For Carlos James, the Situation was Right
Tom Ando
Friday April 13, 2001
After the 2000 season, while the Barnstormers were on the move to New York, James left the team and took advantage of free agency by signing with the Buffalo Destroyers. It surprised some people that such a star came to a team that was 5-9 last season, but to him, it was an easy decision.
"It seemed like a good fit for me,” said James. “They brought me in and really took care of me. The facilities are great out here. The owner (Mark Hammister) is a real good guy. I met him. I really like the coaching staff, and I know they`ve got a chance to win, especially what they did toward the end of last season, so I think it was a good fit for me."
In his six seasons with Iowa, James had 190 receptions for 2439 yards and 50 touchdown receptions. That’s not even mentioning his 27 interceptions, which earned him two All-Arena Second Team honors (1997 and 1998) and two All Arena First Team honors (1999 and 2000). And he loved playing in the barn.
 Carlos James moves with the Buffalos now, but expects the same kind of winning as before. Image courtesy of Tom Ando |
As far as the Destroyers are concerned, James thinks he can bring a lot to a team looking to build on a late season surge last from last year.
"Hopefully I bring a lot of leadership, provide some knowledge to the game, cause I`ve been playing long enough. And hopefully we can get everything together, and if we can do that, I know we`ll be able to make it to the playoffs and make things happen."
A lot of Destroyers are stoked about James being on the team.
"He brings personality. He brings big plays. He brings experience and that`s real important,” said Buffalo’s WR/LB Bobby Olive. “He`s a true champion. He comes from Iowa, a team that`s used to winning year in and year out. The most important thing he brings is leadership. That`s something we definitely need around here. He`s a great acquisition. I`m glad he`s here and I know no matter what, he`s always got my back. He`s a good guy."
Former Destroyers quarterback Kevin Mason, who is now starting receiver with James and Olive, believes James can push the team. "I think with him, we`ve really increased our chance of going to the ArenaBowl and winning, and that`s what we`re here to do."
Although James thinks highly of the Destroyers chances, he hesitates on the thought of comparing the team to the great ones he played on in Iowa.
"I was pretty spoiled in Iowa. I played with two of the best quarterbacks to ever play in this league (Kurt Warner and Aaron Garcia). We had great linemen, a great offense especially, and that`s the type of stuff that`s going to have to happen.
"Players are going to have to step up and make big plays. It`ll be a surprise to other people, but not to us, because we see it everyday in practice. I`m expecting that we`ll do well; I really am. I like this group of guys; they`re fun, and we`ll see what happens."
"Touchdown" Tom Ando is a free lance writer from South Buffalo, NY and has been covering the Arena Football League in one capacity or another since the 2000 season, when he was 17 years old. Tom Currently writes for Sports & Leisure Magazine in Buffalo covering the NLL's Buffalo Bandits and NCAA Division I football. In 2001, Tom was the only writer in the country to cover the Houston "Travelin' " Thunderbears, where he befriended his mentor John F. "Hondo" Hahn.
