Post by fwp on May 21, 2010 4:58:49 GMT -5
www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/may/20/tailor-made-or-trap-venom-return-home-coach/?sports
WENATCHEE — Brian Smith doesn’t want to hear about the Ogden Knights.
He’s not interested in the fact that his Wenatchee Valley Venom have a tailor-made comeback game at home this Saturday against a winless team.
The Venom interim coach’s only concern is the continued improvement of the 30 guys in black and red.
Wenatchee Valley (2-6) returns home to the Town Toyota Center on Saturday for the first time since April 22, and is coming off a last-second loss to the San Jose Wolves last weekend.
The Venom battled the second-place Wolves tooth-and-nail all night, but gave up a 35-yard field goal with one second left in a 60-57 loss.
“Being close is never good enough, but the way we’ve been playing is reflective of how we’ve been practicing,” said Smith, who will coach his first game at the Town Toyota Center since taking over for Keith Evans last week.
“We have a lot more discipline on the field, and we’re committing a lot fewer penalties. We’re doing things the right way now, and starting to get better.”
Smith said snapping the team’s current four-game losing streak would be a huge feather in his team’s cap.
“It’s huge. It’s everything to win this game at home, just because we’ve been gone so long,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get our fan base back a little bit, and our improvement will exhibit itself on the field.”
The Knights (0-8) will bring a roster of unknowns into Wenatchee this weekend.
Just one player on Ogden’s current 20-man roster (fullback Kevin McKinzie) registered a statistic the last time the Knights were on the field, a 71-12 loss at San Jose on May 8.
He rushed twice for minus-2 yards.
Smith brushed off the Knights’ struggles.
“Ogden’s struggling, but we’re focused on what we’re doing and performing the way we know we can,” Smith said.
To a certain extent, the Venom live in the proverbial glass house.
With the exception a victory via forfeit over these same Ogden Knights, Wenatchee hasn’t won a game on the field since its franchise opener on March 20 at Town Toyota Center against Yakima Valley.
“We can’t be overlooking anybody,” wide receiver Phil Goodman said. “We’re looking at it almost like we’re a winless team too. The first half of the season seems like it’s so far away.”
Brian Adamowsky: 664-7157
adamowsky@wenatcheeworld.com
WENATCHEE — Brian Smith doesn’t want to hear about the Ogden Knights.
He’s not interested in the fact that his Wenatchee Valley Venom have a tailor-made comeback game at home this Saturday against a winless team.
The Venom interim coach’s only concern is the continued improvement of the 30 guys in black and red.
Wenatchee Valley (2-6) returns home to the Town Toyota Center on Saturday for the first time since April 22, and is coming off a last-second loss to the San Jose Wolves last weekend.
The Venom battled the second-place Wolves tooth-and-nail all night, but gave up a 35-yard field goal with one second left in a 60-57 loss.
“Being close is never good enough, but the way we’ve been playing is reflective of how we’ve been practicing,” said Smith, who will coach his first game at the Town Toyota Center since taking over for Keith Evans last week.
“We have a lot more discipline on the field, and we’re committing a lot fewer penalties. We’re doing things the right way now, and starting to get better.”
Smith said snapping the team’s current four-game losing streak would be a huge feather in his team’s cap.
“It’s huge. It’s everything to win this game at home, just because we’ve been gone so long,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get our fan base back a little bit, and our improvement will exhibit itself on the field.”
The Knights (0-8) will bring a roster of unknowns into Wenatchee this weekend.
Just one player on Ogden’s current 20-man roster (fullback Kevin McKinzie) registered a statistic the last time the Knights were on the field, a 71-12 loss at San Jose on May 8.
He rushed twice for minus-2 yards.
Smith brushed off the Knights’ struggles.
“Ogden’s struggling, but we’re focused on what we’re doing and performing the way we know we can,” Smith said.
To a certain extent, the Venom live in the proverbial glass house.
With the exception a victory via forfeit over these same Ogden Knights, Wenatchee hasn’t won a game on the field since its franchise opener on March 20 at Town Toyota Center against Yakima Valley.
“We can’t be overlooking anybody,” wide receiver Phil Goodman said. “We’re looking at it almost like we’re a winless team too. The first half of the season seems like it’s so far away.”
Brian Adamowsky: 664-7157
adamowsky@wenatcheeworld.com