Fury Fight to Finish, Come up Short
Neal Ruhl
Monday May 24, 2004
It wasn’t enough as Willis Marshall hauled in a 10-yard John Dutton pass with only :01 left to play as the Crush locked up a playoff birth with a 45-42 victory Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
“We should have won this game,” said Fury QB Andy Kelly, who was 29-38 for 250 yards and four touchdowns. “We are paid to play hard and win games. We blew this one tonight.”
The game was kind of a microcosm of the entire year for the Fury who lost their seventh straight, and saw their record drop to 4-11. “It’s kind of the way it goes when things are going bad,” said Fury DS Ron Carpenter, who returned the game’s opening kickoff 57 yards for a score to put the Fury ahead 7-0 to start the game. “When it rains, it pours.”
Thabiti Davis starred once again for the Fury. Davis hauled in 12 catches for 115 yards and three scores, including a sensational diving grab on a 34-yard strike from Kelly to put the Fury ahead 39-30. “Andy put it out there, and I just went and got it,” said Davis.
Today’s game was a true glimpse into the character of this year’s Fury squad. They have many veterans who are proud players. They felt as though that pride was challenged, and they responded with a great effort despite the fact that there was nothing to play for. Look for another effort like that next week when the Fury travel to Grand Rapids to take on the Rampage. There will be a little more on the line than the team’s record will indicate as Grand Rapids defeated Detroit earlier in the year for their only victory of the season.
Unleash the Fury
Fury WR Thabiti Davis needs only five receptions to tie the team mark of 125 set by Robert Gordon in 2001. Davis needs 187 yards to tie the Fury single season mark, also set by Gordon…Lineman Matt Norwood continues to gut it out despite a severe groin injury…Crush OS Damian Harrell had a game high 208 yards receiving.
Neal Ruhl lives in the Metro Detroit Area where he has covered the Detroit Lions as well as the Motor City Bowl.
