R-E-S-P-E-C-T: It’s About T-I-M-E
Adam Markowitz
Sunday March 5, 2006
How’s this for lack of respect? NBC is scheduled to pick up a whopping ZERO Austin Wrangler games this year. From week 11 on, there are a grand total of ZERO Austin Wrangler games that are schedule to be televised live. Heck, no wonder why the Wranglers can’t get any publicity on television! When was the last time we had an article completely focused on the Wranglers here at ArenaFan? Way back on February 12th, 2005.
Never fear Wrangler fans! I will get the Wranglers back on the front page. I’m here to shout at the top of my lungs from the highest mountain I can possibly find what you’ve probably been thinking the whole season… Buried deep in the heart of Texas, there’s a new sheriff in this league. The 5-1 Austin Wranglers ARE for real.
Road Worries or Road Warriors?
The Arena Football League did absolutely no favors to the Wranglers to start the season, giving them six different games in six different cities to start the season, including the most recent five game road trip, which concluded with Saturday’s thrilling 53-52 victory over the Force. These road trips weren’t exactly what you’d call "short" either. Save the trip to Dallas, all of the Wrangler road trips were at least 725 miles away from home. Don’t worry; I did the math for you. Austin’s traveled 8116 miles so far on the season, and we’re only in week 6.
On this road trip, Austin averaged 49.4 ppg, while surrendering only 45.2 ppg. These numbers are absolutely astounding considering Austin’s averages from last season when they went 3-5 on the road were 48.25 ppg and a whopping 55.88 points allowed per game. So what was the difference between this road spurt and last season on the road for the Wranglers?
"We just focused on working together and are coming together as a unit," stated second year WR/DB Kevin Nickerson, who had another outstanding offense performance for the Wranglers on Saturday. Nickerson finished the day against Georgia with nine catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns, earning offensive player of the game honors in the process.
Team Unity
The very first thing that I noticed from the Wranglers sidelines on Saturday afternoon was the fact that each and every person on the Wrangler bench, from the players, to the coaches and trainers was on their feet just about the entire game. It didn’t matter what the situation was, the Wranglers were always into the game from start to finish.
Austin couldn’t have drawn up a worse opening five minutes to any game. After Georgia QB led the Force on a seven play touchdown drive, the ensuing kickoff was mishandled by up-man Derrick Lewis, resulting in a Georgia TD, and a quick 14-0 deficit to dig out of. No problems for the Wranglers. WR/DB Sedrick Robinson scored his first of two special teams touchdowns on a 57 yard kickoff return to quickly cut the Georgia lead in half. Later in the 1st quarter, DS Damon Mason, who leads the league with six interceptions on the season, went down with a minor injury. The very next play, his replacement, Deveron Harper helped cause a fumble to give the ball back to the Wranglers.
Perhaps the backbreaking moment of the game for the Force occurred in the 3rd quarter, a sequence of plays that summed up this season for Austin. The Wranglers, faced with 4th and goal from the 16, trotted on K Todd Sievers to attempt a 30 yard FG. The kick split the uprights, but Austin was penalized for holding. The ensuing 40 yard attempt was deflected by Force OL/DL Jermaine Smith. However, a high bounce off the turf gave Sedrick Robinson enough time to not only catch the ball, but to run it into the end zone for a Wrangler score. If Robinson had gotten tackled before the end zone, the ball would have belonged to the Force because it was 4th down. But the heads up play all over the field gave the Wranglers enough of an advantage to overcome the Force.
Anchoring the Line
Perhaps the most underrated facet of the Arena League as a whole is the battle in the trenches. Austin has amassed six sacks over its first six games, seemingly a pedestrian number. But the quantity of bad passes that pressures create on the quarterback is a big reason why the Wranglers average forcing almost two turnovers per game. In the game against Georgia, the line opened up holes all over the field for the running game, amassing 43 yards on the ground in the first half, making way for three touchdowns on play-action plays in the second half. In all, the Wranglers average a hefty 35 rushing yards per game and have punched in 16 rushing touchdowns. Oh yes, and did I mention that John Fitzgerald is the only starting quarterback in the Arena Football League to have not gotten sacked all season? Veteran Tom Briggs captains the unit, perhaps the best line in Austin’s brief history in the league.
Finally! Home Cookin’!
Here’s your chance Wrangler fans. Finally, with your team spending a month on the road, the Wranglers return to the Erwin Center on Sunday March 12 when they take on the New York Dragons, their first of three straight at home. Overall, it’s seven of nine at home for the Wranglers, including home dates with all of their divisional rivals in a five week span. So say it loud, and say it proud Wrangler fans! Go show the rest of the league that you’re not just another pretender and that the rest of the pack in the South is chasing you now, and has to beat you in your home to change that. For once, don’t give us the chance to talk about what you can’t do and show us what you CAN do instead.
Adam Markowitz is an accountant living in Orlando. Adam is an old school AFLer, having followed the AFL since 1991. He attended or covered well over 200 games, including 17 ArenaBowls. Adam worked for the Arena Football League for two years as a columnist and historian before retiring in 2017 when the 50-yard indoor war left the Sunshine State. Adam still muses about the AFL on ArenaFan from time to time, and you can follow him on Twitter @adammarkowitzea.
