Post by 50yardfan on Jul 24, 2010 20:31:34 GMT -5
weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bthesite/vensel/2010/07/five_quick_questions_with_mari.html
The undefeated Baltimore Mariners host the Wyoming Cavalry in the American Indoor Football Association championship game this weekend. AIFA Bowl IV will be held Sunday at 4 p.m. at 1st Mariner Arena. The 15-0 Mariners rolled through the regular season, outscoring opponents 847-391, before beating down the Harrisburg Stampede in the conference final, 63-15.
I've gotten flak from a few hardcore Mariners fans for not talking about Baltimore's indoor football team, so I got in touch with Mariners linebacker Brian Bradford, whom I covered at Towson three years ago when we were both students there. Bradford was named to the Associated Press FCS All-America first team in 2007.
Bradford made 33 tackles for the Mariners during the regular season, had four and a half sacks and intercepted four passes. He missed the conference final with an elbow infection, but said there's no way he's missing Sunday's championship. He promised a great game and said that for him, playing in the AIFA Bowl will be the “experience [of] a lifetime.”
Here are five quick questions with Bradford {photo courtesy of Brian Bradford}:
After starring at Towson, what was the transition like switching over to indoor football?
Indoor football is a lot different than college because there are a lot of restrictions at the linebacker position. We can only drop so far, blitz in certain gaps and it’s almost impossible to disguise what we are doing. Even though it is different, it’s still football.
The Mariners went 14-0 in the regular season, winning by lopsided scores like 91-19 and 84-6. Why has the team been so dominant this season after a 9-5 season a year ago?
Last year we had a successful team and we didn’t really get to know each other yet. … The extra year of bonding and being teammates I think made all the difference to our success.
Has Baltimore embraced the Mariners this season?
We have amazing fans and everyone who has come to a game has enjoyed themselves and fallen in love with our organization. It’s tough to be fully embraced since the team has only been around for a couple of seasons. .... Hopefully, after we finish this season out and fans check out the championship game, the fan base [will] grow, especially if we bring another championship to Baltimore.
For the football fans who haven't checked out the Mariners, what can they expect if they come out for this weekend's championship?
I think most fans would be surprised how close the action really is to them, and the players love talking and interacting with them as well. It will be a great time for adults and children.
What's the scouting report on the 14-1 Wyoming Cavalry?
Wyoming is a very good team. They dominated the west and are in the championship for a reason. We had a great two weeks of practice to prepare and hopefully all of our hard work pays off.
The undefeated Baltimore Mariners host the Wyoming Cavalry in the American Indoor Football Association championship game this weekend. AIFA Bowl IV will be held Sunday at 4 p.m. at 1st Mariner Arena. The 15-0 Mariners rolled through the regular season, outscoring opponents 847-391, before beating down the Harrisburg Stampede in the conference final, 63-15.
I've gotten flak from a few hardcore Mariners fans for not talking about Baltimore's indoor football team, so I got in touch with Mariners linebacker Brian Bradford, whom I covered at Towson three years ago when we were both students there. Bradford was named to the Associated Press FCS All-America first team in 2007.
Bradford made 33 tackles for the Mariners during the regular season, had four and a half sacks and intercepted four passes. He missed the conference final with an elbow infection, but said there's no way he's missing Sunday's championship. He promised a great game and said that for him, playing in the AIFA Bowl will be the “experience [of] a lifetime.”
Here are five quick questions with Bradford {photo courtesy of Brian Bradford}:
After starring at Towson, what was the transition like switching over to indoor football?
Indoor football is a lot different than college because there are a lot of restrictions at the linebacker position. We can only drop so far, blitz in certain gaps and it’s almost impossible to disguise what we are doing. Even though it is different, it’s still football.
The Mariners went 14-0 in the regular season, winning by lopsided scores like 91-19 and 84-6. Why has the team been so dominant this season after a 9-5 season a year ago?
Last year we had a successful team and we didn’t really get to know each other yet. … The extra year of bonding and being teammates I think made all the difference to our success.
Has Baltimore embraced the Mariners this season?
We have amazing fans and everyone who has come to a game has enjoyed themselves and fallen in love with our organization. It’s tough to be fully embraced since the team has only been around for a couple of seasons. .... Hopefully, after we finish this season out and fans check out the championship game, the fan base [will] grow, especially if we bring another championship to Baltimore.
For the football fans who haven't checked out the Mariners, what can they expect if they come out for this weekend's championship?
I think most fans would be surprised how close the action really is to them, and the players love talking and interacting with them as well. It will be a great time for adults and children.
What's the scouting report on the 14-1 Wyoming Cavalry?
Wyoming is a very good team. They dominated the west and are in the championship for a reason. We had a great two weeks of practice to prepare and hopefully all of our hard work pays off.