XFL 2001

[BengalErnst]

Commanders Hits 10,000 Season Ticket Mark

February 2, 2002

San Antonio, TX - With four days remaining before its season opener, the San Antonio Commanders has surpassed 10,000 reserved season tickets. The Commanders lead the entire XFL in this category. As it stands now, Commanders officials are considering capping the number of season tickets at 20,000 in order to provide opportunities for walk-up traffic and group sales. Single game tickets for opener on February 4th are nearly sold out.

Rage Line to Set the Tone

February 3, 2002

Orlando, FL - In the eyes of Orlando Rage line coach Bob Landsee, winning the battle on the line is one of the most important aspects of being a successful football team regardless of the league or level. The Rage corps of linemen could be considered one of the league's best heading into the 2002 season. They have the nucleus of last year's line returning with additions of Doug Lytle and Kelvin Ingram. "At any level, any type of football, it is the most important thing there is," said Landsee. "If you control the line of scrimmage, you give your quarterback more time, you can have a running game. They will not know whether it is a pass or run. The line is the most important part of this game."

This season the team is looking to build on what they started during the regular season. During that stretch, the Rage offensive line gave up the least amount of sacks in the league. "So far what has really impressed me has been the work habit of these guys," noted Landsee. "They got good work habits, they are busting their butts, they are not being lazy. We got guys who want to work hard and be on this team."



XFL Week 1: Wild Surprise Steel in Opener

February 4, 2002

Minneapolis, MN - Backup quarterback Ron Powlus led the Wild to a come-from-behind 20-16 victory over the Steel on Sunday night. Minneapolis took its first lead of the game with 51 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when Powlus threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin Prentiss in the back left corner of the end zone. Earlier in the drive, Prentiss made a juggling 33-yard catch to get the Wild into Birmingham territory. Prentiss finished with 90 receiving yards. Fellow WR Sean Morey finished with 110 receiving yards.

Powlus stepped in after Jim Druckenmiller(shoulder) was ruled out in a game-time decision. Powlus finished with 271 passing yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions. He also completed over 60 percent of his throws. Birmingham(0-0) had taken a 16-13 lead with 2:51 to go in the fourth quarter, aided greatly by three Wild penalties for 33 yards. Even with the free yardage, the Steel had to settle for a 24-yard field goal. Steel QB Spergon Wynn finished the game with 184 passing yards and one touchdown.

-- (0-0)Steel 16 - 20 Wild(0-0)
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 19/26 184 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Bostic - 16 carries, 36 yards, WR Jackson - 6 catches, 80 yards
(MIN): QB Powlus - 26/38 271 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Salaam - 27 carries, 46 yards, WR Morey - 7 catches, 110 yards, WR Prentiss - 6 catches, 90 yards, 1 TD

-- (0-0)Stars 10 - 30 Commanders(0-0)
(LA): QB Bonner - 16/33 195 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, RB Shehee - 17 carries, 20 yards, WR Copeland - 9 catches, 121 yards, WR McDonald - 4 catches, 59 yards
(SA): QB Bishop - 11/27 251 yards, 2 TDs, RB Stecker - 13 carries, 38 yards, WR Merritt - 5 catches, 88 yards, 2 TDs, WR Hall - 3 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD, RB Stecker - 3 catches, 45 yards
*Los Angeles' starting QB Scott Milanovich missed game due to injury

-- (0-0)Express 38 - 21 Enforcers(0-0)
(MEM): QB Martin - 23/34 226 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, RB Shaw - 16 carries, 64 yards, RB Autry - 10 carries, 50 yards, WR Simmons - 5 catches, 78 yards, 1 TD, WR McCullough - 4 catches, 41 yards, 1 TD
(CHI): QB Jackson - 26/36 264 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Johnson - 17 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD, WR Bailey - 7 catches, 47 yards, WR Jordan - 6 catches, 103 yards

-- (0-0)Rage 27 - 14 Guardians(0-0)
(ORL): QB Hamilton - 26/33 223 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, RB Clark - 18 carries, 76 yards, WR Bailey - 8 catches, 139 yards, 2 TD, WR Burks - 6 catches, 90 yards, 1 TD
(NY): QB Richardson - 20/28 132 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Philyaw - 8 carries, 35 yards, WR Green - 9 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD

[BengalErnst]

Wild Sign CFL Champion Crandell

February 6, 2002

Minneapolis, MN - The Minneapolis Wild have acquired QB Marcus Crandell who is coming off from leading the Calgary Stampeders to the CFL championship. Crandell will join the team in time for practice Tuesday. "I'm happy to be coming back to the XFL," Crandell said. "I really want to get this thing turned around and get to the level I was playing with the Stampeders."

"We've gone through considerable turmoil at the quarterback position this year," Wild Head Coach Wayne Fontes said. "Marcus knows our system and will compete with Ron Powlus while Jim Druckenmiller is injured and hopefully will make us a better and deeper football team."

XFL Week 2: Douglass Explodes in New York

February 10, 2002

New York, NY - Joe Douglass caught two TDs and returned a kickoff for another to lead the Birmingham Steel past the New York Guardians, 37-20. Douglass pulled in 12 balls for 102 yards and TD receptions in the second and fourth quarters for Birmingham. Douglass also started the second half with a 55-yard kickoff return for a score to give the Rush a 28-20 lead.

-- (0-1)Steel 37 - 20 Guardians(0-1)
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 21/28 217 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Bostic - 20 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD, WR Douglass - 12 catches, 102 yards, 2 TDs, WR Williams - 8 catches, 45 yards
(NY): QB Moreno - 21/33 235 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, RB Aska - 7 carries, 14 yards, WR Green - 8 catches, 54 yards, WR Dar Dar - 5 catches, 115 yards, 1 TD


XFL Week 2: Outlaws Open Season with Victory

February 11, 2002

Memphis, TN - The Memphis Express’ abysmal red-zone offense kept points off the board on multiple occasions, ultimately costing Tee Martin and company in a road loss to the Las Vegas Outlaws. After scoring from the two-yard line on a Martin to Simmons connection, Memphis didn’t score a touchdown on any of its other five red-zone possessions — kicking three field goals, missing another and losing the ball on a game-clinching strip-sack late in the fourth quarter.

Running back Lawrence Phillips led the Outlaws’ offensive attack with 77 yards on 15 carries, helping the team to the 23-16 victory to start 1-0 on the season. Tony Simmons and Andy McCullough were bright spots in an otherwise disappointing offensive effort from Memphis. The duo combined for 135 receiving yards, a touchdown and nine broken tackles.

-- (0-0)Outlaws 23 - 16 Express(1-0)
(LV): QB Carmazzi - 27/48 217 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Phillips - 15 carries, 77 yards, QB Carmazzi - 11 carries, 55 yards, WR Nash - 9 catches, 102 yards, 3 TDs, TE Brady - 5 catches, 46 yards
(MEM): QB Martin - 23/38 249 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Shaw - 11 carries, 33 yards, WR Simmons - 6 catches, 70 yards, 1 TD, WR McCullough - 4 catches, 65 yards

-- (1-0)Rage 31 - 21 Desperados(0-0)
(ORL): QB Hamilton - 22/33 223 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Clark - 21 carries, 92 yards, 2 TDs, WR Burks - 6 catches, 75 yards, WR Bailey - 5 catches, 41 yards, WR Culver - 4 catches, 57 yards, 1 TD
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 15/31 153 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB King - 12 carries, 58 yards, WR Cunningham - 7 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD, WR Hundon - 3 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD

-- (0-1)Stars 32 - 20 Enforcers(0-1)
(LA): QB Milanovich - 14/27 171 yards, 2 TDs, RB Shehee - 19 carries, 77 yards, 3 TDs, WR Copeland - 7 catches, 82 yards, WR McDonald - 4 catches, 83 yards, RB Shehee - 4 catches, 23 yards, 1 TD
(CHI): QB Jackson - 16/32 182 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Moss - 23 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD, RB Johnson - 7 carries, 57 yards, WR Bailey - 7 catches, 128 yards, 1 TD, WR Jordan - 7 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD

XFL Week 2: Commanders Fend Off Wild

February 12, 2002

San Antonio, TX - The San Antonio Commanders are still an unbeaten team after their 37-10 victory over the visiting Minneapolis Wild in front of 27,107 fans. With Michael Bishop leading the way, the Commanders were up on the Wild right from the beginning, and they never looked back. In the end they had the victory and the Wild were left wondering what happened. "Michael (Bishop) really had a good game" said Commanders head coach Mike Riley. "He played real steady last week down vs Los Angeles. He opened up 10 for 10 tonight and he really took them apart early."

Bishop had a stellar evening. He got the ball deep down the field on a consistent basis and spread it around, completing passes to seven different receivers. In the end he connected on 21 of his 32 pass attempts for 283 yards and five touchdowns. "The key to getting the ball down the field is the offensive line, and those guys did a great job tonight," said Bishop. "When you have guys like Dante Hall, Ahmad Merritt and LC Stevens, it is easy to put the ball down the field because those guys are going to make great catches."

Minneapolis Wild quarterback Ron Powlus at times seemed to be rushed and unable to hook up with his receivers while having two of his errant passes intercepted. He completed less than fifty percent of his attempts and was pulled in favor of Marcus Crandell during the third quarter. "I think we are still trying to get used to each other, and it is disappointing because we have a lot of talent on the team and we struggled," said Powlus. "Offensively, we made some errors here and there, and I think it is the most frustrating part knowing you can score and put points on the board and not being able to do it."

-- (1-0)Wild 10 - 37 Commanders(1-0)
(MIN): QB Powlus - 18/42 191 yards, 2 INTs, RB Salaam - 21 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD, WR Morey - 6 catches, 63 yards, WR Prentiss - 5 catches, 66 yards
(SA): QB Bishop - 21/32 283 yards, 3 TDs, RB Stecker - 14 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD, WR Hall - 7 catches, 63 yards, 2 TDs, WR Merritt - 4 catches, 43 yards

[BengalErnst]

XFL Week 3: Rage Fall From the Undefeated

February 18, 2002

Birmingham, AL - Spergon Wynn’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Kaipo McGuire helped give the Birmingham Steel a 19-14 victory Sunday over the Orlando Rage. The touchdown pass with 5:17 left in the third quarter followed a 49-yard interception return by Stephen Fisher that setup a Joe Hamilton to Shannon Culver touchdown that tied the game at 12-12. Hamilton finished with 206 yards on 15-25 throwing but Wynn finished with 233 yards on 18-28 passing and got the victory.

The Orlando Rage(2-1) was threatening to regain the lead in a 12-play, 69-yard fourth-quarter drive, but James Willis knocked the ball out of running back Derick Clark’s hands at the 1-yard line with 6:25 left. The ball bounced out of the end zone for a touchback. The Rage's hopes for a last-minute drive vanished when a holding call in the end zone with 59.2 seconds left, resulting in a safety for the Steel. The game was played at Legion Field before an announced crowd of 27,656.

-- (2-0)Rage 14 - 19 Steel(1-1)
(ORL): QB Hamilton 15/25 206 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Clark - 17 carries, 33 yards, WR Culver - 5 catches, 139 yards, 1 TD, WR Bailey - 3 catches, 22 yards, 1 TD
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 18/28 233 yards, 2 TDs, RB Bostic - 11 carries, 88 yards, WR Williams - 7 catches, 128 yards, 1 TD, TE Smith - 5 catches, 60 yards, WR McGuire - 6 catches, 49 yards, 1 TD

-- (2-0)Commanders 31 - 17 Outlaws(1-0)
(SA): QB Bishop - 23/35 296 yards, 2 TDs, RB Stecker - 18 carries, 59 yards, RB Davis - 4 carries, 29 yards, 2 TDs, WR Hall - 7 catches, 130 yards, 1 TD, WR Merritt - 5 catches, 119 yards, RB Stecker - 4 catches, 64 yards, 1 TD
(LV): QB Carmazzi - 21/38 223 yards, 2 TDs, RB Phillips - 11 carries, 29 yards, WR Nash - 8 catches, 109 yards, 2 TDs

-- (0-2)Enforcers 16 - 24 Express(1-1)
(CHI): QB Jackson - 18/32 191 yards, 2 TDs, RB Johnson - 11 carries, 41 yards, WR Bailey - 8 catches, 99 yards, 1 TD, WR Chatman - 4 catches, 61 yards
(MEM): QB Martin - 23/35 221 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Shaw - 13 carries, 67 yards, RB Autry - 10 carries, 25 yards, 1 TD, WR McCullough - 4 catches, 93 yards, WR Simmons - 5 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD

-- (1-1)Wild 31 - 10 Guardians(0-2)
(MIN): QB Crandell - 15/19 297 yards, 2 TDs, RB Salaam - 9 carries, 34 yards, 1 TD, WR Morey - 4 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD, WR Prentiss - 3 catches, 72 yards, 1 TD
(NY): QB Moreno - 27/41 215 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Philyaw - 10 carries, 19 yards, WR Green - 7 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD, TE Hinton - 6 catches, 61 yards

XFL Week 3: Last Second Extra Point Blocked for the Win

February 19, 2002

Dallas, TX - The Dallas Desperados' defense blocked an extra-point attempt with one second remaining as they slipped past the Los Angeles Stars, 24-23. In the final quarter, Los Angeles collected a safety and quarterback Scott Milanovich connected on a four-yard pass to Darnell McDonald which knotted the score at 17-17. Desperados' QB Clint Stoerner found WR James Hundon from 22 yards out with four minutes left to supply the Desperados with a 24-17 advantage. However, Milanovich found WR Jeremaine Copeland with one second left in the game, but the extra-point was blocked by veteran DL Shante Carver and Dallas came away with the dramatic victory.

-- (1-1)Stars 23 - 24 Desperados(0-1)
(LA): QB Milanovich - 25/41 267 yards, 2 TDs, RB Shehee - 20 carries, 72 yards, WR Copeland - 7 catches, 55 yards, 1 TD, WR McDonald - 3 catches, 63 yards, 1 TD
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 21/29 202 yards, 3 TDs, RB King - 15 carries, 11 yards, WR Cunningham - 7 catches, 121 yards, WR Hundon - 6 catches, 68 yards, 2 TDs, RB King - 5 catches, 59 yards

Steel Loses Joe Douglass for Season

February 20, 2002

Birmingham, AL - Birmingham Steel WR Joe Douglass underwent successful surgery to repair a ruptured colon, the team announced. He was placed on Injured Reserve and will miss the rest of the season. While doctors are still uncertain as to when or how the injury occurred, they believe Douglass ruptured his colon during pre-game warm-ups Saturday night. "It's a tremendous loss for our football team," said Steel head coach Gerry DiNardo. "Any time you lose a player with Joe's production your team takes a hit. But it will be Joe's exceptional leadership and work ethic that will be the toughest thing to replace."

After taking a few weeks to recover and regain his strength, Douglass will re-join the Steel as the team's offensive specialist coach. "We have a very special group this year," said Douglass. "Although I will no longer able to help the team on the field this season, I am excited about the coaching opportunity the organization has offered me. I want to contribute in any way I can to the team's success as I prepare for my return in 2003."

"Joe has expressed an interest to get into coaching when his career is over," said DiNardo. "This will be a good opportunity for him to experience the game from a different perspective. It also will be great for the team to have him around."

[BengalErnst]

XFL Week 4: Hamilton and Rage Hold Off Guardians in New York

February 25, 2002

New York, NY - Joe Hamilton threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to WR Shannon Culver with 20 seconds left Saturday night to give the Orlando Rage a 29-23 victory over the New York Guardians. The touchdown pass, Hamilton’s second of the night, capped a 441-yard passing performance by the Orlando quarterback. The victory was the first road win of the year for Orlando(3-1), while the woes continued for New York(0-4), which has now lost all four of its games.

The Hamilton-to-Culver scoring pass offset New York’s go-ahead touchdown on a 7-yard run by Joe Aska with two minutes to play. The score gave the Guardians a 23-22 lead. The teams exchanged leads throughout the night after Orlando scored on the opening drive. New York led 17-15 at the half as both teams scored easily. Each punted only once in the half as both teams moved the ball up and down the field all night. The difference in the first half was the Guardians’ ability to convert their extra points. Hamilton's first touchdown pass, a 6-yarder to WR Shannon Culver, gave Orlando a 22-17 lead, setting the stage for the exchange of scores in the final two minutes.

-- (0-3)Guardians 23 - 29 Rage(2-1)
(NY): QB Moreno - 18/34 219 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Philyaw - 12 carries, 129 yards, WR Dar Dar - 4 catches, 124 yards, 1 TD, TE Hinton - 4 catches, 30 yards, 1 TD
(ORL): QB Hamilton - 28/55 441 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INT, RB Clark - 19 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD, WR Burks - 8 catches, 157 yards, WR Bailey - 6 catches, 134 yards, WR Culver - 6 catches, 70 yards, 2 TDs

-- (1-1)Desperados 27 - 14 Wild(2-1)
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 30/39 277 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB King - 20 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD, WR Hundon - 7 catches, 106 yards, 1 TD, WR Cunningham - 6 catches, 56 yards
(MIN): QB Crandell - 23/43 238 yards, 1 INT, RB Salaam - 10 carries, 80 yards, 1 TD, WR Morey - 6 catches, 87 yards, WR Prentiss - 6 catches, 70 yards

-- (2-1)Steel 32 - 17 Express(2-1)
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 22/24 176 yards, 3 TDs, RB Bostic - 13 carries, 53 yards, WR McGuire - 8 catches, 39 yards, 1 TD, WR Drake - 8 catches, 96 yards
(MEM): QB Martin - 23/39 246 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs, RB Autry - 10 carries, 40 yards, 1 TD, WR McCullough - 6 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD, WR Simmons - 5 catches, 97 yards

-- (1-2)Stars 27 - 33 Commanders(3-0)
(LA): QB Milanovich - 23/38 255 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Shehee - 16 carries, 26 yards, WR Copeland - 11 catches, 90 yards, WR McDonald - 5 catches, 113 yards, 1 TD
(SA): QB Bishop - 17/34 244 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 8 carries, 116 yards, 2 TDs, RB Stecker - 12 carries, 68 yards, 4 catches, 53 yards, WR Merritt - 5 catches, 61 yards, WR Hall - 2 catches, 79 yards, 1 TD

XFL Week 4: Outlaws Defense Seals Win Over Enforcers

February 27, 2002

Las Vegas, NV - Shortly after finding out their best offensive threat WR Marcus Nash had to miss the game, it was the Outlaws defense that stepped up causing five turnovers enroute to a 27-3 victory over the Chicago Enforcers in front of 23,991 fans. Nash was hospitalized late Friday night after he passed out and lost a significant amount of blood. Doctors believe he has an ulcer, but he will have more tests Sunday to determine the exact problem. "It is gratifying to win when our best player wasn't with us," said Outlaws head coach Jim Criner. "Our defense has always been amongst the league's best, when we had a chance to make plays and we did."

DB Kory Blackwell picked off two passes and LB Joe Tuipala added another. DL Kelvin Kinney forced a fumble in the fourth quarter that was scooped up by LB Masafumi Kawaguchi for an Outlaws touchdown. The defense also had two sacks, three tackles for loss and six pass defenses.

-- (0-3)Enforcers 3 - 27 Outlaws(1-1)
(CHI): QB Jackson - 12/26 140 yards, 3 INTs, RB Moss - 12 carries, 11 yards, WR Bailey - 4 catches, 55 yards
(LV): QB Carmazzi - 18/41 246 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Phillips - 17 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD, WR Furrey - 5 catches, 133 yards, TE Brady - 5 catches, 28 yards, 1 TD

Crafts Back in the Saddle

February 28, 2002

Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Stars' General Manager Michael Lang announced the team has re-signed OL Jerry Crafts to a one-year deal. Crafts was also activated from the team's exempt roster after finishing the 2001 season with the Oakland Raiders. "Jerry came in and did a solid job for us last year," Lang said. "He has had some time off to build himself back up and I expect him to be a force for us this year."

"I'm excited to re-sign with the Stars," Crafts said. "This is a great opportunity to be part of a winning team and after being in football for 13 years, this is the gravy on my mash potatoes." After the Stars season, joined the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before rejoining the Raiders in November.

[BengalErnst]

Nash Released From Hospital

March 3, 2002

Las Vegas, NV - Las Vegas Outlaws WR Marcus Nash was released from the hospital. Nash was hospitalized due to internal bleeding, collapsing in his apartment late Friday night after losing a significant amount of blood. Doctors declared that Nash had an ulcer. The doctors recommend he take iron and eat a lot of red meat and leafy vegetables. "I'm happy to be out of the hospital," Nash said. "My family is here with me and I look forward to some more rest and spending some time with them."

"It's great news that Marcus is home and on his way to a full recovery," said Outlaws head coach Jim Criner. "He takes great care of himself so that should help expedite his return to the field."


XFL Week 5: Bishop and Commanders Survive Upset in New York

March 4, 2002

New York, NY - Michael Bishop threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to LC Stevens in the corner of the end zone with nine seconds left Saturday night, giving the San Antonio Commanders the 24-23 victory over the winless New York Guardians in the XFL. The Guardians(0-5), who overcame three quarters of turnovers, penalties and missed opportunities, drove downfield 64 yards in nine plays for the win. After a scoreless first quarter, Leo Araguz’ 27-yard field goal in the opening seconds of the second gave the Guardians a brief lead, but Bishop drove San Antonio(5-0) 59 yards for a 8-3 lead on a 5-yard run from Ontiwaun Carter.

Guardians' QB Moreno hit WR Yatil Green for a 6-yard TD at 13:10, and Leo Araguz connected with a 41-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in the half to send the Guardians to the locker room with a 14-11 lead. Attendance on a rainy night was listed as 25,781 at Giants Stadium.

-- (0-4)Guardians 23 - 24 Commanders(4-0)
(NY): QB Moreno - 17/22 238 yards, 2 TDs, RB Aska - 9 carries, 27 yards, WR Dar Dar - 5 catches, 107 yards, WR Green - 2 catches, 34 yards, 1 TD
(SA): QB Bishop - 20/26 241 yards, 1 TD, RB Stecker - 13 carries, 109 yards, WR Stevens - 5 catches, 33 yards, 1 TD, WR Hall - 4 catches, 65 yards

-- (1-3)Stars 31 - 37 Desperados(2-1)
(LA): QB Bonner - 18/30 289 yards, 2 TDs, RB Shehee - 10 carries, 23 yards, WR Copeland - 5 catches, 87 yards, 1 TD, WR McDonald - 4 catches, 91 yards, 1 TD
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 24/34 280 yards, 4 TDs, RB King - 17 carries, 65 yards, WR Cunningham - 6 catches, 99 yards, 1 TD

-- (3-1)Steel 30 - 0 Outlaws(2-1)
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 19/21 180 yards, 2 TDs, RB Bostic - 14 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD, WR Williams - 6 catches, 114 yards, 2 TDs, WR Insley - 4 catches, 54 yards, WR McGuire - 5 catches, 43 yards
(LV): QB Carmazzi - 18/35 172 yards, 4 INTs, RB Phillips - 13 carries, 68 yards, WR Furrey - 6 catches, 68 yards

Bishop's Career Reborn in San Antonio

March 6, 2002

San Antonio, TX - Life is good these days for San Antonio Commanders quarterback Michael Bishop. He has established himself as one of the premier quarterbacks in the XFL with the success he has found this season, his first in the XFL. "I feel we are getting on a roll at the right time right now," said Bishop. "We have won five in a row against some pretty good teams. It is something we have to keep going. We have a big game next week against Arizona. This is going to be a big game for us."

In his brief time on the field, Bishop showed great poise, a glimpse of a star just waiting to shine. "I feel I am progressing nicely," said Bishop. "I am still learning everyday. Even in practice it seems I am seeing something new, so it is going to be a long process. Hopefully, as the season goes on, this game will become a little bit more of second nature to me." For many players in the league, the NFL is a dream, but for Bishop it has already been a reality. With all the success he has had this year, you would have to think a move back to the NFL is not question of if but when. It is something that is on the mind of Bishop. He wants to return to the league, but he still has a job to do as the Commanders drive in the quest to win the league championship. "I would love to go back. It is obviously the goal of anybody who plays this game to play in the NFL," he said. "But I have a job to do here first, so hopefully any opportunity I get will be after the Million Dollar Game."

[BengalErnst]

XFL Week 6: Back and Forth Affair All the Rage

March 11, 2002

Orlando, FL - The Wild squandered an eight-point lead in the fourth and fell to the Orlando Rage with a 29-24 loss. Minneapolis actually outplayed the Rage for much of the night and had a 24-16 lead with 6:44 remaining after Corey Sawyer returned his third interception of the contest 59 yards for a touchdown. But behind quarterback Joe Hamilton, the Rage were able to rally. Hamilton found Shannon Culver with a 49-yard touchdown pass, capping a seven-play, 73-yard drive that pulled the Rage within 24-23 with 2:54 to play.

After forcing the Wild to go three-and-out, the Rage moved 56 yards in eight plays for the winning score. A 27-yard interference penalty on DB Shinzo Yamada moved the ball to the Birmingham 7. Two plays after the penalty, Derrick Clark scored on a one-yard run to give Orlando a 29-24 lead with only 26 seconds remaining. Hamilton had touchdown passes of 52 yards to Todd Floyd and 33 yards to Culver in the second quarter, giving Orlando a 13-12 advantage.

Jay Taylor kicked a 26-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give Orlando a four-point lead before Minneapolis used some trickery to move back in front. Off a lateral, TE Mark Thomas found WR Damien Dodson with a 22-yard TD pass to give the Wild an 18-16 lead with 8:26 left.

-- (3-1)Rage 29 - 24 Wild(2-2)
(ORL): QB Hamilton - 30/39 299 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, RB Clark - 22 carries, 115 yards, 1 TD, WR Culver - 7 catches, 123 yards, 2 TDs, WR Burks - 7 catches, 51 yards
(MIN): QB Crandell - 17/32 149 yards, 1 TD, RB Salaam - 22 carries, 200 yards, 1 TD, WR Morey - 4 catches, 30 yards

-- (3-1)Desperados 17 - 9 Commanders(5-0)
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 23/41 224 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB King - 18 carries, 59 yards, WR Cunningham - 5 catches, 48 yards, 1 TD, WR Hundon - 4 catches, 77 yards
(SA): QB Bishop - 19/32 158 yards, 1 INT, RB Stecker - 15 carries, 76 yards, WR Stevens - 7 catches, 62 yards, WR Martos - 5 catches, 59 yards

-- (0-4)Enforcers 31 - 17 Steel(4-1)
(CHI): QB Jackson - 17/19 213 yards, 2 TDs, RB Johnson - 18 carries, 53 yards, 1 TD, RB Moss - 10 carries, 49 yards, WR Bailey - 5 catches, 62 yards, 1 TD, WR Chatman - 4 catches, 59 yards, 2 TDs
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 20/31 193 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Bostic - 17 carries, 91 yards, WR Williams - 6 catches, 104 yards, 1 TD

-- (1-4)Stars 31 - 20 Express(2-2)
(LA): QB Bonner - 20/41 294 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, RB Shehee - 16 carries, 130 yards, 1 TD, WR Copeland - 6 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD, WR McDonald - 6 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs, WR Gibson - 5 catches, 81 yards, 1 TD
(MEM): QB Martin - 17/37 259 yards, 2 TDs, RB Autry - 6 carries, 34 yards, WR McCullough - 6 catches, 101 yards, WR Simmons - 6 catches, 105 yards, 2 TDs

XFL Week 6: Nash Returns to Guide Outlaws to 34-27 Win

March 12, 2002

New York, NY - Las Vegas Outlaws WR Marcus Nash returned to the lineup and instantly sparked the Outlaws as they grab a tie for second place in the Western Division with a 34-27 win over the New York Guardians in front of 28,014. Nash took the first kickoff back 45 yards then caught a 48 yard touchdown strike from QB Giovanni Carmazzi on the team's first play from scrimmage. The next time the Outlaws touched the ball, Nash took a handoff 54 yards for another touchdown. Nash touched the ball three times in the first six minutes of the game and had 147 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. "He's amazing," said Outlaws head coach Jim Criner. "You could see how badly he wanted to play. This is a group of warriors. We fought for a full 60 minutes and if we continue to do that, we have a chance to win every time out."

Las Vegas improves to 3-2 on the season and New York drops to 0-5.

-- (2-2)Outlaws 34 - 27 Guardians(0-5)
(LV): QB Carmazzi - 15/31 268 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Phillips - 19 carries, 127 yards, 2 TDs, WR Nash - 8 catches, 110 yards, 1 TD, 1 carry, 54 yards, 1 TD
(NY): QB Moreno - 23/42 267 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, RB Philyaw - 12 carries, 30 yards, WR Dar Dar - 5 catches, 90 yards, WR Yeast - 5 catches, 80 yards, 2 TDs

[BengalErnst]

Enforcers to Honor Chicagoland Police and Firefighters

March 16, 2002

Chicago, IL - The Chicago Enforcers will honor Chicagoland police and firefighters at its game against the New York Guardians. "The public's awareness and appreciation of our country's police and fire departments is at an all-time high," said Mike Polisky, Enforcers senior vice president. "We felt that this week's game against New York was a natural time to honor those who help watch over us."


XFL Week 7: Stars Finding Their Stride

March 18, 2002

Los Angeles, CA - The Los Angeles Stars have managed an unlikely win against the Orlando Rage. The Rage appeared dejected towards the end of the game, while the Stars kept their cool and drove the victory home. Most pundits had expected the Rage to win with ease, and the loss to such an inferior opponent is a tough blow to the lofty expectations to the franchise. Meanwhile, the Stars' fans were celebrating in the street after the game, having had their hopes for the future bolstered at least momentarily and the offensive line is a huge reason why. The much maligned unit is starting to gel at the right time.

Rage RB Derrick Clark was furious with his team in an interview after the game. He called out the effort on both offense and defense. "These guys, they do not seem hungry. We have to get on the same page. Are we doing this, or not?" he complained. "We need to look at ourselves. If you're a member of this team, can you look at your performance and be happy? We need to work harder, and decide what kind of team we want to be."

-- (4-1)Rage 10 - 20 Stars(2-4)
(ORL): QB Hamilton - 23/48 240 yards, 1 TD, RB Clark - 12 carries, 61 yards, WR Burks - 6 catches, 82 yards, WR Bailey - 5 catches, 43 yards
(LA): QB Bonner 20/30 - 289 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Shehee - 10 carries, 114 yards, WR Copeland - 6 catches, 105 yards, WR McDonald - 4 catches, 65 yards, 1 TD

-- (4-2)Steel 26 - 17 Commanders(5-1)
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 18/26 204 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Bostic - 21 carries, 53 yards, WR Williams - 7 carries, 79 yards, WR Insley - 6 catches, 38 yards, 1 TD
(SA): QB Bishop - 17/20 212 yards, 1 TD, RB Stecker - 7 carries, 10 yards, WR Stevens - 5 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD

-- (1-4)Enforcers 30 - 10 Guardians(0-6)
(CHI): QB Jackson - 15/28 154 yards, 1 TD, 1 INTs, RB Moss - 13 carries, 59 yards, RB Johnson - 12 carries, 62 yards, 1 TD, WR Lord - 5 catches, 81 yards
(NY): QB Moreno - 14/35 134 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, RB Philyaw - 13 carries, 35 yards, WR Dar Dar - 5 catches, 43 yards, TE Hinton - 4 catches, 64 yards, 1 TD

-- (4-1)Desperados 27 - 30 Outlaws(3-2)
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 23/35 282 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB King - 14 carries, 50 yards, WR Cunningham - 8 catches, 79 yards, WR Hundon - 6 catches, 79 yards, 1 TD
(LV): QB Clement - 18/28 243 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Phillips - 20 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD, WR Furrey - 4 catches, 107 yards, 1 TD

XFL Week 7: Martin Clutch vs Wild

March 19, 2002

Memphis, TN - Memphis Express QB Tee Martin threw the winning touchdown with under a minute remaining in the game to lead the Express to an exciting 20-17 victory over the Minneapolis Wild. After giving Memphis(3-3) a 20-17 lead on a three-yard touchdown pass to WR Andy McCullough with 6:07 remaining, Martin found WR Tony Simmons for a two-yard score with 30 seconds left and a 27-17 cushion. Martin finished 18-for-31 with 222 yards and two TDs. WR Randy Gatewood also caught seven passes for 82 yards, who came back from a 4-point 4th quarter deficit.

-- (2-3)Wild 17 - 27 Express(2-3)
(MIN): QB Druckenmiller - 29/42 233 yards, 1 TD, RB Salaam - 21 carries, 71 yards, WR Morey - 7 catches, 79 yards, WR Prentiss - 7 catches, 65 yards
(MEM): QB Martin - 18/31 222 yards, 2 TDs, RB Autry - 14 carries, 47 yards, WR McCullough - 8 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD, WR Gatewood - 6 catches, 114 yards, WR Simmons - 3 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD

[AKH]

nice work

[BengalErnst]

nice work

Appreciate the follow. Should be plenty more to come.

XFL Week 8: Steel Cruises Past Punchless Enforcers

March 24, 2002

Chicago, IL - The Birmingham Steel dominated from the opening kickoff and overpowered the hapless Chicago Enforcers with equal parts offense, defense and special teams Saturday night. In the 24-10 victory before 17,374 fans, the Rush did not allow a touchdown until 52 seconds remained in the fourth quarter. QB Spergon Wynn continued to throw the ball consistently. He completed 18 of 25 passes for 189 yards but he could have easily had more if head coach Gerry DiNardo had not reigned in the attack early in the second half. DiNardo replaced Wynn with backup Eric Kresser midway through the third quarter.

The Steel defense went almost thirty minutes without allowing a point. Chicago didn't get on the board until K Andy Crosland connected on a 30-yard field goal on the last play of the first half. The Steel defense set the tone by registering two interceptions in the first half, DBs Dwayne Stukes and Eric Sloan, made the picks, and forced the Enforcers into three FG attempts of 50 yards or more. "Our defense is really playing well," said DiNardo. "The pass rush and the coverage is working hand-in-hand and we're flying around the football. I told Stukes he needed to play like a thoroughbred and he sure did."

-- (5-2)Steel 24 - 10 Enforcers(2-4)
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 18/25 189 yards, 1 INT, RB Bostic - 21 carries, 75 yards, 2 TDs, RB Alexander - 5 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD, WR Williams - 8 catches, 101 yards
(CHI): QB Jackson - 20/30 175 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Johnson - 14 carries, 78 yards, WR Chatman - 5 catches, 70 yards, WR Bailey - 5 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD


XFL Week 8: Minneapolis Goes Wild as Druckenmiller Returns

March 25, 2002

Las Vegas, NV - In one of the wildest games in recent memory, the Wild beat the Outlaws in overtime on Sunday, 25-22, on Ola Kimrin's game-winning 49-yard field goal. Kimrin had missed three field goals previously – one with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter (from 36 yards), one on the final play of regulation (from 51), and one in overtime (from 40). The last two would have been walk-off game-winners. But he finally came through just after the two-minute warning of overtime, allowing the Wild to snatch victory away from the Outlaws. Las Vegas also had two chances at a winning kick, but their kicker Marcus Williams missed late in the fourth quarter from 57 yards out, hitting the upright, and also in overtime, from 49, as the game went back and forth with seemingly no one wanting to win. In all the two teams combined for five missed field goals over the final 2:12 of regulation plus overtime.

For the game, QB Jim Druckenmiller was 23-of-34 for 260 yards with two TDs and two interceptions as he looks to return to form after missing the first five games of the season.

-- (2-4)Wild 25 - 22 Outlaws(4-2)
(MIN): QB Druckenmiller - 23/34 260 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Salaam - 28 carries, 103 yards, 1 TD, 4 catches, 43 yards, WR Morey - 5 catches, 54 yards, WR Prentiss - 3 catches, 34 yards, 1 TD
(LV): QB Clement - 25/40 245 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Philips - 21 carries, 86 yards, WR Furrey - 7 catches, 76 yards, 1 TD, WR Vanover - 6 catches, 71 yards

-- (3-3)Express 10 - 30 Rage(4-2)
(MEM): QB Thompson - 14/29 114 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Autry - 22 carries, 67 yards, WR McCullough - 4 catches, 35 yards, 1 TD
(ORL): QB Hamilton - 19/28 288 yards, 2 TDs, RB Clark - 18 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD, WR Burks - 6 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD, WR Bailey - 4 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD, WR Culver - 8 catches, 62 yards
*Memphis' QB Martin left game due to injury(hyperextended knee)

XFL Week 8: Commanders Destroyed by Dallas

March 26, 2002

San Antonio, TX - "One touchdown is ridiculous in a football game. Right now we are looking for answers and just not finding them", said Commanders QB Michael Bishop shortly after San Antonio suffered it's 3rd straight loss. Commanders' offense sputtered in the first half as Bishop turned the ball over 3 times. Meanwhile, Desperados QB Clint Stoerner sliced his way through the Commanders defense with pinpoint accuracy. After the Desperados opened the scoring on a 21-yard Stoerner to Brian Roberson touchdown, Bishop threw the first of his two costly interceptions of the half. But the Commanders defense helped the offense out by recovering a RB Carlos King fumble. Dallas quickly answered their offensive gaffe with another Stoerner touchdown pass, this time from 38 yards out to WR James Hundon. Later after the teams exchanged field goals, Stoerner went up top again to WR Jimmy Cunningham for the 45 yard completion to set up a 4 yard RB Terry Battle touchdown run and a 24-3 Dallas halftime lead.

"When you give Clint time, he is as good as it gets in the league. He does all things you are supposed to do," Dallas head coach Jerry Glanville said.

"They came out and set the tone," San Antonio WR Calvin Shexnayder said, "They gave it to us tonight. We have to take accountability for our actions. We need to grow up and come together as a team."

-- (4-2)Desperados 26 - 10 Commanders(5-2)
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 22/29 252 yards, 2 TDs, RB King - 23 carries, 107 yards, WR Hundon - 4 catches, 71 yards, 1 TD
(SA): QB Bishop - 15/34 196 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, RB Stecker - 5 carries, 7 yards, WR Merritt - 2 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD

Outlaws Look to Bounce Back

March 27, 2002

Las Vegas, NV - The Las Vegas Outlaws will look to bounce back from a 25-22 loss to the Minneapolis Wild this week. "Well, we had an opportunity. We got that turnover defensively when we intercepted the ball when it was 15-19, and we didn't do anything with it. I think that was obviously the turning point in the game. It was very disappointing," said Head Coach Jim Criner. "The defense battled back and they gave us an opportunity. They had that nice goal line stand and we didn't do anything with the turnover. I don't think it was so much the adjustments more than it was lack of execution on our part. We missed some throws that were there obviously, which was disappointing. We didn't have quite as many opportunities in the second half as we did in the first half as far as number of plays, but we missed some opportunities in the second half more than anything. I would go to war with our defense anytime. This was one of those games where we just let it slip away. We had a lot of opportunities to comeback in the game, it was just one of those games that slipped away from us."

[BengalErnst]

XFL Week 9: Guardians Just Can't Find Victory

April 2, 2002

Memphis, TN - Spawned by their only turnover of the game, disaster hit the Guardians when they blew an 11-point lead Sunday with 7:29 left in the game and took a stunning 34-31 loss at Giants Stadium to the expansion Memphis Express. Express quarterback Tee Martin shocked the Guardians' top ranked defense with 31 or 43 passing for 328 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide open former TE John Waerig to give the Express a 32-31 lead with 3:45 left. Then Martin delivered the dagger on the two-point conversion when the Express pulled off the Halfback Pass back to the QB and Martin was all by himself to catch the ball from WR Andy McCullough.

It was made all the more crushing when the Guardians couldn't protect a 31-26 lead with 4:36 left. On Moreno's first snap, he set up a screen for WR Kirby Dar Dar, but Express LB Donnie Spragan jumped in the air, batted it and caught it at the Guardian 14 with 4:32 left in the eighth game. After slamming a water bottle and his helmet to the turf, Moreno ran to the sideline to the chants, "We want Wally. We want Wally."

-- (3-4)Express 34 - 31 Guardians(0-7)
(MEM): QB Martin - 31/43 328 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, RB Autry - 10 carries, 38 yards, WR McCullough - 8 catches, 117 yards, 2 TDs, WR Simmons - 6 catches, 81 yards
(NY): QB Moreno - 21/35 189 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Philyaw - 13 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD, WR Green - 6 catches, 65 yards, 2 TDs, TE Hinton - 4 catches, 48 yards

-- (4-3)Outlaws 17 - 27 Desperados(5-2)
(LV): QB Clement - 14/28 206 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Phillips - 12 carries, 32 yards, WR Furrey - 4 catches, 95 yards, WR Nash - 5 catches, 18 yards, 2 TDs
(DAL): QB Stoerner - 31/35 325 yards, 2 TDs, RB King - 16 carries, 44 yards, WR Hundon - 6 catches, 44 yards, WR - 5 catches, 83 yards, 2 TDs

-- (5-3)Commanders 21 - 14 Rage(5-2)
(SA): QB Bishop - 17/28 211 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, RB Stecker - 23 carries, 98 yards, WR Hall - 7 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD, WR Merritt - 4 catches, 63 yards
(ORL): QB Hamilton - 21/41 172 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Clark - 22 carries, 42 yards, WR Burks - 7 catches, 84 yards, 1 TD, WR Bailey - 6 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD

-- (3-4)Stars 27 - 17 Steel(6-2)
(LA): QB Bonner - 16/30 247 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, RB Shehee - 8 carries, 18 yards, 3 catches, 51 yards, 1 TD, WR Copeland - 5 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD, WR McDonald - 2 catches, 97 yards
(BIRM): QB Wynn - 14/24 154 yards, 1 TD, RB Bostic - 20 carries, 59 yards, 1 TD, WR Williams - 4 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD, WR McGuire - 8 catches, 59 yards

XFL Week 9: Enforcers Can't get Past Errors

April 3, 2002

Minneapolis, MN - The Enforcers are struggling to win on a consistent basis even after playing what amounted to 58 minutes of solid football. Discipline is a major key to being successful and the Enforcers seem to lack it, and their coaching staff is now in jeopardy. "You can look at this game and dissect it in a number of way, but the key thing is mentally we beat ourselves. We are our own worst enemy and until we focus and cut out those mental mistakes we are not going to be a good football team," said Enforcers head coach Rusty Tillman.

Enforcers QB Jarious Jackson was solid all evening until it all came crashing down with less than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Down by only seven and holding the ball deep in Avenger territory, the unimaginable happened. Jackson threw the ball into the flats with WR Aaron Bailey waiting to haul it in when all of a sudden DB Corey Sawyer stepped in front of it and took the interception back 49 yards for the score, which sealed the win for the Wild. Jackson finished the evening having completed 22 of 36 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and the lone costly interception.

"The guy made a great play on it. I thought I had a touchdown. Congrats to him, he baited me and I threw it and he made a great play," said Jackson. "I feel bad about it because he intercepted it, but it was one of those thing where the guy made a great play."

-- (2-5)Enforcers 24 - 31 Wild(3-4)
(CHI): QB Jackson - 22/36 252 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, RB Moss - 14 carries, 45 yards, WR Bailey - 9 catches, 66 yards, WR Chatman - 4 catches, 68 yards
(MIN): QB Druckenmiller - 16/27 181 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, RB Salaam - 22 carries, 46 yards, 1 TD, WR Morey - 6 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD

XFL and ADT Forge Sponsorship

April 4, 2002

Greenwich, CT - The XFL announced that ADT Security Services, Inc., a unit of Tyco Fire and Security Services, has signed a multi-year agreement to become the leading sponsor of the XFL. "ADT is extremely pleased to be working closely with the XFL family. It's the fastest growing team sport and one that places a heavy emphasis on diversity and fan appreciation, two ideals that are consistent with ADT's core values," said Mike Snyder, president of ADT Security Services, Inc. "This relationship will also provide us a tremendous opportunity to build brand awareness at both local and national levels."

A key component of the agreement includes ADT's sponsorship of the Defensive Player of the Year Award, which is given to the top defensive specialists presented during the league's respective championship game. "ADT's sponsorship further demonstrates our ability to attract blue-chip companies that recognize the huge appeal of our sport and the passionate commitment by our fans," said Dick Ebersol, XFL Co-Founder. "Our goal is to be recognized as the most fan-friendly sport in the world, and ADT will not only assist us in reaching that goal, but will also stand to benefit greatly from our comprehensive efforts."