One Minute Miracle Aids Rush
Jeff Sims
Saturday April 1, 2006
The last minute of either half in an arena football game can be one of the most exhilarating moments in sports. The short field, the nets at the end of each endzone, the bounces that can come off of the iron that holds up those nets, and still the good old fashion fumble can change the momentum in a game faster than the time it took you to get to your car because you thought the game was over.
The Chicago Rush, like they have most of this season, fell behind early to the division rival Grand Rapids Rampage this past Sunday. Trailing 24-3 with a little over one minute left in the first half, they had been outplayed in all facets of the game and showed no signs of life.
"The first half was terrible," said Rush WR/DB Cornelius White. "We just couldn’t get in a rhythm. We started off like we have the last few games and that’s why we’ve been losing."
And just when you thought there would be nothing to get excited about, here come the Rush!
Following a Grand Rapids score, kick returner Carlos Wright got the Allstate Arena crowd rocking with a 54 yard return to the Grand Rapids 2 yard line. Three plays later, Rush QB Matt D’Orazio scores on a one-yard run pulling Chicago a little closer.
A couple of plays later, things improved even more as Rampage QB Chad Salisbury completed a pass to Timon Marshall, who was stripped of the ball by Rush DS Jeremy Unertl. Russell Shaw recovered and the Rush were back in business with 12 seconds left.
On the ensuing play, Marshall was called for flagrant pass interference in the endzone giving the Rush another chance to reduce the lead. This was a 34-yard penalty as it occurred within the last minute in the endzone. The half was capped off with another D’Orazio score pulling the Rush within 8 points after a Keith Gispert extra point attempt failed.
"You can get down by 14 or 21 points and all you need is a couple of bounces and you’re right back in the game," said White. "It happens every week. It’s the game of arena football."
It’s certainly something that the Chicago Rush coaching staff drilled into the heads of the team.
"Those were the things we talked about," said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. "We needed to make some plays. We told everyone to be alert in these types of situations. It was the only way we were going to get back in the game."
Having won the coin toss to start the game and electing to receive in the second half, the Rush got the opening drive of the second half and scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass from D’Orazio to Shaw. The lead was now cut to one point 24-23.
A couple of defensive stops and of course, a game that comes down to the final seconds as D’Orazio hit a wide open Cornelius White in the endzone for a Rush touchdown and a 51-44 victory.
"That was the effort we asked for in the second half, and I think we got it," stated Hohensee. "I thought we survived some bonehead mistakes, no doubt about that."
No doubt that those bonehead mistakes will need to be contained as the Rush now take their act on the road for the next three weeks. Smart play will be the key for this team as it looks to solidify a playoff spot in the second half of the season. Continued mistakes such as fumbles, poorly run routes, and inconsistency could find the Rush in a position they have never been in, out of playoff contention.
Coach Hohensee mentioned that this road trip "will be more of a mental game for us and understanding what needs to happen."
The team will need to understand that it needs to put together some full games and not try to pull out the "one minute miracle" each week.
Somebody call Ditka!!
Weekly Notes
This week, the Rush waived kicker Dan Frantz after Keith Gispert returned after missing the first half of the season with a groin injury. It is rumored that either Las Vegas or Nashville could look to pick up Frantz for a playoff run. Frantz was an impressive 8 of 13 on field goal attempts and 32 of 35 on point after attempts.
The Rush picked up WR/DB Bobby Sippio after the Tampa Bay Storm waived him earlier in the week. The Rush used their future considerations portion of the pre-season trade with Kansas City that saw Jacques Rumph sent to the Brigade. Sippio had a disagreement with Storm coach Tim Marcum over the play calling in Tampa’s recent loss to Georgia. It will be interesting to see how he fits in with the Rush at this point of the season.
Rush head coach Mike Hoehensee gained his 99th career victory this past Sunday. He will go for number 100 as the Rush visit the Orlando Predators on Sunday.
Jeff has been writing for ArenaFan.com since 2004. Originally from New York, Jeff has been living in the Chicago area for the past ten years and is an avid football fanatic. He holds a BA in communications from Hofstra University in New York and a sports management certificate from Loyola University in Chicago.