Is this team jinxed?
Dallas Dunn
Monday May 7, 2001
The game started off with Augusta winning the toss and choosing to receive the kickoff. They then went on an 11-play, 42-yard touchdown drive that lasted 7 minutes and 33 seconds. The Wardogs marched right down the field but were stopped short on a 4th and 4. Coach Campbell decided to kick the field goal. The score was now Aug 7, Col 3. The crowd of 2,301 was really into the game at this point. On the next play from scrimmage DL Jackie Rowan sacked QB Jermain Alfred and the crowd was on their feet. You could feel the excitement in the arena as the Wardogs were on the verge of taking off. The first quarter would end with the score Aug 7, Col 3.
But this would not last for long as two plays into the second quarter Augusta scored to make it 14 – 3. Now the momentum had changed and starting QB Chris Perkins need to make something happen to help his team. Well, he made something happen, he threw an interception right into the hands of LB Dirk Lincicome who quickly returned it 44 yards for another Stallions touchdown and the score was now 21 – 3 Augusta. This silenced the crowd and put an end to any change in the momentum of the game.
This was Lincicome’s second interception of Perkins in as many games and both were returned for touchdowns. It just seems that the Wardogs are jinxed. Every time something good starts to happen they shoot themselves in the foot. On the next Columbus possession Perkins fumbled the ball on the 3rd play from scrimmage and Augusta turned it into another touchdown, with 6:33 left in the half the score was Aug 28, Col 3.
Three plays into the next drive Perkins had the exact same result as he committed his 3rd turnover of the day fumbling the snap from center. On the very next play the Stallions scored on a pass from Alfred to Dumas and now the score was Aug 35, Col 3. The crowd was now booing the team and as Perkins came out onto the field the crowd was chanting we want Weaks. Well, Perkins did not disappoint as on the 2nd play he threw another interception and the Stallions took this and scored another TD to make the score 42 – 3. The half would end with this score. The fans, feeling as if they had not gotten a solid effort by their players, would boo the players as they left the field.
Perkins’ stat line for the first half was 7 of 14 for 74 yards with 2 interceptions and 2 fumbles. Not what you would want from your starting QB. Coach Campbell has played musical chairs with his QB’s all season. He has not started the same QB two straight games this season. He needs to decide on one QB and stick with him and Perkins is not the answer.
The second half started with a new QB Jerome Weaks. The team came out very unorganized and totally out of sync. If it were not for Augusta committing fouls on key plays the Wardogs would have turned the ball over. However, Weaks did connect with OS Tyrone Butterfield for Columbus’s only touchdown and final score of the night. The rest of the second half was much like the first, Augusta scored touchdowns on 9 of their 11 drives in the game. The other 2 drives ended with a fumble and a missed field goal try.
The second half saw the Wardogs with no sense of urgency. They took most of the play clock on every play and moved like a beaten team. I spoke with Kenny Hamilton of Columbus, who is a season ticket holder; he said, “I cannot believe they have just quit! I feel like maybe I will quit and not come back, but I love this game and I hope they regroup.”
Another fan, Ron Benson a soldier stationed at Ft. Benning said, “I love this game it is fast and fun but this team needs to do something to win. The offense is playing very sluggish, they are not playing to win.” The fans got ugly as the game got further out of hand with a group cheering Augusta and another group screaming boos at every miscue. On 4th and 10 from the 13-yard line, with the team down 48 – 10, Coach Campbell went for the field goal try. What was left of the crowd stood up and starting booing and screaming, “What are you, quitters?” It was an interesting question considering the score and it being the 4th quarter. In my opinion Coach Campbell was telling his team the game is over we have lost. This team is only playing to their leaders ability. The final score was Augusta 62, Columbus 10.
If this team is going to record its first win it must figure out what is the problem and fix it quick. You can hear the season going down the drain and Coach Campbell needs to find a way to stop it as quickly as possible. The team continued its trend with 12 penalties for 64 yards.
This team seems to have the talent to win, they just need to believe, have the desire, and a lot more luck.
Dallas Dunn has been an Arena Football League enthusiast since he
first attended a Tampa Bay Storm game in 1991. He graduated from Nova
Southeasten University with a Bachelor's Degree in Management. He has
spent the last 18 years in the Army and is currently stationed at Fort
Lewis, Washington with his wife Stephanie. He covered the Columbus
Wardogs during their inaugural season of 2001 for Arenafan and is now
covering the Everett Hawks.