Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington. Show all posts

Sunday, March 27, 2011

GAME PREVIEW - WEEK 3 - POWER VS MUSTANGS


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Monday, March 28, 2011
7:30 PM
TV:

Radio: 93.7 The Fan
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin


The Power gear up for their first ever road test this week, travelling to the Bradley Center to take on a team, who, after making the second round of the playoffs last year, is coming out of the gates flat to start out the 2011 campaign.

The Power, used to playing in front of the largest crowds in the AFL, will have to contend with what will probably be a quiet, pre-season like atmosphere. The Mustangs only drew about 3,000 fans for their first game against Chicago, a 49-41 loss.

Perhaps it's for the best, as the Mustangs don't seem to play well in front of large audiences. In the second week, they travelled to Arizona to take on the Rattlers in front of over 9,000, where they were obliterated, 62-31.

The Mustangs are lead by QB Eric Ward out of Richmond, who through two weeks has amassed 475 yards passing and 6 touchdowns to go along with 3 interceptions.

They've got a trifecta of productive receivers in Damian Harrell, Antoine Burns, and Brent Holmes, combining for the bulk of the Milwaukee offense as well as all six of Ward's TD passes. Since 2001 when he was battery mates with local product Chad Salisbury for the Toronto Phantoms (Frazier HS, University of Buffalo), Harrell has amassed over 1,000 yards receiving in each consecutive season.

In spite of the 0-2 record, the Mustangs sit around the middle of the pack in almost every statistical category.

Power coach Chris Siegfried and the team got some bad press this week, when the Trib decided to, inexplicably, run a story about the HC's wife's legal problems. Good God, selling fake weed? Really?

On the field for the Power, the key is whether Kevin McCabe can continue his phenomenal start -- after replacing the injured Bernard Morris last week, McCabe was fantastic in leading the Power to a convincing 58-28 win over the Iowa Goggles.

McCabe is backed up by a bevy of fine receivers, as well as a secondary that really shut down Brad Banks and the Iowa attack in the second half last week, lead by Lenny Wicks and Josh Lay. McCabe's primary targets, as always, will be Mike "Joystick" Washington, Jason Willis, and Lonnell DeWalt. After returning from injury last week, Jerome Mathis and Irv Campbell started to show some signs of life as well. Toss in folk hero Josh Rue, and the Power have a ton of weapons on offense that can hurt you. They've also activated WR David Ball #82 for this weeks game. No word on who will be benched or why.

The Mustangs really are an enigma, having given Chicago, who is tearing the league apart currently, a very close game before getting completely crushed by the Rattlers. As was previously stated, the only real reason we can come up with is that they enjoy playing at home in front of practically no fans. If this were a home game for the Power, it would be an easy call. The Consol Energy Center would have a big crowd, it would be loud, and Milwaukee would simply collapse. However, it's in the Bradley center, there will be 2,000 people there, and the Mustangs will have their home field advantage. Scary stuff.

PREDICTIONS:
For every Power game we cover here on the BOLTSBURGH POWER BLOG, our three contributing editors will pass along their expert picks for the game, along with the key to victory. We call these our BOLTSBURGH POWER BLOG KEYS TO VICTORY! There are three of them. One each.

- Perry -
Kevin McCabe is emerging as one of the top QB's in the entire AFL. Milwaukee has the home field "advantage", but the Power's secondary is finally stepping up. If they can shut down Harrell, they can put up enough points to let the defense carry them to their first road win.

Power 56
Mustangs 31

- Pro -
If you wouldn't have had that half case of Old Milwaukee, you would've finished high school and wouldn't be paying child support right now. Milwaukee vomits on their own shoes and the Power win.

Power 62
Mustangs 41

- Schwartz -
Seems like a good week to lose 71-70.

Mustangs 71
Power 70

KEYS TO VICTORY:

1) Power secondary need to shut down a potent Milwaukee receiving corps.
2) Don't vomit on your shoes.
3) Lose

Friday, March 18, 2011

GAME PREVIEW - WEEK 2 - Power vs Barnstormers



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Saturday, March 19, 2011

7:30 PM
TV: Pittsburgh's CW Channel 19
Radio: 93.7 The Fan
Consol Energy Center - Pittsburgh, PA

After the gut-wrenching loss to hated Philadelphia in week one, the Bolts return to the CEC for a matchup with one of the most storied franchises in the history of Arena football. The Iowa Barnstormers bring some familiar faces, and have several other ones laced throughout their rich history.

History, that's an interesting concept. Here in Pittsburgh, a town whose football tradition dates back only one week and ends in a bitter overtime loss, we don't care. It's a case of "What have you done for me lately?" -- The past isn't pretext, because it doesn't exist. No amount of legendary players, coaches, or history matches the passion and will to establish ourselves as the ones who will dwarf all others in AFL history. The time is now.

The Barnstormers, coached by John Gregory, are one of the longest-tenured (sort-of) franchises in Arena League history. In fact, Gregory is the Barnstormers first head coach. He stuck with the team from their formation in the mid 90's until their move to New York early on in the millenium, and is now back to lead an Iowa franchise that was resurrected in May of 2007. During his tenure, Gregory has amassed 5 division titles.

You may remember Coach Gregory as the man who signed grocery store shelf stocking journeyman no-name Kurt Warner to his first Arena League contract with the Barnstormers in 1995. Warner would lead his team to two ArenaBowl losses (ArenaBowl X and XI) and never be heard from again.

The "new" Barnstormers started out their existence in AF2, the minor leagues of Arena ball, during the NBC/TNN era, a time in which the league was shooting for the stars with larger market teams (hence the relocation to become the NY Dragons) - relegating many of the league's famous micromarket teams to this league to serve as a feeder organization not unlike the NBA D-League.

However, after the cancelled season, the league knew it had to reach back into it's deep history to help it get back on their feet, and the Barnstormers were moved back to the AFL proper in 2010.

In their first season back in the big leagues, Iowa went 7-9. Coach Gregory was left to deal with what was basically a minor league squad in a major league sport, and wound up doing a pretty admirable job, given that.

This year, however, it's a totally different story. History doesn't matter anymore, either. This is a new era. This is the POWER era. Oh, and the Barnstormers have goggles on their helmets.

I'm pretty sure this officially makes them bojos.

Anyways, nobody knows what to expect from the goggles.

Ugh.

Sorry, I'm distracted. Maybe I'm just nervous because of the illustrious history of the Iowa franchise, I mean, Kurt Goggles.

Goggles.

Ugh!

Why do they have goggles on their fucking helmets?



*Shakes head*

OK. I think I've got the cobwebs out now. Back to the preview.

Goggles. Oh my God. Are you bojos serious? Goggles? On your helmet? Fuck.

The Goggles, in an attempt to upgrade from last year's undersized AF2 roster, have added 16 new arrivals to their 24 roster players. The only returning players are stud DL and Iowa State grad Brent Curvey, DL Charles Johnson, and WR's Jesse Schmidt, Toddy Blythe (of ISU fame as well), Tommy Ellington, and Errick McCown, who is out with a hip pointer.

Up until today, we didn't know if the starting QB was going to be former Heisman Trophy runner-up Brad Banks (Iowa) or the venerable Bryan Lee-Lauduski. As was the rumor (he tore up in their scrimmage) - Banks will get the start, per the Des Moines Register. It will, like Bernie Morris for the Power last week, be Banks' first significant AFL experience.

Other than that, we don't know a whole bunch about the Barnstormers. They haven't played a game yet this year, and, as I said, they have had more than half of their roster turn over, including the entire offensive line and the quarterback. We do know that losing to a team with goggles on their helmet will not sit well with this Pittsburgh fan base.

For the Power, we'll need Bernard Morris to step up his game. Although he threw for 264 yds and 5 TD vs the Soul last week, his three interceptions, including an overtime game winner, were killer. If he picks up where he left off, we could see Kevin McCabe get some action.

It's going to be up to Mike "Joystick" Washington (111 Rec Yds, 1 TD), Lonnell Dewalt (2 TD), and Jason Willis (2 TD) to get open and give their QB support and get his confidence up early. Josh Rue has proven he is clutch in short yardage situations, and the city has absolutely fallen in love with "The Golden Boot" Paul Edinger.

PREDICTIONS:
For every Power game we cover here on the BOLTSBURGH POWER BLOG, our three contributing editors will pass along their expert picks for the game, along with the key to victory. We call these our BOLTSBURGH POWER BLOG KEYS TO VICTORY! There are three of them. One each.

- Perry -
Bernard Morris needs to get his head together and not throw picks in the goggles.

Er..

The clutch.

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt this week, because I think Coach Sieg will have him focused. Brad Banks will struggle in his first goggles experience.

Shit.

Arena Football experience.

Power 60
Barnstormers 49

- Pro -
The only time you need goggles is if you're Michael fuckin' Phelps. Bojos. 67-52 Bolts.

Power 67
Barnstormers 52

- Schwartz -
Seems like a good week to win 74-51.

Power 74
Barnstormers 51

KEYS TO VICTORY:

1)
2) Michael Phelps
3) Win