McCullough returns with unbeaten Arizona

I checked in with former Shock linebacker Kevin McCullough, who returns to Spokane on Saturday with the Arizona Rattlers.

In one of the franchise’s most controversial moves, Spokane traded McCullough to Oklahoma City last June. The trade of the popular McCullough opened the door for Antwan Marsh to take over at Jack linebacker and the Shock went on to win the ArenaBowl. McCullough finished the year at OKC before joining the Rattlers this season.

McCullough talks about the trade and his current situation with the Rattlers in an article that will run in Thursday’s S-R. Here’s a link .

The latest AFL poll is out and Arizona remains No. 1. Spokane (2-4) is No .10. Pittsburgh (3-3) didn’t make the top 10.

Read on below for several more notes.

—Spokane had several players, OL Palauni Ma Sun and FB Clay Harrell in particular, dinged up during the Orlando game, but both said they expect to play against Arizona. Defensive lineman Jon Williams, who was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected after bumping an official late in the fourth quarter, has been cleared by the league office to play Saturday. Head coach Rob Keefe said the game tape and the official involved indicated that the contact wasn’t intentional.

“He got a hefty fine,” Keefe added.

—Earlier this week Spokane released DB Rod Mosley. Spokane appears to have settled on four DBs — Alex Teems, Josh Ferguson and Ruschard Dodd-Masters as starters, and Terrance Sanders as the fourth DB who also can play Jack linebacker and return kicks. Sanders, who played for Arizona last year, might see additional duty this week with his familiarity with the Rattlers, .

—The Shock have signed WR Randy Hymes. Hymes, who played for Bossier-Shreveport and scored five TDs in a 78-70 loss to Spokane last season, is apparently being eyed by a CFL team. Keefe said it might be a week or two before Hymes’s status is known.

—News involving several former Shock players. Ed Ta’amu, a mainstay on Spokane’s offensive line last season, has joined the Utah Blaze. He played in last week’s loss to Arizona. It wasn’t clear if it was a one-game situation or if Ta’amu will continue on with the Blaze. Rico Ochoa has been activated from the suspension list by the Kansas City Command. There’s also word that Aaron Robbins, who started at Mac linebacker last season, has signed with Arizona, but it has yet to appear on the transactions list. Robbins isn’t listed on Arizona’s team roster on the team’s website.

—There’s an interesting story on the Arizona Republic website concerning Rattlers standout receiver Rod Windsor , whose availability for Saturday’s game is unknown with news of the NFL lockout being lifted. Windsor is under contract with the Cleveland Browns. The same situation applies to Rattlers kicker Fabrizio Scaccia, who is property of the San Francisco 49ers. Stay tuned.