A Fireside Chat with the Wildcats General Manager
Eric Tabor
Saturday August 4, 2007
Darren McPhail, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, where he was a member of the football team as a tight end. Out of college, Darren started his career in the sports industry with the Cape Fear Wildcats, and moved with the team to Albany when they became the South Georgia Wildcats in November of 2004. This upcoming arena season will be Darren’s 4th year in the league. After many different positions and responsibilities with the Wildcats, Darren was promoted to General Manager in June of 2006. That move made him the youngest General Manager in arena football. Besides cheering on the South Georgia Wildcats, Darren is an avid sports fan and supporter of the Tar Heels.
Eric Tabor: What interested you in working for the Wildcats? How familiar were you with the af2 prior to joining them?
Darren McPhail: When I finished college at UNC I wanted to work in sports, but I didn’t know exactly what or where that meant. I started with this franchise in Fayetteville, NC when we were the Cape Fear Wildcats. I didn’t know much about the af2 beforehand, but I quickly fell in love with the fast-paced, high-scoring games.
ET: Next season it looks like the Austin Wranglers will be moving to the af2. How do you feel about this?
DM: Interesting to say the least. I feel it would be much better for the Arena Football Family if teams were poised to “move up” from the af2 to the AFL instead of the other way around. However, I do understand the economic model of this league and what kind of strain that can put on owners.
ET: There are rumors about that Alabama might fold at the end of the season. Do you have any comment?
DM: First, I hope they don’t for our own travel purposes. We don’t have very many games in close proximity like Alabama. Also, it’s way too early to draw any conclusion from the talks and rumors. I’ve been around this league for four years and these talks start at the end of every season.
ET: Do you think that the possible sale of the Tennessee Valley Vipers to the Texas group that owns Austin, the Copperheads, and Corpus Christi, would affect the af2 in a positive way?
DM: Once again, if it keeps Tennessee Valley around for a few more years, then it is good for us. Other than that, I don’t really like to speculate on these types of rumors.
ET: One of your big free agent signings, OL/DL Joe Woolridge, has been injured most of the last two months. Do you feel once he is healthy that he and Ed Wrangler will be able to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks?
DM: Joe Woolridge had a great 1st half of the season for us. He was providing constant pressure up the middle for opposing quarterbacks. His injury is one of those “nagging” ones and we never really know how he’s going to feel from day-to-day. We tried to rest him as much as possible leading up to the playoffs in hopes that he could recover as much as possible. When he’s in the lineup our pass rush is infinitely better. Hopefully he’ll be able to make an impact during the playoffs.
ET: Do you have a good relationship with head coach Derek Stingley? How closely do you two work together?
DM: Coach Stingley and I have a great relationship. Working with him on a daily basis has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the season. He also understands the give and take between football and business and between needs and wants. That makes my job a lot easier. He’s moving up the coaching ranks just as quickly as he did as a defensive back in the AFL. Most importantly, he’s a wonderful person first. He treats his players, coaching staff, and our front office staff with the utmost respect. He is a first-class act all the way around.
ET: Do you feel the AFL combine is a good place to look for talent?
DM: I do feel the AFL combine is a good place to look for talent. Anytime you have multiple coaches from the AFL and players from around the world working-out in front of them, their chances of being signed increase exponentially. Coaches can watch all the film they want or talk to other head coaches all they want, but sometimes they just have to see a player themselves to fully understand his ability.
ET: What do the Wildcats have to do better in the playoffs?
DM: In order to make the run that we’re capable of in the playoffs, every unit on the team has to be clicking at the same time. The offense must stay on a roll and limit turnovers. The pass rush must get after the QB while the defensive backs stick with their receiver and make plays on the ball. If this team will play like their capable, everything else will fall into place.
ET: Are you pleased with the fan support the Wildcats have received in their third season? It's a good move making tickets for next season already available.
DM: We have been pleased with the fan support this season. We really were hoping for a home playoff game to reward our great fans. We’ve still got a chance to do that. Obviously, winning solves a lot of problems. This was the 1st time in our 3 years in Albany where our crowds got larger as the season went on. Also, there seemed to be much more of a buzz around Albany about this team and our record. That has to be credited to winning games. We’re also very optimistic that this season will lead to more season tickets, sponsorships, and individual game tickets sold for the 2008 season.
ET: You recently did color commentary for a Wildcats game on radio. Did you enjoy that experience?
DM: I think the Tulsa game was my 4th on the year as far as doing the color commentary on the radio broadcast. That is one of my true loves. If I could find somebody to pay me just to do that it would be like stealing candy from a baby. I do some high school football radio here in Albany and I’ve helped with some college radio in the past.
ET: Do you like that there will be a neutral site ArenaCup this season? If South Georgia doesn't get there, do still think some fans from Albany will travel to the game?
DM: I’m not that big of a fan for the neutral-site championship game. I think we should go back to the old way where the team with the best record hosts the championship game. From a business standpoint, that would be a team in our leagues best chance to make some money off of a game. It also creates more of a sense of urgency in the regular season.