And He’s a Kicker to Boot

Remy Hamilton watched the end of Avenger practice Thursday, sans shoulder pads, helmet dangling from his hand, basically filling a ball-boy role for the offense.

And this, quarterback John Kaleo said, “has been our MVP this season.”

Looks, as often are the case, can be deceiving.

What Hamilton has done this season is a big reason the Avengers are tied for first place in the Western Division. He is 10 for 10 on field goals and leads Arena Football League kickers with 45 points.

The timing of those field goals has sustained the Avengers at key moments the last two games.

Hamilton field goals accounted for the Avengers’ last three scores in a 46-41 victory over Georgia two weeks ago. He made three first-half field goals -- including one from 50 yards -- last week, keeping the score close against Austin. He then recovered a fumble on a kickoff, setting up a field goal, and had another kickoff recovered for a touchdown in the third quarter, as a second-half blitz gave the Avengers a 64-51 victory.

Hamilton has been doing that for some time around the AFL. He ranks third on the AFL’s list for points by kickers with 922, behind Mike Black (1,253) and Steve Videtich (1,123).

“When Mike Black retired, it became my goal to get that record,” Hamilton said. “That’ll keep me around a couple more years.”

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Kaleo and Avenger teammate Al Lucas will finally put a little sparkle to their shining moment in 2003.

Both will receive rings with real diamonds for helping the Tampa Bay Storm win the ArenaBowl that season.

The Storm and the Arena Football League Players’ Assn. reached a settlement Monday that will require the team to provide championship rings with diamonds to the 12 players who were given ones with cubic zirconia.

Six of those players signed with other teams after the 2003 season.*

TODAY

vs. San Jose, 3 p.m., Channel 4

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KTLK (1150), KWKW (1330).

Records -- Avengers 2-1, SaberCats 1-2.

Record vs. SaberCats (2004) -- 0-2.

Update -- The Avengers could distance themselves from the defending ArenaBowl champion SaberCats, as a victory would give them a two-game lead over San Jose in the Western Division. The SaberCats have won nine of 11 games between the teams. San Jose’s Mike Grieb, who ranks among the top quarterbacks in the AFL, has a 7-1 record against the Avengers with 41 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. His 925 passing yards this season rank second in the league. Grieb has 16 touchdown passes and only two have been intercepted.