Gladiators could have new coach picked by Friday

Adam Candee

Thursday, Aug. 19, 2004 | 9:54 a.m.

Now three weeks old, the search for a new Las Vegas Gladiators head coach could come to an end Friday.

Owner Jim Ferraro and general manager Dan Dolby wrapped up interviews Tuesday with the three finalists for the job, but the two did not have much time Wednesday to discuss their thoughts on those meetings. Ferraro and Dolby planned to sit down for a lengthy session today, one that could yield a decision on who will replace Frank Haege, who was fired July 28 after three seasons.

Ferraro expects an announcement Friday and Dolby "would like to be done" by then as well.

"I'm extremely pleased with the quality of our three candidates," Dolby said. "We made a good decision on these three."

Those candidates are: Gladiators assistant head coach Ron James; New Orleans defensive coordinator Kevin Porter; and Indiana interim head coach Mike Wilpolt. James and Wilpolt interviewed Monday and Porter finished up by Tuesday evening.

"I can't lose in this process," Dolby said. "I'm going to get a great coach."

That may be true, but the Gladiators will also be getting a coach with limited head coaching experience at the AFL level -- just as when Ferraro hired Haege in New Jersey. Wilpolt's experience comes from finishing last season with the Firebirds, when he led to the team to eight wins in 11 games after replacing Steve DeBerg.

Porter's first AFL season came in 2004 with the VooDoo defense, which allowed the second-fewest points in the league. He was a head coach in af2 from 2000-2003 and spent five years playing in the NFL.

James, a Gladiators assistant for the past three years, has done spot duty for absent head coaches, including a one-game stint leading Las Vegas during Haege's suspension last season.

Dolby spent Wednesday at the Arena Football University meetings, studying up on league front office issues and strategies. He said he felt good about Tuesday's biggest development from the league board of directors meeting -- the approval of a neutral-site ArenaBowl concept with Las Vegas as a leading candidate to host it.

Dolby said the franchise would do what it can to sway the league.

"We're doing our politicking from inside," Dolby said. "We obviously would love to have that here. It would be a great opportunity for us to market and drive our organization to another level."