Post by rkozak201 on Jul 2, 2008 7:34:54 GMT -5
Reading offensive lineman Mark Stout, who has been with the team since its founding, hopes to walk away with a championship.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
With the birth of a son only months behind him and a home awaiting him in Cape Cod, Mark Stout's life is almost complete.
To make it totally fulfilled, Stout would like to earn one more championship ring before he retires from football.
Stout and the Reading Express are three home wins from earning the American Indoor Football Association title.
The playoff journey starts off at 7 p.m. Thursday against the Erie RiverRats in the Northern Division championship game in the Sovereign Center, where the Express has won 18 straight.
With a third victory in four games against the RiverRats (10-4), the Express (10-4) would advance to the Eastern Conference title game Saturday, July 12, against the winner of Monday's Huntington at Florence game.
A win there and Reading would host the AIFA championship game Thursday, July 24.
"I want that one last ring so I can walk away," Stout said. "We've kind of taken a step every year. I think that everyone wants to take that next step to win the whole thing."
Stout, a 6-7, 340 pound offensive lineman, has helped the Express come close in each of its first two seasons. Reading lost to Canton in the 2006 Northern Conference championship game, its last home loss, and fell to Lakeland in last year's AIFA title game.
Stout was ready to retire before last year's championship game in Florence, S.C. But with some advice from Express line coach Kenny Miller, Stout changed his mind after the 54-49 loss that spoiled his perfect ending.
"I figured we were going to win last year," said Stout, who will turn 38 Monday. "Losing like that kind of left a sour taste in my mouth. I didn't want to leave off like that. I wanted one more run at it, and I figured we could get it."
Stout is the only one of the three offensive lineman, known as the Pillars of Penn Street, who returned this season. He is joined up front by 6-10, 360-pound Chris Nunn and 6-5, 365-pound Adam Hoffman.
During his three seasons with the Express, Stout has been rock solid. He has started every game, except one when he left the team in April to attend the birth of his son.
A product of Sacramento State, Stout got on board the Express along with coach Ollie Guidry for the team's inaugural season in 2006. Stout played on Guidry's Tennessee Thundercats team that won the 2001 Indoor Professional Football League title.
Through two head coaching changes and a shuffling of personnel that has just seven other players left from the 2006 team, Stout's goal has never changed.
"I think we've got guys that understand winning is the way it is," Stout said. "Nobody cares about personal stats or how many touchdowns they score. As long as we win, that's what matters. If we lose, we're just going to be another team."
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.
By Brian Rippey
Reading Eagle
With the birth of a son only months behind him and a home awaiting him in Cape Cod, Mark Stout's life is almost complete.
To make it totally fulfilled, Stout would like to earn one more championship ring before he retires from football.
Stout and the Reading Express are three home wins from earning the American Indoor Football Association title.
The playoff journey starts off at 7 p.m. Thursday against the Erie RiverRats in the Northern Division championship game in the Sovereign Center, where the Express has won 18 straight.
With a third victory in four games against the RiverRats (10-4), the Express (10-4) would advance to the Eastern Conference title game Saturday, July 12, against the winner of Monday's Huntington at Florence game.
A win there and Reading would host the AIFA championship game Thursday, July 24.
"I want that one last ring so I can walk away," Stout said. "We've kind of taken a step every year. I think that everyone wants to take that next step to win the whole thing."
Stout, a 6-7, 340 pound offensive lineman, has helped the Express come close in each of its first two seasons. Reading lost to Canton in the 2006 Northern Conference championship game, its last home loss, and fell to Lakeland in last year's AIFA title game.
Stout was ready to retire before last year's championship game in Florence, S.C. But with some advice from Express line coach Kenny Miller, Stout changed his mind after the 54-49 loss that spoiled his perfect ending.
"I figured we were going to win last year," said Stout, who will turn 38 Monday. "Losing like that kind of left a sour taste in my mouth. I didn't want to leave off like that. I wanted one more run at it, and I figured we could get it."
Stout is the only one of the three offensive lineman, known as the Pillars of Penn Street, who returned this season. He is joined up front by 6-10, 360-pound Chris Nunn and 6-5, 365-pound Adam Hoffman.
During his three seasons with the Express, Stout has been rock solid. He has started every game, except one when he left the team in April to attend the birth of his son.
A product of Sacramento State, Stout got on board the Express along with coach Ollie Guidry for the team's inaugural season in 2006. Stout played on Guidry's Tennessee Thundercats team that won the 2001 Indoor Professional Football League title.
Through two head coaching changes and a shuffling of personnel that has just seven other players left from the 2006 team, Stout's goal has never changed.
"I think we've got guys that understand winning is the way it is," Stout said. "Nobody cares about personal stats or how many touchdowns they score. As long as we win, that's what matters. If we lose, we're just going to be another team."
•Contact Brian Rippey at 610-371-5070 or brippey@readingeagle.com.