Messengers of the Board
Matt Walsh
Wednesday April 12, 2000
But that wasn’t the case for the Kats’ faithful during this past off-season. Controversial news kept the Kats’ message board churning on a roller coaster ride of posts filled with hope and frustration. Bud Adams’ threat of moving the Kats if he purchased the team, a labor-induced canceled season, and the departure of the team’s superstar, Cory Fleming, to the NFL were the board’s main topics of discussion during this “downtime.” Luckily, none of these events came to fruition: The Kats’ ownership told Adams to take a flying leap, the canceled season was reopened after one week, and Fleming did an about face by returning to the Kats.
Kats’ supporters, not ones to sugarcoat their views, used their team message board as an outlet to voice their various opinions over these situations.
Where else would they go to vent?
“There are just too few opportunities elsewhere to do this,” says Neal Cook, editor of the KATSFAN.com web site, which holds one of the only two team message boards in the league (the other being the Tampa Bay Storm’s Fanmail). “The radio talk shows tend to be biased against the AFL in general, which discourages AFL fans from using them as opinion-sharing forums.”
So who are these regular users of the Kats’ opinion-sharing message board? Most of them are loyal, diehard season-ticket holders with a deep attachment to the game of Arena Football. “As with Arena Football fans in general, the regular contributors to the message board on KATSFAN.com are a very intelligent, knowledgeable, and passionate (in terms of Arena Football and their Kats) group of individuals,” says Cook who monitors the board several times a day.
Let’s meet some of the regulars:
I was able to discuss the message board, the bumpy off-season, the upcoming season opener, and the future of league with these four devoted fans.
Why is it so important for the fans to be able to communicate via a message board?
K.F. It can be a source of knowledge about the sport. In my case, even though I had watched Arena Football many times before, I really didn`t know a lot about the sport as far as the rules, history, or players. The message board has given me greater insight to the sport.
L.R. It’s an excellent forum for communication and sharing opinions. It has also proven to be an excellent way to get our more serious concerns through to management.
Aside from the fans, who else visits the board?
K.F. I have seen owners, coaches, players, and administrative staff postings on the board. I take my hats off to them for that because I have visited other message boards like the NFL and NBA, and you will never see that happen.
L.R. Of course you know who Kenneth is, but last season I became E-mail “pen pals” with one of our player’s dad, who I met via the message board. I’ve met some really nice folks through Arena Football. Occasionally, you get visitors from other teams on the board. As long as they behave, I enjoy the lively debate and friendly rivalry. It’s the “flamers” that ruin discussion threads, with needless trash-talk and personal insults.
It was a pretty turbulent off-season for you guys. Was there ever a point when you just wanted to give up on this game of Arena Football?
L.R. NEVER! Arena Football fans are some of the hardest core fans of all. The Arena league has come way too far to give up on. The league is just now finally gaining respectability.
S.S. Give up on Arena Football? Absolutely not! Taking nothing away from the gift that Jim Foster has given us, indoor football has gotten bigger than the AFL itself. I was a strong believer in the fact that if the AFL somehow botched things up for good, there would be many eager parties waiting to take their place. Of course I would prefer for things to stay as they are, and always knew they would.
Let’s say you could walk into Commissioner Baker’s office tomorrow. What one complaint about the AFL would you bring to him?
K.F. Simple. All-star game. I think it would be tremendous if the AFL had something similar to the AFC-NFC Pro-Bowl. The game could be hosted by a different city each year. Just imagine Cory Fleming, Barry Wagner, [and] Mike Pawlawski possibly playing on the same team. Personally, I think it is a "goldmine" of an opportunity for the AFL and it needs to happen ASAP. I hope Commissioner Baker is reading this.
S.S. Most of my complaints are minor so I don`t know if I can stick to one. I would like to see something to jazz up the extra point. This is such a dead spot in the game it routinely confuses newcomers. Maybe every other touchdown the team could be forced to go for two.
Albany is coming to town with all their big guns intact. Are you getting nervous?
K.F. I am so pumped and excited because this is a statement game for the Kats. We should have beaten them last year in Nashville.
L.R. Hell no! OUR big guns are intact! If any team underestimates the Kats, they’ll pay for it dearly.
S.S. I am more excited than nervous. Albany has not played well in Nashville, although they have won two out of three. Only through last-second heroics by Chad Dukes (98) and Eddie Brown (99) did the Birds steal victory from the jaws of defeat.
D.C. I don’t believe I am. The team is working as a cohesive unit and after reaching the playoffs every year, only to be knocked out in the first round, we are HUNGRY for that title.
Scenario: The Kats are down by six with two seconds left in the game, and they’re at the Firebirds’ ten yard line. Cory Fleming is out of the game because of dehydration. What play would you call?
K.F. No Cory? That is his "bread and butter". Darryl Hammond isolated to one side of the field with the option to run a fade route or quick slant.
L.R. Well, number one, Cory is too well conditioned an athlete to go out from dehydration. But, for the sake of argument, I’d go with a short pass to Jeff Russell for a run around the weak side.
S.S. Darryl Hammond on a deep post route. The man is a vacuum. Put the ball within 10 feet of him and he will get it, money in the bank. And fire the water boy!
D.C. I am not that great with plays, but I would have to get the ball to either my man Jeff Russell (the man can hit) or one of our newest Kats, Fred Brock who looked outstanding in the game against Grand Rapids.
What do you think of TNN’s broadcast lineup of Gold, Wyche, and Cunningham?
K.F. All three bring knowledge and insight to the table. Even though the AFL rules are a little different, it is still football.
L.R. I’m hoping for good things out of these guys. I only hope they bone-up on the Arena League rules and history before they take to the airways. Locally, our new radio broadcast announcer wasn’t that smart. What a fiasco!
S.S. I think more of the fact that they are bringing Jill Arrington to the game! Jill, got any dinner plans after the Albany game? Stop by 115 EE, 8-11… I’d like to say hi.
D.C. I think there is some promise, as long as they learn the game and try not to wing it like local radio announcer George Plaster (WTN 99.7).
Stocker, you seem to know the background of a lot of players. Where do you get your information?
S.S. First, I hit meta-search engines. I think people would be surprised [at] what is available, particular if the player has ever been in NFL camp or Combine.
Then I may go hunting college web sites or speaking with fans directly from the school the player came from. This can be particularly helpful for a school like Tennessee State who is not on TV often but have many knowledgeable fans in the area that actually attend the games.
One thing I have been doing for some time is monitoring the alternative leagues like (NFLE, the now defunct RFL, IFL, and IPFL). I find these leagues and their stories fascinating. Most AFL fans did not even know these leagues existed until AF2 helped bring some attention to the fact that the AFL was not the only game in town. Before the AF2, the closest non-AFL team to Nashville was the Dayton Skyhawks about 6 hours away, so we were very ignorant.
NashKat, you’re originally from Tampa Bay, any repressed feelings about the Kats’ archrival Storm that we should know about?
D.C. No repressed ones. I have been a Storm fan since the days of 20,000 + crowds in the Thunder Dome (now Tropicana Field). I was at many of those attendance record-holding games. My “heart” however belongs to the Kats. I have a “Storm connection” in Coach Sperduto. We talk before and after every home game. I moved to Nashville in ’95 and at that time, there were no pro sports to speak of here. When I found out Arena ball was coming to Nashville, I was ecstatic. Finally, we would have NO HOLDS BARRED, FULL TILT FOOTBALL! I have been with the Kats since their inception in ’97 and will be there as long as they are in Nashville (hopefully forever). I hope to still be attending games with my son when he is grown and has kids of his own going with us.
Just in the five years that the Kats have been in Nashville, the AFL’s popularity has grown considerably. Where do you see the AFL in 25 years?
S.S. Hopefully, it will retain its charm. In 25 years you will have third generation fans. The key will be that most adults will have grown up with the sport and it certainly will be considered no novelty at that point. Indoor football will be a major college sport starting with schools that don`t have a football field and growing from there.
D.C. Hopefully getting the recognition it deserves and equal to the NFL in fans and support. There is nowhere else to go but up and I think the league is finally strong enough to begin that growth. The league is showing its popularity by returning to 2 of its original cities (Chicago and Washington). Many cities are getting teams for a second time (New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Detroit). I feel like the league will be doing very well.
Larry, I have to ask you, how painful was it getting the Kats logo tattooed to your leg?
L.R. Oh, no more painful than any other tattoo. I‘ve seen college and NFL players with their college logos on their legs, so, I thought having a Kats logo would be really neat, and a way to show I’m a true, diehard fan. I have the Titan’s logo on my other leg. Yes, some people think I’m nuts. My friends KNOW I’m nuts! But, a true and loyal fan.
Kenneth, what kind of perks do you get being the brother of the team’s superstar?
K.F. I wish I could say his money because he just got himself a raise. But actually, I`ve never really thought getting about any perks for myself. For the most part, I`m just a hardcore fan. I really don`t want to play on the "scenario" of my brother being the team`s superstar. Now, I do get tickets to the games and occasionally, I have gotten a few autographs from players for a friend or a game jersey. There have also been a couple of occasions where someone has requested a Kats player to make an appearance and asked me if I could talk to someone in the Kats organization about it. I haven`t been turned downed yet.
All right guys, who will be in this year’s Arena Bowl and what will the score be?
K.F. Nashville Kats 57, Milwaukee Mustangs 45. And you can take that to the bank. GO KATS!!!!!!!
L.R. Kats-54, Firebirds-48
S.S. Everyone seems to be on the Iowa bandwagon this year but I will give the nod to Albany. The Kats take Albany 51-41 in Nashville!
D.C. I would love to see a Kats vs. Albany game. For me, it is too early in the season to tell, but I’ll say Kats 56, Albany 49.
You can see why Neal Cook described these gentlemen as intelligent, knowledgeable, and passionate about Arena Football. Team owners in every AFL market would love to have 20 or 30 thousand fans like NashKat, Stocker, Kenneth, and Larry supporting their respective teams. They represent the diehard core of fans throughout the AFL that keeps the league’s lifeblood flowing. Arena Football could not survive solely on the support of the casual fan.
If you’re ever in the neighborhood, stop by the KATSFAN.com address and visit the guys from the message board. Whether you’re a new fan of Arena Football wanting to find out some information about the league, or if you’re a follower of a rival team and want to do some good old-fashioned trash talking, the messengers of the board will be happy to go round and round with you.
But please, no “flamers” allowed.
Matt Walsh was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2000 to 2001.
