Star Offensive Specialist Antonio Chatman on monday signed a two year
contract to play for the NFL's Green Bay Packers, one of the league's
most historic franchises and long time rival of the Bears. Chatman is
coming off one the best seasons in team and league history, being the
1st player to have 25+ receiving TDs, 100+ receptions, 1,000+
receiving yards, and 2,000+ kick return yards, as well as being just
the 3rd person to have 2,000+ return yards all on his 2nd year in the
league. The other people in the 2,000 kick return yard club are Ron
Carpenter this tear for the Detroit Fury, and Steve Papin last year
for the New York Dragons. He also ste a league record with 3,678 all
purpose yards during the regular season and the Rush's two playoff
games.

The following chicago_rush poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: Who should the Rush start at
Quarterback?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Chad Salisbury, 2 votes, 100.00%
- Billy Dicken, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Brian Ah Yat, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Sign a Free Agent, 0 votes, 0.00%



For more information about this group, please visit
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The following chicago_rush poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: What will the Gladiators average
attendance be in Las Vegas?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- 10,001 or more, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 8,001-10,000, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 6,001-8,000, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 4,001-6,000, 2 votes, 100.00%
- less than 4,000, 0 votes, 0.00%



For more information about this group, please visit
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For help with Yahoo! Groups, please visit
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The following chicago_rush poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: Will the Rush make the playoffs this
year?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Yes, 1 votes, 100.00%
- No, 0 votes, 0.00%



For more information about this group, please visit
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush

For help with Yahoo! Groups, please visit
http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
chicago_rush group:

What do the Rush most need to improve
for next season?

   o Offense
   o Defense
   o Special Teams
   o Coaching
   o Nothing, they'll be fine next year


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/surveys?id=301635

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

<img
src="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/files/logos/no.bmp">
<p>Continuing his dedication to providing the best sports
entertainment to the New Orleans area, Saints owner Tom Benson has
brought an Arena Football League expansion franchise to the city. The
New Orleans VooDoo are scheduled to kickoff play at the New Orleans
Arena in February of 2004, and the league's exciting brand of
football and economical pricing is expected to make the VooDoo a fan
favorite in New Orleans.



Benson, Owner of the Saints for the last 18 years, committed to the
purchase of an AFL club for New Orleans in 1998, making him the first
NFL owner to do so. Since then, several NFL owners have followed
Benson's lead and purchased Arena franchises. After Benson's
commitment, the AFL officially awarded the Saints' owner an
expansion
franchise on March 7, 2002. Last spring, fans voted to name the new
club the "VooDoo" in an online poll at www
.NewOrleansSaints.com.



"I remain committed to the greater good of the sports scene in
New
Orleans, as well as to this city and the Gulf South region as a
whole, and bringing in a new Arena Football League franchise is
another positive step forward for our community," Benson said.
"The
AFL is exciting to me as an owner, and will certainly bring
excitement to sports fans in and around New Orleans. We were drawn to
the AFL because of its quality ownership, its national television
contract with NBC and its strong leadership on top in the form of
Commissioner David Baker."



Said Baker: "Tom Benson was the first NFL owner to step forward and
join the Arena Football League in 1998," said Baker. "I am thrilled
that his vision and support are coming to fruition and that he will
be fielding a team in 2004. The VooDoo represent the cornerstone of
AFL growth for the 2004 season."



That growth is evident in the new teams that are entering the league.
Nashville – owned by Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams – has
already
been approved to play next season pending it secures an arena-lease
agreement. Other markets interested in AFL teams for 2004 are
Philadelphia, Boston, Columbus, St. Louis and Washington, owned by
Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Other NFL owners involved in
AFL ownership are Dallas Cowboys/Desperados owner Jerry Jones and
Denver Broncos owner/Colorado Crush part-owner Pat Bowlen, who is
joined by former Broncos quarterback John Elway in the venture.



Often recognized as one of the nation's most affordable and fan-
friendly sports leagues, the Arena Football League kicked off its
17th season and first on NBC in February. NBC has provided the AFL
with unprecedented exposure by televising up to 70 games, including
all playoff contests and ArenaBowl XVII on June 22.



Former Saints Director of Regional Sales & Marketing Mike Feder will
head the VooDoo as Executive Director. Rita LeBlanc, a Saints
employee and Benson's granddaughter, has been named Director of
Marketing and Special Events for the VooDoo. The VooDoo's
coaching
staff and football operations officials will be hired through the
efforts of Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager of
Football Operations Mickey Loomis and his staff.



MERCHANDISE

New Orleans VooDoo merchandise is now available in all New Orleans
Sports Avenue stores, as well as through the team's official web
site: www.govoodoo.com.



ABOUT THE ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE

The Arena Football League consists of 23 teams (16 active for 2002
season), including eight in the 10 largest U.S. media markets. An
additional seven expansion teams have already been approved to begin
to play over the next three years.



Current AFL ownership includes: Pat Bowlen (NFL's Denver
Broncos),
Stan Kroenke (NHL's Colorado Avalanche, NBA's Denver Nuggets,
and
minority owner of NFL's St. Louis Rams), and John Elway, Colorado
Arena Football; Jerry Jones family, Dallas Desperados (NFL's Dallas
Cowboys ownership); William Ford Jr., Detroit Fury (NFL's Detroit
Lions); Tom Benson New Orleans Voodoo (NFL's New Orleans Saints);
Jerry Colangelo, Arizona Rattlers, (NBA's Phoenix Suns and MLB's
Arizona Diamondbacks); Dan DeVos, Grand Rapids Rampage (NBA's Orlando
Magic); Charles Wang, New York Dragons (NHL's New York Islanders).



Additionally, four other NFL owners have applied or been approved for
ownership of future AFL expansion teams, including Tennessee
Titans'
K.S. "Bud" Adams Jr., Washington Redskins' Daniel Snyder,
Jacksonville Jaguars' Wayne Weaver, and San Francisco 49ers' Denise
DeBartolo York.

Hey Guys,

I have 6 Rush ticket vouchers that are good for either of the last 2
games- they can be used on the 11th or the 18th.  Both games are at
2 pm at Allstate.  The tickets can be used all at once or split up,
all you have to do is call the Rush or present them to the ticket
counter on the day of the game.

Each voucher is $16, but am willing to negociate.

Thanks and email me if interested.

K10

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
chicago_rush group:

Will the Rush make the playoffs this
year?

   o Yes
   o No


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/surveys?id=284942

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

Record: 3-5
Division Standings:
        Team           Record Win % PF  PA  Home Away Div. Conf. Streak
1.Grand Rapids Rampage  5-3  .625  451 419  2-1  3-2 1-0   2-1   L 1
2.Dallas Desperados     5-3  .625  429 404  3-1  2-2 1-1   3-1   W 1
3. CHICAGO RUSH         3-5  .375  358 360  1-3  2-2 0-2   1-3   L 1
4.Indiana Firebirds     3-5  .375  326 363  1-4  2-1 1-0   1-3   L 5

Playoff Standings
--------------------------
Bye Week:
1.Georgia Force        6-2
2.L.A. Avengers        6-2
3.San Jose Sabercats   6-2
4.Tampa Bay Storm      6-2
------------
Home:
5.Orlando Predators    6-2
6.Grand Rapids Rampage 5-3
7.Dallas Desperados    5-3
8.Las Vegas Gladiators 4-4
------------
Away:
9.Arizona Rattlers     4-4
10.Detroit Fury        4-4
11. CHICAGO RUSH       3-5
12.Buffalo Destroyers  3-5
------------
Out of Playoffs:
13.Indiana Firebirds   3-5
14.New York Dragons    2-6
15.Colorado Crush      1-7
16.Carolina Cobras     0-8

Rush Stats:
Passing
                Comp Att  %   Yds  TD INT QB Rat.
Billy Dicken    93  169 55.0 1113 18  7   84.8
Chad Salisbury  64   93 68.8  677 13  7   93.3
Brian Ah Yat     3   12 25.0   43  1  1   28.1
Antonio Chatman  0    1  0.0    0  0  1    0.0
Team           160  275 58.2 1833 32 16   83.2
______________________________________________
Rushing
                Rush Yds TD
Jamie McGourty   15  34  5
Bob McMillen     11  41  1
Levelle Brown     5  46  3
Anthony Ladd      4   4  1
Chad Salisbury    3   5  1
Lindsay Fleshman  3   3  2
Billy Dicken      2  -1  1
Antonio Chatman   2  -6  0
Keith Gispert     1  -8  0
Team             46 118 14
______________________________________________
Receiving
               Recept Yds TD
Antonio Chatman  59  771 13
Cornelius Bonner 23  187  2
Lindsay Fleshman 22  284  5
Anthony Ladd     20  243  7
Dameon Porter     9   95  2
Robert Kilow      7   52  1
Bob McMillen      5   60  0
Dale Koscielski   5   25  1
Jamie McGourty    4   25  0
DeJuan Alfonzo    2   44  1
Furnell Hankton   2    7  0
Tony Bowick       1   29  0
Team            159 1822 32
______________________________________________
Kick Returns
               Returns Yds TD
Antonio Chatman  39   973  3
Cornelius Bonner  3    26  0
Dameon Porter     2     4  0
Anthony Derricks  1    22  0
Team             45  1025  3
______________________________________________
Kicking
               FGM 4pt FGA  %  XPM 2pt XPA  %   Pts
Keith Gispert  2   0   5  40.0 20  0   25 80.0  20
Kenny Stucker  1   0   2  50.0 12  0   15 80.0  12
Nick Gatto     0   0   1   0.0  5  0    6 83.3   5
Team           3   0   8  37.5 37  0   46 80.4  37
______________________________________________
Defensive Stats
                      Tack Ast Tot Sacks PB FF FR Blk Int Yds TDs
John Moyer             9   1   10 3.00   3  0  0  0   0   0   0
James Baron            7   4   11 2.00   1  0  1  0   0   0   0
Bob McMillen          13   4   17 1.00   1  0  0  0   0   0   0
Levelle Brown          3   1    4 1.00   1  0  0  0   0   0   0
Frank Moore            2   5    7 1.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Cedric Walker         30   6   36 0.00   2  0  0  0   1   0   0
Dameon Porter         21   4   25 0.00   9  0  0  0   2  24   0
DeJuan Alfonzo        18  10   28 0.00   3  0  0  0   1  -2   0
Marvin Taylor         13   3   16 0.00   1  0  0  0   0   0   0
Cornelius Bonner      10   1   11 0.00   1  0  0  0   0   0   0
Lindsay Fleshman       9   8   17 0.00   1  0  0  0   1  18   0
Dale Koscielski        8   1    9 0.00   3  0  0  0   0   0   0
Riley Kleinhesselink   8   5   13 0.00   1  0  0  0   0   0   0
Anthony Ladd           8   6   14 0.00   0  0  0  0   1  43   1
Anthony Derricks       5   0    5 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Jamie McGourty         5   3    8 0.00   2  0  1  0   0   0   0
Jerry Montgomery       3   0    3 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Marcus McKenzie        3   1    4 0.00   1  0  1  0   0   0   0
Salem Simon            2   1    3 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Keith Gispert          2   0    2 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Kenny Stucker          2   1    3 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Antonio Chatman        1   1    2 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Billy Dicken           1   0    1 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Halakilangi Muagututia 1   2    3 0.00   0  0  1  0   2  26   0
Nick Gatto             1   0    1 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Chad Salisbury         1   0    1 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Tony Bowick            1   1    2 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Robert Kilow           0   2    2 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Furnell Hankton        0   2    2 0.00   0  0  0  0   0   0   0
Team                 187  73  260 8.00  29  1  4  0   8 109   1

The Rush upped their record to 3-4 today after beating the Las Vegas
Gladiators 69-48 at the Thomas & Mack Center. The game lived up to
sin city's reputation with a combined 34 penaties and 8 turnovers.
Antonio Chatman led the way, light the Vegas Defense up brighter than
the strip totaling over 200 total yards, including 6 catches for 116
yards and 4 TDs. Filling in for Dicken, Chad Salisbury completed 16-
23 for 206 yards and 5 TDs, although he also threw 3 picks. Rookie
FB/LB Levelle Brown out of Northwestern had a career and history
making day setting records for the longest run (20), and most yards
in a game (40). Along with that he scored twice and tallied his 1st
sack, 1 of 2 by the Rush D. The other was by Lineman Frank Moore. The
Rush D also forced 3 picks by Cedric Walker, Anthony Ladd, and Dameon
Porter, the latter two went for scores, and Porter's in the last
minute sealed the game.

In other news, the Rush signed K Kenny Stucker for the remainder of
the year and placed Keith Gispert in IR. The also activated Marvin
Taylor from the injured list and waived WR/LB Dale Koschielski.

Also for those interested I plan on typing up a copy of the SI
article about the AFL on the website.

Full League Standings
-------------------------------
       Team           W L  Pct.
Orlando Predators    4 0 1.000
Buffalo Destroyers   3 1 .750
Los Angeles Avengers 3 1 .750
Grand Rapids Rampage 3 1 .750
Detroit Fury         3 1 .750
Indiana Firebirds    3 1 .750
San Jose SaberCats   2 2 .500
Las Vegas Gladiators 2 2 .500
Tampa Bay Storm      2 2 .500
Georgia Force        2 2 .500
Dallas Desperados    2 2 .500
Arizona Rattlers     2 2 .500
--------------------------------
Chicago Rush         1 3 .250
Colorado Crush       0 4 .000
New York Dragons     0 4 .000
Carolina Cobras      0 4 .000
____________________________________________________

Division Standings - Central Division
Team                 W L Pct. PF  PA  Home  Away  Div  Conf  Streak
Grand Rapids Rampage 3 1 .750 233 212  1-1   2-0  0-0   1-0   L 1
Indiana Firebirds    3 1 .750 213 196  1-1   2-0  1-0   1-1   L 1
Dallas Desperados    2 2 .500 202 197  2-0   0-2  1-0   1-0   L 2
Chicago Rush         1 3 .250 150 174  1-1   0-2  0-2   1-2   W 1

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
chicago_rush group:

Who should the Rush start at
Quarterback?

   o Chad Salisbury
   o Billy Dicken
   o Brian Ah Yat
   o Sign a Free Agent


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/surveys?id=256306

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

The Chicago Rush today released DS Anthony Derricks and replaced him
with DeJuan Alphonzo, a Wide Receiver/Defensive Back who was waived
from Indiana earlier in the week. In 2002, Alphonzo caught 2 passes
for 30 yards, and he had 81 total tackles, and 6 interceptions.

The Rush lost at home to open the year against the Orlando Predators
47-35 in front of a SRO crowd of 16,143, the franchise's first
sellout and a franchise record for attendance.

The whole team came out flat and QB Billy Dicken couldn't get on
track, going 24-47 for 245 yards, throwing 2 TDs and 1 pick and
running for another TD. The two touchdowns though were both thrown in
the last minute of the game. Jamie McGourty scored the 1st 2
touchdowns of the game and ended up with 5 yards on 4 rushes. Bob
McMillen pitched in 4 yards on 2 runs. Antonio Chatman led the
receivers with 10 catches for 97 yards, Dale Koscielski and Cornelius
Bonner each had 4 catches for 45 and 33 yards respectively and 1 TD
each. Anthony Ladd had 3 catches for 39 yards, Dameon Porter had 24
yards on 2 catches, and McGourty caught 1 pass for 7 yards.

For the Preds, Jay Gruden threw 6 TDs on 18-36 attemps for 200 yds.
Rick Hamilton ran for 19 yds. on 4 attempts, and Connel Maynor ran
for 8 yds. on 2 runs and a TD. OS Travis McGriff led them with 6
catches for 116 yds. and 4TDs. Corey Fleming and Thabiti Davis also
had a TD catch each. Though thye didn't have any sacks, they applied
constant pressure on Dicken, which threw him off his rhythm.

The following chicago_rush poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: What position should the Rush upgrade
in the offseason?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- QB, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Line, 0 votes, 0.00%
- OS, 0 votes, 0.00%
- DS, 1 votes, 50.00%
- WRDB, 1 votes, 50.00%
- WRLB, 0 votes, 0.00%
- FBLB, 0 votes, 0.00%
- K, 0 votes, 0.00%



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South:
Tampa Bay: An exp. QB, depth at the skill positions, decent line. If
Kaleo misses any length of time then flip flop the Storm w/Georgia.

Georgia: A decent team that's filled some of holes that were made by
players leaving when they moved from Nashville.

Orlando: Have reloaded with lots of NFL talent but they could take
time to adjust. Hurt by not having Gruden to start the season, and
when he gets back he may be drained from the Superbowl.

Carolina: Broke up a good nucleus of players and replaced them with
af2 guys. Hope they don't scare away too many Charlotte fans to start
the season. May be surprisingly competetive by the end of the season
as the players adjust to the big leagues.

East:
Las Vegas: Core of a good team coming back this year in a division
that may be worse than last year. Weak division and the Vegas
distraction helps this team

New York: Will have Garcia for the whole year this year but will to
improve on defense to challenge LV or for a playoff spot. Might be
pushed by Detroit .

Detroit: As bad as they were last year they may still have been the
best team in the city . Added Kelly and Carpenter, but lost Truluck.
Will be close to New York this year.

Buffalo: Team that underachieved last year won't do much better this
year.

Central:
Chicago:I know I'm biased but Chicago won the division last year and
have improved sense then. Derricks adds another playmaker and can
play DS and is electrifying with the ball in his hands. Salibury can
push Dicken for his job. McMillen adds a good player who knows what
it takes to win.

Grand Rapids: Not far off from Chicago. Have arguavly the best QB in
the league and are solid at almost every position. The Grand Rapids-
Chicago Rivalry should continue to grow this year and may be the best
someday. It has a David v/s Goliath feel to it.

Dallas: Also not far off from Chicago, and they also have a good
rivalry going. The key is whether they'll move in Chicago's direction
in their 2nd year, or take a downturn towards Detroit. I don't see
that happening, but how they replace Kelly will be key.

Indiana:An aging team that is going with the QB they benched last
year though a rebound season out of Philyaw wouldn't surprise me.
This team would take 1st or 2nd in the South or East divisions, and I
wouldn't be surprised if they made the playoffs.

West:
San Jose: Almost everybody from last years team is returning and they
are poised at another arenabowl run. Clevan thomas may be the best DS
in the league, and grieb runs arguably the best offense in the
league.

Arizona: a older team, they are the Raiders of the AFL. Still hungry
to again prove themselves as an AFL power after the beating they took
in the Arenabowl. Thjey will make it close in the division and
contend for the arenabowl again.

Los Angeles: Could challenge the Rattlers for 2nd in the division,
this team has slowly built itself from mediocrity and has turned
itself into a legitament threat. Have the best WRLB in the league.

Colorado: As good as the past three teams (Chicago, Detroit, and
Dallas) were when they entered the league, they have a proven QB,
good FBLB, and talented receivers. The weak spot will the line.
Playing in a tough division they may not make the playoffs, but will
be better than their record will show.

Overall:
San Jose
Chicago
Arizona
Grand Rapids
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Tampa Bay
Dallas
New York
Georgia
Indiana
Orlando

Playoffs
(Orlando) @ Las Vegas
Indiana @ (Los Angeles)
Georgia @ (Tampa Bay)
New York @ (Dallas)

Orlando @ (San Jose)
Dallas @ (Chicago)
Tampa Bay @ (Arizona)
(Los Angeles) @ Grand Rapids

Los Angeles @ (San Jose)
Arizona @ (Chicago)

Arenabowl 17: Chicago @ (San Jose) 71-67 OT-
Chicago will push this team to it's limits and i think they will win
the regular season game in Chicago but until Chicago proves it can
win big road games San Jose (regretfully) gets the nod at home.

Breakdown by position:

Kicker (1)--Keith Gispert

Quarterback (3)--Billy Dicken, Chad Salisbury, Brian Ah Yat

Offensive Specialist (1)--Antonio Chatman

FB/LB (3)--Jamie McGourty, Bob McMillen, Levelle Brown

WR/DB (3)--Dameon Porter, Cornelius Bonner, Marvin Taylor

WR/LB (3)--Anthony Ladd, Lindsay Fleshman, Robert Kilow

Defensive Specialists (2)--Cedric Walker, Anthony Derricks

Linemen (8)--James Baron, John Moyer, Tony Bowick, Marcus McKenzie,
Riley Kleinhesselink, Frank Moore, Jerry Montgomery, Salem Simon

Players Cut:
QB Ken Mastrole
Linemen Curt Lessman, Ben Crosland and Sean Powell
DS Donald Malloy
FB/LB Kevin Clemens
WR/LB Tywan Mitchell
WR/DBs Chonn Lacey, Anthony Griffin and Halakilangi Muagututia.

A link to the full story can be found in the Rush Headlines folder in
the links page.

From chicagorush.com:

With the first week of training camp officially behind them, the
Chicago Rush coaches began the process of trimming the team's roster
to the league-required 24 players.
This week the coaches released five players from its 37-man training
camp roster including: FB/LB Jamie Bowers, kicker Geoff Groshelle,
WR/DB Lonny Mitchell, OL/DL Reggie Reddick and WR/DB Julius
Washington.

Bowers was the only veteran released by the team, having been a
member of the Rush each of the last two seasons. Bowers played in 15
games during his two seasons, scoring eight touchdowns and recording
28.5 tackles.

"We really appreciate what Jamie Bowers has done for us the last two
years," said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. "He was a big part of our
successes. But it came down to a point where we feel that we have
some better people on the roster at the FB/LB position this year. We
strive to get better each year and we wish Jamie nothing but the best
in the future."

The Rush kicks off its 2003 AFL season Sunday, February 2, at
Allstate Arena against the Orlando Predators. Fans wishing to
purchase season tickets, starting at $64, should call the Rush at
(877) Rush-Tix (787-4849) or visit the team's Web site at
www.chicagorush.com. Fans wishing to purchase individual game tickets
to any of the Rush eight regular season home games may order by
calling Ticketmaster at (312) 559-1212 or by visiting the
Ticketmaster Web site at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets also may be
purchased in person at any Ticketmaster outlet or the Allstate Arena
box office.

Greetings. Can't wait for the season to start. National TV from NBC on a weekly basis is awesome. I hope I can make it in to Chicago to see a game this year.

jim in iowa

Lincoln Dupree, 2002 af2 rookie of the year for the 2002 Arena Cup
champion Peoria Pirates, injured his knee and was placed on IR for
the year.

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
chicago_rush group:

What will the Gladiators average
attendance be in Las Vegas?

   o 10,001 or more
   o 8,001-10,000
   o 6,001-8,000
   o 4,001-6,000
   o less than 4,000


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/surveys?id=221993

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

It was made official a couple of days ago amid rumors the the
Gladiators owe $100,000 to officials in Jersey. Ferraro hopes to sell
10,000 tickets a game to break even and has made a 3-year committment
to stay in Vegas.

Additions:Anthony Derricks-DS,Bob McMillen-FB/LB,Wes Pate-QB*,Sean
Powell-OL/DL,Kevin Clemens-FB/LB,Curt Lessman-OL/DL,Salem Simon-
OL/DL,Keith Gispert-K*,Robert Kilow-OS, Levelle Brown-FB/LB,Ben
Crosland-OL/DL,Geoff Groshelle-K*,Tony Lukins-DS,Halakilangi
Muagututia-DS*,Lincoln Dupree-DS*

Departures:Joe Douglass-OS-Colorado,Javon Green-WR/DB-Colorado,Rich
McKensie-OL/DL-Released,Tim Carey-QB-Buffalo
*=af2 player

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
chicago_rush group:

What position should the Rush upgrade
in the offseason?

   o QB
   o Line
   o OS
   o DS
   o WRDB
   o WRLB
   o FBLB
   o K


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/surveys?id=90339

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

<img
src="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/files/afllogo.bmp">

ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE RE-BRANDS ITSELF WITH EXCITING NEW LOGO

The Arena Football League will kick off its 17th season in February
2003 with an exciting new logo that represents both the high-energy
feel of the AFL and the American passion for the sport of football.

"Our game is full of speed and excitement," said Commissioner
David Baker. "This new logo is representative of our Arena
Football
League players, who are great athletes with incredible football
skills."

The new identity is just one step in a pattern of events validating
the Arena Football League as a major-league sports entertainment
brand.

With significant national broadcast exposure beginning in February
2003, quality and committed ownership of new and existing franchises
in major markets, an 8.8-percent attendance increase in 2002, and the
attraction of an increasing number of blue chip partners, the AFL
seized the opportunity to update its identity ahead of an anticipated
significant increase in the League's awareness and growth.

The new logo reflects the speed, excitement and skills that make the
Arena Football League brand of professional football so unique.

The icon of an AFL football player is framed inside a contemporary
shield shape. The player appears to be an offensive player (passing,
catching, carrying) and defensive player (rushing, defending) at the
same time, which is consistent with the AFL style of football where
players compete on both sides of the ball. The football bursts from
the shield representing the high-energy, high-scoring aspects of the
game. The colors of Red, White and Blue pay homage to the American
passion for football.

The Arena Football League consists of 23 teams, including eight in
the 10 largest U.S. media markets. Sixteen teams competed in the
AFL's 16th season this past year, including new teams in Atlanta
(Georgia Force) and Dallas (Desperados). Next season will see the
addition of the Colorado Crush and possibly more teams. The AFL
ownership group includes nine NFL owners who own or have applied for
AFL teams.

The following chicago_rush poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: How will the Rush do against the
Rattlers?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Win in Regulation, 2 votes, 100.00%
- Win in Overtime, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Lose in Regulation, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Lose in Overitme, 0 votes, 0.00%



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The Rush made their mistakes early and dug to deep of a hole to get
back out of. They didn't look like the team that Dallas saw. They
almost made a comeback, but the Rattlers brought their A-Game today,
which makes them very tough to beat. I would like to thank the Rush
for a great season, which saw them take a major step up the AFL
ladder and become one of the elite teams.

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
chicago_rush group:

How will the Rush do against the
Rattlers?

   o Win in Regulation
   o Win in Overtime
   o Lose in Regulation
   o Lose in Overitme


To vote, please visit the following web page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chicago_rush/surveys?id=42568

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!