A Real Mother of a Game
Jack Bedell
Wednesday May 11, 2005
For NBC’s viewing populace, I’m sure the game was everything the Arena League was created to be: high-scoring offensive attacks; wrestling-match swings in momentum; and hardnosed, clean competition. For those of us bleeding purple in the Graveyard, though, it was a frustrating pageant of blown opportunities and questionable officiating. With three Crush fumbles and two poorly thrown John Dutton passes dropped by VooDoo defenders, this was a game that literally slipped through our fingers.
Coming into Sunday’s game, the VooDoo knew that the Orlando Predators had lost to Austin, and the New Orleans Arena scoreboard flashed signs of the Storm’s demise against Georgia throughout the game, so the possibility of gaining control of the conference wildcard race was right in the VooDoo’s hands, too. Unfortunately, the opportunity proved as slippery as the loose balls on the turf during the game. Asked if his players were aware of their chance to get a hold on a playoff spot Sunday, Coach Neu explained dejectedly, "No question, you know, because the door was swinging wide open, waiting for somebody to run right through it, and we knew that. We knew that. I have no doubt in my mind everybody’s intentions, everybody’s mindset, everybody’s focus were exactly where they needed to be, but for whatever reason, we didn’t seize the moment when we had the chance."
CRUSH’D
Part of the reason for the VooDoo’s failure was certainly the inspired play of the Crush defense. After surrendering over 70 points in each of their three recent losses, the Crush defense rose to the occasion Sunday. On two consecutive fouth-quarter drives, the crush shut the VooDoo down and gave the ball back to their offense. Credit is certainly due them for tipping balls away on crucial third and fourth-down plays, and for knowing when to jam VooDoo receivers in the red zone instead of playing soft like most teams do against offensive specialist Aaron Bailey and WR/LB Thabiti Davis.
Probably the most crucial defensive stop of the game for the Crush came after the VooDoo recovered a poor on-side kick attempt and held the ball inside the 10-yard line with the chance to go up two possessions and take control of the game. On four consecutive plays, the Crush tipped VooDoo QB Andy Kelly’s first-down pass away, stopped a second-down screen play to Bailey for a loss, slapped down Kelly’s third down attempt, and defended Kelly’s fourth-down fade to Thabiti Davis to turn the ball over on downs.
That stand was without a doubt the turning point in the game. Combined with good clock management by Dutton, and solid defensive play the rest of the game, the Crush managed to get the lead and hold onto it until the gun sounded.
ET TU, REFS?
But I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that the referees played a role in the VooDoo loss as well. While I’m not saying John Elway’s repeated calls to the League got the referees to suddenly start calling offensive interference against the VooDoo, it certainly seemed like somebody dusted off that page in the rulebook and faxed it to the ref’s locker room before the game.
On three occasions, Thabiti Davis was called for offensive pass interference when, at the very least, you would have to say the contact was mutual. One of these occasions was the fourth-down play I mentioned earlier that swung the tenor of the whole game. On the play, Davis was simply raped inside the five-yard line with the ball in the air. And while he managed to fight through the contact to catch the ball, the call went against him, and the pass was called incomplete. No way either of those calls hold up after review.
After the game, Davis explained to a cluster of fans and media, "the ref told me I had to let [the defender] jam me." Where is that in the rulebook? Coach Neu expressed similar confusion in his post-game remarks, though he was quite careful not to risk drawing the League’s ire, "I need to watch the film before I make any kind of comment. It’s a little hard to swallow some of the pass interference calls there on Thabiti. I’m not sure I can count on one hand the number of offensive interference calls I’ve seen since I’ve been in the league, since 1996. Again, I just need to watch the film before I say something I regret."
Anyone watching the game would’ve also seen OL/DL B. J. Cohen being pulled to the ground repeatedly by Crush offensive linemen. In a game as tightly contested as this one, it’s simply a crime to allow that kind of holding to occur on every play, especially against one of the League’s marquee pass rushers, in that player’s own arena. Coach Neu was less politic addressing the lack of holding calls, "It’s disappointing because you look out there and see B. J. Cohen getting tackled and getting held on from behind, and it’s a no call. It’s hard to swallow. As long as there’s consistency I’ve got no problem, but it’s tough when you look out there and your best pass rusher is being tackled or is on the ground after every play."
PLAYOFF PROSPECTS
But all of this whining isn’t changing the VooDoo’s situation. The fact is that they lost an important game against a desperate opponent in much the same situation as their own, but, thanks to losses by the Predators and the Storm, they still have control of their own destiny. If they win their final two games, the VooDoo earn a playoff spot. There are no alternative opportunities, and they cannot afford to let anything else slip through their fingers. As Coach Neu put it, "We’re in the same position leaving the locker room as we were in when we entered today. We control our own destiny. Hopefully, we’ll capitalize on that opportunity."
VOODOO MILESTONES
In the middle of another brilliant performance (28-42, 272 yards, 7 touchdowns), Andy Kelly became only the second player in League history to throw for 700 touchdowns when he zipped a pretty TD pass to Aaron Bailey. Though dimmed by the loss, Kelly’s accomplishment is testament to his talent and consistency, and I really hope he’s able to enjoy the performance one day. It was a treat to watch him work Sunday.
Leroy Thompson also reached a milestone Sunday, becoming the sixth player to run for 1000 career yards, with a seven-yard gashing run early in the game.
NEXT UP
The VooDoo host the suddenly resurgent Austin Wranglers this Saturday night in the Graveyard. It’s a must-win game against a team that stole a victory from us earlier this season. For my own sake, I hope the VooDoo’s defense takes care of business against former QB John Fitzgerald, since I loud-capped him in my first ArenaFan column this year and would hate to have to apologize.
Jack Bedell was an inaugural season ticket holder for the af2's Lafayette Roughnecks and the AFL's New Orleans VooDoo. He's been a fan of the league since he first saw Browning Nagle heaving touchdowns for the Buffalo Destroyers. Jack's married to a lovely wife, Beth, and has two sons, Jack and Samuel Eli. He works as an associate professor of creative writing at Southeastern Louisiana University.
