Post by 50yardfan on Jul 1, 2010 20:04:55 GMT -5
AIFA veterans Smith, Daniels lead Harrisburg Stampede
blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2010/07/aifa_veterans_smith_daniels_le.html
Silas Daniels and Archie Smith have an awful lot in common.
They both started out in professional indoor football in 2005 playing for the Montgomery (Ala.) Maulers of the now defunct National Indoor Football League. They arrived together, and became American Indoor Football Association All-Pro performers for the Harrisburg Stampede last year.
The two re-signed with the Stampede on the same day in October. Oh, and one more note, the “Ironmen” (two-way) players are leading the way as the team prepares for its first playoff game today.
“I first started playing indoor ball in Montgomery, and things weren’t going well that season,” Daniels said. “We were losing, there was a whole lot of stress and our team was on the verge of folding. We had to get a lawyer to try to get our money back, and the owner just fired all of us.”
That’s when current Stampede co-owner and AIFA president John Morris stepped in, took over the team and backed the players. He saved the franchise and later moved the team (changed name to Bears) to the AIFA after the league was formed.
“That’s when I met John Morris, and he took over the team, got the money to cover our fees and gave us our checks,” Daniels said. “Archie and I were teammates in Montgomery and, of course, are teammates today. The fact that John stepped in and gave us hope to play football meant a lot to us. We have a close relationship to this day, and it was a no-brainer for me to come to Harrisburg and play for him.”
Daniels had a good college career at Auburn (2000-04) as a wide receiver. He teamed up with quarterback Jason Campbell, now with the Oakland Raiders, for the second-longest touchdown reception is school history (87 yards) in 2004. Before coming to the Stampede, Daniels played one year with the Columbus Lions.
Smith, played collegiately at Alabama State, before joining the Maulers. He then joined Baltimore before signing with the Stampede before last season because of the Morris connection.
“He [Morris] took a chance on us in Montgomery, a team that was a quarter of a million dollars in debt,” Smith said. “He paid us all of our money and got the team back on its feet. We started out 1-5, but went on an eight-game winning streak and reached the conference finals.”
Smith left Montgomery, went to Baltimore and came to Harrisburg when Morris formed an expansion team. He has been a fixture in the secondary, and a fan favorite, ever since.
“John and I have a father-son relationship,” Smith said. “He took in me and my family [wife and three children], and that’s why and I play hard and give it my all every game.”
The Stampede (11-3) are fully healthy for the first time all season, and are riding a five-game winning streak heading into their East Division playoff clash with the Erie Storm (8-6).
“We’re peaking right now and we have one goal, and that’s going 3-0,” Smith said. “Everybody has pulled together to get the job done. We’re a close-knit team, we have talent and have the best depth in the whole league.”
Daniels, Smith and Morris, who have come a long way together, have helped transform the Stampede to a playoff team in two seasons. No matter what happens this season, Harrisburg has a winning product in the AIFA.
“Archie and Silas has been with me since Day 1. They are quality players and leaders of this team,” Morris said.
“Archie, who is like a son to me, and I are close. This team has been here two years now, and you haven’t heard anything negative about any of these players. That is the kind of talent and people we like to attract, not only to this team, but for the league.”
blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2010/07/aifa_veterans_smith_daniels_le.html
Silas Daniels and Archie Smith have an awful lot in common.
They both started out in professional indoor football in 2005 playing for the Montgomery (Ala.) Maulers of the now defunct National Indoor Football League. They arrived together, and became American Indoor Football Association All-Pro performers for the Harrisburg Stampede last year.
The two re-signed with the Stampede on the same day in October. Oh, and one more note, the “Ironmen” (two-way) players are leading the way as the team prepares for its first playoff game today.
“I first started playing indoor ball in Montgomery, and things weren’t going well that season,” Daniels said. “We were losing, there was a whole lot of stress and our team was on the verge of folding. We had to get a lawyer to try to get our money back, and the owner just fired all of us.”
That’s when current Stampede co-owner and AIFA president John Morris stepped in, took over the team and backed the players. He saved the franchise and later moved the team (changed name to Bears) to the AIFA after the league was formed.
“That’s when I met John Morris, and he took over the team, got the money to cover our fees and gave us our checks,” Daniels said. “Archie and I were teammates in Montgomery and, of course, are teammates today. The fact that John stepped in and gave us hope to play football meant a lot to us. We have a close relationship to this day, and it was a no-brainer for me to come to Harrisburg and play for him.”
Daniels had a good college career at Auburn (2000-04) as a wide receiver. He teamed up with quarterback Jason Campbell, now with the Oakland Raiders, for the second-longest touchdown reception is school history (87 yards) in 2004. Before coming to the Stampede, Daniels played one year with the Columbus Lions.
Smith, played collegiately at Alabama State, before joining the Maulers. He then joined Baltimore before signing with the Stampede before last season because of the Morris connection.
“He [Morris] took a chance on us in Montgomery, a team that was a quarter of a million dollars in debt,” Smith said. “He paid us all of our money and got the team back on its feet. We started out 1-5, but went on an eight-game winning streak and reached the conference finals.”
Smith left Montgomery, went to Baltimore and came to Harrisburg when Morris formed an expansion team. He has been a fixture in the secondary, and a fan favorite, ever since.
“John and I have a father-son relationship,” Smith said. “He took in me and my family [wife and three children], and that’s why and I play hard and give it my all every game.”
The Stampede (11-3) are fully healthy for the first time all season, and are riding a five-game winning streak heading into their East Division playoff clash with the Erie Storm (8-6).
“We’re peaking right now and we have one goal, and that’s going 3-0,” Smith said. “Everybody has pulled together to get the job done. We’re a close-knit team, we have talent and have the best depth in the whole league.”
Daniels, Smith and Morris, who have come a long way together, have helped transform the Stampede to a playoff team in two seasons. No matter what happens this season, Harrisburg has a winning product in the AIFA.
“Archie and Silas has been with me since Day 1. They are quality players and leaders of this team,” Morris said.
“Archie, who is like a son to me, and I are close. This team has been here two years now, and you haven’t heard anything negative about any of these players. That is the kind of talent and people we like to attract, not only to this team, but for the league.”