Detroit game has Huge Playoff Ramifications for Firebirds
Matthew Pickut
Sunday July 22, 2001
With a win on Sunday against the Fury, Indiana would secure a bye week as one of the top four teams in the league. A 10-4 record, one less win than last year, would position the Firebirds as the second seed because the team wins tiebreakers against Tampa Bay and San Jose who are the only other teams that could finish with a 10-4 mark for the year.
Before the team can worry about the playoffs, however, they need to beat the Fury. “They’re a very good football team and they’re fighting to make the playoffs,” said Head Coach Mike Dailey, “There is a lot riding on this game for both teams, so it should be a heck of a contest.” Detroit needs a win to get to 7-7 and some help to get into the playoffs. Personally, I would stand a better chance to figure out calculus then playoff possibilities. When it comes down to it, all you can do is win and let everyone else take care of their business.
Speaking of business, that is what K Nelson Garner seemed to be giving the refs after they called a kick wide right when it looked good last week. The kick sailed over the nets, making the call more difficult. “It’s happened four or five times this year,” said Garner. When asked about the possibility of adding extensions to the nets Dailey said, “anything that would help the refs I’m for. I think right now it’s an issue of what’s possible with the nets.”
According to sources, OL/DL Mark Valvo’s surgery to repair a torn bicep went well. Moreover, since the source of the information was Mark Valvo himself, I will take his word for it. “It looks worse then it is [referring to the large brace on his arm], I’ve kind of got a whole robo-cop thing going.” According to Valvo he will be back next year for a ninth season in the AFL, “Yeah, I’ll be back, I can’t go out like this.”
Several Firebirds can set significant marks against the Fury. This week OS Eddie Brown needs only one more TD to reach the 300-touchdown plateau. He already leads the league in scoring and total touchdowns (43). DS Cornelius Coe can further his record-breaking tackle total this week. Last week Coe added another 12 tackles to his total to reach 134. QB Raymond Philyaw’s chance to be the highest rated QB in his first season as a starter rests on having another great week. OL/DL Kyle Brown-Moore will play in his 105th consecutive game in the AFL this week. In a game where players play both ways, that mark says a lot about a player’s determination and heart.
Whether this week’s game is as close as Indiana and Detroit’s first meeting, or a high scoring game like last week, The Firebirds need to finish strong to gain the bye. The advantage of a bye week is not just in your team having a week off, but also in your opponent having to come into your home field after playing the week before. For Indiana, the road to Arena Bowl XV starts in Detroit, a win there and the road for just about everyone else to the Arena Bowl will have to go through Indianapolis. Here’s hoping they have many visitors.
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.
