ESPN Insider Interview Series Volume 1, 2008 Season Preview

[Matt]

Great work!

I'm enjoying these.

[ESPN Insider]

R00k: Norfolk Vipers

ESPN Insider: Harold Lozier spent 2 seasons regarded by most as the premiere QB in the IFL, but last years performance in the Imperial Bowl has left lingering questions. Has a decline begun or is Fingers prepared to make another run at a 2nd Imperial Bowl crown?

Coach Mooberry explains ... "A tough question to answer, but I'm not going to skirt aroung the issue. The same damn groin injury that got him in 2004 proved to be the culprit again last season. It was a minor injury in 2004 but enough to keep him out for 2 games. That season, I sat down with Finger .... and how do I put this tactfully? Well, Finger and I figured out the root cause of these injuries to be related to late night bedroom activity. Without going into details, Finger was very receptive to my advice and expectations. He cooled it, at least during football season and that lasted for 2 years. But then he's MVP of the Imperial Bow and he's "bullet proof" again. Last year, he gets big-headed (no pun intended) and steers off the road again and voila ... groin injury,not once but twice. Out for 4 games ... damn. What's a coach to do? But the results speak for themselves -- he never got in the groove, at least not on the football field. I guarantee you that I've talked with Finger again. I even made bed checks during training camp to reinforce my position about his on-season behavior. I think you will see a healthy, perhaps a little frustated, but never-the less the Finger that the fans want to see.

ESPN Insider: For the past 2 seasons you have been heads and tails ahead the rest of your division, do you worry about complacency?

GM r00k barks, "Complacency, my ass. I guess nobody saw the number of players we grabbed in the draft this year. A first rounder and a second rounder. Two third rounders, three fourth rounders, a fifth, a sixth, and a seventh ... thats 10 new Vipers."

"These guys probably will not being playing alot this year ... but Mooberry doesn't need them to play alot this year. My job is to maintain a level of talent for him to use from season to season ... and I guarantee you that I am always looking three years out."

"We had no starter to leave during off season and we made a couple of FA moves to shore up in places. I feel good about where the Vipers are today and where they will be a few years from now. As a side bar, this year's draft rating was the franchises' lowest ever and that was an A-. Dean Faber, our lead scout, is paid as one of the top in the league. He's been with us since the beginning and he is worth every penny we pay him."

ESPN Insider: You don't have the most talented secondary, does that worry you in regards to a deep playoff run?

Ernest May, defensive coordinator, had this to say, "You can never have enough pass defenders & that's why we drafted Eric Jacobs, a CB from Kansas State, in the first round. We also picked up Charles Noel, a CB mentor, in order to turn up the heat-lamp a notch or two on Eric's progression. We're hoping he likes the heat and progresses faster than normal. If so, he'll be a nice addition to any team's playoff roster."


ESPN Insider: What would it mean to you to threepeat in the AFC?

Owner Bruce Curson fielded this question. "Getting to represent the AFC in the Imperial Bowl is an ultimate honor, but let me try to describe a team that is fortunate to get that privilege. That team must be sound in visioning their strenghts and committing to a style that meets that vision. Naturally, the team must have the players that this style demands. But more importantly, it must have the necessary depth to withstand the injuries and believe me they will come. Add the ingredients of a solid coaching staff, some astute gameplanning and some good ol' luck. So, I've just described a handful or so of teams in the IFL. I think the Vipers are one of them ... but in the final analysis, it will come down to one of those factors which will distinguish one team above all others and award that team with a trip to the Imperial Bowl. Last year, I think that Little Rock excelled at vision for their team and in commiting to that vision & I firmly believe it was that distintive edge that allowed them to succeed. A threepeat for the Vipers in the AFC? Tough to do but if we are fortunate to do it, that would tell me that my Viper organization understands this game of football - for the short term and the long term.

ESPN Insider: Skip Book has been excellent in his first 2 seasons, how much of a luxury is it having a FB you know you can count on in the running game like that?

Offensive Coordinator, Kris Howard, took his turn at the podium. "Skip Book, what a special player. As offensive coordinator, you might find this sounding strange but FB has always been a position that I scout thoroughly and usually have an uncontrollable urge to recommend to the front office to draft one, usually in a high round. Damn, wouldn't you know, they agreed and drafted another one this year in the second round. And by the way, Pat Derubeis is a FB that I think will be another diamond in the rough and have the same name recognition as the other Viper fullbacks. But as talented as Skip is, Chris Burnette is still the veteran starter from last year's team. Let me just say that you guys out there in the Press will find it very interesting on how we intend to use Chris, Skip and rookie Pat Derubeis this year. To the Viper way of thinking, these guys are not luxuries, they are the necessary foils that accentuate the offensive weapons that we are fortunate to already have.

[ESPN Insider]

Kingfc22: Boston Dragons


ESPN Insider: You've got quite a muddled QB situation, is there a clear front runner?

kingfc22: We were really happy with how composed Jerald looked under center last season once he took over for Sante. He set the team record last year with a QB rating of 82.9. Of course we realize that he is not going to be an All-IFL player, but that is not what we are asking him to be. We want him to keep us in games and make the key plays when neccessary.

His backup, J.B. Fogarty came into camp this season very poised to make Jerald work hard to keep the starting job. He is finally starting to get comfortable with the playbook and terminology that we use here in Boston. He will get ample opportunity this preseason to show the staff what he can do.

ESPN Insider: You've been slowly but surely building your team thru the draft, is there a timetable for a major run at a title?

kingfc22: Once I bought the team back in the 2006 season, I told the fans that I would bring this team out of the pits of the AC East and into the postseason. I had hoped the 2007 season would have gone differently, but we can look back at a few positives. First, our defense has continued to get better and we are a team that creates turnovers. Secondly, seven of our losses were by a touchdown or less. This season, I would be very disappointed if we did not win 9 or 10 games and push hard to make the playoffs. I don't think many GM's would say they are going to make a title run. There are just too many things that need to go right in order to win the IFL Championship. I will say that we are going to put the best product on the field that we possibly can and we are dedicated to winning.

ESPN Insider: What's it like being in a division with perhaps the best team in your Conference (Norfolk) and worst (West Virginia)?

kingfc22: I look at our 2 games against Norfolk as a blessing in disguise each year. You can look at it two ways. One way is to say that you are afraid of going up against a tough team that can put 2 L's in your loss column. I prefer to look at our games against Norfolk as a measuring stick to see if we truly are ready to make the leap into the upper echelon of IFL teams.

It truly is a tradegy with what is happening in West Virginia. Ownership has really let the fans down, but I am sure they will be back competing in a few seasons. Of course I think I almost jumped out of my owner's box last season when we failed our game ended in a 20-20 tie.

ESPN Insider: You're building a hell of a defense, was this the plan coming in or is it just "right guys, right time"?

kingfc22: I think it was a little bit of both. You can only make so many moves at once and we needed help in so many places. We already had McIver, Ames and St. Louis when I arrived. I decided that we would try to get the best guys on defense as possible and then build our offense to capitalize on our defensive excellence. Last year, I would have taken Scott Fortune if I had the #1 pick, so I think our spots in the draft have also dictated our choice to build a strong defense. Raymond Webb, Fritz Gaddis and Earl Hood has to be one of the most feared D-Lines in the league and we already have a reputation of knocking out QB's. Just ask Lozier and Peterson.

ESPN Insider: Josh Sullivan has yet to live up to the hype of the 6th overall pick in the 2006 draft, does he have to have a "statement" season?

kingfc22: Definately. This team is obviously built upon our defense, but when they get a key turnover or big stop we need someone on offense to be a playmaker. Josh was not drafted under my regime, but he is a guy I want on my team. If we can get Josh to stretch the defense with his big play ability, then that will free up room for Tory and Tony to get some big gains on the ground.

[ESPN Insider]

Warhammer: Hartford Grizzlies

ESPN Insider: It's been a tough 3 years for Grizzlies fans, whats it like to be in the same division as what many consider to be the best team in your conference?

Warhammer: It is extremely frustrating. The strength of the AC has always been in the east. First, you had West Virginia as the dominant team, and a team that we had a very heated rivalry with. However, they never were able to translate that dominating team into a Conference Title. Those two years the best rivalry in the league was Hartford and West Virginia. We went toe to toe with them and split the season series the first two years of the IFL. In year two, we went to their place in the playoffs and knocked them off 17-13. We understand that it is not about what happens during the season, its all about making the playoffs and making noise there.

Unfortunately, Norfolk understands this as well. They have made the playoffs for three straight years, gone to the title game twice, and hold one title. The other year, I believe they made it to the conference final. That is pretty strong competition. But, I think that we do have a team that can give them fits. We almost knocked them off in our first game last year, and we probably should have. But they pushed us around quite a bit in the last game of the year. Our aim is to push them in the division this year. But let's be realistic, they should be tops in the division this year. Our goal is to make the playoffs as a wild card, anything more is gravy.

ESPN Insider: Courtney Cleeland was considered one the IFL's top rising stars, how much does injury affect your team?

Warhammer: Oddly enough, it is not as big of an impact as it seems. One of the focuses of our rebuilding that began two seasons ago was to use our LBs as the strength of the team while the secondary and defensive line was rebuilt around it. In that sense, the LB corps was strong enough to be used to help against the run or the pass. We had a ton of depth there. What hurts is that we have been forced to move Tony Martin to SLB, and that has weakened our depth at both ILB spots. So, short term it has not been a problem.

Our fear is that he does not return at full strength. If he can return at even 3/4 of what he was, he will be a big help to the team. Given the severity of the injury we are not sure if that is likely or not. This is more of a long term issue. Martin is getting on in years as is Leong, we need another young producer to step in and fill the void that those vets will create when they leave. If he returns at close to full strength, we are looking at basically having two first round draft picks next season.

ESPN Insider: What do you have to do to surpass Norfolk in the AFC East?

Warhammer: The first thing you have to do is win the games in the division. We did a pretty good job of that last season, we were 4-2 in the division with both losses coming to Norfolk. We need to split with Norfolk this year. If we can go 5-1 in the division, we stand a good chance of not only making the playoffs, but pushing them for the division crown.

Second, we need to cut down on our turnovers. Our defense played great last year, but we needed to keep giving the ball away. Our defense stopped the other team from scoring, but we killed too many scoring opportunities by turning the ball over. Many of these were on the ground, which is just unacceptable.

Third, we have to be less predictable on offense. Unfortunately, our running game was just too good last year and I think we let ourselves become too predictable in the last half of the season. We need to make a commitment to be a good passing team and follow through with that.

Finally, we need our defense to continue its high level of play. I think we are going to see this happen. If anything, we upgraded our defense significantly in the secondary with not only our FA acquisitions, but also our last two draft picks have progressed very nicely.

ESPN Insider: Is QB Jim Hickamn capable of leading an Imperial Bowl Championship team?

Warhammer: Jim Hickman is capable of leading a championship team. However, he needs more help from the WR position. He is a smart guy who spreads the ball around, as evidenced by the reception numbers last year. We brought in Ferreira from the Matadors last year, and our receptions at the WR position went up dramatically.

Some critics will point out his anemic YPA or his low completion rate, but they miss a big part of the puzzle, many of his misses came on deep routes to Ferreira. If the safety rolled over, many of those balls wound up falling incomplete. He was very efficient on the underneath stuff, but those are not going to get a lot of yards for you.

I like to look at our 3rd down efficiency. We were very good at moving the chains, and I expect that to continue. Not only were many of those 3rd downs converted, but most were on passes by Jim.

This year we brought in Ostroski from Vermont and I think we are going to see another big jump in receptions from the WR position. With two very capable receivers on either side, plus Neal Khan in the slot, Sala or Hernandez at TE, and Jamison and Dostie coming out of the backfield we have all the weapons that Jim needs. Defenses are going to have to pick their poison. If they decide to sit back with 7 guys in coverage, we'll just hand it to Stanley and let him try for 1,500 yards this year.

ESPN Insider: 1st Round pick DE Kurt McKenzie has yet to sign, how much do feel not being in camp will hinder him this season?

Warhammer: I think he really needs to start thinking about whether or not he wants to start this year. Fisk has been progressing nicely at RDE this year and we will continue to let him pile up the reps there. Rick and Williamson are going to be platooning at LDE again this year, so if McKenzie doesn't get his ass into camp, he might be sitting on his ass for the first half of the season, especially if we get off to a good start.

He might think that he is hot stuff coming in as the team's first round draft pick, but I'm not sure that he realizes he is a new cog in a defense that was in the top 10 in points allowed last year and most other key defensive categories. The only thing we lacked on defense last year was turnovers and that isn't something you can plan on. So if he thinks he has leverage in these negotiations he's dead wrong. He needs to get out on the field, show what he can do, and then, if he performs well, he can name his price.

[ESPN Insider]

Luis: West Virginia Beasts

ESPN Insider: You suffered thru a tough season last year, what can you say to the WV fans to assure them that the Beasts will rise again?

Luis: I have one word. RELAX. Yes folks, RELAX. The Beasts are the youngest team in the league with the average of 25.6 years old. Will there be growing pains? Absolutely. Are we going to be a better team, because of it? Absolutely. We have the right coaching staff. We have the right personell.

ESPN Insider: How hard was it to move QB Gerald Sanders last season?

Luis: Gerald "Colonel" Sanders is a Hall of Famer. He was the cornerstone of The Beasts. It was an extremely difficult move. We would really love the Colonel to retire as a Beast though. We'll see how that works out.

ESPN Insider: You are clearly in a rebuilding mode, can we expect to see you move more veterans before the trade deadline?

Luis: Yes, we're definitely rebuilding and redefining what the WV Beasts are. And in doing so, we have an influx of young new talented players. We feel that the veterans that are here are the Heart and Soul of the Beasts. These great core of guys are needed to help mold and guide our young guys. Listen, Coach B.J. Green is implementing schemes and wrinkles to optimize the talent that is in place. He's pushing and challenging everyone to get everything each player has to offer. With our coaching staff and talent, we are a playoffs bound team. Don't be surprised that you find us in playoff contention within the next two seasons. Remember where you heard it first. If you're a betting man, I'll tell you. Don't bet against it.

ESPN Insider: RB Nicky Kersey had a fantastic year in his rookie season in 2007, do you consider him to be the new face of the franchise?

Luis: Definitely, Kersey is the catalyst of this offense. He has great vision and can catch the ball out of the backfield. We've got great hopes for this young tail back. Watch how his yards from scrimmage increase as he garners the tailor fit offense to maximize all of his attributes. And the great pickups like Ted "So Fresh and So Clean" Massingill and Ray "Bull Rod" Rodriguez this year, the BEAST Offensive Line Core will be a strong enough to bull up against the run, and agile enough to handle any pass blocking assignment. I anticipate that Sticky Nicky will have another fantastic 1000+ yds rushing and 400+ yds receiving this year.

ESPN Insider: LT Raymond Rodriguez was taken with the first overall pick in the draft, how do you feel he will help this team as it rebuilds?

Luis: Bull Rod! LOL. Come on man. Bull Rod is the "marquee" guy. His specialty is blitz pickup. Ray's passion for this game and practicing at 110% is great. He's learning the stunts and pulls with such a great ease, he will undeniably be the anchor of this OL. So if you're really asking me, "Can the offensive line improve?" In terms of raw talent, it already has improved. We're continuing to strive on establishing the run game and upon things I've seen in practice thus far, the offensive line is doing a great job with that. man. "There's so much more confidence. They are so close and so tight.

Now, mind you, "It's a little bit like the whole offense in general," WV Beasts 1st year offensive coordinator Beau Brown said of the line. "It's getting there, we're nowhere near where we need to be, but as long as we get better each practice, each game, and we keep progressing and don't take any steps back I think we can get to where we want to be."

Bringing in Raymond Rodriguez to open up holes for for Kersey and to keep Billy "The Kid" upright so he can deliver the passes, I say, Hell yeah we're improved. Everyone is excited and are looking for Breakout performances in the future from Nick running, Billy passing and Simpson receiving.

Athough it may look bleek, I have my Stunner Shades on, because the WV Beasts future is just so bright.

[ESPN Insider]

Vic Carucci: Beat Writer

ESPN Insider: What team do you think has improved the most this past offseason?

Vic Carucci: I'd have to say either California or Lawrence. They each did it in different ways. California brought in proven veterens to help them, while Lawrence had a lot of draft picks in the first few rounds and they drafted a lot of good players. Either one of these teams improved the most, and I believe that they've both done enough to take it to the next level. Now that I think too, Houston should be on that list as well

ESPN Insider: Do you see a team out there that could comes from nowhere and surprise alot of people?

Vic Carucci: Hmmmmm, maybe Wichita. They've seemed to really draft a lot of talent over the past 4 years. I think they have the opportunity, if they get their team focused and on the same page, to really surprise a few teams. With 5 road games in the first 7, if they can win a few games there they could be looking good with all of those important games at the end of the year being played at home.

ESPN Insider: Bobbi Dallas hands you a roll of $20's from her G-String, go to the window and lay it all down on 1 man to win the MVP, who ya pickin?

Vic Carucci: Wow, I mean that's a tough question. I think it comes down to 3 guys this year. Gene Hamilton, Alan Crespo, or Tobias Stanfield. I think this is the year Hamilton puts it all together. The new head office in Oakland has had an offseason to put things together for them, and I think that they should do well in their own division. Crespo will be Crespo this year, and Stanfield should step up and lead Lawrence to their first division crown.

ESPN Insider: What team that alot of people think will contend, do you see falling short of expectations this season?

Vic Carucci: Again, another tough question. There are a lot of good teams out there and expectations are different in every city. I think I'd have to say ALB will not be as successsful as in years past. California has made some leaps and their schedule looks like there's a few teams that will be difficult to beat. I don't think that they fall too hard, but I think that they'll end up as a 6-8 win team.

ESPN Insider: I'm putting you on the spot, IFL Bowl VI, what two teams are taking the field?

Vic Carucci: It sounds crazy, but I think Norfolk ends up in the big dance for the 3rd consecutive year. This year they'll face off against Oakland. I think Oakland is the team to beat this year. I think that they will win the Imperial bowl.

[ESPN Insider]

Lorennn: Queen Of The IFL

ESPN Insider: Tight End or Dime Package?

Lorennn: tight ends are ok and i prefer packages that are biiger than a dime

ESPN Insider: You need a 12th player, extra guy or extra girl?

Lorennn: i could go either way really

ESPN Insider: You've got a new stadium, Grassy old school field or sleek field turf?

Lorennn: grass makes me itchy let's go with sleek

ESPN Insider: Fun & Gun go for the quick score or West Coast slow and methodical?

Lorennn: whatever it takes for the quick score man

ESPN Insider: Has Cringer ever asked you to say "Go Toads, Go Toads" during whopee?

Lorennn: he doesn't ask, he demands it

[ESPN Insider]

Hawkster: Albuquerque Matadors

ESPN Insider: What were the deciding factors in electing to move your team to Los Angeles for the 2011 season?

Hawkster: It wasn't an easy decision to make, the few loyal fans of Albuquerque have been kind to us, but after fighting for years with the city to try to finance a new stadium, we decided a move was in the franchises best interest. The team lost nearly 20 million dollars in our 2nd season despite being a playoff team. With a trend like that, it's near impossible to afford to keep a competitive team on the field when other teams can outspend you for talent. Los Angeles immediately welcomed our stadium proposal and with our team's recent success, I think the city of Los Angeles is going to be rewarded with a great football team to watch for years to come.

ESPN Insider: How much of a thorn in your side has Anchorage been to you the past 2 seasons? And has the regular season wear and tear affected your post season performances?

Hawkster: Anchorage is our primary rival, and our games have always been a sight to see. I think they're less of a thorn now as we've won 3 of the past 4 regular season matchups. The division race in 2006 was a blast to watch and a few hiccups kept us out of the 2007 race. As far as the regular season, we've been lucky to keep most of our guys healthy. Last year it caught up with us, losing Rudolph Michell and Kelly Wheat forced some changes we may not have been prepared for. Despite that, we still won our first playoff game, the first of many to come. Depending on how the division race goes this year, we may get a chance to rest up some of our guys before the playoffs, and if things work out, we'll be working hard to earn that bye week.

ESPN Insider: Does Scott Scharf get the recognition he deserves in this league?

Hawkster: Scott is a professional and a very strong leader. Since we acquired him 2 seasons ago he's become an unquestioned leader in the locker room and I don't think his arrival and our turnaround following 2005 were mere coincidence. He's not your typical "me first" or showboat guy that you'll see in a lot of star wide receiver. The numbers speak for themselves though. He's the all time receptions leader in the IFL and is one of only 2 wide recievers to have started every single game since the league originated. Maybe one day he'll get some more widespread recognition, but he's more interested in helping our team win than getting individual accolades.

ESPN Insider: David Humphrey has continualy improved over the past 3 seasons, is he capable of being an elite QB in this league?

Hawkster: I think the numbers speak for themselves here as well. Every year he's gotten better and running this offense and last season he threw for nearly 4000 yards with a TD/INT ratio of 20/8. He doesn't make mistakes, he is a weapon on the ground in addition to the air, and his record over the past two seasons is 23-9. Again, like Scharf, he's more of a quiet professional, maybe learning that humility while struggling through his first 3 years. We feel more than comfortable with him under center.


ESPN Insider: Rickey McCloskey and Miles Perkins are studs at the Tackle position, how nice is it to have the benefit of that kind of protection for your Quarterback?

Hawkster: Well, I know David loves it, and so does Kelly Wheat. Our priority when starting this team was to ensure we had solid bookend tackles and McCloskey and Perkins have yet to disappoint. They're a big reason we have such great success on the ground. They're solid in pass protection and that kind of security allows us to open up the passing game rather than relying on constant short routes to get the ball out of the QBs hands fast. Both look like they're destined for great careers and we're going to do what we can to keep them long term.

[ESPN Insider]

BuddaKINGII: Anchorage Lynx

ESPN Insider: Does Leslie Steiner get the kind of mainstream pub he deserves?

BuddaKINGII: Yeah I think he gets what he deserves. Till he wins a super-bowl he'll still only be a fringe top-5 quarterback in the eyes of many. We have the weapons back there for him this year so I think he'll be alright and he'll surprise alot of people.

ESPN Insider: Has having to play at such a high level during the regular season the past 2 years hindered you in the playoffs?

BuddaKINGII: I won't lie it has hindered us. Looking over your shoulder everyweek and seeing what Alb and (or Fresno in earlier yrs) has done on the scoreboard has added more pressure. This year we're not going to worry about that factor and just go out there and play. If we don't have a rash of injuries then we'll be fine by the time we hit the playoffs.

ESPN Insider: How huge is it to have added a playmaker like Max Brown to your offense this season?

BuddaKINGII: Ah Max Brown was a great pickup for us this year. He'll open up the offense and let Emerson have more freedom downfield. We're still debating on what exactly our offensive philosophy will be in other words if we'll go more spread or go back to a more traditional offense but he'll be a huge part of what will do. If he stays healthy that is.

ESPN Insider: Additions on and off the field have turned California into what some consider a serious contender this season, how do you forsee things playing out in the AFC West this season?

BuddaKINGII: Hahaha no offense to California but Portland is the team im more scared of. Yeah we've silently noticed what Fresno has done during the offseason. Adding Gilpin and Fillmore will do wonders for them defensively. If Richardson provides the steady hand then they'll be a team to watch out for. They always play us better than expected so I know we'll have some battles.

ESPN Insider: Brian Gutierrez is no longer a Lynxx, how difficult is it to let a veteran who has helped your team so much move on?

BuddaKINGII: Gutierrez was hard to let go. We had the chance to have him back but decided against it. Gerald Shelton has so much potential we went that route.

[Cringer]

This is great stuff. Tons of work I am sure. Thanks to Mr. ESPN Insider.

[ESPN Insider]

SpunkyWhiteBread: Portland Seals

ESPN Insider: After division titles in 2 of the leagues initial 3 seasons, the Seals have suffered back to back down seasons. What needs to be done to return this team to the top?

SpunkyWhiteBread: You mean aside from putting public bounties on Albuquerque's Scott Scharf and Anchorage's Leslie Steiner? It would probably help if we shored up a Seals' defense that gave up 341 points in 2006 and 389 points in 2007. But the public bounties on Scharf and Steiner is still my number one option. We'll probably have to include California's Bucky Beaver on that list as well just to be safe.

ESPN Insider: Albuquerque and Anchorage have established themselves as top dogs over the past 2 years, this year California has been the talk of the town both on and off the field, do you sometimes feel overlooked when it comes to mainstream pub?

SpunkyWhiteBread: No, I don't feel we're overlooked in Portland. You have to earn the respect of others and until we're competing for the AFC West crown then we have to enjoy what pub we do have. Albuquerque and Anchorage deserve every ounce of attention they receive after their success in 2006 and 2007. As for California, they were very aggressive in free agency and had a very good stretch to finish the season last year thus some of the hype they are now receiving. If we play good football here in Portland then the attention will come.

ESPN Insider: Jay Caro had a breakout season last year with the addition of Dominic Field. Do you salivate at the thought of what these 2 could do as a unit for you over the coming seasons?

SpunkyWhiteBread: Jay and Dominic both had incredible seasons last year and we obviously hope it can be equaled or even possibly exceeded this season. Sometimes people forget that we also have WR Blake Ameche, FB Terrance Greeley, and TE Alan Bryant who have been critical pieces in this offense as well. One of my goals is to acquire enough offensive weapons to make it difficult for defensive coordinators and hopefully we have been able to do that for the upcoming 2008 season.

ESPN Insider: Does your lack of a feature Running Back worry you?

SpunkyWhiteBread: The lack of a feature running back doesn't worry me as much as say the lack of a healthy offensive line. Terrance Greeley has done a great job for us running the ball considering the circumstances. I'm hoping that if our offensive line can stay healthy this season (admittedly a big if) that we'll see Greeley become more productive running the ball.

ESPN Insider: Only 2 teams in the IFL gave up more points than you last season, what can you do to change that this year?

SpunkyWhiteBread: There were two teams that gave up more points than the Seals defense last season? In the immortal words of Ralph Wiggum, that's unpossible.

Being serious for a second, yes the Seals' defense is not where we would like it to be. We've had holes to fill and we've been slow in filling those holes which has caused all sorts of pain and suffering for Seals' fans. We hope with the defensive additions of rookie corner Joe Martin and veteran defensive end Abram Blake that we're closer to where we need to be. If not then it could be another long season for the Seals' defense.[/i]

[ESPN Insider]

Hell Atlantic: California Heroes

ESPN Insider: You have a cocky swagger and love to talk, do you feel that the team you've assembled can back that up when it comes time do it on the field?

Hell Atlantic: It’d be easy to say we’re gonna be world beaters, but this team has a losing culture so right now I’m all about changing that culture and increasing the overall level of confidence in the team and showing people we’re gonna win more often than not, give them a reason to root for the team and believe in it.

ESPN Insider: You've made alot of moves to improve your team, is Rob Richardson the right man to lead this team to the promise land?

Hell Atlantic: Unfortunately, no. I don’t look at Richardson and see a championship winning QB. If he was our backup I’d be really happy.

ESPN Insider: You play in an extremely tough division, are you prepared to go all out this season for the division crown or do you consider this season a stepping stone?

Hell Atlantic: This season is a stepping stone. If we could snag a Wild Card berth I’d be really happy, but I just don’t see us being all that dominant. This season was about putting a more improved product on the field than the one that was in place last season, so already our mission is accomplished.

ESPN Insider: This franchise has never had a winning season, is this the year?

Hell Atlantic: Yes, I see at least a 9-7 season out of this squad. Anything over that 9th win and I’d have to say this season was a major success. Defensively we can hang with the best of them, it’s the scoring of points part I hope we come correct with.

ESPN Insider: Can you win with Emmitt Terry and Reuben Caffrey at Wideout?

Hell Atlantic: Yes. They aren’t the greatest receivers to lace ‘em up in the IFL, but we have 2 real good receivers and it’s much harder to defend 2 good receivers than 1 awesome one. We invested a lot in Caffrey and we’re expecting big things from him this season.

[ESPN Insider]

That concludes the AFC.
Im glad you guys are enjoying these, it was quite fun to put together.
I'd also like to thank everyone for their responses.
The replies have been awesome.

[kingfc22]

That concludes the AFC.
Im glad you guys are enjoying these, it was quite fun to put together.
I'd also like to thank everyone for their responses.
The replies have been awesome.

Bravo. Bravo.

[Cringer]

That concludes the AFC.
Im glad you guys are enjoying these, it was quite fun to put together.
I'd also like to thank everyone for their responses.
The replies have been awesome.

Loren is in the AFC? I knew there was something I didn't like about her.