High School Junior Not Impressed By AFL
Guest Writer
Monday June 10, 2002
Lauren Creamer, a junior at Beverly Hills High School and avid USC football fan, had the opportunity Saturday night to witness her first Arena Football League game. Here are her observations.
The Los Angeles Avengers` Arena Football League game against the San Jose SaberCats began with Chris Jackson returning the opening kickoff 51 yards for a touchdown. Avengers 7, SaberCats 0 and the game had just begun. This sport might even be exciting for a person who hasn`t heard of Arena Football before.
The fast pace of Arena Football makes for an interesting game. By halftime the Avengers were leading the undefeated SaberCats, 30-21. Balls were flying off the nets and back into play when they weren`t ending up in the stands due to the relatively small 50-yard field.
But does half the field mean half the fun? Not for the Avengers. Although Staples Center attendance Saturday night was a far cry from that of the Lakers, Avengers fans were dancing and creating a ruckus even during the penalty-ridden second quarter.
Outstanding fan participation is responsible for much of the excitement of Arena Football. Unlike college football or even the NFL, the Avengers call on their fans to play games and catch a pass or two. Music is constantly playing and contest winners are announced frequently. There is definitely a large entertainment aspect of the game that is somewhat similar to that of the short-lived XFL.
The rules of the game itself are difficult to get accustomed to. Punting is illegal and the clock is only stopped in the last minute of each half for out-of-bounds plays or incomplete passes and otherwise only when the referees deem it necessary. Except for quarterbacks, kickers, and defensive and offensive specialists, most players play both offense and defense. It`s difficult to question the athletic abilities of these players, with nine of the 24 Avengers having spent time on NFL rosters.
Although the experience of attending an Arena Football game in itself is entertaining and exciting, the athletic aspect of the "sport" is lacking. It is absurd that a field goal can be attempted from your own end zone. As Los Angeles seemed to give up, San Jose had the opportunity to come from behind by scoring touchdowns the first three times its offense had the ball in the second half, a rare feat in outdoor football.
The compact size of the field results in frequent scoring and dramatic comebacks, which led to the undefeated SaberCats` 52-33 victory over the Avengers. Wins should be earned throughout the entire game, not just in one half.
Arena Football is definitely a great source of entertainment with some football thrown in. It would be even better if the balance between football and entertainment was shifted more toward football.
