Dolezel improving, still out Saturday

Adam Candee

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005 | 9:11 a.m.

Gladiators quarterback Clint Dolezel will miss at least another week waiting for his broken right middle finger to heal.

The team sent Dolezel to have his finger re-evaluated on Monday's film day, Gladiators head coach Ron James said Monday night. The diagnosis is that the finger, most likely broken when Dolezel banged his hand on a defender's helmet after throwing a pass in the season opener against Los Angeles, is improving, but needs more time to fully heal.

The soonest that Dolezel could return would be for Las Vegas' home game on March 4 against Austin, but even that may be optimistic. In two games, Dolezel completed 36 of 60 passes for 509 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Gladiators (2-2) visit expansion Nashville (1-3) this week and James plans to name a starting quarterback today, choosing between Rod Robinson and Craig Whelihan.

Robinson started in place of Dolezel in the past two games, winning his first Arena Football League start against New York before suffering a terrible defeat Sunday against Georgia. Las Vegas lost 38-13 at the Thomas & Mack Center, setting a franchise low for points scored and turning in one of the worst offensive performances of the past decade in the AFL.

Robinson committed five turnovers against just two touchdown passes versus Georgia before Whelihan relieved him late in the fourth quarter. In the past three weeks, Robinson has more turnovers (nine) than touchdowns (eight).

After cutting him in training camp, the Gladiators re-signed Whelihan to back up Robinson when they place Dolezel on injured reserve before Week 3. Whelihan saw significant playing time with the NFL's San Diego Chargers in 1997 and 1998, and he last played in 2003 with the Indiana Firebirds, completing 42 of 73 passes for 613 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions in four games.