Debut Will Put Ray Front and Center
Finally, and literally, Fred Ray becomes the center of attention for the Avengers, when he makes his season debut against Austin tonight.
Ray, who anchored Orlando’s offensive line the last five seasons, was pegged as a must-sign free agent by Avenger Coach Ed Hodgkiss.
Ray’s debut was delayed because of a chipped vertebra in his neck, an injury he sustained at training camp.
His absence in the first two games was magnified when Sean McNamara injured his knee in the season opener, leaving the Avengers without a center.
“[Ray] was our No. 1 recruit this off-season after [center] Chris Butterfield retired,” Hodgkiss said. “Orlando has always had a physical frontline. Fred was a big part of that.”
Ray’s time in Orlando included an ArenaBowl championship during his rookie season in 2000.
Ray said that he chose to sign with the Avengers “because they seemed like a team on the rise.”
“They told me it was the type of thing a coal miner would get,” Ray said of the injury to his neck. “When they would dig and hit a tough spot, they’d snap their head back. It was frustrating having to sit out those games.”
It became more frustrating for the team when McNamara was injured.
Defensive linemen Tony Wragge and Bernard Riley filled in but they had to learn the position on the fly.
The Avengers lost a fumble on a bad exchange in each of the first two games.
That shouldn’t be a problem with Ray returning tonight.
“Missing camp, I’ll be a little rusty, but this is like riding a bicycle,” Ray said.
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Quarterback John Kaleo will face his former team this week, the Austin Wranglers. Kaleo, who is with his ninth team in 12 AFL seasons, led the expansion Wranglers to an 8-8 record last season, then was traded.
“It’s going to feel really strange,” Kaleo said. “They really made that arena feel like home to me.”
Kaleo will get a few homecomings this season. He faces former teams when the Avengers play Tampa Bay and San Jose. The five other teams for which he played have folded.
Kaleo has a 6-6 record in games against former teams.
TONIGHT
at Austin, 5:30 PST, FSNW
Site -- Frank Erwin Center.
Radio -- KLAC (690), KWKW (1330).
Records -- Avengers 1-1, Wranglers 0-2.
Record vs. Wranglers (2004) -- 1-0.
Update -- The Avengers will be without receiver Khori Ivy (knee injury) and defensive specialist Damen Wheeler (strained hamstring). Greg Hopkins, one of the Avengers’ top two-way players, will be slowed by a calf injury that limited his practice time. The Wranglers will be without quarterback Bobby Pesavento, who suffered a knee injury last week against Tampa Bay. John Fitzgerald stepped in and threw for 234 yards and six touchdowns in a 62-45 loss. The Wranglers will also be without defensive specialist Brent Browner (groin), linebacker Jeremy Beutler (hamstring) and lineman Jamie Lovern (knee).
