One Final Rush Post

By: Jerome Cusson

(Jerome Cusson: The following are the thoughts of Adam Rosen. He sent this to me yesterday after the Rush loss. These aren’t my thoughts, but please enjoy them anyway.)

In a game that was dominated by the rhinos from Michigan, there was really no true turning point.  They wanted it more.  Did they play dirty?  Yes.  Did the Rush lose focus and play into that?  Yes.

But when you have a cornerback stop on a play when the whistle hasn’t been blown, comimtting an error even third grade pee-wee football players know not to do, you can’t blame the refs and you can’t blame the Rampage.

That play, where Rampage QB James McPherrrrrson stumbled to the ground, yet was able to get back up and throw 30 yards down field to an WR because CB Jeremy Untertl gave up because McPherrrrson was down, signified the tone of the game.  To quote one-hit wonder Chumbawumba, the Rampage got knocked down, but they got up again, both literally and figuratively.

They lost players via ejection.  They had the entire Allstate Arena (minus the few Rampage fans in attendance) up in arms over the awful calls and bush-league officiating.  They threw the game to the Rush with an interception to Unertl, and the offense responded to make it a three point deficit.  But that was as close as they would come.

In the post-game press conference, Coach Hohensee said this year’s team was the most fun to coach of any team he has had.  After being present at 11 of the games, conversing with players before, after, and even during the games, there was something special about this team.  Chalk it up to some of the veterans knowing time is running out to win another ring, or the legends Damian Harrell and Sherdrick Bonner coming in and ending up being the best tutors Donovan Morgan and Russ Michna could ever ask for.  Whatever it was, this team had fun and played close in 16 games this season.  They could very well make a case that 15-1 wasn’t out of reach.  An onside kick goes the other way (Philadelphia), the refs know what they’re doing (Orlando, or any other AFL game this year for that matter), a better call at the end of the game by the coach staff (Utah), or  a kicker doesn’t get hurt in pre-game (Georgia), and the Rush are even bigger favorites in the playoffs than they already were.

They were only out of two games at the end: June 7 against the Cleveland Gladiators, and Sunday against the Rampage.  And there’s one thing in common with those two opponents at that time: they both wanted it more.  Cleveland was fighting for their playoff lives in week 14, and that win propeled them into a home playoff game, a victory over Orlando in the wild card round, and a date with the Georgia Force tonight. 

Grand Rapids came in with a chip on their shoulder with their staggering 7-10 record.  After being blown out in front of hundreds in Grand Rapids in March, and barely losing to the Rush at Allstate less than two months later, they were ready for revenge.  More importantly, they were just ready.

To say fans and players were disappointed is a complete and utter understatement.  I’ve seen more upbeat people at funerals, and it wasn’t because the person who died left a large sum of money to the people.  It was a major shock to some that a hot team came in to an opposing teams carpet and beat them.  These were the same people that were shocked two years ago when the Rush won four straight road games and won Arena Bowl XX.

Just like with everything, time heals all wounds.  The Rush will be back next year, and one’s still not enough.  And just like the past two years, I will hopefully travel to Grand Rapids for the Rush-Rampage game, and hopefully watch the Rush plow thru those horny bastards like they have the past two trips. 

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Jerome Cusson is a proud graduate of Columbia College Chicago. Currently, he is a freelance writer and a contributer to such websites as The Cool Kids' Table and giveawaytheending.com. Check out his NSR blog as well.

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2 Comments

  1. If you (Adam) thought the Rampage played dirty, you weren’t watching the Rush play dirty.

    Hard to believe the referees managed to keep Moyer & Ezekial in the game, even after their lousy hit to MacPherson.

    CORRECTION - Only one player was ejected from the Rush/Rampage game - Jason Shelley.

    Comment by Alex on July 8, 2008

  2. The Rush were the poor sports and should have had 2 players tossed out..

    Comment by John on July 8, 2008

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