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5* AUSTIN (-3)
The 20th season of the Arena Football League kicks off Friday night in Texas as the Western Division Las Vegas Gladiators invade The Frank Erwin Center to take on the Austin Wranglers. Austin knocked a much better Glads team off on a last second TD pass last season, and won the game by a 42-41 count. Neither of these clubs made the post-season a year ago, but Austin played in the much tougher Southern division and returns a bulk of its team. On the other hand, Vegas has completely retooled their roster and will have a much different look in 2006. They plan on playing more of a power game by utilizing its staple of capable FB/LB’s, but that’s not going to get it done tonight vs. the Wranglers. LV QB Whelihan just doesn’t have the tools, or the weapons to keep his club within this short number the whole way through. Austin’s offense can keep pace with just about any offensive attack in the AFL, but they made some huge off-season acquisitions on the defensive side of the ball that might get them over the hump in the South. Defensive Specialists Dameon Mason and Donvetis Franklin will keep Gladiator OS Marcus Nash in a vice all night, and force Whelihan to look to other outlets that are yet to be proven in this league. WR’s Lord and Douglass are on the shelf to start the season, and this will only hamper the Glad’s offense even more. Look for Austin QB John Fitzgerald to have a big game throwing to WR’s Nickerson, Robinson, and Chiaverini, and for the defense to simply shine in its first outing of the year. The Wranglers oust the Glads plans for revenge, and take this one by double-digits.
The 20th season of the Arena Football League kicks off Friday night in Texas as the Western Division Las Vegas Gladiators invade The Frank Erwin Center to take on the Austin Wranglers. Austin knocked a much better Glads team off on a last second TD pass last season, and won the game by a 42-41 count. Neither of these clubs made the post-season a year ago, but Austin played in the much tougher Southern division and returns a bulk of its team. On the other hand, Vegas has completely retooled their roster and will have a much different look in 2006. They plan on playing more of a power game by utilizing its staple of capable FB/LB’s, but that’s not going to get it done tonight vs. the Wranglers. LV QB Whelihan just doesn’t have the tools, or the weapons to keep his club within this short number the whole way through. Austin’s offense can keep pace with just about any offensive attack in the AFL, but they made some huge off-season acquisitions on the defensive side of the ball that might get them over the hump in the South. Defensive Specialists Dameon Mason and Donvetis Franklin will keep Gladiator OS Marcus Nash in a vice all night, and force Whelihan to look to other outlets that are yet to be proven in this league. WR’s Lord and Douglass are on the shelf to start the season, and this will only hamper the Glad’s offense even more. Look for Austin QB John Fitzgerald to have a big game throwing to WR’s Nickerson, Robinson, and Chiaverini, and for the defense to simply shine in its first outing of the year. The Wranglers oust the Glads plans for revenge, and take this one by double-digits.