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Date Posted: 23:56:26 12/07/03 Sun
Author: Josh (Steel Valley)
Author Host/IP: 130.101.77.105
Subject: Smash vs. Wichita, week 1

These two franchises have met one time, back in 2000, with the Duluth-Superior Lumberjacks taking the Smash to the woodshed, 51-17. Nowadays, it's time for some payback. The Steel Valley Smash are possibly the FIFL's most improved team, with (finally) some defensive presence, and all of the rookies last year with some seasoning under their belt.

Warlords offense vs. Smash defense
Steel Valley's never been known for having a defense worth a hill of beans, but this is probably the best one they've ever had. Coach Dan Jackson made the trade to send T Mike O'Donnell on his way to Mobile, and got a pair of good defensive players for it (and two Gs). DT Joey Duplan will see significant playing time and LB Reggie Oliver will probably see the field for special teams. On top of the addition of Duplan, the big names on the line, DE Dan Tarabella and DT John Corker, are both a year older and a year better. The Smash have one of the better young LB corps in the league, with Johnny Shepherd, Melvin Phillips, Troy Fields and Eddie Phillips back there playing. The DBs are solid, as usual, with S Herb James and new S Jay Buchanan (former CB) patrolling with CBs Cecil Doggette and DaWuan Miller. They'll need all of the help they can get from the new and old guys, because Wichita has a gunner. It's this year or bust for Wichita, with a bunch of aging veterans, and they probably have the team to contend for it all. QB Johnny Johnson has the strongest arm in the FIFL. WRs Persing, Volz and Buckner (a former Smash) are speedsters that can catch Johnson's long bombs on the run. Jamie Lee can also do a bit of running. It could be a long day for this revamped Smash defense.

Smash offense vs. Warlords defense
Steel Valley's offense had one problem last year. Age. A lack of it. Everyone's a year older. The only big loss is T Mike O'Donnell, but he is replaced by able guards Hotz and Barnes, and by rookie #1 pick T Tom Briggs. RB David Ruter is solid as usual, but the question is at QB. Is Fred McNair really the answer? Expect him to be kept on a short leash, as Rashard Casey had a solid training camp. Word out of Wheeling says that they want TE Brian Greene to add to his 74 catches of a year ago, possibly reaching 100 catches this season. Wichita has solid veterans at each defensive position and nice-looking young guys to play with them, as well. DE Shane Konop, although older, still has the speed to cause McNair, who has fumbled, some troubles. Big plays won't happen with this offense, although Wichita's defense has given them up before.

What's gonna happen?
It's going to be a hard-fought game. Wichita's O-Line doesn't give up many sacks, and the Smash D-Line doesn't get too many of them. That's a problem, as Johnny Johnson could then find one too many deep routes to keep the Smash into it. However, I don't think it will happen. There's a renewed excitement for FIFL football in the Valley, one that really hasn't been here since the high-flying days of Major Harris and the 1999 Steel Valley Smash. There's an overflow sellout crowd for this weekend's season opener, and it will help the Smash gain their first winning record since they were 1-0 in 2001. Smash 24, Warlords 21.

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