Rampage 2005 Season in Review
Randy Snow
Friday May 27, 2005
Of course, everyone is aware of Rampage quarterback Michael Bishop, after setting a new single-season rushing record with 459 yards this season. That was such a monumental achievement that you might have forgotten that he also broke the single-game rushing record way back in week two when he became the first player in league history to rush for 100 yards in a game against the Colorado Crush. That record came in his first start of the season.
First year Rampage kicker Peter Martinez was recently named to the AFL All-Rookie Team. Martinez set a new team record with 139 points scored. He was first in the league in field goal attempts (44) and second in the league in field goals made (18), including a 54-yarder against the New Orleans VooDoo in week 13. Martinez also received All-af2 honors last year while playing with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.
DS Damon Mason was signed in March after playing the first part of the season with the Orlando Predators. He only played in nine games with the Rampage this year, but he still managed to set a new team record for tackles in a season (84) and tied the team record for pass breakups (29). He is the league’s all-time leading tackler (727.5) and the first player to reach the 700 tackle milestone. On the season, Mason also set a new AFL record for tackles in a season (133) and led the league in pass breakups (34). He was named to the Defensive Player of the Game seven times this season. In week 16, Mason was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Week (his second of the season) and he was also named the league’s Defensive Player of the Month for May.
Another Rampage player to receive league recognition is FB/LB Chris Avery, who was named to the league’s All-Ironman Team. Avery led the league at his position in 14 statistical categories in 2005. He finished the regular season ranked first in the league in Rushing Yards (252), Receiving Yards (195), Receiving Touchdowns (3), Average Yards Per Reception (15.0), Total Tackles (55.5), Special Teams Tackles (18.5), Total Touchdowns Scored (17) and Total Offensive Yards (446), just to name a few. He was second in Rushing Touchdowns (14) and third in Average Yards Per Rush (4.6). Avery was also named Ironman of the Game in the last two games of the regular season; both were victories over playoff-bound teams, Chicago and Los Angeles.
For the record, Avery had more rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, total touchdowns, total points scored, tackles, special teams tackles and first downs than All-Arena 1st Team FB/LB Frank Carter of the Las Vegas Gladiators and All-Arena 2nd Team FB/LB Rich Young of the Colorado Crush, combined!
Even though the Rampage didn’t have the kind of record this year that would garner national attention doesn’t mean that the individual accomplishments of some of the players should be overlooked. Now it’s up to Rampage head coach Sparky McEwen to continue the work of rebuilding the team and returning it to the status of post-season contender. Luckily for the fans in Grand Rapids, and for McEwen, Avery is already under contract for next season!
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.”
