Riptide must win to remain in playoff picture
Keith Antigiovanni
Saturday July 12, 2003
The Riptide`s task tonight at the MARK is simple but not easy and when head coach Cree Morris is asked about intimidation in relation to this game, he laughs. "We just have to play the way we did against Wichita two weeks ago," Morris said. His comments could be taken as arrogance the tone in his voice was more confidence than anything else. This was nowhere Joe Namath`s legendary guarantee before Super Bowl III but more like, Hey lets just play our game and things will fall into place. Your could almost hear Morris saying `Hey, those guys are human, (Quad Cities) put their pants on one leg at a time, etc, etc.`
Maybe its better San Diego does not focus on the statistics as the Riptide are coming off a much needed bye week after defeating Wichita two weeks to break a five-game losing streak. While the `Tide recuperated the Steamroller juggernaut thrashed hapless Green Bay 75-29.
As if San Diego needed to give Quad Cities any motivation to win, they will be facing one of their former teammates, Brian Berg. Berg, a member of the Steamrollers, has mixed feelings about tonights game. "There`s a couple of players on the team (Riptide) that I want to get after and prove my dominance and the rest of them are a bunch of my boys and with them I really dont want to see anyone have to lose." Berg said.
"Its going to be fantastic and a great opportunity with this match-up," Morris responded in his usual optimistic tone. Berg also had the usual I want to make the coach regret cutting me comments.
Going up against a former teammate can be a motivation for both sides but in this case the Riptide must not get caught up in the personal storylines. They just need to win.
Keith Antigiovanni is a free-lance writer in San Diego, California. He has worked for several local newspapers covering sports, government and business. Keith started writing in 1995 after graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Mass Media Communications from the University of San Diego. Aside from working as a sportswriter he has a side business of providing marketing assistance/research for small businesses and also directs,produces and hosts a regular public access television show on Time-Warner Cable named "San Diego Yesterday". Antigiovanni is also a member of the San Diego Sportswriter Association.
