Destroyers-Desperados Preview

This is easily the biggest game in the history of the Destroyer franchise. It is in the playoffs, and in particular the later rounds, where the tradition is built and history is made. This is where the great memories of playing for glory are born and when others are forced to stand-up and take notice. Playing in a due or die situation can bring out the best and worst in a team.

Now off of the soapbox. This is going to be an extremely difficult game for Columbus. In a hostile crowd playing the most dominant team of the regular season Columbus will have to play nearly flawlessly. Columbus' best hope is that Dallas viewed the regular season as the pre-season so hopefully the Desperadoes will overlook the Destroyers as just another stepping stone on the way to their entitled Arena Bowl. If Nagy is sharp, the defense holds a ball-hawk mentality, and they get a few lucky special teams breaks then the Destroyers have a shot.

Destroyers 57- Desperadoes 54

WOOOO-HOOOO

My frequency on this is pathetic. But at least the Destroyers are giving me something great to write about when I do. Last time an entry was made here I started to question Matt Nagy's ability to be the quarterback that Columbus needed to build around, and this game enough reason for him to be the starter next year. Nagy's 73% completion 5 touchdown performance under the pressure of a close playoff game shows some great composure.

As well as the Columbus defense played the reason they won this game was persistence. When they were trading touchdowns they stuck with it. They traded blows and took everything Tampa Bay could give them. It was a game that was so well played by both sides that the only reason it wasn't settled in Sudden Death OT was because of a missed extra point.

I'll provide my preview of next Saturday's Divisional match up with the Dallas Desperados on Thursday or Friday of this week. Until then.... tick, tick, tick, tick.....BOOM!!!

Columbus/Tampa Bay Box Score

Fumble

I have been very lazy lately. Since the Monday Night game I haven't written a post and the Destroyers are a disappointing 2-3 since. The two games against New York and Grand Rapids gave me hope that they could make a run at the third or even second playoff spot. Due to Orlando stumbling as well the Destroyers still can get a home playoff game but will need to really pull themselves together as their next four opponents have a 28-21 record.

Tonight will be a big test as Columbus will have to upset one of the best teams in the league, the Georgia Force, on the road. Columbus hasn't been good on the road this year but hopefully they can circle the wagons after that loss to Dallas and win. The deciding factors in this game will be Columbus' defense and Matt Nagy. Last week Columbus' defense may have done just enough for the offense. This week they need to take the game on their backs and cause a few turnovers. Matt Nagy really hurt the Destroyers last weekend with his two picks. This week the Destroyers need Matt Nagy to be a QB who plays to win, not just a game manager.

Columbus 65 - Georgia 63

Who has the Best Uniforms? (Central Division)

Recently a post was put on ArenaFan.com asking which AFL teams uniform was the coolest, so I decided to do a completely independent unscientific study of it. The criteria includes originality, color scheme, and general style on a scale of 1 to 10. Home and away uniforms will be averaged together for a teams total score. Here is the list. (I'm trying to be somewhat objective) This will be published in four parts, one for each division, I will then pick the best from each division and tell you who has the best.

Who has the Best Uniforms in the Central Division?

Chicago Rush

The Rush are neither great or bad. Just a middle of the road decent. A strong uniform with the classic sleave stripes and standard pants. Any creativity points they get come from the color they use. I couldn't find an official color on their website, I have unconfirmed information that the color may be a reference to the blue collar workers of the city. I only have one major issue with the uniforms. That "R" that faces the back of the helmet. anytime they choose a logo that doesn't make sense on both sides of the helmet bugs me. Anyway, it's minor.

Home 6 Away 5

Average 5.5

Monday Night Football

Tonight is the first and only Monday Night Football game of the season for Columbus. My initial call with Graziani out is that the Destroyers will pull off the upset and take second place in the division.

My reason is that Philadelphia, as good as they are, seem to not be able to take on great competition. At this point many say, "Columbus...Great competition?" and I say "YES!!" Columbus has only taken three loses and two of those are to great teams.

The New Orleans loss was rough as a last second attempt to tie the game was stopped. The Chicago loss could have gone Columbus' direction had they pulled themselves together with 5 minuets to go. The disappointment against Dallas was the greatest meltdown in Destroyer history. This team could be 4-2 or even 5-1 had a few chance incidents gone their way.

Philadelphia is a good team that will make the playoffs but I think they were riding their quarterback. Depending on how long Graziani can't play they may have to face Dallas or Georgia in the first round, which will end their Arena Bowl run real quick. Columbus has defeated the mighty Force and could have beaten Dallas.

Tonight, Nagy has a great game and Gerrald Brown will infuse the great Nationwide crowd with some great defense. This will not be as large a win as last week, but will be much bigger for the franchise. The race for the number 3 playoff spot is on.

Destroyers 65-Soul 59 (The Destroyers will REDOUT the Soul)

Destroyers 72 Wranglers 49

Entering this game I didn't know what to expect. Would we see the team from the beginning of the year that couldn't crack 50, or maybe the team from the last two weeks that could put up a great first half against the best teams in the league and then fall apart to lose it?

Thankfully neither, the Columbus Destroyers put together one of the most complete game I have seen in the AFL this year since Dallas thumped New York in week one.

For the majority of the first half both teams traded scores. 7-7, 14-7, 14-14, all the way up to 28-28 with less than 1 minute to go in the half. McPherson threw the ball out of bounds on third, and the Wranglers missed the field goal. This may not have been such a blow except that as Columbus was moving down the field, trying to make use of this stop, a Wrangler got called for unsporstmanlike conduct. Columbus converted the field goal and took a 31-28 lead. Columbus came out after half time and outscored Austin 21-7 in the third quarter. Matt Nagy and company kept the offense fired up while the defense had three interceptions. By the end of the second the Wranglers had been outscored 41-21.

While the game was one sided I would encourage Wrangler fans to keep heart and McPherson. His interceptions came off of tips and he had a long run for a touchdown late in the game that made my heart skip a beat. If his defense could have given him a stop or two this would have been a whole different ball game.

The most encouraging part of this win was that Columbus had a better second half than first. If this team can keep playing like this they could finish 11-5 or 10-6. I also take some pride in that the 72-49 final was only 7 total points away from my prediction of a 67-52 final, and almost as important is that the attendance was higher than 14,000 (15,121).

The importance of this game cannot be overrated as next week Columbus will have to play the mighty Soul(4-1), at Tampa Bay (1-6), then home against New York(1-5) and Grand Rapids(2-4). That is a four game stand in which Columbus could conceivably go 4-0 over three home games.

At the end of the night, I think the AFL should have realized that the Columbus Destroyers may be able to make a deep playoff run or be a dark horse Arena Bowl team this year.

Arena football: Is it America's fifth major sport?

Recently USA today ran an article asking Arena football: Is it America's fifth major sport?