Fire Lose to Tulsa … But Still Win
Kevin Sedelmeier
Monday July 28, 2003
In a game that began with an uneventful scoreless first quarter, Fire QB Pookie Jones scored on a quarterback sneak on the first play of the second quarter; it was one of the better offensive play calls all season. “These fans are amazing,” Jones said. “It was really electric today, and we came out a little tight because we wanted to win so bad for the fans.” With the defense expecting a pass inside the ten-yard line, Jones scampered in untouched. Later in the second quarter, however, Jones was stopped short on a fourth in short sneak.
It was that type of game; both teams had trouble stringing together consecutively well-executed possessions. The half ended on a Marc Samuel field goal, which barely got off before the buzzer, making the score 14-10. For a second, it looked like someone on the Fire staff had taken a page from the Dennis Green school of clock (mis)management, but the kick went off smoothly, if not very deliberately, to end the half. And while they never led during the second half, the Fire responded, never trailing by more than two scores. Jones’ team-record 45-yard touchdown run that narrowed the gap to 24-17 was one of the most exciting plays of the season.
As they have over the last three weeks, the team played with heart. They didn’t get down and let adversity (turnovers, bad breaks, penalties) take them out of the game, physically or mentally. “They say football is 90% mental and 10% physical,” Head Coach Tommy Johnson said after the game. “Arena football is 95% mental and 5% physical.”
So what, specifically, was the difference in attitude attributed to? According to solid, hard-working fullback/defensive lineman Demetrius Forney, it’s all about teamwork. “We just came together and decided on whether we’re going to win as a team and we had to play as a team. That’s the only way you can get the job done. And we had to believe in everybody.” Similarly, when Jones returned from a long shoulder injury, he noticed that players were not holding hands in the huddle. Once he changed that, Jones believes that’s when the team started to act more like a family. “Hey, I want to fight for this person next to me,” he said about the players’ attitude in the new huddle arrangement.
Indeed, this team showed fight at the end of a disappointing season. They didn’t pack it in. That shouldn’t, however, be a surprise for a team led by Johnson and Jones. As the season ended, Pookie Jones was all smiles, “I’m so tickled that my son got the chance to watch me play.” No doubt watching a decade-old videotape of the Peach Bowl is not the same as seeing your dad, in person, scoring touchdowns.
Today in sports talk TV and radio, you hear a lot about “character guys” or the lack of them in professional sports. The Fire has plenty, and their QB Pookie Jones is definitely one of them. If Jones stays, this team should easily surpass this year’s five-win total. Maybe double it.
Smoke Signals
For 2004, Fire season ticket holders will get a parking permit to the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. A savings of $40. Parking is expected to increase from $4 to $ 5 before the start of next season.
The Indianapolis Colts mobile museum that travels through the state of Indiana during the summer made a stop at Indiana Beach last week. Located in Monticello, just a half hour or so from Purdue University, Indiana Beach is often the amusement park of choice for Colts and Bears fans. In addition to cheerleaders and a giant inflatable Colt player, the In Motion exhibit includes a walk-through museum. Across from Peyton Manning’s locker and a Johnny Unitas display is a Colts wall of fame. There with Eric Dickerson and a handful of others was Louisville Fire owner Will Wolford. Although he’s better known for his seven seasons with the Bills, Wolford’s three years with the Colts were enough to earn him a spot on the prestigious wall.
Kevin Sedelmeier is a native Louisvillian. A graduate of the University of Louisville with a B.A. in Communication and M.A. in English, he works as a technical writer and has written fifteen screenplays and numerous short
stories. He lives with his wife Elizabeth, son Lukas, and their dog Springsteen.