Wednesday, February 20, 2002
[ARENA FOOTBALL]
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Islanders taking shape Right now, there are only six players on the official Hawaiian Islanders roster.
The arenafootball2 team plans to
fill its roster with local talentBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comBut that number will more than triple by the time the arenafootball2 league team makes its final cuts on March 22.
Head coach Guy Benjamin will have a 19-man active roster for the March 30 opener at Blaisdell Arena against the Fresno Frenzy.
Benjamin is confident in the new franchise's ability to survive the long haul, something previous arena teams in Hawaii failed to do.
"This league (Arena Football League, with which af2 is affiliated) has been around for 16 years," Benjamin said, "and our managing director, Jerry Kurz, has been involved in several successful franchises, so he has the blueprint to make it work.
"Our owners (Charles Wang and his daughter, Kimberly) have the resources to support it, and you can't forget the fans, who will support us once they see the product is here to stay."
Benjamin's optimism about fan support might sound like wishful thinking, but it is grounded in previous experience.
"With the Hawaii Hammerheads (which Benjamin coached to the Indoor Professional Football League title in 1999 before they disbanded), once we started winning, the fans came out and gave us great support."
At an invitational tryout/workout last Saturday with about 50 players, Benjamin discussed his outlook for the fast-approaching season.
"There's a tremendous number of talented local football players," he said. "They're athletic and they've got good balance and they're strong, which lends itself to playing both ways."
Going both ways is a must in arena football. Linebackers switch to running back. Receivers switch to defensive back. And offensive linemen also play on the defensive line.
Benjamin sees his biggest challenge as getting the players into game shape by the opener. Training camp March 11-22 will help.
"The guys (at the tryouts) are out of shape," he said. "They've had too many two scoops at the L&L Drive-in -- all that fat stuff."
Quarterback Darnell Arceneaux, the former St. Louis School and Utah star, is one of the six players on the roster.
He's thrilled to be playing in front of the home fans.
"I'm glad to be back," Arceneaux said. "My grandparents never really got to see me play that much in high school, so I get to play in front of them and the rest of my family and the so many people who have supported me.
"And what better way for local people to spend a Saturday night than with their families, watching two teams butt heads."
Arceneaux calls arena football the NBA on turf.
"Like the old NBA, before zone defenses," he said. "It's 1-on-1, me against you. If I run a better route than you, I win. If you stop me from running a good route, you win. The fans should eat it up."
Arceneaux also knows how important it will be for the players to get in top shape.
"Physically, we'll be able to hit and play with anybody, but going both ways is something a lot of these guys haven't done," he said. "They've got to take it upon themselves to get in the best shape they possibly can."
Benjamin, a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who has been an assistant at Stanford and Hawaii, is relying on assistant Al Noga for defensive expertise.
Noga is a former Hawaii standout who starred in the NFL and also played in the Arena Football League.
"We plan on being a very physical team, tough, and playing to wear our opponents down," Benjamin said. "That's local style.
"And there is nobody better around to teach getting to the passer than Al Noga. I've heard it from coaches all around; he is considered to be the best-ever at getting to the passer in the AFL."
Benjamin isn't afraid to grade those trying out by comparing them to NFL-caliber players.
During Saturday's workout, he praised a receiver's route, saying, "Finally, we got someone to do it right."
"Yeah, I was teaching some of the 49ers' routes," he said later. "I will hold them to that standard, that's the only way I know how.
"That's how I view my job, to make these players better, good enough so that when they leave here, they can play at the next level."
Quarterback Ed Moore (Punahou/Columbia), kicker Jake Huggins (Iolani/Hawaii), wide receiver/defensive back Davy Malaythong (Boise State), defensive specialist Elijah Massey (Chapman) and offensive specialist Sean DeCambra (St. Louis/Kailua/Washington State) have also secured roster spots.
Among the well-known Hawaii invitees at workouts are Roy Ma'afala, Chris Paogofie, Morrie Roe, Avion Weaver and Robert Kemfort.
Governor's reception: Last night, Benjamin, Noga, Arceneaux, Moore, Charles and Kimberly Wang and other team officials were greeted at the Governor's Mansion by Gov. Benjamin Cayetano.
Kimberly Wang, who has lived on Oahu for eight years, asked for help in making the af2 team work.
"The most important thing I have to say is that we can't do any of this without you," she said. "We need the support of the fans, the government and the business community.
"We have police officers outside, and no one gets to leave until they sign up as a sponsor," she joked.