Post by Free Agent Fan on Oct 7, 2007 20:15:14 GMT -5
www.morningnewsonline.com/midatlantic/scp/sports.apx.-content-articles-FMN-2007-10-06-0003.html
Phantoms bring in top coach
Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 - 12:08 AM
By Shawn Singleton
The Florence Phantoms’ extreme makeover continued Friday when the team hired Carlos Clayton as its coach.
Clayton, the reigning American Indoor Football Association coach of the year, replaces Mike Siani. Siani left the team after last season for a position with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.
Clayton is the third Florence coach in less than a year, and he hopes to stick with the Phantoms for a while.
“We had a really good group of guys in Montgomery, but the team folded and I wanted a new challenge,†he said. “Florence seemed to be a good fit for me.â€
“Having the league’s coach of the year brings a lot of credibility to (Florence),†said Michael Mink, co-owner of the AIFA and interim Phantoms owner. “It speaks highly for Carlos to want to come to Florence, coach this team and be a part of this community.â€
One thing Clayton and the Phantoms would like to change is the culture of the team.
Last season was marred by infighting between former coach Charlie Brown and former owner Joey Shannon over all-purpose star Rafael Cooper, leading to Brown’s sudden resignation three games into the season.
Discipline is a big part of Clayton’s coaching style, and he’s taking a no-nonsense approach to dealing with his players.
“I lay down the law with my team,†Clayton said. “If I tell a player to do something and they don’t do it, they’re off the team.
“If you’re not willing to follow the rules and guidelines that we have in place, then you can’t be a part of this organization.â€
The team’s front office, however, would rather have Clayton deal with X’s and O’s than discipline problems.
“We want Carlos to stay positive this season. Any questionable player conduct will be handled by the administrative staff,†first-year Florence general manager Dennis Smith said. “He has enough to worry about just coaching this team.â€
“Carlos will bring an enormous amount of structure to this team,†interim Phantoms co-owner and league president John Morris said. “We’re going to have about 10 to 12 players living here and Carlos will be right there with them.â€
Clayton has also brought along offensive assistant Jason Foxworth to Florence. Foxworth brings with him a new system for the Phantoms.
“The Phantoms had a rough start that was similar to what coach Clayton and I went through last year,†said Foxworth, whose Montgomery team started the season 0-5. “Unlike what happened in Florence, we were able to convince our players to stick with our system, and we went 5-3 down the stretch.
“Hopefully, we can do that here in Florence.â€
With the departure of hockey, the Phantoms are the only professional team in the Florence Civic Center. Clayton, the Phantoms and the league want to maximize what they said is an untapped football hotbed.
“The public wants this team so badly that we didn’t want to make any obvious changes,†Smith said. “We made a lot of changes from the inside out, starting from scratch so we can have the best possible product for the fans.â€
Morris said the fan support and the location primes the Phantoms for a successful year.
“If you have the fan base, the sponsorship and the structure that Florence has, this should be the best team on paper in the (AIFA),†he said. “And we will do everything to make sure that that happens here.â€
Phantoms bring in top coach
Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 - 12:08 AM
By Shawn Singleton
The Florence Phantoms’ extreme makeover continued Friday when the team hired Carlos Clayton as its coach.
Clayton, the reigning American Indoor Football Association coach of the year, replaces Mike Siani. Siani left the team after last season for a position with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints.
Clayton is the third Florence coach in less than a year, and he hopes to stick with the Phantoms for a while.
“We had a really good group of guys in Montgomery, but the team folded and I wanted a new challenge,†he said. “Florence seemed to be a good fit for me.â€
“Having the league’s coach of the year brings a lot of credibility to (Florence),†said Michael Mink, co-owner of the AIFA and interim Phantoms owner. “It speaks highly for Carlos to want to come to Florence, coach this team and be a part of this community.â€
One thing Clayton and the Phantoms would like to change is the culture of the team.
Last season was marred by infighting between former coach Charlie Brown and former owner Joey Shannon over all-purpose star Rafael Cooper, leading to Brown’s sudden resignation three games into the season.
Discipline is a big part of Clayton’s coaching style, and he’s taking a no-nonsense approach to dealing with his players.
“I lay down the law with my team,†Clayton said. “If I tell a player to do something and they don’t do it, they’re off the team.
“If you’re not willing to follow the rules and guidelines that we have in place, then you can’t be a part of this organization.â€
The team’s front office, however, would rather have Clayton deal with X’s and O’s than discipline problems.
“We want Carlos to stay positive this season. Any questionable player conduct will be handled by the administrative staff,†first-year Florence general manager Dennis Smith said. “He has enough to worry about just coaching this team.â€
“Carlos will bring an enormous amount of structure to this team,†interim Phantoms co-owner and league president John Morris said. “We’re going to have about 10 to 12 players living here and Carlos will be right there with them.â€
Clayton has also brought along offensive assistant Jason Foxworth to Florence. Foxworth brings with him a new system for the Phantoms.
“The Phantoms had a rough start that was similar to what coach Clayton and I went through last year,†said Foxworth, whose Montgomery team started the season 0-5. “Unlike what happened in Florence, we were able to convince our players to stick with our system, and we went 5-3 down the stretch.
“Hopefully, we can do that here in Florence.â€
With the departure of hockey, the Phantoms are the only professional team in the Florence Civic Center. Clayton, the Phantoms and the league want to maximize what they said is an untapped football hotbed.
“The public wants this team so badly that we didn’t want to make any obvious changes,†Smith said. “We made a lot of changes from the inside out, starting from scratch so we can have the best possible product for the fans.â€
Morris said the fan support and the location primes the Phantoms for a successful year.
“If you have the fan base, the sponsorship and the structure that Florence has, this should be the best team on paper in the (AIFA),†he said. “And we will do everything to make sure that that happens here.â€
