Post by 50yardfan on Jul 1, 2010 20:06:23 GMT -5
www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jul/01/venom-in-the-dark-about-final-foe-league-has/?sports
WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Venom know they will close out their season against the Arctic Predators. But for much of this week, they didn’t know who would actually be in the Predators’ uniforms.
The Wasilla, Alaska, franchise has had trouble maintaining a roster since May when it began forfeiting home games and converted to a travel-only team.
The squad that hits the field Saturday afternoon at the Town Toyota Center will be made up mostly of players that have played for the Predators at least once this season, said Arctic interim head coach Adrian Johnson. None of the players are coming from other American Indoor Football Association teams, he said.
AIFA chief operating officer Mark Mink said Wednesday the league has helped the Predators and the Ogden (Utah) Knights — another AIFA Western Conference team that has forfeited the majority of its home games this season — field teams for road games.
Mink said the Predators weren’t a good draw at home and paying for opposing teams’ travel to Alaska was expensive.
“The league helps them as much as we can both financially and management-wise,” said Mink, who is also the league’s director of football operations. “We want to make sure our teams get their home games.”
Johnson, who spent the majority of the season as an assistant coach for the Yakima Valley Warriors, was chosen to lead the Predators a couple of weeks ago.
“We went through difficulties earlier, but now it’s a totally different story with the team,” Johnson said Wednesday. “We’ve made some changes from the last time. The last time we came into Wenatchee that team was really dysfunctional. We still want to end on a high note.”
Hans Deemer, part-owner of the Wasilla franchise, coached the team earlier this season.
“(Deemer) just got frustrated during the difficult times, and just needed new leadership to finish out the season. He is still playing a vital role for this organization,” Johnson said.
Venom general manager and director of operations Mark Helm was unsure what the status of the Predators was when reached Wednesday afternoon.
“Since the Wasilla team has technically folded, they’re trying to take as many Wasilla guys as they can and augment it with other players,” said Helm. “Whether it will be better or worse, I don’t know. ... It’s a little frustrating, but what can we do? We’re just trying to put our best team on the field, and hope they put the best team they can on the field. We just hope it’s good competition.”
The Venom and the Predators have split their two games this season.
Arctic beat Wenatchee Valley 52-48 on May 8 at Wasilla when Predators receiver Monte Purvis hauled down a 15-yard pass on 4th-and-7 for the winning touchdown with just 12 seconds left on the clock.
On June 12, the Venom reached the .500 mark for the first time since early April with a resounding 76-6 win over the Wasilla team at Town Toyota Center.
Venom coach Brian Smith said this week his team is ready to play on Saturday, regardless of who suits up for the Predators.
“We’re playing the Wasilla organization. ... Whoever shows up, we’re going to compete against. I’m just getting my guys ready to play,” said Smith.
WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Venom know they will close out their season against the Arctic Predators. But for much of this week, they didn’t know who would actually be in the Predators’ uniforms.
The Wasilla, Alaska, franchise has had trouble maintaining a roster since May when it began forfeiting home games and converted to a travel-only team.
The squad that hits the field Saturday afternoon at the Town Toyota Center will be made up mostly of players that have played for the Predators at least once this season, said Arctic interim head coach Adrian Johnson. None of the players are coming from other American Indoor Football Association teams, he said.
AIFA chief operating officer Mark Mink said Wednesday the league has helped the Predators and the Ogden (Utah) Knights — another AIFA Western Conference team that has forfeited the majority of its home games this season — field teams for road games.
Mink said the Predators weren’t a good draw at home and paying for opposing teams’ travel to Alaska was expensive.
“The league helps them as much as we can both financially and management-wise,” said Mink, who is also the league’s director of football operations. “We want to make sure our teams get their home games.”
Johnson, who spent the majority of the season as an assistant coach for the Yakima Valley Warriors, was chosen to lead the Predators a couple of weeks ago.
“We went through difficulties earlier, but now it’s a totally different story with the team,” Johnson said Wednesday. “We’ve made some changes from the last time. The last time we came into Wenatchee that team was really dysfunctional. We still want to end on a high note.”
Hans Deemer, part-owner of the Wasilla franchise, coached the team earlier this season.
“(Deemer) just got frustrated during the difficult times, and just needed new leadership to finish out the season. He is still playing a vital role for this organization,” Johnson said.
Venom general manager and director of operations Mark Helm was unsure what the status of the Predators was when reached Wednesday afternoon.
“Since the Wasilla team has technically folded, they’re trying to take as many Wasilla guys as they can and augment it with other players,” said Helm. “Whether it will be better or worse, I don’t know. ... It’s a little frustrating, but what can we do? We’re just trying to put our best team on the field, and hope they put the best team they can on the field. We just hope it’s good competition.”
The Venom and the Predators have split their two games this season.
Arctic beat Wenatchee Valley 52-48 on May 8 at Wasilla when Predators receiver Monte Purvis hauled down a 15-yard pass on 4th-and-7 for the winning touchdown with just 12 seconds left on the clock.
On June 12, the Venom reached the .500 mark for the first time since early April with a resounding 76-6 win over the Wasilla team at Town Toyota Center.
Venom coach Brian Smith said this week his team is ready to play on Saturday, regardless of who suits up for the Predators.
“We’re playing the Wasilla organization. ... Whoever shows up, we’re going to compete against. I’m just getting my guys ready to play,” said Smith.