Donegeal, the Rock County Gladiator

[SlowwHand]

They COULD have been undefeated. Things should improve soon.

[Donegeal]

Oh Yeah. I went to practice today and I can definately play. I am out of shape still, but with me playing full back, I don't need great endurance as I will be the three yards and a cloud of dust guy. Yes I know that breaking a run is possible and FB does go out for dump passes, but on those plays just let me sit out the next play to catch my breath.

Full practice on Saturday. I dout I'll have my pads by then, but so what. I didn't have them today either. The first game for me will be on June 2nd. By then I am sure that I will get alot of playing time. They said they currently only have one FB so I only have one guy to beat out. NP.

This is going to ROCK!!!!

[SlowwHand]

This is so cool. What's your number? I may have a replica jersey made.

[Donegeal]

22... well, that's the number I'm going to ask for.

No... you cowboy, it's not for Emmit. It's my birthday duffus.

[SlowwHand]

I would think Bullet Bob Hayes for 22. Oooooh, MAN!
That right there says too much.

[Donegeal]

Here are some pics from the last game, the one against the Blue Devils... the one we won 6-0.

Sadly, I was not part of the team at this point, but that co-worker of mine that inspired me to try was. He's number 61 on defense.

[SlowwHand]

Smugmug.

[Donegeal]

Practice went well, but I'm falling behind because I don't have pads yet. They come on Tuesday... which is when the next practice is.

It'll be good to get the pads on and smear someone.

[Donegeal]

Another article about the Gladiators. Made the front page this time.

Will Gladiators get Monterey?

A home field for the Rock County Gladiators remains in question, but not for much longer.

The Janesville School Board is scheduled to decide Tuesday night on the semipro football team's request to use Monterey Stadium.

The school district administration is still recommending that the board deny the request, even though the Gladiators have offered to reduce the number of games from five to four and to shift its June and July games to August and September.

But the Gladiators are not holding their breath. Monterey Stadium is their first choice, but they are looking in to other options, including the playing field at the former Beloit Catholic High School, owner Carter Linneman said.

The school board on May 8 directed its administrators to delve more deeply into the question of whether the Gladiators could use Monterey without damaging the field.

School officials met with Gladiators representative Brian Worth, who offered to play games on Aug. 4, 11 and 25 and Sept. 1 rather than earlier in the summer.

June field maintenance was one reason for the administration's original recommendation that the request be denied.

The Gladiators' season was to begin at home June 2, Linneman said. But the team will play in Roscoe, Ill., that weekend, leaving June 23 as the first of six planned home games.

Doug Bunton, director of business services, wrote in a memo this week that the change of dates would allow the district to maintain its current field-maintenance program, but he still has doubts about whether the field can be kept in safe condition for the high school season.

Bunton's memo is contained in a packet of information used to prepare school board members for their meeting on Tuesday. It states that the change in schedule would be better for the field than the original request.

However, it would be necessary to add grass seed to the field before each Gladiators game, and the district would need to retain the right to cancel games if the weather might lead to "excessive damage" to the field, Bunton wrote.

"I commend Mr. Brian Worth and the Gladiators for their initiative and willingness to compromise their original request," Bunton wrote. "However, with the combined effects of an increased workload on the maintenance department, increased liability exposure for the school district and lingering concerns over maintaining a safe playing field for the high school students, my continued and strong recommendation is to deny the Gladiators' revised request."

Linneman said the concerns of damage to the field have been overstated.

"I can understand their point," Linneman said. "But to say we're going to tear up the field, it's just not true."

The Gladiators are not that much bigger than some high school players, Linneman said, and the field would have two or more weeks between games to recover.

If the school board decides to approve the request, Bunton wrote, it should impose a number of conditions, including:

-- The Gladiators obtain at least $10 million in liability coverage, naming the school district as one of those insured.

-- The Gladiators must agree to reimburse the district for any "financial consequences of injuries to persons or property."

-- The district obtain additional property insurance to cover damage to the stadium, with the Gladiators paying for the coverage, costing about $500.

-- The Gladiators must contract for security services and staff-no volunteers-according to any police or school district requirement.

-- The district would be able to cancel a game with two hours' notice, and the Gladiators would be responsible for finding an alternative site.

-- The Gladiators would pay for the cost of cleaning the stadium after a game, and the district could hire a private service for that purpose.

-- The district could cancel the agreement with five days' notice.

-- The Gladiators pay the district's usual commercial rate for use of the field, and would be responsible for any additional costs of using the field.

Bunton backs up his memo with documents relating to field maintenance and a three-page memo from the district's legal counsel.

Attorney David Moore wrote that if a student-athlete were injured as a result of damage to the field done by the Gladiators, the school board could be held liable.

Along with the continuing negative recommendations, the price of playing at Monterey Stadium is a turn-off for the Gladiators, Linneman said.

The district is asking for nearly $1,500 per game, up from previous quotes of $1,000, he said.

"The price is pushing us away," Linneman said.

[snoopy369]

Good luck sir Break some legs!

[snoopy369]

By the way, you need to come down to Chicago for a polymeet one of these days You and Metaliturtle and whomever else is up there ...

[Grandpa Troll]

Good luck Donegeal

Im 48 and physically unable to compete in Martial Arts and I did love Slowwhands comment "Wrap them arthritic joints"

Hang tough and remember, it will hurt you worse than it will hurt them

Seriously, be well my brother

Gramps

[MOBIUS]

Interesting how that team you played (Devils) appears to have ripped off my local Ice Hockey team's logo...




Funnily enough I am throwing my old bones around as a HB for my local team also - the South Wales Warriors...

Good luck and don't get hurt! (We had one guy off with 2 broken ribs, and broke the collar bone of their starting QB at Plymouth this weekend... )

[Donegeal]

We have a home field!!!!

Gladiators to play season in Beloit

After a final rejection from the Janesville School Board on Tuesday night, the Rock County Gladiators announced this morning they will practice and play this summer at the former Beloit Catholic High School.

The Janesville School Board turn away the semi-pro football team's bid to use the Monterey Stadium.

"Obviously, yesterday was a disappointing day of not getting Monterey," Head Coach Carter Linneman said this morning. "Today is a brand new day, and we're happy to have the old school."

Linneman said the team will pay about $100 per week to the Hendricks Development Group for games and practices at the field at 1221 Henry Ave. The team will be responsible for maintaining the field and finding bleachers.

The deal is pending final approval of insurance, Linneman said.

Ken and Diane Hendricks bought the field and former school building in August 2002 for $250,000.

The Gladiators games will fit nicely into the group's goal of supporting the community, said Tim Weeden, director of government affairs for Hendricks.

"We're looking to promote the community," Linneman said. "We hope that just because we're playing in Beloit, we're still going to get the support of the whole county. It's just so far, Beloit has welcomed us."

That community support will kick off this weekend as the Gladiators host a park clean-up day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Beloit Catholic field. Linneman said it will be a good way to meet the neighbors and tidy up the playing space.

The first practice on the new digs will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. that day.

The lease with Hendricks is for one year, Linneman said. When the season is over, the team will have to decide whether to stay or move.

If the team decides to try for Monterey again, Linneman said they learned they have to start conversations with the district earlier.

The Janesville School Board on Tuesday night encouraged the team to continue talking to the school district administration in hopes of gaining permission for the 2008 season.

The school board's 7-1 vote to reject the request for this year came after a number of team members and supporters spoke.

The lone "no" vote was from Bill Sodemann, who wanted the district to consider changing the fees proposed for Monterey from the commercial rate to the rate for civic groups.

The proposed costs of using Monterey, including a hefty liability insurance policy, had persuaded the team that they couldn't afford it.

The proposed requirements would have pushed costs to the $2,500-$3,000 range per game, Linneman said.

Gladiators acting general manager Brian Worth said he had run into similar costs when he investigated using the football fields of Beloit College and UW-Whitewater.

The Gladiators apparently had decided not to pursue the matter with the school board. A representative called district business director Doug Bunton Monday to tell him so.

But later the team received a groundswell of encouragement from the community and decided to attend the board meeting at the last minute, Linneman said.

Bunton wasn't informed of the change of heart, so he was surprised when a large number of team members and supporters showed up at the meeting.

Board member Amy Rashkin said the lack of communication didn't bode well for a future relationship, which would require prompt communication about the condition of the field.

Board member Todd Bailey said he was bothered at the administration's lengthy list of proposed conditions for the Gladiators. He said it looked as though the administration had inflated the costs.

Bailey also said he didn't appreciate the administration's suggestion that any field damage by the Gladiators could open up claims by high school players who later get injured on the field.

Liability concerns have not been a big deal with other groups using district facilities, Bailey said, but making a big deal of the issue in this case could serve to "open a can of worms" in the future when a high school player suffers a turf-related injury.

Speaking against the Gladiators' bid was the head coach of the Craig High School football team, Bill O'Leary, who spoke on behalf of himself and his counterpart at Parker High School, Joe Dye.

O'Leary said he and Dye are "diehard football guys" who would like to help the Gladiators, but he couldn't recommend that the adults be allowed to play at Monterey.

O'Leary said Monterey already sees 27 high school games over nine weeks in the fall. But when the field is in risk of damage, he has to tell his sophomore teams they can't play at Monterey in order to keep the field in "pristine" condition for varsity games.

O'Leary worried the Gladiators would further stress the field.

"I don't want my kid to lose a chance to play on that field when that field is there for them to play on" because of the Gladiators, O'Leary said.

And yes, this is the same Ken Hendricks of Hendricks' motor sports. He might even come to some of our games (if he's not doing anything else on a weekend )!

[SlowwHand]

My brother was a coach on a semi pro team. Played at a high school stadium for home games.