Sloppiness leads to Gladiators’ demise

Adam Candee

Monday, Feb. 3, 2003 | 9:46 a.m.

LOS ANGELES -- For all the minute complexities of Arena Football, Frank Haege continually harps on its one defining point of simplicity: The team that turns the ball over less will win.

Wise sage, the Gladiators' coach proved to be Sunday afternoon, as Las Vegas dropped its inaugural game, 60-48, to the Los Angeles Avengers at Staples Center in front of 14,827 after committing four turnovers and making a number of other mistakes.

"We were very sloppy on both sides of the ball," Gladiators quarterback Jay McDonagh said.

Although the majority of these Gladiators were together last season, the team struggled to establish an offensive tempo early and gave up a handful of quick strikes on defense. Combined with the turnovers, that set Las Vegas onto the hamster wheel, fighting hard to chase the Avengers and never quite getting there.

"Falling behind in arena is almost like drinking water," Las Vegas defensive specialist Damon Mason said. "It's just gonna happen."

Even once Las Vegas settled in after halftime, the Gladiators could not manage the big stop or turnover they desperately needed to pull even. But in spite of their miscues, the Gladiators (0-1) still had a chance to pull out the game in the final minute.

"Collectively -- offense, defense, special teams -- we have to execute, which we didn't do tonight," Las Vegas offensive specialist Mike Horacek said.

After Horacek hauled in his fourth touchdown pass of the game, a 5-yard toss from McDonagh with 1:19 to play that cut the deficit to 54-48, Las Vegas attempted its second onside kick of the game.

"In this game, you try not to get frustrated or in a panic because everything can happen," Haege said.

Kicker Steve Videtich bounced the ball high off the artificial turf and actually recovered his own kick, but an offside penalty against lineman Jerry Crafts nullified the play and gave the ball to the Avengers (1-0) at the Las Vegas 6-yard line. Los Angeles quickly scored on a 3-yard run by quarterback Tony Graziani to squelch the rally.

A renewed Gladiators offense first spurred that comeback effort. After fizzling on two of its first three drives, Las Vegas scored touchdowns on its next five possessions.

The Gladiators adjusted to Los Angeles' deep zone coverage that limited Horacek's effectiveness (11 receptions, 97 yards, 4 TD) by spreading the ball around and exploiting the soft middle of the field in the second half.

McDonagh finished 36-of-61 for 381 yards with 5 TDs and 3 INTs -- two of which came in the fourth quarter.

"Late in the game, I thought things were clicking, but we dropped a couple and some things happened," Haege said.

Those drops were Horacek's. The Gladiators' top offensive threat uncharacteristically booted five balls and also fumbled, though he later caused an Avenger fumble on the same play to get the ball back.

"I dropped balls that I should have caught," Horacek said, his answers to a number of questions drifting back to that point. "I take (blame) for that. I have to make plays and I will."

Graziani turned in a near-perfect game for the Avengers, going 18-for-23 for 288 yards and 7 TDs. More importantly, he did not throw a single interception, thanks in large part to superior protection from his offensive line. Graziani enjoyed plenty of time to find receivers, including offensive specialist Chris Jackson, who hauled in nine passes for 164 yards and 5 TDs.

Las Vegas outgained the Avengers by 85 yards and won the time of possession by more than 15 minutes. Not that Los Angeles needed a whole lot of time to attack the Gladiators' defense -- seven of the Avengers' nine touchdown drives took three plays or less, including one-play strikes of 31 and 45 yards.

In all, the Avengers found the end zone on nine of their 11 drives.

"We just tried to get that one stop, and we didn't get it," Mason said.

The Gladiators next head to Phoenix for a Sunday afternoon date with the Arizona Rattlers, and then return to Las Vegas for their Feb. 17 home opener against Tampa Bay.