Gladiators acquire top Arena League QB

Adam Candee

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2003 | 9:39 a.m.

The Las Vegas Gladiators' quarterback carousel stops today with the acquisition of Clint Dolezel, one of the Arena Football League's top players.

The Gladiators will announce at a news conference today that Dolezel has been acquired from Grand Rapids in exchange for three player. The traded group will not include any of Las Vegas' top skill position players.

The Sun reported last week that the Gladiators were deep in negotiations to acquire Dolezel, whom Grand Rapids decided to trade this offseason because of salary cap concerns. Dolezel's salary of between $100,000 and $150,000 was tops on the Rampage.

Stifled in their pursuit of Arizona's Sherdrick Bonner and Hunkie Cooper -- both of whom will reportedly re-sign with the Rattlers -- the team will instead bring in a quarterback who led the AFL with 89 touchdown passes in 2003. Las Vegas coach Frank Haege spoke highly of Dolezel last week.

"He's definitely one of the top three quarterbacks in the league," Haege said. "He's a tall, drop-back guy, and he'll pick you apart with passing."

Dolezel, 33, is under contract through the 2005 season. He threw for 4,430 yards with just 15 INTs last year, completing 66.3 percent of his passes.

The Gladiators qualified for the AFL playoffs in last year's initial season in Las Vegas, but fell to Arizona in the opening round, 69-26. The game served as a microcosm of the Gladiators' season-long problems at quarterback, as Haege switched between starter Jay McDonagh and backup Todd Hammel with equal futility. McDonagh will not be re-signed by Las Vegas after tossing 45 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in 2003.

The team will also welcome back standout receiver Mike Horacek, who was cut by the Green Bay Packers late last week. Las Vegas' offensive specialist will team with Dolezel to form one of the most potentially potent tandems in the league.

The league's free agent signing period begins Oct. 15.