Expansion Bowl ’06 is Utah’s Last Chance at Playoffs, Attendance Title
Josh Fisher
Monday May 8, 2006
Utah quarterback Andy Kelly will be facing the team that released him earlier this season in Kansas City. That release and then signing with the Blaze turned the season around for Utah. Since adding Kelly to the line-up, Utah has gone 3-1 and marched up the American Conference standings.
If Utah wins Friday night and then Nashville and Chicago both lose, Utah would host the Kats in the first round of the AFL playoffs. Utah can only host a playoff game with a win and a loss by both Nashville and Chicago. However, Utah is just happy to still be in a situation to control its own destiny for clinching a spot.
Utah also has the opportunity to win the AFL attendance title. The Blaze is currently second in the league averaging 15,304 fans per home game. They trail Philadelphia and their average of 15,463. Utah needs a crowd of 16,579 to overtake the Soul for that title. That number is not out of the question as the Blaze drew 16,705 on opening night, and also went over 16,000 in week six against San Jose.
There are a lot of sidebars to the game Friday, but he biggest comes down to Utah trying to rebound from a dismal performance last weekend and clinch a playoff spot. Blaze fans should come out in strong force and help the Blaze clinch that spot and claim the attendance title in the same night.
Josh Fisher has been a fan of the AFL for as long as he can remember. He followed the Arizona Rattlers since they began playing. Josh works for the University of Utah
as their head statistician. He is also the media contact for Klub Boom
Volleyball Club and the head volleyball coach at Park City High School.
