Cobras News & Notes, 01/27/03

Monday January 27, 2003

QUICK FACTS:
Carolina Cobras (0-0)
at Tampa Bay Storm (0-0)
Date: January 31, 2003
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Site: St. Pete Times Forum (19,020)
Officials: Pat Garvey (Referee),
Paul King (Umpire), Rusty Spindel (Head Linesman),
James Mello (Line Judge), Rich Wilborn (Back Judge)
Series Record: Tampa Bay leads 3-2
Last Meeting: Carolina 49, at Tampa Bay 45 (5/25/02)
Coaches: Carolina: Mike Hold (1st Season, 0-0)
Tampa Bay: Tim Marcum (15th Season, 143-51)

MEDIA CONTACTS:
CAR: Bo Hussey
TB: Stephen Evans

THE STAKES: Southern Division rivals Carolina and Tampa Bay meet in the earliest start in the AFL’s 17-year history. After an offseason of transition, the Cobras look to gain an early division edge as they set their eyes on a third straight playoff appearance.

THE SERIES: Carolina swept the season series in 2002, winning 46-36 at home on May 4 and 49-45 in Tampa on May 25. Tampa Bay won the first three meetings in the series, including a pair of victories on their home turf (50-29 on May 4, 2000 and 58-51 in OT on June 1, 2001).

THE IFs:
If Carolina defeats Tampa Bay, it would…
 Give Mike Hold his first win as an AFL head coach
 Even the all-time series at 3-3
 Give Carolina their third straight win in the series
 Give Carolina a 2-2 record in season openers

2003 PRESEASON: Carolina opened training camp on January 12. With no preseason games scheduled, the Cobras and Georgia Force joined together for a shared practice and live-game scrimmage. Carolina rallied to score the game’s final 16 points for a 37-32 victory in the scrimmage played at the Charlotte Coliseum on January 22. Stewart Patridge’s 21-yard TD pass to Jamaal Garman with 49 seconds remaining gave the Cobras the lead for good. Patridge completed 5-of-9 passes for 80 yards and 2 TDs. Gabe Amey had 3 receptions for 50 yards and a TD.

HEAD COACHES: After two seasons as head coach of the af2 Augusta Stallions, Mike Hold makes his AFL coaching debut with the Cobras. He led the Stallions to a combined 22-10 record in his two years, including a 13-3 mark and playoff appearance in 2002. Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Hold spent 12 seasons as an AFL quarterback.

In his 15th season as a head coach, Tampa Bay’s Tim Marcum is the winningest coach in AFL history. He enters his 9th season with Tampa Bay, owning a 143-51 overall record. He is 88-39 as head coach of the Storm.

CAROLINA COBRAS (0-0)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Jan. 31 at Tampa Bay 7:30
Feb. 9 at Buffalo 3:00
Feb. 14 DETROIT 7:30
Feb. 21 ORLANDO 7:30
Feb. 28 at Grand Rapids 7:30
Mar. 9 LAS VEGAS 12:00
Mar. 15 at Georgia 7:30
Mar. 21 DALLAS 7:30
Mar. 28 at San Jose 10:30
Apr. 4 at Los Angeles 10:30
Apr. 11 TAMPA BAY 7:30
Apr. 18 GEORGIA 7:30
Apr. 26 at Arizona 10:00
May 4 CHICAGO 3:00
May 11 at Orlando 3:00
May 16 NEW YORK 7:30

TAMPA BAY STORM (0-0)
Date Opponent Time Result Score
Jan. 31 CAROLINA 7:30
Feb. 9 at Orlando 3:00
Feb. 17 at Las Vegas 10:00
Feb. 23 at Grand Rapids 3:00
Mar. 2 DETROIT 3:00
Mar. 8 BUFFALO 8:00
Mar. 16 ORLANDO 12:00
Mar. 23 at Indiana 12:00
Mar. 28 ARIZONA 7:30
Apr. 6 GEORGIA 12:00
Apr. 11 at Carolina 7:30
Apr. 20 COLORADO 3:00
Apr. 27 at New York 3:00
May 4 at Dallas 3:00
May 11 SAN JOSE 3:00
MAY 18 at Georgia 3:00

COBRAS 2002 REVIEW: The Cobras made their second straight playoff appearance, finishing the season in a three-way tie (6-8) for second in the Southern Division with Georgia and Tampa Bay. As the 11th seed in the playoffs, the Cobras won the first playoff game in franchise history with a 72-64 win over defending champion Grand Rapids in the first round. Carolina went on to drop a 61-59 decision to Arizona in the quarterfinal round.

STORM 2002 REVIEW: Tampa Bay suffered its first-ever losing season (6-8) in 2002, but still managed to make the playoffs for a league-record 12th consecutive season. The Storm became the first-ever 12th seed to win an AFL playoff game when they defeated the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Avengers, 66-41. They then nearly shocked the eventual champion San Jose SaberCats in the next round, leading 45-27 midway through the third quarter before eventually falling 56-48.

LAST YEAR’S COBRAS-STORM MEETINGS:
Carolina 47, Tampa Bay 36 (5/4/02) - Carolina defensive specialist Clarence Lawson intercepted Tampa Bay’s Scott Milanovich with 20 seconds left in the game to secure a 46-36 victory in front of 9,314 at the ESA in Raleigh. Connell Maynor connected on 15 of 27 passes for 177 yards to lead Carolina to its second win in as many weeks. He countered one interception with three touchdowns. Jamaal Garman and Cory Fleming each caught five passes, and Marrio Grier scored twice on the ground for Carolina. Milanovich, who relieved starter Shane Stafford in the third quarter, completed 5 of 13 passes - three for touchdowns - for 90 yards. Stafford hit on 18 of 27 passes for 191 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Carolina 49, Tampa Bay 45 (5/25/02) - John Fitzgerald fired a 29-yard TD pass to Nick Ward with 25 seconds remaining as the Carolina Cobras defeated the Tampa Bay Storm, 49-45, and claimed sole possession of first place in the Southern Division. The seesaw contest had 11 lead changes and one tie. In his first start for Carolina, Fitzgerald completed 24-of-40 passes for 311 yards and five TDs with no interceptions in the win. Aaron Bailey caught a game-high 12 passes for 176 yards and a score, while Ironman of the Game Cory Fleming chipped in with four grabs, including two TD receptions. Shane Stafford finished the night 19-of-31 for 288 yards and six TDs with an interception for Tampa Bay. Jahine Arnold caught five passes for the Storm, three of which went for TDs, for 125 yards in the loss.

FAMILIAR FACES: Storm head coach Tim Marcum coached Cobras defensive coordinator Flint Fleming when Fleming played for the Detroit Drive from 1991-93…Cobras FB/LB Glen Mitts and Storm OS Freddie Solomon were college teammates at South Carolina State…Cobras WR/LB Rj Anderson and Storm WR/LB Cliff Dell both played at the University of South Florida.

COBRAS NEXT WEEK: The Cobras travel to Buffalo to face the Destroyers on Sunday, February 9 at 3:00 p.m. Carolina leads the all-time series 3-0, including a 52-31 victory at Buffalo last year.

MILESTONES:
OS Ben Bronson needs:
 163 receiving yards to reach 3,500
 2 TD receptions to reach 50

K Matt George needs:
 4 field goals made to reach 50
 36 points to reach 400

WR/DB Bernard Holmes needs:
 12 receptions to reach 350
 181 receiving yards to reach 4,500
 2 receiving TDs to reach 80

FB/LB Deryl Lane needs:
 4.5 tackles to reach 100

SNAKE BITES:
Season Openers: Carolina holds a 1-2 all-time mark in season openers. The Cobras won their only previous season opener on the road at New Jersey, 52-21, on April 14, 2001. In that game, they held the Gladiators to an opponent’s all-time low for points.

Road Sweet Road: The Cobras open the 2003 season with back-to-back games at Tampa Bay and Buffalo before hitting the Charlotte Coliseum turf for the first time on February 14 against Detroit. That’s not a bad thing, however, Carolina posted six of its seven overall wins on the road last season.

It’s A Small World, Part 1: As an AFL quarterback with the Houston ThunderBears, Cobras head coach Mike Hold played with OS Ben Bronson, WR/DB Bernard Holmes and OL/DL Michael Harrison.

It’s A Small World, Part 2: Defensive coordinator Flint Fleming was a teammate of OL/DL Jim Stiebel with the Buffalo Destroyers in 2000. Fleming played with OL/DL Michael Harrison, WR/LB Bernard Holmes, WR/DB Tramain Jones, FB/LB Deryl Lane, QB Stewart Patridge and WR/DB Nick Ward as a member of the Florida Bobcats in 2001.

Cobras Among The All-Time Best: Entering the 2003 season, WR/DB Bernard Holmes ranks among the AFL’s all-time Top 25 in several receiving categories. Holmes is tied for 22nd in receptions (338), ranks 23rd in receiving touchdowns (78) and ranks 24th in receiving yards (4204). In addition, OS Ben Bronson, the 2000 AFL Breakout Player of the Year, ranks 19th on the AFL’s all-time list for pass reception average gain (13.2 yds per catch).

2003 Cobras Boast NFL Experience: The 2003 Cobras opening day roster features four players with NFL game experience and 11 players with NFL training camp experience. OL/DL Dunstan Anderson, OS Ben Bronson, DS Buddy Crutchfield and DS Robert Williams have all played at least one game in the NFL.

Coaching Connections: QB Chad DeGrenier and wide receivers/special teams coach Chad Davis were college teammates at Washington State in 1994. DS Buddy Crutchfield and defensive backs coach Maurice Blanding were college teammates at North Carolina Central University.

Coming With The Coach: WR/DB Tim Dumas, FB/LB Glen Mitts and defensive backs coach Maurice Blanding all came to Carolina with head coach Mike Hold from the af2 Augusta Stallions.

Moving On Up: The Cobras opening day roster features six players making their AFL debut after playing in af2 last season. Not only did Dumas and Mitts make the move with Mike Hold, but WR/LB Gabe Amey (Macon), OL/DL Decorye Hampton (Memphis), DS Richard Holland (Richmond/Roanoke) and OL/DL Tim McGill (Quad City) are also making the transition.

Returning To Their College Roots: WR/LB Rj Anderson and WR/DB Nick Ward are both returning to their college stomping grounds for this weekend’s game in Florida. Anderson was South Florida’s leading receiver during his junior and senior years of 1998-99. Ward played for the University of Miami from 1995-99 as a cornerback.

Smile For The Cameras: In addition to his time on the AFL field, head coach Mike Hold has also spent time playing football on the silver screen. He has played roles in several football-themed movies, most notably “The Waterboy” starring Adam Sandler, where he played the Central Kentucky quarterback.

COBRAS PLAYERS TO WATCH:
OS Ben Bronson: Bronson has finally made it all the way back from a fractured tibia and fibula suffered on May 18, 2001 as a member of the Houston ThunderBears…Prior to the injury, he was the AFL’s Breakout Player of the Year in 2000 when he led Houston in receptions (112), receiving yards (1,494) and TD catches (21)…He ranked second in the league in receiving yards and third in receptions that year…Bronson played for the Indianapolis Colts in 1995 and spent two seasons on the Detroit Lions practice squad…The two-sport star also played outfield in the Kansas City Royals farm system in 1996 and 1997.

WR/DB Nick Ward: As one of three players remaining from last year’s Cobras team, Ward is poised for a breakout campaign in 2003…He appeared in 11 games for Carolina last year, catching 17 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns…Ward totaled 16.5 tackles and two pass breakups on defense…With Florida in 2001, Ward had 32.5 tackles, eight pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one interception.

QB Chad DeGrenier: After three seasons as a backup with the Arizona Rattlers, DeGrenier finally gets his shot at QB…He did not see any game action with the Rattlers last season, but was 34-of-53 for 446 yards with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions in limited action in 2001…Had the best game of his AFL career against Houston on May 5, 2001 when he was 15-of-22 for 183 yards and five touchdowns.

PRONUNCIATION GUIDE:
Gabe Amey uh-MAY
Chad DeGrenier duh-GRIN-yur
Decorye Hampton duh-KOR-ee
Tramain Jones truh-MANE
Paul Mandina man-DEE-nah
Jim Stiebel STEE-bull

BUILT FORD TOUGH AWARD (selected by coaches):
The Built Ford Tough Award is a national recognition award given after every game to the player or players on each team best demonstrating determination and toughness in that game. The award honors the players who made a game-saving tackle or score-saving tackle, threw a key block on the big play or exhibited physical sacrifice or consistent tough blocking and tackling on both sides of the ball. The honored players receive a helmet sticker that recognizes the Built Ford Tough Player of the Game.

Week Opponent Player
1 Tampa Bay

GAME MVP AWARD (selected by media):
Week Opponent Player
1 Tampa Bay

GAME IRONMAN AWARD (selected by media):
Week Opponent Player
1 Tampa Bay

RECENT ROSTER MOVES (most recent first):
Date Action Player
1/27 Waived Jamaal Garman,
Blaine Mensch
1/27 Placed on injured reserve Terence Davis
1/25 Waived Chris Bell,
Thaddeus Bullard,
Andre Slappey,
Terry Witherspoon

COBRAS NUMERICAL ROSTER
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. College Exp.
2 Tramain Jones WR/DB 6-0 184 Angelo State 3
3 Tim Dumas WR/LB 5-8 164 Lycoming R
5 Buddy Crutchfield DS 6-0 209 North Carolina Central R
7 Stewart Patridge QB 6-2 207 Mississippi 2
8 Gabe Amey WR/LB 6-3 210 Menlo College R
9 Matt George K 5-10 180 Chapman College 3
10 Rj Anderson WR/LB 6-3 189 South Florida 2
11 Richard Holland DS 5-10 176 VMI R
12 Chad DeGrenier QB 6-3 212 Washington State 1
18 Ben Bronson OS 5-9 178 Baylor 4
21 Bernard Holmes WR/DB 5-11 176 Texas A&M Kingsville 6
22 Robert Williams DS 5-10 177 North Carolina 1
26 Nick Ward WR/DB 5-11 180 Miami (FL) 2
27 Larry Casher DS 5-9 181 Auburn R
44 Glen Mitts FB/LB 6-3 254 South Carolina State R
58 Dunstan Anderson OL/DL 6-3 284 Tulsa 0
65 Jim Stiebel OL/DL 6-2 285 Kansas 2
90 Michael Harrison OL/DL 6-2 294 North Carolina State 6
91 Tim McGill OL/DL 6-2 330 Illinois R
92 Deryl Lane FB/LB 6-5 280 Langston (OK) 8
93 Ethan Banning OL/DL 6-3 297 Eastern Illinois 2
95 Paul Mandina OL/DL 6-2 284 Indiana 1
97 Decorye Hampton OL/DL 6-6 339 Memphis R
99 Kelvin Ingram OL/DL 6-4 319 Oklahoma State 6

INJURED RESERVE
6 Terence Davis WR/LB 6-0 199 McNeese State 5

COACHES
Head Coach: Mike Hold
Defensive Coordinator: Flint Fleming
Defensive Backs Coach: Maurice Blanding
Wide Receivers/Special Teams Coach: Chad Davis

COBRAS DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
QB 12 DEGRENIER, Chad 7 PATRIDGE, Stewart
OS 18 BRONSON, Ben 21 HOLMES, Bernard
WR 26 WARD, Nick 2 JONES, Tramain 21 HOLMES, Bernard
WR 8 AMEY, Gabe 3 DUMAS, Tim 10 ANDERSON, Rj
FB 92 LANE, Deryl 44 MITTS, Glen
TE 99 INGRAM, Kelvin 90 HARRISON, Michael 58 ANDERSON, Dunstan
C 65 STIEBEL, Jim 93 BANNING, Ethan
G 97 HAMPTON, Decorye 95 MANDINA, Paul 91 MCGILL, Tim

DEFENSE
DS 27 CASHER, Larry 5 CRUTCHFIELD, Buddy
DS 22 WILLIAMS, Robert 11 HOLLAND, Richard
DB 26 WARD, Nick 2 JONES, Tramain 21 HOLMES, Bernard
LB 8 AMEY, Gabe 3 DUMAS, Tim 10 ANDERSON, Rj
LB 92 LANE, Deryl 44 MITTS, Glen
DE 99 INGRAM, Kelvin 90 HARRISON, Michael 58 ANDERSON, Dunstan
NT 65 STIEBEL, Jim 93 BANNING, Ethan
DE 97 HAMPTON, Decorye 95 MANDINA, Paul 91 MCGILL, Tim

SPECIALISTS
K 9 GEORGE, Matt
H 7 PATRIDGE, Stewart
LS 65 STIEBEL, Jim
KR 18 BRONSON, Ben
2003 COBRAS PLAYERS SNAPSHOTS

2 WR/DB Tramain Jones
6-0, 184, 10/20/75, Angelo State, 3 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Played two seasons with the Florida Bobcats in 2000-2001 before being selected by the Orlando Predators in the 2002 Dispersal Draft…Has averaged nearly 14 yards per catch for his career (13.7)…Appeared in four games for Orlando in 2002, recording 11.0 tackles…Also caught three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown…Set career highs in practically every offensive category with Florida in 2001…Finished season with 32 receptions for 456 yards and six touchdowns on offense…Added 37.0 tackles, two fumble recoveries and an interception on defense.
Career Highs: Receptions: 6, vs. Toronto (5/26/01); Receiving Yards: 85, vs. New Jersey (6/15/01); Receiving TDs: 3, vs. Tampa Bay (6/25/01); Tackles: 10.0, vs. Grand Rapids (5/20/00).

3 WR/LB Tim Dumas
5-8, 164, 11/12/77, Lycoming, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Played the last two years for the Augusta Stallions in af2…In two years, had combined totals of 229 receptions for 2,727 yards and 52 touchdowns…Ranked in af2’s Top Ten league leaders in each of those three categories in both seasons…Also had two-year totals of 48.0 tackles, five interceptions, 15 passes defended and 2 fumble recoveries.

5 DS Buddy Crutchfield
6-0, 209, 3/7/76, North Carolina Central, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Signed with the Washington Redskins as a rookie free agent on April 28, 1998…Saw limited action as part of the special teams unit…Made his NFL debut in Week 3 of the 1998 season against Seattle…Was released by Washington in the offseason and signed with the New York Jets for the 1999 season… Saw action in four games with the Jets and notched three tackles…Signed to the Jets practice squad on November 9, 1999 and was released on August 15, 2000…Signed with the St. Louis Rams on January 12, 2001 and went to training camp but was released prior to the start of the 2001 regular season…Was in training camp with the Cobras prior to the 2002 season, but was waived at the conclusion of camp.

7 QB Stewart Patridge
6-2, 207, 12/6/74, Mississippi, 2 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Spent the entire 2002 season on the roster of the Chicago Rush, but was inactive for all games…Played for Florida in 2001 and New England in 2000… Played in 12 games for the Florida Bobcats in 2001…Was primarily the holder on extra points and field goals…Was 1-for-2 for six yards passing…Appeared in six games for the New England Sea Wolves in 2000…Saw his only regular season action at quarterback on July 13, 2000 against Arizona…Was 12-of-20 for 112 yards and three touchdowns…Also saw action in New England’s playoff loss to Oklahoma, completing 4-of-13 passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Career Highs: Attempts: 20, at Arizona (7/13/00); Completions: 12, at Arizona (7/13/00); Passing Yards: 112, at Arizona (7/13/00); Passing TDs: 3, at Arizona (7/13/00); Had intercepted: 1, at Arizona (7/13/00)

8 WR/LB Gabe Amey
6-3, 210, 7/5/79, Menlo College, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Played the last two seasons with the af2 Macon Knights…Appeared in 15 games last year, catching 73 passes for 964 yards and 21 touchdowns…Recorded 29.5 tackles and three passes defended on defense…Played four years at Menlo College in Atherton, CA…Ranks second in school history with 200 career receptions, 2,987 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns.

9 K Matt George
5-10, 180, 1/13/75, Chapman College, 3 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: A three-year AFL veteran (New England 2000 and Toronto 2001-02)…Ranks 15th on the AFL’s all-time total scoring (kicking) list with 364 points…Began his AFL career by signing as an undrafted free agent with the New England Sea Wolves on March 10, 2000…Had his rights transferred from New England to Toronto for the 2001 campaign…Has scored in double-figures in 13 games, with his teams posting an 8-5 record…Appeared in all 14 games for the Phantoms last year…Matched a career high with 124 points, finishing sixth in the AFL among kickers…Set new personal bests with 18 field goals made (third in league) on 41 attempts…Finished sixth in the AFL in field goal percentage (18-41, 43.9%) and fifth in PAT percentage (70-78, 89.7%)… Attended training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998 and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1999…Played for Amsterdam of NFL Europe.
Career Highs: Points: 17, at New Jersey (7/13/02); FGM: 4, at New Jersey (7/13/02); FGA: 7, at Orlando (6/21/02); PATM: 9, done four times, most recently at New York (6/1/02); PATA: 10, vs. Oklahoma (5/19/01); Long FGM: 56, vs. Carolina (6/30/01); Consecutive FGM: 5, done twice, most recently at Florida/at Orlando (5/26/01 – 6/2/01).
10 WR/LB Rj Anderson
6-3, 189, 5/10/77, South Florida, 2 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Enters his second season with the Cobras after playing the 2001 season with the Houston ThunderBears...Played in six games for the Cobras a year ago, totaling 16 receptions for 205 yards and 3 touchdowns… Turned in his best performance of the season on July 4 at Toronto, catching a team-high eight passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns…Played in nine games for the Houston ThunderBears in 2001, totaling 27 receptions for 288 yards and four touchdowns…Also recorded 12.0 tackles and a fumble recovery on defense…Played for the Augusta Stallions during the af2 inaugural season in 2000…Caught 101 passes for 1,397 yards and 31 touchdowns as the club’s offensive specialist.
Career Highs: Receptions: 8, at Toronto (7/4/02); Receiving Yards: 89, vs. San Jose (7/21/02); Receiving TDs: 2, at Toronto (7/4/02); Tackles: 3.0, at Tampa Bay (7/7/01)

11 DS Richard Holland
5-10, 176, 2/26/78, VMI, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Played for the af2 Richmond Speed and Roanoke Steam in 2002…Played 8 games for Richmond, notching 43.0 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 16 pass breakups…Also returned nine kicks for 156 yards...Appeared in one game for Roanoke, recording 9.0 tackles (eight unassisted) and two interceptions.

12 QB Chad DeGrenier
6-3, 212, 1/13/73, Washington State, 1 year AFL experience
Career Highlights: Spent the past three seasons with the Arizona Rattlers…Did not see any game action last year as the Rattlers backup quarterback…Finished the 2001 season 34-of-53 for 446 yards with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions…Against Houston on May 5, 2001, was 15-of-22 for 183 yards and five touchdowns…Was on Arizona’s active roster in 2000, but did not see any game action…Missed the 1999 season with a torn ACL… Was on Arizona’s practice squad in 1998.
Career Highs: Attempts: 22, vs. Houston (5/5/01); Completions: 15, vs. Houston (5/5/01); Yards: 183, vs. Houston (5/5/01); Touchdowns: 5, vs. Houston (5/5/01); Had Intercepted: 1, done three times, most recently at Milwaukee (7/20/01).

18 OS Ben Bronson
5-9, 178, 9/9/72, Baylor, 4 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Played four years for the Houston ThunderBears from 1998-2001 before suffering a fractured tibia and fibula in his right leg at Buffalo on May 18, 2001... Ranks first on the ThunderBears career and single-season lists for kickoff returns, kickoff return yardage, combined return attempts and combined return yardage…Ranks either first or second in ThunderBears history in every single-season and career receptions category...Was the AFL’s Breakout Player of the Year in 2000 when he led Houston in receptions (112), receiving yards (1,494), and touchdown catches (21)…Ranked second in the league in receiving yards and third in receptions…Returned 13 punts for 79 yards and one kickoff for 31 yards with the Indianapolis Colts in 1995…Spent the 1996 and 1997 seasons on the Detroit Lions practice squad…Played outfield in the Kansas City Royals farm system in 1996 and 1997.
Career Highs: Receptions: 17, at Carolina (6/30/00); Receiving Yards: 202, vs. Nashville (4/22/00); Receiving TDs: 5, vs. Iowa (5/12/00); Tackles: 2.0, done twice, most recently at Florida (6/8/98).

21 WR/DB Bernard Holmes
5-11, 176, 5/13/73, Texas A&M Kingsville, 6 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: A six-year AFL veteran (Texas 1997, Houston 1998-99, Florida 2000-01, Dallas 2002)…Ranks among the league’s all-time Top 25 in receptions (338, T22nd), receiving yards (4204, 24th) and receiving touchdowns (78, 23rd)…Appeared in two games for Dallas last year, catching seven passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns…Returned eight kickoffs for 113 yards…In 2001, led Florida in receptions (85), receiving yards (1,131) and touchdowns (19), while tallying 12.5 tackles on defense…Led the Bobcats in kickoff returns (40) and kickoff return yardage (817) in 2000, was second in receiving yards (625) and third in receptions (42)…Spent the 1998 offseason with the New York Jets but was released prior to the start of training camp…With the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL in 1996, seeing action in two games and registering one tackle.
Career Highs: Receptions: 12, vs. New York (7/18/97); Receiving Yards: 169, at San Jose (6/30/01); Receiving TDs: 4, two times, most recently vs. New York (7/18/97) Tackles: 6.0, vs. Milwaukee (6/20/98); INT: 1, two times, most recently vs. New Jersey (7/2/99).
22 DS Robert Williams
5-10, 177, 5/29/77, North Carolina, 1 year AFL experience
Career Highlights: Spent the 2002 season on the Cobras injured reserve list with a hamstring injury…Played in 10 games for Carolina in 2001…Finished the season with 30.5 total tackles, 12 pass break ups and four interceptions…Spent two seasons in the NFL (1998-99)…Was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1998 NFL Draft…Spent the entire 1998 season on the Chiefs’ active roster and played in all 16 regular season games…Worked at cornerback in 11 games with one start (at San Diego, 11/22/98)…Played in one game with the Chiefs in 1999 and recovered a fumble against Chicago…Released by Kansas City early in the season and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers…Spent a few weeks on the San Francisco roster before being released and picked up by the Seattle Seahawks…Played in one game for Seattle…Was released by the Seahawks and finished the ’99 campaign with the New Orleans Saints.
Career Highs: Tackles: 6.0, done twice, most recently vs. New York (5/18/01); Solo: 5, done twice, most recently vs. New York (5/18/01); PBUs: 3, done twice, most recently vs. New York (5/18/01); INT: 2, vs. New York (5/18/01)

26 WR/DB Nick Ward
5-11, 180, 3/28/77, Miami (FL), 2 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Entering his second season with Carolina, after playing for Florida as a rookie in 2001…Selected by the Cobras from Florida in the 2002 AFL Dispersal Draft…Played in 11 games for the Cobras last year…Caught 17 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns…Totaled 16.5 tackles and two pass breakups on defense…Played in 12 games for Florida in 2001…Totaled 32.5 tackles, eight pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one interception…Caught nine passes for 82 yards on offense.
Career Highs: Receptions: 5, vs. Arizona (6/7/02); Receiving Yards: 71, vs. Arizona (6/7/02); Receiving TDs: 1, done four times, most recently vs. Arizona (6/7/02); Tackles: 7.0, vs. Orlando (7/8/01); PBUs: 3, vs. Orlando (7/8/01); INT: 1, vs. Toronto (5/26/01)

27 DS Larry Casher
5-9, 181, 9/2/78, Auburn, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Selected from Toronto in the 2003 AFL Dispersal Draft...Spent the bulk of the 2002 season on Toronto’s practice squad…Was signed to the Phantoms’ active roster on July 17, but did not see game action...Signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers on April 26, 2001…Waived by the 49ers on June 12, 2001…Claimed by the Carolina Panthers on June 22, 2001…Waived by the Panthers on July 27, 2001.

44 FB/LB Glen Mitts
6-3, 254, 7/11/75, South Carolina State, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Spent the past two seasons with the af2 Augusta Stallions…In two seasons, totaled 51.0 tackles, 6.5 sacks, three pass breakups, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries…In 2002, played offense as well, rushing twice for eight yards and catching four passes for 43 yards...Went to training camp with the New Orleans Saints in 1999.

58 OL/DL Dunstan Anderson
6-3, 284, 12/31/70, Tulsa, 2 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Played parts of two seasons with the Grand Rapids Rampage in 2000-2001…Appeared in four games, including three playoff contests, for the af2 Florida Firecats in 2002…Began his NFL career with the Kansas Chiefs in 1994...Signed off the Chiefs practice squad by Atlanta and spent the 1994 and 1995 seasons with the Falcons...Earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Dallas Cowboys in 1996...Played in NFL Europe for the Rhein Fire and London Monarchs before signing with Miami in 1997... Appeared in nine games for the Dolphins that season...Played for Vancouver of the Canadian Football League in 1998 and 1999 before returning to the Chicago Bears...Also played for the Chicago Enforcers of the XFL.

65 OL/DL Jim Stiebel
6-2, 285, 6/18/75, Kansas, 2 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Has appeared in uniform with three AFL teams -- New England (1999), Buffalo (2000) and Chicago (2001)…Played two games for the Columbus Wardogs in af2 last season…Tallied 9.5 tackles and one sack for Chicago in 2001…Played 10 games for Buffalo in 2000, totaling 7.5 tackles and one sack.
Career Highs: Tackles: 2.0, done four times, most recently at Los Angeles (6/30/01); Sacks: 1.0, done twice, most recently vs. Indiana (5/12/01)
90 OL/DL Michael Harrison
6-2, 294, 6/28/74, North Carolina State, 6 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: A six-year AFL veteran…Has appeared in uniform for the Texas Terror (1997), Houston ThunderBears (1998-2000), Florida Bobcats (2001) and Toronto Phantoms (2002)…Played in 10 games for Toronto last season…Had 9.5 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, and 1.0 sack…Also forced two fumbles…Recorded career highs of 16.5 tackles, 15.0 solo tackles, and 2.5 sacks with the Texas Terror in 1997…Attended training camp with the Dallas Cowboys in 1996.
Career Highs: Receptions: 1, done five times, most recently vs. Los Angeles (6/27/02); Receiving Yards: 17, at Milwaukee (7/21/00); Receiving TDs: 1, at Milwaukee (7/21/00); Tackles: 3.5, done twice, most recently vs. Carolina (7/4/02); Sacks: 1.0, done five times, most recently vs. Indiana (5/9/02).

91 OL/DL Tim McGill
6-2, 330, 6/24/79, Illinois, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Played the 2002 season for the Quad City Steamwheelers in af2...Finished seventh in the league with 10 sacks... Had 7.0 tackles, including 1.0 for loss…Also had four pass breakups, one forced fumble, one blocked kick and two safeties…Offensively, had two carries for six yards and one reception for 15 yards...Played for the Chicago Thunder of the Chicagoland Football League in 2001 and led the league with 11 sacks.

92 FB/LB Deryl Lane
6-5, 280, 5/11/68, Langston (OK), 8 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Eight-year AFL veteran has appeared in uniform for five different teams (Miami 1995, Texas 1996-97, Houston 1998-2000, Florida 2001, Tampa Bay 2002)…Also played with the af2 Florida Firecats last season, helping lead them to ArenaCup 2002…Appeared in six games, including one start, for the Tampa Bay Storm last year before being released on June 27 …Carried the ball a career-high 14 times for 25 yards and a career-high four touchdowns…Added 2.5 tackles on defense…Spent time with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.
Career Highs: Receptions: 2, at Iowa (6/25/97); Receiving Yards: 19, at Iowa (6/25/97); Receiving TDs: 1, done twice, most recently at Iowa (6/27/98); Rushes: 6, vs. Iowa (5/30/98); Rushing Yards: 21, vs. San Jose (4/27/02); Rushing TDs: 2, vs. San Jose (4/27/02); Tackles: 5.0, at San Jose (6/30/01); Sacks: 1.0, done seven times, most recently vs. Chicago (6/9/01).

93 OL/DL Ethan Banning
6-3, 297, 1/24/75, Eastern Illinois, 2 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: Spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons with the Grand Rapids Rampage…Played in seven games for the Rampage in 2001, posting 7.0 tackles...Appeared in four games for Grand Rapids in 2000, recording 5.5 tackles…Had a career-high 3.5 tackles vs. Tampa Bay on June 24...Spent the 1999 season on the roster of the ArenaBowl Champion Albany Firebirds, but did not appear in game action.
Career Highs: Tackles: 3.5, vs. Tampa Bay (6/24/00).

95 OL/DL Paul Mandina
6-2, 284, 11/13/77, Indiana, 1 year AFL experience
Career Highlights: Was a member of the New Jersey Gladiators last season, but did not appear in any games… Traded to Carolina by New Jersey on November 12, 2002… Played four games with the Grand Rapids Rampage in 2001, totaling 3.5 tackles…Was in training camp with the San Francisco 49ers in 2000.

97 OL/DL Decorye Hampton
6-6, 339, 7/10/78, Memphis, AFL rookie
Career Highlights: Played for the af2 Memphis Xplorers in 2002…Appeared in 11 games, notching 8.0 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and three pass breakups.

99 OL/DL Kelvin Ingram
6-4, 319, 10/25/70, Oklahoma State, 6 years AFL experience
Career Highlights: A six-year AFL veteran…Has experience with the Orlando Predators (1997-98), Arizona Rattlers (1999-2001), Toronto Phantoms (2002) and Tampa Bay Storm (2002)… Started the 2002 season with the Toronto Phantoms…Played in four games with the Phantoms, catching one pass for three yards and a touchdown and tallying 1.5 tackles and one forced fumble…After being waived by Toronto, played in one game for the Tampa Bay Storm, making one assisted tackle…Won an ArenaBowl Championship with Orlando in 1998…Attended training camp with the Seattle Seahawks (1996) and New Orleans Saints (1995).
Career Highs: Receptions: 1, done 13 times, most recently vs. Detroit (4/25/02); Receiving Yards: 32, vs. Anaheim (6/20/97); Receiving TDs: 1, done five times, most recently vs. Detroit (4/25/02); Tackles: 4.0, vs. Portland (7/18/97); Sacks: 1.0, done nine times, most recently vs. San Jose (7/5/01).