Former Gladiators Get Destroyers First Win
Marc Viquez
Monday February 9, 2004
Offensive specialist Mike Horacek, now with Indiana, and offensive specialist Coco Blalock, wide receiver/linebacker Sedrick Robinson, lineman Wilky Bazile and kicker Steve Videtich, each with Columbus, were all on the field in Indianapolis after spending parts of the past three seasons with the Gladiators. However, each man found their way to the Midwest after the Gladiators first season in Las Vegas last year.
“Las Vegas was great place to be, but the opportunity wasn’t as well over there,” said Blalock after leading both teams with 145 all-purpose yards. “Columbus opened up a door for me and I had to take advantage of it. It was the same thing as the rest of the guys who came from over there. We just all want to be successful and play”
The opportunity for Blalock and Robinson helped Columbus to a well-battled win against Indiana. Both teams played even in the points category until the fourth quarter when the Destroyers outscored the Firebirds 26-7. It was also in that quarter that Robinson made a catch that you can only make in the AFL.
QB Ryan Vena overthrew his intended receiver and the ball hit the netting and bounced back towards the end zone where Robinson happened to be in the perfect place to make the catch.
“When I saw it leave Vena’s hand I knew it was hot and it was going to hit the net, so I just tried to get into position to catch it. It was just an instinct thing,” said Robinson, who also added some fancy maneuvers en route to a 57-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.
“Me, Steve, Wilky and Sedrick were all in Las Vegas last year and became free agents,” said Blalock, who first joined the Gladiators in 2001. “We had to do the best thing for ourselves and Columbus gave us the opportunity. God works in mysterious ways for a reason and he put us together. It was a blessing. The whole team came together and the whole team was productive. As far as the players from Las Vegas, we had to do the best thing for us and Columbus is definitely the best thing for us”
The former Gladiators players in Columbus find themselves on another team that made a late off-season switch in cities. Last year the Gladiators made their debut in Las Vegas after spending the past two seasons in New Jersey, and this season the Destroyers will not be playing any home games in Buffalo, New York for the first time in team history.
Indiana’s Horacek added two touchdowns in the game, but was held to 59 yards receiving by a Columbus defense that thwarted Indiana’s attempt at a comeback with two interceptions returned for touchdowns and a game saving stand during the final minutes.
“Horacek is great,” said Robinson. “You cannot stop him, you can only contain him and we proved that. He is a great player, but we have a lot of great players here”
“It was fun and I love those guys. I played two years with a lot of those guys and it was fun going against them,” added Horacek.
For a time, I felt like I was back watching the Gladiators, and whether you saw Robinson or Horacek play in Las Vegas or New Jersey you felt a sense of how valuable each man will be for their respective teams this season. As for Blalock, he has nothing but a positive attitude towards his new team this season.
“Las Vegas has some good fans, but it’s going to be nothing like Columbus,” said Blalock. “Columbus is a sport and football city and I can’t wait to play there next week.”
A fan of the sport since 1990 Marc has covered both the New Jersey Gladiators and Cincinnati Swarm (Af2) for Arenafan Online. Marc now resides in Indianapolis after graduating with a Masters in Sports Management from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind. When not at a Firebirds game Marc can be found traveling the Midwest covering sports for various Internet and print publications.
