The 2005 Rattlers thread

[Brian in Mesa]

Off to a nice start!



Rattlers 58, Rampage 38

Jan 28, 2005

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- Sherdrick Bonner threw six touchdown passes, and Derin Graham tied a team record with two kickoff returns for TDs in the Arizona Rattlers' 58-38 victory over Grand Rapids on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.

Siaha Burley had four touchdown catches for the Rattlers, and Bonner finished 15-of-26 for 202 yards.

 

[arthurracoon]

 

[wierwolf]

I think it is a great start!!!! What ever happened to the rookie of the year QB from Indiana.... I think his name is McPherson.... is he going to the NFL now that Indiana no longer has a team? I also thought he was going to the Nashville Kats. But he wasn't at the game.... Murray was QB....

 

[Yuma]

Well, it WAS Grand Rapids. Not exactly a top tier team. More likely a bottom tier team again this year. That being said, I will take a win by us and a loss in the same week by San Jose!

I am very excited by the off season moves by the club. I am hoping it is the extra little bit of upgrade we need to get over in the Arena Bowl. Let's see us go undefeated!

 

[mdamien13]

The home opener is this Thursday night!?!?! Whiskey, tango, foxtrot, over?

I know that the league decides all of the scheduling and what not but I really miss the summer schedule when Rattlers games were the best excuse to get out of the summer heat. Oh well. I go regardless.

 

[wierwolf]

But Bonner is out 2-4 weeks.... Who is our back up QB?

 

[Cland]

Joe Germaine will get the start.

 

[Yuma]

Well the Joe Germaine experiment started inauspiciously! I was hoping our defense would do better and we would eke out a win. However, when you turn the ball over, you can't expect to get the W. Hopefully this is just a warming up process for Joe and the offense. We have now let San Jose back on us!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Rattlers drop home opener

Associated Press
Jan. 3, 2005

PHOENIX - Joe Hamilton threw five touchdown passes, three to Cory Fleming, and ran for another score to lead the Orlando Predators to a 51-41 victory over the Arizona Rattlers on Thursday night in the Arena Football League.

Travis McGriff also caught two scoring passes for the Predators (1-1).

Joe Germaine threw three TD passes for the Rattlers (1-1).

 

[Gee!]

Woo hoo Rattlers football!!!! We can get to the Arena Bowl and lose again!

Seriosly hope we start winning them again like the early days.

 

[wierwolf]

Is Hunkie playing this week? I know he had to not play for 2 weeks because of getting out and returning. I think he should be ok for this week.... Any comments?

 

[mdamien13]

I know that we're getting about half of our offensive starters back from injured reserve this week. I'm not sure if Hunkie is one of them.

Edited to add, they have officially reactivated Hunkie from the IR list. Yay!

 

[Angel]

Cooper's back , Bonner's not and we have a new (old he kicked on the 1997 championship team) kicker. Anthony Brenner is back to take over the kicking duty.

No matter how productive he is he won't be able to make up for another ineffective performance by Germaine, if he is indeed starting---we had another QB (can't remember his name) on IR maybe they will throw him in too if activated.

We can ill afford to go down 1-2 this early in our season, we miss you Sed....

 

[Angel]

Okay that was bad (I’m not saying that just because I was up until 2:00 a.m. watching that loss—or maybe it is)....penalties guys you gotta watch the penalties.

Congrats to Hunkie, the AFL' s newest record holder--Cooper now has gained 20,535 all-purpose yards.

Where the heck did Bergeron come from and does he have a twin?

Good game Mr. Parker, I knew it was a mistake as we watched you go.

Siaha, man you are gonna have practice catching the wild pass if Joe is going to be throwing another game.

Mr. Germaine I'd like to introduce you to the Rattlers, Rattlers this is your QB and he doesn’t really mean to keep throwing to the other team but he doesn't seem to have come to grips with the size of our field and the fact that he is not in the NFL.

Have I mentioned that we REALLY miss you Sed?

 

[mdamien13]

Mr. Germaine I'd like to introduce you to the Rattlers, Rattlers this is your QB and he doesn’t really mean to keep throwing to the other team but he doesn't seem to have come to grips with the size of our field and the fact that he is not in the NFL.

Have I mentioned that we REALLY miss you Sed?

Yeah, that was a pretty pathetic showing from Germaine. Come back Sedrick!!!

 

[Angel]

From the East Valley Tribune.....

The Arizona Rattlers, who have lost two of their first three games, will have starting quarterback Sherdrick Bonner back in the lineup this week.

Bonner, who spent the past two games on injured reserve with a right knee sprain, practiced Tuesday and barring any setbacks, will play Saturday night against Colorado.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, a key piece to digging out of an early season 1-2 hole. Now it is all up to the line.....

 

[wierwolf]

Bonner?

What happened to him playing last week? Is he hurt again? Or are they staying with Joe?

 

[Angel]

What happened to him playing last week? Is he hurt again? Or are they staying with Joe?

It was a last minute decision, Sed was not ready to come back.

Joe did a bit better last week, enough to make me offer an apology for the sinking feeling in my stomach when he was introduced, Sorry Joe. Both the AZR and the EVT are reporting that Sed will be back against NY Sunday, for what that is worth.

Penalties are still killing us -- sloppy play and uninformed officials (but that is league wide).

All in all it was a good one, and we had a chance til the last second of making a grand come back. Still 1-3 is not a good feeling although I think we came back last year from a hideous start to host the big game.

I'm still not particularly comfortable with some of the play calling from our new staff. I trace the downward spiral from last week directly to the call to go for it on 4th in definite field goal range with a new quarterback and no Bo Kelly.

I'm happy Bonner will be back so I focus all my "Come back SOON" wishes on Bo. There may not be much rushing done in arena ball but you really miss it when you have none.

Mr. Taplin---who I have been calling “New Guy” even though you aren’t really---welcome to the league and the team, you and Mr. Pace may just be the future of this team.

Of course you are learning on the field from the best.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Rattlers are handling Columbus pretty easily with Joe Germaine as QB. Finally kicking somebody's butt on the field.

 

[Angel]

"It just blows my mind that they announced him MVP of the game, and our fans booed him," Shell said. "They have to get over him beating ASU (with Ohio State) in the Rose Bowl. He's an Arizona Rattler now."

Are you kidding me? Coach Shell please no more sound bites, even quoting it sounds stupid. Could it be they were booing the choice of MVP, perhaps they felt another player was more deserving? Whatever the reason I'm pretty sure that ASU, Ohio State and the Rose Bowl had zip to do with it.

There is an abundance of booing when you are introduced, is that to be blamed on something like a collegiate game that happened almost 10 years ago? Believe me this team's fans know who is and who isn't one of their Arizona Rattlers.

Stop treating us like we don't know what is going on or don't understand our sport. You can dress the truth up in any kind of costume you want but honey crap is still crap. Bad coaching is directly responsible for the fans opinion of Mr. Germaine, he needs AFL coaching.

It would have been better not to name an MVP of that game; my grandma could have scored 8 TDs on Columbus. I love a win and take it gladly but that game was truly a battle of who gets to be in charge of the cellar this week.

Well coached Rattlers would have scored twice as many times.

 

[wilycoyote24]

"It just blows my mind that they announced him MVP of the game, and our fans booed him," Shell said. "They have to get over him beating ASU (with Ohio State) in the Rose Bowl. He's an Arizona Rattler now."

That's so awesome. That was the worst, non-Coyotes, game that I have ever gone to. It beats out the Japanese Mets pitcher's victory over Randy Johnson in the Diamondbacks' first NLDS.

 

[wilycoyote24]

I'm pretty sure that ASU, Ohio State and the Rose Bowl had zip to do with it.

While I have no idea why they booed, I could see this happening as I would have done the same thing. However, I'm not really a Rattlers fan. I'll watch them if I have nothing else to do or if they are in the playoffs.