Despite Injuries, Mustangs Earn Playoff Berth
Kevin Sheller
Sunday July 16, 2000
This week’s episode includes earning a berth in the playoffs with a win over the Oklahoma Wranglers and the loss of three veteran leaders to injury – for the season.
The much-beleaguered DS Wayne Wade has had an off-again-on-again year. Wade is generally assigned to cover his opponents’ best receiver. Of course, this usually means that Mustangs’ fans watch him get beat for numerous touchdowns per contest. But little do they realize that he usually cuts his assignment’s production considerably and often puts his team in a position to win each week.
This week, on the Wranglers’ opening position, Wade was asked to cover Oklahoma’s most productive receiver, Carlos Johnson. On the opening play of that possession, Johnson
 Jeff Loots tries to sneak the ball over the goalline during the second half. It wasn`t enough for the Wranglers Image courtesy of Drew Kennedy |
However, it turned out to be a very short night. On the ensuing kickoff, OS Lamart Cooper muffed the return when the ball bounced wildly off the rebound nets, but Wade snatched it out of the air and weaved his way 49 yards for an apparent touchdown – a perfect opportunity to redeem himself for the previous play and make a statement for the rest of the evening. But instead of tucking the ball away and finishing the play, Wade started high-stepping his way toward the end zone, giving his pursuit a chance to catch up. The instant Wade was brought down from behind at the one-yard line, the players near the scene of the injury started waving frantically toward the Milwaukee bench. If you’ve watched any kind of football long enough, you know this is not a good sign.
Wade suffered one of those unusual, grotesque injuries that have made football famous. The report is a broken femur. And as you can imagine, the sounds of nausea muttered by the fans in attendance during the replay on the big-screen were almost as disgusting as the injury Wade suffered. Despite this blow to him and the team’s spirits, Wade enthusiastically waved to the fans and his teammates as he was carted off the field.
The injury-fest continued as both Wrangler and Mustang players went down during the first half. Added to the list for Milwaukee were OL/DL Terry Grooms (knee) and WR/LB Gary Compton (ankle). Both players have been instrumental in the Mustangs’ recent success, and both players are out for the season.
Both Gary Compton and Wayne Wade have been with the Mustangs since 1995. Grooms has another 2 years of Mustang and AFL experience. All three are leaders, either by example, like Compton, or vocal leaders in the locker room, like Wade and Grooms. Their combined 17-years of Arena Football experience will be difficult to absorb.
Earlier in the season, when Wayne Wade broke his hand, the Mustangs struggled. Head coach Rick Frazier lamented after the team finally earned a home win against New England, “We had to play without Wayne Wade...who I think is the best defensive back in the league.”
After this week, however, “Our guys will find a way to rise to the occasion. I won’t lie to you,” Said Frazier, “That’s a hit losing Wade, Compton, and Grooms to go along with Ashley and Ivey. We’ll find a way to get it done.”
 Sean Riley had something to celebrate as the Mustangs earned a playoff birth with their win over Oklahoma. Image courtesy of Drew Kennedy |
Yes. It was an ugly game. But for the Milwaukee Mustangs players, coaches, and fans, the final result wasn’t. They won and clinched a playoff spot. And with some crazy tie-breakers, they even have a chance to host a home playoff game. But the battle’s not over. A new crew of players must step it up and cover for the team’s veteran losses. They must find a way to keep their own mistakes down to a minimum, and they must find a way to win their first-ever playoff game. Unless they do that, all of the injuries, perseverance, and the heart this team has demonstrated all season will have been wasted.
Kevin Sheller ia founder of Arenafan Online and was the principal owner until 2004. Kevin graduated from the University of Akron with a degree in technical writing, and has been a member of the Arena Football Internet community since 1993. He has worked as a professional web programmer and is also the executive producer for a computer/video game company. The most recent Xbox title to his credit is called Hunter: The Reckoning.
