Post by Banana Cat on Jun 5, 2012 6:28:13 GMT -5
What's everyone think? Is he the best QB in Indoor Football History?
billingsgazette.com/article_3293cfd7-4d67-52f2-a15f-ae00b1713289.html
billingsgazette.com/article_3293cfd7-4d67-52f2-a15f-ae00b1713289.html
Dixon etches name in record books with 500th career TD pass
May 30, 2012
By RYAN MINCH / billingsgazette.com
In the midst of an unbeaten Indoor Football League season, Sioux Falls Storm quarterback Chris Dixon is the odds-on favorite to win his fourth MVP award. But the former Billings Outlaws signal caller has also taken one step closer to cementing his legacy as one of the best to ever play the indoor game.
Dixon became just the 10th player all-time to throw for at least 500 career touchdowns in any professional league when he found James Terry from 42 yards out in the first half of Sioux Falls’ 69-39 win at Green Bay on May 19.
“Chris has done some tremendous things throughout his career,” said Storm head coach Kurtiss Riggs. “But to throw 500 touchdowns is phenomenal. I don’t care what league or level of competition it is, it’s a pretty amazing accomplishment.”
Dixon also surpassed 20,000 career yards in the same game — a remarkable feat considering the IFL plays on a 50-yard field.
While Dixon has put up video-game like numbers over the course of his seven-year career, Arena Football League journeyman Aaron Garcia currently sits atop the all-time list with 1,147 career TDs — all coming in the Arena Football League.
“He’s always been a very consistent player,” Dixon said of Garcia. “I don’t think he’s ever gotten the respect that he deserves for what he’s accomplished.”
And although Dixon hit the milestone at the Resch Center in Green Bay — just a football's throw away from Lambeau Field — it was his performance on Saturday night in Kennewick, Wash., that put him ahead of NFL legend Brett Favre on the all-time list.
Dixon threw for eight touchdowns in the Storms' 73-72 overtime win over Tri-Cities this past weekend, surpassing one of his idols in Favre with a 19-yard scoring pass early in the third quarter.
“It’s definitely special to be mentioned in the same breath as (a future) NFL Hall of Famer,” Dixon admitted. “But him throwing 500 is much more special because in the NFL if you throw 30-plus in a year that’s a great season, so for him to be so consistent is remarkable.”
While the indoor and outdoor games draw little comparison with each other in style of play, one thing that is consistent with the two is the durability needed to be able to step on the field week in and week out.
“One thing about Chris that we noticed even while coaching against him is that he very rarely takes a square hit,” said Riggs. “He makes some the most fundamentally poor throws and from all sorts of angles but he makes them better than anyone else and that’s what makes him so consistent.”
Dixon has missed just one game in his career due to injury — in 2007 when he suffered a shoulder ailment. It’s just another impressive mark for a quarterback with nearly 3,000 rushing yards and over 100 rushing touchdowns.
“Every year my goal is to stay as healthy as possible and work out as hard as I can,” Dixon added. “I have been extremely fortunate to play for two extremely great organizations with great fans and support.”
While Dixon is currently focused on winning championships for the Storm — and earning a degree in Sports Management down the road at Augustana University — he hasn’t forgotten that over 70 percent of those scoring passes came as a member of the Outlaws.
Dixon threw 369 touchdowns in five seasons with the Outlaws as he led Billings to championships in 2006, 2009 and 2010 before the team folded in October of 2010.
“I owe a great deal of my success to the city of Billings and the fans,” said Dixon, who still calls Billings his off-season home. “I have a lot of great memories and threw a lot of touchdowns at the Metra.”
Does Dixon have his sights set on Garcia’s still-climbing touchdown mark? Garcia will turn 42 in October, while Dixon turns 31 a month later, and Dixon would need to hit his average of 73 touchdown passes per season over the next nine years to catch Garcia’s current tally.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a mark that I’m gunning for,” Dixon admitted. “But if my body and hunger for the game allow me to continue to play, who knows?”
The Storm is 11-0 with three regular-season games remaining, and has all but locked up home-field advantage as it appears poised to win yet another league championship. That's something Dixon is focused on.
“I never really had any personal goals when I started my career because then it’s easy to get selfish and lose track of the main prize, which is winning championships,” he said.
Riggs echoed his quarterback's comments.
"Getting (a championship in his first year in Sioux Falls) really takes the pressure off and now he's playing some of the most relaxed football I've ever seen him play," Riggs noted. "Chris came in last year and made it a point to be known that his goal here was to win championships."
And he doesn’t appear to be letting up on that goal anytime soon.
May 30, 2012
By RYAN MINCH / billingsgazette.com
In the midst of an unbeaten Indoor Football League season, Sioux Falls Storm quarterback Chris Dixon is the odds-on favorite to win his fourth MVP award. But the former Billings Outlaws signal caller has also taken one step closer to cementing his legacy as one of the best to ever play the indoor game.
Dixon became just the 10th player all-time to throw for at least 500 career touchdowns in any professional league when he found James Terry from 42 yards out in the first half of Sioux Falls’ 69-39 win at Green Bay on May 19.
“Chris has done some tremendous things throughout his career,” said Storm head coach Kurtiss Riggs. “But to throw 500 touchdowns is phenomenal. I don’t care what league or level of competition it is, it’s a pretty amazing accomplishment.”
Dixon also surpassed 20,000 career yards in the same game — a remarkable feat considering the IFL plays on a 50-yard field.
While Dixon has put up video-game like numbers over the course of his seven-year career, Arena Football League journeyman Aaron Garcia currently sits atop the all-time list with 1,147 career TDs — all coming in the Arena Football League.
“He’s always been a very consistent player,” Dixon said of Garcia. “I don’t think he’s ever gotten the respect that he deserves for what he’s accomplished.”
And although Dixon hit the milestone at the Resch Center in Green Bay — just a football's throw away from Lambeau Field — it was his performance on Saturday night in Kennewick, Wash., that put him ahead of NFL legend Brett Favre on the all-time list.
Dixon threw for eight touchdowns in the Storms' 73-72 overtime win over Tri-Cities this past weekend, surpassing one of his idols in Favre with a 19-yard scoring pass early in the third quarter.
“It’s definitely special to be mentioned in the same breath as (a future) NFL Hall of Famer,” Dixon admitted. “But him throwing 500 is much more special because in the NFL if you throw 30-plus in a year that’s a great season, so for him to be so consistent is remarkable.”
While the indoor and outdoor games draw little comparison with each other in style of play, one thing that is consistent with the two is the durability needed to be able to step on the field week in and week out.
“One thing about Chris that we noticed even while coaching against him is that he very rarely takes a square hit,” said Riggs. “He makes some the most fundamentally poor throws and from all sorts of angles but he makes them better than anyone else and that’s what makes him so consistent.”
Dixon has missed just one game in his career due to injury — in 2007 when he suffered a shoulder ailment. It’s just another impressive mark for a quarterback with nearly 3,000 rushing yards and over 100 rushing touchdowns.
“Every year my goal is to stay as healthy as possible and work out as hard as I can,” Dixon added. “I have been extremely fortunate to play for two extremely great organizations with great fans and support.”
While Dixon is currently focused on winning championships for the Storm — and earning a degree in Sports Management down the road at Augustana University — he hasn’t forgotten that over 70 percent of those scoring passes came as a member of the Outlaws.
Dixon threw 369 touchdowns in five seasons with the Outlaws as he led Billings to championships in 2006, 2009 and 2010 before the team folded in October of 2010.
“I owe a great deal of my success to the city of Billings and the fans,” said Dixon, who still calls Billings his off-season home. “I have a lot of great memories and threw a lot of touchdowns at the Metra.”
Does Dixon have his sights set on Garcia’s still-climbing touchdown mark? Garcia will turn 42 in October, while Dixon turns 31 a month later, and Dixon would need to hit his average of 73 touchdown passes per season over the next nine years to catch Garcia’s current tally.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a mark that I’m gunning for,” Dixon admitted. “But if my body and hunger for the game allow me to continue to play, who knows?”
The Storm is 11-0 with three regular-season games remaining, and has all but locked up home-field advantage as it appears poised to win yet another league championship. That's something Dixon is focused on.
“I never really had any personal goals when I started my career because then it’s easy to get selfish and lose track of the main prize, which is winning championships,” he said.
Riggs echoed his quarterback's comments.
"Getting (a championship in his first year in Sioux Falls) really takes the pressure off and now he's playing some of the most relaxed football I've ever seen him play," Riggs noted. "Chris came in last year and made it a point to be known that his goal here was to win championships."
And he doesn’t appear to be letting up on that goal anytime soon.