More Savage nights in town

Antwone Savage is a long way from where he grew up.

But the Spokane Shock wide receiver doesn’t look at it that way. In Spokane, Savage feels like he is right at home.

“This is my second home now,” Savage said. “Just being away and going through the things I’ve been through with other teams, coming back home and being wanted at home – there’s just no better place to be.”

Savage, originally from Albany, Ga., won a national championship as a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma in 2000. He concluded his college career with a touchdown catch in the 2003 Rose Bowl win (34-14) over Washington State.

Last season Savage became an instant fan favorite in the Spokane Shock’s arenafootball2 expansion season. He led the Shock with 1,851 all-purpose yards and his 85 receptions tied him for the team lead.

His 21 touchdown catches also gave him plenty of chances to imitate Terrell Owens.

No painkillers or markers in his shoe, but he did manage to replicate Owens’ 2002 end-zone dance that included borrowing one of the San Francisco 49ers cheerleaders’ pompoms.

“Before every game I ask (Shock director of communications) Kevin (Maloney) what he wants to see when I score a touchdown,” Savage said. … “(He) told me he wanted to see the T.O., so I gave him the T.O.”

The celebration came against Amarillo.

Coming off his successful 2006 season, Savage signed with the AFL Dallas Desperadoes – the team picked to win this year’s ArenaBowl – and was with them throughout training camp. He was let go at the final cut.

“I had a pretty good camp,” said Savage. “I am still kind of asking myself why I’m not there today. They had about three veteran (receivers) that had played with the quarterback down there, and the quarterback is the offensive coordinator in Dallas, so it’s kind of like, I don’t want say favoritism, but it’s probably a little of that.

“But they are a pretty good team, too, so I can see where the quarterback would want to have players that he’s actually played with.”

Savage then signed with the Orlando Predators’ practice squad and was released 1 1/2 weeks later because the team couldn’t pay his salary.

In the af2, players earn $200 a game and get an extra $50 if they win. It’s a different story in the AFL.

“I think the league minimum is $30,000, so you can make like $1,800 a week (in the AFL),” Savage said. “I was looking forward to that – playing the game and making enough money to just be comfortable. That part was real disappointing, especially because I felt like I had made the team in Dallas.”

The return to Spokane, however, was anything but disappointing for Savage.

When things didn’t work out for Savage in Dallas – or Orlando – Shock owner/CEO Brady Nelson and general manager Adam Nebeker were waiting with open arms.

“I was talking to Brady and Adam throughout the process, and talking to guys on the team, Rob Keefe and Rico Ochoa, just the guys I played with last year,” Savage said. “They were like, ‘You know what it’s like out here, and it’s even better now.’

“I have an af2 team just like this in my hometown, the (Albany) Conquest, and they were talking to me, too, but I think there is no better place to be than right here.”

New coach Adam Shackleford said he is impressed with Savage.

“He came in on his first day of practice, picked up on what we wanted him to do and ran good routes,” Shackleford said. “He’s definitely in shape being in the AFL camp. And he’s a difference-maker. He’s a guy we plan on getting the ball to even more than the offense did last year.”