Rampage Look To Improve From League's Worst Record
Randy Snow
Wednesday January 26, 2005
With last year’s 1-15 record, it is not surprising that there are a lot of new players on the team this year. The 24-man roster is an interesting mix of returning players, major free agent acquisitions, players from the af2 and the CFL, players who have played in Grand Rapids before, and have now returned, and a couple of other players who are new to the arena game all together.
WR/DB Josh Bush, who led the team in receiving yards last year, said this year’s team is far ahead of last year’s squad.
"This team has just really gelled together," Bush said. "There’s a big difference with team chemistry, that’s for sure."
QB Nick Browder, who played in Grand Rapids during the 2001 and 2003 seasons said that McEwen was a big part of why he returned to the Rampage for a third time.
"I’m very comfortable working with him," Browder said. "I respect him. I believe in him and he knows that I’m going to give everything I can to help him be successful, along with this team."
Former Michigan State and Detroit Lions player Sedrick Irvin is an arena ball rookie this year at the fullback/linebacker position, but he does have a history with the Rampage. A few years ago, when he was playing with the Lions, he participated in the coin toss ceremony prior to a Rampage game.
"That’s destiny," Irvin said. "I guess I was supposed to be here a long time ago."
Now that he has made the team, Irvin is confident that he will be able to contribute.
"When I walked in here, I didn’t know anything about the game. I didn’t know how you were supposed to line up. There was a whole bunch of things I didn’t know, but now I’m learning and now I’m getting the hang of it. Football is football."
Rampage fans will only have to wait a few more days to get their first look at the 2005 version of the Rampage. Grand Rapids will host the Arizona Rattlers this Friday night at 7:30 at Van Andel Arena. The game will be tape delayed and broadcast on FOX Sports Detroit at midnight.
Randy Snow covered the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League for ArenaFan from 2003-2008. He also covered the Fort Wayne Fusion of arenafootball2 in 2007. From 2004-2008 and in 2010, he was a member of the Arena Football League Writer’s Association and, since 2011, has been a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association. Randy lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan but will travel just about anywhere for a football game or a great football story. He runs the web site www.theworldoffootball.com and hosts a podcast with his son, Adam, called “This Week in The World of Football.”
