Grizzlies glad to be home
Published Friday, May 2, 2008
It was a reunion as much as a practice on Thursday night for the Fairbanks Grizzlies.
The eighth-place team in the Intense Football League got reacquainted with the Carlson Center, where they had not practiced in 3 1/2 weeks and hadn’t played since downing the Odessa (Texas) Roughnecks 22-17 on March 22.
“I’m must looking forward to being at home playing in front of the fans,’’ said linebacker Donnie McCumby during a break in a drill. “I’m just looking forward to getting a win.’’
The phrase “home sweet home” has a true ring for the 1-6 Grizzlies, because they play host to the winless San Angelo (Texas) Stampede Express at 7:05 Saturday night to kick off a four-game homestand, and they didn’t get many practices on the road during a four-game trip to Texas and Anchorage over the last five weeks.
“No practice, no execution,’’ wide receiver Solomon Jones said during a water break. “No execution, pretty much no motivation going into the game. So I’m happy to be home practicing on our field.”
It was particularly difficult to get in a practice after the long flight from Fairbanks to Texas.
“You travel basically all day when you go down to Texas,’’ said quarterback Damion Ward, “and then you get in there and you’ve got to get some rest because you’re tired and you’ve got jet lag. You’re just trying to get adjusted to the time (zone change). We might be able to have a little walk-through and little time before the game to get some practice in.”
Its last appearance in the Carlson Center was also the last time Fairbanks experienced a victory. They went 0-3 in Texas, falling to the Frisco Thunder 66-55 on March 29 and dropping a pair to the Corpus Christi Hammerheads, 63-51 on April 5 and 55-37 last Saturday. The Grizzlies also lost 64-20 to the Alaska Wild in Anchorage on April 10.
Besides helping his team reacquaint itself Thursday with its home field, head coach John Fourcade worked on timing between the Grizzlies receivers and Ward, who’s scheduled to make only his second start of the season on Saturday night.
Ward, an indoor football newcomer who is filling in for Bo Bartik while he recovers from neck and knee injuries, completed 23 of 43 passes for 215 yards. three touchdowns and two interceptions against Corpus Christi last Saturday.
On the season, the native of Los Angeles is 37-for-68 for 372 yards with six TDs and five interceptions in three games.
“It’s been an adjustment, because I’m used to playing 11 on (the field per side),’’ said Ward, who played semipro football last fall for the Inglewood (Calif.) Blackhawks.
There are eight players on each side of the ball in the indoor game, which is played on a 50-yard field.
“Coach is helping me to learn the game, and I’m basically just trying to learn the game,’’ Ward said. “Hopefully, it will slow down for me a little bit.
“It’s getting more and more fun out here, and I guess my progress is slowly but surely.’’
The Grizzlies hope to slow down an 0-6 Stampede Express that will playing its second game in six nights. San Angelo lost 64-33 to the Wild on Monday night after leading 13-6 in the first quarter in Sullivan Arena.
San Angelo quarterback Davon Vinson threw for five touchdowns and five interceptions, while completing 31 of 51 attempts for a game-high 264 yards. Chris Murray caught 12 of Vinson’s passes for a night-best 100 yards with one touchdown.
“We’ve got to stop No. 1 (Vinson),’’ said Fourcade. “If he has his way, we could be in trouble.’’
After an 0-4 road trip, the Grizzlies are hoping for a trouble-free start to a four-game homestand.
“We’re just looking forward to staying strong and healthy and everybody playing together,” Ward said.
Comments
go go get it get it
Im usually real supportative of positive activities like this but everyone in Fairbanks acts like this team is great! Im embarrassed to be associated with the Grizzlies.
Its not the players and probably not even the coach.
But a poor planning committee that just threw this team together ill-equipped to compete.
I wish you guys sucess in the remainder of the season. But I hope for your own sake that you advocate for better pay and resources so that the men that are choosen to play- can afford to focus and train on that. Its not fair that you have to work full time, squeeze in practice when you can, and be expected to win these games. Honestly I've seen some talent. But its not being fully utilized.
Kasey
I would disagree, it is the coaches and the players and the management
When you come out and say that a coach with no head coaching experience and even more importantly no indoor experience is the best man for the job, something isnt right.
The offensive coordinator is a player, let alone a lineman. How did that work out?
The defensive coordinator. He didnt even make it a full game before getting the boot.
You dont carry a kicker in a game that requires kicking
Its starts at the top and rolls down hill. The grizzlies are not a good high school team, let alone competitive semi pro team
The Grizzlies are not a bad team at all. Look at the Alaska Wild last year in their first season. They barely won the last 2 games, while getting blown out in the first 12 games. Now the Wild are one of the best teams in the league this year. The Grizzlies have plenty of talent and a good head coach to win 3 or 4 more games this year at least.
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