Defensive battle to take place in the Steel City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Command travel to the Pittsburgh Power for the first ever meeting between the two teams; Saturday May 19 at 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Consol Energy Center inPittsburgh.   The Command (0-8) are still looking for their first victory of the season despite quarterback Matt Gutierrez’ season high performance (334 yards, 6 TD’s) last Saturday night when the Command fell to the Iowa Barnstormers 42-62 in Des Moines.  Recently acquired wide receiver Armand Robinson and Gutierrez connected on four touchdowns and the Command were 5 for 5 in the Red Zone, but four turnovers (3 INT’s and one net recovery) put a stop to three key drives.

“Two of…(the interceptions)…were ridiculous,” said Command coach Danton Barto.  “We tried to cut the guy, Matt throws it blind, it goes right to him.  Then a guy tips a ball and it goes straight up.  We’ve got to be more consistent on offense.”

With less than :55 seconds left in the second quarter, Barnstormer defensive end Justin Mincey made a leaping interception off of Gutierrez and a 20 yard return for an touchdown.  KC missed a 30 yard FG attempt with time left on the clock, and two plays laterIowa’s Craig Camay kicked a league-leading 50 yard field goal just as time expired in the first half, contributing to 31 unanswered points scored against KC.

“We just seem to have a time frame in the game where we make mistakes and put ourselves in a hole we can’t get out of,” said Command QB Matt Gutierrez.  “We can’t give up points on offense is the bottom line.”

The Command and Power (2-7) have both struggled offensively, though KC is only one of two teams in the league that has yet to score over 2,000 points in Total Offense (KC=1814 through eight games & Orlando=1733).  Pittsburgh has lost four straight, losing two of those game by just three points (N.O. VooDoo 48-51 & Georgia Force 52-55).

Pittsburgh leads the league in Total Defense averaging 259.2 yards per game, and Passing Defense averaging 230 yards per game.  KC is ranked third in Total Defense averaging 266.1 yards per game.

Up Next

The Command return home toSprintCenterto host the Georgia Force Saturday May 26th at 7 p.m. (CT).   The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB, Ustream.tv/kansascitycommand, and on KSMO-TV 62.

The Power head to US Airways Center to take on the Arizona Rattlers Saturday June 2^nd at 10 p.m. (ET).

Connections

The Power are coached by former Kansas City Brigade offensive coordinator Chris Siegfried.

Command (WR/QB) Xavier Lee played four games for the Power in 2011 as wide receiver and backup QB.  Lee rushed for two TD’s and threw for one more in his only start for the Power against the Georgia Force on April 30, 2011.

For this edition of the Command Center, Rashad Barksdale took the time to give us some more insight on what it is like to play Defensive Back in the AFL.

Q: First off Rashad, how has the season been going for you personally?

A: The season for me personally is going pretty good. I had a rough start to the season, starting off slow…but now that we are in the swing of things, I feel like I am right where I left off from last year.

Q: What is the hardest thing about playing DB in the Arena Football League?

A: The hardest thing about playing DB is arena football is covering the motion guy coming at you full speed, while you have to back peddle!

Q: You joined the team last year six games into the year and still managed to finish second on the team in tackles with 81.5. How were you able to make such an impact so quickly?

A: I was excited to play the game of football again! So I was flying around non stop out there, trying to contribute and make any type of play possible…and my desire.

Q:  At the University of Albany (NY), you were a key contributor on the baseball team but made the transition to the football team for your senior year. How were you able to make the transition and what prompted you to make a change?

A: The transition was as easy as it could have been to be honest with you. Football is my better sport, but I just had more love for baseball at the time. Football comes so smooth/ natural to me.  I made the change because I was all done playing baseball and I had 1 more year of eligibility left, so I decided to walk onto the football team. I actually asked the coach if I could play running back…but he stuck me on the defense. I started out as the 4th string corner, and quickly made my way to 1st string and started every game of the season as corner and punt returner…My coach called me “Christmas is August”

Q:  From that, you were drafted in the 6^th round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. How was it for you to hear your name called during the NFL draft and what were your initial thoughts?

A: To hear you name called during the draft is a dream come true! It was a wonderful experience. Still something to this day that I cherish

Q: What other teams have you played for and what have those experiences been like for you?

A: I have played for the Kansas City Chiefs, NY Giants, NY Jets and Arizona Cardinals.
-Those experiences were great…I played in 6 games with the Chiefs and was on the practice squad with the Giants, but then got brought up in the playoffs.Went to camp with the Jets, and spent a year on the Cardinals practice squad.

Q: There has been so much talk about player safety along the lines of concussions and head injuries and the long term effects. What are your thoughts on this issue and what do you do to ensure your safety?

A: Not really much to say about all these concussions occurring these days. People are bigger, faster and stronger, which leads to higher impacts! That’s all…this is football…a high impact sport…I don’t think there is much that can really be done to prevent concussions.

Q: If you had to tell a young and up and coming football player one piece of advice, what would it be and why?

A: If I had to give a young and up coming football player a piece of advice it would be…Don’t ever give up on yourself, because others will just do that for you.

Q: What are some of your hobbies and things you like to do in your free time?

A: Hobbies that I do in my free time are watch movies, play Xbox, shop…work out.

Q:  What is one interesting fact about yourself that most people don’t know?

A: Interesting facts that most people don’t know about me is that I listen to Adele, I like to read poetry every once in awhile… I snowboard and I am addicted to Twizzlers

The Command Center focus’s on getting to know the players, coaches, and owners and allowing the fans to learn more about these tremendous individuals. It is authored by Tyler Derby, a diehard fan of the Kansas City Command going back to its Brigade days who has followed the Arena Football League for years. It is written by a fan for the fans!!

KANSAS CITY COMMAND DROP EIGHTH STRAIGHT

Des Moines, Iowa – Despite wide receiver Armand Robinson’s four touchdown catches for the Kansas City Command, their struggles continue as they lost their eighth straight game Saturday night 42-62 against the Iowa Barnstormers at the Wells Fargo Arena in front of 7,962.  Iowa quarterback JJ Raterink threw for 253 yards and six touchdowns, and rushed for one more to put an end to Iowa’s three-game losing streak.

“It’s a tough loss,” said Command coach Danton Barto. “Matt, statistically had his best game with passing and touchdowns (334 yards for six TD’s), but the key thing was three interceptions that stopped three drives.  We just can’t get over the hump.  It’s two or three drives every game that’s killing us and keeping us out of games.”

Raterink connected with four different receivers for touchdowns lead by Jesse Schmidt who had nine receptions for 11 yards and 3 TD’s and helped the Barnstormers get back on track to a 4-5 record.

The Command took the lead on an eight yard touchdown pass to Armand Robinson with 5:05 left in the first quarter, but two early Command turnovers (fumble and net recovery) gave the Barnstormers opportunities to score on their next two possessions resulting in a 17-7 to end the first quarter.  Robinson was the leading receiver of the game with 13 receptions for 143 yards and four touchdowns.

Barnstormer defensive end Justin Mincey’s leaping interception off Gutierrez and 20 yard return for an Iowa touchdown gave the Barnstormers a 31-21 lead and kicker Camay scored a 50 yard field goal just as time expired in the second quarter to give Iowa a 34-21 lead going into halftime.

Iowa kept their momentum going to start the second half, scoring on their first drive to take a 41-21 lead with 11:29 left in third quarter.   The Barnstormers defense intercepted Gutierrez for the third time and quickly scored to go up with 10:21 left in the third quarter.  Four Command turnovers (3 INTs, 1 net recovery) plus Iowa’s consistent scoring helped the Barnstormers maintain a lead throughout the entire second half.

Regarding KC’s offense, “they’re getting it,” said Barto.  “We’re trying. Armand Robinson had a great game.  Our young players are starting to make plays, we’ve just got to be more consistent.  It’s maddening because we work on it every day, but it’s just part of being young.”

The Barnstormers head to Jacksonville for a 7pm game on Saturday May 19^th against the Sharks.

The Command are on the road again for their next game, Saturday May 19at 6:30pm against the Pittsburgh Power.  The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and online at Ustream.tv/KansasCityCommand.  The game will also air tape delayed on KSMO-TV 62 at 10:30pm Saturday.

Full Stats available here

Motivated Command team heads to Des Moines

KANSAS CITY, MO – The Kansas City Command visit the Iowa Barnstormers for an Arena Football League Central Division match-up this Saturday, May 12^th 7:05pm at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.  The Command (0-7) failed to capitalize on another strong defensive performance against San Antonio last Saturday, falling to the Talons 41-31.  The Barnstormers (3-5) dropped their third straight game over the weekend, losing on the road to the Chicago Rush 61-50 Sunday afternoon.

The Command held a fourth-quarter lead for the first time this season and maintained a 31-27 advantage until the Talons scored 14 points in the final 3:57 to win by 10.

The Command defense played arguably their best game of the year, holding San Antonio to just 41 points and 231 yards of total offense.  DB Sergio Gilliam had two interceptions in the game and earned the AFL’s Riddell Defensive Player of the Week award.

“Our defense is playing championship-level football,” Coach Danton Barto said.  “We can’t ask for anything more from them.”

The offense for the Command continued to struggle, especially early and late.  Kansas City got just three points out of its first three possessions and was shut out in the fourth quarter for the third time in seven games.  The last three Command drives resulted in a missed field goal, lost fumble and turnover on downs.

Iowa led 28-24 at the half and 42-38 late in the third quarter, but after scoring touchdowns in each of their first six possessions, the Barnstormers scored just one TD and gave up a safety and two turnovers on downs the final four times they had the ball.

The Barnstormers quarterback is JJ Raterink who started the first 13 games of the 2011 season for the Command before getting traded to Chicago.  Raterink threw for 358 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against the Rush on Sunday.

Previous Meeting

The Command and Barnstormers faced off for the first time last year and met twice, with the home team emerging victorious in both contests.  The first-ever Kansas City Command victory came in last season’s home opener on April 9 against Iowa 62-48.  Bradly Chavez and Bret Smith each had three TD receptions for KC.  Iowa won 48-40 on July 9 in Des Moines.  Smith had his second big game against the Barnstormers, catching 12 passes for 156 yards.

Up Next

The Command wrap up a short two-game road trip with a game against the Pittsburgh Power.  It will be the first game ever between the two franchises.  The Power, 2-6, are coached by former Kansas City Brigade offensive coordinator Chris Siegfried.  The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and Ustream.tv/kansascitycommand and will be tape delayed on KSMO TV 62.

Scouting the Barnstormers

Iowa is coming off a tough four-game stretch in which they played arguably the four best teams in the National Conference.  After beating Arizona 56-54, Iowa lost three straight to Utah (63-62), San Jose (76-33) and Chicago (61-50).  The San Jose game was notable for the fact the Barnstormers failed to score in the second half after trailing just 41-33 after two quarters.  Six Iowa possessions ended with and interception, a fumble and a remarkable four turnovers on downs.

Besides the obvious sub-par performance at home against the SaberCats, Iowa has played well offensively.  QB JJ Raterink ranks fifth in the AFL with 292 passing yards per game and has thrown just four interceptions.  Jesse Schmidt is among the League leaders in several receiving categories.  His 26 touchdowns and 131 yards per game each rank third.  FB Rodney Filer, in his 14th AFL season, is among the League’s career top 10 in rushing yards, attempts and TDs.  One offensive problem: Iowa has not done a good job of protecting Raterink.  The Barnstormers have allowed a League-high 26 sacks on the year.

Iowa has the AFL’s 17th-ranked scoring defense, allowing over 61 points per game.  The defense has forced 20 turnovers, led by DBs Jason Simpson (five INTs) and Cameron McGlenn (four INTs).  Both also rank among the League’s top 10 in tackles with over 50 each.  Simpson is a special teams weapon as well, averaging 21.5 yards on kick returns, second-best in the AFL.

Connections

JJ Raterink started the first 13 games of the 2011 season for the Command at quarterback and ended up the team’s leading passer and rusher.  He threw for over 3,700 yards and 65 touchdowns and ran another 144 yards and five scores.  He was traded to Chicago in June after relinquishing the starting job to Stephen Wasil.

Iowa DB Jason Simpson was a 2005 team captain and three-year starter at Missouri.  He played for the Chicago Rush last year.

Kansas City Command defensive back Sergio Gilliam has been named the Riddell Defensive Player of the Week in the Arena Football League, the League office announced Tuesday. Gilliam intercepted two Aaron Garcia passes, broke up two others and registered four tackles in the Command’s Saturday night loss to San Antonio.

“They beat me a little earlier (in the game),” Gilliam said of his performance against the Talons. “But in this type of game you have to have a short memory. I got another chance to make a play to help my defense. I saw the ball in the air and I was at the right place at the right time twice.”

“We’re happy for him,” Coach Danton Barto said. “He’s played at a high level and so has the whole defense all season. It shows the defense is still playing hard despite the adversity we have faced as a team.”

Saturday night was the second time this season Gilliam has tallied two interceptions in a game. He also had two picks against San Jose and returned one of those for a touchdown.

Gilliam now has five interceptions on the season, tied for fifth-best in the AFL. His 70 interception return yards is ranked seventh in the League. He ranks third on the Command with 22.5 tackles.

The Command play this Saturday, May 12 at 7pm on the road against the Iowa Barnstormers. The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and on the web at Ustream.tv/KansasCityCommand. The Barnstormers are 3-5 after a 61-50 loss Chicago Sunday.

Saturday May 26, 2012 the Kansas City Command battle the Georgia Force at 7pm at the Sprint Center and one lucky fan in attendance will win $5,000! 

Bring your friends and family to raise your odds – and as you cheer on the KC Command, YOU COULD WIN FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS DURING THE GAME!  Great seats are available through ticketmaster.com

More details coming soon!

The Kansas City Command continue to be involved in assisting local charities when the need arises.  Fox4 Problem Solvers recently ran a story when the Oak Grove Youth Rodeo Club (OGYRC) had 30 rodeo panels (gates) stolen off their property last month.  The gates are used to corral farm animals during fundraising rodeo events in Oak Grove.  The cost of replacing the panels would have hamstrung OGYRC’s ability to help kids grow up to be cowboys, (despite what their mamas have told them).

See the Fox4 story here http://bit.ly/IJduED

The OGYRC is a non-profit organization whose primary goal is to keep young people involved in an activity where drugs and alcohol are not allowed, and at the same time, give them guidance and instruction in the sport of rodeo, along with the opportunity to join together with other people who have similar interests.

The KC Command stepped in and purchased 33 new gates that were delivered just in time for the OGYRC’s annual ‘mutton-busting’ fundraising event on May 11^th.  The OGYRC is a great KC organization – to find out more, please visit their site http://www.ogyrc.com/

For this edition of the Command Center, Kimani Jones told us a little more about himself. Kimani is one of the true AFL veterans on the Command’s young team, now in his fourth season in the League.  He has started at center in 24 of the 25 games in Command history.

Q: How has the season been going for you personally as a player?

A: Personally the season has been going well but I don’t really look at it that way because this is a team sport so if the team isn’t doing well, I’m not.

Q: As one of the veterans on the O-Line, do you feel like you play a key leadership role with the younger guys who are trying to learn the game?

A: Yes I find myself being like a player/coach because the guys are new to the game and I know our OL coach can’t work as closely with each person.

Q: What is the hardest thing about playing center in the AFL?

A: The hardest thing would be setting the point while snapping the ball with a guy in front of you and working with the fullback to block the nose and the linebacker.

Q: You have done a great job of protecting the QB all year, what has been the reason for your success this year so far?

A: I would say my overall knowledge of the game.

Q: Who is the best player, at any level, that you have had to block during a game?

A: I would say it would be Styles G. White who now plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Q: What is your favorite opposing arena to play at?

A: Spokane

Q: To follow that up, what is your favorite opposing city to travel to for games?

A: Tampa Bay because it is a beautiful city.

Q: In your free time, what are some of your favorite hobbies and things to do for fun?

A: I love watching movies and bowling.

Q: If you could describe Coach Barto in one word, what would it be and why?

A: Loyal, because he will do anything in his power to help.

Q: What is one interesting fact about yourself that most people don’t know?

A: I have an A.A.in Engineering.

The Command Center will be published throughout the season and will focus on getting to know the players, coaches, and owners and allowing the fans to learn more about these tremendous individuals. It is authored by Tyler Derby, a diehard fan of the Kansas City Command going back to its Brigade days who has followed the Arena Football League for years. It is written by a fan for the fans!!

“It keeps coming back to the offense,” Coach Danton Barto said after the game. “We’re just not scoring enough points. Our defense is playing championship-level football. We can’t ask for anything more from them.”

The Command had the ball and a 31-27 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter but failed to score in the final period, missing a field goal, losing a fumble and turning the ball over on downs on three drives. San Antonio turned the 4-point deficit into a 10-point lead with two touchdowns just over a minute apart late in the game.

Quarterback Matt Gutierrez threw for 230 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions but did lose two costly fumbles. Armand Robinson and Marcus Barnett each made their Command debuts tonight and led the KC receiving attack. Robinson finished with eight catches for 96 yards and a score. Barnett had five grabs for 89 yards and a TD.

“We did some things better on offense,” Barto said. “There are some explosive guys in our receiving corps now. Barnett is going to be a very good football player. He had two days to learn our system so he’s going to only get better. We’ve just got to find a way to get Matt more comfortable. At times he looks great and other times he looks like a rookie.”

The Command got a spark from the return game as Shay Hodge averaged 24 yards on six kick returns, including a long of 39 that set up a first-half field goal.

“Shay was dynamic off the net,” Barto said. “Our whole kick return unit did a great job tonight.”

“The atmosphere was great,” Hodge said of playing in front of a season-high 6,342 at Sprint Center. “I just came out doing my best on kick returns to try and help the team win.”

Gilliam had two interceptions in a game for the second time this year, repeating the feat from San Jose two weeks ago.

“They beat me a little earlier,” Gilliam said. “But in this type of game you have to have a short memory. I got another chance to make a play to help my defense. I saw the ball in the air and I was at the right place at the right time twice tonight.”

Garcia threw for 231 yards and five touchdowns. Jomo Wilson, just back from injured reserve, was Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game after catching 10 passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns.

The Command got a defensive stop on the opening possession of the game but failed to take advantage as the offense struggled out of the gates. The Talons built a 21-3, but KC rallied for the final two TDs of the half to draw within 21-17 at the break. The Command made it 21 straight points, the team’s longest scoring streak of the season, on a Shay Hodge TD catch early in the third quarter.

KC had two scoring drives in the second half, both of which covered 45 yards or more. The offense fell out of rhythm, though, in the fourth quarter, allowing the Talons to capture the come-from-behind win.

The Command will next play Saturday, May 12 at 7pm on the road against the Iowa Barnstormers. The game will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and on the web at Ustream.tv/KansasCityCommand. The Barnstormers are 3-4 and play tomorrow afternoon against Chicago.

Click here for final game stats

Pictured: Sergio Gilliam celebrates with Tommy Chavis after a Gilliam interception.  Photo by Mark Lundy, Kansas City Command

Attendance: 6,342
Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game: Jomo Wilson, San Antonio Talons
National Guard MVP: Matt Gutierrez, Kansas City Command
Riddell Defensive Player of the Game: Sergio Gilliam, Kansas City Command
AFL Playmaker of the Game: Sergio Gilliam, Kansas City Command
JLS Ironman of the Game: Shay Hodge, Kansas City Command
Cutters Catch of the Game: Marcus Barnett, Kansas City Command (2nd quarter grab for first career AFL TD)
Spalding Highlight of the Game: Armand Robinson, Kansas City Command (catch and fumble, recovered by KC for a touchdown 5:28 3rd Quarter)