Have you ever heard someone run an idea by you and it makes almost too much sense? Well, for those of you that have not had the pleasure, let me go ahead and push you in front of one of those dizzying “common sense” trains for a moment.

 

The Georgia Force have spent the off-season acquiring one of the most talented wide receiving corps the AFL has ever seen. Joining the dynamic duo of Chris Jackson and Derek Lee this coming year are former AFL Rookie of the Year, Troy Bergeron, Kevin McKenzie, and Jarrick Hillery.

 

No, this is not a joke or something I just put together last week while playing EA Sports Arena Football on the Playstation, this is really the 2007 Georgia Force receiving lineup.

 

All bets aside, this unit of receivers could make even the most Mickey Mouse NIFL quarterback look All-Arena. Not only do the Force boast the most talented Wide Receiver bunch in the AFL, but they also have an experienced and talented defense backing them up.

 

 So who does the Force choose to pilot this talent-laden team? Oh, just some two year backup quarterback. Yeah, that makes sense.

 

No disrespect to Chris Greisen, but letting him start at quarterback next season on what looks like Georgia’s best shot to win the Arena Bowl ever is would a crippling mistake for this franchise. Sure there have been inexperienced quarterbacks that have done well in their first year starting; the New York Dragons had success with Nick Browder just last year. But as soon as the playoffs rolled around, Browder made several mistakes that can be chalked up to inexperience in their playoff opener against the Force, which eventually led to an early exit from the tournament.

 

Nothing beats experience, and as history shows us, the teams that win the Arena Bowl are usually the teams that have experienced quarterbacks. Luckily for the Force, there is an experienced quarterback available who just happened to have been a college legend five minutes from Phillips Arena.

 

Now is the part where that “common sense” train rumbles right over you.

 

The Georgia Force should sign Joe Hamilton. Correction; the Georgia Force need to sign Joe Hamilton.

 

If memory serves correct, just last year “Super Joe” as the folks in Orlando called him, led his team to the Arena Bowl and picked up second team All-Arena honors along the way. Playing for the division rival Orlando Predators the past few years, Georgia has seen a lot of Hamilton over the years. The last memory I am sure they have of him has to be last April in Orlando where Joe burned holes in the Georgia secondary all night long en route to a 57-41 thumping.

 

Could you imagine Joe Hamilton throwing balls to Chris Jackson, Troy Bergeron, Derek Lee, Kevin McKenzie and Jarrick Hillery? They would break records. The talent Joe Hamilton possesses plus his impeccable game awareness would make this offense the best in the league.

 

But what would make Joe an excellent acquisition for the Force more than anything is not something you can measure in touchdowns and passing yards; it’s his leadership and presence. So many times during last year’s 8-8 campaign, the Force showed a complete lack of leadership and direction. The Force blew an alarming amount of leads, and lost quite a few games that really should have been theirs. Despite his short stature, (he is 5’10 in case you were wondering) Joe has always been a leader no matter where he has played. By bringing him in, you immediately have someone who can rally the troops no matter the situation.

 

Along with his quarterbacking talents, Joe brings with him a loyal following of fans who reminisce about the glory days at Georgia Tech when he donned the gold and white. Can you imagine Phillips Arena when the Public Address announcer introduces Hamilton for the first time? The building would simply erupt. Fans around Atlanta love Joe Hamilton and his presence would mean an immediate spike in attendance and a new wave of AFL fans going through the turnstiles at Arena.

 

 But above all the other things, Joe Hamilton wins football games. The AFL, like any other league, is based around winning. If the Force sign Joe Hamilton, I guarantee you they will win a lot of games over the next few years, and maybe a few championships while they are at it.  

 

Good coach, good receivers, good defense—good quarterback?

 

Well, that makes too much sense.

Matt Eichenblatt is a free-lance writer from the Atlanta area. He has followed Arena Football since 1999 and has been attending Georgia Force games since they moved from Nashville five years ago. As well as being a football enthusiast, he is also looking forward to graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in Finance and Communications.