Kats Prepare for Phantom Menace
Charliy Nash
Friday August 3, 2001
Two consecutive bye weeks presented an unusual challenge. The players needed a break, but they also needed to keep focused for the playoffs. Many of the players have begun wearing T-shirts that say “It’s an Attitude Thing” on the front and “Refuse to Lose” on the back. Anyone expecting to see a rusty Kats team on Friday night is in for a surprise. “I think the guys’ blood has been boiling ever since the [Tampa Bay] win,” said lineman Bob “Big Daddy” Gaddy, “We can’t wait to get back on the field. I think Toronto is coming down here hoping that we’re sluggish, that we’ve come back from being off two weeks moving kind of slow, but I think we’ve got a surprise for them. It ain’t going to be that easy.”
One thing the double bye week has done is to allow some injured players to recover. For the first time this season, receivers Cory Fleming, Darryl Hammond, Tyronne Jones, and Jarrick Hillery will all be available and healthy.
Against the Wall
Some observers are pointing to Toronto’s impressive offensive line as a key factor to this game. The Phantoms gave up a league-low nine sacks this season. Just a few weeks ago they were saying the same thing about Tampa Bay. The Storm came into Nashville having allowed only four sacks in 13 games; they gave up four sacks in that game, including two in the first series. The bottom line is that the Kats have seen strong offensive lines this year. Meanwhile, the Phantoms have not had to face a defensive line as brutal as Nashville’s. The obvious cliché would be that this is one of those unstoppable force meeting immovable object situations; it would be more accurately described as an unstoppable force meeting an untested object. Last week against New York the Phantoms only dressed one quarterback. Doing that against the Kats would be a huge mistake.
Waiting for the Ring
For the second time this year Ron Carpenter is preparing for the playoffs. After winning the XFL championship, and being named MVP of the “Million Dollar Game”, he is anxious to add an Arena Bowl ring to his collection. “It’s time to get started, to get this little three game stretch out of the way and get fitted for that ring,” he said. He already has a Super Bowl ring, but the XFL ring has not arrived yet. “I haven’t heard anything about it. We were sized for it and everything, but I haven’t had any notice from anyone as far as when we’re going to get it, if we’re going to get it, or ‘No, you’re not going to get it.’ I’m not holding my breath.”
Here a Coach, There a Coach
Offensive coordinator Marty Lowe has accepted a new position as running backs coach at the University of Texas El Paso. Lowe has been shuttling between El Paso and Nashville, and will continue to work with the Kats as long as they are in the playoffs. The Kats have brought former NFL quarterback Steve Matthews in as an assistant offensive coach to learn the system.
Defensive specialist Robert Davis, who spent this Spring as an assistant coach at Austin Peay State University, will be an assistant coach at Cumberland University starting this Fall.
Charliy Nash has covered both incarnations of the Nashville Kats, and now has make the 2 hour drive to Huntsville for an Arena Football fix. He also covers the Tennessee Titans as a blogger for nfl.com and still hopes this will eventually lead to a paying gig.