Ricks and Garner Highlight New Faces in the Desert
Patrick Daly
Monday January 27, 2003
With the added bonus of addition by subtraction, the Rattlers signed defensive specialist Mark Ricks away from the Los Angeles Avengers and he’ll step into an opportunity in Arizona’s defensive backfield where Cecil Doggette, Derek Stingley and Jerrick Bledsoe no longer roam. In Ricks, the Rattlers get a proven defender that understands the situation in Arizona.
“I respect all those guys,” Ricks said. “I think my situation is I just have to do what I know how to do. For the last seven years my phrase has been ‘lock ‘em up.’ ”
The deal to bring Ricks to Arizona fell into place rather quickly, but he saw this as a prime opportunity that was tough to turn down.
“I didn’t know I was going to leave Los Angeles until three weeks before camp started,” Ricks said. “My wife and I sat down and the best decision for me to get a ring and a championship, and get into a winning organization and compete at a level I think I should compete on, it was very easy for me to see that Arizona would be the one.”
Ricks also gets the opportunity to work under Rattlers second-year defensive coordinator Doug Plank. While he may be best known as the namesake of the Bears’ ‘46’ defense, Plank has imparted his own energy onto the Rattler defense while still giving the defense room to operate.
“I like his style because he gives the defensive backs opportunity to play,” Ricks said about Plank. “It’s not just ‘do this, do that.’ We have input. He lets you go on your field. If you see something in the game, you can change it. He’s open to decisions and he’s a man-to-man coach. I love that.”
With Los Angeles facing Arizona twice a season, Ricks has some respect for the Rattlers and has the added benefit of understanding the intense rivalry with San Jose.
“I always look forward to playing against San Jose,” Ricks said. “If you can’t get up for San Jose, and now I’m in Arizona, those are big games and you’ve got to step up.”
With Ricky Parker the only returning player with significant experience, Ricks’ experience is especially important. Kelvin Hunter also returns after seeing limited time in 2002, although he may be better known for his 45-yard touchdown against the San Jose SaberCats as a surprise insertion into the offensive lineup.
In addition to Ricks, another player to watch is defensive specialist Clarence Lawson, a new arrival from Carolina who rounds out the defensive backfield. Despite being a smaller player, Lawson plays big by laying out hits that you’d expect to see from a larger NFL safety.
After rotating Chris Sailer and Scott Cannon – Sailer started and ended the season as the Rattlers’ kicker – the Rattlers have added former Indiana Firebird Nelson Garner as the prime candidate to handle kicking duties this season. After the Firebirds grabbed former New York Dragon Clay Rush, Garner was happy to find the opportunity in Arizona.
“Basically, they didn’t resign me in Indiana and they went after Clay Rush,” Garner said. “I think he wanted to be there and they wanted to get a deal done. I was fortunate enough that Arizona – my numbers were down a little bit last year – knew enough of me in three years that they thought I was still a quality kicker.”
The Rattlers are definitely looking for the kicker that averaged a 50% success rate on field goals and hit 96% of his point after tries. Garner only managed 36% on field goals and 79% on extra points last season, a season that included a two-week stint on injured reserve.
One advantage Garner will have in Arizona is the practice facility. In Indiana, Garner did not have a practice net, making the arena his only shot at hitting a target nine feet wide. However, now that the Rattlers have moved indoors at the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, Garner has a net to use, which should benefit him. Although, while it seems to be Garner’s job to lose, he knows nothing is certain.
“Your job is never really safe as a kicker,” Garner said. “It’s definitely not my job yet for sure; nothing is guaranteed. I know I can get back to level I was at in the first couple of years. If I do that there won’t be any problems.”
While the core of players that helped the Rattlers reach the ArenaBowl still remain, it’ll also take a strong performance from the new faces in Arizona to make a return trip. After coming to the Snake Pit as the enemy, these new players should now get a warm welcome from one of the best crowds in the league.
“We’ll see how the fans take to me,” Ricks said. “I always loved coming here to play. The fans always gave me a nice little boost of energy. I think it’ll be fun.”
Patrick Daly has been an Arena Football League enthusiast since he first stumbled across the late-night ESPN broadcasts and has followed the Arizona Rattlers since their inaugural season in 1992. He graduated from Arizona State University with an engineering degree and is currently a member of a web development team for Direct Alliance in Tempe. Patrick currently resides in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Arizona with his beautiful wife, son and a very large football helmet collection.
