Side-Show Rattlers Looking for Star Status
Mary-Ann Williams
Saturday August 17, 2002
Start with the less than spacious accommodations at the Beverley Heritage seven miles away from the Compaq Center. (The Rattlers organization opted out of staying at the five-star The Fairmont San Jose in favor of less expensive rooms.) Move on to the grand night of awards at the yearly ArenaBall, where the San Jose team raked in the trophies, while Arizona sat on their hands. And now, to top it all off, Chris Horn, their number one kick returner, top offensive player, and all-around good guy, will not be playing in the championship game due to a knee injury sustained last week in the semi-final game against the Chicago Rush.
“We’re just window dressing at the ‘San Jose Show,’” joked Gene Nudo, Rattlers GM and 2002 recipient of the Founder’s Award, when asked about his team’s chances on Sunday.
It happens at ArenaBowls. The home team has the advantage of knowing the turf, having the crowds, and putting on the show. And this year in particular, San Jose comes into the championship game with a record-breaking 17-1 season. Whether they deserved to sweep the awards Friday night, I can’t say. The fact remains that they are the top team in the league, and they did win the awards.
So where does this leave Arizona? Somewhere between slightly annoyed and truly angry. They’re ready to fight for their honor, or at least for the honor of their fallen comrade, Chris Horn.
Before anyone jumps all over me on this, I’m aware that it was Chicago that knocked Horn out of play. I’m also aware that San Jose has done nothing deliberately to slight the Rattlers. But here’s the deal: Arizona feels slighted, particularly because Horn didn’t receive Offensive Player of the Year. And there’s a feeling of unfairness that’s rippled through the Arizona dynasty.
“The original Greek version of the Bible had several different words for love,” explained Rattlers’ chaplain Dave Deal. “One of those words was ‘storge,’ which is sort of like I can pick on my brother, but you better leave him alone. I think that’s what the guys are feeling right now. Somebody picked on our brother.”
And somebody will have to pay. Since San Jose happens to be the opponent on Sunday, not Chicago or whoever voted on the awards, it stands to reason that the SaberCats will feel the wrath of some very unhappy Rattlers.
All this attention to the SaberCats has an unusual side-affect for the Rattlers.
“Our team has usually been the favorites. So it’s kind of nice going into the game as an underdog,” said Arizona head coach Danny White. “There’s not as much pressure on us… not as much expected.”
Everyone expects a San Jose rout, but this is Arena Football. In no other sport can expectations go so far awry. A single slip, a single decision, and the game ends up in someone else’s lap. Besides, Arizona and San Jose are even this season, with Arizona being the one team capable of upsetting the powerful SaberCats. What’s worked once, can surely work again. Whatever happens, don’t count Arizona out of this game.
As for Horn, instead of focusing on the negative, he’s looking at the brighter side of things.
“We’re in the championship game,” said Horn. “And my teammates are going to go out there and battle. I don’t have to be on the field to be part of that. We’re all in it together.”
Mary-Ann Williams lives in Chicagoland with her four children, Carter, Jackson, Jeremy, and Riley Jade. As a freelance writer, she`s written articles for the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and the Daily Herald. She also serves as editor of the AFL-side of Arenafan Online, and covers the Chicago Rush.
