Half-time Lead Scratched Away by SaberCats
John Hoh
Sunday May 20, 2001
Thus is the mood in the Milwaukee Mustangs corral these days as they stare at an 0-5 start for the second time in three years and the third time in franchise history. Not that the Mustangs weren`t competitive. For the first time in 2001 the Mustangs walked into the locker room at half time actually holding the lead in the game!
Too bad the Mustangs would be hurt by three Kevin McDougal turnovers: one fumble and two gift interceptions. The gift recipients, helping Milwaukee again win the time of possession battle, promptly returned both interceptions for touchdowns. Of the two, the second one put the game away.
"I feel like I gave them 14 points," McDougal said. "This game is about the quarterback, and when I don`t play well, it is tough to win, especially against a team like San Jose."
McDougal had a slow start in the first quarter, but was in fine form in the second, rushing for a one-yard touchdown and passing for two more end zone tallies. Meanwhile, San Jose quarterback John Dutton struggled to maintain a 50% completion percentage. Although the Mustang defense only accounted for one sack, they pressured Dutton most of the evening. But it was the Stallion secondary that gave up some big plays.
Down 27-21 starting the second half, San Jose went to work. On the first play from scrimmage, Dutton hit WR/DB James Roe for a 37-yard touchdown pass. The SaberCats elected an onside kick, which was alertly recovered by the Mustangs on the San Jose 12. On the next play, McDougal fumbled the handoff. After the Mustang defense held, Milwaukee got the ball back with a failed field goal. But once McDougal touched the ball, he released it into the opposing arms of Roe, who could have beaten Wade in a five-yard sprint into the end zone.
The Mustangs closed within seven with a 23-yard TD pass to Ashley and a two-point conversion by Lewis. Milwaukee appeared to have recovered the ensuing on-side kick, but the referees called a controversial penalty on the Mustangs for blocking below the knees. The Mustangs lost that argument and the ensuing Papin-touchdown sealed another game lost by the Milwaukee eight.
"They decided that my guy who was going for the ball blocked below the waist," Frazier said. "He did go in low below the kneecaps but he was just stumbling and falling forward. It is a damn shame; that is all I can say. Any more than that and it is five grand (fine)."
The Mustangs actually cut down on penalties as San Jose committed more infractions. Had the Mustangs been able to avoid the three turnovers, the outcome would have been different. The team also moves better on offense behind Kevin McDougal. The factors in McDougal`s eventual effectiveness is how quickly he can re-learn Frazier`s system and that he doesn`t fatigue later in the year after playing a ten-game XFL season.
Next Friday the Mustangs host the surprising Rush, the expansion team from Chicago. Chicago is 2-3; Milwaukee enters the game 0-5.
John L. Hoh, Jr., is a free-lance writer from Milwaukee who grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, as an avid Dolphins fan. He followed Arena Football since its inception, at one point watching tape-delayed games on low-powered WAV-TV in Waukesha. His happiest day was when Milwaukee was awarded the Mustangs franchise; his saddest when the Mustangs were contracted out of the league. John is married to his wife Maija (13+ years) and has a young son, Matthew. John pines for the return of the Arena Football League to Milwaukee.
