRAND RAPIDS Won 83-42

Apr. 1 @ Las Vegas Won 57-47

Apr. 6 @ Austin Lost 64-65

Apr. 13 LOS ANGELES Won 76-63

Apr. 20 ARIZONA Lost 69-83

Apr. 28 @ San Jose Lost 48-69

May 4 DALLAS Lost 59-66

May 12 @ Kansas City Lost 41-60

May 18 LAS VEGAS Lost 53-54

May 25 @ Orlando Won 65-62

June 4 COLORADO Won 51-14

June 9 SAN JOSE Lost 49-70

Game Opponent Time (MT) Radio/TV

June 23 @ Los Angeles 7 p.m. 1280/FSN

2007 Los Angeles Avengers (9-6)

Game Opponent Result Score

Mar. 4 SAN JOSE Lost 58-66

Mar. 12 @ Orlando Won 44-37

Mar. 24 @ New Orleans Won 48-36

Apr. 1 @Chicago Lost 31-66

Apr. 6 ARIZONA Won 64-45

Apr. 13 @ Utah Lost 63-76

Apr. 21 @ San Jose Lost 49-73

Apr. 28 GRAND RAPIDS Won 75-71

May 6 @ Las Vegas Won 59-37

May 12 TAMPA BAY Lost 37-40

May 19 GEORGIA Won 57-51

May 26 @ Kansas City Lost 56-62

June 2 CHICAGO Won 50-47

June 11 @ Arizona Won 55-52

June 17 LAS VEGAS Won 60-42

Game Opponent Time (PT) TV

June 25 UTAH 6 p.m. FSN

LAST GAME:

BLAZE COME UP SHORT AT HOME AGAINST SAN JOSE, 70-49

Burley Breaks Single-Season Record for Receptions, Receiving Yards

SALT LAKE CITY - The San Jose SaberCats (11-3) outscored the Utah Blaze (8-7) 30-7 in the second quarter en route to their eighth consecutive victory as they handed the Blaze a 70-49 defeat on Saturday night in front of 15,336 fans at the EnergySolutions Arena.

"We just weren't ready to play mentally or physically," said Blaze head coach/general manager DANNY WHITE. "We got dominated in every phase of the game. We were just not ready to play football tonight."

San Jose QB MARK GRIEB was named Offensive Player of the Game by going 26-for-39 passing with 249 yards and 10 touchdowns - which is a career high and San Jose record. Ironman of the Game honors went to DL GEORGE WILLIAMS after he recorded two rushing touchdowns and 2.5 total tackles, including one assisted tackle for a loss of five yards. DL ALAN HARPER was named ADT Defensive Player of the Game by recording 2.5 sacks for a loss of 19 yards.

San Jose opened the game with a quick score and never looked back. The defensive performance of the SaberCats sealed the win as the team finished the game with one interception, six pass breakups and 3.0 sacks. Special teams also contributed to the victory by recovering one of their own onside kicks in the second quarter.

Blaze QB JOE GERMAINE finished the night by throwing 23-of-36 passes for 285 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. With those five touchdowns, Germaine now has 102 touchdowns on the season and is four away from breaking the AFL record of 105 set by Dallas' CLINT DOLEZEL in 2006. WR SIAHA BURLEY also set records tonight by recording 10 receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Burley broke both the AFL's single-season receiving yardage record (1,996) and single-season receptions record (155).

THE IFS...

If the Blaze defeat the Avengers. . .

*Give Utah a 4-0 record versus Los Angeles.

*Give Utah an 8-8 record for the 2007 season.

*Give Utah a 4-4 away record for the 2007 season.

*Give Utah a 15-17 all-time regular-season record.

THE COACHES:

Utah - Danny White, 15th season

135-72 (.652) reg. season; 155-83 (.651) overall

12-3 career vs. Los Angeles

During his 15th season as an AFL head coach and second with the Blaze, White has compiled a record of 150-75 and advanced to the AFL Playoffs in 12 of the previous 13 years (hasn't missed the postseason since 1992). Prior to joining the Blaze, White was the head coach of the Arizona Rattlers for 13 seasons (1992-2004). The AFL Hall of Fame coach has two titles (1994 and 1997) to his credit and has made five ArenaBowl appearances (1994, 97, 2002-04). During his last season in Arizona in 2004, White compiled a 13-6 record and made his third straight ArenaBowl appearance. White won AFL "Coach of the Year" award in 1993 and officially became the head coach of the Blaze on April 21, 2005. White guided the Blaze to a 7-9 regular season record during the Blaze's inaugural season. The Blaze also made the postseason before falling to the rival Arizona Rattlers in 2006.

Los Angeles - Ed Hodgkiss, 6th season

52-41 (.559) reg. season; 52-45 (.536) overall

0-3 career vs. Utah

Hodgekiss owns an overall record of 52-45 and has advanced to the AFL Playoffs in four of his previous five seasons as a head coach. In 2005, Hodgkiss guided the Avengers to their first Western Division championship. In 2004, the Avengers went 9-7 and led the AFL in scoring, averaging 56.5 points per game. Under Hodgkiss' direction, three major team records were broken as quarterback Tony Graziani threw 99 touchdown passes and offensive specialist Chris Jackson caught 125 passes for 1,803 yards. Hodgkiss became the head coach of the Avengers on Oct. 5, 2001, followed by the 2002 season that saw him pilot the team to an 8-6 mark and into the postseason for the first time in franchise history. In his first season as head coach he established the Avenger offense as one of the most feared in the AFL, scoring an average of 52.2 points per game. In his first two years at the helm, Hodgkiss directed the Avengers to a 19-11 record. At that point, no head coach in league history had won more games in his first two seasons than Hodgkiss, who was the runner-up for the AFL "Coach of the Year" award in both 2003 and 2005.

JUSTIN SKAGGS (1979-2007)

By Tom Goodhines

Everyone comes in contact with people that leave a profound mark on their lives. For me, I have been fortunate to have worked in and around professional sports for the past 12 years. During that span, I have met three major professional sport commissioners: Roger Goodell (NFL), David Baker (AFL) and Don Garber (MLS). I have met over a dozen Pro Football Hall of Fame members including: John Elway, Mike Ditka, Joe Namaith, Bill Walsh, Jerry Rice, Lynn Swann, Jack Youngblood and Merlin Olsen. I worked for the NFL at Super Bowl XXXIV and covered the Baseball Hall of Fame inductions in Cooperstown, N.Y. and met Hall of Famers like Tommy Lasorda and Jim Palmer. I was fortunate to see North Carolina basketball coaching legend Dean Smith's last victory as a college coach. My career path also had me in contact with Hall of Fame broadcaster Brent Musburger, Dick Vitale and rock legend Jon Bon Jovi.

With all of the names listed above, each has left an impression on my life in different ways, but none have left a bigger impression than Justin Skaggs.

I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Justin for the last two seasons and I can honestly say that I was honored to, not only work with him, but to call him a friend.

I first met Justin when the Blaze selected him in the expansion draft in 2005 from the Orlando Predators. I sat down with him during player orientation process and collected his information when he reported for training camp, which is pretty standard procedure for any team. Right away, I knew that he was a stand up guy. Always professional, courteous and gracious. "Yes sir, Mr. Goodhines," Justin said as we finished up our initial talk. We would later joke about his formal greetings.

Away from football, you rarely saw him without wearing something camouflage and jeans and driving his truck while listening to country music. He loved his family more than anything. During the Blaze's first away trip in the 2006 preseason to Nashville, I sat next to Justin on the plane. We were each minding our own business when he decided to pull out his laptop computer. "Hey Goody," Justin said. "Check this out!" Justin then proceeded to open his photo file and show me pictures of him hunting and four-wheeling with friends and family. He also show me a cherished photo of him making a catch in front of Redskins defensive legend Darrell Green while in training camp with the Redskins. "That is one of my all-time favorite action shots," he said.

As I continued to ask him about his time in the NFL, I noticed that he continued to click through his photos. He stopped at pictures with him and his wife, Tara, and their children, Jake and Abbie, back at their home in Missouri. "That's what it's all about," Justin said as he stared at the photo of him with his family. "Goody, you have a daughter -- isn't being a Dad great? I love every minute of it." Little did either one of us know at the time that he helped to remind me that no matter where you are in life, you need to stay grounded and enjoy your moments with your family. Justin clearly did.

Justin was the definition of a great father, husband and friend. He was the kind of guy that you could call at 2 a.m. if you got a flat tire or needed help on a project at your house. Justin would always be there.

He had an easy-going manner about him, but at the same time, you knew he meant business. He was intense, focused and driven. At the same time, Justin had a way of making you feel important. He would always ask, "How's your family doing?" or "Is there anything you need from me?" He was not only the definition of a "pro's pro", but a very genuine and caring person.

"If we had 20 Justin Skaggs on the field, we would never lose a game," said Blaze head coach/general manger Danny White. "He was a guy that played much bigger and faster than he really was. Watching him play, you'd have thought he was 6-foot-4, 250 pounds. He was one of the toughest football players I've ever been around in my life."

On the field, he was a perfectionist when it came to game preparation. Always working to improve himself, I was greeted with a hug from Justin when he came into camp for the 2007 season. "Are you ready to go?" I asked him. "Absolutely!" he replied with a confident smile and a flex of his muscles.

It was a common occurrence to see him hustling on every drill and getting mad at himself for the slightest mistake. He and quarterback Jason Gesser would stay after every practice to work on passing and catching drills. After a practice earlier this season, Jason threw what he thought was his last corner-route pass of the day when Justin dropped it. "Come on!" Justin said. "We can't end on that... Just a couple more." Jason then hustled to get another ball and they continued with a couple more until Justin perfected the over the shoulder catch.

Nobody was more respected by his teammates for his work ethic and more importantly his friendship. Justin taught us all another lesson each and every day, don't sell yourself short and finish everything you start. I will take many things from Justin's life, but nothing more important than his friendship. I am grateful to him for helping me to be a better person and father. The lone regret that I have is that I didn't have the chance to thank him.

When the news of Justin's health issues came to light. His first thoughts were of his family. I talked to him during our last game against San Jose about what he wanted to do. "I am over the shock." he said. "I am ready to talk (to the media). I want to do what I can to help raise awareness to this condition. If I can help somebody else, then that is what I want to do."

"Well, Justin," I replied. "You already have."

THANK YOU, JUSTIN SKAGGS!

STORYLINES & FUN FACTS:

A FAMILIAR FACE: Avenger DB TERRANCE JOSEPH spent time with the Blaze earlier this season. Joseph played in four games for the Blaze this season recording 23.5 total tackles and one pass breakup.

ARENA QB RATING - The debate has gone on for years in the AFL... Does the outdoor QB Rating really translate to the indoor game? In a game where possessions and completion percentage dictates whether you win or lose, we decided to come up with a different formula that puts more weight on "TD-INT ratio" and completion percentage and no emphasis on yardage. Here's how it works: TD% = TDs divided by TDs + INT

WR SIAHA BURLEY currently has his sights set on the AFL's version of the triple crown: leader in receptions (155, currently No. 1), receiving yards (1,996, currently No. 1) and receiving touchdowns (46, currently No. 2). The former Central Florida standout is on pace to have 166 receptions for 2,137 yards and 49 touchdowns. Burley has already shattered the AFL records for receptions (154, MARCUS NASH in 2004) and receiving yards (1,982, CALVIN SCHEXNAYDER in 1998).

ARENA QB FORMULA: Multiply the TD% by 2 and add the completion % and divide it all by 3. Since the AFL is a different game, below is the current ranking of the top 10 QBs based on the rating system for AFL QBs:

QB TEAM COMP % TD % AFL RATING

Greisen GEO 74.6% 91.0% 85.5%

Dolezel DAL 70.5% 90.3% 83.8%

Philyaw KCB 70.2% 90.1% 83.5%

Germaine UTA 69.1% 90.3% 83.2%

Grieb SJS 71.0% 88.4% 82.6%

D'Orazio CHI 69.1% 88.6% 82.1%

Stafford ORL 64.6% 88.8% 80.7%

Cumbie LAA 62.3% 89.9% 80.7%

Graziani PHI 62.5% 90.6% 81.3%

Dietz TBS 65.8% 85.7% 79.1%

*minimum of 250 attempts

CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Blaze head coach DANNY WHITE picks up where he left off as his second season with the Blaze is underway. The AFL Hall of Fame coach is currently No. 2 on the league's all-time coaches win list. Below is a list of the all-time winningest coaches in AFL history.

ALL-TIME COACHING VICTORIES

COACH, TEAM WINS THIS WEEK

Tim Marcum, Tampa Bay 189 AUSTIN

DANNY WHITE, UTAH 155 @ Los Angeles

Mike Hohensee, Chicago 118 KANSAS CITY

Mike Dailey, Colorado 107 DALLAS

Darren Arbet, San Jose 104 @ Las Vegas

Perry Moss 86 --

QB JOE GERMAINE currently has completed 402-of-582 (69.1%) passes for 4,781 yards (No. 1 in AFL), 102 touchdowns (No. 2 in AFL) and only 11 interceptions for the 2007 season. The Offensive Player of the Year and All-Arena candidate currently is on pace to throw 109 touchdowns and 5,100 passing yards - both would shatter AFL records. Germaine has his eye on numerous AFL single-season marks including: passing yards (4,841, MARK GRIEB in 2006), touchdown passes (105, CLINT DOLEZEL in 2006), and completion percentage (70.3%, Grieb in 2004). The former Buckeye and Rose Bowl MVP has 108 total touchdowns (passing and rushing) in the 2007 season.

CURRENT STREAKS:

K STEVE VIDETICH has played in all 31 games in Blaze history.

WR SIAHA BURLEY has multiple touchdowns in the last 16 games he has played in dating back to the 2006 season. As a member of the Blaze, Burley has recorded multiple touchdowns in 25 out of the 28 games he has played in. Also, Burley has made at least three receptions in each of the 29 games in which he has participated with the Utah Blaze.

QB JOE GERMAINE has thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of the 23 games he has played in with the Blaze.

STAR WATCH:

LEADER OF THE PACK - QB JOE GERMAINE currently leads the AFL in passing yards (4,781), passing yards per game (318.7) and is ranked second in touchdowns (102). At this pace, Germaine would potentially finish the season with 5,100 passing yards and 109 touchdowns. If these numbers hold true, Germaine would hold the No. 1 spot for passing yards in a season and rank second for passing touchdowns in a season.

PLAYER ATT COM YDS TD INT

GERMAINE, UTA 582 402 4,781 102 11

Greisen, GEO 503 375 4,669 111 11

Grieb, SJS 548 389 4,486 99 13

Dolezel, DAL 502 354 4,231 99 9

Cumbie, LAA 583 363 4,187 80 9

*Minimum of 100 attempts

SIAH-A RELIEF - Despite missing a game this season due to injury, WR SIAHA BURLEY is leading the League in receptions (155), receiving yards (1,996) and is ranked second in touchdowns (46). Burley is on track to finish the regular season with 49 receiving touchdowns and an impressive 2,139 receiving yards. These numbers would be personal bests for Burley, and if they hold true, and during the last game, Burley broke the AFL's record for most receiving yards in a season. He now holds the No. 1 and No. 3 positions in this category. With 49 receiving touchdowns on the season, Burley would rank No. 2 on the all-time leaders list for that category.

PLAYER G REC YDS TD YDS/G

BURLEY, UTA 14 155 1,996 46 142.6

Jackson,GEO 15 138 1,834 44 122.3

Lewis, AUS 15 131 1,825 38 121.7

Sippio, CHI 12 116 1,647 50 137.2

Bergeron, GEO 15 125 1,645 39 109.7

A LEG UP ON THE COMPETITION: Blaze K STEVE VIDETICH is the AFL's all time leading scorer and looks to move up on another milestone in his career in field goals made. He is only three field goals away from breaking Mike Black's all-time record.

ALL-TIME FIELD GOALS MADE LEADERS

RANK PLAYER FGS

1. Mike Black 177

T-2. *STEVE VIDETICH, UTAH 175

T-3. *Remy Hamilton, Los Angeles 175

4. *Clay Rush, Arizona 122

5. Kenny Stucker 121

ALL-TIME CAREER SCORING (KICKING)

RANK PLAYER POINTS

1. *STEVE VIDETICH, UTAH 1,499

2. *Remy Hamilton, Los Angeles 1,481

3. *Clay Rush, Arizona 1,302

4. Mike Black 1,253

5. Steve McLaughlin 792

* Active

MILESTONES:

*K STEVE VIDETICH needs three field goals to pass Mike Black on the AFL's All-Time Field Goals Made list.

*WR SIAHA BURLEY needs 286 receiving yards for 9,500 career.

*QB JOE GERMAINE needs 177 passing yards to reach 10,000 career.

*WR TOM PACE needs 5.0 tackles to reach 100 career and 401 receiving yards to reach 4,000 career.

*WR/LB RYAN DENNARD needs four receiving yards to reach 500 career.

INJURY REPORT: The Blaze currently have five players on the injured reserve list. WR/LB RYAN DENNARD and DL GARRETT SMITH are dealing with injuries heading into Week 17. WR/DB ORSHAWANTE BRYANT and WR AARON BOONE are eligible to come off the Injured Reserve list this week.

PLAYER INJURY STATUS

Ryan Dennard Hamstring strain Questionable

Garrett Smith Knee sprain Questionable

Aaron Boone Ankle sprain OUT (IR)

Orshawante Bryant Hamstring strain OUT (IR)

Kevin Moffett Knee OUT (IR)

Clarence Lawson Calf OUT (IR)

Valentine Chude Rib contusion OUT (IR)

RECENT ROSTER MOVES

DATE ACTION

June 3 Placed WR/LB Justin Skaggs, LB Valentine Chude and DB/KR Clarence Lawson on injured reserve. Activated FB/LB Frank Carter and OL Tyshaun Whitson from injured reserve. Signed WR/LB Huey Whittaker from the practice squad.

May 24 Placed DL Manaia Brown on injured reserve. Activated OL/DL Steve Konopka from injured reserve.

May 17 Waived OL/DL Ernest Grant. Activated OL Rob Gatrell from the injured reserve.

May 8 Placed WR Aaron Boone on the injured reserve. Activated DB Jacoby Shepherd from refused to report.

May 3 Placed DB Jacoby Shepherd on the refused to report list. Activated OL Myniya Smith from the injured reserve.

May 2 Acquired DB Jacoby Shepherd from DALLAS for future considerations. Placed OL Tyshaun Whitson and FB/LB Frank Carter on the injured reserve. Signed DL Thaddeus Bullard.

April 30 Signed WR/DB Rod Wilkerson to the practice squad.

April 26 Placed OL/DL Steve Konopka on the injured reserve list. Activated LB Valentine Chude and WR/DB J'Sharlon Jones from the injured reserve list. Signed DB Leroy Smith from the practice squad.

April 25 Signed DB Dahnel Singfield. Placed WR/DB Orshawante Bryant on the injured reserve list. Signed DB Michael Davis to the Practice squad.

April 23 Waived DB Michael Davis.

April 5 Signed DL Manaia Brown from practice squad.

2007 LEAGUE TEAM RANKINGS

Category Blaze (Rank) Avengers (Rank)

Scoring Offense 60.5 (4) 53.7 (9)

Scoring Defense 59.7 (t-16) 53.4 (11)

Total Offense 320.8 (2) 295.4 (9)

Total Defense 296.2 (11) 296.0 (10)

Pass Offense 312.2 (1) 280.5 (8)

Pass Defense 275.9 (10) 281.7 (13)

Rushing Offense 8.6 (18) 14.9 (14)

Rushing Defense 20.3 (14) 14.3 (5)

Interceptions 8 (18) 10 (15)

Kickoff Return Avg. 20.1 (1) 14.2 (19)

Def. KO Return Avg. 17.8 (8) 18.4 (t-13)

Turnover Margin +2 (7) -1 (t-10)

3rd Down Conversions 51.1% (6) 49.5% (8)

4th Down Conversions 52.0% (13) 56.5% (t-8)

Sacks By 11 (17) 17 (t-6)

Sacks Against 25 (18) 9 (t-6)

BLAZE LEADERS IN 2007

Player Category No.

Germaine, Joe Total Offense 4,789

Germaine Completion Pct. 69.1

Germaine Pass TDs 102

Germaine Passer Rating 125.58

Germaine Passing Yards 4,781

Germaine Pass Completions 402

Germaine Pass Yards/Game 318.7

Burley, Siaha Scoring 276

Burley Touchdowns 46

Burley Receptions 155

Burley Receiving Yards 1,996

Burley TD Receptions 46

Robinson, Chris Rush Yards 55

Germaine Rush TDs 6

Lawson, Clarence KO Returns 48

Lawson KOR Yards 911

Burley All-Purpose Yards 2,217

Lawson Tackles 57.0

Carter, Frank Tackles for Loss 4.5

Bryant, Orshawante Interceptions 3

G. Smith & Janek Sacks 3.0

LAST MEETING AGAINST LOS ANGELES:

UTAH IN FIRST PLACE WITH 76-63 WIN OVER L.A.

Germaine Tosses 10 TDs, Leads Blaze to Perfect Home Record

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Blaze (5-2) maintained a second-half lead on their way to a 76-63 victory over the Los Angeles Avengers (3-3) in front of 13,497 fans at the EnergySolutions Arena on Friday night. The victory keeps the Blaze undefeated at home and keeps the squad with sole possession of first place in the Western Division.

The Blaze opened the scoring with a 15-yard scoring strike from Offensive Player of the Game QB JOE GERMAINE to WR TOM PACE. Germaine, who is the leading candidate for Offensive Player of the Week honors, finished the game by completing 32-of-39 passes for 371 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.

"Joe is not a guy that I am ever going to have to worry about when there is a little bit of adversity," said Blaze head coach/general manager DANNY WHITE. "He's too solid. He has an unbelievable calmness about him -- it drives me crazy sometimes. I'm screaming and yelling over here and he's walking around out there like it's not a problem."

The Blaze found ways to attack all night as they forced three first-half fumbles and added an interception by DB CLARENCE LAWSON. ADT Defensive Player of the Game, DL CHRIS JANEK, kept the pressure on Los Angeles QB SONNY CUMBIE all game and anchored the defense all evening.

Ironman of the Game, FB/LB KAUTAI OLEVAO, forced a key first-half fumble, assisted on and tackle and recovered a fumble on defense, while adding a two-yard rushing touchdown on offense.

Blaze WR SIAHA BURLEY led all receivers with 14 receptions for 175 yards and five touchdowns. Pace finished with 11 receptions for 125 yards and three touchdowns.

The Blaze took a 48-28 halftime lead, but were outscored 21-7 in the third quarter. But true to 2007 form, the Blaze finished strong by outscoring the Avengers 21-14 in the fourth quarter with scoring strikes to OL/DL JOHN CULP and WR AARON BOONE.

LOS ANGELES PLAYERS TO WATCH:

QB SONNY CUMBIE - Cumbie, who started 12 games last season as a rookie, returns as the Avenger starting quarterback in 2007. He agreed to a two-year contract on Oct. 19, 2005, which will keep him in Los Angeles through the 2007 season. Playing in a total of 13 games in 2006, Cumbie completed 268-of-450 for 3,241 yards and 59 touchdowns in 2006. He also scored three touchdowns on the ground. So far this season, Cumbie is 363-for-583 (62.3%) passing for 4,187 yards, 80 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

FB/LB LONNIE FORD - Ford is finishing up his fifth season with the Avengers. He is the team's all-time leader in every rushing category with 500 yards and 28 touchdowns on 140 carries. Ford also has caught 14 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. His career totals on defense include 76.5 tackles, 10 pass deflections, 5.5 quarterback sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks and one interception. In 2006, he rushed for 168 yards (No. 3 in the AFL) and 10 touchdowns on just 44 carries. Ford's per carry average of 3.8 yards was the best in the league among players with 28 or more rushing attempts.

WEEKLY PLAYERS OF THE GAME:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Opponent Player

NEW ORLEANS QB Joe Germaine, Utah

@ Arizona QB Joe Germaine, Utah

@ Nashville QB Jeff Smoker, Nashville

GRAND RAPIDS QB Joe Germaine, Utah

@ Las Vegas WR Siaha Burley, Utah

@ Austin QB Adrian McPherson, Austin

LOS ANGELES **QB Joe Germaine, Utah

ARIZONA QB Sherdrick Bonner, Arizona

@ San Jose WR Ben Nelson, San Jose

DALLAS WR Marcus Nash, Dallas

@ Kansas City QB Raymond Philyaw, Kansas City

LAS VEGAS WR Travis Latandresse, Las Vegas

@ Orlando **WR Siaha Burley, Utah

COLORADO K Steve Videtich, Utah

SAN JOSE QB Mark Grieb, San Jose

@ Los Angeles

ADT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Opponent Player

NEW ORLEANS OL/DL Chris Janek, Utah

@ Arizona DS Joe Todd, Arizona

@ Nashville OL/DL James Baron, Nashville

GRAND RAPIDS WR/DB Orshawante Bryant, Utah

@ Las Vegas WR/DB Orshawante Bryant, Utah

@ Austin DL Mike Williams, Austin

LOS ANGELES OL/DL Chris Janek, Utah

ARIZONA DS Keyou Craver, Arizona

@ San Jose LB Phil Glover, San Jose

DALLAS DL C. Weatherington, Dallas

@ Kansas City DB Nick Ward, Kansas City

LAS VEGAS DL Karon Riley, Las Vegas

@ Orlando DL Greg White, Orlando

COLORADO **DB Dahnel Singfield, Utah

SAN JOSE DL Alan Harper, San Jose

@ Los Angeles

IRONMAN OF THE GAME:

Opponent Player

NEW ORLEANS **WR/LB Ryan Dennard, Utah

@ Arizona **WR/LB Ryan Dennard, Utah

@ Nashville WR/DB Maurice Brown, Nashville

GRAND RAPIDS WR/LB Ryan Dennard, Utah

@ Las Vegas DB Clarence Lawson, Utah

@ Austin DB Clarence Lawson, Utah

LOS ANGELES FB/LB Kautai Olevao, Utah

ARIZONA WR/DB Randy Gatewood, Arizona

@ San Jose WR/LB Jason Geathers, San Jose

DALLAS WR/DB Will Pettis, Dallas

@ Kansas City WR Boo Williams, Kansas City

LAS VEGAS FB Marlion Jackson, Las Vegas

@ Orlando WR/LB Tom Pace, Utah

COLORADO WR/LB Ryan Dennard, Utah

SAN JOSE DL George Williams, San Jose

@ Los Angeles

** - League Weekly Award Winner

THE BLAZE RECORD WHEN...

Scoring Allowing

0 - 9 points 0-0 0-0

10-19 points 0-0 1-0

20-29 points 0-0 0-0

30-39 points 0-1 2-0

40-49 points 1-7 3-2

50-59 points 4-5 2-4

60-69 points 6-3 5-7

70-79 points 2-0 1-3

80+ points 1-1 0-3

GAMES DECIDED BLAZE COACH WHITE

by 7 or fewer points 6-8 48-30

by 3 or fewer points 6-6 24-16

Leading/Tied after the 1st 10-8 93-29

Trailing after the 1st 3-9 41-43

Leading/Tied at Half 12-8 107-28

Trailing at Half 2-9 27-44

Leading/Tied after the 3rd 12-4 117-20

Trailing after the 3rd 2-13 17-52

Lead/Tied Turnover Ratio 10-9 102-31

Trailed Turnover Ratio 4-8 33-41

Scoring More Than 10 14-16 136-71

Scoring More Than 20 14-16 135-70

Scoring More Than 30 14-16 133-69

Scoring More Than 40 14-16 127-43

Scoring More Than 50 13-8 99-22

Scoring More Than 60 9-4 42-7

Scoring More Than 70 3-1 13-1

Scoring More Than 80 1-1 4-1

Scoring More Than 90 0-0 0-0

Monday games 1-0 4-1

Wednesday games 0-0 1-0

Thursday games 0-1 6-3

Friday games 5-7 36-20

Saturday games 7-9 69-36

Sunday games 1-1 19-13

vs. West 7-8 47-27

vs. Central 4-4 30-13

vs. South 3-3 22-12

vs. East 0-3 21-11

2007 STANDINGS

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

Western Division

Team W L Pct PF PA

x-San Jose 12 3 .800 939 715

y-Los Angeles 9 6 .600 806 801

UTAH 7 8 .467 908 896

Arizona 4 12 .250 846 915

Las Vegas 2 13 .133 655 913

Central Division

Team W L Pct PF PA

y-Chicago 11 4 .733 821 698

y-Kansas City 10 5 .667 819 728

y-Colorado 8 7 .533 735 781

Nashville 6 9 .400 794 822

Grand Rapids 4 11 .267 781 957

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Eastern Division

Team W L Pct PF PA

x-Dallas 14 1 .933 939 748

y-Philadelphia 7 8 .467 837 786

Columbus 6 9 .400 728 750

New York 5 10 .333 744 893

Southern Division

Team W L Pct PF PA

x-Georgia 13 2 .867 939 794

y-Orlando 8 7 .533 765 703

y-Tampa Bay 8 7 .533 754 774

New Orleans 5 10 .333 791 860

Austin 4 11 .267 828 895

x - clinched division title

y - clinched playoff berth

WEEK 13 RESULTS

Utah 65, ORLANDO 62

San Jose 48, NASHVILLE 34

KANSAS CITY 62, Los Angeles 56

GRAND RAPIDS 58, Colorado 56

Dallas 56, COLUMBUS 47

GEORGIA 52, Tampa Bay 38

Chicago 53, ARIZONA 47

Philadelphia 76, AUSTIN 56

New York 69, NEW ORLEANS 63

Home Teams in CAPS

WEEK 14 RESULTS

Dallas 59, PHILADELPHIA 56

SAN JOSE 59, Orlando 52

Austin 82, NEW YORK 54

GEORGIA 54, Columbus 33

Kansas City 66, GRAND RAPIDS 53

Tampa Bay 61, NEW ORLEANS 55

LOS ANGELES 50, Chicago 47

Arizona 41, LAS VEGAS 20

UTAH 51, Colorado 14

WEEK 15 RESULTS

Kansas City 47, COLUMBUS 34

Orlando 75, NEW YORK 54

TAMPA BAY 69, Philadelphia 59

CHICAGO 55, Grand Rapids 32

Georgia 81, AUSTIN 64

DALLAS 80, New Orleans 79

San Jose 70, UTAH 49

Nashville 63 LAS VEGAS 48

Los Angeles 55, ARIZONA 52

WEEK 16 RESULTS

Georgia 55, ORLANDO 44

PHILADELPHIA 56, Columbus 53

Tampa Bay 69, GRAND RAPIDS 40

KANSAS CITY 66, Nashville 63

DALLAS 67, New York 13

SAN JOSE 66, Arizona 26

NEW ORLEANS 66, Austin 61

LOS ANGELES 60, Las Vegas 42

Chicago 66, COLORADO 57

WEEK 17 SCHEDULE

Thursday, June 21

Orlando at Philadelphia 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 23

Columbus at New York 5 p.m.

Austin at Tampa Bay 5:30 p.m.

Grand Rapids at Nashville 6 p.m.

Kansas City at Chicago 6 p.m.

Utah at Los Angeles 8:30 p.m. (FSN)

Sunday, June 24

New Orleans at Georgia 1:30 p.m.

San Jose at Las Vegas 4 p.m.

Monday, June 25

Dallas at Colorado 8 p.m.

Bye: Arizona

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 20, 2007


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