Running the table?
I asked the kind of questions today at Shock practice that coaches don't like to hear. Can you go undefeated? And, How much of a goal is it?
Coaches dread anything that requires speculating beyond the next game, but Adam Shackleford handled the topic deftly. In a nutshell, he said it would be great, but it's not the all-consuming goal. That would be winning the ArenaCup, whether it's achieved with a 16-0 regular season, 15-1, 14-2, whatever.
Anyway, more on Shackleford and the players' thoughts in an unedited notebook below.
By Jim Meehan
Staff writer
Adam Shackleford knows arenafootball2 history.
The Spokane Shock head coach knows there’s only been one team to go undefeated. He knows it was
Sporting a 12-0 record heading into a road game against
Not that he’s against the notion.
“People bring it up to me, but our schedule is so tough it’s going to be tough to go undefeated,” Shackleford said. “We’re going to go to
Two things are working against the Shock. In order to go unbeaten,
Working in
“We know we’re undefeated,” defensive back Stanley Franks said, “but we’re preparing for each team like they’re the best team and we’re respectful of our opponents. When you start looking ahead, that’s when you get caught.”
Fullback Harrison Nikolao doesn’t get caught up in records.
“It’s a great thing to be undefeated, but the greatest thing is to play well together week in, week out,” he said. “We have our minds set on the bigger picture, and that is getting everyone ready, prepared and believing in each other.”
If that includes a zero in the loss column, Shackleford won’t object.
“Our goal is to win every game,” he said. “We want to clinch home playoff games. We want to win our division, win our conference and win the ArenaCup. If it takes 16-0 to accomplish that, then that’s what we’ll try to do.”
Rival coach impressed
“They’re disciplined, they don’t beat themselves,”
How does
“It’s tough to compare them (with
Notes
Nick Davila’s younger brother, Max, served as a ball boy at Shock practice Wednesday, a task often handled by kicker Brian Jackson. Max, 10, is in