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QB Gabe 'Pistol' Patterson, SLC Stallions
The Love Show Interview w/ Vito Stallion
Jimmy Somelove
To say the Stallions have gotten off to a fast start would be an understatement. After a surprising house-cleaning by the front office, former LRK clipboard holder Gabe Patterson was acquired to lead up the SLC passing attack.
With just 2 weeks into the season, Patterson has the Stallions looking like contenders again and Coach Artie Lyle is no longer looking over his shoulder for his replacement.
I caught up with Mr. Stallion for a one-on-one about the state of the franchise and his vision for the Stallions:
JS: Welcome to our studios Mr. Stallion, how are things?
VS: Call me, Vito – you know better Jimmy [smiling]. Things are rather peachy!
JS: Sorry Vito– sooo, the Stallions have looked good thus far. Do you expect this team to continue finding success throughout this season?
VS: I’m not going to jinx us, but this Patterson kid is doing everything we ask him to do; I think the sky is the limit on him. He certainly makes the people in my skybox excited!
JS: 7TDs vs 1 INT and a 119 passer rating against two very talented defensive teams – could SLC be looking at a pla- [ Vito raises his hand to his mouth…]
VS: Jimmy…there will be none of that talk!
JS: Aight! You shocked the league when you cut both ALL the QBs on the roster this offseason. What prompted the Stallions to go in another direction this year?
VS: Jimmy, I want a championship in Salt Lake and I felt like I’d given the QBs on the roster ALL the opportunities I could to elevate their play and it never happened. Don’s a great guy but as you can see right now in OAK, something’s just not right with him. One week, he’ll drop 300 yards passing, and rush like Steve Young, the next he’s Mark Sanchez. We just wanted a guy that was same every week.
JS: And Tyler / Hull?
VS: Love the players; I still think they both can be good for other teams.
JS: But you went with an unknown in Patterson---how did you know he was ‘the guy’?
VS: We didn’t until his first start in the preseason. He played well enough that I directed Coach to start him week 1.
JS: Good call!
VS: Easy call, really. He’s doing this with basically the same offense Downing directed. To think I almost 86’d the coach b/c I was convinced Downing just couldn’t be the problem [grins]
JS: Don Downing--Was it hard cutting ties with a player you were so excited about initially?
VS: Not really – had he gotten this team to the playoffs consistently we’d have given him another shot; last season’s meltdown was inexcusable and I honestly had decided he wasn’t our guy once we were out of the running last season.
JS: really?
VS: Yes, figured no one would trade for him either given some of the games he turned in, so we ate the bullet and moved on. Hopefully we never see an offense that bad in SLC again! I’m hoping it’s migrated to OAK [smiles].
JS: [chuckles] Speaking of last season – the offensive collapse made for some challenges on the defensive side of the ball yet the team finished the season playing some really good defense AND that seems to have carried over into this season.
VS: Yes! This is the real the story behind our fast start; Gabe and the offense will get a lot of credit, but this team is playing some of the best defense it’s ever played.
JS: Some might say it’s a playoff calib --- [ at this moment 2 guys in black suits enter the room ]
VS: Jimmy…let’s have a nice interview. Strike 2… [ he politely smiles, the suits fall-back ]
JS: Got it! So, you’re happy with the defense and you look to have secured a passer in Patterson, what are your expectations?
VS: Crush teams – I’m sure that’s going to rub some GMs the wrong way but I’m tired of the Stallions underachieving; even more tired of the disrespect shown to the crimson and gold --- we’re not taking it anymore. We won’t win them all, but teams better know, we’re way better than our scouting report belies and if they come up against us, they better be prepared to bang. If that mentality carries us into the postseason, so be it. Our goal this season is to win the division.
JS: Patterson leaves the confines of ‘home’ this week to play Penn on the road. You think he’s a different QB on the road?
VS: We certainly hope not. [ Suit whispers in Vito’s ear], Jimmy, I’ve got to cut this interview short, my plane to Pittsburgh is ready and the Mormon maidens hate to wait on ‘Daddy’, if you catch my drift. Great seeing you Jimmy! Keep up the great work!
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