Monday, Jan. 12, 2004 | 10:07 a.m.
Frank Haege could not even find the playbooks after the Las Vegas Gladiators' whirlwind December 2002 move from New Jersey. This year, the Gladiators' coach might want to hand out some nametags along with those plays.
The Gladiators begin their second Arena Football League season in Las Vegas at Tuesday's minicamp with an overhauled roster and hopes of sustaining fan support that started out strong last year and tapered off as the season wore on.
"It's a lot better situation being in here and being settled," Haege said.
Foremost among the changes is the addition of veteran quarterback Clint Dolezel. Las Vegas began its offseason revamping by sending Sedrick Robinson and two other players to Grand Rapids in exchange for Dolezel, one of the league's all-time top passers.
An ArenaBowl champion in 2001, Dolezel has passed for 24,425 yards and 482 touchdowns in his eight-year AFL career. His ability to throw with both power and accuracy could enliven the Las Vegas offense that sputtered under quarterbacks Jay McDonagh and Todd Hammel in 2003.
Upgrading the position was Haege's top offseason priority and the Gladiators targeted Dolezel from the time Grand Rapids decided to cut payroll.
"He's always been one of the top quarterbacks in the league," Haege said. "I don't see why this year would be any different."
The Gladiators helped ease Dolezel's transition by bringing in his favorite receiver -- offensive specialist Terrill Shaw -- from Grand Rapids. Shaw, the 2001 ArenaBowl MVP, totaled 1,658 receiving yards and 41 touchdowns last season. He will be expected to help replace Mike Horacek, who left Las Vegas for Indiana after a contract dispute.
"Having Terrill is huge," Dolezel said. "That's my (offensive specialist) the past three years. I'm more confident in him than any receiver I've ever had."
Two consecutive first-round playoff exits prompted Las Vegas to renovate its roster, with Horacek, Robinson, McDonagh and Hammel joining defensive specialist Damon Mason in leaving town. Also gone is Jon Denton, a Green Valley High School graduate who spent the season as the Gladiators' emergency quarterback but never saw game action.
"We'll be able to strike a little bit quicker with a more experienced quarterback and a more well-rounded group of receivers," Haege said.
The Gladiators added quality depth at receiver with free-agent signings Marcus Nash, Cornelius Bonner and Maurice Bryant. Defensive back Anthony Cobbs was the key signing on the other side of the ball, where he will join Jeroid Johnson and T.J. Hill in the secondary.
"They've done a good job of getting talent," Dolezel said. "Offensively, we're pretty stacked."
Said Haege: "We feel really good about the players we have, good veteran players. The challenge is getting them to come together."
Last season came to an embarrassing close for the Gladiators in a 69-26 loss at Arizona in the opening round of the AFL playoffs. Las Vegas backed into the playoffs with an 8-8 record and returning to the postseason will not be as easy this season with the league scaling back from 12 to eight spots.
Adding to the challenge is the Gladiators' realignment into the Western Division, which includes Arizona, Los Angeles and San Jose. The Gladiators compiled a 0-4 mark -- with two losses to Arizona -- against those teams in 2003 and all are again legitimate contenders for the league championship.
That is quite a change from the mediocre Eastern Division, where Las Vegas nearly won a division championship last year.
"The West is definitely the best division in the league," Haege said. "It definitely raises the bar."
It also means that Las Vegas will get no grace period in assimilating all its new faces.
The Gladiators open practice Tuesday with a three-day minicamp for quarterbacks, defensive backs, wide receivers and centers. Mandatory reporting day is Saturday with the first full-squad workout slated for Sunday.
The team will run daily two-a-day practices from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during camp. All practices will be conducted at the Sam Boyd Stadium practice fields and are free to the public.
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