Orlando Semi-Final Bittersweet for Mason
Marc Viquez
Thursday August 8, 2002
Gladiators DS Damon Mason may no longer be a member of the Predators, but he likes the chances they have at winning another ArenaBowl.
“I like Orlando’s chances,” said Mason who led both team in tackles on the day. “Orlando’s D-line gives pressure and when they give pressure they win. I have a good reason to watch the playoffs because they’re playing.”
Mason spent his first four years with the Predators and signed on with the Gladiators as a free agent after last season. Mason established Arena Football League records for tackles and led the league in that department in 1999 and 2000. Mason also earned two ArenaBowl Championship rings in 1998 and 2000, making the playoff loss a little harder to handle against former teammates.
“I was talking with Kenny [McEntyre], he told me that he knew how I felt,” said Mason who had slumped to the arena floor after the game was over. “I cried and he cried, if it was the other way around I would be feeling the same about him.”
Mason and McEntyre teamed up to form the M&M Boys on the Orlando defense and helped them reached three straight title games between 1998 and 2000. Mason earned All-Arena 2nd Team in 2000 and 2001. The switch to New Jersey has not detoured Mason from losing touch with his former teammates in Florida.
“I keep in contact with them at least once a week,” said Mason who faced Orlando twice this year. “I miss them and before each play I look and laugh at them and they laugh at you. You hit them hard and they hit you hard back.”
Mason was part of the Gladiators commitment into turning around the franchise after a disastrous 2001 campaign where the team was outscored 695-543. He made an impact as a defensive specialist with 60-tackles and 4-interceptions.
“I am happy to be in New Jersey,” said Mason. “It is very gratifying to be part of an organization that turned it around like we did. Our goal was to win the championship, but you still try to get the positives and the negatives that we made the playoffs and won our division.”
The Predators will travel to San Jose with an appearance in ArenaBowl XVI on the line, while Mason and the rest of the Gladiators will prepare for 2003. This past season’s goal of achieving ArenaBowl supremacy may not have materialized, and according to Mason the teams’ improved play is nothing short of a dissapoinment.
“We won a lot of close games, had some blowouts, and didn’t get to over composed. If we just go out there and play the game that we played all year long we should have further success.”
A fan of the sport since 1990 Marc has covered both the New Jersey Gladiators and Cincinnati Swarm (Af2) for Arenafan Online. Marc now resides in Indianapolis after graduating with a Masters in Sports Management from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind. When not at a Firebirds game Marc can be found traveling the Midwest covering sports for various Internet and print publications.
