Tough task in the West for 2004
Tim Ball
Wednesday December 10, 2003
The Las Vegas Gladiators’ realignment to the Western Division, coupled with the new playoff format of only quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game, brings an urgency and intensity to this division that has never existed before.
The path to ArenaBowl XVIII will be shorter but much rougher for the western division with only eight teams making the post season instead of 12.
The Gladiators move to the west after signing quarterback Clint Dolezel and offensive specialist Terrill Shaw from the Grand Rapids Rampage. Together, this passer/receiver combo led their team to victory in ArenaBowl XV in 2001. And there is big motivation for Las Vegas and drama for all teams with their relocation.
Las Vegas made it into the playoffs last season only to fall to Arizona in the first round. Los Angeles lost the number one seed in the last game of the season to San Jose. And the Rattlers shattered the SaberCats’ dreams to repeat as champions one game shy of that chance.
Pouring salt to all of those western wounds, it was Arizona who eliminated all three from the 2003 playoffs.
Payback time
The Gladiators move to the west knowing they lost their first and second game of last season to LA and Arizona respectively. And the Gladiators suffered a humiliating defeat in week five 72-37 to the SaberCats in Las Vegas.
To add to that drama, it is no secret that there is no love between LA and San Jose. And Arizona takes their games with the SaberCats like a religious quest for purification.
The west is now rivalry central . . .or an accident waiting to happen – take your pick.
But it will not be offense alone, or superstar players, that will help last year’s number 11 seed in their move to the west. In a division that produced the number one, four and sixth seeds and sent teams to the last two ArenaBowls, it will not be scoring alone that will hold the key to success.
“We know very well what we’re up against,” said Gladiators defensive coordinator Stan Davis. “We’re facing three teams that are arguably the best in the league. Our focus will be in preparation. Match-ups will take on a priority as defensive stops will decide the outcome, not just keeping pace touchdown for touchdown.”
Las Vegas would not have made the playoffs under the new format. Improvement in the west will have to come against Mark Grieb in San Jose, Arizona’s Sherdrick Bonner and LA’s Tony Graziani. A daunting task to say the least. The Gladiators now face them twice before season’s end. It will take a concerted effort to halt their scoring power.
“Arena football is known for offense,” continued Davis, “but notice how many teams that excelled are in the top defensive categories. Only complete teams executing on both sides of the ball will be playing in the post season or winning in the west. That is the future of this league no matter what division. Offense alone will just not do it anymore.”
A western view
“We’re supportive of the new playoff format,” said Kevin Demhoff, Director of Football Operations for the Los Angeles Avengers. “Though it could happen, I can’t imagine a division winner not making it into the playoffs. We’re concerned about fielding a team that wins and we’re confident in the players we’ve selected. Yes, the western division looks tough this year, but the bottom line never changes.”
Demhoff’s perspective is indicative of the pride and performance that exists in the west. When all the dust settled, San Jose, Arizona and LA were undefeated against the other in 2003 and all three were in the “top eight” last season.
“Nothing really changes under the new format,” said Arizona Rattlers defensive coordinator Doug Plank. “We’ll face a tough challenge in our own division but there will always exist that drive to take down the teams you face the most. I can’t imagine a time anytime soon that we won’t be fired up to face the SaberCats.”
While the league sees the addition of three new franchises and a flood of new players, the winning formula will always start with X’s and O’s.
San Jose’s defensive coach Michael Church answers a question with a question. “Who doesn’t want to face the best or prove yourself against the best teams? You make the plays you win. If not, you watch the playoffs on TV.” And echoing LA’s Demhoff, Church continued, “The new format just amplifies the mission of every team right from the start.”
Not one direction?
The best teams are going to rise to the top and those that don’t will find a way to join them or suffer the consequences.
San Jose SaberCats head coach Darren Arbet, while intently observing the preparation of the training and practice facilities that will prime his team for the new challenges of 2004, summed it up like a championship head coach and winner of four straight division titles.
“It doesn’t matter what goes on off the field, or who you have to play,” said Arbet. “Blocking, tackling, passing, catching and running, executing on offense and defense – nothing changes the basics of a good football team. The teams who do those things consistently, game after game, play in the post-season.”
It’s mid-November and Arbet, the western teams and the AFL itself are not looking backwards and not dwelling on the past. They are, instead, looking ever forward to improvements to insure a promising future. While the league continues its positive growth, nothing alters what happens between the lines, and just how often.
The western division will be intense if the Las Vegas Gladiators, coming in with Dolezel and Shaw, perform to expectations.
The way things have been changing in the league, the new playoff format could become the old playoff format as early as the next season. But players (and rivalries) won’t be changing anytime soon and the AFL’s western division is shaping up to be the most exciting match-up of teams in league history.
Like Arizona’s Doug Plank says, “Who can imagine not being ‘fired up’ by the match-ups that exist in the west?”
Tim Ball is a writer in the Chicagoland area. Married and father of three, his opinions on Arena Football reflects the positive aspect of the game as a family event second to none in pro sports.
