Playoffs? Playoffs? The Fire Return to the Postseason
Kevin Sedelmeier
Wednesday July 13, 2005
In his second full season as the Louisville Fire’s head coach, Tommy Johnson has once again led the Fire to the playoffs, clinching a postseason birth after Saturday night’s 62-40 win over the San Diego Riptide in Freedom Hall.
Any time your quarterback throws for nearly 300 yards and 7 touchdowns like the Fire’s Matt Sauk did in being named Offensive Player of the Game, it sounds a bit peculiar to say this game was won by the defense, but in a lot of respects, it was.
Lawrence Matthews was one of the stars on offense and defense and was named Army Ironman of the Game. In addition to catching a Randy Moss-like jump ball TD bomb from Sauk, he intercepted two passes from his linebacker position, returning one for the first score of the game. "That was our first goal at the beginning of the year when we all came together in camp was to make it the playoffs, and now we’ve just got to keep doing it week by week in order to go to the playoffs strong."
Matthews is ideal for the jack linebacker position, using his long arms to bat down and pick off underneath passes, and he is feeling comfortable there. "I just became accustomed to playing it. Anyway I can help out the team then I want to do it."
It was a game filled with big plays. Defensive specialist Kabote Siykala recovered a fumble and was part of a defensive unit that caused six turnovers. Why the drastic change in big plays on defense? Siykala, who joined the Fire during the seventh week this season, believes the defensive backfield is starting to gel at the right time. "It all just took for everybody to start clicking at one time," the Congo native said. "We just take each game one game at a time and just play like we did today. We kind of laid off a little because we had a big lead, but once we start playing, nobody can beat us."
Another star on defense was Nate Green, who had a game high 7 tackles and a handful of pass breakups, including two in the end zone to stop a second half San Diego rally. Green attributes the defensive success to another factor. "Honestly, we came out with a chip on our shoulder because we have a little printout from on the Internet that they (San Diego) said their high powered offense was going to come out and expose one of the weakest defenses in the league," said Green. "So, we used that as motivation all week, and we wanted to prove them that we can play ball on the defensive side not just offense."
Green also caught a touchdown reception, and has proven to be an improving target for Sauk, especially in the two-game absence of Rob Mager. "I just want to catch the ball every time it’s thrown to me but then turn around and get some yards but hold onto the ball," said Green. "Try not to fumble because that’s what’s going to kill us." And turnovers are, indeed, what ultimately did in the Riptide. It was fitting that the game’s last score was on a Rob Green interception return for a touchdown. Green, back after a stint on injured reserve, played his most complete game of the season.
There were other standout performances for the Fire. Cesare Manning continued his string of acrobatic catches, and added two more scores and nearly 100 yards. Dennis Fryzel also scored two touchdowns. On one, he took a Sauk screen and with the help of key blocks from Wendell Williams and Marvin Constant juked and out ran the San Diego secondary. And in the third quarter, on the same play the Fire’s Koby Clark sacked San Diego quarterback Kane Claunch and recovered the fumble he had caused.
The only moment of futility for the Fire was in the third quarter when they couldn’t score on four plays from the one-inch line, and the next Louisville possession netted a negative two yards. Aside from that rough stretch, the offense was clicking with Sauk spreading the ball around, throwing touchdowns to five different receivers. Sauk is having his best season in the league and is throwing the long ball again.
Playoffs. Unlike the incredulous almost rhetorical comments of Jim Mora nearly four years ago, the playoffs are no question mark for this year’s Fire. The only question mark is where they will be seeded. They still have a chance to win the division. They are two games out of first, and they will play first place Manchester in week 15. So, there still is much for this team to play for even though they have already locked up a spot in the playoffs.
Into the Fire
OS Rob Mager and FB Demetrius Forney did not dress for the game, but appeared in good spirits on the Fire bench. Forney has a minor knee injury, and Mager is ready to return from an arm infection that landed him in the hospital. Apparently, a spider bite coupled with some irritation from playing was the source of the infection. No word on whether Mager, who is a candidate for rookie of the year, now has the ability to spin webs and nimbly climb buildings.
At halftime, The Great Pretenders returned to perform. The lip-synch duo, who regularly performs at O’Malley’s Corner in downtown Louisville, wore Oscar Gamble-like wigs and "performed" a Motown medley. Three things come to mind when I saw them again. 1. They are passable non-offensive fare, entertainment that all ages can watch. 2. Their accompanying faux applause interspersed through the medley seemed sort of odd, like the laugh track on Scooby Doo. 3. Memories rushed back of the 1988 St. X. Lip Synch mixer, when I was part of a trio that won first prize for Spandau Ballet’s True.
Nate Green was a busy man Saturday night, the Defensive Player of the Game, was also warned by the referee for running a pick off officials during one of his routes. That seems more ingenious than illegal. Oh well, I’m aware of that happening, but I’ve never heard that one announced during a game before.
For the second straight year, a home game fell on the same night as the St. Barnabas picnic. To most, this means nothing. But for a lifetime member of the parish, it poses a dilemma. Maybe I will have to use my tremendous amount of pull in the organization to get the Fire to start playing on the road on the second Saturday of July. And if you believe I have tremendous influence, maybe I will also befriend an alien named Timmy.
Louisville Fire apparel is now available at local Meijer stores. This is a move in the right direction for marketing the team. Previously, it was extremely difficult and at times impossible to get Fire merchandise outside of Freedom Hall on game day.
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.