Charleston Chatter: Speed, Foxes Discuss Season That Was
David Chappell
Sunday August 3, 2003
The Swamp Foxes pummeled the Speed 43-13 in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 5,283 to finish their season with a franchise best 9-7 record. Charleston came down the stretch with three consecutive wins and missed a berth in the arenafootball2 playoffs by only a single game.
With the loss, the Speed finished their season at 6-10, the worst record in the franchise’s history. Richmond dropped seven of their final nine games, and finished last in the af2’s Atlantic Division.
The result of the 2003 finale for both teams was never in doubt after the Foxes’ WR/DB Michael Brown scored two touchdowns in the final 34 seconds of the first half to put Charleston ahead 30-0 at the intermission.
While the second half was played dead even on the scoreboard, the Speed suffered through many of the same problems that plagued them throughout the year in that second half…dropped passes, untimely penalties and more red zone woes.
In fact, on Richmond’s last possession of the game (and of the season), the Speed had four chances to punch in a touchdown from the Charleston one yard line but were unable to convert. That final sequence could very much be viewed as a microcosm of Richmond’s frustrating 2003 campaign.
After the final horn sounded last Saturday in Charleston, several key members of both the Speed and the Swamp Foxes paused in the North Charleston Coliseum’s locker rooms and reflected on the season finale, the 2003 season that had just concluded minutes earlier, and then cast an eye towards the future.
RICHMOND WR/DB MARCUS RICHARDSON
The Speed only scored two touchdowns against the Swamp Foxes all evening, and both were of the rather unconventional variety.
A heads-up play by Richardson helped avert a potential shutout for the Speed. With only 2:40 remaining in the third quarter and Richmond trailing 30-0, the Speed’s Jeff Townsley returned a missed field goal attempt by the Foxes’ Rob Bironas. However, Townsley coughed up the ball at the Richmond 16 yard line. Richardson alertly scooped up the bouncing ball and went down the left sideline for Richmond’s first score.
The Season Finale Against Charleston:
“The game tonight almost summed up our whole season. We couldn’t hit a big play; we couldn’t make plays and things just wouldn’t go our way. Everything seemed like it was against us.
“In the first half we were just very sluggish. In the second half we tried to regroup…we played hard and tried to give it our all.
“My score in the second half came off the field goal where my job was to block the ‘early out.’ Usually the ‘early out’ comes down the outside of the field but theirs came right up the middle. I was blocking him down and Jeff [Townsley] ran past him and I was trying to get in front of Townsley, and then I saw the ball come out. I ran over to it, scooped it up and ran as fast as I could to the end zone.”
The 2003 Season:
“I hung in there. I was out 4-5 weeks later in the season, and I wanted to get back with Richmond. I had an opportunity to go and play somewhere else, but there were some technicalities involved there and it didn’t work out. So, I just hung around Richmond and waited for my time to come back and hoped everything would be resolved and I’d get back on the field…and in the end I did.”
Looking To The Future:
“I think that the Richmond Speed will be back next year…who the owner and coach will be is a question but I think there will be an arena football team back in Richmond.
“As far as guys coming back next year, I’d say they’re mixed reviews. Some guys are saying they’re definitely coming back, and others are saying it might be the end of the line for them.
“I would always love to move up to the next level, that’s what everybody wants, but if not I definitely want to be back here with the Richmond Speed.”
CHARLESTON WR/DB LEROY McFADDEN
The 6’3” 260-pounder from Michigan State became the Swamp Foxes’ career scoring leader with two second quarter touchdowns again the Speed.
McFadden scored the Foxes’ initial TD against Richmond, hauling in a six yard scoring toss from quarterback Johnny Turman with 13:17 remaining in the first half to put Charleston ahead 10-0. McFadden then plunged in from the one to give the Foxes a 17-0 lead with 6:01 remaining in half.
All told on the night, McFadden caught four passes for 28 yards and a TD, and he also rushed three times for eight yards and a touchdown against the Speed.
The Season Finale Against Richmond:
“We didn’t really have anything to lose tonight. We came out and played our butts off…we did the best we could do.
“Once you go up 30-0, you sort of lose a little bit of intensity. But overall, we were able to maintain our focus and do what we had to do to hold them…and came out with a win.
“My roommate, Mike Brown, really stood out for us tonight. He had a great game. He seems to play like this for us every game. He can do everything on the field.”
The 2003 Season:
“We had a slow start, but a great finish. At first, we were trying to get everything in place. We had a lot of people coming in and out. Rik [Richards] was bringing in people left and right; we didn’t know who we were going to play with next. Now, it’s over…but we have all the pieces in place.”
Looking To The Future:
“I think these teams that got in the playoffs are scared of us. None of those teams wanted to see us in the playoffs. I don’t think there’s a team out there now that could beat us.”
RICHMOND WR/LB MARC BACOTE
Completing his first season with the Speed, Bacote scored Richmond’s only other TD on a two yard scoring pass from quarterback Roy Johnson with 5:29 remaining in the game. Johnson was subbing for starter Joel Gordon, who was held out of action due to a shoulder injury.
On Bacote’s scoring play, Johnson was flushed out of the pocket by the Swamp Foxes’ DL Darrell Bayer on a fourth and goal at the two. Johnson retreated some twenty yards before heaving a desperation pass into the back of the end zone that Bacote leaped to snare with several Charleston defenders surrounding him.
The Season Finale Against Charleston:
“We came out flat tonight. We came out like it was the last game of the season rather than like it was a game to be played—that was the total wrong attitude to have. That hurt us real bad.
“They got the momentum and ‘Mr. Mo’ can go crazy. They got a couple of momentum plays on us that hurt us. Then we had two touchdowns called back in the third quarter when we trying to get back into it…but that kind of sums up our whole season.
“On my touchdown in the fourth quarter, I told Roy [Johnson] if it all breaks down just throw it up…it was fourth down. I just kept moving around while he was rushed and he just threw it up there. I saw the ball and decided to try to go get it at its highest point.”
The 2003 Season:
“This year was frustrating, because we could have won a lot of the games that we lost. Our record could have been a lot different…we were maybe three plays away from having a totally different season.
“A lot of factors went into this season going the way it did, but we had a lot of people who had never played arena football before, myself included, and that was a huge difference this year. This year was a learning experience for me. Arena football is a different game and I’m still learning different nuances about this game.
“It’s over now…there’s nothing we can do about anything that happened this year. We just have to build on what we learned for next year.”
Looking To The Future:
“A lot of people say they want to come back and play for the Speed next year…I know I definitely do. In the off-season, I’m looking forward to getting myself back in the weight room, training and getting myself back in football shape.
“Those people that decide they want to come back next year and play, we need to take what we learned from this year, both good and bad, and use it for growth and build on it for next year…so we can come out next year like smoking horses and take care of what we have to do.”
RICHMOND OL/DL CHRIS FEGGINS
Feggins has played on both lines for the Speed since the team’s inception back in 2000. He has seen firsthand most of the highs and lows Richmond has experienced over the last four years.
The Season Finale Against Charleston:
“We came out flat. I guess the last game of the season…a lot of players had a rough season and their bodies were beat up and that had something to do with it.
“But then we looked at it and even though we were behind, we knew the game wasn’t over. We stuck it out and fought and gave them our best shot in the second half…some of that Richmond Speed enthusiasm came out. It wasn’t enough, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
“We were struggling tonight, but everybody was trying to pull together. Jeff Townsley, Bacote, Lawrence Lewis and Chris Field had some good individual efforts come out tonight, I thought.”
The 2003 Season:
“It’s been a mixed-up season, with the coaching situation and a lot of shuffling around. We had a young team and things got a little out of hand during the middle of the season and we slipped and never really regained our composure.”
Looking To The Future:
“We have a good group of kids here, and they’ll be stronger next year for having gone through this. Right now, just keep your head up and keep thinking positively…just work harder next year. We’ll be alright.”
CHARLESTON WR/DB MICHAEL BROWN
Brown had a spectacular game against the Speed and was named af2’s Ironman Of The Week for his efforts. Brown had two interceptions in the first half, giving him 25 for his career and tying him for second on arenafootball2’s all-time list with former Speed standout Tyrone Laster. On defense against Richmond, Brown also had five and a half tackles and four passes defended.
On offense, Brown broke the game wide open late in the first half when he caught a 45 yard bomb from Turman with 34 seconds remaining in the half to put Charleston up 24-0. Then, on the last play of the first half, Brown stretched the Foxes’ advantage to 30-0 when he returned a missed Peter Martinez field goal attempt 56 yards for a TD.
The Season Finale Against Richmond:
“Tonight, the fans were great and my teammates were great. The fans really keep me going. There would be no league without the fans. They were loud and they supported us on every down.
“The Fox Hole Fan Club, the car washes…it doesn’t matter—they’re there in every way. The fans are really great. I had a blast playing here in Charleston. Had a great time; had a great time.”
The 2003 Season:
“This season was kind of like a roller coaster…up and down.
“It’s tough to miss out on the playoffs. It hurt us when we didn’t put up points at the beginning of the year, but our offense really came on towards the end of the season.
“We almost jelled at the perfect time. Our team jelled one game late, and we didn’t make it in. It’s a shame…I wish we had one more game.”
Looking To The Future:
“Obviously, everybody’s dream is to play in the NFL. If it happens, that would be great. If not, I just want a legitimate shot at Arena1.
“Hopefully teams will notice us in af2, and not just take previous NFL guys like they’ve tended to do in the past. We have a farm league in arena2, and they’re not really grabbing too many guys here…so hopefully we’ve opened some eyes. We played hard all season.”
RICHMOND INTERIM HEAD COACH BILLY JARVIS
Jarvis began the 2003 season as the Speed’s assistant head coach. With four games remaining in the season, Jarvis was named Richmond’s interim head coach by Speed owner BK Katherman. In those four games, the Speed went a collective 1-3, but the lone victory was against a Mohegan Wolves’ team that knocked Cape Fear out of the playoffs.
The Season Finale Against Charleston:
“We held Joel [Gordon] out against Charleston because of a shoulder problem. Roy was off a little tonight and the receivers were off…we probably had 5-6 dropped passes tonight. One dropped pass, two dropped passes and on down…the old domino effect starts to get you.
“Actually, in the first quarter, we played them fairly even there. But then, we didn’t come through and make plays. We just didn’t step up and make plays when we had the chance to, and that’s what got us. Charleston didn’t do anything that we hadn’t prepared for.
“We got some emotion going in the third quarter…a little momentum when Marcus made the big play and scored. We go through the third quarter and they didn’t score, but then early in the fourth quarter we get hit with a facemask penalty near the goal line and the helmet gets tossed, which was big. That was the switch; that hit the light switch. Emotionally, that put Charleston back in it and got the crowd back in it.
“We just didn’t come out and play well; we didn’t play well as a football team.”
The 2003 Season:
“In many ways, this game tonight typified our season. When we get the ball down there at the end at the half yard line and couldn’t score…that’s just not acceptable. The same thing happened to us in Wilkes-Barre about a month ago. This season has just been a very frustrating one at times.
“But you can’t let the frustration eat you up. We’re all in this as a team. Regardless of what changes may come, there are a collection of things that have to be corrected. The one thing that this year’s team has not done well is correcting the mistakes that have hampered us all year long. Repeating mistakes, both mental and physical mistakes, plagued us all season.
“I have enjoyed working for BK Katherman this year. I know I speak for the other coaches as well. BK is a good man. Regardless of what has been said and printed out there, BK has taken care of the football team, the coaches and the support staff. I couldn’t ask for anything more from an owner. I appreciate, and I know the other coaches appreciate, the opportunity he has given us. If it wasn’t for BK, we wouldn’t be here.”
Looking To The Future :
“There’s no doubt…I hope I have the opportunity to be here coaching again next season. I’d love to do it. That’s what I hope for. It’s a great opportunity for me, and I hope I’m fortunate enough to get it. If everything was a perfect world, I’d like to know right away because I’d like to go ahead and start getting out and seeing players.
“We’ve had a core group of players that we’ve stayed with for awhile here with the Speed. For us to get back to the level of the Cape Fear’s and the Tennessee Valley’s, we have to expand our group of players. We have to get out there aggressively looking for players. The guys that are currently in our core group, they have to get in the weight room and get themselves back into the physical condition they were before.
“If I’m back next year, and Coach [Brent] Williams and I have already talked about this, we’re going to have four quarterbacks here for the start of camp. That’s the first place we’ll start, and we’ll also have a couple of centers in here as well.
“We want to get guys not only from Virginia colleges and beyond, but also good players from the Richmond area that may have gone away to school but want the opportunity to continue playing football. With our current coaches, I feel that we would have the ability to develop an excellent talent base for next year.”
David Chappell is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He has closely followed local sports in Richmond and vicinity for over thirty years, and Arena Football 2 since its inception. David currently writes extensively for a website that he co-founded which documents professional wrestling in Virginia and surrounding areas from 1974-1986. A former elected prosecutor, David is currently a practicing attorney in a large downtown Richmond law firm.
