Well its game day in the Western Europe Pro League and this week sees one of the match ups of the season.
Its First Vs Second as the NFLUK Wembley Warriors put their 7 game unbeaten streak on the line against the Blackpool Mountain Lions, in what many experts see as a taste of the Alpha Championship game.
All week the fans have been buzzing about this match up of the two best sides in the Conference and when WEPL News caught up with some of the key figures before the game, one man summed it up perfectly.
"You can feel the intensity in the locker room. This is why I asked for the trade. It doesn't get any better than this." said Blackpool's new FB, Christian Reid. "The Warriors are a very well-rounded team, and to win, we'll have to force them into mistakes."
When the players are excited you know your going to be in for a great game, but it doesnt stop there, coaches around the league are watching this one with interest too.
"That'll be an awesome game" said Coach Helluin of the Valhalla Vikings who should know having been involved in great fighting displays against both teams before suffering defeat.
"This is the type of game where you just hope both sides beat each other up, just to give the rest of us a chance" said the Monarchs GM Mike Rogers
Well with all this interest we had to go directly to the two men in charge of each teams.
"This will be a fight to the finish, and we cant let up, not even for a second." Coach Leroy of the Warriors said "We have to treat these guys with the respect they deserve, but remember that we are number 1 and we are undefeated under this ownership, of course its going to be a tough game, its always a tough game when your number 1, you have a big target painted on you and everyone is taking shots at you."
Warriors know all about top of the table encounters, 4 times already this season they have faced the 2nd placed side in the league, and each time they have won.
When asked how confident he was that his team, who have won their last 3 games against Play Off contenders, were good enough to take on the Warriors, the Blackpool Mountain Lions Owner replied,
"Yes were ready, I am very proud of these guys. I'm even more proud that they stuck with me after we lost our first two games since I started with the organization, and to be on the winning streak as we are against top notch teams in the league is more than what I could have expected.
I feel that we have done everything in our power to prepare for tomorrow's game, and everyone should be looking forward to it."
And how does it feel to be tipped as the Dark horses for the Alpha Title? WEPL News asked.
"It feels good to be tipped to go all the way, but we want to take this one baby step at a time, and not get ahead of ourselves, because from now until the playoffs, anything can happen really."
One person who knows all about baby steps is Warriors QB Paul Luther, who was a back up when Coach Leroy bought the team, but is now unbeaten in his GLB career. WEPL News spoke to him just moments before kick off.
WEPL: You were on the team before Coach Leroy arrived, but you didnt see much action...What differnces have you seen to explain the 7 game unbeaten streak your on?
A: I saw my first action on the field in the 3rd quarter of the 5th game of the season. The differences in this team? How much time do we have for this interview? Leroy has assembled a football team that can hang with anyone. We play well in all facets of the game, we work as one, we have a great team chemistry, and we go into every game with a never say die attitude.
WEPL: How do you feel you've improved your game under the Warriors new coaching staff.
A: As the season has progressed, and the Ownership have got more talent around me, the more my confidence has grown.
I know our D will give me a great chance to win the game. I know that if I throw a bad ball my WRs will put their body on the line to bail me out. I know that my Line will give me the time to make my progression reads. I know that if we need a TD on the last play of the game, every man on my team is a go to Guy.
WEPL: This is a huge match up that we could see again in the play offs, what kind of a psychological advantage will the winner of todays game have?
A: Mostly, it gives the winner the mentality of "we beat this team once, we can do it again". If we win it, we stay on top and continue our steak; if they win, they beat the top team in the division.
WEPL: Coach Leroy's Warriors have faced the 2nd place team 4 times this season, and all 4 games, is this just another game to you?
A: 16-0 or 0-16, it's never "just another game". We're the #1 team in this conference right now, and people are going to play us hard. We don't look past any team. Just because we beat 4 other 2nd place teams, doesn't mean we can sit back and hope for a win. We have to keep playing the way we've played all season and rise to the occaision again.
Highlights and Post Match interviews will be coming soon!
Its First Vs Second as the NFLUK Wembley Warriors put their 7 game unbeaten streak on the line against the Blackpool Mountain Lions, in what many experts see as a taste of the Alpha Championship game.
All week the fans have been buzzing about this match up of the two best sides in the Conference and when WEPL News caught up with some of the key figures before the game, one man summed it up perfectly.
"You can feel the intensity in the locker room. This is why I asked for the trade. It doesn't get any better than this." said Blackpool's new FB, Christian Reid. "The Warriors are a very well-rounded team, and to win, we'll have to force them into mistakes."
When the players are excited you know your going to be in for a great game, but it doesnt stop there, coaches around the league are watching this one with interest too.
"That'll be an awesome game" said Coach Helluin of the Valhalla Vikings who should know having been involved in great fighting displays against both teams before suffering defeat.
"This is the type of game where you just hope both sides beat each other up, just to give the rest of us a chance" said the Monarchs GM Mike Rogers
Well with all this interest we had to go directly to the two men in charge of each teams.
"This will be a fight to the finish, and we cant let up, not even for a second." Coach Leroy of the Warriors said "We have to treat these guys with the respect they deserve, but remember that we are number 1 and we are undefeated under this ownership, of course its going to be a tough game, its always a tough game when your number 1, you have a big target painted on you and everyone is taking shots at you."
Warriors know all about top of the table encounters, 4 times already this season they have faced the 2nd placed side in the league, and each time they have won.
When asked how confident he was that his team, who have won their last 3 games against Play Off contenders, were good enough to take on the Warriors, the Blackpool Mountain Lions Owner replied,
"Yes were ready, I am very proud of these guys. I'm even more proud that they stuck with me after we lost our first two games since I started with the organization, and to be on the winning streak as we are against top notch teams in the league is more than what I could have expected.
I feel that we have done everything in our power to prepare for tomorrow's game, and everyone should be looking forward to it."
And how does it feel to be tipped as the Dark horses for the Alpha Title? WEPL News asked.
"It feels good to be tipped to go all the way, but we want to take this one baby step at a time, and not get ahead of ourselves, because from now until the playoffs, anything can happen really."
One person who knows all about baby steps is Warriors QB Paul Luther, who was a back up when Coach Leroy bought the team, but is now unbeaten in his GLB career. WEPL News spoke to him just moments before kick off.
WEPL: You were on the team before Coach Leroy arrived, but you didnt see much action...What differnces have you seen to explain the 7 game unbeaten streak your on?
A: I saw my first action on the field in the 3rd quarter of the 5th game of the season. The differences in this team? How much time do we have for this interview? Leroy has assembled a football team that can hang with anyone. We play well in all facets of the game, we work as one, we have a great team chemistry, and we go into every game with a never say die attitude.
WEPL: How do you feel you've improved your game under the Warriors new coaching staff.
A: As the season has progressed, and the Ownership have got more talent around me, the more my confidence has grown.
I know our D will give me a great chance to win the game. I know that if I throw a bad ball my WRs will put their body on the line to bail me out. I know that my Line will give me the time to make my progression reads. I know that if we need a TD on the last play of the game, every man on my team is a go to Guy.
WEPL: This is a huge match up that we could see again in the play offs, what kind of a psychological advantage will the winner of todays game have?
A: Mostly, it gives the winner the mentality of "we beat this team once, we can do it again". If we win it, we stay on top and continue our steak; if they win, they beat the top team in the division.
WEPL: Coach Leroy's Warriors have faced the 2nd place team 4 times this season, and all 4 games, is this just another game to you?
A: 16-0 or 0-16, it's never "just another game". We're the #1 team in this conference right now, and people are going to play us hard. We don't look past any team. Just because we beat 4 other 2nd place teams, doesn't mean we can sit back and hope for a win. We have to keep playing the way we've played all season and rise to the occaision again.
Highlights and Post Match interviews will be coming soon!
Last edited Apr 4, 2008 01:30:43
(that last bits a jim mora quote btw in case some1 else thinks I'm insulting you)
