World's worst pro sports job
I was watching the Los Angeles Avengers against the Arizona Rattlers in Arena Football League action last night and it occurred to me that the most thankless job in sports might be that of a defensive back in the AFL.
Last night, the quarterback for L.A., Sonny Cumbie, threw for seven touchdowns. The guy for Philadelphia, Tony Graziani, threw for five. The QB for New York, Rohan Davey, threw for six. And so on. The game between Utah and Cleveland had a combined 129 points. The passes are flying so fast and furious, those d-backs must develop twitches.
And so I was pleased to see one game decided when a defensive back for New Orleans, Keon Raymond, tipped away a two-point conversion to help beat Orlando, 54-53. Raymond also returned an interception for a 42-yard touchdown.
It reminds me of an apocryphal Branch Rickey story where the old man was once told that there was this fabulous pitcher in the minors who threw so hard that in one game, just one batter hit a foul ball off him. Rickey supposedly said, "Get me the guy that got the foul, we need hitters."
So in a league where every quarterback is Peyton Manning, that one DB who can win a game deserves some close scrutiny.
Comments
Ha... when I saw the headline, I thought this was going to be about being a first-round draft pick of the Bengals. Hey Bill... very refreshing look at the AFL. Knock down one pass, you're General Patton! :)
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Adam,
I feel bad for those guys ... what's a good day ... oh, I only gave up two touchdown passes.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Adam | March 11, 2008 5:56 PM
First off, good article. This time of year usually brings out the AFL poo-pooers. Scoring, in the AFL, is more a given than an exception. So giving up a couple TDs isn't as crucial as getting a key PBA or INT. DBs get lots of attention, and usually play a key role in deciding the game. Philly's Mike Brown (and calling him 'just a DB' would be an insult as his kickoff return for a TD this past weekend illustrates) had consecutive INT's that broke the back of the Chicago Rush. Come on up 95 this weekend and catch the game Sunday. Both Philly and NY have good DBs so you can see them at work first hand.
Posted by: Chris | March 13, 2008 8:22 AM