Force concentrate on getting focused

[lionsroar]

www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20090328/SPORTS/903280308/1002/SPORTS

Force concentrate on getting focused
Indoor football team heads to Reading, Pa., on first road trip

There is a long road to building a successful franchise, but the South Carolina Force hope the worst bumps and curves are behind them

After losing the franchise's first game 39-18 to the Fayetteville Guard, the Force will play its first road game tonight at the Reading (Pa.) Express.

The Force players hope the 11-hour bus trip will allow them to focus on tonight's task, admitting concentration was missing last week.

"We just need to get focused," said Force linebacker Titus Curry, who played at Greenwood High. "Everybody just needs to focus on what we need to do to win football games."

On Wednesday, the team relieved coach Bubba Diggs of his duties, desiring a change of direction. General Manager Tony Wells has stepped in as interim coach, and he expects the Force to complete that northern shift.

"They took a big step this week," Wells said. "They've been going hard. They know they are being held accountable."

Reading is coming off a 59-44 loss to the Baltimore Mariners. The Express (1-1) have averaged 47.5 points per game.

Force quarterback Blake Mitchell passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns in the opener. His primary target, Anthony Young, leads the American Indoor Football Association with 147 receiving yards per game. Linebacker Gary Nelson leads the Force defense with five total tackles, ranking him 11th in the league.

:smileyforce:

[cjsmith0703]

I think it would be a good idea if they get focused. I was at the game last saturday night and they played like a high school team. Blake Mitchell turned the ball over a number of times. It was as if the team came out not ready to play and not focused.

I do think that this team has some great talent though. I have been working for the Furman University Football team for years and know that some of the players they got out of furman are pretty good. They just need some time under there belt and some time playing together and i think they will be in good shape. I hope that can contend this year. I'm from greenville and i would like for this team to stay around but people are not going to want to come watch a team that sucks, so i hope they turn out good.

They defense looked good last saturday night. I think if they can get the offense going, the force can be a force in the aifa, but there are some good teams they are going to have to get through. I really think that with the caliber of teams in the aifa, they atleast need to win 1 of these next 2 road games to have a shot.

I haven't been following the aifa too long but i love football and have enjoyed keeping up with it here recently. I hope the force can play good tonight against the Express and hopefully bring a victory.

I hope the decistion to release diggs was smart. I heard that some other things had happened to contribute like not getting along with players. If that is true then it's a good decision because nobody wants to play for a coach they don't like.

[lionsroar]

I hope the force can become competative but it's all gonna come from the top. From the owners to now the GM/HC.

....With that said the Express will probably win this game by atleast 20

[gonzo13]

If they wanted focus and stability, they shouldn't have fired their coach.

Bubba didn't get along with the players, but it was because they weren't "his players". He was given a team and told that was what he had to work with instead of being allowed to bring players in like every other team in indoor football.

If Wells wanted to coach, he should have done so from the begining. I don't see things getting better for the Force, and I'll have a hard time feeling sorry for them if I'm right.

[d'oh!]

Mar 28, 2009 13:05:54 GMT -5 lionsroar said:

I hope the force can become competative but it's all gonna come from the top. From the owners to now the GM/HC.

....With that said the Express will probably win this game by atleast 20

Wow. Very Prophetic 47-27.

But it was much closer until the 4th quarter.

B.

[johnny8242]

The team fell apart in the 4th it looked like besides that a close game.

[Gene]

Mar 28, 2009 23:10:15 GMT -5 johnny8242 said:

The team fell apart in the 4th it looked like besides that a close game.

Combination of the Force doing well and the Express doing bad. The Express offense struggles at times, moreso than in the past. But your Force, as you said, were in the game most of the time. I wasnt at all impressed with Blake Mitchell. Maybe he just needs more time to play and understand this sport. Officiating was a bit inconsistent tonite. A few bad calls against the Express gave the Force good field position but i wont use it as an excuse. Just trying to say that officiating has been poor this year, IMO.