The
Kansas City Command won’t take the field next season, but Kansas City
arena football fans will get a new team in a new league.A
spokesman for the Command would say only that the team won’t play next
season. The Command played in the Arena Football League.The
unnamed new team will play in the Champions Professional Indoor
Football League, a newly created regional league that so far includes
teams from Wichita; Tulsa, Okla.; Sedalia, Mo.; and Sioux City, Iowa.
Two more teams are expected to be announced soon. The league could play
with as many as 10 teams.“We’re
not trying to be a national organization like the AFL,” said Reggie
Harris, general manager of the new Kansas City team. “What we’re trying
to do is create a league that is more accessible for fans and that has a
financial situation that works.”Harris,
who in 2005 was general manager of Command predecessor the Kansas City
Brigade, said that average ticket prices for the new team will be about
$20 but that fans will be able to see a game for as little as $10 a
ticket.“We
want this to be very affordable for families,” Harris said. “You can go
see a game for about as much as it would cost to go to a movie.”The
new team will play at Kemper Arena, which with 17,000 seats will be the
league’s largest arena. The 12-week season will start in late February;
the playoffs will end by July 1.The
Kansas City team is owned by Jeremy Ploeger, who is founder of sports
management firm J&M Management, vice chairman of the Jackson County
Board of Planning & Zoning Adjustments and a former candidate for
the Missouri House of Representatives in the 51st District.The
Brigade went out of business when the AFL reorganized at the end of the
2009 season. The AFL returned in 2010; the Kansas City team — which
became the Command — returned for the 2011 season.The new team already announced several players:
- Carson Coffman
will play quarterback. A Kansas State Wildcat from 2006 to 2010, he
threw for 3,224 yards and 17 touchdowns, running for 278 yards and 12
touchdowns. Last year, he played for the Utah Blaze in the Arena
Football League. He’s the son of Paul Coffman, a three-time Pro Bowl
tight end who played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers and
Minnesota Vikings.
- Diyral Briggs
will play linebacker. Briggs has NFL experience playing for the San
Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers, where he won a
Super Bowl ring. Last season, he played for the Kansas City Command.
- Cornelius “Pig” Brown
played for the University of Missouri and was a third-round draft pick
for the Kansas City Chiefs. Last season, he played in the Indoor
Football League for the River City Rage and the Omaha Beef.
- O.J. Simpson played wide receiver for Missouri Western State University. He spent last season with the Kansas City Command.
- Tommy Chavis will
play defensive line. He played college football for the University of
Missouri and earned Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2007. He played for the
Kansas City Command in 2012; the year before, he led the Indoor Football
League with 16.5 sacks in 11 games.
First,
I want to state that the demise of the Kansas City Brigade/Command is
not all Chris Likens fault. The economic collapse of 2008 has affected
every sport in the land. Even the almighty NFL and NASCAR have had to
adjust their economic models in these tough times. The AFL is no
different. After several years of supposed growth, with franchises
selling for as much as a reported twenty million dollars and top end
players making two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year, the league
shut down for a year for restructuring. When they returned, a large
number of fans did not. AFL strongholds such as Tampa Bay, Orlando,
Arizona and San Jose did not come close to their pre–restructuring
attendance numbers. Also, you had franchises folding or moving to find a
viable market. The league is at a crossroads and needs a visionary
leader and I do not believe Jerry Kurz is that man, but that is a story
for another day.
As
far as Kansas City is concerned, we need to go back to 2005. That is
when a group announced they were pursuing an AFL franchise for the
Kansas City area. Upon hearing about this I immediately contacted the
group about helping them with their pursuit. Over the next nine months I
was in constant contact with this group helping with possible corporate
season ticket accounts. I eventually parted ways with the group just
before the inaugural kickoff but still maintained in contact with some
front office people.
The
original ownership group did not have enough financial backing to
maintain the franchise and that is when Chris Likens stepped up to help
them out. I give Mr. Likens credit for making the move to help out the
local sports landscape. He did not have to do this. He was a successful
business man who did not have to sink his money into a money pit that
most sports teams turn out to be. He saw it as a civic duty.
Soon
after Likens came aboard as an owner the original ownership group left
one by one. The thought of most people I talked to that were still with
the team is that they were forced out by Likens. After he was the sole
owner Likens made what I thought was a smart move. He brought in a
person with AFL front office experience (I believe he had worked for
either Iowa or Chicago) as Director of Football Operations. This
relationship did not last for more than one season because the
individual was looking for a General Manager position and Likens did not
want to have one for the Brigade. This is when I believe things took a
turn for the worse for this franchise. Likens started bringing in family
to run the franchise. His son was named president and his brother (if I remember right) became Director of Operations. He also hired other
family members for positions with the team. None of these individuals
had any experience in sports. Likens owns a successful mortgage business
and I believe that he thought he could just move people over from that
business to the Brigade and they would not miss a beat. Now professional
sports are still a business and the goal is to turn a profit but it is a
totally different animal than the mortgage business. The New York
Yankees are an extremely successful franchise but would you hire Brian
Cashman (the GM) as the next CEO of Bank Of America and expect him to
know everything about banking. This was a case of “The Blind Leading The
Blind“.
On
the field the Brigade had only mild success. The team finished their
2006 inaugural season with a record of 3–13, placing them fifth in the
National Conference Southern Division.
In
their second season the Brigade achieved a 10–6 record, earning the
American Conference's #3 seed. They hosted their first playoff game, a
wild-card matchup, with the American Conference's #6 seed, the Colorado
Crush. Unfortunately for the Brigade, the Crush won 49–42, despite
Colorado coming into the game with a 4-game losing streak.
The
2008 season saw the team move into their new home, the Sprint Center.
Again Likens made a bad move. After making the playoffs the year before
he cut payroll putting out an inferior product. Again this is only my
opinion but I believe he thought that people would show up to games to
see the new arena and it did not matter if the team was competitive.
This strategy did not work. As losing mounted the attendance dropped.
The low point of the season came in week four when the Brigade lost to
the Grand Rapids Rampage 92–52. The team again finished 3-13 and fourth
in the American Conference Central Division.
There
would be no 2009 season as the league shut down to restructure their
business plan. The one that was in place and implemented by outgoing
commissioner David Baker was failing. It featured over–inflated
franchise values and player salaries that could not be maintained.
The
AFL returned in 2010 but the Brigade did not. Most Kansas City fans
thought that the AFL was dead in this town but they still held out hope
that it could come back. They were rewarded in 2011 with Likens bringing
back the franchise. There was a name the team contest and the name
‘Command’ won. Most people I talked to felt it was not a true contest.
They thought (myself included), that the team just wanted a name that
more closely tied in with the existing logo. That they had no intention
of completely changing the name and logo.
The
management mistakes picked up where they left off. Hiring people that
had little or no experience with the AFL. The one bright spot was the
hiring of Nick McCabe as Director of Communications. McCabe has
extensive experience in Kansas City sports radio.
When
it came to marketing the team during their return, most people asked
the same question. “Where is it?” The only time you saw or heard a
commercial for the team was during a game broadcast. I think that
demographic is already aware of your team.
The
Command formed a partnership with the Missouri Comets of the Major
Indoor Soccer League. I felt this was a smart move. Both teams would
have a chance to cross promote each other and there was the possibility
of season ticket bundling. The Comets had done a great job of marketing
themselves and embracing technology (besides the standard Twitter and
Facebook accounts and email updates they also developed smartphone
apps). For some reason the Command did not take advantage of this and
continued with business as usual.
On
the field, the Command continued their sorry performance. In 2011 the
team finished 6-12 and 3-15 in 2012. The average attendance for the two
seasons was around 4,300. This was after averaging 13,200 in the three
previous seasons.
I
felt this was the ‘Make Or Break’ year for the team but diehard fans
said Likens told them he was in it for the long haul. That he had stated
that it took the MLS fifteen years to catch on in Kansas City. Well, I
guess the long haul was only two years, because the Command is as dead
as disco.
I
had held off on writing this article until the team made an official
announcement but here it is a month since their season ended and almost
two weeks since the ArenaBowl and no announcement. This team did not die
with a bang. Hell! It didn’t even die with a wimper. It died with
silence and very few mourners (I think more people are disappointed to
see arena football end in KC then they are to see the end of the
Command).
Now
the original owners are back with a team in the new Champions
Professional Indoor Football League. It will be a regional league and
considered very minor league compared to the AFL. They will play games
at Kemper Arena (the Brigade’s original home) and hope to rekindle the
excitement that the Brigade had in it’s heyday. Well guys, good luck and
I have a piece of advice for you. “Don’t hire your son, brother, uncle
or niece. Hire people that have front office experience in indoor
football or minor league sports.”
The
Kansas City Command will not be in the Arena Football League next
season, a source said Saturday afternoon. Instead of coming back for the
2013 season, the Command will be moving to the Indoor Football League.Also
included in the move is a name change back to the Brigade. When the
original Kansas City franchise moved from New Orleans, they became the
Brigade.It is still unsure why ownership has decided to make the move to the IFL. No official announcement has been made on the issue.It
is also unsure if they will play in the Sprint Center, where the
Command played the last two season, or if they will move to Kemper Arena
outside of downtown.
Rookie
standout for the Kansas City Command, Jackie Chambers earned a spot on
the 2012 Arena Football League All-Ironman Team that was officially
announced by the League earlier today. Chambers
(5-10, 190, Lane College) was a constant threat to score as a kickoff
return specialist and despite only playing in 12 games for the Command
this season, he finished with a franchise record of 1,163 kick-return
yards including two 57-yard kick returns in back to back games against
San Jose and Chicago. Chambers
ironman approach to the game was also highlighted on both sides of the
ball. Offensively, he reeled in 58 catches for 751 yards and seven
scores. His unwillingness to be brought down also heralded 11 rushes
for 49 yards and five touchdowns. Along with earning 1,963 all-purpose
yards, Chambers also pitched in nine tackles on defense this season.
This is Chambers’ first All-Ironman Team selection.Chambers
was one of only six players selected to the All-Ironman Team that
includes, PJ Berry from the Pittsburgh Power, Terrance Smith from the
Jacksonville Sharks, Terrance Sanders from the Spokane Shock, Jeff
Hughley from the Philadelphia Soul and Marcus Everett from the Milwaukee
Mustangs.
A winner has been selected in the AVITAE ArenaBowl XXV Sweepstakes, the AFL Office announced today.Sally
Dold of Kansas City, Missouri will be heading to New Orleans with her
husband for AVITAE ArenaBowl XXV. Dold, a Kansas City Command fan, says
this will be her first ArenaBowl.Dold’s
prize package includes roundtrip airfare to New Orleans, two tickets to
AVITAE ArenaBowl XXV, the Silver Anniversary Gala and Commissioner’s
Tailgate Party, as well as two nights’ hotel accommodations for the game
and festivities.The
Road to AVITAE ArenaBowl XXV continues this Friday, as the top-seeded
Philadelphia Soul host the Jacksonville Sharks in the American
Conference Championship on NFL Network’s broadcast of “NET10 Arena
Football Friday”. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET.
The
Kansas City Command (3-15) wrapped up a disappointing season on the
road, losing 47-22 to the Arizona Rattlers (13-5) who were led by
quarterback Nick Davila’s 363 passing yards and seven touchdown
performance Saturday night at US Airways Center. Arizona has already
earned a playoff berth, and need a loss by the Utah Blaze tomorrow to
earn the National Conference Western Division Championship outright. Kansas
City’s defense held the Rattlers scoreless in the first quarter and the
Command jumped on the board with a seven yard touchdown pass from
quarterback Matt Gutierrez to Jackie Chambers with 2:26 left in the
first quarter. Command DB Rashad Barksdale’s aggressive play kept the
Rattlers from finding a rhythm early, breaking up key fourth down
passing attempts, giving KC’s offense a few more opportunities in the
first half. Barksdale and J.C. Neal both surpassed Ken Fontenette’s
single-season franchise record of 110 tackles, set in 2011; ending with
116.5 and 113.5 total tackles respectively.Chambers
gave an Ironman effort and finished the night with nine receptions for
88 yards and two touchdowns (one rushing). His five kickoff returns for
144 yards extended his record of at least 100 kickoff return yards to
seven games, and at least 100 all-purpose yards to ten straight.Rattlers
QB Davila threw a touchdown pass to four different Arizona receivers;
led by Maurice Purify who hauled in four TD’s and has recorded a
touchdown pass in every game this season for Arizona. Davila broke his
own single-season franchise record of 4,916 passing yards, set in 2011,
and now has 5,500 passing yards heading into the playoffs.Command
defensive end Chris Lyle returned a Davila fumble 49 yards with 56
seconds left in the second quarter put KC up 20-13. Rattlers QB Davila
quickly connected with Jason Geathers for a 20-yard touchdown, but the
blocked extra point sent KC into halftime with a 20-19 lead. Lyle’s
fumble recovery was his fourth of the season; bringing the Command’s
League-high fumble recovery total to 18.A
one-sided shootout unfolded in the second half. It only took three
plays for Arizona to take a 26-20 lead to jump start the third quarter
with a touchdown toss from Davila to Chris Carter, and the rout was on.
Kansas City’s offense was held scoreless through the entire second half,
and linebacker Tyler Knight’s sack of Davila and subsequent safety kept
KC from being completely shutout. Arizona outscored Kansas City 28-2 in
the second half and will have to wait for the outcome of tomorrow’s
Utah Blaze/Philadelphia Soul game to get their final seeding for the
playoffs.
Kansas
City Command (3-14) close out the regular-season on the road taking on
the Arizona Rattlers (12-5) at US Airways Arena in Phoenix. The Command
are coming off a one-point loss to the Spokane Shock last Saturday, and
the Rattlers have lost back-to-back games for the first time all
season. Kickoff from Arizona is at 9 p.m. (CT) Saturday and can been
seen on KSMO-TV, heard on SportsRadio 810 WHB, and viewed online at http://www.ustream.tv/kansascitycommand.The
Command defense has been the backbone of the franchise all season,
holding near the top of the League on total defense from week to week.
KC has recovered a league-high 17 fumbles and leads the League in
rushing defense, allowing an average of 11.2 yards on the ground per
game. For the Week 20 matchup with the Rattlers, KC’s fourth-ranked
total defense will have their hands full with Arizona’s third ranked
total offense; led by quarterback Nick Davila who has passed for 5,137
yards, 106 touchdowns and hails as the AFL’s most-efficient QB.The
2012 season saw an ever-changing offensive roster for the Command; 16
different players have caught a pass at wide receiver for KC, and four
different quarterbacks have settled in behind a solid front line of
Cornelius Dixon, Kimani Jones and Ken Scott. In comparison, Arizona’s
third ranked scoring offense has been consistently led by Davila, who
has started every game for the Rattlers.Heading
into Saturday, there are a few franchise records on the line.
Defensive back’s J.C. Neal and Rashad Barksdale are tied for third in
the AFL with 109 total tackles and each are in line to surpass the
single-season franchise record of 110 tackles set by Ken Fontenette in
2011. Barksdale is coming of a record-setting 15 tackles against the
Shock in Week 19, besting his own previous franchise single-game record
of 14 tackles.Kickoff
return specialist, Jackie Chambers ranks sixth in the League in kick
return average (20) and seventh in all-purpose yardage (157.2 yards per
game). He has recorded at least 100 kickoff return yards in each of the
last six games and at least 100 all-purpose yards in nine straight.
Chambers is just four yards shy of Jerel Myer’s single-season franchise
record of 1,023 combined kick return yards, set in 2008.The
Command are 1-3 in their series history with the Rattlers; most
recently hosting their Week 3 matchup in Kansas City with Arizona taking
the win 56-28. This will be the first time the Command have traveled
to Arizona. While the Rattlers have already secured a playoff berth and
can best their seeding with a win, the Command look to head into the
off-season with a victory in their back pocket.
Command
quarterback Matt Gutierrez threw for 239 yards, four touchdowns and
rushed for another to give Kansas City (3-14) their first lead of the
game with 6:43 left in the fourth quarter. A thrilling finish would
unfold as the Spokane Shock (9-8) etched one final touchdown with 12
seconds left in the game. The subsequent two-point conversion gave the
Shock a one-point lead, 49-48. A missed KC field goal attempt as time
expired gave Spokane the victory in front of 3,764 fans Saturday night
at Sprint Center. “It’s
never just one play, but that was a tough loss,” Command head coach
Danton Barto said on the missed field goal to end the game. “I’m proud
of these guys. They played their hearts out and battled their butts off
tonight.” The Sprint crowd tried to fuel the home team as well. “The
one thing I love about KC, we had a great turnout, a lot of kids, a lot
of energy, and it was fun,” said Barto.Though
Kansas City didn’t earn a first down until 11:58 in the second quarter,
Command QB Gutierrez settled in and connected with Samie Parker for his
first touchdown in front the home crowd to keep the Command close, 14-7
at the 11:18 mark. Spokane quarterback Kyle Rowley threw a quick
touchdown to Rod Harper to go up 21-7, but on the ensuing kickoff
Command special teams weapon Jackie Chambers broke free for a 38 yard
kickoff return; giving KC their best starting field position of the
game. Command fullback Trey Bryant took advantage of a wide open left
side of the field and rushed in for a quick 12 yard touchdown; once
again bringing KC within one score, 21-14. Spokane
QB Rowley was in line for another touchdown to Jefferey Solomon when
Command DB Sergio Gilliam forced a fumble, and KC QB Gutierrez converted
the possession into points connecting with Parker for his second
touchdown. Spokane
quarterback Kyle Rowley connected with Adron Tennell for his third
touchdown in the first half with just 17 seconds left in the second
quarter and headed into the locker room with a halftime lead of 28-21.
Rowley finished the game with 320 yards passing and seven touchdowns.Command
defense kept the pressure on Spokane, forcing a Shock turnover at the
goal line on the first possession of the third quarter which Kansas City
again converted into positive points with fullback Trey Bryant’s second rushing touchdown of the game, bringing his season total to six.The
fourth quarter provided a thrilling finish as Armand Robinson’s return
from IR delivered two touchdown catches from Gutierrez and gave Kansas
City their first lead of the game, 42-41 with 6:43 left in the fourth
quarter. When Spokane turned the ball over on downs and Gutierrez rushed
for a touchdown, it looked as if KC would hold on to the win. However,
there was enough time on the clock and Shock QB Rowley connected with
Jefferey Solomon for a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion
gave Spokane a one point lead with just 12 seconds remaining in the
game. Kansas City would get one final opportunity, but a missed 47 yard
field goal attempt as time expired gave the Shock the victory.On
his return from injured reserve, Robinson said “I’m just excited to be
back. I’ve never missed a game with an injury, and I was happy to be out
there with my team. The fact that the last time we played Spokane they
beat us by almost 30, so the fact that we were that close (to winning), I
was just proud to be a part of the game and of the guys.”Chambers
has recorded at least 100 kickoff return yards in each of the last six
games; and his 116 kickoff return yards on Saturday brings his season
total to 1,019; breaking the single-season franchise record of 983, set
by Jerel Myers in 2008. Command DB Rashad Barksdale also broke his own
single-game record for tackles, notching 15 total tackles against
Spokane.
This
week, the Spokane Shock (8-7) hit the road to take on the Kansas City
Command (3-13) this Saturday, July 14th at the Sprint Center in Kansas
City, MO with a 7:00pm CDT kickoff.
The
first meeting between the Command and Shock took place just over four
weeks ago in week 14 of the AFL regular season and ended with a decisive
Spokane victory by a final score of 70-46. Kyle Rowley connected with
five different receivers for touchdowns, ending the contest with 8
total. While the game remained tied through the first half, a 28-point
third quarter widened the gap as Spokane intercepted Command QB Brian
Jones twice and forced three fumbles in route to the home win.
Kansas
City enters this week 18 matchup ranked last in the Power Rankings and
on a three-game losing streak. Injuries and instability at the
quarterback position throughout the year has left the Command with the
league's worst passing offense (3,511 yards) and 10th ranked rushing
offense (286 yards). Despite their inability to produce offensively as
they have only averaged 39.7 points per game, they have managed to post
the 3rd best total defensive output this season only giving up only
272.9 yards and 52.6 points per game.
Spokane
has completed the most difficult and challenging four weeks of their
2012 schedule after playing all three West Division opponents who have
clinched their spots in the 2012 playoffs and the East Division Champion
Philadelphia Soul. The Shock are currently ranked 7th in passing
offense (4,451 yards) and average 59.4 points per game. The achilles
heel of Spokane over the past few weeks has been their inability to
protect football and their defense which is ranked last in the AFL as
they have given up 332.2 yards and 59.2 points per game.
While
each team has been eliminated from playoff contention, there is a
strong sense of urgency by each team to finish the season on a high note
with only two games remaining in the season. This will mark the first
year that the Shock will not make the playoffs in their seven years of
existence between the af2 and AFL. With the new CBA on the horizon and a
major restructure approaching in regard to player contracts going into
2013, these last two games will play pivotal roles in evaluating roster
spots and potential long term contract opportunities for players as the
season comes to a close.
This week's game broadcast will be available for listening on ESPN 1510 AM and broadcasted on the Command's Ustream page at Ustream.tv/kansascitycommand.
The
Kansas City Command will announce a $5,000 donation during Saturday
night’s game at Sprint Center with an on-field check presentation to the
Eddie Kennison Foundation; benefitting the Alliance for Lupus Research.
“Eddie has been a valuable part of the Command family this season,”
said team chairman Chris Likens. “We are happy to join his efforts in
raising awareness by making a donation to Lupus research.”In
addition, one dollar from every ticket sold for Saturday night’s game
will be given to the Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR), a non-profit
organization with the mission of finding a cure for lupus, a chronic
autoimmune disease that strikes 1.4 million Americans – including
Shimika Kennison, Eddie’s wife. The Kennison family now partners with
the ALR to raise funds for lupus research. Eddie Kennison and Kansas
City Royals General Manager Dayton Moore are this year’s honorary
co-chairs for the Kansas City Area Metro Walk With Us to Cure Lupus on
October 27th. Volunteers will also be set up in the concourse of Sprint
Center on Saturday before the game with more information regarding the
walk in October. “Teaming
up with ALR has been a dream come true for the Kennison family,” said
Eddie Kennsion. “Not only does ALR do awesome work to find a cure for
lupus, but the people within the organization are first class. ALR has
enhanced our fund-raising efforts in our continued quest to cure lupus,”
he said.One
of the Chiefs’ most philanthropic players, Eddie Kennison started his
foundation in 2003 after Shimika was diagnosed with Lupus, a chronic
autoimmune disease can affect the joints and the major organs of the
body including the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain. Symptoms include
extreme fatigue and painful or swollen joints.Since
making Kansas City his home, Eddie Kennison has been involved in many
other charitable endeavors locally including First Downs for Down
Syndrome and several charitable events of fellow players. Eddie also
helped out near his hometown in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.
Because of his charitable work, Kennison was nominated in 2006 for the
prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Kennison officially
retired from the Kansas City Chiefs after 13 years in the NFL, and is
currently the Director of Operations for the Kansas City Command of the
Arena Football League.
The
Kansas City Command (3-13) suffered a tough 54-26 loss to their Central
Division rival, Iowa Barnstormers (6-10) in front of 3,223 fans
Saturday night at Sprint Center. Barnstormers’ wide receiver Jesse
Schmidt hauled in four touchdowns, earning the National Guard MVP of the
game.“It
was an embarrassing loss, nothing positive other than the two blocked
extra-point kicks that were returned by Sergio Gilliam.” said Command
head coach Danton Barto. “That’s pretty amazing and nobody has ever
seen that in a game.”Iowa
quarterback J.J. Raterink connected with Jesse Schmidt to put the
Barnstormers on the board first, but the extra point was blocked by Ken
Scott and returned by Gilliam; the first of two blocked extra-point
kicks that were returned by KC. Iowa’s early attempt at an onside kick
was recovered by OJ Simpson and the Command quickly put more points on
the board with a rushing touchdown by Jackie Chambers. KC took their
only lead of the game 9-6 after one quarter.Although
the Command defense stuffed the Barnstormers on the opening drive,
forcing a quick turnover on downs, costly interceptions in the second
half kept KC’s offense on the sidelines and allowed Iowa to build a lead
they would never relinquish. Command defensive linemen Michael
Robinson and Chris Lyle each had a sack on Iowa quarterback J.J.
Raterink, while DB Rashad Barksdale led the team with 8 unassisted
tackles. Raterink only passed for 164 yards, but accounted for five
Barnstormers’ touchdowns. Kansas
City’s offense stalled in the second quarter while Iowa put up 21
points. With just four seconds remaining in the second quarter, Command
kicker James Wilhoit connected on a 47 yard field goal cutting Iowa’s
lead to 27-12 as the teams headed to halftime.Command
quarterback Matt Gutierrez threw three picks in the third quarter and
the Barnstormers took advantage and widening their lead to 40-12 heading
into the fourth. Command backup QB, Zack Eskridge replaced Gutierrez;
rushing for a touchdown and tossing another to Bret Smith, avoiding a KC
second half offensive shutout.As
for Eskridge’s role for the final two games of the season, “I’ll need
to evaluate it, look at the film, and we’ll go from there,” said coach
Barto. “Whoever is going to give us the best opportunity to win these
last two games is the guy that is going to play. The good thing is
there will be some competition at wide receiver with Armand (Robinson)
coming back. We’ll also have Xavier (Lee) back next week, and
competition is good. Armand was playing really good football before he
got hurt and I think he’ll help whoever is at quarterback, and help this
team.”
The
Kansas City Command (3-12) host their Central Division rival, the Iowa
Barnstormers (5-10) on Saturday; kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Sprint Center.
KC is coming off a tough loss in San Antonio last weekend. The Command
produced one of their best offensive performances of the year, but a
season-high 20 penalties was too much to overcome and Kansas City lost
58-48 in the Alamodome.
Command
quarterback Matt Gutierrez returns from the injured reserve list and
will be reunited with another former Kansas City Chiefs player, Samie
Parker who debuted with the Command last week; scoring a rushing and
receiving touchdown. Playing opposite Parker will be KC’s leading
receiver Bret Smith, who has 72 catches for 901 yards and 20 TD’s in
just 10 games this season. Jackie Chambers has lit up the special teams
recording at least 100 kickoff-return yards in each of the last four
games; scoring two 57-yard kickoff returns in back to back games (San
Jose and Chicago).
Barnstormers
quarterback J.J. Raterink started the first 13 games for the Command in
2011 before being traded to the Chicago Rush, which he then led to the
National Conference Championship game. He returns to KC for the first
time in a Barnstormers’ jersey and is just 20 yards shy of passing Kurt
Warner’s single-season franchise record of 4,149 passing yards, set in
1997. Raterink’s favorite target, Jesse Schmidt leads Iowa with 150
catches, 48 touchdowns and has scored a TD in 11 straight games.
Iowa’s
defense is centered around Cameron McGlenn who leads the AFL with 102
tackles on the year. Just as proficient is Kansas City’s J.C. Neal who
leads the Command with 96.5 total tackles, just 13 shy of the
single-season franchise record of 110, set by Ken Fontenette in 2011.
Kansas
City is hoping the offensive potential of Gutierrez, Parker and Smith
gels quickly to avenge the May 12th loss to Iowa (62-42) and give the
Barnstormers their fourth straight loss.
Standings
aside, the Kansas City Command (3-12) went toe-to-toe with the Central
Division leading San Antonio Talons (12-3) but fell short to the Talons,
58-48 Saturday night in front of 8,153 fans at the Alamodome.
Quarterback Aaron Garcia threw for 253 yards, seven touchdowns and led
the San Antonio to their ninth straight win.
The
Command started a bit behind the 8-ball as they deferred the opening
kickoff which was returned 56 yards by Jomo Wilson to put the Talons on
the board just 49 seconds into the game. Kansas City’s wide receiver
tandem of Bret Smith and Samie Parker, along with Jackie Chambers’
special teams play helped keep the Command in contention, each of them
scoring two touchdowns apiece. Zack Eskridge was more consistent in
just his third AFL start finishing with 261 yards, three touchdowns and
zero turnovers.
“One
thing I take a lot of pride with our guys, they play hard and they
don’t quit,” said Command head coach Danton Barto. “We’re obviously a
player or two, or a play or two away from where we need to be. Hopefully
we’ll get Matt (Gutierrez) back this week and that will spark us, and
Samie is everything we thought he’d be. He’s going to help us
tremendously for these last three games.”
Kansas
City started the second half with great field position after Jackie
Chambers 41 yards kickoff return, compounded by a Talons personal foul
allowed the Command to start their drive from San Antonio’s 8 yard line.
Eskridge connected with Bret Smith for his second touchdown to close
the gap to three points (30-27) with 12:17 left in the third quarter.
The Talons never lead by more than 10 points in the entire second half,
but penalties nixed any opportunities for Kansas City to take the lead.
KC’s
defense stayed true to form by reining in the Talons enough to allow
the Command to cut the lead to three points twice during the game. The
Command forced Garcia into throwing two picks in the game, the second
interception was returned for a touchdown by Bradly Chavez which would
have given KC their first lead of the game, but another penalty took the
points off the scoreboard. Kansas City racked up 20 penalties for 127
yards and negated both interceptions in their loss to San Antonio.
“It’s
tough because our guys play hard,” said coach Barto. “The problem is we
make too many critical mistakes at the wrong time. We get a huge
interception return by Bradly Chavez, and we get a late hit. We just
can’t do that.”
The
Command return home next week to host their Central Division rival Iowa
Barnstormers Saturday July 7th for Trophy Night at Sprint Center.
The
Kansas City Command (3-11) will try to keep the division-leading San
Antonio Talons from securing a spot in the Arena Football League (AFL)
playoffs this Saturday, June 30 at the Alamodome. Saturday night's 7
p.m. matchup will mark the second-to-last road game of the regular
season for the Command, who finish the season on the road at Arizona.
The
Talons (11-3) know that a win this weekend means a potential home
playoff game at the Alamodome, and their unrivaled eight game winning
streak is causing some playoff fever throughout San Antonio.
"This
is a big step toward our ultimate goal," says quarterback Aaron Garcia.
"But the first step is to get to the playoffs and then have the
opportunity to win a professional football championship for San
Antonio," Garcia adds.
In
their last match up with the Talons, Kansas City’s defense gave a
stellar effort. In that game Sergio Gilliam had two interceptions,
earning him Riddell Defensive Player of the Game. Unfortunately, it
wasn’t enough as the Command could not hold on to a fourth quarter lead
and fell to the Talons 41-31 that Saturday night at Sprint Center.
The
Command’s defense, led by J.C. Neal, Rashad Barksdale and Gilliam has
kept the team close in most games. The unit, which has been the team’s
strong suit all season long, is currently ranked 5th in Total Defense
and 8th in Scoring Defense in the league. On the down side the team has
the 15th best Red Zone Defense in the AFL.
Recently,
Kansas City has received a boost from Jackie Chambers, the team’s All
Purpose Yardage leader.Chambers has returned a kickoff for a touchdown
in two straight games.
The
San Antonio offense, led by Garcia, is ranked 8th in Scoring Offense
and 11th in Total Offense in the AFL. The Talons do have the 2nd ranked
Red Zone Offense in the league.
The Talons (Tulsa/SA) lead the all time series 2-1 and have won the last two matchups with the Command.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN 1510 AM and Ustream.tv/kansascitycommand.
The
Erie Explosion announced that defensive end Mike Robinson has signed a
contract to play for the Kansas City Command of the Arena Football
League. Robinson (6'4, 270) a product of Nassau College finished the
2012 campaign for Erie as the UIFL sack leader with 20 total sacks. A
dominating force on the defensive line Robinson totaled 45 tackles, 16.5
tackles for a loss, 20 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles. For his efforts
Robinson was named First Team All-UIFL for the 2012 season."Mike
Robinson has all the tools to succeed in the Arena Football League. He
had a dominating season for us on the defensive line and I look forward
to seeing him have the opportunity to showcase his skills for the
Command. We are pleased that our franchise is able to serve as a vehicle
for these athletes to advance their careers to the next level,"
commented Erie Head Coach Shawn Liotta.
Zack
Eskridge threw three touchdowns and rushed for another two in his
second start for the Kansas City Command, but his two interceptions
combined with Chicago’s near-perfect scoring night proved too much to
overcome and the Command lost to the Rush 59-41 in front of 3,452 fans
Saturday night at Sprint Center.“Frustrating to watch the game,” said Command Coach Danton Barto. “Our defense has been dominating all year, and today they
got dominated. Their offense dominated our defense which unfortunately
for us, put us in the position where Zack had to do a lot more of trying
to win the game than just control the game, and you saw that he was a
rookie quarterback.”
Chicago scored first when Rush quarterback Russ Michna connected with
Jared Perry for a 17-yard touchdown. A second quarter interception by
KC gave Chicago an extra possession and the Rush capitalized scoring on
all four offensive possessions in the first half. Along with Rush WR
Reggie Gray’s kickoff return, Chicago kept a two-score lead and headed
into halftime with a 35-21 lead. Michna proved once again why he is the
league’s most accurate passer, completing 32 of 43 passes, six
touchdowns, earning the National Guard MVP of the Game.Command
QB Zack Eskridge ignited his second start for the KC by torching
Chicago’s defense on the first play from scrimmage, connecting with Bret
Smith for a 47-yard touchdown. Eskridge scored a rushing touchdown
for his second consecutive game and finished his night with 190 passing
yards and throwing three touchdowns, and rushing touchdown his second
consecutive game. Week15
Ironman of the Week, Jackie Chambers had a 57-yard kickoff return for
the second week in a row and took home the Spalding Highlight of the
Game for his second quarter return. Chambers spinning break-away tackle
kept the Command with one score, 28-21 with 4:45 left in the second
quarter.Chicago
had lost the previous five road games but were near-flawless on offense
as Rush wide receiver Reggie Gray caught four touchdowns, extending his
multiple-touchdown games to eight.“It’s
disappointing,” said Barto,“but we can’t bow our heads, we’ve got to
get ready to face Aaron Garcia next week at their place and I know we
will fix the things we need to fix.”UP NEXTThe
Command will hit the road to take on the Central Division leading San
Antonio Talons, Saturday June 30th before coming back for the last two
home games of the season. On July 7, the Command will take on their
rival, the Iowa Barnstormers.
Command WR/DB OJ SIMPSON has been named National Guard Community MVP of the Week for his recent philanthropic efforts.
Simpson (5-9, 195, Missouri Western) is in his first season in both the AFL and with the Command.
When
he is not at practice, games or working his second job as an alcohol
and drug counselor, Simpson offers guidance to troubled youth as a
mentor.
“I
work with them on life skills, treatment plans and goals for the
future,” Simpson said. “I have the chance to help out kids and that’s
the best feeling in the world.”
In
May, the Command donated 100 car seats to a local hospital as part of
“New Mommy Rewards”, which provided mothers of the first 100 children in
May at the Shawnee Mission Medical Center with a new car seat. Simpson
was one of the players who personally delivered some of the car seats.
As a Kansas City native, Simpson enjoys using his role as a professional athlete to impact his hometown community.
“I can build a rapport with these kids because I know what it’s like to grow up in this area,” Simpson said.
On
June 16, Simpson joined his teammates in helping to coach the high
school players participating in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches
Association Missouri vs. Kansas High School All Star football game.
Simpson is also working with Command receivers’ coach, Tod Devoe, to
coordinate a free football camp for youth in the Kansas City Community.
“I
am not one of those players that just plays football and collects a
paycheck,” Simpson said. “I like being involved and helping out in the
community.”
The Kansas City Command (3-10) will host division opponent Chicago Rush (8-5) Saturday at 8:00 pm ET.
The
National Guard Community MVP is awarded to one player each week in
recognition of their commitment to community service. Following the 2012
season, players will be voted on by fans to become the National Guard
Community MVP of the Year.
Last
Sunday Quarterback Zack Eskridge got his first start for Kansas City
and he provided a much needed spark for the Command. Eskridge led the
team to its third win in five games, finishing with 183 yards passing,
17 yards rushing; tossing three touchdowns, and rushing for another two
in front of 4,258 fans at Sprint Center. The Command (3-10) went on to
beat the second ranked San Jose SaberCats (9-5) in Kansas City.
“It
felt great,” exclaimed winning quarterback Eskridge. “I knew it was
going to take me a little while to get acclimated. Once I started to
get a feel for it, the speed of the game, then I started to settle down
and it was good.”
This
Saturday Eskridge leads the Command (3-10) as they try to win for
fourth time in six games. They take on the Chicago Rush (8-5) in a
Central Division matchup at 7 p.m. at the Sprint Center.
Last
week a defensive awakening by the Chicago Rush vaulted them to a 62-27
victory over the Georgia Force at Allstate Arena in front of 6,202 fans.
The win keeps the Rush right in the thick of the National Conference
playoff race as they moved to within a half game of the fourth and final
playoff spot.
It
will be a battle of #5s on Saturday. The Rush are ranked fifth in total
offense while the Command are ranked fifth in total defense. Chicago
also has the seventh ranked scoring offense in the league while Kansas
City’s scoring defense is currently ranked fifth.
The Rush lead the all time series 5-2 but have not won on the road since March 31st at Iowa.
The game will be broadcast on SportsRadio 810 WHB AM and Ustream.tv/kansascitycommand.
This
Saturday June 23rd is Ladies Night at the Command! Ladies come down to
the Kansas City Power & Light District for an exciting night of
Command Football! Then join the team across the street at Johnny’s
Tavern to celebrate the win at the Official Post-Game Party! It’s Buy
One Ticket Get One Free night for all ladies. Call 855.KC.ARENA
(522-7362) by Friday June 22nd to get your Buy One Get One special on
tickets and for more information.
St
James Academy, Center High School, Oak Grove High School, Blue Valley
Northwest, Baldwin High School and St. Thomas Aquinas headline the first
ever Command Cup 7v7 Football Tournament at Sprint Center. The
tournament is this Saturday June 23rd with games starting at 9am.
Tickets to the tournament are good for every game of the tournament and
the Command v Chicago Rush game at 7pm. For more information call
855.KC.ARENA x 7212 and ask for Brian Roth
| Pool A | Pool B |
| St. Thomas | St. James |
| Baldwin City | Blue Valley NW |
| Center | Oak Grove |
|
SCHEDULE
| |
9:00am
|
Center
|
St. Thomas
|
9:45am
|
St. James
|
Oak Grove
|
10:30am
|
Baldwin City
|
St. Thomas
|
11:15am
|
St. James
|
Center
|
12Noon
|
Oak Grove
|
St Thomas
|
12:45pm
|
BVNW
|
Baldwin City
|
1:30pm
|
BVNW
|
Oak Grove
|
2:15pm
|
Center
|
Baldwin City
|
3:00pm
|
BVNW
|
St James
|
Championship 4:00PM Winner A v Winner B
