[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/15/06

AFL DESTROYERS

Coach spends sleepless night after collapse ends season

Monday, May 15, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


A once-improbable playoff berth suddenly looked likely for the Columbus Destroyers. Then, poof, it was gone.
Needing a victory to advance to the Arena Football League postseason for the first time, Columbus had a 15-point first-half lead over the host San Jose SaberCats on Saturday night.
Then the Destroyers self-destructed in the second half. They scored only three points after halftime, and the SaberCats pulled away for a 68-47 victory, ending Columbus’ season.
"Certainly it’s disappointing," Destroyers coach Doug Kay said yesterday afternoon during a layover in Houston. "A lot of things went away in the space of an hour — the opportunity to be in the playoffs, a winning season, (finishing as the) top defensive team in the league. Everything went away inside of that hour. For some reason we couldn’t say, ‘Giddy-up,’ and we couldn’t say, ‘Whoa!’ "
By winning their previous three games, the Destroyers entered Saturday needing a loss by Philadelphia at Georgia or a victory over San Jose to qualify for the playoffs.
Philadelphia won earlier in the day, though Kay said he purposely did not learn that going into Columbus’ game. At halftime, Philadelphia’s victory looked like it would be irrelevant. Columbus led 14-0 after five minutes and 41-26 with 34 seconds left in the second quarter before settling for a 44-33 halftime lead.
San Jose (10-6) scored on the first possession of the third quarter and forced fumbles on consecutive plays before a long missed field goal attempt on Columbus’ ensuing possession. San Jose capitalized with a touchdown to take their first lead at 47-44.
The Destroyers managed only a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback John Kaleo threw for five touchdowns but had two costly interceptions.
"We lost our initiative," Kay said. "I don’t know what happened. Some of those things you don’t know."
Kay described the locker room afterward as "desolate." He said he couldn’t sleep Saturday night before the team left the hotel at 5 a.m. Pacific time for the long flight home.
The Destroyers finished their season with an 8-8 record, best in the seven-year history of the franchise.
Asked whether there was satisfaction in that, Kay said, "Certainly there is, but it will come when we look back. It certainly doesn’t come with the frustration of the moment.
"Dreams and aspirations are there and then all of a sudden, they’re gone."
brabinowitz@dispatch.com