Talons Ready for First Season in Arena Football League

Originally Published: Mar 28, 2010 10:45 PM CDT

Curt Hill
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

TULSA, Oklahoma – As the Talons prepare for their first year in the Arena Football League, it's just another season for most on the team.

“For me it’s pretty much the same ball game,” linebacker Jamar Ransom said. “Same game, same rules, and everything like that. We’re just going to have to tighten up everything we did last year and come to compete.”

“It's still arena ball,” head coach Mitch Allner said. “There's obviously going to be a lot of different teams, and a lot of new faces when it comes to coaches and players that are going to be coming to the (BOK Center) and places that we will go. It's exciting and I’m looking forward to it.”

After a successful run in the AF2, Tulsa is moving forward with a mixture of players from the old Arena Football League and AF2. The new league has provided a second chance for some and a new opportunity for others.

“There's a significant loss (in money) for some (Arena Football League) guys,” said Steve Watson, a former San Jose Sabercat. “But that's one of those deals where guys had to do some soul searching and really come and decide if they still wanted to play football. This game is fun and you only have so many years you can do it.”

“Players who were playing in the AF2, their goal was to play in (the Arena Football League),” Ransom said. “We're here now, and there’s no excuses.”

With fewer teams and more players, the team has more talent, especially on the defensive front.

“The quality of player across the board has improved. We are a lot better than what we were last year in AF2,” Allner said. “Our pass rush is going to be a lot better this year than what it has been in past years. We have four very legit guys that are going to be rushing the passer this year, and I’m looking forward to what those guys will actually do in a game setting.”

More talent also means a tougher schedule for Tulsa, which won eight division titles and two Arena Cups during 10 seasons in the AF2. The Talons like their chances in the 15-team league, though.

“We've had an opportunity to scrimmage Oklahoma City and Iowa, and not taking away from those guys, but I think we look good and we're only going to get better as the season progresses,” Watson said.

The schedule will be tough from the start, with Tampa Bay visiting Tulsa in Week One. The Storm was one of the four original AFL teams and a dominant franchise during the league’s tenure.

“(Tampa Bay) is a team that has won five Arena Bowls and has a coach in Tim Marcum who has been around the game for a very long time, and knows the game very well. So it will be a very competitive home opener for us,” Allner said.

All things considered, one change the player players are not expecting is a decrease in support at the BOK Center.

“Tulsa's always had a good fan base,” former Talon and Chicago Rush defensive back James Sadler said. “I’m really anxious to see some of the old faces that I saw when I was here before.”

The Talons kick off their season on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Meet the 2010 Tulsa Talons