Post by Banana Cat on Mar 3, 2012 17:48:40 GMT -5
tribune-democrat.com/sports/x1511865435/League-newcomer-Cincy-brings-record-of-success
League newcomer Cincy brings record of success
Shawn Curtis / tribdem.com
March 3, 2012
JOHNSTOWN — While the Cincinnati Commandos are new to the United Indoor Football League (UIFL), the franchise isn’t a stranger to success.
The Commandos, who started play in 2010, have claimed championship gold during the last two seasons of play in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) while amassing a regular-season record of 19-1 and a 23-1 mark overall.
That was in the CIFL.
The team’s UIFL debut takes place at 7:30 p.m. tonight when the Johnstown Generals visit Cincinnati Gardens.
In the eyes of Generals coach Quenteen Robinson, the Johnstown squad won’t be intimidated by the Commandos’ reputation from another league.
It will be all about what the Generals have done to prepare for Cincinnati.
“We’ve been doing everything on our side possible,” Robinson said. “Practicing hard, concentrating on what we can control. We understand that they’re back-to-back champs in their league. With all that being said, we understand that at the end of the day, it comes down to beating us. We never played them.
“We’re not concerned about what they’ve done in the past. All we’re concerned about is doing what we need to do.”
The Generals, who were 1-6 on the road in 2011, are also looking at tonight’s game as a way to erase that stigma despite looking at a six-hour bus ride to southwestern Ohio.
“They’re professionals. They know what time it is when the whistle blows,” Robinson said.
Robinson is also quick to point out that there are changes that the Commandos will have to adjust to in their new home.
According to Robinson, offensive linemen were eligible as tight ends as long as they raised their hands before the snap, positioning for linebackers and receiver motion rules as the ball is snapped are also different between the two leagues.
“They’re going to adjust to a lot of different rules, and I’m going to make sure that the officials are on top of that to make sure that they’re playing UIFL football and not what they’re accustomed to,” Robinson said.
The Commandos return a number of key cogs from their previous championship runs, boasting defensive linemen Terrill Byrd and James Frazier, with quarterback Tyler Sheehan and receivers Brandon Boehm, Phillip Barnett and Kyenes Mincy as their top returnees.
Cincinnati, while running the table to a 12-0 overall record last season, averaged 53.77 points per game on offense while allowing just 17.55 points per game.
These facts are not lost on the Generals coach.
“They’re a very good organization and a good team, at the same time I feel that we’re on the same level,” Robinson said.
As good as the Commandos were throughout 2011 in the CIFL, the Generals’ pieced together a 5-2 run to close out the season with a multitude of returning stars from that squad.
Maintaining that momentum starts in Cincinnati.
“We plan on continuing to build off the second half of the season from last year,” Robinson said. “We’d like to start off on the right foot. Everyone said that (drawing Cincinnati as) the first matchup was tough, but if the road to the championship is supposedly through Cincinnati, then I want to open the door right now.”
Shawn Curtis / tribdem.com
March 3, 2012
JOHNSTOWN — While the Cincinnati Commandos are new to the United Indoor Football League (UIFL), the franchise isn’t a stranger to success.
The Commandos, who started play in 2010, have claimed championship gold during the last two seasons of play in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) while amassing a regular-season record of 19-1 and a 23-1 mark overall.
That was in the CIFL.
The team’s UIFL debut takes place at 7:30 p.m. tonight when the Johnstown Generals visit Cincinnati Gardens.
In the eyes of Generals coach Quenteen Robinson, the Johnstown squad won’t be intimidated by the Commandos’ reputation from another league.
It will be all about what the Generals have done to prepare for Cincinnati.
“We’ve been doing everything on our side possible,” Robinson said. “Practicing hard, concentrating on what we can control. We understand that they’re back-to-back champs in their league. With all that being said, we understand that at the end of the day, it comes down to beating us. We never played them.
“We’re not concerned about what they’ve done in the past. All we’re concerned about is doing what we need to do.”
The Generals, who were 1-6 on the road in 2011, are also looking at tonight’s game as a way to erase that stigma despite looking at a six-hour bus ride to southwestern Ohio.
“They’re professionals. They know what time it is when the whistle blows,” Robinson said.
Robinson is also quick to point out that there are changes that the Commandos will have to adjust to in their new home.
According to Robinson, offensive linemen were eligible as tight ends as long as they raised their hands before the snap, positioning for linebackers and receiver motion rules as the ball is snapped are also different between the two leagues.
“They’re going to adjust to a lot of different rules, and I’m going to make sure that the officials are on top of that to make sure that they’re playing UIFL football and not what they’re accustomed to,” Robinson said.
The Commandos return a number of key cogs from their previous championship runs, boasting defensive linemen Terrill Byrd and James Frazier, with quarterback Tyler Sheehan and receivers Brandon Boehm, Phillip Barnett and Kyenes Mincy as their top returnees.
Cincinnati, while running the table to a 12-0 overall record last season, averaged 53.77 points per game on offense while allowing just 17.55 points per game.
These facts are not lost on the Generals coach.
“They’re a very good organization and a good team, at the same time I feel that we’re on the same level,” Robinson said.
As good as the Commandos were throughout 2011 in the CIFL, the Generals’ pieced together a 5-2 run to close out the season with a multitude of returning stars from that squad.
Maintaining that momentum starts in Cincinnati.
“We plan on continuing to build off the second half of the season from last year,” Robinson said. “We’d like to start off on the right foot. Everyone said that (drawing Cincinnati as) the first matchup was tough, but if the road to the championship is supposedly through Cincinnati, then I want to open the door right now.”