ArenaFan Chat: Ben Bennett
Fran Stuchbury
Thursday May 18, 2006
Ben Bennett was selected to the Arena Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He played for the Chicago Bruisers (1988-89), Dallas Texans (1990), Orlando Predators (1991-95), San Jose SaberCats (1996) and Portland Forest Dragons (1997). Bennett earned League MVP honors in 1988 and led three teams to five ArenaBowl appearances in his 10 seasons. He was selectes as the first team All-Arena quarterback in 1988, 1993 and 1994.
Since retiring, Bennett has moved into the coaching ranks. He is currently in his fourth season as a head coach in af2. He led the Florida Firecats to consecutive ArenaCup appearances in 2003 and 2004, winning the af2 championship in his second try. After the 2004 season, he was hired as the head coach of the Manchester Wolves. His coaching resume also includes stints with the Milwaukee Mustangs (1998), af2's Greensboro Prowlers (2000) and the Florida Bobcats (2001).
Below is the transcript of the chat session. It has not been edited for spelling or content, other than to remove chat room "noise". Ben Bennett posted to the chat as "arenaqb".
09:05:41 PM arenazone: Ben is in the house
09:05:57 PM NanIndy: Hi Ben...great for you to come to the chat tonight
09:06:03 PM arenazone: welcome the AFL Hall of Famer
09:06:06 PM derekhagen: hi Ben, thanks for coming
09:06:47 PM arenaqb: Thanks gang
09:06:59 PM Jpreds: Standing :clap:
09:07:07 PM arenazone: Ben have you interviewed for the Vegas openings
09:07:24 PM arenaqb: You guys have a little too much security for me to get in
09:07:42 PM arenaqb: Vegas is a possibility from what I've been led to believe
09:07:55 PM arenazone: good luck with that
09:08:00 PM Jpreds: Yeah.. It's to keep storm fans out.. They must've messed up
09:08:06 PM arenaqb: Of course, they contacted me before they hired James and didn't follow through
09:08:24 PM arenaqb: that was 2 miserable years ago
09:08:55 PM NanIndy: I just located the Arenafan picture of Ben: http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=113
09:09:12 PM NanIndy: from his playing days :)
09:09:31 PM Jpreds: Nan.. I still have videos.. haha
09:09:37 PM arenaqb: Holy crap. That's what I looked like with hair!
09:09:39 PM derekhagen: otherwise if not Vegas, if the Milwaukee rumors come true at some point we'd love to have you back here in Wisconsin as a coach
09:09:45 PM NanIndy: LOL..nice pic!~!!
09:10:03 PM arenaqb: Milwaukee would be a place I'd love to go
09:10:10 PM NanIndy: seriously, I mean it..I don't know what you look like now Ben..:)
09:10:33 PM NanIndy: ok..sorry..I will behave myself
09:10:37 PM arenaqb: I look just like that but with a little less hair.
09:11:12 PM NanIndy: Ben....who do you think should join you in the Hall of Fame??
09:11:16 PM arenaqb: You can hit our web site and see the latest picture. www.manchesterwolves.com
09:11:27 PM NanIndy: Thank u Ben
09:11:32 PM rushfan4ever: How are you doing Ben? Thanks for being our guest for our chat tonight.
09:11:45 PM arenaqb: Who are my choices for the Hall?
09:11:46 PM arenazone: Ben would you consider an AFL assitant job
09:12:22 PM arenaqb: It would have to be a #$%^&* good assistant job. I really like Manchester and their ownership
09:12:31 PM ArenaFalcon: Coach...has this year been one of the your toughest and most frustrating to coach?
09:12:41 PM rushfan4ever: Ben,what do you think of the job head coach Mike Hohensee has done with the Chicago Rush?
09:12:50 PM ArenaFalcon: 3 qbs and x # of kcikers so far?
09:12:59 PM arenaqb: Hands down the roughest to date. So many setbacks so early.
09:13:31 PM arenaqb: Coach Ho slipped a little this season but he's very good at his job and he'll be back
09:13:52 PM arenazone: will chicago defeat nashville this week
09:14:12 PM arenaqb: There should be at least 4 openings but my best guess is that Vegas will be the only firing
09:14:38 PM ArenaFalcon: What are your thoughts on facing Florida this weekend...must be tough with so many friends/coaches/players of yours still there...better watch out for the other bb, brent burnside
09:14:41 PM arenaqb: Chicago vs. Nashville. What a barn burner. (just kidding)
09:14:51 PM arenazone: LA seems to be keeping thie coach
09:15:17 PM arenaqb: The Florida game is tough for me. I do enjoy beating Vallozzi any chance I get though
09:15:54 PM arenaqb: LA, GR, Chicago are all staying put from what I've heard
09:15:55 PM arenazone: how about defeating John Fourcade with the Battlewings
09:16:13 PM ArenaFalcon: As an af2 caoch you must feel pretty good when so many of your guys move up to AFL and do well
09:16:35 PM arenaqb: Beating Fourcade isn't nearly as much fun these days. His teams are so bad
09:17:18 PM arenaqb: I do everything I can to move my guys up. The next big star to move up will be Steve Gonzalez. He's the real deal
09:18:42 PM kick1144: Coach- The kicking game has been a real struggle this season. Any more changes in the future.
09:18:46 PM arenaqb: I'm ready for questions. Fire away
09:19:16 PM arenazone: how do you like in the plyoffs this week
09:19:55 PM arenaqb: Until I find a consistant kicker, no one is safe
09:20:22 PM Jpreds: Your former QB Jake Eaton got his first significant action of the season last Friday.. Were you able to catch any of it? If so, what did you think of his performance?
09:20:39 PM arenaqb: no one under .500 should even be allowed in the playoffs
09:20:48 PM derekhagen: sorry i got behind for a second there, Ben, glad to hear you like beating the Vallozzi's
09:21:47 PM arenaqb: Jake is going to be a great player up there
09:22:12 PM arenaqb: So is JJ in Philly
09:22:49 PM arenazone: When JJ is healthy he's been very effective
09:22:59 PM NanIndy: Ben, who do you think will be named the new coach of the Mahoning Valley Thunder???
09:23:14 PM rushfan4ever: Ben,what do you think of Bobby Sipppio as a player? Do you think he can be compared to Damian Harrell?
09:23:17 PM NanIndy: any names?
09:23:33 PM Jpreds: I was glad to see Jake get some quality playing time.. With Joe's shoulders bugging him Jake is literally one snap away from playing
09:23:39 PM arenaqb: No idea about the Valley job
09:23:39 PM ArenaFalcon: Coach...how could you let a qb from your own backyard, UNH's Granieri, slip through and land at rival wilkes-Barre? Couldn't your other guys from UNH recruit him for you?
09:24:26 PM NanIndy: testing
09:24:31 PM arenaqb: I don't know if anybody compares with Harrell
09:25:34 PM arenazone: why does the AFL not translate well with tv ratings on NBC
09:25:39 PM arenaqb: I talked to Mike before the season but at that time I already had 3 vets and a promising rookie
09:25:58 PM derekhagen: with Dolezel breaking the TD record this week, obviously the stats have changed some because they play more games now, but what do you think the biggest difference is at the QB position between when you played and today?
09:26:04 PM NanIndy: Ben - Who will be the head coach of the Mahoning Valley Thunder??
09:26:34 PM arenaqb: The AFL on NBC needs guys who know Arena Football and its history. Those announcers up there are horrible. No one has any personality either
09:26:46 PM ArenaFalcon: Coach...any qb you'd liked to have coached but never did?
09:27:33 PM NanIndy: The OLN has the best announcers right now
09:27:40 PM arenaqb: The biggets difference is that no one is playing any defense. When you onside kick with the lead and under a minute to play in the half, you're practically conceding a TD
09:28:07 PM arenaqb: OLN guys are pretty good
09:28:44 PM derekhagen: Wolfe is one of those guys with great knowledge of the AFL... just wish he'd be more of a refined announcer to go with it
09:28:48 PM arenaqb: I'd liked to have coached Big Ben Rothlesberger. I recruited him while I was at Duke
09:29:37 PM Jpreds: Charles Davis is the man no matter what he's broadcasting
09:29:37 PM derekhagen NanIndyand i've heard yours before, that's my point ;)
09:29:52 PM arenazone: so have coached any players at Duke that made the NFL
09:29:54 PM arenaqb: The teams I played for in Orlando would shut people down so we didn't need to run up high scores. We just needed to get ahead and run out the clock
09:29:55 PM NanIndy: Yea Love Davis too..
09:30:24 PM arenaqb: I'm not that impressed with Davis, to tell you the truth
09:30:29 PM Jpreds: Davis is an Orlando guy by way of Tennessee
09:30:35 PM derekhagen: i agree with you on that one Ben
09:30:55 PM derekhagen: wouldn't be so bad if he could say a complete sentence without giggling at the end of it
09:31:10 PM Jpreds: For those who don't know.. Ben once led the Preds offense to 24 points in an OVERTIME victory over the Storm in 1992.. That would never happen today!
09:31:15 PM NFLAFL1968: Sorry I'm a bit late popping in...is there any truth to you possibly coaching in Las Vegas. It sure looks like the City and Team would benefit having you.
09:31:23 PM derekhagen: Ben if you had your choice of any QB out there right now, who do you take?
09:31:32 PM NanIndy: hmmm well I'd have to say I was very upset about the 2 announcers for the DALLAS/DRAGONS game this past weekend
09:31:44 PM NanIndy: they are very UNPROFESSIONAL
09:32:05 PM arenazone: save that discussion for another chat thank you
09:32:20 PM arenaqb: Vegas is a possibility but they have to want to win some ball games. They really haven't made that a priority over the years.
09:32:40 PM NFLAFL1968: what would you do different if you were the Vegas coach?
09:32:42 PM NanIndy: ok Fran, you are the boss!
09:32:49 PM arenaqb: I'd pick Clint. He's not only physically gifted, he's pretty stinking smart
09:32:57 PM arenazone: Would Ferraro let you coach the team and not interfere
09:33:17 PM derekhagen: i was just going to ask that Fran
09:33:27 PM derekhagen: any reservations about Ferraro or is a job a job?
09:33:48 PM ArenaFalcon: Coach...what's easier from a coaching standpoint an expansion team or an existing team?
09:33:50 PM arenaqb: I would be willing to take the Vegas job, sign a 1 year deal, and take whatever pitance they wanted to pay me just to prove I can win up there
09:34:08 PM arenazone: good answer
09:34:39 PM NFLAFL1968: Have the talked to you about the Job yet? or is it just chatter?
09:34:41 PM arenaqb: Either one is fine for me. Just give me a good QB, some decent linemen and I can compete with anybody
09:34:53 PM Brooklyn 316: Ben .. personal question . In your career what is the moment that stands out the mos....and are you persuing any more great ones..like in Vegas
09:35:19 PM derekhagen: what's the biggest adjustment from a coaching standpoint will you have to make to move to the AFL from AF2?
09:35:24 PM arenaqb: Vegas officials have dropped my name but nothing definate yet
09:36:03 PM NFLAFL1968: can you explain the difference in payscale for an AFL and AFL2 player?
09:36:27 PM arenaqb: the biggest adjustment fro AF2 to the AFL is that I can actually offer to pay guys at the next level. I can practice during the day because no one up there has a real job to go to during the day
09:36:48 PM arenaqb: AF2- $200.00 per week and a $50.00 win bonus
09:37:01 PM NFLAFL1968: wow, that's all?
09:37:11 PM Jpreds: af2 now is like AFL 1992..
09:37:14 PM arenaqb: AFL- minimum of $1,600.00 per week plus anything else you want to give them
09:37:23 PM NFLAFL1968: what is the incentive ? that's alot of risk to be injured for $200
09:37:28 PM arenazone: How did you like the ArenaCup experience at Boossier City, is the neutral site the right move for the af2
09:37:33 PM derekhagen: anything X & O-wise for adjustments? or do you approach it the same, just with higher caliber of play?
09:37:50 PM Jpreds: That's why they say these guys play for the pure love of the game..
09:38:03 PM arenaqb: Can you imagine how tough it is to tell a kid to pay his own way to Manchester, NH and play for that kind of money?
09:38:34 PM arenaqb: The game is the same, just the money is different
09:38:35 PM NFLAFL1968: that is unreal
09:38:40 PM Jpreds: Thankfully Southwest Airlines flies there for about $200.. LOL
09:38:46 PM NFLAFL1968: freeze and drown up there
09:38:54 PM arenaqb: BC was fine for the Cup. I'm just glad I got out before Katrina
09:39:01 PM derekhagen: do you think that puts you at a disadvantage compared to say an AF2 team in or near a bigger market?
09:39:02 PM Jpreds: in those 2 terminals
09:39:06 PM ArenaFalcon: Coach...does your reputation for being an offensive mastermind make it easier to recruit players?
09:39:18 PM arenazone: can Alaska succeed as an af2 team
09:39:19 PM kick1144: Housing and food vouchers are also provided right? Only a small incentive.
09:39:27 PM arenaqb: You guys are lucky you're not here in NH right now. Noah is dropping by later
09:39:40 PM NFLAFL1968: ha
09:40:00 PM Brooklyn 316: :rain:
09:40:15 PM arenaqb: I would hope my success at sending players to the next level would be an attraction
09:40:35 PM rushfan4ever: How is it going Bruiser?
09:40:37 PM arenaqb: Yes. we provide housing and 1 meal per day
09:41:07 PM arenaqb: Being in Florida made recruiting a heck of a lot easier. Plus there are so many more players there than up here
09:41:10 PM Brooklyn 316: Which meal LOL
09:41:14 PM arenazone: What the Wolves biggest rival in the af2
09:41:22 PM NFLAFL1968: is it true you a Jay Gruden are going to suit up for a charity game against each other?
09:41:45 PM arenaqb: I'm a little skeptical about Alaska as an AF2 market
09:42:05 PM ArenaFalcon: they'll last about as long as hawaii did
09:42:14 PM Jpreds: Yeah.. Remember that first Preds tryout camp in October like 200 guys showed up.. I'd think if you did that in NH about 20 would show up in their long johns
09:42:19 PM arenaqb: I can still whip Gruden's butt. Age hasn't worked well for him! ;)
09:42:34 PM NanIndy: LOL
09:42:48 PM arenaqb: We get about 45 guys per tryout up here
09:42:49 PM NFLAFL1968: did you say wipe or whip ?
09:42:58 PM arenazone: who was the best WR/OS you played with
09:43:11 PM arenaqb: Wagner, hands down
09:43:17 PM Jpreds: If he doesn't say Barry Wagner.. lol
09:43:28 PM arenaqb: I'd beat Gruden like he stole the church money
09:43:34 PM arenazone: A real shame he wasn't the number one AFL player
09:43:58 PM Jpreds: Like you did at the tryout camp.. Made Jay look bad..
09:44:06 PM Brooklyn 316: :Punch: <---------------------Gruden
09:44:12 PM arenazone: How did you like playing against Art Schlister
09:44:13 PM arenaqb: A good arguement can be made for Brown but Wags dominated both sides of the ball and was a bear on special teams
09:44:14 PM NFLAFL1968: would you be an assistant to Gruden, you guys are buddies right?
09:45:18 PM arenaqb: I think Jay is great and we are friends. I'm not sure if there's a room big enough for Jay and my egos.
09:45:49 PM arenaqb: Art was a great player with lots of troubles
09:45:54 PM ArenaFalcon: Coach, what was it like playing for the "ole ball coach" Spurrier? Were you surprised at the lack of sucess he had in the NFL?
09:46:42 PM arenaqb: Steve was a great coach for me to play for. I just wish he didn't catch flack all the time. He does bring it on himself at times
09:46:55 PM Jpreds: But you'd still love to watch Jay get whacked with that #7 Storm jersey on
09:46:56 PM nolesrule: Ah, someone asked a coach superior question :)
09:47:23 PM arenaqb: Jay gets my vote as the toughest QB ever to lace'em up in the AFL
09:47:37 PM arenazone: Ben were you a fan of the zubaz uniforms afl teams wore in the early 1990's
09:47:46 PM arenaqb: It never did hurt my feelings to see him get splattered though
09:47:55 PM Jpreds: mine too Ben.. I had a convo with Jay a few weeks ago about who's left the most blood on the Jungle floor.. And I said atleast as a visitor it was Jay
09:47:56 PM arenaqb: I hated those things
09:48:04 PM arenaqb: Very unprofessional
09:48:50 PM arenaqb: Jay was easily one of the top 3. I did note one name missing from the whole top 20
09:49:09 PM arenazone: who was that
09:49:19 PM arenaqb: Who do you think?
09:49:30 PM arenazone: ofcouse you
09:50:04 PM arenaqb: That really hurt my feelings. I'd like to think I meant a little something to the AFL
09:50:25 PM arenazone: I think if you won an ArenaBowl you would have gotten more consieration
09:50:39 PM arenazone: you played on great Preds teams
09:50:44 PM Jpreds: He won one with Chicago..
09:50:48 PM derekhagen: without knowing who voted in that, was there maybe too much representation with the new blood people to really pick an all time best?
09:51:07 PM arenaqb: Taking 3 different teams to 5 Arena Bowls is something that no one has ever done or will do again. I promise you that
09:51:40 PM arenaqb: whoever voted was drunk and/or high
09:51:55 PM Brooklyn 316: You definitly deserved Top 20 in my book Ben
the different eras of the AFL
09:52:17 PM arenaqb: I'm just surprised they didn't pick Novo Bojovich ;)
09:53:00 PM nolesrule: The AFL is announcing 20 Greatest Teams tomorrow, since we're on the 20 Greatest subject
09:53:03 PM Jpreds: If I was voting Ben would've been #2 right behind Wagner... Only because I grew up with Ben as the only QB I knew.. The Preds QB/ Channel 6 Sports extraordinaire!
09:53:06 PM arenaqb: Truthfully, the biggest insult was that Durwood Roquemoore wasn't on that list
09:53:51 PM arenazone: not enough people voted
09:53:55 PM Jpreds: I think a lot of the early AFL guys got dissed on that list.. no doubt.. A lot of "new school" people voted on that thing, right?
09:54:04 PM arenazone: only 7-8 people
09:54:27 PM arenazone: did Kurt Warner deserve to be on that list
09:54:33 PM Brooklyn 316: I dont want to put you on the spot Ben but who would you have eliminated on that List ( You dont have to answer )
09:54:37 PM arenaqb: I don't know who voted but they did a poor job of representing the AFL
09:55:05 PM rushfan4ever: Ben,what do you think of the neutral site for the Arena Bowl. Personally,I think that playing the Arena Bowl at the Thomas & Mack Center is a disgrace to the AFL.In my opinion the Thomas & Mack is a dump.
09:55:26 PM nolesrule: As the sole FAN representative on the voting committee, I made sure I looked at every year in league history.
09:55:28 PM arenaqb: Kurt was a great player in our league but for only 3 years. No titles, no nothing. He got in becasue of what he did in the NFL
09:55:49 PM Jpreds: Thomas & Mack is a dump but you can't deny how much fun Vegas is.. 3 weeks from Thursday.. WE ARE THERE!!
09:55:54 PM nolesrule: Ben, you and I agree a lot here. Kurt Warner was not on my ballot.
09:56:19 PM nolesrule: I think only 13 of the players I voted for made the 20
09:56:20 PM arenaqb: Vegas is a good spot for the Bowl
09:56:33 PM Jpreds: Even good ol' P.O. beat Kurt Warner
09:56:37 PM rushfan4ever: jpreds,you will be there but the Predators will be watching from the stands just like yourself.
09:56:48 PM arenaqb: Another guy not on the list, Les Barley
09:57:05 PM Jpreds: save the trash talking for another day son..
09:57:35 PM arenaqb: Tracey Perkins, Tampa DS. Kenny Mac was also not there
09:57:42 PM Jpreds: Les.. one of the seven Storm players to show up to the "Storm Reunion".
09:57:58 PM derekhagen: Les Barley deserved it too
09:58:10 PM arenazone: Ben ever think about writing a book on the AFL it would be very popular
09:58:40 PM arenaqb: I've enjoyed the talk gang. Gotta go finish getting ready for Florida
09:58:56 PM arenaqb: my book will be available in hard back soon
09:59:09 PM arenazone: thanks ben for doing the chat
09:59:18 PM natedavvg330: thanks ben!
09:59:22 PM Brooklyn 316: What do you fish for Ben?
09:59:25 PM iceman879: Thanks ben. I enjoyed reading your comments.
09:59:27 PM derekhagen: thanks for chatting Ben!
09:59:30 PM arenaqb: Only a very few OL/DL deserve to be there
09:59:31 PM nolesrule: Yes, thanks for taking the time to chat with us
09:59:47 PM arenaqb: you all be good. Send me a snorkel
10:00:00 PM Jpreds: Like Rusty Russell..
10:00:08 PM Jpreds: :-)
10:00:09 PM Brooklyn 316: Thanks for coming Ben :clap:
10:00:14 PM arenaqb: Do me a favor and go chat up the Vegas message boards for me
Fran Stuchbury has been the host of ArenaZone since 2003. In 2002 he was the co-host of ArenaFan Radio with Tim Capper. While in school, Fran was the host of the original ArenaZone radio show on his college radio station, where he interviewed many league names such as Kurt Warner, league founder Jim Foster, and Commissioner David Baker. Fran lives in Southampton, Pennsylvania and works for the website SportsNetwork. Fran will be attending all the Philadelphia Soul home games this season and will be covering arena football for ArenaFan Radio and OurSportsCentral. He has followed the AFL since its first game back in 1987 and has been part of the media since 1998.
