Quad City`s Hurley Finds Safety In Numbers
Michael Vergane
Saturday July 8, 2000
While looking at the official af2 stats Brion felt that the league statistics didn`t reflect how good each kicker was, or wasn`t. He wanted a more accurate system. So he designed one.
"I looked through the stats to see how I was doing", said Hurley. "I really couldn`t figure it out. You really had to go through each game individually and track each kick. One guy goes 0 for 4 (on field goals) but he tries three 60-yarders and a 50-yarder. Well, that is unfair to judge him as 0 for 4 when another guy misses 4 short kicks. What I did was come up with a way of ranking them based on how far their attempts were and which ones they made and missed."
Fortunately for Hurley, he already had an outlet to display his af2 kicker rankings. You see, he has operated his own website for four years. Titled "Kickers And Punters Only", Hurley`s website is sort of an all inclusive stop for anyone who is a kicker or punter. Brion explains.
"I started it up right after I finished up at (University Of) Iowa. There were a couple of websites out there, but it didn`t have the information I was looking for. I thought if I was looking for it I`m sure there are lots of others that are looking for the same thing. I try to take some time looking through the transaction lists and I try to keep an eye and ear open for tryouts."
But his website includes so much more than just that.
Brion is finding that many of his visitors are high school football players. And he has a service to help them out. "I have the high school players send in their stats and I keep a listing of everyone`s stats. Then you can go in and compare how they are doing with other guys their age, or location. Almost all 50 states are represented. It`s fun. You build up relationships with some of these people over the years."
Rather than describe all of the features of the site, you can visit it
yourself at: www.logogiant.com/kp
Hurley remembers what it was like to be a young kicker trying to find a scholarship. It wasn`t that long ago that he was in college kicking for Hayden Fry and the Iowa Hawkeyes. While there, Brion did it all. He kicked off, he punted, but his specialty was his long field goals. In their history, Iowa has had only 11 field goals of 50 yards or longer. Hurley has 6 of those.
After graduating in 1996, Hurley signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants. But after little playing time in the preseason, he was released as Brad Daluiso won out. Ironically two years later, the Giants brought him back in the pre-season. This time as a punter to go up against Brad Maynard. But Brion`s only regular season action came in Arena Football with the Iowa Barnstormers in 1998. And as it happened, it was a last minute signing.
"They called me two days before the season started. Ian Howfield had got in an accident and his back was acting up, so they signed me." Brion stayed with the Barnstormers for five games, was released, then brought back for the season finale in which he kicked the game winning field goal.
Hurley now finds himself playing Arena Football at the af2 level. Same game, but more demands are now put on him. He lives and works in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, about a 90 minute drive to the Quad Cities. He will generally practice with the team twice a week. Early in the season it was very difficult for him to get into a kicking rhythm. While The Mark (the Steamwheelers home arena) was tied up with hockey and other events in April, the Steamwheelers practiced nightly at an indoor gymnasium at Marycrest College. Although it suited the position players, it was unsuitable for kicking. He was unable to practice kickoffs or practice PAT and field goal attempts. It was even difficult to practice by himself on the side.
"I was kicking into a net. You can kind of feel the ball as it`s releasing, but you like to see where it is going - if you`re pulling or pushing the ball. It keeps you in shape, but it`s hard to judge if you are making any improvements."
Hurley has seen great improvement since he has been practicing regularly inside The Mark. He has been reaching the net consistently on kickoffs and he has been automatic on extra points.
As for Brion`s future in football, he is taking it one season at a time. "Job wise, I am very happy where I am at in Cedar Rapids. That would take priority right now because that is what I will be doing for the rest of my life. I really love the format of the af2 because that works out perfectly for someone in my situation."
Michael Vergane was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2000 to 2002.
