DCFL Media Thread

[KCJ58]

Jim Rome: Hello welcome back. I'm here with Omaha Quarterback Crail Johnson welcome to the show Crail.



Crail Johnson: Thanks Jim for having me, big fan of the show glad to be here.

Jim Rome: First off congratulations you were selected 23rd overall to the Omaha Kangaroos do you feel like you were drafted where you should have been?

Crail Johnson: I was just honored to be drafted in the first place, I was happy to be drafted to a West Coast offense team, and a team that seemed very interested in me from the start.

Jim Rome: Do you now have something to prove to the teams who passed on you twice and took other QB’s ahead of you?

Crail Johnson: Sure. I guess, it’s kind of the same in college teams that didn’t offer me full ride scholarships I wanted to show them that I can play and have them say, “Who is that guy and how come we didn’t offer him a scholarship?” They passed on my that's thier problem.

Jim Rome: Ha, your teammate Adolf Klux lost his fight against Jabroni James what is your reaction to the whole thing?

Crail Johnson: I have a lot of respect for what Adolf did, he wasn’t the favorite in the fight but he held his own and I wouldn’t want to fight that guy, they both play different positions so it was not a fair fight from the start, In all it was good publicity for both our teams and just adds more to a rivalry between the Kangaroos & Nightmare. We play them week 8 so I bet a lot of people will tune to see these guys on the field again.

Jim Rome: Your teammate Julio Stone was unhappy with being selected #3 overall and complained that he wanted to be “in a big city” and also it was reported that he was also having problems with the Head Coach & GM, he also said that some of his teammates were with him in supporting a move to a big city, what your reaction to all of that?

Crail Johnson: Juilo is my teammate so I have his back, the issues between him & coach TJ they have to work on between them, but I think they will get together and we will be fine to start the season, there was talk about maybe moving to Los Angeles and I said to a couple of my friends that it would be cool because I’m from LA and I always wanted a football team in my home town, it would be a dream come true, but I don’t mind at all playing in Omaha I like the city and I just bought a nice house out here and moved all my stuff.


Jim Rome: Los Angeles? Wow that would be amazing? You’re an Los Angeles kid, you won High School Championships at Peninsula High, you’re a Dodger, Laker, & King fan why wouldn’t you support the notion to come to LA?


Crail Johnson: Like I said it’s all rumors and if we did move their I wouldn’t really complain but Omaha is not a bad place either, I don’t mind either way


Jim Rome: Lastly. Dodgers will they win the World Series?

Crail Johnson: Do you even have to ask that? I Bleed Dodger Blue!

Jim Rome: Good man, Crail best of luck to you during the season, you are welcomed back here anytime.

Crail Johnson: Alright thanks Jim for having me.

Jim Rome: Alright take care, when we come back you will get my final burn on, Mark Buerhle perfect game, don’t go anywhere.

[ATLDirtyBirds]

Julio Stone Post Game


Reporter: Julio, how do you feel about this first game?

Julio: Obviously, I'm not happy. We just lost to a team that I personally think we are better than.

Reporter #2: What did you think of the gameplan?

JS: Now, don't make a big deal about this, but I do think some of the blame goes out to the coaching for the loss tonight. There was way too much West Coast Offense stuff. Our personnel clearly dictates more of a spread passing attack, and I don't believe there was enough of that.

Reporter #3: What are some of the reasons you thought the team lost?

JS: Once again, I'm not about causing controversy here as I want to get to winning, but my man Crail. That was just ugly. He needs to step his game up and he knows it. Almost everyone is going to have a bad day, but the offensive talent around him should really mitigate that. Our defense played well, but the O is what is going to win games. And it didn't happen.

Reporter #4: Where you happy with your own performance?

JS: Yeah, I did my thing out there. Omaha knew what they were getting. They knew I was going to rack up catches, yards, and get atleast my 1 TD a game. I wish there was more of my quarterbacking ability for ya'll to judge, but we didn't put much of that in even with a struggling Crail. Talk to coach about that.

Reporter #5: Overall, what are some things you look to improve on with the team this week in practice?

JS: Come out firing more. We got shut out for a quarter. With our talent, that should absolutely not happen. Not ever. Hopefully there is some changes this week and we come out better and stay strong throughout.

Reporter #6: 2 questions Julio. One, how much double and triple coverage were you seeing? And secondly, did it mean anything extra to score against the Attack who allegedly passed on you for character concerns?

JS: Pretty much the whole game my man. They were throwing out a lot of double and triple coverage. As the only WR who commands that kind of coverage, I take it as a personal challenge every week. I've been seeing it my whole career, so I was beating it quite a bit, but Crail couldn't always find me. That's something else that needs to be improved. And it doesn't mean anything extra. I love all my touchdowns. But Sacramento knew how good I am. They didn't pick me. I think their reasoning was silly, but whatever. You move on. I'm just upset I couldn't have walked off the field knowing they lost to my team. That's all I got fellas.

[YAYareaRB]

Pre-Game Interview


Tyson Owens shown arriving at the Field

What are your thoughts about this game?

"We just gotta go out there and play our game. The moment when we start worrying about what they're doing and who they got on the field, we lose."

How well do you match up against them?

"They're a tough team and I think our offense matches up with their D very well. I think our tough defensive play will put us over the top in this one."

What are your predicted stats for the game?

"I know I'm known to put up big stats, but it's all of our first games so we'll see. I don't anticipate a big game but if it happens, hopefully it was expected of me."

What your predicted outcome of the Game?

"We need to set the tone now for the rest of the season. This game is so crucial. With a big win, we could gain momentum going into the next game and the next and so on."

You gonna take any heads of tonight?

"For the fans' sake, I might take off one or two. I need to worry about minimizing yardage per touch and as a defensive unit we should worry about giving opportunities to our O to score"

What is their biggest threat?

"It's gotta be the running game. All Pittsburgh teams are known for the power running. We need to minimize the run game and get them into a uncomfortable spot. The run is their comfort zone and you gotta get them passing. We also gotta respect the passing game as well."

Who is their biggest threat?

"It's gotta be Seth Harris. We are all well aware of Al Woods' arm but Seth Harris is well respected around the league as one of the best. I'm confident though that we can minimize his yards."

What type of defensive packages will you be running? zones?

"Uhhh.. you'll have to wait for the game on that question. We'll be mixing it up. Just look for some hits."

[Forenci]

A chat about the approaching season, with quarterback Devin Saint.
written by Indianapolis Star reporter Brent Davis

Brent Davis: With the season already underway for some teams, do you think you're prepared for the upcoming trials and tribulations of this year?

Devin Saint: I think I'm ready, yes. More importantly I think the entire team is ready. One thing that's really dawned on me is how different it is being a pro compared to be a college quarterback. Everyone comes prepared and puts a superb amount of effort into preparation for upcoming games. It's really been fun getting ready though.

Brent: Do you think you've had a chance to improve any of your on the field abilities since having gotten a chance to work with the Raptors coaching staff?

Devin: Absolutely. I think I've really improved mentally more than anything else. I'd like to hope I've become more comfortable making some of the quick reads needed for the west coast offense. We ran more of a spread offense which focused on longer developing routes in college but this offense is focused more so on quick precise routes and fortunately I think I've been able to adjust for the most part.

Brent: What do you think about your upcoming opponent, Wyoming?

Devin: Well they're a pretty well rounded team and I know for me personally it'll be a challenge as they have one of the best secondaries in the league. Hopefully I can limit my turnovers and just stay with in the offense.

Brent: Now that you've had a chance to get to know your teammates and practice with them whats the outlook for this team?

Devin: I think we've got great potential going forward. We've got a great mix of young players like myself and veterans who have been successful everywhere they've been. I think if we just take things one game at a time we should end up in a good place.

Brent: So what's it like going up against the Raptors defense every day in practice?

Devin: Hah, well I can truly say I'm happy they don't let the defense hit the quarterback in practice or I'd be in a lot of trouble. Our defensive line is excellent, certainly the best I've ever seen, and Ben Grant is just plain scary. He really anchors not only the defensive line but the whole defense in general. It will be fun watching him play from the sidelines and I can honestly say I would hate to be the opposing teams quarterback with Ben breathing down my neck on every play.

Brent: Thanks for the time, Devin.

Devin: Absolutely. Anytime Brent.

[CJSchneider]

Johnathan Bossier
24 July, 2009

Coach has mixed feelings about first win


Even when he is upset, it is hard to tell by his demeanor, but Sacramento Attack Coach Chuck Sampson has no problem telling you how he feels. "Of course I'm happy we won, but at the same time you could see we have a few things to work on." In the league's opener, The Attack edged out the Omaha Kangaroos 16-14. "The strategy, the defensive scheme, the play selection on the offense was there; Special teams really hurt us and there was a certain intensity that wasn't there."

After a rather slow first quarter for both teams, Sacramento went into the second quarter leading 3-0 on William Beckum's 22 yard field goal. Strong saftety Kyle Carpenter took advantage of a interception thrown by Crail Johnson to move the score to 10-0. "The defense did very well. I have all the confidence in Coach Morrison and the defense he's put together." Omaha receiver Julio Stone answered with a 40 yard TD pass to Julio Stone.

Many have been critical on the Attack's choice not to draft Stone in the 1st round of this year's draft. "Julio's athletic talent was never in question. Julio is a great receiver; we just felt that his character didn't fit with the program we were putting together and that's that." The Kangaroos then took control of the scoreboard with a 50 yard punt return by Leopold Carmichael. Just prior to halftime, Beckum added his second FG of the night and sent the teams into the locker room at halftime with the score 14-13.

Beckum added a 3rd FG late in the 3rd that would end up being the last score either team would make; Beckum missed a 4th FG in the 4th. Among the notable statistics, RB Robert Crucial led the team with 84 yards rushing, TJ Sunstein added 93 yards on 7 catches. QB Scott Wright led passed for 210 yards while LB Darius Bane led the defensive unit with 9 tackles while hauling in one of Johnson's three interceptions.

"The fumble in the second, the punt return, I guess it may have been nerves. It was the season opener, but there was a spark that had been there all week in practice that wasn't there during the game. We're going to have to get that back before we head to Honolulu."

[Nalej]

Post Game with Roman David Sanchez


I'm Chris Berman and I'm here live with Roman David Sanchez of the New Orleans Nightmare. How's it feel to play in your first game in the DCFL? What are some things you think you and your team need to improve on after that loss?

It felt good to finally be out there again playing ball and I'm greatful to be in this league. With that said- my performance out there was unacceptable. We allowed 27 points. We can't put that type of pressure on our offense to win games. If the O puts up 10 points then its our job to allow only 9 and we didn't do that today.

I wouldn't call your game unacceptable. You consistantly put pressure in the backfield and even caused that fumble deep in their own territory. You were making plays out there- Chicago did make some plays when it mattered though. What do you think needs to be addressed, as far as from the defensive side of the ball?

Well, first off is consistancy. We were playing good D for 75% of the snaps. We got beat on the other 25. That's not how you play football. We need to keep our heads in the game every snap until the whistle. We can't continue to take plays off. That starts with me and you already know its something I'll bring up in practice.

Good luck, Roman and thank you for taking time off to speak with us.

Not a problem, Chris. Thanks for having me.

[UKfan]

Bunj Torres apologises despite season opening win

In a brief statement to reporters at his locker after the game, Bunj Torres had the following to say.

"I'm delighted with the fact that we won today, TJ, Scott, Leonard, all you guys were awesome, sorry I just didn't bring my A-game to the show. I shouldn't have let Carmichael get away from me despite his moves and I should have had more pressure. My motor will not stop running from here on out, and I know it's not the done thing to do, but coach, I wanna play Special Teams as well as defense, put me out there as a gunner or something!"

[broth223]

Adolf Klux Post Game Presser

Reporter: You lost your first game how do you feel?

Adolf Klux: Well how do you think I feel? I havn't won a damn thing since I started in the league!

Reporter 2: Adolf do you blame your offense for this loss?

Adolf Klux: Of course not everyone had a hand in this loss. We on defense did some good things like that goal line stand and I personally did some bad things like hitting the precious little QB too hard and getting penalties. Without that TD getting called back or without those 15 yards which gave them the field goal they don't win. I take responsibility for that.

Reporter 3: Adolf come on we all know that Crail Johnson's 3 picks are what coasted you the game.

Adolf Klux: Hey bub we either win as a team or we lose as a team we all did our share in the loss. We could have all done something better. You people are just here to stir up drama. Jackals every last one of you interview over.

[CJSchneider]

Johnathan Bossier
25 July, 2009

Coach takes team back to basics to prepare for next match-up

Offensive and defensive lineman were led to sets of blocking sleds and tackling machines that had been set up next to the practice facility. They went through repetitions of 3 minutes of blocking/tackling; 3 minutes of "jump and lunges" , an exercise Coach Sampson had learned in his days in the military - a 4 count event where one kicks out into the front-leaning rest then recovers and jumps as high as they can; 30 seconds of rest. Defensive backs ran constant "backpedal weave" drills. Receivers and running backs were running stadium stairs and QB Scott Wright worked with Coach Sampson with short timing passes. 5 and in, 5 and out, 10 and curl, 10 and hitch - so on and so on.

After an hour, the entire team came together and went through fumble drills. Linebackers might be matched up with a punter or a receiver may go up against a guard. "The goal is simple men - get the ball", Sampson's stated calmly. His soft spoken words have a way of penetrating you. They seek out and speak to your soul. With no more then a whisper Sampson let every member of the Attack know how serious he was about "getting that spark back." Everyone went through the drill with a renewed sense of urgency.

Later that evening in film session and "chalk-talk" they went over every play. The watched it in normal speed, then backed it up and looked at it in half-speed, they backed it up again and talked about what went well or what didn't go well. Guards were reminded to study the play-book and know when the FB was in as protection or running a pass route to the flats. Receivers had flaws in their routes pointed out. No one was chastised or harassed, that's not Sampson's way. He is a careful teacher, purposely selecting each word and illustration to convey a message that will make an impact in the next game. They were informed that the next film session would be of Honolulu's game film. They would be ready.

Coach Morrison ended the evening meeting with a few announcements. There would be a few new bodies on the Special Teams, Bunj Torres, Darrius Bane would be added to the Punt and kick-off unit. Both men had requested to be added to the team after the previous game. Sampson obliged but will expect results. Tomorrow they have one more practice at their Sacramento facility before leaving for Hawaii in order to acclimate and prepare for their next game - their next victory.

[Gay Ork Wang]

An interview with Chicago Pandas Head Coach Brian Wang


Brian Wang, the Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the Chicago Pandas, just took over the new franchise in the newly opened DCFL. After the first win, Brian Wang sits down with us and talks about the game and the first win.

Jeff Joniak: Hi Brian, nice to meet you. How are you doing?
Brian Wang: I am good, I am good.

JJ: So what do you think about the game?
BW: I think we played good. It was a hard game. In my eyes, New Orleans has the best rushing attack in the league. No disrespect to Las Vegas, but if you have that kind of a left side with Murray and James and then a big big FB like Killerstone blocking for Tank, this team is tough to stop. I mean you saw it in the game, we brought everyone to stop the run and Tank still got 150 yards.

JJ: So were you satisfied with your team?
BW: Yes and No. I think we did good things, in the end we won and the game wasn't as close as you might think it was. But we gave up 10 points. The ultimate goal is allowing 0 points. If that can't be done, we want to at least to keep them to only field goals. Obviously this team didn't have a chance to show its true potential on defense, but that is never an excuse. The other team kept on running and we couldn't stop it. That is what we are going to work on.

JJ: What's with the offense?
BW: I think they did very well. I'm trying to talk to the OC to give more carrys to Henderson, but ultimately they did well. We were able to establish the run early and James Speed did exactly what we want him to do. He had a great game. Kenny Writt is improving but we got to keep an eye on the situation.

JJ: How did your gameplan look like?
BW: Defensively? Stop the run. You could see that. We brought our OLBs almost every other play to clog up the running lanes. I was sure that they couldn't hurt us a lot through the air. Offensively, it was just a normal gameplan. We tried to run a little bit away from Sanchez and Coleman, both are dangerous playmakers, and eventually it payed off.

JJ: What do you think about the upcoming team?
BW: The Omaha Kangaroos are really dangerous, but I have faith in this team. The offense of Omaha is stacked with playmakers, but I think our guys on defense will be able to handle it. I think I already have a good idea on how to stop the guys. Defensively, I think the Omahan Kangaroos are rather weak and we should be able to score some points.

JJ: So you think you can win?
BW: Well isn't it obvious? I think we can win every game. If you head into a game thinking you will lose, you have already lost.

JJ: Anything else you want to say?
BW: Not really, I got to go home and watch some tape on Omaha and make a gameplan

JJ: Well thank you very much for this interview then.
BW: It was a pleasure

[badgerbacker]

Omaha's Carmichael answers questions about Week 1 loss



Q: What are your thoughts about starting the season 0-1?
A: Obviously it is a disappointment. You go out there every week with the intention of winning and you leave everything on the field in the attempt to do so. With that being said, there is still a lot of season left. I know we can turn it around, become a playoff team and establish ourselves as one of the league's best.

Q: How much blame do you put on QB Crail Johnson for the loss considering he threw 3 INTs?
A: I'm sorry, but that is a ridiculous question. We played as a team and we lost as one. Crail is a great QB and a great guy. None of us are putting the blame on him. It is completely ignorant to just look at the stat line and see those 3 INTs. You have to watch the game and see the constant pressure he faced and the great plays he did make despite that pressure. I am completely confident that our Offense will get rolling soon and Crail will be one of the big reasons for that.

Q: What does your team need to do to put one in the winning column next week?
A: I think we, as an offense, need to step it up, big time. A lot of expectations were put on us before the season started because of the big time talent that we have and I think those expectations are valid. With the players we have, we have the potential to be one of the best offenses the game has ever seen once we start clicking together. I seriously don't think 40 points a game is unreasonable, but we've got to pick it up. Defensively, I think our guys played great and hopefully they can keep that intensity up. Heck, the only touchdown we allowed was scored on our offense. I think when people see the offensive players we were able to add in the draft, they just assume that we must be weak defensively, but if you actually look down our roster you will find that we've got one of the better units in the league.

[DLionALL]

Drake McDonald makes bold statement after first win.



This report is breaking news, word is that a interview was conducted with Drake McDonald, DE of the Honolulu Wave of the DCFL. We're currently trying to get our hands on the transcript but for now we have a few excerpts that Mr. McDonald was quoted saying. On his performance in his first DCFL game he said "I knew we were going to walk away winners. It didn't look good at times but winning in the end is all that counts. We did that. One sack was enough for my first dose to the fans. Didn't want to show them too much right off the bat."

When asked about the opposing team he stated "They are a good team but the better team won in the end. A few of their players had a good game and they can brag all they want but we got the W." McDonald also went on to state that he predicts the Wave will have the best record in the DCFL and that he will finish first in the sack total. He also boasted about his forced fumble saying "Big time players make big time plays" It seems Drake is still as argumentative as ever, being quoted as saying "Barrington couldn't stop me. He got lucky for a drive or two that's it. He's got talent but he's not on my level at all."

[senormysterioso]

Killstone Seen Berating Colelman in Locker Room
Posted by Mike Florio July 24, 2009 6:56 PM ET

Dominik "Donkey Kong" Coleman and Anger "Take No **** From Anyone" Killstone ironically became team-mates after the highly publicized pre-draft feud and it has seemed to reignite or perhaps escalate after a Nightmare practice this afternoon. Killstone caught wind of a twitter in which Coleman blamed the Nightmare's week one loss on his teammates and Killstone took exception. Killstone verbally barated Coleman for several minutes getting in Coleman's face and reportedly had to be restrained at one point. Coleman was seen leaving the facility afterwords with tears in his eyes and responded with "no comment" when asked by reporters to comment on the encounter with Killstone.

Time will tell whether this feud will escalate or motivate Coleman to be a team player. The Nightmare, already reeling after a being handily defeated by the Chicago Pandas yesterday cannot stand having a divided locker room already.

Permalink|Comment|Latest stories in: DCFL, DCFL Rumors, New Orleans Nightmare, Anger Killstone, Dominik Coleman

[OSUGiants17]

Outlaw Running Back, Dwayne Wright Speaks Out About the Loss

Mr. Wright... Mr. Wright, how do you feel about tonights loss?

"How the **** you think I feel? We lost, ain't no ther way to say it."

Well do you take responsibility for this loss?

"Of course I do, I fumbled at a crucial moment and lost the game for us."

But Mr. Wright, you scored a touchdown and you ran for close
to 200 yards, you can't be that angry.

"Of course I can be angry. I don't give a **** about the personal stats, the only stat I care about is the wins, if we don't win, then I don't care what record I broke, what stats I had or how many touchdowns I scored, it's Win or go home, nothing else matters. That's all I gots to say."

[broth223]

John Balbasaro's Draft Grades

Today's review will be ...



The Omaha Kangaroos

3. Omaha: Julio Stone, WR FSU (99)
18. Omaha: Troy Ryder DB, UNC (95)
23. Omaha: Crail Johnson, QB, ASU (91)
38. Omaha: Leopld Carmichael, ATH, Colorado (91)
43. Omaha: Adolf Klux, LB, Arkansas (94)
58. Omaha: Kendrick "Bolt" Williams, WR, LSU (91)
63. Omaha: Ted Neal, DE, FSU (87)
78. Omaha: Xavier Thames, MLB, Maryland (88)
83. Omaha: Tim James, OT, Colorado
98. Omaha - Jaleel Starks, TE, Tennessee
103. Omaha - Garth Stokes, OLB, Kentucky
118. Omaha - Kendrick Odom, DE, UNLV

Lets take a look at Omaha's offensive picks
3. Omaha: Julio Stone, WR FSU (99)
23. Omaha: Crail Johnson, QB, ASU (91)
38. Omaha: Leopld Carmichael, ATH, Colorado (91)
58. Omaha: Kendrick "Bolt" Williams, WR, LSU (91)
83. Omaha: Tim James, OT, Colorado
98. Omaha - Jaleel Starks, TE, Tennessee

Omaha HC T.J. Kenny-Dowall runs a west coast style offense. This offense uses outside passes to open up the run game and the vertical passing lanes up the middle. With the third overall pick the Roos selected the best skill position player in the league hell the best offensive player in the league I'll go one further and say the best non kicker in the league at his position Julio Stone who can play in any system a great pick that's of course you can stroke and control his ego I knew him back in the NAFFL we wouldn't mesh well. In the third round they picked a player to throw to Stone in Crail Johnson out of ASU Johnson is a young player who will have to adjust to the talent difference between the big leagues and college but boy what an ARM he can hit absolutely any spot on the field. In the next round they select Leopold Carmichael A WR/RB tweener out of Colorado. A home run hitter who if used properly can take it to the house anytime and a dynamic threat in the return game. In the sixth round the the Roos pick another WR in Kendrick Bolt Williams who should end up being the luckiest WR in the draft. Williams should be able to excel across from Stone while he draws the double and triple teams from the secondary. Williams could be the fastest player in the league but he is going to need help running routs and catching the ball. In round 9 the Roos selected RT Tim James, James is the type of tackle who does everything good but nothing great but won't likely be moved to the left side. Finally in the 9th round the Roos pick up pass catching TE Jameel Starks. Jameel is the pass catching vertical threat. The Kangaroos are stacked with offensive talent and Coach Kenny-Dowell is one of the best coaches in the league when it comes to QB's we should see Crail Johnson develope quickly. If I was coach Kenny Dowell I would adopt the NO Saints style of offense this offense basically a carbon copy of that squad.

Now lest look at the defensive picks.

18. Omaha: Troy Ryder DB, UNC (95)
43. Omaha: Adolf Klux, LB, Arkansas (95)
63. Omaha: Ted Neal, DE, FSU (87)
78. Omaha: Xavier Thames, MLB, Maryland (88)
103. Omaha - Garth Stokes, OLB, Kentucky
118. Omaha - Kendrick Odom, DE, UNLV

Defensive Coordinator LaMichael Smith runs the base 4-3 scheme complete with the occasional blitzing linebacker. In the second round Omaha selects DB Tory Ryder. Ryder is one of those CBs who will stick to his man but he will have problems covering the taller WRs because even with great hops the 5'9 Ryder isn't going to do all that well against the 6'3 WRs. In the 5th round the Kangaroos got one of the steals of the draft in OLB Adolf Klux recently named the team captain teams were taking linebackers of his caliber in the second round. To get a player of his caliber in the fifth is pure theft, He is going to need good discipline else wise he is a penalty magnet.


TO BE CONTINUED!!!

[tjsunstein]

Post Game Interview with TJ Sunstein



Hey TJ, how do you feel about last night's game?

Oh man, you know it's great to be able to go out there and get a win under your belt. I'm glad that everything had worked out for us.

You say everything worked out for you guys but there were two seperate occasions where you were literally inches away from a touchdown and couldn't pull through. Explain what was going through your head and how you feel about it now.

I worked hard for the yards I compiled last night so I don't have any regrets in regard to my "stats" because they have no real meaning to me. We got the win. Could've been by a bigger margin but what does it really matter in the end? You know?

Do you feel you could have caught that pass that was too high in the corner of the endzone earlier in the game?

There's no way to tell. *laughs* But, I mean I like to think I could have. Scott put it in the spot we've been working on all week but unfortunately I wasn't in position to bring it down. It's my fault and I'm going to work on that as the week goes on.

Do you think that your offseason program with Antonio Gates helped?

I felt like a more complete reciever out there. I was able to utilize my size. I bet (Troy) Ryder was the first in the ice tube after the game. *laughs* I'm just kidding. He played a good game out there. I was able to go up and get some balls and then there were some balls he was able to tip away. It was a back and forth battle all night. He was able to tug on me enough to keep me from scoring inside the 1. That was huge, we only got a field goal out of that.

What are your expectations for next week?

Another hard fought battle. We have to continue to work hard this week and come out with more energy if we want to have repeat success. Teams only get better as the season moves along.

No more questions, please. Thanks a lot guys.

[UKfan]

Recently, Bunj Torres took time out to talk to Skysports' Nick Halling about the buzz around Sacramentio:



Q: What's the feeling around the team with Scott Wright taking over at quarterback?
A: It's exciting. It's almost fun to go to work every day, knowing you're going to be better. We're sure we'll be there in the end now. Wrihgt is a great quarterback. He gives us status and stature at the position. Some of his throws, it's like, "you've got to be kidding me." It feels good that we will score more points and takes pressure off the defense. Wright will make everyone better, from Crucial and Webster, to our receivers like TJ, to our offensive line.

Q: What have you learned so far from practicing against such an accomplished pass blocker as Jamwel Rooney?
A: His strength will play a big part in our offense. He always play hard, and he gives us a reason to play harder. He makes us work and brings a sense of toughness. He knows a lot about defensive line play. I'm glad he's here. He's teaching me stuff I never knew, maybe things that I should have known.

Q: What impact does having defensive tackle Leonard Spocklestein healthy have on the defense?
A: He's a special athlete. He's on par with Scott with talent. He does so much for us in the middle. With him in there, it's like the defense is running on a brand new motor. We're good without him, but if he's healthy we're awesome. For a long time (Warren) Sapp was the man (at defensive tackle). Leonard is that kind of player.

Q: What is it like playing for coach Chuck Sampson?
A: He's a great father-like figure. If he's saying something very subtle, he knows he can still be heard, even if he's not talking to you directly. You don't want to let him down, because it will hurt a little more. He seems to put everyone in their place. So far, you can't argue with (Sampson's) results. I'd also like to give a shout out to our D-coach Raheem Morrison, he is from the same school as Coach, great Defensive mind.

Q: That's all the time we have, thanks for the fascinating insight into life at Sacramento

[eaglesalltheway]

Michael Andrews met up with Wave coach Andy Johnson after their nail-biting victory over Las Vegas..

MA: Coach, is there anything you would like to say about the Las Vegas team?

AJ: Yes, actually. They have a very talented team that is built right. Coach Meadows and his staff have done a good job building a great team with a good foundation. They have a plethora of offensive weapons and have a scheme that fully takes effect of that. They have a solid defense who obvioulsy did a great job of stopping our running attack today. That is something I will need to work with the unit as the season goes on.

MA: Do you feel the Wave got lucky today?

AJ: In a way yes, but you know the saying "champions make their own luck"... If we want to be champions, we not only need the talent we have, but the proper execution, and to an extent, luck. Drake did a great job on that play, and that fumble was due more to his incredible gifts as a football player, and Elgin (Whittaker) dialing up the right play to get him in position for the fumble.

MA: Where do you see the Wave need to improve?

AJ: Based off of this game, we need to improve our running game on offense and stop the run better on defense. I will be lighting a fire under some of our O-linemen's ass this week, as well as Ray. Elgin will take care of his unit, and he will find a way to get the best out of every memeber of that unit.

MA: Returner Carl Steptoe was injured today, what is his status for next week?

AJ: I haven't personally seen him yet, but word is that it isn't serious. It will be a game time decision, but right now I don't want to risk further injury to him due to him protecting it, so I think we may stick with Nate Swift as the returner for next week, as he is certainly a capable returner.

MA: Sacramento comes in next week. What are your plans for the Attack?

AJ: Well we haven't focused much on this weeks game yet, as we were focused on our last game, and I'm not just going to give the gameplan away (laughs). That is a talented team that is well coached. They have weapons and have a high quality defense that present challenges that we will have to work on. This should be a good divisional game.

MA: Thanks for your time Andy, and good luck.

AJ: Thank you, have a great day.

[Dam8610]

Head Coach Gary Foster on Raptors 22-21 Win

How do you feel about the win today, coach?
Well, any time you can go on the road and beat a tough opponent like Wyoming, you have to be happy. Our defense was put to the test against one of the best offenses in the league tonight, and to only allow 14 points and get as much pressure as they did on Plainview, for the most part they did a spectacular job. Our offense ground down the clock all game with our three headed rushing attack, just as planned, and came up big when we needed them as well, that throw by Saint at the end to win us the game, quite a throw, I believe that's what you guys call "clutch". That said, coming away from this with a win, we still have a lot to work on. Offensively, we got to the redzone five times, and only came away with two touchdowns, that has to improve. Defensively, while we got pressure on Plainview for most of the game, we still allowed him to complete 65% of his passes and throw two touchdowns, and we had to get off the field on that 4th down, we may not be so lucky as to get Taunton to force a fumble next time around. We gave them 7 points on Special Teams and it almost cost us the game. So while I'm happy that we got a hard fought win on the road, I found no shortage of things for our team to work on, practice, and try to improve.

You mentioned your rushing attack, coach, which was very effective today, compiling 191 yards on 38 carries. Was that the plan coming into the game?
Absolutely. We watched a lot of film on Wyoming and we determined that with their secondary, our best plan of attack would be to run the ball all game. You really don't want to throw at playmakers like Comacho and Kwame, so we decided to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers in Reed, Cobourne, and Brinks, keep it away from those two, and attack their DL, which we viewed as a weakness.

What was the biggest play in the game for the Raptors today, coach?
Well, I can't really pinpoint one, but I'd say there were two that pretty much put the game in our favor, those being Saint's TD pass to Cobourne, which was a great throw and a perfectly timed playcall by Michael Scott, he did a great job on that play, and Taunton's hit on Bird to give us the ball back in the final seconds. Both were huge plays, and a big part of why we won.

What was the defensive gameplan today, coach, and how do you feel your defense executed it?
Our defensive gameplan was pretty simple, we wanted to attack Plainview, rattle him, and try to get him to make some mistakes. I think we did a great job of the first part of that plan, we got a handful of sacks, and got a lot of pressure on him, but to his credit, he stayed composed, found his targets, and kept his team in the ballgame. I have to tip my cap to Logan Stevens as well, he's one of those players that is going to make a few plays on you in the course of a game, and there's not much you can do about it. Still, we only allowed 14 points on defense, and came up with some huge stops, so I'd say we had a pretty good defensive performance.

After a hard fought road win, what's the plan for the upcoming week?
Well, I think we'll celebrate the win on the flight home tonight, then I'll give the players the day off tomorrow as we establish the gameplan for Memphis. Then on Wednesday we'll start instituting that and hopefully be ready to defend our home turf by next week. As for the players, you'd have to ask them, but I heard something about a group film session in the locker room, which was great to hear as I think that will help our team come together and be more than just a collection of players.

So what should we expect next week against Memphis, coach?
(Laughs) You want me to give up my gameplan? Well, we still have some tape to watch on them, and we'll probably watch their game on the flight home, but we're not really done with it yet, and I really don't want to give any unnecessary advantages to coach Bellavia, he's a great coach and it's going to be hard enough to beat his team without giving him a cheat sheet to work with. That's all for now, I'm going to go rejoin the team, I'll see you all next week, hopefully we'll have another win to talk about.

[BeerBaron]

Week 1 in Review



Hey folks, Tommy Lucky here with out first recap of the year in 10-pack fashion. I'll be here to give you some brief thoughts on each team's performance from the past week with some of what the did well, and areas that they need to improve upon.


1.) Sacramento Attack 1-0

Positives: Well, coming away with the victory was surely a positive for Coach Sampson and his team. The defense performed well, forced three Crail Johnson turnovers and generally confounded that high octane offense in Omaha all day long, holding them to just 14 points. MLB Darius Bain made a great impact in his first DCFL game making a slew of tackles in addition to a key interception. S Kyle Carpenter scored the leagues first defensive touchdown as well on a big time interception return.

Areas to Improve: Though they came away with the "W" and many will tell you that is what truly counts, they did get quite lucky in a few areas today. Their offense was fairly hum-drum with only WR TJ Sunstein making a few big plays. QB Scott Wright looked a little shaky, but some of that can be attributed to Omaha getting consistent pressure. His one interception can also be attributed to a drop by the receiver, so I don't worry about that too much. Against some of the other defenses in the league, I expect Wright to prove worthy of the #2 overall selection. Sacramento's special teams unit also had just a hell of a day. Leopold Carmichael made big plays in the return game, including one punt return he took back to the house for a score. Sacramento's own return game struggled a bit with fumbles and poor blocking. Some of this will be potentially rectified as Coach Sampson has announced that star defenders Bunj Torres and Darius Bain will see some action on special teams, I just hope they don't get hurt.


2.) Omaha Kangaroos 0-1

Positives: Omaha's defense and special teams were really their positives on this day. Considering many believed that this team had the top offense in the league going into the week, this is quite a surprising fact indeed. Omaha held Sacramento's offense entirely to field goals (Sac's only TD came on an INT return.) Omaha's special team's unit was also a major success, with Leopold Carmichael constistantly getting great returns, including one punt return for a TD.

Areas to Improve: Crail Johnson, plain and simple. Omaha has the weapons on offense to win, but he needs to be the operator of this machine and those 3 picks simply won't do. He needs to get his head into the game and work hard, or else this Omaha team is going to crash and burn, something I'd rather not see Julio Stone's reaction to.


3.) Chicago Pandas 1-0

Positives: Chicago's victory was a hard fought one against New Orleans and they have WR James Speed to thank for their success. He made two great TD catches, one on a long catch-and-run, and really looked to be their top weapon on offense. Defensively, they have themselves two studs in MLB KK Slider and CB Elvis Jackson. Slider was a tackle machine roaming from sideline to sideline while Jackson shut down NO's top receiver for much of the game and had a big INT return TD to boot.

Areas to Improve: While some of it can definitely be attributed to NO's style of offense, Chicago had a hell of a time stopping the run. Even when they pretty much sold out to stop it, sending run blitzes on virtually every play, they couldn't get enough bodies to the ball. Chicago's front 7 will need to work on shedding blocks to solve this problem I feel.


4.) New Orleans Nightmare 0-1

Positives: New Orleans' offense calls for them to establish the run, and boy did they ever. Despite the loss, the Nightmare can officially come away knowing that they can run on anybody. Getting Tank Jackson running behind Anger Killstone, Jabroni James and David McMurray is an awesome weapon that few other teams will be able to match. If only they could find some balance.....

Areas to Improve: Outside of that running game, New Orleans needs some work. QB Seneca Williams simply was not passing the ball well enough to keep the defense on it's toes. I think that New Orleans needs to institute a few more traditional offensive packages to keep defenses from simply crowding the line to stop the run. When they got behind, they just didn't have the firepower on offense to dig themselves out. Defensively, they need to get more out of Coleman and Sanchez. Both had decent games but their secondary is simply not talented enough to hold up when the pass rush isn't getting to that QB.


5.) Indianapolis Raptors 1-0

Positives: Indianapolis was perhaps the most balanced team in their victory, really performing well in all aspects of the game. QB Devin Saint had an efficient day, while their stable of backs carried the load on the ground. On defense, they got good performances from each of their stars, with Ben Grant, Caleb Westgarth, and Desmond Decker all registering a sack.

Areas to Improve: Indy let it get right down to the wire before this game was decided, though they were quite evenly matched with Wyoming. Their passing game wasn't anything spectacular, but as long as their running game gets going, it doesn't have to be.


6.) Wyoming Jackalops 0-1

Positives: It's always hard to pick out some good points in a loss, but Wyoming did everything it needed to in order to win except for close the deal. QB Herman Walter Plainview looked good today and found what should be his favorite target in TE Logan Stevens. RB Marshall Taylor also had a good day on the ground, helping this offense to look very balanced.

Areas to Improve: Closing the deal. Wyoming was arguably the better team on this day, but they allowed a few sacks and had a costly turnover at the end that gave the game to Indy. They also need to get more pressue on the QB as none of their top defenders could register a sack on Saint.


7.) Honolulu Wave 1-0

Positives: Oh Honolulu, you have to love the lucky wins. Las Vegas appeared to have this game in hand, following all of the old addages about a winning football team by running the ball and shutting down the run. Yet the Wave just refused to have it. Michael Vick lifted the team onto his shoulders and carried the offense to points while Drake McDonald came up with a very clutch play late to give Honolulu their final chance to win. But hey, sometimes it's better to be lucky then good eh?

Areas to Improve: Honolulu could neither run, nor stop the run for much of this ball game. Las Vegas was absolutely crushing them in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Ray Leonard barely averaged 3.0 ypc while Honolulu allowed Dwayne Wright to have a career day. Furthermore, Honolulu struggled to contain Vegas' exotic blitz schemes and allowed several sacks and a safety. Those things will have to change if they are to continue winning in the future.


8.) Las Vegas Outlaws 0-1

Postives: Seriously, Las Vegas, chalk this one up as a fluke and don't get discouraged. You had a championship caliber team on the field today with your ability to run and stop the run. You just got unlucky but hang in there and don't panic.

Areas to Improve: Dwayne Wright's big fumble was really the worst thing that happend today in a number of ways. Yes it cost you the game but really, it was the only huge mistake made. The only other possible mistake was the penalty that got Fenikz big kick return called back. Like I said earlier though, don't panic and stay the course. You can still be one of the best teams in this league.

To be continued in the Inquirer thread....

[DLionALL]

Post game press conference with Leon McHelbrecht.

Coach McHelbrecht: Alright, I'll now be taking questions on the game. Fire away ladies and gentleman.

Random Reporter: Coach! How do you feel about your win today?

CM: How do you think I feel? I feel great. We went out there and got a win and I'm proud of our boys. They played a heck of a game and as a coach I can't ask for more.

RR: Memphis was touted as having the best defense unit in the DCFL, how did you feel about this coming into the game and now that it's over?

CM: I felt like Memphis was a great team when I looked at who they had coaching and playing on the field. Of course I knew we were in for a tough game but I knew our guys could put some points up. I still feel Memphis is a great team. They still have one of the best units. We knew it wasn't a unbreakable wall in front of us, we just approached it like any other game and we won.

RR: How's next week lookin' Coach?

CM: Next week we play New Orleans. It's going to be another tough game, the Nightmare are going to be hungry for a win but we've got to starve them. Seth Harris Jr. should see plenty of carries and i'm counting on our defense to have another good showing.

RR: Speaking of defense, your squad held Memphis to a field goal and a lone touchdown. What do you have to say about their performance?

CM: I told ya, those guys played the best they could and it clicked. Our DLine is well anchored and we have a great secondary. Some people may have questioned our guys but I think this will cause them to look a little harder. Don't underestimate us. We're going to come into your town, run all over you and leave with a smile on our faces.

RR: Hey coach, how is the relationship between you and your players and fellow coaches?

CM: I love these kids. I ride em a lot to try and get them to shine. A few guys don't really appreciate the pushing but I gotta do it. Mostly I get along well with all of the players. I respect them greatly and know they all are talented young men who will make the right decisions on the field and off. As for fellow coaches, we get along well. Nothing is perfect so i'm not gonna lie and say all we do is smile and laugh, but we respect each other and know we all want the best for the team. We got a real solid team all around, real solid.

RR: After NO, how does the schedule look?

CM: Week Three we play The Attack, who won a big game against Omaha. We need to get pressure on Scott Wright and force him into mistakes. He's a good QB and we can't let him pick us apart. After that we got Indy, who looks to be a real good team. We need to establish the run and make sure we don't give up on it. Next we got Chicago, another good team who will pose a big challenge. Following that we've got games against Honolulu, Las Vegas, Wyoming, Omaha and then we play Memphis again, NO again, Sacramento and Chicago again too. It's a tough schedule but I know we can come out with quite a few wins and show the league that we mean business. That's all the time I got for now, thanks for the time.

[diabsoule]

Post-Game Conference with Memphis Showboats HC Dax Bellavia

"Look, I'm not going to take any questions. If I were a cartoon character I would have steam coming out of my ears. I'm furious and humiliated at our performance on the field today. Our defense played well but you can't expect to win a game if your offense can't stay on the field. Our defense can't take the blame for the loss today. They left it all on the field.

You can't give a team great field position twice on kick offs. That's completely unacceptable. We couldn't run the ball, we didn't try to consistently run the ball, we couldn't complete a pass, we couldn't do diddly-poo offensively. Offensively it was a horse **** performance. Complete horse ****. The guys in the locker room know that.

We have some things to work on before our next game against Indianapolis. I would expect a different rhythm offensively. We're going to work on a few things in practice to prepare for them. We have to, we can't go out there next Sunday and expect a different result if we play again like we played today. I'm done. I've got things to do. "

[OSUGiants17]

Attack Defensive Coordinator Speaks Out About Season's Start

Coach Morrison, How do you feel about the week one win?

"I feel good, the Deffense played very well. We did what we set out to accomplish, we got to the QB, and we shut down the so called numero uno offense. The special teams could have done better, I mean that punt return was huge, but we rebounded and played well and hopfully it won't happen again."

It has been reported that there will be some changes on special teams, is this true?

"Yes, several deffensive players asked to go out there and be gunners and they wish will be granted. Those players are Bunj Torres and Darius Baine, I feel that they both proved themselves week one and that they are quick enough to play on kick and punt returns. Next question."

What do you have planed for next weeks game against Honolulu?

"Well, we have been working on a lot of disguised blitz packages to get at Micheal Vick, we know it will be tough, but we got the speeed and tenacity to do it. Vick isn't gonna know what hit him. Well, I gotta go head out and practice with the team before the game, I will answer more questions after the game."

Bold= Reporters
Unbold= Raheem Morrison

[ironman4579]

Fulgrim Chemos Upset With First Performance

Memphis Showboats DE Fulgrim Chemos is not happy with his play after the first game of the season, a loss to Pittsburgh.

"I know coach said that the D left it all out there. And we did. But regardless, I'm not happy with the way I played. I've been working hard, trying to perfect my game, and I feel like I should have done alot more out there. You know, we have a defense that should never give up 19 points. Never. I don't care if the offense gains 1 yard. I really didn't get after the QB like I know I can, and I personally feel like I let Seth Harris run on us when he shouldn't have had anything. Yea, I was double teamed most of the game, so what? I don't care. I'm unhappy with my performance. This next game will be different. I'm ready, and I'm coming out firing."

If the look in his eye is anything to go by, Indianapolis may want to watch out.

[fenikz]

Spruce Meadows Post Game Interview


Media: How does it feel to get your 1st career win?

SM: A hell of a lot better than getting my 1st career loss, but this will be the last time we speak of either, we have a long season ahead of us

Media: At the beginning of the 4th you used some trickery had you been working on this in practice, and what else do you have up your sleeves?

SM: Yes, we ran this play until we got it perfect, I will never use a play in game unless we have every little detailed nailed, as for more gadget plays, lets just say I got long sleeves.

Media: How do you feel about your lack of any real passing game?

SM: It will eventually come along, we have one of if not the best Wide Reciver and Tightends combos in the league in JJ and Sloweski, and with our solid line play and great recievers out of the backfield it should certainly pick up in the next few weeks.

Media: Is the lack of sacks concerning for you?

SM: No, not at all, my guys are doing their jobs and while they may not be stacking up the sacks like they want too, QBs are running scared and the run game has been nearly nonexistent agianst us. Anymore question?

Media: No Mr. Meadows, thank you for your time