Why the Games are Played
Scott Miller
Monday March 31, 2003
Las Vegas, as a whole, also had an excellent game. Gladiator quarterback Jay McDonagh had his best game so far this season. The lead changed hands eight times. With less than a minute remaining, however, either team could have won.
Having predicted a Gladiator loss at the hands of the Force (see ”Do The Math”), I reviewed my comments.
On paper, Georgia had a great game. They led in many statistical categories:
| Georgia Force | Las Vegas Gladiators | |
| Total First Downs | 21 | 14 |
| Total Net Yards | 243 | 171 |
| Penalties Number-Yards | 11-81 | 14-131 |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 4-4-100% | 2-3-66% |
| Time of Possession | 38:28 | 21:32 |
Georgia led in every key category except the one that counts: the final score.
Penalties continue to dog the Gladiators (14 for 131 yards). The team continues to accumulate more penalty yards then their opponent each week. Coach Haege acknowledged Las Vegas had to reduce the number of mental mistakes and errors.
Two Gladiator touchdowns were called back due to penalties. Another Gladiator penalty kept a Force drive alive after an incomplete pass. The points that these penalties cost could easily have kept the Gladiators from victory. In their game against the Buffalo Destroyers, Las Vegas was far enough ahead that the penalties did not matter.
One prediction I made correctly: the teams had twenty-five penalties between them, a league record!
In this game the deciding factor was another well-known football team curse: turnovers. In the last four games, Force quarterback Donnie Davis had only one interception. In this game, he had two (an 800% increase). The last minute showed how turnovers could hurt a team even when their opponents take careless penalties and make mental mistakes.
With 1:15 remaining in the 4th quarter, the Force took a 41-40 lead.
Georgia attempted an onside kick but was penalized for an illegal touch. The Gladiators took over on the Georgia ten. Three plays later, game Ironman Sedrick Robinson rushed into the end zone from the Georgia two-yard, line giving Las Vegas the lead, 46-41. Jay McDonagh failed to connect with Mike Horacek on the conversion.
With forty-five seconds left, the Force were still threatening. Donnie Davis hit Tyronne Jones for a first down at the Las Vegas 24. Jeroid Johnson intercepted Davis’ next pass. The Gladiators held on to the ball for 19 seconds and a victory that brought their record at the Thomas & Mack to 2-2.
This victory keeps the Gladiators in first place in the Eastern Division and gives them a .500 record at home. It also provided a great example of why the games are played. Las Vegas continues their home stand April 5th against the Colorado Crush.
Scott Miller is a professional computer geek and talk show host in Las Vegas. His show is streamed live from klav120am.com on Fridays at 8PM. Archives of his show, The Usual Suspects can be found at his website.
