Post by psx234 on Jul 12, 2011 8:40:46 GMT -5
"You can't use smoke and mirrors against teams like that," Richards said. "We got taken to the woodshed.
"They dominated us up front on both sides of the ball and they knocked Willie around real bad. … Nobody's going to beat those guys. They're filthy." - It's funny coming from the dirtiest team that the Storm have played all season. ;D
Full article: www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110712/GPG0211/107120467/Indoor-football-Playoff-meltdown-doesn-t-diminish-Blizzard-s-record-year?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|GPG-Sports
"They dominated us up front on both sides of the ball and they knocked Willie around real bad. … Nobody's going to beat those guys. They're filthy." - It's funny coming from the dirtiest team that the Storm have played all season. ;D
Full article: www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110712/GPG0211/107120467/Indoor-football-Playoff-meltdown-doesn-t-diminish-Blizzard-s-record-year?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|GPG-Sports
The 2011 season holds the distinction as the most successful in Green Bay Blizzard history.
The team won the Great Lakes division with an 11-3 regular-season record and was the United Conference runner-up.
The 11 regular-season wins tied a team record — and the accomplishment came in 14 games as opposed to 16 in 2008. The regular-season win percentage ranks No. 1 in the team's nine-year existence. Twelve victories, including the conference semifinal, are also a record.
The roster boasted the IFL defensive rookie of the year (Arkeith Brown) and special teams player of the year (B.J. Hill).
The league named the Blizzard the franchise of the year.
Despite all of the positives, the aftertaste of a 52-12 loss to the Sioux Falls Storm in the conference finals last weekend was still rancid Monday.
"Obviously you want a chance to play for a ring — we had that chance," Blizzard coach Rik Richards said. "There's winners and there's everyone else. Three of those four teams that played this last weekend are going to go home at the end of the season with a loss.
"There can only be one and we've got a little work to do."
The Blizzard went into the final game with two banged-up quarterbacks and it showed as the team scored just 12 points. Starter Willie Copeland was in his first game back from a broken throwing hand and threw for just 100 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Backup Jameel Sewell, who had his own knee injury to deal with, took over in the second half and completed just two passes for 11 yards.
The Blizzard also lost two fumbles and had two kicks blocked.
"You can't use smoke and mirrors against teams like that," Richards said. "We got taken to the woodshed.
"They dominated us up front on both sides of the ball and they knocked Willie around real bad. … Nobody's going to beat those guys. They're filthy."
Richards and the Blizzard reveled in the fact the team was constructed without any true so-called superstars. The team went into the playoffs with 21 rookies on the 30-man roster and 42 rookies made up the 62 players that were on the roster at one point or another during the season.
Richards knows there will have to be some changes. He wants to get bigger on the offensive and defensive lines despite a No. 2 ranking in sacks. The second-year Blizzard coach would like to have at least 10 to 12 returners from 2011.
"You've got to have a thin line between size and speed," Richards said. "Instead of having six guys that have ever played for us to start training camp, you'd like to have 12-15. There's some guys out there that I'd like to go get that are veterans and very good football players in this league.
"You look at somebody like Greg Jackson, Arkeith Brown, Josh Shene, some of the guys that played every single game and was here, if they come back next year, they become that superstar. That veteran presence. Will we try to go out and get some of those guys? Sure we will."
Chief operating officer Art Clarkson said revenue went up 31 percent in 2010.
"We're not ever going to be satisfied until — A, we're making a profit and B, we're winning a championship, because that's what it's all about," Clarkson said. "I would trade that franchise of the year all day long for a championship. … That's exactly what this year was about, building a really solid foundation.
"It's been a tremendous challenge to heading this thing in the direction we want to do. We've accomplished that. We've made a giant leap forward in stabilizing the franchise. But we've got a long way to go. Did I reach all my goals this year? No I didn't. But we went a long way to reach those goals. … The goal off the field will always to be put our team in a profitable situation. … It's fun to win on the field, but you've got to win at the bank."
The immediate focus for the staff is free agency — which begins Sunday. Richards got an up-close look at the Storm last week and what it takes to contend for a title in 2012.
"Proud would be the understatement for us," Richards said. "We were and we are a force to be reckoned with. We win every year. We're going to get double-digits.
"Winning the last one is the hard part."