Why can`t the Firebirds Score? No Comment.
Matthew Pickut
Friday June 28, 2002
Sometimes no comment is the strongest comment of all. At 4-6 and facing the Grand Rapids Rampage, who happen to possess the league’s top passer, both in yards and rating, the Firebirds’ haven’t seemed to be the same team they were a year ago. The six losses through eleven weeks exceeds by one their loss total for all of last year. The defense, ranked fourth in the league in scoring allowed manages to keep opponents off the boards, but the offense, ranked tenth in the league, cannot take advantage of the defensive play. Last week against Arizona the offense only managed a meager 14 points, eight of which came on special teams (one kick return and two PAT’s).
Injuries have plagued the Firebirds since the beginning of the year. With key Firebirds like DS Cornelius Coe, FB/LB Leroy Thomas, K Nelson Garner and OS Eddie Brown spending time on the shelf due to injuries, there has been no room for error. With the loss of WR/LB Greg Hopkins last year to free agency the team struggled to find a replacement for the two-way stalwart. WR/DB Gary Compton started the season by earning the Ironman of the Game award for week one but the Firebirds released him several weeks later, citing a need to go in a new direction. Compton, now playing for Grand Rapids, contributes to the Rampage to the tune of 10 TD’s and almost 80 yards per game. In addition, the Firebirds just released WR/DB Terrence Davis last Thursday. WR/DB’s Van Johnson, and Jay Jones continue to provide QB Raymond Philyaw with viable targets, but for some reason scoring remains down.
According to Coach Dailey, the team continues to give the effort, but the answers still elude the team. “It’s been really good. We’ve continued to play hard,” said Dailey, ”and put in the effort that’s needed to be successful in this league but we’re just not getting it done.”
Sometimes to get the right answers you have to ask the right questions. Here, in my opinion, are the top 5 questions the Firebirds need to answer if they have any chance at the playoffs this year.
5. Do these pants make my butt look big? Sorry, that’s the number 5 question I ask myself every day before I leave the house. My mistake.
4. Can a team win with so many injuries? I know the team would never use it as an excuse, but the rash of injuries seems to have kept the team from finding its rhythm all year.
3. Does giving an Oscar to Denzel and Halle really mean that the people are starting to look at actors and actresses of color seriously or is it just something the academy did to increase interest in their lame award show? Alright, maybe not that question exactly but there is definitely something not football related to the Firebird’s slide. How else can you explain all that talent and a 4-6 record?
2. Withheld -- Declared unconstitutional by the ninth circuit of the supreme court an appeal is pending
1. Where did all the scoring go? All the individual stats remain good with Philyaw running the offense (sixth in passing rating, second in total net yards, total passing yards, and total yards per game, but the scoring just isn’t there.)
Without some answers, the seasons’ final four weeks will be over and the biggest question the Firebirds will be asking is what time they tee off, instead of who they face in the first round of the playoffs.
Mind you I’ll be worrying about my butt all summer long.
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.
