Slow and Steady Wins the Game for Indiana
Matthew Pickut
Tuesday May 7, 2002
Most scoring for New York came on the big plays with the Firebirds racking up a huge advantage in time of possession. OS Steve Pappin gained 209 yards in kick-off returns alone, a fact that kept New York in the game despite getting 24 less plays on offense (55 vs. 31).
Firebirds’ head coach Mike Dailey admitted that his special teams play needs work. “I can’t hide it. I can’t deny it. I thought we were poor on special teams.” He also admitted the team needed to work on the entire game as well. “We were sloppy in week one. We came back and played hard, did some good things last week, came out this week and had some ugly plays… It’s not just one individual; it’s a team thing.”
One area of play that impressed the coach was the defensive backfield. “They were flying around, and physical,” said Dailey. “I thought we played well on defense other than a couple things here and there; we had a couple blown assignments.”
Newcomer to the starting backfield DS Dejaun Alfonzo played well enough to prove he belongs in the starting lineup. “I think he’s a good player and he’s a professional. He’s a young guy and one of the things a young player has to develop is that urgency to play and practice hard,” Coach Dailey commented. “He’s sports smart and position smart and that’s what he worked hard and done, not only in his physical development, but in his mental development as well.”
Alfonzo came into the season hoping to get time at WR/DB. “I’d didn’t think I’d get the opportunity to come in and play DS,” recalled Alfonzo, “but I worked hard in the off season with Eddie and Ray. We worked real hard and I knew when my opportunity came I could get in there and play.”
OS Eddie “Touchdown” Brown lived up to his nickname once again, catching four touchdowns, all in the first half. Brown’s 84 yards put him above 11,000 receiving yards for his career, joining San Jose’s WR/DB Barry Wagner as the only player to do so. “A great competitor, a guy who understands and has a sense of making a play,” said Dailey after the game. “That’s how he earns his money.”
 Eddie Brown warms up on the field, too Image courtesy of |
On offense OL/DL Rick Hall saw time at FB gaining nine yards on three carries. “He’s big,” said Dailey of the Firebirds’ version of “Slash,” “but everybody out there these days are big too.” For his part Hall, who says he runs the forty in five flat (although his teammates suggested it`s closer to 5.5), felt good about his performance. “I got positive yards this week, so that`s real good. They say I’m a utility man.” I would personally like to thank the Firebirds for giving Hall the ball and I look forward to more ‘big guys running’ this season.
Next week the Firebirds travel to Toronto to face the Phantoms. With some hard work, maybe they can take care of the sloppy play, because in this league full of big plays, sometimes the Hare comes in first.
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.
