From Small Things Big Things One Day Come
Kevin Sedelmeier
Wednesday May 25, 2005
Thanks to a defense holding penalty, the Fire, trailing 47-43, got a second change to score from the Florida 3-yard line, but a Matt Sauk pass fell incomplete in the end zone. He was flushed from the pocket and scrambled, but that close to the end zone, especially a curved end zone like the Fire has, there isn’t much real estate. Sauk finished with a big game that included 315 yards passing and six touchdowns, but that was little consolation to the fiery competitor who threw down his helmet in disgust at the end of the game.
It was a particularly tough loss for the Fire, who have lost three games in a row after a 4-0 start. Although they have been against good teams (Manchester, Green Bay, and defending Arena Cup champs Florida), it is still a slide the team needs to get out of as quickly as possible. If you just look at the statistics, the Fire should have won the game. They had seven more first downs than Florida, eighteen more plays from scrimmage, won the turnover game 3-1, and had only five penalties for 36 yards compared to the Firecats 12 for 60 yards. So how do you put your finger on the loss?
OS Rob Mager, who had four touchdowns to go with his 10 catches and 134 yards receiving, said, "We know where we’re at. We know we’re a good ball club. We’ve just got to stay together as a team and keep moving forward and get better."
Rob Green, the Fire’s DS, who had an interception, admitted that overall the team isn’t playing poorly, but there is room for improvement. "We had plenty of changes to seal the deal, and we didn’t do it," he said. "We had some dropped passes and some blown coverages and offsides penalties."
The Fire’s sure-handed Denis Fryzel, who tied a team record with 14 receptions against Florida, said the Fire needs to "pay better attention to detail." "We did almost everything right. Two or three plays that we mess up on – that’s what makes you lose."
Coach Tommy Johnson agreed with his players. "We’re dropping too many balls, and we’re still jumping offsides at the wrong time." Johnson, who remains calm and in control at all times on the field, knows there is no magic elixir to cure his team’s recent woes. "If we don’t eliminate these things, then we’re going to continue to lose games by that many points (3). We’ve got players who can make plays, and they’ve got to make those plays.
"We’ve got to do the small things," Johnson added. However, that is an attainable goal. "It’s tough not to get down (after a tough loss) , but it’s your job," Green said. "Being a professional you’ve got to be able to turn the page." Turning that page starts this week in practice as the team prepares for the Albany Conquest’s visit to Freedom Hall on Friday. Chances are concentration and focus will be heightened this week in drills as the team tries to get back on the proverbial right track.
And maybe this week, the Fire can eliminate the need for a warbling fat lady and put the game away by halftime. But then again, a win of any sort would be welcomed to this team right now.
Into the Fire
Hats off the Florida’s Steve Gorrie. His five carry, 55 yard rushing performance was one of the best you will ever see in arena football. The tough fullback had impressive runs in each carry expect for a third and short attempt when he was stopped by the Fires’ sparkplug Demetrius Forney.
Fan favorite Tony Stallings was not activated for last Saturday’s game. He wasn’t hurt, but there was a reason. The Fire’s WR was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL and will report to their training camp later this week, competing for the starting tailback job. "I’ve got an opportunity to make that team, and that’s all I ever wanted," he said after the game in between embracing fans who came over to wish him well. "I couldn’t ask for a better situation. There’s no big time name there, and everybody has to prove themselves," he said. Calgary does look like a good spot. Their leading rusher last season had less than 500 yards.
Cesare Manning, who looks to be Stallings’ replacement at the team’s main kick returner, looked Stallings-esque on a forth quarter return, as he made an incredible spin move to avoid a tackle. He went in the end zone, but they ruled that he touched the boards on the 11-yard line.
Saturday as the team spent preparing for the game, I was driving home from Fort Walton Beach, Florida. (Its beach is one of the best places on earth, and no, I didn’t get a kickback from the Emerald Coast’s tourism commission for saying that.) I drove through Coach Tommy Johnson’s old stomping grounds – Niceville, Florida. In nearby Destin, they have a street named Danny Wuerffel Way that intersects with Hwy 98 by the Destin Commons shopping complex. Maybe some day, Niceville could do something similar for their hometown hero.
Maybe Nigel Tufnel was in attendance on Saturday because the volume of the PA system was noticeably louder than it had been all season. Unfortunately, someone had turned it up to 11.
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.