Fire Show Character in Win
Kevin Sedelmeier
Monday April 12, 2004
Odds are Sauk is not alone. The team that had so much trouble last season finishing games, came up big at the end for a change. No play was bigger than Dennis Fryzel’s reception in the last minute of the game. On the Fire’s own 21-yard-line, he wrestled the ball from Hawaii’s Eddie Klaneski to maintain possession and help seal the victory. He downplayed the catch, saying “That’s what I’m paid to do.” But the truth is, it was an act of sheer determination. While Fire fans are used to that from veteran Fryzel, who says he relies on “intangibles like hard work and fearlessness” to elevate his scrappy play, newcomers also showed a strong desire to win for a franchise that has had its share of trouble winning tight games in its four-year history.
Fire newcomer Ryan Russell set the tone early with a 55-yard TD on the opening kickoff.
“I didn’t know how many opportunities I was going to get the whole game, so I just wanted to try and make the most of every time I touched the bal,” said Russell. Like Fryzel, Russell plays with bold abandon.
It wasn’t until time ran out in the second quarter that the Fire would score again. Fryzel took a Sauk pass and fought for yards before laterally to Mike Mills (the former Western Kentucky University defensive back who also had a crucial fourth quarter interception not the bespectacled bassist from R.E.M.) who tossed it to Nick Rogers, a lineman who rumbled and shed tacklers before diving into the end zone with 0:00 on the clock. It was a huge momentum shift to go in the locker room only down 21-14.
The second half picked up where the first ended for the Fire. On the Islanders’ first play from scrimmage, the Fire’s Jason Ferguson sacked Hawaii’s Darnell Arceneaux, causing a fumble that Fryzel landed on in the end zone for a touchdown. That made it a tie game 21-21. The two teams would exchange scores and leads the rest of the way. The Fire’s offense became the Tony Stallings Show in the fourth quarter. The highlight: taking a Sauk screen, Stallings ran with both nifty footwork and bruising authority down the sideline before losing his helmet on the five yard line when he continued to run, ultimately falling, helmet less under a pile of Islanders.
“I had no idea what to do,” said Stallings. “I just said ‘I better keep running like I’m wearing it.’ I just wanted to win.”
Referring to Stallings, Head Coach Tommy Johnson said, “The kid won’t come down.”
Sauk agrees. “I’ve never seen a wide receiver run that hard.”
Getting Stallings screens and direct handoffs, especially from the motion position is something offensive coordinator Chris MacKeown did a nice job of Saturday night. Whatever it takes, getting Stallings the ball is vitally important to this team.
While there were the before mentioned offensive sparks, it was the defense that held formidable Islander QB Arceneaux to just 17 of 41 passing. Although he had a couple nice runs, he was held in check for most of the night. While Corey Wallace did a solid job of keeping the receivers he was on quiet throughout the night, a large amount of the defensive credit goes to Fire defensive specialist Justin Thomas, who recorded 10 solo tackles and nine pass break-ups. He overcame a couple of plays early in the game when his man got open deep, but Hawaii was unable to convert.
“My coach told me before the game what makes a good player is how he can forget the last play and go on to the next play,” said Thomas.
Besides his defensive acumen, Thomas, a former wide receiver who was converted to defensive back as a sophomore at U of L, sparkled on special teams as well.
“Special teams is all pride,” he said. “It’s how much heart you have. So if you’ve got more heart than the next guy, you’re going to make the play every time.”
Part of the special teams success also goes to kicker Marc Samuel, who hit four or five PATs, one field goal, and launched kickoffs that were perfect for good coverage or yielded no return opportunities at all.
In the end, the team did show heart. Fryzel says there’s a “quality of character on the team this year.” He believes there are “no ‘me’ attitudes.” That showed Saturday night. Perhaps this new attitude is in part due to the in flux of new faces on the roster.
“These guys know how to win. They want to win,” says Johnson.
If Johnson’s pre-season prediction that the Fire would win 10 games this season sounded lofty a month ago, it suddenly seems attainable now. Indeed, this is a different group.
Sure, it sounds clichéd, like some sports marketing push for a baseball team “We play hardball” or a basketball team “It’s a whole new ballgame,” but the fact of the matter is: this is not the Louisville Fire you used to know. And according to Tommy Johnson it’s “One down and nine to go. One step at a time.”
It may have been just one step, but in some ways it was more like a giant leap.
Smoke Signals
Hawaii’s WR Gabe Amey is one tough guy. Sure, he’s got the tools of a great receiver – good hands, good speed – and he had over a 100 yards receiving. But what was more impressive is that twice he flipped over the end zone walls making spectacular attempts at touchdown catches, and he got up quickly both times. Thankfully, he was fine as was QB Arcenaux, who was pushed over the wall as he lunged to break the end zone plane on a QBs sweep. The hockey rink configuration of the end zone walls doesn’t seem like a good idea. It takes important space out of the end zones where every inch is needed.
Despite the fact that the Fire requested fan input on what song should be played when the team takes the field, it was a song-free and less than ceremonious introduction. While we don’t necessarily need motorcycles or fireworks, the Talking Heads’ Burning Down the House would be nice. Or here’s a promotion idea. Play Something’s Burning by The First Edition and let fans who look like Kenny Rogers get in free.
The National Anthem was blemished by P.A. problems, as the mic cut out several times on a young vocalist, who was a trooper through the sound system inadequacies. Similar sound problems, unfortunately, didn’t mar Yanni’s recent performance at Freedom Hall.
At halftime, Fire GM Dave Arnold was nearly trampled by a huge throng of eager children taking the field in an Easter egg hunt. Luckily, he made it to safety. Perhaps some of those kids were already enjoying the Kids Zone area. If so, maybe those kids’ parents weren’t. Apparently, there was some problems getting tickets for certain attractions. Maybe when there is no egg hunt pandemonium, the logistics of getting attraction tickets will be smoother.
Tony Stallings’ brave play taught the fans a lesson. If your helmet comes off in arena football and you have possession of the ball, you are down. Problem is, even the players didn’t know that. Here’s a thought AFL home office, send a memo out to remind players of this somewhat obscure rule. It could honestly spare someone serious injury.
It never ceases to amaze me what people will do for free stuff. When shirts are thrown in the stands, OK, I can see an understandable sense of eagerness. At least, it’s a practical item. But between the Radio Disney, Toys ‘R Us, and cheerleader give-a-ways, fans clamor for whatever item is being tossed, regardless what it is. Who can’t do without seven plastic tumblers? That being said, when I take my son to a game (he’s only two and a half), I guess I’ll have my hand out to.
The Fire promote parking passes included in the season ticket passes as a real perk. But they raised the prices. For instance, if you paid $80 last year, you are paying $120 this year. OK, so 8 passes at $5 each makes up the difference. Not really. People who have seats together often ride together. Fathers bring their sons; families tend to drive together. So, really the fan looses out on this supposedly good deal. Now, I’m no Math major, but this really isn’t such a great deal.
Because of the exciting nature of the victory, I felt no urge to add any Jack Lord reference to this article about the Hawaii game. Frankly, we all win when that happens.
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.