Gladiators Fall to VooDoo in Home Opener
Adam Lieberman
Monday March 19, 2007
The Gladiators were outplayed on both sides of the ball. Las Vegas QB Shaun King completed only 18 of 40 passes for 230 and three touchdowns. The VooDoo defense put pressure on King throughout the contest sacking him three times and forcing him into 2 interceptions.
King said, “We didn’t play well enough to win and I’m not going to make excuses and blame this person or that person.” However, one thing that can be blamed was the ejection of Las Vegas center Jimond Pugh early in the second quarter for fighting which turned out to be the turning point in the contest. It forced Gladiators’ head coach Danton Barto to play Konrad Dean at center, a position that Dean had never played in his career.
Pugh was protecting King after a late hit by VooDoo lineman Mike Landry. Landry was penalized for the hit but allowed to stay in the game. The referees offered no explanation for the lone ejection. “Being on the sidelines helps the game by making it look better but it’s tough to get any explanation from referees” said Barto.
The Gladiators led the VooDoo 14-10 going into halftime and had their chances to extend that lead throughout the first half, but failed to capitalize.
Barto said, “We have to learn that when we are down that we have to keep playing because you never know what’s going to happen in this game.”
The VooDoo were led by veteran Arena Football League QB Andy Kelly who completed 30 of 40 passes for 269 and four touchdowns including three to WR Tyronne Jones.
The Gladiators were also playing against former fan favorite Wilky Bazile who was cut by Barto and his staff during training camp, but was able to land a spot with the VooDoo. Bazile wasn’t shy about his feelings, “I want (head coach) Dan Barto and (line coach) John Zinser that forgive them for their sins. I wish they would have cut me earlier so I could have moved on sooner.”
The contest not only was the first home game of the season, but also marked the first game in their new home at the Orleans Arena. Barto, “I hate losing at home; we had such a great crowd and great atmosphere. I wanted to win this game for the city of Las Vegas.”
King said it best, “We’re growing; this is a marathon and not a sprint.” The marathon for the Gladiators continues this Friday night when they open division play against the Rattlers in Arizona.
Notes: Joe Douglass, who missed the first two games of the season, returned to action and had two receptions for 55 yards and a score…One week after setting the record for touchdown receptions in a game, Kevin Prentiss sat out much of the second half of the game with a tweaked hamstring.
Adam Lieberman currently is a Concierge in Las Vegas and is the former president of the Gladiators booster club. He holds a communications degree from San Diego State University and has been a season ticket holder since the team moved to Las Vegas five years ago.
