Post by 50yardfan on Apr 9, 2011 19:55:00 GMT -5
Jarvis Dunn will live Tri-Cities Fever lore forever. Dunn took the opening kickoff in Fever history in 2005 and returned it for a touchdown, and the franchise was off and running. Dunn went on to star for the Fever during the 2005 season as the Fever went on to win the National Indoor Football League championship. He would return in 2006. That was the last time he played at the Toyota Center.
He will always have a place in the Fever record books, and those memories will live with Dunn for the rest of his life.
"It wasn't just football in the Tri-Cities," Dunn said. "It was a big family; I started my family there. It's where I met my wife and I have a lot of great memories here."
He hopes to add one more memory at Toyota Center to his already vast list. Dunn will be wearing a familiar No. 4 jersey on Sunday afternoon when the Fever (3-1) takes on the Kent Predators. Only this time, Dunn will try his best to lead the Predators to a much-needed win. "We need to get a win," he said.
Dunn expected a select few to remember him when he suits up Sunday, but this past week, he has learned that this return is bigger than he initially thought.
"I have been thinking about it, but it didn't really hit me until I got on Facebook this week," he said.
There he found a post on the Fever's page with a trivia question, asking fans what player would be making his first appearance at the Toyota Center for the first time in five years. He was surprised how many people knew it was him. That along with texting back and forth with former Fever owner Randy Schillinger has got Dunn pretty hyped up for the 1:30 p.m. kickoff. So much so, Dunn drove himself to town Friday night while the rest of his teammates will arrive Sunday morning.
"It's kind of crazy that it's been that long since I have played here," Dunn said. "After seeing that I was thinking to myself this might be something bigger."
Since the 2006 season, Dunn has been in and out of football. Most recently, he played two games for Kent last season before walking away. He returned this season, and says he's in the best shape of his life. However, a broken finger has slowed him down. After playing in the first game of the season, Dunn broke his finger at practice the following week and has played in just two games this season. In that short time, he has scored three touchdowns.
"I feel good now, all I need to do is get some touches so I can show what I can do," Dunn said.
The Predators (1-4) have lost three straight games, including the last two, both by one point after yielding touchdowns in the final minute of the game.
"We just got to get things together," Dunn said. "We can't afford to lose these division games."
He will always have a place in the Fever record books, and those memories will live with Dunn for the rest of his life.
"It wasn't just football in the Tri-Cities," Dunn said. "It was a big family; I started my family there. It's where I met my wife and I have a lot of great memories here."
He hopes to add one more memory at Toyota Center to his already vast list. Dunn will be wearing a familiar No. 4 jersey on Sunday afternoon when the Fever (3-1) takes on the Kent Predators. Only this time, Dunn will try his best to lead the Predators to a much-needed win. "We need to get a win," he said.
Dunn expected a select few to remember him when he suits up Sunday, but this past week, he has learned that this return is bigger than he initially thought.
"I have been thinking about it, but it didn't really hit me until I got on Facebook this week," he said.
There he found a post on the Fever's page with a trivia question, asking fans what player would be making his first appearance at the Toyota Center for the first time in five years. He was surprised how many people knew it was him. That along with texting back and forth with former Fever owner Randy Schillinger has got Dunn pretty hyped up for the 1:30 p.m. kickoff. So much so, Dunn drove himself to town Friday night while the rest of his teammates will arrive Sunday morning.
"It's kind of crazy that it's been that long since I have played here," Dunn said. "After seeing that I was thinking to myself this might be something bigger."
Since the 2006 season, Dunn has been in and out of football. Most recently, he played two games for Kent last season before walking away. He returned this season, and says he's in the best shape of his life. However, a broken finger has slowed him down. After playing in the first game of the season, Dunn broke his finger at practice the following week and has played in just two games this season. In that short time, he has scored three touchdowns.
"I feel good now, all I need to do is get some touches so I can show what I can do," Dunn said.
The Predators (1-4) have lost three straight games, including the last two, both by one point after yielding touchdowns in the final minute of the game.
"We just got to get things together," Dunn said. "We can't afford to lose these division games."