Dragons Struggling Despite High-Powered Offense
David Holusha
Monday February 10, 2003
However, the Dragons eventually fell to the Indiana Firebirds 65-54, for their second consecutive defeat of the season. There is clearly work to be done with this team.
“We’ve got to bear down and focus,” said Dragons Offensive/Defensive lineman Marcus Owen. “No one individual is to blame for the situation we are in. We’ve got to bear responsibility as a team and start playing for each other. We’ve got to get momentum going here”.
Clearly the huge lineman has the look of a gladiator who had left it all in the ring. But he (and his teammates) are going to have to dig a little deeper if the Dragons are going to make something of this season.
The afternoon in the Nassau Coliseum was electric during the pre-game festivities. Fans were treated to big time entertainment as 20 (count ‘em) 20 beautiful Firedancers kicked off the proceedings. In the grand tradition of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, these lovely and talented ladies provided the right “eye candy” alternative to the bone-rattling, controlled violence that immediately followed.
Unfortunately for the hometown fans, they would find their team in a 14-point hole before they managed to get their offense going. Far worse than allowing the Firebirds to march down the field and score on their opening drive was the subsequent bungling of the kickoff, allowing Indiana to recover the ball in the end zone for an immediate score.
It’s tough to get momentum going from that perspective.
There was no quit in the Dragons, though, as their highly skilled quarterback, Aaron Garcia, managed to pass for 337 yards and eight touchdowns. It simply was not enough.
That’s because Indiana`s Raymond Philyaw had an ever better performance, passing for three touchdowns and rushing for two more. His 272 total yards may have been slightly less than Garica’s, but then again, his teammates didn’t make nearly the same number of mistakes as the Dragons.
Still, the fans appeared to be enjoying themselves in this highly-charged atmosphere. An interesting sideshow at these games is a three-man team of drummers (in home team colors), providing a percussive accompaniment to the action. Sitting just behind the drummers in the first row of the stands were some diehard fans in hardhats pointed in Dragons colors, suspending a curious looking green voodoo doll. Unfortunately, this “good luck” charm could not turn the tide for the Dragons on this day.
The positives that Dragons fans can take out of this season so far is that the offense looks prepared to put up considerable points. However, the offensive line will have to provide better protection for their quarterback. Six sacks and numerous pressures against is not going to get it done. Likewise, the Defense is going to have to step it up as well.
But, it is only two weeks into a long season.
There is still hope the Dragons will eventually turn it around.
David Holusha was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2003 to 2004.
