White Downplays Dallas Connection
Patrick Daly
Friday May 17, 2002
Rattlers head coach Danny White spent 13 seasons at quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys, and also spent time as the team’s punter. The Cowboys own the Desperados franchise, so it’s easy to assume that there’s a connection for White. However, in his eyes, this trip to Dallas represents nothing more than a division game on the road.
“We went back [to Dallas] twice in the early years of the Rattlers and nobody made a big deal about it,” White said. “I don’t know why it’s such a big deal all of a sudden, other than the fact that the team is owned by the Cowboys. I guess maybe that makes a difference.
“It’s just a road trip. That’s all it is as far as I’m concerned. I’m going to be in the hotel, in my room, watching John Wayne movies and studying my game plans, just like I always do.”
Dallas is an expansion team in name only. After Chicago and Detroit made the playoffs as expansion teams last season, Dallas has followed suit with a strong early showing at 2-2. The Desperados stocked up with solid signings and expansion draft picks that have made an impact.
“It’s a misnomer,” White said. “Any time you’ve got Andy Kelly as your quarterback and Tom Briggs on the line, you can’t call yourself an expansion team. They have caught up with the rest of the league in two weeks. They’re doing everything everybody else is doing. They’ve got all of the coverages; they’ve got all of the plays, offensively. They do all the tricks. They’ve got everything. The only rookie on that team is [head coach] Joe Avezzano.”
At 3-1, the Rattlers sit one game behind the division-leading San Jose SaberCats, who are off to a league-best 4-0 start that includes an opening week win over Arizona. The SaberCats haven’t shown any signs of slowing down, so grabbing a win on the road against a division opponent is important.
“We’ve got to keep up with them,” White said. “There’s no question about it. It’s got to come down to that last game against them here [in Arizona]. They’ve got a little bit of a cushion. They’ve got the luxury of being able to lose one.”
Defense specialist Cecil Doggette has missed the last two games after a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury, but he’s made a quick recovery. Doggette practiced with the team this week and could be activated for the game in Dallas. However, White could play it safe and he won’t make the decision until Saturday.
“It’s a possibility,” White said. “He wants to play real bad. That’s one of those things that you don’t want to rush, because that MCL could be a little weak still and you run the risk of tearing it if you’re not careful. We won’t take any chances.”
After the opening week loss, the Rattlers have built some momentum early in the season with three straight wins. Last week in Georgia, the Rattlers took control early in the game and knocked off a potentially dangerous Force team.
“It was our best victory of the year,” White said. “We were kind of close to perfect on offense. Two plays kept us from being perfect on offense. Defensively, we were much improved. They scored six touchdowns in eleven possessions. That’s the best we’ve done all year, so we’re getting better. As long as the offense keeps playing like it does, and the defense continues to get a little bit better, we’re going to be a good team by the time the season is over.”
Players to watch
OS Chris Horn, Arizona—After last week’s performance, 12 catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns, Horn only continues to improve. Expect to see his name here every week.
QB Andy Kelly, Dallas—The Desperados made a smart move when they signed this former Nashville Kat during the offseason. Kelly helped lead the Kats to two straight Arena Bowl appearances—not a bad place to start a new team.
OL/DL Stacy Evans, Arizona—Evans had a breakout game last week in Georgia with two sacks and a blocked kick. Strong line play continues to be a necessity for the Rattlers.
OS Dialleo Burks, Dallas—Burks has found himself as one of the primary weapons in the Dallas offense, with seven touchdowns catches this season
Patrick Daly has been an Arena Football League enthusiast since he first stumbled across the late-night ESPN broadcasts and has followed the Arizona Rattlers since their inaugural season in 1992. He graduated from Arizona State University with an engineering degree and is currently a member of a web development team for Direct Alliance in Tempe. Patrick currently resides in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, Arizona with his beautiful wife, son and a very large football helmet collection.
