Post by Banana Cat on Apr 11, 2012 1:58:44 GMT -5
siouxcityjournal.com/sports/football/amateur/bandits-conditioned-to-win-in-apfl/article_1653b941-381d-5ea5-acae-1752deae86ea.html
Bandits conditioned to win in APFL
BY MICHAEL BRAUER / siouxcityjournal.com |
April 7, 2012
SIOUX CITY -- When the other team runs out of gas, the Sioux City Bandits pick up steam.
Turns out, the defending APFL champs are in pretty good shape -- in more ways than one.
In their season opener, the Bandits turned a tight game against Oklahoma into a 70-40 rout with a monster second half. Last weekend, they ran away from Springfield by scoring the game's final 52 points.
"I think we see maybe some of the other teams aren't as conditioned as well as we are," head coach Erv Strohbeen said. "Both these first couple games we've started a little bit slow. But once they get out there, they don't look back after the sweat's flowing."
Strohbeen thinks it all stems from the Bandits' voluntary January workouts during which players chose wind sprints and mirror drills over flinging around a football.
"Basically sprints, ladders, suicides," linebacker Spetlar Tonga said. "The worst kind of running you wanna do, in the history of conditioning."
That's how he and a few dozen part-time, semi-pro football players spent the majority of their weekends in January or February. Keep in mind, most of the Bandits have full-time jobs elsewhere.
"We had 20 or 25 guys at these workouts, coming from out of town just to run," Strohbeen said. "Yeah, it sucks to come in and run and sweat your butt off on a Sunday. There's not even a football you can throw around. But you're next to your buddy and you know you're doing it to prepare for the season."
All of that preparation is paying off.
The Bandits shut out Springfield for the final 2½ quarters in their most recent 84-18 romp.
They also held the WolfPack to 66 total yards -- quite a stat, considering how much time the Bandit ‘D' spent on the field. Sioux City had six scoring drives of two plays or less, not to mention the blocked field goal and interception it returned for touchdowns.
"The offense will score in one play and the defense has to go right back out -- and they don't mind," said quarterback Scott Jensen, who completed 8 of 9 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Two scoring throws were 25-yard strikes to Fredrick Bruno, scoring drives that took all of one snap.
Of course, the defense makes big plays of its own. The Bandits returned a blocked field goal and interception for touchdowns against Springfield.
"The defense always creates turnovers, so sometimes we'll have to go out there right away again after a 12-play drive," Jensen said.
Not once has he seen anyone call for a breather.
"Not at all," Jensen said. "And if you are winded, it drops right when you break the huddle -- because now you're excited."
Tonga spent the offseason with defensive tackle Anthony ‘Big Daddy' Thomas working on an acceleration program at Four Seasons Health Club.
"I thought I was in pretty ‘good' condition, but after that first game I found out I wasn't in ‘game' condition -- there's a difference," Tonga said. "I realized I had to do a little more conditioning after that first one."
He looked pretty fit last weekend against Springfield.
The 32-year-old Tonga tallied 12½ tackles and stuffed a pair of kicks, including the blocked field goal the Bandits took back the other way.
"I think his helmet flew off on four or five plays," Strohbeen said.
The Bandits, 2-0 after going 14-0 last season, have this weekend off and will host the Colorado Lightning, an APFL newcomer, next Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
"We're taking this time to get the guys' legs back underneath them," Strohbeen said.
Whether or not the rest of the league can keep up, remains to be seen.
BY MICHAEL BRAUER / siouxcityjournal.com |
April 7, 2012
SIOUX CITY -- When the other team runs out of gas, the Sioux City Bandits pick up steam.
Turns out, the defending APFL champs are in pretty good shape -- in more ways than one.
In their season opener, the Bandits turned a tight game against Oklahoma into a 70-40 rout with a monster second half. Last weekend, they ran away from Springfield by scoring the game's final 52 points.
"I think we see maybe some of the other teams aren't as conditioned as well as we are," head coach Erv Strohbeen said. "Both these first couple games we've started a little bit slow. But once they get out there, they don't look back after the sweat's flowing."
Strohbeen thinks it all stems from the Bandits' voluntary January workouts during which players chose wind sprints and mirror drills over flinging around a football.
"Basically sprints, ladders, suicides," linebacker Spetlar Tonga said. "The worst kind of running you wanna do, in the history of conditioning."
That's how he and a few dozen part-time, semi-pro football players spent the majority of their weekends in January or February. Keep in mind, most of the Bandits have full-time jobs elsewhere.
"We had 20 or 25 guys at these workouts, coming from out of town just to run," Strohbeen said. "Yeah, it sucks to come in and run and sweat your butt off on a Sunday. There's not even a football you can throw around. But you're next to your buddy and you know you're doing it to prepare for the season."
All of that preparation is paying off.
The Bandits shut out Springfield for the final 2½ quarters in their most recent 84-18 romp.
They also held the WolfPack to 66 total yards -- quite a stat, considering how much time the Bandit ‘D' spent on the field. Sioux City had six scoring drives of two plays or less, not to mention the blocked field goal and interception it returned for touchdowns.
"The offense will score in one play and the defense has to go right back out -- and they don't mind," said quarterback Scott Jensen, who completed 8 of 9 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Two scoring throws were 25-yard strikes to Fredrick Bruno, scoring drives that took all of one snap.
Of course, the defense makes big plays of its own. The Bandits returned a blocked field goal and interception for touchdowns against Springfield.
"The defense always creates turnovers, so sometimes we'll have to go out there right away again after a 12-play drive," Jensen said.
Not once has he seen anyone call for a breather.
"Not at all," Jensen said. "And if you are winded, it drops right when you break the huddle -- because now you're excited."
Tonga spent the offseason with defensive tackle Anthony ‘Big Daddy' Thomas working on an acceleration program at Four Seasons Health Club.
"I thought I was in pretty ‘good' condition, but after that first game I found out I wasn't in ‘game' condition -- there's a difference," Tonga said. "I realized I had to do a little more conditioning after that first one."
He looked pretty fit last weekend against Springfield.
The 32-year-old Tonga tallied 12½ tackles and stuffed a pair of kicks, including the blocked field goal the Bandits took back the other way.
"I think his helmet flew off on four or five plays," Strohbeen said.
The Bandits, 2-0 after going 14-0 last season, have this weekend off and will host the Colorado Lightning, an APFL newcomer, next Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
"We're taking this time to get the guys' legs back underneath them," Strohbeen said.
Whether or not the rest of the league can keep up, remains to be seen.