Six things to watch for at Conseco Fieldhouse

Matthew Pickut
Friday April 13, 2001

1. Big Hits – Cornelius Coe and Cedrick Walker only have one responsibility: defense. From the way they played this preseason, we can expect some big hits tonight. Nothing gets an arena more pumped then a big hit (and I’m not talking about the next indistinguishable N’Sync single). The defensive backfield will be tested this week against Grand Rapids’ quarterback Clint Dolezel who has three of the top five passing games in AFL history, including a record-breaking 479 yard performance against Milwaukee in 1999.
   
   
2. Raymond Philyaw running the ball – Philyaw won the starting job at QB, and he has the extra tool that makes coaches sweat: he can run. You don’t have to just cover him as a passer; he can tuck it in and make things happen. In the last preseason game his 8-yard scramble for a touchdown showed why defenses will have to take him seriously as a double threat.
   
   
3. The guy in the press box trying not to cheer – that will be me. They say it’s unprofessional to cheer in the press box, so I’ll try not to do it. I’ve been waiting for years to live close enough to an AFL team to attend its games regularly. I lived south of Buffalo New York, but moved to Indiana just a year before the Destroyers came to town. I’ve followed this game from afar ever since my brother first told me about the first Sport’s Illustrated story that appeared about the league back in the late 80’s. So if you do see me cheering, please don’t tell. I’ll try harder to be professional next week.
   
   
4. More touches from Eddie Brown – I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m guessing “Touchdown” Eddie Brown will see more action this week. After returning from a year of retirement, Brown still has what it takes to make defenses plan around him. Having a player beside him like Van “SuperVan” Johnson, who caught last week’s game winning pass, can only make Brown more dangerous.
   
   

   The magnificant lobby of Conseco Fieldhouse in Indiana Image courtesy of T. R. Knight

5. Loud fans – One thing you can be sure of this week is that the fans will be ready. Last week’s crowd of 8,192 prompted Coach Dailey to say, “This was a spectacular crowd and this (Conseco Fieldhouse) is a spectacular building. I’ve had the good fortune to be in every arena in this league for twelve years. I believe that Conseco Fieldhouse is the best arena in the United States.” This week the Rampage will face a larger, more excited crowd for opening day. Last week the fans were into the game as soon as the Firebirds took the field. Seven-foot high flames surrounded the players as they struck a pose and then ran across the turf. Not exactly David Copperfield stuff, but a nice effect in the darkened arena. My one question though is this: Why no flames for Coach Dailey? What is up with that?
   
   
6. Family coming over and enjoying the holiday weekend together – oh, sorry that’s something to watch for at my house this weekend. There won’t be nearly the crowd but if anyone gets in my way as I go for the mashed potatoes, there will be some big hits. Happy Holidays everybody!
   
   
    
   
   Matthew Pickut is a pastor in northern Indiana and a long time AFL fan. He also writes for his own website: The Brown Paper Blog. He graduated from Taylor University in Upland Indiana (class of `96) with degrees in Biblical Literature and Sociology as well as a healthy respect for the medicinal properties of coffee.